My message last week was on September 11th. What is so special about that date? I hope no body ever forgets 9-11 in their hearts and in their faith journey. We should never forget those who lost their lives by the cowardice sinful acts of a group of terrorist. They were slaves to sin. Could they have been changed before it was too late or was it destined to become an unforgettable senseless act? We shall never know but let me expand on another story so you can draw your own conclusions about acts of sin. At the risk of failing to define slavery in terms we can all understand, here goes my version. Slavery is a person who is indebt to another. Slavery is not color specific, not gender specific, not ethnic specific, not political affiliation specific, not regional specific, etc. etc. Slavery in my simple mind is being obliged to dance to someone else’s tune. I have heard it said that an employer pays employees just enough to keep them from quitting where employees work just enough to keep from being fired. Is that a fair assessment? For some work relations, yes it is where perhaps really good work conditions maybe not so accurate. However, I do believe that we can all fall into a slave mentality if not careful. We can become slaves to food, drink, gambling, drugs, sex, religious ideology and any other thing that corrupts our minds and bodies and keeps us separated for the love of God. In fact, I have also heard it said that the truest definition of sin is anything that separates us from God. Take Paul for example. He claims in 1 Timothy 1:15 that he was the greatest sinner of all. He persecuted the followers of the Way because he was a slave to what he believed and acted in ignorance and without faith. Yet God choice to use him in a mighty way. Do you suppose he would also use us as instruments of faith? I believe God’s grace comes well before we are even aware of our calling. Paul’s story and ministry is well documented in his letters found in the new testament. There is one story though you may have not spent much time is reading and that is a very small book sandwiched between Titus and Hebrews called Philemon. It takes about 30 minutes to read the whole book but you may find revealing how Paul lived his life even in prison to win souls from slavery to sin. Onesimus is a run away slave who happens to have been converted by Paul who considered him a brother in Christ. Philemon was the slave owner who was also a brother in Christ through Paul’s ministry. Paul is now the intervener to reunite slave and owner into a new life’s journey to freedom. Read more and listen to my brief message if interested to find out how you may relate to this story in your life’s story.
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