Slavery

I can say without a shadow of a doubt that the Lord spoke to me through Pastor Henard on Sunday June 25, 2006. The text was 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. This is the passage where Paul says, "I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some."
It was verse 19 that kicked me square in the teeth. It says, "For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them." Paul says, "I HAVE MADE MYSELF A SERVANT FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL." Even though I already knew this about Paul, the Lord showed me that this is where I need to be. Christianity is about knowing Christ, and it's about showing others Christ that they might be won from death into life. Paul says the cost is slavery. We've been freed from sin into slavery for people. Not only slavery, Paul is talking about a voluntary slavery for people because of the goodness of Christ. He CHOOSES AND WANTS to be a slave. Why? Because he knows Christ, period and amen.
This is where I, and every person that knows Christ, should be seeking to be. I have been freed from death into life. I have the greatest thing ever in Jesus Christ. Why am I too selfish to give it to others? Why can't I make it a point to seek others that they too may know Christ? I look at myself and see nothing but one who satisfies himself, yet Paul is talking about slavery from self to slavery for others. It's a challenge. It requires sacrifice. It requires cost. But, as believers, it should be a joy because we have Christ.
God, give your people willing hearts to be literal slaves to other people that some....that some may be saved for your glory.

My Struggle

Over the past year at Porter, one resounding theme has rang out in our college department teachings: love. Chase ended his stay with us by going through 1 Corinthians 13. Dustin picked up and went through Romans 12 last year. Over the summer, we've been in Mark 12 talking about loving God and loving others. I mean, we ought to know all there is to know about love by now.
But, I confess that my actions haven't necessarily matched up to what I know. I sat through Bible studies listening to every word taught. I know what the Bible says. But it's not enough just to know. We must act. We must be doers of the Word, and for my failure in that I repent.
I confess that I would rather spend time watching t.v. shows every Tuesday and Thursday nights. I confess that I would rather spend time hanging out with my usual friends on the weekends. I confess that I never really made an attempt at investing in a stranger's life. I confess I never took action when God told me to do something. Of that I repent.
See, God has shown me recently that being a Christian isn't easy. It's not necessarily fun. It's not all the time to be enjoyable. Heck, at times, it's not even something I want to do (See Christ in the garden for better understanding). What I have realized is that the Bible teaches that Christianity is hard. It requires long-suffering and patience. It requires sacrifice. Oh does it require sacrifice. Paul tells us that he often went sleepless nights for the sake of the brethren. He would work at night to provide for himself such that during the day he could minister. He went to jail, was tortured, was shipwrecked, was beaten, and eventually lost his life for Christ. Look at Christ. He was mocked, scorned, beaten, driven out of his hometown the first time He taught, and He was eventually crucified. Where is the fun in this? What about this seems easy? What makes this enjoyable?
And Christ asks no less from each one of us. In fact, He demands no less from us. One of my favorite passages in the entirity of Scripture is Luke 9:23. "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me." This is the cost of discipleship. This is the cost of following Jesus. He means we should be willing to sacrifice and love to the point of death. We must deny our pride, our self, our sin, our everything to follow Christ.
But this is the struggle. Christ says to love one another. Love is in accordance with sacrifice. Christ asks us to follow Him by sacrificing for others. Will we give up those hours of t.v.? What about those hours with the usual friends? What about a little sleep? I know Paul often went sleepless. What about a meal? What about a little money that we think we need for ourselves that would be better used for ministry? What about your very being? Sacrifice isn't easy. It usually isn't what we want to do. I would rather chill with my friends on a Friday than hangout with some strangers who have nothing in common with me, but that's what Christ demands of us.
So I confess that I have failed, but I thank God for His grace that allows me to try again. And it is my prayer for my friends and myself that eventhough sacrifice may not be fun or easy or pleasing that we do it willfully because it pleases our Father. It pleases the One who died for us because He loved us. Let God find us faithful.