Extraordinary Living for Ordinary People
Part two of three in our discussion
Part II of our three part discussion we continue our look at how Paul encourages us to live extraordinarily through servanthood to Christ. Second only to Jesus, Paul easily ranks as the most extraordinary person in the history of Christianity. He is living proof extraordinary living is available for ordinary people.
Taken from Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
II. Service. In the New Testament an “apostle” was a fully authorized representative. Paul stood as a proxy for Christ in the place of Christ, and with the personal authority of Christ. Paul’s words and deeds in the name of Christ were as much the words and deeds of Christ as if Christ himself had done them.
If it is important that Paul was an apostle it is even more important for the present purpose to see how he got to be one. This was not a role he took for himself. Neither was it given by the Jerusalem congregation. He had received a divine call to this work. Yet Paul would have admitted quickly that other believers had received a divine call to some other kind of service.
In a Roman household the master assigned some slaves to cut grass and tend gardens, others to keep records and teach children, and still others to clean house and cook. Not all slaves did the same job. That principle holds in the household of God.
The Lord has a purpose for each of his servants.
He called Paul an apostle. He called some lawyers and nurses. He called others teachers and farmers and still others secretaries and homemakers. The way to extraordinary living lies in hearing and heeding God’s call, no matter what it is. Finding and fulfilling God’s purpose will change any person’s life from ordinary to extraordinary.
