Calling Ministry

Calling

Ministry

We are all called to Ministry that is to Serve

We are all called to serve the Kingdom of God

All Jesus ever taught disciples was the Kingdom of God

The Kingdom is to come and the will of God to be done in earth as it is in heaven

Anyone who has tasted or seen the goodness of Jesus,

Who died for us to be a part of that Kingdom

Should with great joy, serve God by being an active servant of His Kingdom 

The World needs to hear the Good News, that is all our responsibilities

Those who hear and receive need to grow in faith

That is the responsibility of all of us

Never limit yourself, you are to grow in faith which is action

Who knows what your potential is

Maybe someday your growth will be recognized by others

And you will be ordained to preach the Word

Or, maybe to wait on tables

So people will not have to listen to God’s Word with empty stomachs

You and I are called to “serve”

Serving is Ministry, which is your faith in action 

Ministry

How we define words shapes

our perception and action.

One word we should ask ourselves about is…

Ministry

How do you define Ministry?

You might say Ministry

belongs to Pastors or Evangelist.

You might say Ministry is for

those called to a Life Calling by God.

So what is the definition of Ministry?

The word used in the New Testament is “diakonos”.

It is thought that this word comes

from an obsolete word “diako”…

Meaning to run on errands

In the Book of Acts, Chapter 6,

we are introduced to Deacons.

The 12 Apostles’ ability to teach the Word was

being compromised by the need of waiting on tables.

The solution was to gather all the disciples…

This would have been the ones siting under

the teaching of the 12 who were making

disciples as Jesus commissioned them to do.

These disciples were to choose

seven to serve the tables…

Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of

the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and

will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

Acts 6:3-4

Paul writes to Timothy to give him

qualifications for deacons in 1 Timothy 3.

We might narrow the definition of Ministry

at this point to a Call to an Office in the Church.

But as we look into the Book of Ephesians,

 we find this word “diakonia” ministry broadened.

The KJV says…

And 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:

Ephesians 4:11-12 KJV

The 5-fold ministry of…

 apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers

Were given the responsibility to

perfect saints for works of ministry.

This word Ministry is translated in the

NIV and other translations as “servants”…

“To prepare God's people for works of service…”

verse 12 NIV

Ministry “diakonos” means to serve.

All of us are called to “serve”

or called to the “ministry”.

So what does that mean?

Just like we see in Acts 6, those that the 12

apostles were disciplining were not just to

gain knowledge of God and His Word…

  But were to put their faith

in God’s Word into action. 

Those who were the most spiritually mature were

recognized in a special way which we call ordination.

But the work was not limited to just the ordained.

In these verses of Ephesians 4…

 We see every believer was to be a disciple,

a disciple trained by the 5-fold ministry.

The training was to prepare believers

for works of ministry or service.

The effects of the service is to build

up the Body of Christ, the Church.

Building up affected these areas

 until we all reach unity in the faith

and in the knowledge of the Son of God

and become mature, attaining to the

whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Verse 13

The early church realized the natural needs

 as well as spiritual needs of believers.

The natural needs like waiting on tables

was always an important part of ministry…

 But at the point of Acts 6, the growth of the

church came to a point where the 12 apostles

could no longer do both effectually.

 

So we see in Ephesians 4 that we all

are called to ministry or to serve.

We need to remember that serving involves several things…

One is training as disciples, we are being

trained to serve “faith without works is dead”.

We all have been gifted by God

with spiritual and natural gifts.

These gifts are for the service of others…

 This is the message of 1 Corinthians 12.

All of us are called to ministry to serve…

 Those who excel will be recognized, even ordained.

Like Jesus said those who have been

given much, are required much.

No matter where you and I are attending church, we

all could say we have receive enough teaching to

keep us busy doing those things for the rest of our lives.

I am not saying we don’t need more teaching

(instruction) and preaching (motivation)…

 But we all have been instructed

with more than we are doing.

 So let me paint a picture…

We are all called to Ministry that is to Serve.

We are all called to serve the Kingdom of God.

All Jesus ever taught disciples was the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom is to come and the will of

God to be done in earth as it is in heaven.

Anyone who has tasted or seen the goodness of Jesus,

who died for us to be a part of that Kingdom…

 Should with great joy serve God by being

an active servant of His Kingdom.

 

The World needs to hear the Good News,

that is all our responsibilities.

Those who hear and receive need to grow in faith,

that is the responsibility of all of us. 

Never limit yourself, you are

to grow in faith which is action.

Who knows what your potential is.

Maybe someday your growth

will be recognized by others…

And you will be ordained to preach the Word.

Or, maybe to wait on tables…

 So people will not have to listen to

God’s Word with empty stomachs.

You and I are called to “serve”.

Serving is ministry…

Which is your faith in action  

Scripture Reading

Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV

11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.