This week’s devotions are based on Week 5 of the Series Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are (CLICK HERE)
“It’s not what you know, but who you know.”
In a competitive job market, one can send 100s of resumes to places posted on LinkedIn or Indeed or other job listing websites. Unfortunately the chance of getting selected from a pool of 1000s of applicants is rather slim. However, if you know someone who works at the company, the chances greatly increase to at least get an interview.
So how did Paul become a servant of the Gospel?
If Paul would be applying to the Lord for the position, “Servant of the Gospel” his resume would probably have been quickly dismissed. For prior to the Lord Jesus knocking him off his horse, his resume would have included such accomplishments as:
- Opposed and threw many Christians in prison
- Approved and watched as Stephen was stoned for being a Christian.
- Great one-liner murderous threats that anyone can use against Christians.
- High ranking Pharisee that can get authorization to kill Christians in any town.
So, would you “hire” him?
Nope.
So how did Paul become a servant of the Gospel? He tells us himself in Ephesians 3:7-9:
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
God gave him the opportunity. Period.
Paul didn’t have a resume that in anyway deserved the opportunity to share God’s grace with all people. God in his mercy took the dead soul of Saul and changed it into the living, forgiven soul of Paul. God took Saul’s tenacity for persecuting Christians and turned it into a passion for proclaiming Christ.
Paul was changed by the power of the Gospel and his experience with grace became a powerful testimony to the importance and impact of the Gospel.
Perhaps Paul had a unique role in the early Christian church. Which he did. However, anyone affected by the power of the Gospel is also called to be a servant of the Gospel.
This includes you.
Again, you didn’t have to submit your resume to be considered by the Lord for this role, the Lord knew you and as he connected you to his grace, he charged you with the task of being a servant of the Gospel.
So how did you become a servant of the Gospel?
By God’s grace. Period.
Like Paul, a servant of the Gospel now has the primary role to proclaim “the boundless riches of Christ and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery (that Christ is for all).” For Paul it was a full time position. For us it is probably not our profession, but it is our purpose. The call to be a servant of the Gospel is an opportunity to share the Gospel in whatever position of life God has us. If the position is a gift of God’s grace, the opportunities will also be orchestrated by God’s goodness (remember these are works God has prepared in advance for you to do! – Ephesians 2:10).
So be the servant of the Gospel God has called you to be!
Apply: What is one way you can better show up as a servant of the Gospel today in the setting in which you find yourself?
Prayer: Lord thank you for your grace that not only assures me of a position in your kingdom, but also your grace that has given me the privilege of being a servant of the Gospel. AMEN.