May 5 Captive for Christ

Ephesians 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles
 
HAVE you ever invited someone to come to church and encouraged them, “Come and join us. You can be a prisoner for Jesus!” Or think of this: Have you ever considered yourself a prisoner for Jesus?
    Paul was a prisoner for Jesus both literally and spiritually. In fact, he wrote Ephesians and other letters now in the New Testament while he was under house arrest in Rome. The Romans held him there as Paul awaited to state his case to Caesar. The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, as recorded in Acts 21-28, were passionate to silence his gospel message. They threatened to kill Paul as they had Jesus, Stephen (Acts 7), James (Acts 12) and other martyrs of the early church.
    But unlike the others, Paul was a Roman citizen who had civil rights. He couldn’t be summarily crucified or beheaded at a ruler’s whim. So he awaited trial. And as promised (Matthew 10:19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.) God came to Paul to proclaim the gospel as recorded in Acts 23:11 The Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
    Here is a Christ-following lesson: The Lord God came to Paul, not to say, “Be of courage, be cheerful because you will soon be released!” No, the Lord God came to Paul to say, “Be cheerful! You are telling the truth about me. And you will stay in prison to do the same in Rome.” Would you be cheerful if God said to you, “You will be in prison for me. This is where you will declare the gospel.”
    In wondrous truth, no chains or Roman guard imprisoned Paul. It was Jesus’ gospel that held Paul joyfully captive. Paul cannot possibly let go of Jesus for a life of ease and comfort. After all, the Lord mercifully transformed Paul from being dead in sin to be alive in Jesus’ redeeming blood. The Lord God has a frim, unrelenting grip on Paul’s soul. No earthly pleasure or desire can keep Paul from preaching Jesus.
    Paul’s letters from his Rome prison house have become our window into Jesus’ justice, mercy, love and grace. Paul is a living example of how to live as a prisoner for Christ in response to Jesus’ freeing sacrifice. God imprisoned Paul literally and spiritually to be an example of free living in the Kingdom of God.
    We will sometimes say, “I am waiting for a word from God about what to do.” But could it be we wait for the word we want to hear? Be a prisoner for Jesus. Pray for the Holy Spirit to chain you to the gospel. Desire the holy Scripture to guard your heart. Set your mind to restrict you from temptation. Turn your hands to labor for those in sin’s chains.
 
Prayer. Oh, let me be imprisoned in your love and redemption, dear Jesus. May I “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)