I come to the conclusion of this series I have been running on the shape of ministry through the pages of Paul's epistle to the Corinthians, specifically, 1 Corinthians.
The whole series has been a personal viewpoint of how Paul did ministry, expressed ministry, and challenged me as a minister to view my own understanding and performance. There are obviously many other passages we could go to and study, but this book was for me a challenge. Ministry is about a heart and soul dedicated and sold out for Christ. Ministry is about forgiveness and forthrightness. Ministry is about transparency and honesty. Ministry is about people and less about pride.
The passage I want to conclude with is thus:
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:50-58)
What a classic passage of Scripture! Paul grants to us a new lease on living. We are given such great contrasts between corruptible and incorruptible, mortal and immortality. We are shown the stark reality of death but the greater conquest of Christ over death. We are given "new revelation" that death holds no power over the forgiven soul and the grave is not a place of repose or cessation.
The law brought death's sting, but Christ's death destroyed death's law. Death and the grave hold no more power and we have victory, catch that, VICTORY!
Notice then the conclusion that Paul grants us in verse 58, "Therefore....BE."
Be what? Here then lies ministry. As ministers of the Gospel and the message bearers of Christ we are to be.....
Steadfast - firmly or solidly in place (also found in Colossians 1:23 and 1 Peter 5:9)
Unmovable (immovable) - without shift or change (only place in NT where this form of the word is used)
Always abounding - has an attachment to have
abundance in growth and thus to be abundantly growing. Under that idea specifically here Paul is emphasizing the idea of being outstanding, to excel, to be prominent in that growth. (Used other places but a good example is found in Colossians 2:7 of the abounding of thanksgiving.) We could spend a lot of time discussing the further implications these terms bear, but I will leave that to you. The issue then goes to what are we to be steadfast, unmovable and abundant in? Answer: "The work of the Lord."
Another passage that comes to mind is Ephesians 4:12 - the work of service, the work of ministry. The job of pastor/teachers is to equip the saints to do their labor of love (of course we as pastors are in that category of saints as well).
"The work of the Lord."
What is your work? Where do you labor? What do you find to be your place and practice of service? The implication is that we all are to be doing something. Thus we all are to be ministers of some sort. We all have a toil to perform and a job to accomplish until the day we are called to glory either through grave's door or by means of Christ's coming back for His chosen people. So....What then is your task? Of course we all the the Great Commission to fulfill, but specifically, what is your ministry to the body of Christ?
The challenge is granted and with it Paul then offers this word of encouragement as well, "your labor (toil) is not in vain (futile) in the Lord (when done for and because of Him)."
Ministry is many things, but it is ours to do. Ministry has many challenges and sometimes is not as noticed or seems not as important as others, but it is handed to us by the Lord of our life and lover of our soul.
Whatever your "ministry," do it unto God and not unto men. Your labor is not futile, empty, vain if it is done for Christ. He is our ministry. We labor for Him because of Him, and through the power He affords us.
Now that is Ministry!
