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august Sermon of the month:
What A Privilege!
Ephesians 3:7-8
Barclay points out that Paul's greatest glory
was the call of God to minister to the people of God. Today, if we took
a poll, there would
be those who gloried in their accomplishments, their jobs, their popularity
and their material possessions. My question to you is, "What do
you glory in?" It is so easy to place our worth in the things of
this world, or the opinions of others. However, the things of this world
will all pass away. The opinions of others will change. The same people
that put you up today will, no doubt, put you down tomorrow! Psalms 118:8
is so true, "It is better to put your trust in God than your confidence
in men!" Paul considered it a privilege to be in the service of
the Lord. It is so important that we understand this wonderful privilege.
It is so often taken for granted. In order to get some people to work
in the Church, you almost have to corner them to get them to accept—and
even then, they do it with reluctance. Paul did not have to be coerced.
He considered it a privilege. The work that we do, regardless of how
big or small it may appear, ought to be done out of love for our Lord!
2 Cor 6:1 explains, “We then, as workers together with him, beseech
you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.” We are
working together with Christ! We are not all called to be ministers of
the gospel, but whatever our call might be, we are to abide by our calling,
because 2 Tim 1:9 reminds us that the Lord “Hath saved us, and
called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according
to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before
the world began,”
Paul said in Ephesians 3:7, "Whereof I was made a minister, according
to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working
of his power." When Paul was saved, he was given the gift of grace
to be a minister of Christ. Your salvation ought to be the chief motivator
which causes you to do the work of the Lord. No one should ever have
to be coerced to work for the Lord. You may not be able to preach like
Paul or sing like an angel; but whatever you are able to do, you ought
to do it! 1 Corinthians 10:31 states, “Whether therefore ye eat,
or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” I was
at a beautiful church yesterday in Barrington. What a beautiful building!
I thought of how exciting it would be to minister at such a church. Not
only did they have the manpower, but they also had this beautiful building
to worship in. I drooled as I looked at the beautiful building. I thought
to myself, "Wow, think about all the exciting things that you can
do for the Lord having such resources available!" But then, as I
began to allow the Holy Spirit to minister to me while preparing this
message, I had to confess that, if we didn't have anything more than
a one-room closet, as long as we have been chosen by God to do a work
for Him in that closet, we ought to do it to His glory! Church, this
is where the power in ministry is! Little becomes much when placed in
the Master's hands. Paul said in 1 Tim. 1:12, "And I thank Christ
Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful,
putting me into the ministry.” We want more, under the guise that
we can do more with more, when what we really need to do is to do the
best that we can with what we have! You may not be able to engage in
ministry on a full time basis. Nevertheless, rather than get discouraged,
minister to those that you come in contact with on the job. It doesn't
mean you take your six-foot Bible to work and instead of working, you
are cornering other employees and witnessing to them in the hallways.
What it means is that you are doing your job to God's glory so that He
is honored on your job. You are doing what Christ called you to do when
He said in Matt. 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” In
return, when He sends someone to you on the job, at the grocery store,
at the mall, or wherever you find yourself, you've got a wonderful testimony
going so that you have earned the right to tell them about your Power
Source— a Power Source that enables you to have joy despite work
conditions, one that enables you to have peace that surpasses their understanding! "It's
all about Jesus!" If you are not working, let your job be that of
reaching people in the malls or your neighborhood with the message of
Christ. There are a few seats here that we still need to fill up. You
take five seats, pray over those seats, and ask the Lord to help you
fill those seats! Once they are filled, take five more. Sometimes, there
are people that we know are hurting in the congregation. Adopt them and
agree to pray for them daily until the Lord moves in their life. The
ability to minister is a gift of the grace of God that is given to us
by the effectual working of God's power. It’s not all preaching!
It is not all teaching! It is not all singing! Ephesians 4:11-12 said, “He
gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some,
pastors and teachers: for the perfecting of the saints for the work of
the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…” Paul
had something that, sometimes as our churches grow, we often forget—even
as pastors. He had a humility that was deep and intense when he thought
about his unworthiness before God. He was humbled at the thought that
God loved him enough to bestow the privilege to minister to His people!
Paul's relationship with Christ caused him to become a dynamic witness
and evangelist for Christ. In a like manner, our relationship with Christ
ought to have the same impact in our lives.
Maybe you’re saying, “But Pastor, why isn’t it happening
for me?” Well, there are two things that can prevent the outpouring
of God’s grace upon us. First of all, it is a struggle for us to
understand the importance of being a servant. Ever since The Fall in
the Garden of Eden, we have become self-centered and have frowned on
the idea of being a servant. Our society has taught us the importance
of being Number One. As a result, no one wants to be a servant. We fail
to understand that the ability to be a servant is a gift from God.
The second thing that makes it difficult is that we need to take action
as soon as we realize the magnitude of God’s investment in us.
Paul became a servant of the gospel instantly when the revelation came
to him. He said, “Surely you have heard about the administration
of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery
made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.” (Eph.
3:2-3) The “administration of God’s grace” was the
outpouring of grace to Paul when the mystery of the Church was given
to Paul! Some people are like the man in Matthew 25:18. Instead of
using his talent, he buried it. If you know the Lord and have been
blessed with a gift, use it! When you use what God has blessed you
with for His glory, there is a connection with the power of God so
much so that your gift is blessed and He multiplies your gift! What
a privilege!
God’s invitation to receive the grace to become a servant of the
gospel is met sometimes with great struggle—just like the travail
experienced during childbirth. John 16:21 reminds us: “A woman
when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as
soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembered no more the anguish,
for joy that a man is born into the world.” Even though I didn’t
experience the physical pain, men, I love my wife, and there was pain
in seeing her go through the agony of childbirth, while realizing there
was nothing that I could do but be there! But after birth took place,
if you asked us if we would do it again, there would be no hesitation,
because we’re both proud of the son God has blessed us with! Sometimes,
there is a struggle as our old sin nature tries to resurface as we grow
stronger in the Lord; but after each struggle, we can focus only on the
wonderful privilege He has blessed us with to become a part of the family
of God!
When you see the glory of serving the Lord and you understand His power
to save, you don’t care if it hurts sometimes—when we’re
let down, or face heartaches that occur sometimes from dealing with people.
For it’s worth it all, knowing that we’ve been chosen to
be His servants! What a marvelous privilege!
If I can throw a single ray of light across the darkened pathway of another;
if I can aid some soul to clearer sight of life and duty, and thus bless my
brother; if I can wipe from any human cheek a tear, I shall not have lived
my life in vain while here.
If I can guide some erring one to truth, inspire within his heart a sense of
duty; if I can plant within my soul of rosy youth a sense of right, a love
of truth and beauty; if I can teach one man that God and heaven are near, I
shall not then have lived in vain while here.
If from my mind I banish doubt and fear, and keep my life attuned to love and
kindness; if I can scatter light and hope and cheer, and help remove the curse
of mental blindness; if I can make more joy, more hope, less pain, I shall
not have lived and loved in vain.
If by life's roadside I can plant a tree, beneath whose shade some wearied
head may rest, though I may never share its beauty, I shall yet be truly blest—though
no one knows my name, nor drops a flower upon my grave, I shall not have lived
in vain while here.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Bibleway Ministries
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