Posted on 05/31/2020 3:18:00 AM PDT by metmom
"The names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax-gatherer; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him" (Matt. 10:2-4).
In God’s hands you can be a precious and effective instrument.
The story is told of a great concert violinist who wanted to prove a point, so he rented a music hall and announced that he would play a concert on a $20,000 violin. On concert night the music hall was filled to capacity with music lovers anxious to hear such an expensive instrument played. The violinist stepped onto the stage, gave an exquisite performance, and received a thunderous standing ovation. When the applause subsided, he suddenly threw the violin to the ground, stomped it to pieces, and walked off the stage. The audience gasped, then sat in stunned silence.
Within seconds the stage manager approached the microphone and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, to put you at ease, the violin that was just destroyed was a $20 violin. The master will now return to play the remainder of his concert on the $20,000 instrument." At the conclusion of his concert he received another standing ovation. Few people could tell the difference between the two violins. His point was obvious: it isn't the violin that makes the music; it's the violinist.
The disciples were like $20 violins that Jesus transformed into priceless instruments for His glory. I trust you've been encouraged to see how God used them despite their weakness, and I pray you've been challenged by their strengths. You may not be dynamic like Peter or zealous like James and Simon, but you can be faithful like Andrew and courageous like Thaddaeus. Remember, God will take the raw material of your life and expose you to the experiences and teachings that will shape you into the servant He wants you to be.
Trust Him to complete what He has begun in you, and commit each day to the goal of becoming a more qualified and effective disciple.
Suggestions for Prayer
Make a list of the character traits you most admire in the disciples. Ask the Lord to increase those traits in your own life.
For Further Study
Read 1 Timothy 1:12-17, noting Paul's perspective on his own calling.
Studying God’s Word ping
I remember when I bought my Gibson Les Paul. It was marked down from $4999.00 to $1200.00 because it was an experimental model. The experiment failed but the guitar was magnificent. I had to split the cost among four credit cards, but it was worth it. My playing improved exponentially because of the silky response of that guitar, and my dynamics, dexterity, skill, and expression took a quantum leap.
I know that preachers like to use anecdotes to illustrate Gospel principles, because I do it every day on another thread (and have been for ten years). Some of my stories help people, and some fall flat, but they are all from personal experience, family history, and current events. Most of my stories have something to do with music, because I have been a musician all of my life.
This “$20 Violin” story is a terrific illustration of God making us new creatures in Christ. However, as a music teacher, I am constantly appalled by the instruments that parents expect their children to learn upon. I don’t expect a Fender or Gibson Electric or a Martin Acoustic Guitar for a beginner. Nor does every child need a Steinway Grand Piano for their childhood lessons. However, a purple plastic Hannah Montana guitar, or a toy keyboard with mini-keys will only hamper a child, and no amount of diligent practice will make any difference if the thing won’t even stay in tune. A truly sub-standard instrument will not respond to the master’s touch, no matter how skilled the player may be.
Every trained and talented musician longs for that fine instrument. Great violinists have their Stradivarius violins, Pianists have their Steinways and Baldwins, Guitarists treasure their Gibsons and Martins and Fenders, and percussionists their Zildjians. If this were not so, why not equip themselves with “$20 Violins”? It would certainly save on expenses. Classical musicians have been know to forego rent and food to pay for their instruments. My friend, a cellist, has to pay BIG BUCKS just to replace a string.
Since John MacArthur is a Calvinist, his “$20 Violin” anecdote fits the bill. God DOES take a worthless individual and turns him into a Child Of God. I have no argument with the Theology, but just with the story itself. A “$20 Violin” in the hands of the Master is still a “$20 Violin”. That’s why the musician in the story had no problem smashing it. Would that be analogous to us “dying to self” or “hitting bottom” before coming to Christ? Perhaps.
But then we have the problem of the “$20 Violin” sounding just fine, and the audience not hearing the difference. It is here where the the comparison fails. If, indeed, the “$20 Violin” sounds just as good as a Stradivarius, why bother upgrading? If the unsaved existence, a life of crime and sin, or striving in a false religion fits the bill, why change? If the master can make you sound great without regeneration, why be born again? Why smash up the “$20 Violin” if the Master can make beautiful music on it? If there is no discernible difference, why pay six figures for the Stradivarius?
Though usually right on the mark, I think that John MacArthur falls short with this analogy. While it fits the “Total Depravity of Man” by showing the “$20 Violin” as worthless without the Master, the “$20,000 Violin” gets treated with the utmost respect. I doubt if the musician in the story would smash the “$20,000 Violin” at the end of the concert to prove the “T in TULIP”. If he REALLY wanted to illustrate the Gospel, the “$20,000 Violin would be just as Totally Worthless as the other one.
Jimi Hendrix actually illustrated this principle better when he burned his Stratocaster (worth five figures) at the end of his concert.
There are people who absolutely love this teacher, and that’s OK. It’s also OK to question some of his teachings, and not everybody agrees. I am not a Theologian, so I am speaking as a musician who has played many instruments in my many years, and I think I can speak with some experience and authority on the subject.
Oh well. Time to put on my asbestos suit! LOL!
Some sermon illustrations are just a stretch too far for credibility in my book.
They make nice sounding stories, but i wonder how many of them actually happened.
Yes. I agree with you.
That becomes a problem when the anecdote is obviously a fake. At that point, the hearer might think, “Well, that’s a fake story, so why should I believe the Gospel? Maybe that’s a fake story too.”
Like “journalists” with “FAKE NEWS”, these stories harm the credibility of the Truth in some people’s minds.
“Some sermon illustrations are just a stretch too far for credibility in my book.”
My sister and I (Baptist P.K.s) still do this, but it started when we were little. During a sermon, when the preacher starts “speaking evangelistically”, i.e., lying usually in an illustration, each writes on the bulletin, “T” or “NT” (true vs not true). Then we compare notes. We’re usually on the same wavelength when hearing pastoral BS.
And that is really a sad state of affairs.
While St. Paul used illustrations to explain Theology, he didn’t tell lies or make up stories to illustrate his point.
He pointed out the altar “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD”, quoted Greek Philosophers, compared the body of Believers to the Body of Christ, explained Belief as analogous to Marriage, Roman Military Gear, Abraham’s two sons, Slavery, etc, but he didn’t make up stories.
Now, Jesus spoke in Parables, but He always gave an indication that it WAS a Parable.
And, of course, Jesus KNEW what He was talking about. In His illustrations concerning Nature, Crops, Seeds falling in different places, Families, Employers and Servants, etc, the stories were meant to teach Eternal Principles, not just make people feel good.
Sometimes I think preachers get their “stories” from email spam.
“Sometimes I think preachers get their ‘stories’ from email spam.”
Maybe now. When my dad and uncles did it in their sermons, email and internet weren’t even a glint in Al Gore’s eyes. Just religious urban legends that got passed around.
Sometimes when our preacher does it now - get really embarrassed.
If they updated the $20.00 violin to maybe $1,000.00 it might ring truer.
I doubt anyone except maybe the luckiest garage sale buyer, could find a $20.00 violin that would sound anywhere near concert quality.
I mean the strings probably cost more than that.
fortunately no violin required. There is nothing more worthless than the wreck of a human I am ruined by sin. One drop of His Precious Blood applied to my like makes me a precious possession my Father delights over. His worth not mine but applied to my life changes everything.
Well, I suppose the email spam had to start somewhere. :-)
The following are email spams that I have been getting for years and are untrue:
1. The one about “Surah 9:11” in the Koran about an Eagle. The only “Eagle” in all of Islamic Religious Literature is in Hadith Bukarari as to how much to charge for Ransom of an Eagle.
2. The one about the founding of Stamford University
3. The one attributing the Hymn “Precious Lord” to bandleader Tommy Dorsey (The Hymn was written by REV. Thomas Dorsey, a Black Minister)
4. The one about the mentally challenged kid playing baseball, where all the kids deliberately throw the game so he won’t feel bad.
And so on. “Religious Urban Legends” is a very good description.
The Gospel is AMAZING. And it is OK to tell a story to illustrate a point. But if the story doesn’t ring true, or if it is contrived to evoke a sentimental response, it is probably not helpful.
I didn’t mean to start out being cranky, but the “$20 Violin” just rubbed me the wrong way, I guess.
You are right. The strings DO cost more than $20.
Amen.
Bukari, not Bukarari.
I looked it up. LOL.
That becomes a problem when the anecdote is obviously a fake. At that point, the hearer might think, “Well, that’s a fake story, so why should I believe the Gospel? Maybe that’s a fake story too.”
Jesus told parables that were “fake”. But those with ears heard the point.
Mat 13:13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
Mat 11:15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Thanks for the comment. Made me think. Now I need to go find my ears.........................
While St. Paul used illustrations to explain Theology, he didn’t tell lies or make up stories to illustrate his point.
No One would waste seed on a rocky path. No father would give his son his inheritance before he died. etc.
Rom 11:8 as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”
I was looking for the verse that eyes to see and ears to hear are a gift. Looks like the opposite is also true. Will have to put my Thinking Cap on and do some thinking.
Indeed. Jesus even said that He spoke in Parables so that those who were meant to understand, would.
Meanwhile, His stories would go right over the heads of the Religious Scholars.
When Jesus told a story that was about a real occurrence, though, He would use certain expressions. He would name names (The rich man and Lazarus), or use a definite word like “a CERTAIN man”.
Other times He would say things that were just common sense, such as “Nobody puts a new patch on an old garment..” or “Nobody puts new wine in old wineskins”, or even “The Kingdom of heaven is like a...” and so on.
Of course, if you believe, as I do, that Jesus is omniscient, and incapable of lying, than ALL of His stories are TRUE, either in fact or in principle.
However, as you said, common sense would discern that just in the hearing.
I doubt if the musician in the story would smash the “$20,000 Violin” at the end of the concert to prove the “T in TULIP”. If he REALLY wanted to illustrate the Gospel, the “$20,000 Violin would be just as Totally Worthless as the other one.
A few thoughts:
1) The issue of Calvinism is not mentioned in the article. It is something that you are wrestling with. I wrestled with it many years. What does God say on the matter?
2) WHY did Hendrix destroy valuable instruments? That deserves much thinking.......................
3) It is interesting where eyes and ears go in a story. The destruction of the fiddle is not where mine went. The beautiful music played on both is what I thought about.
“The one attributing the Hymn “Precious Lord” to bandleader Tommy Dorsey (The Hymn was written by REV. Thomas Dorsey, a Black Minister)”
Right. That one always torked me off. I saw an interview with Rev. Dorsey’s wife a long time ago. Impressive man.
I am not a Theologian,
But what is Theology? It is the study of God.
In that respect, WE SHOULD ALL BE THEOLOGIANS. Theology should not be left to the experts.
Or to put another way. If we are in love with someone, we want to know everything about them, even to the smallest detail. I remember those days when I first fell in love with my wife..................................
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