Passages #3

I’m doing a series on some of my favorite Bible passages. Here’s one of them:

1 Corinthians 9:19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.

Recently a bunch of churches around the world participated in the “One Prayer” series where pastors got to preach a message on their “one prayer” for the church. Like, “Lord, make us wise,” or “Lord, make us generous.” The best idea I heard was from Danny Carlisle, who did, “Lord, make us whatever.”

The message was based on this passage, and the idea is that we need to do whatever we need to do and become whatever we need to become to help people find Jesus. At our church we say that we’ll do anything outside of sin to share the gospel and lead people to Jesus. This passage confirms for me that that’s not just some hip but misguided idea. Paul (the author) is saying, “Dude, knowing Jesus is all that really matters, and I’ll do anything I have to do to help people know Him.”

What about you? What are you willing to do? Actually, here’s a better question: What are you doing? Anything and everything you have to do? Or something less than that? Or nothing? Isn’t this way too important to give it any less than everything?

Lord … make us whatever.