Good evening everyone. You are the blessed of the Lord. I really enjoyed that quiet time. I really enjoyed that quiet time.
As I was thinking about the message, I started to think about some of the truths — T-R-U-T-H-S — in scripture that have been destroyed by many in the Church. They have taken Godly truths and made them ungodly for all practical purposes.
The examples are endless, but one that I thought about is this whole issue of grace how grace and how it is viewed as a license to sin. Jesus has already paid the price so you can go ahead and sin and don't have to worry about it. I know that’s simplistic but it’s also the essence of the teaching.
I also thought about how the Church teaches tithing. Tithing is not a bad thing, but if your tithing is motivated because you are trying to gain God’s favor and avoid being cursed, then your motivation is all wrong. When it comes to our relationship with God, it’s all about heart. It’s all about how much we love Him.
And then there’s the teaching that we are “sinners saved by grace.” There's a scripture in Ephesians that I heard used a number of years ago to teach that doctrine. It’s the latter part of Ephesians 1:13 — “having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” The word “sealed” was interpret to mean “canned up” — you can't get out of your salvation.
Oftentimes the Church brings an outside interpretation, an outside of understanding, to scripture rather than letting scripture interpret itself. And tonight is another example of this that we’re going to talk about.
Slavery in America has such a horrific connotation that just the mention of the word slave or slavery makes people want to shut down because of what they know about slavery from America’s past. It was horrible. There is no way around that. Families were separated. Children were separated from their parents. Children were separated from each other. It was a horrendous time in our country that seems to be talked about more an more today.
When you bring this view of slavery to scripture, you are going to miss what scripture is saying about the subject. I almost gave this message the title “Slavery is not a cuss word.” It's not a cuss word, if you understand scripturally what is all about.
Slavery, ladies and gentlemen, is our spiritual reality. We were born into slavery. We will live in slavery. We will die in slavery. Do you follow me? All of us were born into slavery. All of us are going to live our lives in slavery. And then we’re going to die in slavery.
But here’s where the analogy with American slavery falls apart, is demolished spiritually: In the natural, the master chooses the slave. The master chooses the slave. In the spirit, the slave chooses the master. Are you following me?
Turn to Romans 6. Spiritually, the slave chooses the master. In Romans 6, we’re going to look at verses 16, 17 and 18. In those verses, we’re going to see a word that is translated as servant. In the Greek, it is the is the word doulos — D-O-U-L-O-S. Every time that word is used, it means SLAVE. Every single time. In the Hebrew, it’s the word ebed, E-B-E-D.
And the word means a person who is in a permanent a person who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another, his will being altogether consumed in the will of the other. I’ll say the last part again. “His will being altogether consumed in the will of the other.”
Who does that sound like, off the top of your head? Jesus!
Romans 1:1 says “Paul, a doulos of Jesus Christ, a slave of Jesus.”
Philippians 1:1 says “Paul and Timothy, doulos of Jesus Christ, slaves of Jesus Christ.”
Titus 1:1 says “Paul, a doulos of God, a slave of God.”
James 1:1 says “James, a doulos of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 1:1 says “Simon Peter, a doulos and apostle of Jesus Christ, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:1 says “Jude, a doulos of Jesus Christ, a slave of Jesus Christ.”
Revelation 1:1 says “And He sent and signified it by His angel to His doulos John, His slave John.”
The reason I am making such a big deal out of this ladies and gentlemen is because, until we understand that we are slaves, we are not going to be the men and women that God can work through to bring revival.
In Romans chapter 6 look at verse 16
(16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants (slaves, doulos) to obey, his servants (slave, doulos) ye are to whom ye obey; [And now here are the two masters.] whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
(17) But God be thanked, that ye were the servants (slaves, doulos) of sin,
You were. Now I know I’m about to really get deep here, so bear with me. What does the word “were” mean? Is that past tense or present tense? Past tense. You were the slaves of sin. You were the slaves of sin. Okay, Bro. Barry, if I was the slave of sin, then why does verse 16 say “to whom you yield yourselves slaves to obey his slave you are”? It’s because we are now born again, because we now have the life of God living inside of us, slavery, for us, is a choice.
If we do not choose to be a slave to righteousness, by default what are we doing? We are choosing to be a slave to sin. By default. That’s why I say we are slaves – born into it, living in it, and we’re going to die in it because we’re going be someone’s slave. Either we’re going to be a slave to sin or we going be a slave to righteousness.
Verse 17 again.
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants (slaves, doulos) of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
(18) Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants (slaves, doulos) of righteousness.
Now when you think about slavery in the Bible, it has no similarities of what we have seen in this country’s history. None whatsoever.
In fact, when a person was a slave in Hebrew culture, he could only be a slave for six years and then he was made free on the 7th year.
The thing I found interesting and you can read this in Exodus 21 is a person who went into slavery with his family, when he was freed the 7th year, he and his family left the slavery. If the man went into slavery and married, then the 7th year he was freed but his wife and his children were not because they belonged to the master. So what would the husband do who was set free the 7th year? He went back to his master and said I love my wife, I love my children and I’m going to serve you because I want to be with my family. The man became a voluntary slave because of his love for his family and his master. Are you following me?
Another difference was that slaves had rights and protections under the law Moses and we also see this in Exodus 21, in verse 20. You couldn’t do anything to a slave. You couldn’t mistreat a slave. You couldn’t abuse a slave.
It was also possible for slaves to attain positions of power and honor and we see this in Genesis 24 and Genesis 41.
So to try to analogize American slavery with what we read in scripture – it cannot be done. But so often, because we hear the word slave, automatically we bring into the reading of scripture what we know rather than what the book says.
Now turn with me to first Corinthians 6. A slave has to obey the master. He or she has no choice. In the Church, we think that when it comes to what Jesus says, what the Bible says, we have a choice. No we don’t.
First Corinthian 6. We’re going to read verses 19 and 20.
(19)“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Do you see that last part? “Ye are not your own.” That is slave imagery. Do you see it?
(20) For ye are bought with a price: [Again, slave imagery.] therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
So we see here, in two verses in Corinthians, that we are not our own. We belong to somebody. It is either going to be sin unto death or righteousness unto life.
Now I want to bring a couple of things to your attention. Verse 20 says “ye are bought with a price.” The word “bought” means to go to market, specifically to buy, redeem.
What does this word communicate, ladies and gentleman? It communicates one thing that is very significant. Jesus had to leave one place to go the place where what He wanted was available. What Jesus wanted could not be found in heaven. He had to come here to get what He wanted!
Jesus left heaven and paid the price to purchase our freedom from the sin nature.You are what He wanted! Are you following me?
Verse 20 also says “ye are bought with a price.” The word “price” means to pay honor, respect; of a state or condition of honor, rank, dignity. Now this is what I want you to understand. In every transaction the seller sets the price. Is that not true? But ladies and gentlemen, it is the buyer who determines the value.
Let that sink in. It is the buyer who determines the value. So think about how much value Jesus placed on each one of us and that He was willing to leave heaven in order to pay the price required to set us free.
Do you remember when Judas went to the negotiate with the Pharisees to betray Jesus? He betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, which you would pay for a slave.
I want you to look in First Peter 1. I want you to see the value that Jesus placed on us.
(18) forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed [There’s that slave imagery again.] with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
(19) but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
(20) who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times [What are the last two words?] for you.
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The buyer determines the value of what is being purchased. Jesus gave up everything ladies and gentlemen for you, for me. Everything. That’s how valuable we are to him.
Now when Jesus purchased us we became His possession. Am I correct? The buyer owns what he purchases. So if Jesus died for us, if he shed his blood for us as the purchase price, He owns us. What does that mean? Jesus is now our Lord. Jesus is now our master.
Now you can understand the slave-master analogy. It’s all through out scripture. It’s clear as day. The word “servant” muddle the water and you don’t see the relationship as well as you do when you use slave and master.
We must understand that the slave-master relationship with Jesus is a good thing! If Jesus is your master and you are His slave, when we read in the Bible that by my Master’s stripes, I am healed, then I am healed! When the Bible says my Master I supply all my need according to his riches in glory, then I have no needs!
Here’s the problem: we don’t like being slaves. We want to have a say. We want to give our opinion. And ladies and gentlemen, so many of us, Barry included, are not where we could be because we have not accepted the truth that we are His slaves. When we are His slaves, He tells us what to do.
When we get to the point that we say “Yes, Lord. I don’t quite understand everything about the mentality of a slave, but yes Lord. I am going to be on the same page with You.”
Now, Philippians 2. In this chapter, who is our “slave” role model? Jesus.
(1) If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
(2) fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
As a slave, do we have the option of not doing this? No. No.
(3) Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
(4) Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
(5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
What mind was in Christ Jesus? Verse one. Verse two. Verse three. Verse four.
(6) who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
(7) but made himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant (slave, doulos), and was made in the likeness of men:
Notice it says Jesus “took upon Him the form of a slave.” He took it. He took it. He accepted it. He made a decision to live as a slave
(8) and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Jesus was a slave. There are two verses in John that really cement this thought and we know them. John 5:19 and John 5:30. I want you to turn to them. I’m going to read them out of the Amplified Bible and I want you to follow along in your Bibles.
In the Amplified, John 5:19 says “So Jesus answered them by saying, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the Son is able to do nothing of Himself (of his own accord); but He is able to do only what He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does is what the Son does in the same way [in his turn bracket].
Now John 5:30. “I am able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of My own accord – but only as I am taught by God and as I get his orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide.
“The decisions I make, are the decisions My Father is telling Me to make.”
As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision], and My judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me.”
Jesus was a slave, ladies and gentlemen.
I’m going to say something that may cause some of you to cry heretic: Jesus did not have free will. He was a slave. Does a slave have free will? No. Jesus chose slavery, which means He chose to have His will totally in line with His Father’s will. He had made the decision that whatever His Father’s will was, that would also be His will. He chose to live the life of a slave for His Father.
Ladies and gentlemen, just like Jesus chose to be a slave to His Father, we must choose to be slaves to the Father. And just like Jesus was not free to not do the Father’s will, we must not be free to not do the Father’s will.
That’s the Revivalist Mentality, ladies and gentlemen.
That is the mentality of the person who sees Jesus as the pearl of great price. That is the mentality of the person who understands that there is nothing, and I mean nothing, more important to the Father than doing whatever we can to give a lost person the opportunity to say “Yes” to Jesus.
The Revivalist Mentality is that of a slave, where his will, her will is totally wrapped up in Jesus’ will. Jesus needs us to be revivalists. Say this with me. “Jesus is my Master. I am His slave. I am a revivalist.”
