Okay Hyderbadis* (Yours truly included) have something to be proud about, for their “Son of the soil,” namely Sathya Nadella, was recently elevated to one of the most enviable posts in the World…CEO of what else…Microsoft. Does Microsoft need an introduction…the fact that some of you are reading this piece using one of the Microsoft products says something about this Multinational giant in the Corporate World.
Hmmm…his annual pay package? A staggering 112 Crore Rupees (in Indian currency)! More than the annual Defence budget of Island country of Mauritius! Considering the unquantifiable pressures which come visiting along with the responsibilities of being a CEO of such a high-profile company…our Cricket-loving Sathya would doubtless be fully deserving of such a handsome compensation.
That brings us to an equally staggering command to every Christian from his incomparable Master: “Freely ye have received, freely give.” (Matt 10:8). Boy, now what are the areas of Christian life and ministry, where free service is expected of a Christian? In this series of four parts, I want to highlight on five such areas. Here goes…
Invitation
“What then is my pay? It is the opportunity to preach the Good News without charging anyone. That’s why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News.” (I Cor 9:18)
Raise your hands, those who were saved from the deadly clutches of sin by our Saviour Jesus Christ for a fee. Now no hands would go up, for all of us got our indescribable gift Jesus (2 Cor 9:15) into our lives and along with Him the priceless Salvation free, by just inviting Him into our lives with perhaps at best folded hands and bent knees. When we repented, just as He promised the Kingdom of God which was very near us (Matt 4:17) came into our hearts. So much so, from that moment frozen in our personal and Heaven’s history, “Righteousness, peace and joy of the Holy Spirit” flooded our hearts (Romans 14:17). So what is our response…rather what ought to be our response to this free gift of salvation…share the Good News with everyone we meet what we have experienced ourselves, so that those of them who never had a foretaste of Heaven right here on Earth, would enjoy the same by inviting Jesus into their hearts. Hey, Jesus did not want all of His followers to be preachers but witnesses.
Yes, there is a responsibility placed on those who receive the Gospel (I Cor 9:14) of: “taking good care of those who brought them the Good News” but those who are in the God-given Ministry (read evangelism) of inviting people into God’s Kingdom, ought to go about their Divinely-ordained task without expecting anything in return in conformity with Apostle Paul’s (read Scriptural) stand on this subject.
Prayer: Father, give us a loving heart at all times to passionately share the Gospel with all those outside Thy family, with no strings attached. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant,
J and SM Ministries
*Hyderabad is the capital of the State of Andhra Pradesh in India
(Please click here for the rest of the Free…Free…Free Series.)