Giving Up

For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 

1 Cor. 9:19-22

What are you willing to give? That will be the question that is posed repeatedly in the new sermon series. It has been laid out last month that God is the great provider, Jehovah Jireh, who has lavished us with a grace that can cover all of our sins. Considering that, how can we give and be better givers?

The first thing we can do is give up. I know that is not the most common of encouraging phrases, but it is truly pertinent to who we are in Christ. Paul noted that to be a more effective minister of the Gospel, he had to give up. He had to give up some things to become all things to all men to save some. He was willing to see who people perceived they were and what needed to change for them to be who God wanted them to be. He saw some who were still Jews enslaved to the law. He reasoned to them as one who knew what the law prescribed and how it pointed to the cross (see Gal 3:24). To the Greeks (those without the Law), he appealed to how even a monument to an unknown God in Athens pointed to the cross (see Acts 17:23).

What do we need to part with to become all things to all men, to save some? Perhaps time would be a good start. We need time in bible study, first on our own, and then with those we know who will say yes. Giving up fear would be another great start. Our apprehension can stifle our effectiveness. Remember, fear is the antithesis of love, and with fear, the message that is to go out stays packed away in our hearts. Let us gain more by giving up.

Grace and Peace,

Ryan