Devotion Sermon Memorize

*Opening Illustration

From 2011 to 2014, I had the honor of attending The Master’s University in Santa Clarita, California.

When I’d share that, some folks would raise an eyebrow,

thinking I meant a school tied to that famous golf tournament, the Masters.

No, brothers and sisters, I wasn’t studying on a fairway.

Believe it or not, I was at a place far greater,

where the Master is Jesus Christ Himself.

What I came to know is that the Master’s University isn’t just a name—it’s a mission.

As President Abner Chou declares,

“At TMU, Christ is not merely a subject to study; He is Lord over every discipline, and every thought is taken captive to His obedience.”

From the professors to the groundskeepers, from the coaches to the mailroom staff,

every person at TMU is united in one purpose:

to serve the Master faithfully.

There’s no split between Sunday worship and Monday work.

Every task, every moment, is an act of devotion to the Lord of Lords—to the Master.

My time there transformed me.

I spent much of it around the athletic teams, where the pursuit of Christ’s glory burned bright.

Before charging into competition, many teams would huddle, receive their coach’s words,

and break with a shout: “Doulos!”

Strange, right? Doulos is Greek for “slave."

Why shout “slave” before a game?

Because it declares a truth: Christ is Lord.

Whether you’re an athlete running the race,

a student hitting the books,

a teacher shaping minds,

or a worker filling a mail box, you do it all for the Master.

You are His doulos, His slave, living to glorify Him.

That’s the heartbeat of the school I went to.

I didn't just get an education;

I came to understand my calling to live every moment for the glory of Christ…as His slave.

A calling that is yours as well. 

*Controversy Over Doulos

Now, we bristle at “slave” because of the horrific history of race-based chattel slavery—

a sin that defies Scripture’s truth.

This is why most all of your Bibles have chosen to translate doulos as servant or bond-servant.

There are 14 greek words for servant and doulos is not one of them.

Doulos has one definition and it is slave

The biblical idea behind doulos isn’t about subjugation by skin color;

it’s about equal standing under Christ, our one Master.

Unlike the evil of modern slavery, Paul’s words in Ephesians show no partiality—

slave and free alike answer to the same Lord.

*Not Your Own/Walter Illustration

What does this look like?

Your life is His.

Your time is His time.

Your money is His money.

Your work, your goals, your rewards—they’re all His.

I know a man, blessed with brilliance and the ability to build several companies. The success he's had - He attributes to the grace of God. The wealth he has accumulated, he gives joyfully, understanding it’s the Lord’s money. And on one of his old business cards from his most successful company, under his name, do you know what he wrote as his title: Doulos. He is nothing more than Christ’s faithful slave.

*The Master’s Will

Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:21 that as the Lord’s slaves,

we are to be “useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.”

A slave’s sole concern is the master’s will.

And what is God’s will?

1 Thessalonians 4:3 says, “This is the will of God, your sanctification.”

In Ephesians 5:17-18, Paul adds, “Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."

What is the will of our Lord?

"...do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation,

but be filled with the Spirit.”

*Drunk with the Spirit

Think on this.

A man drunk on wine is controlled by that wine—

his speech slurs, his steps falter, and his desires run wild.

But when you’re filled with the Spirit, you are controlled by the Spirit

your tongue speaks love,

your hands serve Christ,

your feet follow the Shepherd wherever He goes,

and your heart burns to do the Master’s will alone.

*The Sinful Woman who Loved Much

Think of the sinful woman who anointed Jesus’ feet with costly perfume, washing them with her tears (Luke 7:36-50). When the Pharisees grumbled, Jesus said she loved much because she was forgiven much.

Like her, we offer our lives as living sacrifices,

not to show that we are worthy of His love

but to show our love for the One who is worthy of our all. 

As 1 John 4:19 declares, “We love..."

Why?

"Because He first loved us.”

*Charlie Kirk

I’ve prayed a lot this week about where to talk about this this morning. I think this is the right spot…

Church, like many of you, I am filled with grief over the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk,

especially for his wife and young family.

Every testimony from those who knew him echoes the same truth:

Charlie was wholly devoted to the mission God called him to.

As a political activist and unashamed proclaimer of the gospel,

he boldly stepped into the lion’s den,

confronting the epicenter of demonic ideologies with truth and light month after month for over a decade.

He counted the cost,

He took up his cross, and followed the Lord without abandon.

And despite constant death threats, he was undeterred.

Why? Because he served the Master who defeated death.