Your Ministry 1976

On certain Sundays, it seems the Lord has one lesson that he wants to get across to us, and it appears that this is what's happening today. From the very beginning, without any consulting one with another, Ron, who led the Sunday school opening, was praying that we would be better equipped for the work that God has called us to do as we leave the place today. Then we came into the adult class, and this may have gone on in the other classes as well, but the only one I know about is the adult class that meets in here.

And Dave was teaching, and he was teaching about our ministries and the value of Christ, and how important it is that we don't try to impose a particular pattern on brothers and sisters. And so, meanwhile, through the week with me, it was the same thing, that it seemed that we should be talking about what our ministry is and what this involves. And if there are people here, for instance, who say, well, don't talk to me about a ministry, I'm not even in the kingdom of God yet.

Don't be too sure that before you leave here today, you won't both be in the kingdom of God and also involved in a ministry. It doesn't take ten years to be prepared for a ministry to which God has called us. I'd like to read today from John 21, starting at verse 15.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? He said to him, yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, feed my lambs. A second time he said to him, Simon, son of John, do you love me? He said to him, yes, Lord, you know that I love you.

He said to him, tend my sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, do you love me? And he said to him, Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.

Jesus said to him, feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go. This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.

After this he said to him, follow me. Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved. And when Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, Lord, what about this man? What shall this man do? Jesus said to him, if it is my will that he remain until I come back, what is that to you? You follow me.

Peter understood quite well that Jesus was talking to him about the kind of death he was going to have to die. He was going to be crucified. And the first question that Peter asks, as you and I are inclined to do also, is, okay, so I'm going to be crucified? What about John? Is he going to be crucified too? We want everybody's ministry to fit into ours.

And if their ministry isn't like ours, well, there must be something wrong with it. So Jesus says to Peter, if I want him to remain alive until I come back, what business is that of yours? You follow me. Each of us is called into a ministry that is unique.

This thing, apart from everybody else's, we are not called to follow a group, nor are we called to fit in to a standard pattern. We are called to follow the person of Jesus Christ. And as we begin to truly, seriously, thoughtfully follow him, each of us comes into a relationship with him, which is distinct and special, different from everybody else's.

But instead of concentrating on Jesus and keeping our mind on the ministry to which he has called us, we start to look around and compare. What about this man, Lord? What about this woman over here? Instead of trusting Jesus that he's very well able to guide them just as he guides us and to keep them from falling and to show them what they need to know, we're all the time involved in somebody else's business and losing sight of Jesus and of the ministry to which we've been called. Now, if we concentrated on that, we would rejoice knowing that they're going to be blessed too and they're going to be working where they're supposed to be.

Instead of that, we get our eyes off where they're supposed to be and we fall into confusion. For instance, there is the confusion which comes up again and again among us of the, well, let's call it the full-time, part-time confusion. The idea that, you know, there are some saints of God who are full-time and there are others who are only spare-time.

And of course, in our own minds, the spare-time saints really don't count for too much. It's the full-time. These are the ones who set the pattern.

These are the ones who affect the destiny of the Church. These are the ones who keep the body moving out and are behind all the outreaches in evangelism, etc., etc. Oh, the part-time saints, you know, they say their prayers every day and they go to Bible studies and services and when they have a chance you know, they go out and try to minister to people too but most of their time they're spending making their living you know, and after they're home from work they're tired.

This is a deadly, deadly confusion, I believe. Because every single one of us who's been called to follow Jesus has been called to follow Him full-time. No.

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. Doesn't make any difference whether you have an eight-hour-a-day job or don't. I mean, as long as you're doing what you're definitely guided by God to do.

Now, it's possible that God may direct you to quit your job. And He might also direct brothers and sisters to gather around and support you financially so that you can get a job. So that you can take care of your family and go out and do certain things that you believe God is calling you to do.

And if that's the case, may God be praised, but you are no more full-time now than you were before. Nor are you any more a full-time servant of the Lord than some brother or sister who works at Cadillac or drives a bus or practices law. On the other hand, the Lord may guide me.

May very well guide me. May be doing this right now. One of these days, to give up what I'm doing and take an eight-hour-a-day job.

So that doesn't mean I'm any less full-time than I am now. Full-time, part-time has nothing to do with whether you have a job or where your money's coming from. It has to do with where your heart is.

Then there's the much fruit, little fruit confusion. Now we all know that if we are called to follow the Lord, we are called to bear much fruit. By this, my Father is glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Well, over here is Brother Slick, the soul winner. He's out there every day. He never misses it.

Three souls a day at least. He doesn't go to bed at night unless he gets free. I'm not trying to make jokes out of it, but you know, it really is ridiculous how we get this.

Over here is Convalescent Home Connie. All she ever does, she spends all her time with these people who are so important. After all, I mean, their lives are over.

They're crippled up. Their minds are gone. And here she is, spending all her time in the Convalescent Homes.

What kind of fruit is that? You know, so Slick, much fruit. Connie, little fruit in our eyes. But in God's eyes, it may well be that Connie is bearing fruit that you and I wouldn't even begin to dream of and far outstrips the superficial results of Slick's ministry.

Then there's the well-known, unknown confusion. You know, certain brothers and sisters around town are well-known. Their names are often on the lips of saints.

And they're often sought for advice, and they draw crowds when they speak. Whereas there are some brothers and sisters, well, brother who did you say? Oh, that's right. I never heard of him.

I'm sure he's very sincere. What? You want me to take down his name and address and telephone number? You think it would do me good to talk to him? Oh, come now. I already have high hopes of being able to have a five-minute interview with brother big time, after he has his meeting down at Cobo Hall on Tuesday night.

See, when are we going to get it through our noggins that the reality side of our ministries has nothing to do with what is well-known in the eyes of men, that the reality side of our ministries is always unknown to all but God? The things that men see of our ministries are about as significant as the smoke that pours out of the Edison stacks. It looks very ominous and prescient for a few moments, and then it melts into the air and does nothing else but pollute. As unknown yet well-known, says Paul, and the only one before whose eyes we are well-known is God.

And then there's the much risk, little risk confusion. You know, there's Hudson Taylor. Went to China without a dime.

And I'm in no way trying to reflect on him. Praise God for that man. C.T. Studd goes to Africa with no support.

Fifty-one years old, leaves his wife, never sees her again. Called by God, of course. She's on her sickbed, he goes to Africa.

Much risk. But is the risk taken by Hudson Taylor or C.T. Studd any greater than some unknown woman in London with ten children, works hard every day, and when there's an epidemic, she's out there taking care of the sick? And when they're having a fracas at the church, she has the guts to get up and say what needs to be said? We are all called to take high risk, much risk. If we're going to follow Jesus, we're going to risk it all.

See, but whether we're taking that much risk or not does not hinge on the heroics and the dramatics that we act out before the eyes of men or how many books are written about us. The much risk begins in the heart. And a lot of us husbands still haven't learned that our wives often take many more risks than we do.

I know my wife will weep more easily than I will and she might maybe be afraid of certain things more quickly than I am, but every time there's a crisis, she comes out with guts way ahead of mine. And the kids call her Spunky Mom, never call me Spunky Dad. You know, and there's reason for this.

The risk begins in here. After this, he said to him, follow me. Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved.

When Peter saw him, he said, Lord, what about this man? What's he going to do? And Jesus said, if it is my will that he remains until I come back, what's that to you? You follow me. The call of the Lord to all of us, every single one of us today, is get your eye on me and get down to the business to which I've called you. Get your eye off your brother and sister.

Stop being so stinking critical. And then your ministry will begin to blend instead of clash. And you will find that your ministry now begins to edify the body instead of to divide it and tear it up, as so often our ministries do.

Some things to consider now about each of our ministries. I'll use the term your, but I include me. Your ministry, each of us, the ministry to which we've been called.

Your ministry has already begun. A lot of us, you know, think, well, it'll be wonderful when my ministry starts next year, when I get through Bible college, or when I get to another location, or my situation changes somewhat. It's like the man who's standing up here on the corner of 24th and Michigan with a pile of tracts.

He's on his way downtown waiting for the bus. And he believes that his ministry will begin when he gets down to Woodward Avenue. The bus is delayed.

A young guy comes up to him and asks for a tract. He won't give him one. He has to ask him for one.

The guy gives him a tract. He reads it. Now he starts to ask questions about what's on here, about Jesus.

What's this all about? But our Christian friend, instead of concentrating on this man and his need, is looking up Michigan Avenue, see if the bus is coming, every 30 seconds. Still has it in his mind that his ministry won't start until he gets downtown. He may have to go down there every day for 30 days and never have an opportunity like he's got right now on 24th and Michigan.

And he misses it. Which relates to the next step, the next thing to consider. Your ministry is where you are, not someplace else.

And we're thinking about how wonderful it will be when I get to China, when I save Nigeria, when I do this or when I do that, when I graduate. But your ministry has already been given to you. Do something with it where you are.

If you're not faithful, and if you're not effective at serving the Lord in a place where you have now been put, whatever gives you the idea that you're going to be faithful and effective anywhere else. Thirdly, your ministry is unique. Different from everybody else's.

Now it's true that we are called to blend in with each other, to pray for one another, to help one another, and to function in harmony. That's for sure. But this does not come by trying to make people copy us or set up somebody else, Hudson Taylor, C.T. Studd, you know, name them all, and we'll all copy them.

There's only one pattern that we imitate, that we follow, and that is the pattern of the mind of Christ who emptied himself of his glory, became a servant. We follow that, and we begin to serve. And as we serve, it becomes just like Dave was teaching this morning in the class.

Some of us are going to be fingers, and some are going to be eyes, and some are going to be ears, and some are going to be noses and mouths. What a mess this is going to be if we're all a mouth. Or as Milton was saying, the ears gang up on the nose.

It's for us to, each of us, we'll know where we are to be servants according to the personality, the gifts of the Spirit, and all the things that God has given us to serve. And your ministry will come out where it's supposed to. Four, your ministry rides on prayer.

And we look at our Lord's ministry. He heals the sick, raises the dead, feeds the hungry. Marvelous! What we don't look at is the fact that there are nights He spends, days, hours and hours, praying, filling Himself up with God's, the Father's mercy in life, interceding for His disciples, signing, signing, Satan's desire to have a lot of you guys, that He might sift you as wheat.

But I pray for you, Peter, that your faith fail not. And when you're converted, strengthen your brothers. Your ministry will be what your prayer life is.

If you have a vital, effective, living relationship with God in your prayers, your ministry will thrive. But if your prayer life is slovenly, haphazard, unthinking, your external ministry then becomes a sham immediately. Fifth, your ministry is going through continuous change.

It never stops changing. It's not a matter, as so many of us want to make it, of getting hold of a pattern and then, here we go, we got the motions, we keep going like perpetual motion and we're in a rut, we're going by inertia. All the time we learn things.

God opens our eyes to something else. The situation around us has new demands. There are other needs that come to us.

And we're still trying to do it the way we did it five years ago. If we're not willing to go along with the change, we dry out. And then we become resentful.

Those people don't do it like we used to do. Wasn't it wonderful five years ago? Wasn't it wonderful the way we had it 15 years ago? Why don't people appreciate that? And on the thing goes, people are out ministering all the time changing and we're still holding where we were. Sixth, your ministry now absolutely is bearing fruit.

There is no such thing as being faithful to Jesus, abiding in Him and letting Him abide in you in the place where He's put you and not bear any fruit. Impossible. Now the fact that you're bearing fruit is not borne out by how many people pat you on the back, how many people say thank you, how many results you see, how many people are being slain in the spirit every time you snap your fingers.

The proof that you are bearing fruit is simply the Word of God. He promised that if you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you're going to ask and you're going to bear fruit and you hang on to that. That in spite of everything, in spite of all your limitations and in spite of all the hang-ups that you still have, you are bearing fruit.

And finally, seventh, your ministry is based on the fact that your name is written in heaven. Rejoice not that spirits are subject to you but that your names are written in heaven. See, and what happens, the minute we begin to see things happen in our ministries, we see results, we see lives change, we are tempted to become intoxicated by results, caught up in seeing things change and our eyes now are taken away from the Lord and from His throne and we're out manipulating people and pretty soon things are changing not as a result of the working of the Holy Spirit but as a result of our own soulish energy.

And the changes that then come may look okay on the surface but they bring death in the end. Our joy, sure there's going to be results, sure there will be fruit, of course miracles absolutely will follow everywhere you go, but your joy is only because you know that your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. God is your Father and you are His child.

Okay, now there may be people here who say all of this goes by me because I don't have a ministry, I've never been called, how can you talk like that to me? Well listen carefully, it may well be that the Spirit of God in the name of Jesus is now calling a Mary Magdalene or an Apostle Peter among us right now. We get the idea that first we have to do it in some mechanical fashion again. First you get saved, then you get trained and then you minister.

But look what happened with the Apostle Peter. That's not how it worked with him. He was called into the ministry before he ever knew what salvation was.

Follow me and I will make you a fisher of men. The only thing that Peter knew was that this man Jesus had something that he wanted. He didn't know what it was to be saved.

Depart from me for I'm a sinful man, O Lord. And Jesus didn't say, okay, now repeat the sinner's prayer. Salvation indeed.

There's no life apart from the salvation that comes in the Lamb's blood. But let's not make it mechanical. If the Lord is calling you today and you know it, you answer that call.

And if it happens that it's going to be helpful to you to kneel at this rail, then come down here and let us pray with you. If you're not sure that God has laid his hand on your life and said, come now, follow me. I've work for you to do.

Get sure before you leave here today. And if there are any, I don't care if you've been following the Lord for six months or two minutes or 50 years, who need to have that clarified, get it clarified. Because there is no such thing as following Jesus and not ministry.

And the ministry that God has to you begins now, not next year, but today. Let's wait upon him now in prayer.