The One who went to the cross to accomplish redemption for the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose was not a great worker. It was not an outstanding work that qualified the Lord Jesus to be the Redeemer. What qualified Him was the life He lived. We know from the Gospels that Jesus was not a famous person living in a mansion in a large city. No, He was a man raised in the home of a carpenter from Nazareth, a despised town from the despised district of Galilee. But the life He lived qualified Him to be the Redeemer for the accomplishment of God’s eternal purpose.
It is crucial for us to see that the Lord Jesus was qualified by life, not by work. This matter of the priority of life over work is a very important aspect of the Lord’s recovery today. The Lord wants to recover a life; He is not seeking to accomplish a work of revival.
Since the Reformation Christians have often prayed for revival. Some have prayed for a great revival to stir up all the believers. But according to history, there has never been such a revival. Of course, about eighty years ago, there was a revival in Wales. Some Christian leaders were excited and expected that revival to spread to every continent. But it did not spread worldwide. In fact, after some years, it eventually died out, even in Wales.
In 1958 I was invited to a certain place in London. One day my host drove me through the countryside of England and Scotland. As he was driving, he pointed out the window and said of the people in the Scottish countryside that many of them had never heard of Jesus. He went on to tell me that Scotland was much like a heathen country. Nevertheless, Scotland is not far from Wales, where a great revival had taken place. This indicates that the way of revival does not work. Only one thing works, and that is life. This was the reason the Lord Jesus did not come to accomplish a great work. Rather, He came to live a life. Now His life has been spread to every corner of the earth. He is not a Jesus of work; He is a Jesus of life.
I need to point out to the saints in the Lord’s recovery that even many of us, young and old alike, still care for a work. Subconsciously or unconsciously our interest is related to a work for the Lord. Some, for example, may aspire to be great evangelists. The thought of carrying out a great work may still be in your heart, in your subconsciousness. I would encourage you to lay aside this thought. God does not respect any work. Much of the damage among Christians has been the result of human works. The more we try to work for the Lord, the more trouble we shall create and the more damage we shall cause. I believe this is the reason that Paul, when presenting the confirmation of his ministry, uses the name Jesus. He does not say, “The Lord Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords.” Instead, he speaks simply of Jesus: the putting to death of Jesus, the life of Jesus, and Jesus’ sake. The life that was manifested in Paul’s body was not the life of a great man. It was the life of Jesus, a little-known man from a despised region.