Life's Greatest Privilege
All of us enjoy and even dream about privileges
in the social world or the political world, economically, in entertainment and sports. There have been times in our life where we can be amazed at special privileges.
Privilege: The principal or condition of enjoying special rights or immunities. Also an advantage or source of pleasure granted to a person. Getting to do something you never thought you would get to do or getting to be with someone you never thought you would get to be with. Being involved in something greater and more honorable than you ever thought you would – i.e., an event, a cause, a place or a celebrity.
Some time ago, my wife Jane and I attended a conference in El Paso, Texas where the singing group Hillsong United was also performing. After one of the evening meetings, we were invited to another room for food and fellowship and found ourselves seated with Darlene Zschech, the group’s lead singer! Jane and Darlene had an incredible conversation about children and grandchildren. This was a great privilege to be able to have fellowship with a world renowned singer and to see how genuine a person she is.
Now for a few minutes let’s stop and consider the amazing reality that God has chosen us out of this world to live inside of us - the same God who in the old covenant was unapproachable because man’s righteousness could never qualify us to stand before Him. Now, because of Jesus, not only can we stand before him righteous, but we also have the amazing privilege to work together with Him.
2 Cor 6:1 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
1 Cor 3:9 For we are laborers together with God: you are God's husbandry, you are God's building.
This is so amazing to understand that we work together with Him!
Eph 2:1-2 And you He has made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins; In times past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience.
Who would have ever imagined that we, who had no hope, we who were dead in our sin would be made near to God by simply believing and receiving salvation through the cross of Jesus Christ. Even though we did not qualify for it, we now can receive the covenant of promise and live enjoying life’s greatest privilege - working together with God!
Eph 2:19 Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.
Not working for God, but working with God! Fellow citizens who now belong to the very household of the living God himself. Because of His amazing love for us, He gave us this life and gave us this incredible privilege even though none of us could ever earn or deserve it! How do we prepare ourselves for this privilege? I believe the answer is found in understanding His purpose.
Luke 19: 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
The purpose of Jesus was to seek and to save that which was lost. It was to bring salvation to the world.
Salvation: deliverance from sin and its spiritual consequences, involving an attachment to the body of Christ and admission (ticket) to eternal life with blessedness in the Kingdom of Christ!
John 5:30 (Jesus said) I can of my own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father which has sent me.
Some people don’t live in partnership with God’s primary purpose of seeking the lost and doing the Father’s will because they see their life as a gift they give to God when in reality, life is His gift He gives to us!
God establishes His covenant with us and through us and gives us this amazing privilege to work together with Him. As believers let’s be active participants of this privilege called “life” by giving our skills, talents, time and offerings to the Lord through ministries that are Kingdom-minded and are motivated by God’s love and grace.
Many miss out on joyful living because they see doing life God’s way as an intrusion instead of life’s greatest privilege. Jesus came that we might have life and that we might have it more abundantly.
May we all experience “Life’s Greatest Privilege” as we labor together with Him!
