April 10
For Him and From Him
Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. ––1 Corinthians 8:6
Each year, more than 16.5 million sermons are delivered in the US across approximately 350,000 places of worship,* while roughly 125,000 new Christian books are released. Everywhere we look the Church is preaching, teaching, guiding, and counseling. We are encouraged to join small groups, volunteer for worthy causes, and do things for God at every turn.
And all those things are great.
But when Paul wrote his first letter to the Church at Corinth, he was speaking to a sophisticated group of people living in a materialistic, sexualized culture (sound familiar?). Notice what Paul says in today’s verse: there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. In the very same letter he repeats this sentiment, saying, “You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (1 Cor 6:19-20), and, “You belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God” (3:23). We are His. He purchased us with His life, and from Him all good things flow.
Man of God, before you can live for Christ, you must live from Christ. Once we accept Jesus as Savior, we become His. We no longer belong to the world. It’s a simple equation of input before output: He is the source, and we can do nothing of eternal value in our own actions and strivings. Here’s the bottom line:
The future that God is calling you to isn’t something you build for Him, but something you receive from Him.
Yes, we need to put in the blood, sweat and tears, but from a position of first receiving from our King. When we fully comprehend and absorb Paul’s words, we make the exchange from a transactional mindset to a relational one. We begin to comprehend that we cannot earn what has already been freely given to us. It’s like winning a Hawaiian vacation on a game show and then trying to pay the host afterward for the cost of the trip. It makes no sense.
We spend a lot of time trying to live for Christ, but it all starts when we live from Him.
Father, thank You for the free gift of my salvation, which comes from You and through Your son. Help me to live from that position of grace.
* “The Digital Pulpit: A Nationwide Analysis of Online Sermons,” by the Pew Research Center, 12/16/19, pewsearch.org.