Servants of the Cross

1 Corinthians 1:17

For Christ didn't send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News--and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.

Paul served the emerging church in a number of ways, but he understood that God had called him and equipped him specifically to preach the Good News.  Paul teaches us that, as we serve our churches and communities, it is important that we call on the Holy Spirit to help us to find out what God has specifically equipped us to do in service to His Kingdom.  No role is too big, nor is any role too small, when we are doing what Our Creator called us to do.

Paul made it clear to his audience that the redemptive power of the Cross did not rely on anything that he did, nor would it rely on anything that they did or said.  It is not our enticing words or the strength of our presentation that wins hearts.  We are simply vessels of the divine truth of God's mercy on all of us.  We should never consider ourselves to be the reason that a soul came to Christ. The redemptive process is totally reliant on the supernatural work of Jesus Christ on the Cross.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You that You equip us to do Your work.  We praise You for allowing us to participate in the work of redemption made possible by the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus.  We pray, Lord, that you open our eyes so that we can see the unique ways that you have endowed us to serve you.  We pray that Your Holy Spirit will prepare our hearts so that we may serve You as humble vessels of Your divine, redemptive power.  We pray all these things in the name of Our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.