09.17.17 A Slave To Jesus

NBC Ministries's Podcast

Slavery is a wicked thing. And certainly, nobody would want to be known as a slave. Yet, that is exactly how Paul, the guy who wrote most of the New Testament, referred to himself. He called himself, “Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus” (Romans 1:1). Think about the magnitude of that statement. Besides writing more than half of the New Testament, he was also one of the greatest missionary church planters in history. He was arguably the most influential man born after Jesus Christ. Yet, how did Paul choose to identify himself? As a slave. He first called himself a “slave” of Jesus Christ and second called himself an “apostle.” And he is in good company. Timothy, James, Jude, Peter and John also referred to themselves as “Slaves of Jesus Christ.” Therefore, if these heroes of the Bible viewed themselves as slaves to Jesus, wouldn’t you want the same title? But, here in America, when we think of servants we think of maids or butlers, but Timothy Paul, James, Peter and Jude chose to call themselves slaves. Of all the terms to describe a servant, the Greek word doulos that is used, is the lowest scale of servitude. Yet, this is what we are called to do. We are called to be slaves of Jesus. We are called to live for him and him alone.