SLAVERY
THAT LEADS TO FREEDOM
INTRO:
The word slave is not a very popular word today. But when you apply
that word to our relationship to Christ it takes on a new meaning.
Slavery to Christ will bring the most rewarding freedom now and
forever. I am Christ's slave. 1
Corinthians 7:22-23 22
For
he who is called in the Lord while
a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called while
free is Christ's slave. 23
You
were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.
7:22-23 Slavery was common throughout the Roman Empire, so many of the believers in Corinth were slaves when the Lord called them. Paul said that although the Christian slaves remained enslaved to other human beings, they were free from the awful power of sin in their lives. Romans 6:18, New Living Translation18 Now you are free from sin, your old master, and you have become slaves to your new master, righteousness. In the same way, if a person was free when the Lord called him, he was now a slave of Christ. Romans 6:22, New Living Translation22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. Because God paid a high price to bring His people to Himself, He has complete authority over their lives. ‘In twentieth century Christianity, we have replaced the expression “total surrender” with the word “commitment”, and “slave” with “servant.” This has important consequences for how we view our lives as Christians: ‘we commit ourselves to do something, but when we surrender ourselves to someone [as slaves], we give ourselves up’ (p18). FROM BOOK/Slave of Christ- MURRAY J. HARRIS The prescription for freedom from worry, doubt, fear, sin, eternal death and hell, is “slavery”- “total surrender” utter devotion and allegiance of your heart to Christ. It’s a freedom that also brings peace, holiness and eternal life. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade said “when you study in the Scripture, the Scripture clearly teaches we're not our own. We've been bought with a price, (1 COR. 6:20) the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. So none of us really have any rights. I'm simply acknowledging that when I say, 'Lord I want to be your slave.' I know I'm a Son of God, an heir of God, and a joint heir of Christ. I'm seated with Him in the heavenlies, but by choice; like Paul, Peter and others, I've chosen to be a slave."And it's the most liberating thing you can imagine.” God speed the day when more men will be His slaves. THERE ARE ETERNAL REWARDS AS A SLAVE OF JESUS CHRIST: I will be raised from the dead imperishable. 1 Corinthians 15:52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. Imperishable means- never to perish, die or decay. THIS BODY PERISHES AND IS BURIED, BUT WHEN JESUS RETURNS AT THE RAPTURE IT WILL BE RAISED TO LIVE FOREVER. With great emphasis Paul passed on to these Corinthians a secret—knowledge given to him by divine revelation from Christ. The phrase not all of us will die in verse 51 means that some Christians will still be alive at the time of Christ’s return. They will not have to die before they get their new resurrection bodies. Instead, they will all be transformed, immediately in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, New Living Translation 13 And now, brothers and sisters, I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died. 15 I can tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet him ahead of those who are in their graves. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with him forever. 18 So comfort and encourage each other with these words.
7:22-23 Slavery was common throughout the Roman Empire, so many of the believers in Corinth were slaves when the Lord called them. Paul said that although the Christian slaves remained enslaved to other human beings, they were free from the awful power of sin in their lives. Romans 6:18, New Living Translation18 Now you are free from sin, your old master, and you have become slaves to your new master, righteousness. In the same way, if a person was free when the Lord called him, he was now a slave of Christ. Romans 6:22, New Living Translation22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. Because God paid a high price to bring His people to Himself, He has complete authority over their lives. ‘In twentieth century Christianity, we have replaced the expression “total surrender” with the word “commitment”, and “slave” with “servant.” This has important consequences for how we view our lives as Christians: ‘we commit ourselves to do something, but when we surrender ourselves to someone [as slaves], we give ourselves up’ (p18). FROM BOOK/Slave of Christ- MURRAY J. HARRIS The prescription for freedom from worry, doubt, fear, sin, eternal death and hell, is “slavery”- “total surrender” utter devotion and allegiance of your heart to Christ. It’s a freedom that also brings peace, holiness and eternal life. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade said “when you study in the Scripture, the Scripture clearly teaches we're not our own. We've been bought with a price, (1 COR. 6:20) the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. So none of us really have any rights. I'm simply acknowledging that when I say, 'Lord I want to be your slave.' I know I'm a Son of God, an heir of God, and a joint heir of Christ. I'm seated with Him in the heavenlies, but by choice; like Paul, Peter and others, I've chosen to be a slave."And it's the most liberating thing you can imagine.” God speed the day when more men will be His slaves. THERE ARE ETERNAL REWARDS AS A SLAVE OF JESUS CHRIST: I will be raised from the dead imperishable. 1 Corinthians 15:52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. Imperishable means- never to perish, die or decay. THIS BODY PERISHES AND IS BURIED, BUT WHEN JESUS RETURNS AT THE RAPTURE IT WILL BE RAISED TO LIVE FOREVER. With great emphasis Paul passed on to these Corinthians a secret—knowledge given to him by divine revelation from Christ. The phrase not all of us will die in verse 51 means that some Christians will still be alive at the time of Christ’s return. They will not have to die before they get their new resurrection bodies. Instead, they will all be transformed, immediately in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, New Living Translation 13 And now, brothers and sisters, I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died. 15 I can tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet him ahead of those who are in their graves. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with him forever. 18 So comfort and encourage each other with these words.
A
trumpet blast will usher in the new heaven and earth. Christ
will return, the dead will be raised out of the graves with
transformed bodies. Those still alive will be transformed,
also receiving their new bodies. This change will happen instantly
for all Christians, whether they are dead or alive. All will be made
ready to go with Christ
I will put on immortality. 1
Corinthians 15:53 For our dying
bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our
mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.I
have a Mortal body– One certain to die. I will have an Immortal
body- One certain to live eternally. God
does offer the prospect of true
sinless immortality, eternal life—not just of the soul, but also of
the whole individual—spirit, soul and body! Because
“flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God”
(1 Cor.15:50)
We must all be changed. Because
Christians are promised eternal life in God’s Kingdom, then our
present perishable earthly bodies must be transformed into
heavenly bodies that will never die. Death
is the transformation from this life to the next. Each
person will still be recognizable, will still be the person God
created him or her to be, but each will be made perfect with a body
that will be able to live forever in the Kingdom. 2
Corinthians 5:1-5, New Living Translation SAYS: 1 For
we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down—when
we die and leave these bodies—we will have a home in heaven, an
eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We
grow weary in our present bodies, and we long for the day when we
will put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For
we will not be spirits without bodies, but we will put on new
heavenly bodies. 4 Our
dying bodies make us groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die
and have no bodies at all. We want to slip into our new bodies so
that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by everlasting life. 5 God
himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us
his Holy Spirit. Jesus
by His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead brought
us freedom from perishable bodies by paying for and providing us
bodies that will never perish.
INVITATION:
As a slave of Jesus Christ we have freedom not only now but also in
the future. You cannot be a slave of Christ and enjoy all the freedom
He brings till you ask Him to forgive your sins and invite Him into
your life to take charge of you and then your future is secure in
heaven. He will give you His Spirit as a guarantee. The
alternative is no freedom, but bondage now and forever in hell.
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