17 May “Leaving Country Club Christianity” (Learning to do anything to reach the lost…except compromise) PART 2

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The Bible says in I Corinthians 9:19-23, “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.  And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ) that I might gain them that are without law.  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak; I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.  And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker with you.”

The Greek word “gain” here in this verse is “kerdaino” and it means “to win or acquire.”  If I could summarize this verse I would simply say that Paul was willing to do anything to win the lost…except compromise!

Please let me break these verses down for you in more palatable bites in order to truly leave country club Christianity.  “Three Leaving Lessons”:

  1. We have to be able to leave our preferences.

Now in order to understand this better, please allow me to share “6 Preference Principles”:

  1. Never compromise on principle.  Frequently compromise on preference.

Let me explain. I like fishing, my wife likes shopping.  So we compromise and shop at Bass Pro!  Seriously, if you like vanilla and your spouse likes chocolate…strawberry is not a sin.  It’s just a preference.  I will never compromise on Biblical principles and you shouldn’t either.  However, we must not let preferences like styles of clothing or tattoos or nose rings…all preferences…stop us from reaching the lost!

       2. Never compromise on conviction.  Always extend compassion.

Please allow me to give you 4 Compassion Concepts:

  1. Sympathy reveals how you feel.  Compassion reveals what you do.
  2. Sympathy is emotional.  Compassion is intentional.
  3. Sympathy will move you to tears.  Compassion will move you to action.
  4. Compassion always flows from another man’s shoes.

When your teen comes home from school and suddenly yells out “I hate basketball!”  before you get all upset at him for yelling, jump in his shoes for a second.  He doesn’t hate basketball at all…he just got cut from the team.  

Jesus, of course, never sinned but He did “jump in our shoes” when He took on human form.  He identified with us so we could identify with Him!

Join us next week as we share more from this series…