Called to Belong and Serve!

Scripture:

Romans 1:1–6

¹ Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, ² (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) ³ Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; ⁴ And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: ⁵ By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: ⁶ Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

Devotion:

Romans 1:1-5 is more than a greeting or introduction but a statement about the Gospel's bedrock and the leverage for the life of others. It speaks of who Paul is in terms of the Gospel, as the first thing people will hear from him is, "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus." In other words, it's grounded in his call to all others called by God and how he understands his whole personhood. He is letting the original audience know that along with everything Jesus has commanded him to understand, everything contained herein is from Jesus.

Our being under grace transforms what we do and changes how we live. For such is the reward and privilege of our participation in this gospel ministry (cf. Phil. 1:29). For just as the identity of one's self shapes one's living, so does grace-at least with those who consider themselves servants.

Then, therefore, the call to belong to Jesus Christ. This call is so full of relationships. We are not God's tools but His beloved. To belong to Christ, we grasp the securely loved, empowered assurance that His Spirit within us enables us obediently to live for His name.

These are the questions we need to pose as we consider this passage: What is one thing that identifies us as the bondservants of Christ? Are we out there actively sharing His grace and telling the most important story to those around us? And, most importantly, are we resting in the fact that we are His?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we thank You for calling us to belong to You, for in that most precious calling we have the privilege of service according to Your plan for the world. Let us live out most the fullness of grace in identity as Your servant and child. Teach us the way of obedience, an obedience that emerges from faith, rendering even the most meager of acts a glory to Your name. Strengthen us to be bold and loving purveyors of the Gospel. Thanks for the assurance we are Yours, Lord. Amen.