This thing called "Ministry" (Part 12)

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!

"That's My King!"

A friend of mine put me onto this. I had heard this some time ago, but this was just too good not to put into my collection of "hold onto your hat" segments. This is a portion of a message from Dr. S. M. Lockridge. Sit back and just listen to how this man does his best to describe the awesomeness of our Great Big God!

This thing called "Ministry" (Part 3)

I began something I intend to finish it! Several weeks ago I mentioned that I wanted to evaluate what "ministry" is through the book of 1 Corinthians and as we see Paul flesh it out. (Part 1 and Part 2) So let me progress into a third passage in 1 Corinthians.

To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.
(1 Corinthians 4:11-16)

Paul is not complaining, neither is he hinting that this is the lifestyle that these Corinthian believers must adhere to. What he is addressing is the contrast to their attitude of superiority. They have become "puffed up" and filled with knowledge to the point of having big heads in spiritual matters. They are filled with pride and arrogance and so much so that they are forgetting their heritage. Paul is their "spiritual father."

There are two sides to this that I see in a very non-commentary fashion. Paul warns them of arrogance and forgetfulness. He warns them of the dangers of lauding themselves as being better or more spiritual by having all these gifts and abilities. Paul is still dealing with them as babes in Christ and even as "carnal." (3:1) He is doing his duty as their "father" to alert them to their failures.

That leads me to see the second aspect. Paul's ministry included correction and "big head popping." He wanted to bring them down to see that life is about ministry and loving your fellow believers. As we saw earlier in vs. 1-2, Paul was a minister, a servant, a slave of God's vocational calling. He was a steward of the mysteries of God's magnificent Gospel. Paul is alerting his "spiritual children" of their duty to serve.

But note v. 16 - "Be imitators of me." Wow! Can I honestly call my people up and say, "Hey, by the way, if you have a problem or need to figure out how you should be living this Christian life, then just do it as I do!" I don't think so. But as a minister of the gospel and as a pastor, teacher, and steward of God's truth, I should strive to be so.

How are we doing, "MINISTERS?" Are we an example, a servant, a leader by service rather than by demand? Are we encouraging right living by living right in front of our fellow believers? How about when they are not looking? We need to remember that this thing called ministry is.... become(ing) as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now. (1 Corinthians 4:13)

Love your people! Serve your people! They are your "spiritual children." Be then a father to them and demonstrate the compassion that our loving heavenly Father has lavished upon them. Minister!

Peace in Future Uncertainty

I did watch a bit of the debate last night between the two candidates for this year's election. Again we come to the time where fingers point and yet everyone speaks of unity and harmony. Everyone wants to prove themselves to be more trustworthy, more aggressive, more in tune with the "common folk" and more aware of the problems and their solutions than the other camp. It amazes me how politically incorrect we are becoming.

I still hold that this election is, in my humble opinion, the most important one that we have had in recent history. We face economic crisis, foreign crisis, social crisis, and religious crisis. On every front we find that our nation is being torn apart by greed, corruption, and immorality. From same sex marriages, to CEO embezzlement, we find our lives and the lives of our children hanging by fragile threads of sanity.

Now, the good news. (1 Timothy 1:17) Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. I note here that He is King, He is going to be given His glory and HE is eternally existent.

Again, Paul later goes on to say, "Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time--He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen."
(1 Timothy 6:12-16)

I have no reason to fear. I may grow weary of the debauchery and the lust that fills the hearts and lives of people all around me. I may grow angry that sin and sinners seem to gain more ground while the truth of God and His righteousness seems to be suppressed and buried, but I know my Redeemer lives, that He is coming for me and one day the Just God of all ages will stand ready to establish not only His heavenly dominion, but His earthly one as well.

Let the next president come. Let the next assault on truth be waged. May we continue to "fight that good fight." May we be ready soldiers. Not with weapons of earthly warfare, but as individuals enduring the hardness, praying steadfastly, encouraging the beloved, and standing for what is Right, what is Righteous.