Two things struck me from the sermon:
1) Who (or what) is my master?
2) Cheap grace versus costly grace
As Brad elaborated on how Paul so humbly referred to himself as a 'servant' (for better translation: slave) of Christ Jesus (vs 1), it made me realize the impact of the meaning of that word. A 'slave' does not have his or her own rights, they belong to their masters and have to obey their masters.
Sure, in my own life I have often thought about 'serving God' or being in the 'serving team', or even how I want to 'serve' God in university and later in my career. But what about day-to-day living? My attitudes, my thoughts, my actions toward others.... who or what really is my 'master'?
'If we are not slaves to Christ, we are slaves to other things.' (Brad)
In examining my heart, God has showed me that instead of Christ being my master, very often myself is my own master. In making decisions, I admit that I first consider my own desires ('Do I want to go to this event?' /'Will I enjoy the event?'/'Will my friends be there?') rather than asking God ('Do you want me to go?'/ 'is there something you want me to do there? Is there someone I can invite along with me? Or someone I should speak to?'). Being a slave to Christ is definitely not easy. It means I no longer live under my own desires, but the desires of God.
The first question served as a timely reminder for me, as I was just preparing to move back to uni for my final year. The beginning of a new term is a perfect time to make a new start! I know I cannot do this on my own: may God give me a teachable heart! Show me how to be a slave of Christ Jesus :) Please take over the driving seat of my life.
The second thing that struck me was my attitude toward grace.
Maybe it was because I have been Christian for so many years... as Brad said, the word 'Grace' is thrown around so much in Christian circles, that we can forget the real meaning behind the word. So often I myself have turned it into something cheap, by serving myself, following my own selfish nature and doing what i want to do rather than what God wants me to do. I have forgotten (or rather, become hardened) to how costly it was for grace to be given to us: Jesus on the cross- all the suffering, torture, humiliation, pain, insults, the crown of thorns on his head... with the burden of all sins on his shoulders. It was costly.
Each time I sin I nail Jesus on the cross again. And recently I listened to a sermon that talked about sin is falling short of the glory of God. I may not have gossiped/ slandered/stolen/ done anything to harm others.. but if I deliberately failed to do something I know God wanted me to do (such as answering my flatmates' questions about God/ being kind to someone/helping my mum wash dishes after she had a long day) that is sin as well. Woah... the number of times I sin each day... mind boggling! Yet Jesus willingly took on the suffering because He loves us, in order that we could be made right with God again.
Do I really appreciate and comprehend how costly grace is? I can't say I fully get it. I am still learning everyday and asking God to help me to appreciate the real meaning and cost of grace. I really pray that as a Christian, I can have a genuine deep understanding of the gift of grace, so that I can live with God as my master, and not myself.
Let us not throw grace around carelessly, let us not keep on sinning and then confessing half-heartedly.
'God loves us the way we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way' (Leighton Ford).
God-is-not-finished-with-me-yet:)
CY
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