Genesis 43:16-34
Psalms 23, 27, 75, 76
1 Corinthians 7:10-24
Mark 5:1-20
"For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord.
Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ.
You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.
So, brothers and sisters, in whatever condition each was called,
there let him remain with God." 1 Corinthians 7:22-24 (ESV)
Several years ago, I was asked to sing at the funeral of a young man who had taken his life after a long battle with drugs. The church was filled to bursting with people from the community - including a motley crew of friends - many of whom had not been inside the doors of a church in a long time. My nervous-Nelly brain kicked into overdrive as people began to whisper and point at some of "Jack's" friends - most of whom sported multiple tattoos, piercings and torn shirts with the name of bands not celebrated in church circles.
As I sang the opening hymn, "Jack's" mom came to sit in the front pew along with the mother of his best friend. The mother of "Jack's" best friend (let's call her Shirley) stood and approached the microphone at the lectern. She shared of her great love for "Jack." How along with her son, he had made several attempts to eat her out of house and home. She told funny little stories about how the boys had shared a love for all things Star Wars and an affinity for loud music. As she painted beautiful word pictures, I watched both sides of the church (motley crew & church folk) lean forward to catch every word; laughing and crying - she had them eating out of the palm of her hand.
Her final story was about the last time "Jack" was at her house, about two weeks prior to that day. Shirley said that the boys had barreled into her kitchen, throwing open the refrigerator and the pantry - doing their usual "food raid job." She noticed something on "Jack's" earlobe and asked him about it. He said that he'd gotten his ear pierced because he thought it looked cool. Having recently taken a bible study where the subject of slave vs. freedman was the topic, she told him one of the things that she had learned was that in biblical times, an earring was a sign of slavery. Then as only someone who loved "Jack" could have (knowing many of the demons that haunted him daily with regard to drugs) she asked him point blank, "Who are you a slave to 'Jack?' The world and those drugs or Jesus Christ?" Shirley said, "'Jack' just smiled at me and shrugged." and then she turned to the crowd at his funeral and posed the same question... "Who are YOU a slave to?"
You could have heard a pin drop. People on both sides of the church held her gaze as she quoted from today's scripture, "You were bought with a price!" I don't think any of us who were there that day have forgotten the message she sent loud and clear that day.
Your taskmaster may not be drugs or alcohol, but is your Master Jesus? Remember, you were bought with a price...
KariAnn Lessner