Blake Allen, Student and Outreach Minister, LHBC
2 Corinthians 5:14-15
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
This weekend I was watching a video of a baptism taking place. After the man sitting in the baptismal trough publicly testified to knowing Christ, the preacher then proceeded to baptism him. Only this was not a normal baptism. The preacher did not just dunk the man under the waters; he actually tackled him under the water and then raised him back up.
Talk about a way to go under the cool waters of baptism. What happened next was awesome. The man came out of the waters with both fists raised in the air, screaming victory like a pro wrestler who just K.O. Satan himself. He was excited. He was alive. He went All-In (the pastor literally did as well).
This is what it is about. When the love of Christ controls you, you can’t help but go All-In. When the pastor tackled the man into those baptismal waters–out of love and a good spirit of course–many people laughed and cheered. But some people may have seen it as wild or crazy. Some may have questioned if it was the right thing to do. Some may have thought, “I would never do anything that bold. But for the pastor controlled by his love for God and his neighbor, nothing could convince him to do anything other than go All-in. And the best way for him to express his excitement for his brother in Christ and friend was to literally go all in.
We’ve just launched our All-in stewardship project to give hope to the world. And when you consider all that God has placed on our hearts–two new campuses, launching a third, constructing a habitat house each year for the next 3 years, continued partnership with our schools, manna cafe, providing a special needs ministry in our community, etc.– it will take us going All-in together.
Some may say it’s a wild and crazy time to do it. Some might question if it is the right move. Some might call it bold in a season of Covid. But the love of Christ compels us to believe that the time is now to go All-in. Christ went All-in for us and we are to respond by going All-in for him. God has confirmed his faithfulness to us and is already doing wonderful works in the hearts of his people.
The time is now. Will you go All-in?
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father, help us to realize now, more than ever, the need to go All-in. Knit our hearts and minds together around this stewardship assignment you have given us. And may we give our all to you. In Jesus name, Amen.
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Psalm 66:5- Come and see what God has done:
he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.