14 Jun “Leaving Country Club Christianity” (Learning to do anything to reach the lost…except compromise) PART 4

I don’t like snobs!  You know the type…we all have met them.  Stuck up, snooty and snobby!  Now I’m going to ask your forgiveness in advance as I recount this story for you as this occurred before I met Jesus.

Most of you know before I got saved, I was an alcoholic checking ID’s at a bar.  However, during the day this same bar was a pretty nice place to eat lunch.  When I would work during the day I was simply a maître d and would greet and seat customers as they came in.  One day this very snobby middle-aged woman came in and wanted a table by the window.  However there was just one little problem.  There was already a family seated at that table and in the middle of their lunch!

To this request I politely responded, “Ma’am, I’m sorry but there is already someone sitting at that table and their meal has been served.”  To this she responded, “Do you know who I am?!  I am the wife of the owner of this establishment!”  To which I responded, “Well then you of all people should not want to move paying customers from their table.”  She then coldly asked to speak to the manager.  When the manager came over I was shocked as he went over to the paying customers and moved them in mid-meal!

I was so mad (now this is where you’ll have to forgive me and remember…I was not a Christian at the time!).  I got the large piece of gum that I was chewing at the time and threw it in her hair!  Please remember this was 40 plus years ago and she had a big beehive hair style.  So when I launched my gum into her hair it was like Lebron James making a three pointer from long distance.  However, because her hair was so tall she never felt a thing!  As you can tell, I don’t like snobs and I believe with all my heart it is time for all of us to leave Country Club Christianity!

The Bible tells us 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 win 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 thereof 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!

Join us next week as we continue in our series…