Today's Devotional

July 28, 2005

Subject:  It Won't Even Cost You A Penny

Matthew 20:28 - "It's the same way with the Son of Man. He didn't come so that others could serve him. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people."

The girls were really excited.  I created a nice postcard flyer to pass out advertising our church's free bar b que day on Sunday after worship and they were motivated to pass them out.  As we drove around the community, I asked them questions about what we were doing so that they could answer any questions posed if someone asked for more details.  They both developed nice pitches and they didn't miss any opportunities within 100 yards of where we were walking.  My youngest Caisa had a really cool line that seemed to elicit a smile from everyone she passed a card to.  She said, "please come to worship at Immanuel and have free bar b que on Sunday.  It won't even cost you a penny."

That really is the message that we want to send to the community.  Like Christ, we weren't placed in the community to prosper off of them.  We were put in the community to serve it.  That's why we're doing a free bar b que and hopefully many other things that God leads us to do to show the community that we are about good works.  

When we went into a local dry-cleaners, we asked if we could post a flyer in the window and we did.  Right next to our flyer was another flyer advertising a local church selling bar b que dinners for five dollars.  I don't want to condemn another church for that just because we're doing it differently, but all too often the community sees the church as wanting something from them rather than having something to offer to them. 

Christ had a great message and though it cost Him much, for us it was free.  Because of Him, we have a great message to the world and though it will cost us much, to the world it should come without strings and without demands for them to receive it.  It should be free, in fact, it shouldn't even cost them a penny.   

Carlen