The Visited Planet

The Visited Planet

by Marcia Brown

Transcribed from the original recording; may contain errors.

I’m going to be reading some scripture here to begin with. I’m using not a Bible I normally use. This is one of these four parallel text Bibles. And the print is considerably smaller. So we’ll see how I get along. I’ve opened my Bible to the fifth chapter of 2 Corinthians, verses 16 through 21. This is a tremendous portion of scripture.

Paul is saying, “From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view. Even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come.” Not a new person. A new creation.

Made new. A new creation. “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” That’s our ministry. Reconciliation. “That is, God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” My, what a trust He had in us. “So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We beseech you, on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake, He made Him to be sin, who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

In some ways, that’s one of the most tremendous statements in the scriptures. All of that is referred to in order that we might become the righteousness of God. The Good News Bible, instead of using the word reconciliation, talks about making people into friends.

Reconciling friends. Making people into friends of God. God doing all that He has done. Christ doing all that He has done. In order that we might be friends with man and with God. It’s a tremendous statement. Turning over to Ephesians.

This time, not from the RSV, but from the New English. Did I say the other was New English? The other was the RSV version. This is the New English. These first ten verses of Ephesians. Just a few moments ago, I counted the numbers of times that you find the phrase “in Christ” in these ten verses. They number six.

“From Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus, commissioned by the will of God, to God’s people at Ephesus, believers incorporate in Christ Jesus.” Believers incorporate. You know what an incorporation is? “Believers incorporate in Christ Jesus. Grace to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” And he goes on, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has bestowed on us”; bestowed, a tremendous word. These verbs are wonderful. “Who has bestowed on us in Christ every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.” Us. All of the blessings of the heavenly realms. “In Christ, He chose us before the foundation of the world to be dedicated, to be without blemish in His sight, to be full of love, and He destined us, such was His will and pleasure, to be accepted as His sons through Jesus Christ, that the glory of His gracious gift, so graciously given, and Jesus was graciously given, so graciously bestowed on us in His Beloved, might redound to His praise, for in Christ, our release is secured, and our sins are forgiven, through the shedding of His blood. Therein lies the riches of God’s free grace lavished upon us.” That word lavished.

There are other words that could have been used, but this word lavished. He poured it out in abundance. He deluged us. Lavished. That word lavished has something of the washing process in it also. Cleaned it up. Lavished. “Lavished upon us, imparting full wisdom and insight.” I’m going to read that sentence again. “Therein lies the richness of God’s free grace lavished upon us, imparting full wisdom and insight. He has made known to us His hidden purpose. Such was His will and pleasure determined beforehand in Christ to be put into effect when the time was ripe. Namely, that the universe, all in heaven and on earth, might be brought into a unity in Christ.”

Another tremendous portion of scripture indicating what the purpose of our being a part of His plan is. How He wants to use us, what He’s done for us in order that we might be usable, and the goal that all in heaven and on earth might be brought into a unity in Christ. We’ve got a big job to do, folks, and it’s doable in Him, with Him, through Him, doable, even by us.

This portion of scripture reminds me of something that happened in Ceylon. Oh, I suppose it was about eight years ago. We were to have some meetings up in the northern portion of Ceylon at Trincomalee. Several of us from the Colombo area went up. Of course, Roland and I went up because we were on assignment.

The churches up there wanted us. The others came along in order to be with us and to pray for us. And that’s a terrific comfort. Tremendous. Well, the second we arrived and the Methodist minister who was to be our host, his church was to be where we were to be, he met us at the train and informed us that the Roman Catholic priest had been telephoning trying to get him to promise that Roland would be speaking at a very special Roman Catholic service. But this Methodist minister would not promise without Roland’s permission.

So he told us about that and Roland said, “But we’re supposed to be having a session at your church at that very time.” And he said, “Well, this is earlier than that. We can finish that at the cathedral and then go over to the Methodist church and be in time.”

That way you minister to all the Roman Catholics as well. The bishop was to be there. And they were planning something very, very special. It was a meeting, I’ve forgotten the name of it, but they were specializing in unity.

The gathering was expected to be so large that it would not be held in the cathedral, but it would be held outside. Of course, Roland agreed to go. The four ministers in town, plus the Roman Catholic priest and the bishop were the ones to participate in this special meeting. We went in and there were only a few chairs just in front.

And we sat down in the chairs. The rest of the place was filled with people. So many people that they couldn’t even sit on the ground. They stood packed together. They built a special platform. Over it they had something that I would call like a medallion. There’s a special name for it, I know, but I don’t know that special name.

The only word that we could read was the word unity. Because the writing was in Selenese. Well, the Presbyterian minister, the Methodist minister, and the Anglican all had the first part of the service, spoke first. Then Roland’s turn came. He was followed by the bishop.

Of course, the others had spoken in the language of that area. Although they knew English, they spoke in the language of the area. Roland had no idea what had been said. He was to speak in English, and the bishop that followed him was also to speak in English.

Well, that one word was the only word that he could have to guide him, unity. So he thought of this particular passage from Ephesians, the tenth verse, the last verse that I read. And he started speaking about it. When it came to this section, where all in heaven and on earth, he glanced up, looked slightly to the left, and discovered walking through the opening that led into the gathering, a beautiful cow was coming.

Of course, he stopped talking. And it wasn’t long before everyone’s attention was on that cow that was coming. It came in front center, looked at the bishop, turned around, looked at Roland. And Roland said afterwards he never saw such an expression in his life. It was as if that cow was saying, “I heard you when you said all in heaven and on earth might come into unity, and here I am.”

Well, the parish priest escorted the cow outside. But I’ll tell you, it was a very interesting talk we had from Roland. He didn’t talk about the cow. One of those occasions where an incident like that can just start a humorous streak going. And it was great.

They weren’t afraid of this American at all. Then the bishop spoke. That too was wonderful. I wish we were all in union, all in heaven and on earth. We have much to do together. Much. God is depending on that.

It’s a little story I want to read. You know the author of this story, J.B. Phillips. You’ll find this story, if you’re looking for it, in the front pages of one of his books, New Testament Christianity. There in the front of the book, you’ll find a portion that’s in italics. And this is what is in italics. It’s a story.

And as we’re going home, I think this little story can contribute. It’s entitled “The Angel’s Point of View.” And there’s a little comment about it in the opening of the story in the book. It says, “It may give us fresh perspective on life if for a few moments we shed the limitations of earthbound thinking and detach ourselves deliberately from modern pressures and problems. Let us pretend for a little while.” And would you pretend for a little while as you listen? And I suggest you listen with your eyes closed. Picture it. I don’t think you’ll have any difficulty picturing it.

And this is the story. Once upon a time a very young angel was being shown round the splendors and glories of the universe by a senior and experienced angel. To tell the truth, the little angel was beginning to be tired and a little bored. He had been shown whirling galaxies and blazing suns, infinite distances in the deathly cold of interstellar space.

And to his mind there seemed to be an awful lot of it all. Finally he was shown the galaxy of which our planetary system is but a small part. As the two of them drew near to the star which we call our sun and to its whirling, circling planets, the senior angel pointed to a small and rather insignificant sphere turning very slowly on its axis. It looked as dull as a dirty tennis ball to the little angel, whose mind was filled with the size and glory of what he had seen. “I want to watch that one particularly,” said the senior angel, pointing with his finger. “Well, it looks very small and rather dirty to me,” said the little angel. “What’s special about that one?” “That,” replied the senior solemnly, “is the visited planet.” “Visited?” said the little one. “You don’t mean visited by…” “Indeed I do. That ball, which I have no doubt looks too small and insignificant and not perhaps over clean, has been visited by our young Prince of Glory.” And at that he bowed his head reverently. “But how?” queried the younger one. “Do you mean that our great and glorious Prince, with all these wonders and splendors of His creation and millions more that I’m sure I haven’t seen yet, went down in person to this fifth-rate little ball?”

“Why should He do a thing like that?” “It isn’t for us,” said his senior a little stiffly, “to question His whys, except that I must point out that He is not impressed by size and numbers as you seem to be, but that He really went, I know, and all of us in heaven who know anything know that, as to why He became one of them. How else do you suppose He could visit them?” The little angel’s face wrinkled in disgust. “Do you mean to tell me,” he said, “that He stooped so low as to become one of those creeping, crawling creatures of that floating ball?” “I do, and I don’t think He would like to call them creeping, crawling creatures in that tone of voice, for strange as it may seem to us, He loves them. He went down to visit them, to lift them up to become like Him.” The little angel looked blank. Such a thought was almost beyond his comprehension. “Close your eyes for a moment,” said the senior angel, “and we shall go back in what they call time.” While the little angel’s eyes were closed and the two of them moved nearer to the spinning ball, it stopped its spinning, spun backwards quite fast for a while, and then slowly resumed its usual rotation.

“Now look.” And as the little angel did as he was told, there appeared here and there on the dull surface of the globe little flashes of light, some merely momentary and some persisting for quite a time. “Well, what am I looking at now?” queried the little angel. “You are watching this little world as it was some thousands of years ago,” returned his companion. “Every flash and glow of light that you see is something of the Father’s knowledge and wisdom breaking forth into the minds and hearts of people who live upon the earth. Not many people, you see, can hear His voice or understand what He says, even though He is speaking gently and quietly to them all the time.” “Why are they so blind and deaf and stupid?” asked the junior angel rather crossly. “It is not for us to judge them. We who live in the splendor have no idea what it is like to live in the dark. We hear the music and the voice like the sound of many waters every day of our lives. But to them, well, there is much darkness and much noise and much distraction upon the earth. Only a few who are quiet and humble and wise hear His voice. But watch, for in a moment you will see something truly wonderful.”

The earth went on turning and circling round the sun. And then quite suddenly, in the upper half of the globe, there appeared a light, tiny, but so bright in its intensity that both the angels hid their eyes. “I think I can guess,” said the little angel in a low voice. “That was the visit, wasn’t it?” “Yes, that was the visit. The Light Himself went down there and lived among them. But in a moment, you will be able to tell, even with your eyes closed, that the light will go out.” “But why? Could He not bear their darkness and stupidity? Did He have to return here?” “No, it wasn’t that,” returned the senior angel. His voice was stern and sad. “They failed to recognize Him for who He was. Or at least only a few, a handful knew Him. For the most part, they preferred their darkness to His light. And in the end, they killed Him.” “The fools, the crazy fools, they don’t deserve…” “Neither you, nor I, nor any other angel knows why they were so foolish and so wicked. Nor can we say what they deserve… Or don’t deserve. But the fact remains. They killed our Prince of Glory… While He was man with them.” “And that, I suppose, was the end. I see the whole earth has gone black and dark.”

“All right, I won’t judge them. But surely that is all they could expect.” “Wait. We are still far from the end of the story of the visited planet. Watch now, but be ready to cover your eyes again.” In utter blackness, the earth turned round three times. And then there blazed with unbearable radiance a point of light. “What now?” asked the little angel, shielding his eyes. “They killed Him all right. But He conquered death. The thing most of them dread and fear all their lives. He broke and conquered. He rose again. And a few of them saw Him. And from then on, became His utterly devoted slaves.” “Thank God for that,” said the little angel. Amen. Amen. “Open your eyes now. The dazzling light is gone. The Prince has returned to His home of light. But watch the earth now.” As they looked, in place of the dazzling light, there was a bright glow which throbbed and pulsated. And then, as the earth turned many times, little points of light spread out. A few flickered and died. But for the most part, the lights burned steadily. And as they continued to watch, in many parts of the globe, there was a glow over many areas. “You see what is happening?” asked the senior angel. “The bright glow is the company of loyal men and women He left behind Him.”

“And with His help, they spread the glow. And now lights begin to shine all over the earth.” “Yes, yes,” said the little angel impatiently. “But how does it all end? Will the little lights join up with each other? Will it be all light, as it is in heaven?” The senior shook his head. “We simply do not know,” he replied. “It is in the Father’s hands. Sometimes it is agony to watch. And sometimes it is joy unspeakable. The end is not yet.”

“But now I am sure you can see why this little ball is so important. He has visited it. He is working out His plan upon it.” “Yes, I see. Although I don’t understand, I shall never forget that this is a visited planet.”

Points of light going out. Points of light that have legs and feet and arms and hands and minds and hearts going out from here. Points of light. Spreading. Multiplying His life. His kingdom is coming, folks. We’ve been praying it for a long time. He promised it.

Right now we’re geared in. Ready to go. God bless.