In 1 Corinthians 9:16-23, Paul writes, “If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel. For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.”

Ministry carries Paul all over the place. For a middle class kid from Tarsus, he experiences a broad swath of life on behalf of God. He transforms himself into all things for all people in order to reach as many folks as possible. Following Jesus sometimes means letting go of our comfortable bubbles and putting ourselves where God needs us.  I want you to ask yourself: What is your passion, what drives you, are you compelled in your Christian mission?

 Paul in his Second Letter to the Corinthians chapter 5, declares, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all and therefore all died.  And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.”  The love of Jesus compels us.”

As it relates to this text, what is it in our relationship with Jesus Christ that will not let us rest? Paul is saying that our love for Jesus , the understanding of what He did for us individually should excite us, even drive us to do things to demonstrate our love for Jesus, not to try and earn what we already have. So what is it that we are passionate about? I keep asking this because oftentimes these areas , where our passions lie, are opportunities for ministry that we might not be aware of. Ministry isn’t just standing in a pulpit, or going door to door. Not everyone is called to be on the street corner witnessing. Besides, in today’s culture this isn’t the most effective way to reach people anyway. 

One of the interesting testimonies of Dr.Martin Luther King Jr.  was that upon his graduation from Crozier Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania, and his PHD at Boston University, his goal was to serve as a teaching professor in academia in one of the nation’s highly revered Seminaries.  A career that might be somewhat removed in relative seclusion and isolation from the realities of those suffering under the sweltering heat of an oppressive inequality,away from the  racial and social injustice in a majority of urban America cities of the deep south.

But the Spirit of the Lord was upon King, it seized Martin’s very soul, it would not let him rest until he answered the call to return to the Deep South and stand in solidarity with those ready and waiting for leadership to guide them in addressing the need for social as well as some soul transformation in our nation.

Jesus’ journey to Calvary during his final week and hours is called the Passion of the Christ, because it would not let him go, until He had fulfilled His mission here on planet earth in giving His life in order to buy our souls back for Satan, sin, hell, death and the grave.  He once said on His way to Calvary, “I must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day, for the night comes when no one can work”  (John 9:4).

Because He was passionate about dying for us, in our place, God moved Charles Wesley to write that memorable tune, O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing which reminds us “He breaks the power of canceled sin, He sets the prisoner free; His blood can make the foulest clean; His blood availed for me.”  Jesus was passionate in His mission to save us from ourselves.

So do you love Jesus enough to step out of your comfort zone? Are you willing to take a look at the areas you are passionate about and see how it could be used to bring glory to God? If you are not passionate about anything, are you willing to ask God to give you a passion? It’s time for us all to move outside of our God Box and serve in different ways than we ever imagined.