Community Devotions

He Came for Me

SCRIPTURE

“This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’- and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then other will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.” 1 Timothy 1:15-16

OBSERVATION

Jesus came to save us…ALL of us! He chose us and knows us by name. Paul speaks in this verse regarding to himself as a the “worst sinner” and he was one of God’s chosen. That means we, who sometimes feel like are the worst sinners, have been covered by God’s grace as well. He showed mercy to Paul and extends that same mercy to us. There are no degrees to sin. We have all sinned and have fallen short, even Paul, one of God’s very own. The Lord chose us and we are not overlooked or disregarded. Our sins have all cost us something and in our human minds, we may put different sins into different categories based on the degree to how bad the sin is….BUT, God doesn’t separate them into categories. All of our sins are covered by grace and mercy. We don’t deserve it but he gives it to us with nothing in return but our heart!

APPLICATION

What an awesome God we serve! We are not just lost in the shuffle or just one of many but He really does know us by name and loves us! Our human minds cannot fathom how He can know us individually, but He does. He is infinite in all His ways! I’m so grateful for His grace over my life. Because of this, I will never be the same and I will tell others about His goodness. He has extended much patience over me and continues to show me just how great and loving He is. In the end, He didn’t come for selected special ones…He came specifically for ME and I chose Him back! Not because we are perfect but because He is GOOD!

PRAYER

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for your patience over me and that you chose to come for ME! May my life always reflect your goodness in my life and how merciful you are! Thank you Lord for your forgiveness and for giving us hope beyond ourselves. I am forever grateful that because of you, I will have eternal life and be forever changed! Amen!

For the Sake of the Gospel

SCRIPTURE

I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. - 1 Corinthians 9:22-23

OBSERVATION

How important is the gospel? To what end are we willing to risk and sacrifice all things for it? For Paul it was so important thing that he went “all in” for it. He became all things to all people so that by all possible means he might save some. He embraced the principle of “All for Some”. 

• Become ALL Things: For the sake of the gospel Paul became weak, poor, foolish, a servant, a bachelor, and surrendered his very rights that he was entitled to.
• ALL People: To the Jews, he became a Jew; to those under the law, he became like one under the law; to those who don’t have the law, he became like one not having the law; to the weak, he became weak.
• ALL possible means: he exercised extraordinary self-discipline so that he will not be disqualified to preach the gospel; he ran in such a way to win the prize; he went into strict training in order to get the everlasting crown; he did not run aimlessly but with purpose; he beat his body and made it his slave.
• Paul sacrificed it "all" for the possibility of winning “some".

I think at the end of their lives many people will be saddened by the fact that they lived it “all for nothing”. They pursued happiness, purpose, fulfillment without Christ and the gospel and it amounted to nothing in eternity. I want to live my life with purpose of “all for some” so that I don’t reach the end of my life with “all for nothing”.

• All things: I may have to surrender my own rights, the very things I am entitled to so that I can win some for Christ.
• All people: Be more diverse in reaching people in order to meet with them right where they are at. Learn things that I am not necessarily familiar with i.e. financial market, surfing, politics, government, real estate etc.
• All possible means: Be disciplined in resisting sin, laziness and self in order to pursue Christ in my spiritual disciplines (prayer, bible, worship, fasting, silence, solitude)

PRAYER

Heavenly Father,

Thank you so much for giving it all to save some. Thank you for bankrupting heaven in all its glory and giving us your son Jesus. Jesus, thank you for giving your very own life and surrendering it all to save me. Please forgive me for feeling entitled and insisting on my rights. Lord, I want to do all things for the sake of the gospel and for your glory. Please give me a heavenly vision of what it looks to share in the blessings of the gospel. I love you. Maranatha!