Dr. Mac’s Minute: Why Lottie?
Note: I first shared this several years ago. I like to bring it out every few years to remind us why the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions continues to be critical to our efforts to reach the nations for Christ.
Passage: Ephesians 2:11-22
Focus: ““He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and are of God’s household.”—Ephesians 2:17-19
As Titanic sank, lifeboats were only half full. The wealthy would not share their “salvation” with the poor. As cries rang out from the North Atlantic’s icy waters, the selfish shut their hearts and ears . . . with salvation for so many so close!
On September 1, 1873, a new missionary left Virginia for China. For 39 years, Charlotte Diggs Moon—Lottie to her friends—served Jesus in Tengchow and P’ingtu. At first, she lived in the relative safety and comfort of the mission compound. Then a question burned deep into her heart: “How many more souls are to pass into eternity without having heard the name of Jesus.” She left the compound and lived amongst those she wanted to reach. Her devotion is remembered through our annual Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Through it we have more than 3500 missionaries fulfilling the Great Commission around the world.
A woman asked her pastor, “When will we pay off this ‘Lottie’ thing?” Not until Jesus takes us home! It does, however, lead to some better questions: Why keep supporting missionaries? Why keep praying for missionaries? And, why do some of us need to leave the comfort of our own “compound” and go to the mission field? Paul gives us the answer in Ephesians 2:11-22.
Paul provides five descriptions of the terrible condition of the lost in v. 12. They are separated from God’s love, excluded from God’s family, strangers to God’s promises, without God’s hope, and void of God’s presence.
The numbers are staggering. Over 5 billion of the world’s nearly 8 billion are separated, excluded, strangers, hopeless, and void of the Master’s presence. Of these, nearly two billion have little or no access to the gospel. More than half of the world’s 6000 unreached people groups have never been engaged with the gospel message. Bring it closer to home. The Dakotas have over 1.6 million people, with an estimated 1.3 million lost without Christ.
Today nearly 140,000 around the world will die without Jesus. 140,000 will die and go to an eternal hell. Do you believe that? Do you believe that people you know and love will be separated for eternity without Jesus? If so, you have a debt. Why? Because, you were once like them. Paul reminds the Ephesians, “At that time you were without the Messiah” (v. 12). But, because of Jesus: you are no longer strangers, you are now “citizens with the saints” (19a). You are no longer excluded, you are “members of God’s household” (19b-21). You are no longer hopeless, you are “being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit” (22). But for the grace of God, you would still be like the world is now.
The opening phrase in v. 11, “so then,” points back to a familiar passage: “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them (vv. 8-10) . . . SO THEN” (or “therefore”) remember where you came from!!! Those on whom God showers His blessing of redemption have a great responsibility to share that blessing.
The lost are separated from God’s love . . . yet it is so close! While we sit in the boat, enjoying the life of God’s family, masses, crying out from the icy waters of sin, are still excluded, strangers, hopeless, and void of God’s presence. You are sitting in the boat while the lost voices ring out around you . . . their condition DEMANDS our action!
Paul goes on in vv. 13-18 to describe the compassion of our Lord. Sin separated us from God, but the blood of Christ brought us near. His grace released us from the burdens described in v. 12. His compassion paved the way to peace and provides access to the Father. In fact, Paul does not say that Jesus simply provides peace; He IS our peace! He tore down the walls that separated us from God. You can enter His presence right now. You need no other intermediary than Jesus.
That compassion answers the question, “Why?” It calls to us to share with others. Lottie Moon’s words still echo: “How many million more souls are to pass into eternity without having heard the name of Jesus?” What are we to do in response to the condition of the lost? In light of the compassion of our Lord, how will you respond to the condition of the lost and Christ’s compassion and call?