Ministry Priorities

Recently something has been bothering me.  Why does it seem that so many well intentioned members of God's people get distracted from doing the things that God has designed them for?  If we hold to a Biblical understanding of the church then we know that God has given different gifts or tasks to the various members of His body.  Some are prophets, some are teachers, some are administrators, some are hospitable, some have the gift of mercy, and so on.  But it seems that we find ourselves sucked into the lie that good christians possess all the gifts and can be anything at any given time.  And I believe it creates ministry distraction.

The apostles were faced with a serious dilemma in Acts 6.  There was a problem with the distribution of food to the hellenist christian widows.  Because the church had been growing so rapidly in those days, the issue I'm sure was rather large and needed immediate attention.  So it was brought before the leadership, specifically the Apostles.  What a test this is!  Serving and distributing food to widows is a critical aspect of the ministry of the church.  At the same time, for the disciples to undertake this task would mean that they would have to cut back on their ministries of prayer and the word.  What would they decide?

I could ask here what would you choose to do.  But I am not going to ask that question.  Instead, what have you done in the past?  You see I believe that we often choose to do the things that we feel need to get done, even if someone else should be doing those things.  The Apostles could have chosen to serve food to the widows and we would have applauded them for this.  But instead they made the harder decision that most of refuse to make.

They put it back on the church.  They said find 7 men that could do this task, because we have been commissioned to ministries of the word and prayer.  Notice that they acknowledge the significance of this ministry, but that they understand that the rest of the body has responsibility here.  I wonder what the people thought?  I know the pressure in most churches.  "Oh well, they don't have a servants heart, putting it back on the church."  "That's just lazy."  "How much time do they really need to pray and preach?  I mean isn't being a christian about helping people?"

But I know for a fact, from experience, that the pressure of others is nothing like the pressure I put on myself.  "What will people think if I don't do this?"  I have tried in the past to measure up to "their" expectations many times in ministry, uncertain of who they really are.  "They" always seem to show up in leadership meetings, nameless and faceless, but having lots of pull.  Thank God that the Apostles were not this insecure.

The appointment of these 7 proved to be the right decision.  But it wasn't the right decision just because the church grew and Stephen and Philip turned out to be powerful witnesses to the Gospel.  It was the right decision because the Apostles stayed focused on their role in the body.  They would not be distracted by good things, they were focused on the right things.  

So where are you in your ministry priority?  What's the one thing God is tugging at you to do it?  Why aren't you doing it?  Let me suggest some ideas for finding out your ministry priority:

• Pray that God would show you how He wants to use you in the body.
• Get a copy of The 3 Colors of Ministry and begin discovering your Spiritual Gifts.
• Write down on paper what are the things that God has specifically designed you to do.
• In one sentence, what is the one ministry that you should be doing within the kingdom?
• Stay focused on the ministry He is giving you to do.

"Zeal For My House Will Consume Me!"

For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me. (Psalm 69:9)

How does this picture make you feel about the man holding the whip? Just pretend you don't know what's going on here. What are some thoughts that come to your mind? Do you think of someone who is honorable and right? Do you think of someone who is loving and caring? Probably not.

We have trouble with this account in scripture because it doesn't fit our neat and tidy understanding of Jesus as the lowly servant who takes it on the chin. He gets angry. He gets aggressive. He gets downright violent. But if scripture teaches that He is without sin, then what drives the Son of God to the point of passionate, zealous anger towards what is taking place in the temple.

The answer is found in John 2:13-22. At the time of the passover, Jesus heads to Jerusalem. And coming upon the temple he finds the buying and selling of sacrifices there. He finds men changing out foreign money for the local Jerusalem currency. These are services of convenience for the travelers to the temple. But God is not concerned with our convenience, He is concerned with the state of our heart. And these money changers and sacrifice sellers were busy turning a profit on the religious needs of the day. Their hearts were waxed cold and the glory of God was far from them.

As Jesus fashioned the whip that He would use to drive them out, the passion must have grew within Him. You see the temple was not just a place for religious activity to occur. It was not just a place to visit. It was truly the place that God had promised to meet His people on earth. It was where He agreed to reveal Himself to them. It was not the temple that Jesus was zealous for, but for the glory of God. Which, being the son of God, was His own glory.

Yes, I am saying that what made Jesus so angry was that the people were defaming His glory. They were not just making a mockery of the temple, but of Jesus Himself. Jesus' ultimate passion was that the nations would see His glory and worship it. Does it sound selfish? Well not quite when you read on in John 2.

Jesus' glory is defined and shown by His death and resurrection. That's what He meant when He said, "destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." To display His glory for the nations meant their salvation! The glory of Jesus is our greatest benefit. So of course He was indignant when they defamed His glory, because they were defaming the very glory that could bring them salvation from eternal damnation! The thing Jesus was most passionate and most zealous for was His glory that would bring salvation to the world. He is passionate about His glory which makes Him passionate about us!

But what dug into my heart in this text is this question... what are we zealous for? Are we this passionate about the glory of God? Or are we more passionate about America, sports, or our wealth? What do we pursue at the cost of everything else? I'm afraid that the american church has become more zealous for herself than for the glory of God in Christ Jesus. We have become more zealous over matters of form and outward expression than for the glory that dwells in the temple. How do I know this? By the very lack of manifestation of the glory of Christ. When zeal for the glory of Christ returns to our churches, then expect that glory to show up in power and might. Bow down and be amazed at the Jesus who turns over tables. Oh that we might get zealous for the glory of our risen king Jesus. What would it look like if He turned over some tables in our hearts?

Come and See

"Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour." John 1:38-39

"Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” John 1:45-46

"I set myself on fire, and the people come to see me burn." John Wesley

John's Gospel is written as a witness to us, to behold the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus. It is a call for all to "come and see." And there is so much to see!

The first two disciples begin to follow Jesus at the prodding of John the witness. In response to His question, "What are you seeking?", they ask where He is staying. His answer, "come and see." I'm sure they thought they would go and see where this great Rabbi, as they called Him, was staying. But instead what they began to see was something so much greater. They began to see truth, life, God.

We come to Jesus for all kinds of reasons, most of them selfish. But once we do come to Him, His glory eradicates all of our superficiality. He destroys our concepts of ourself and gives us a passion for Him. We stop living for ourselves and begin to live for Him. It becomes our one desire in this life, to come and see Jesus.

But not only does He become our desire, but we are filled with a passion to prod others to come and see. Andrew went and got Peter. Philip went and got Nathanael. When we have found Him, or better stated when He has found us, we must spread the news to others to come and see.

Who have you invited to come and see Jesus lately? Who has looked on your zeal for Jesus and been inspired to come and see for themselves? Or maybe you are reading this and wondering what I am talking about. Then please, open up the Word of God and "come and see!"

Sermons For Sale!

And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me, for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Come, curse this people for me.’ ” But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more." (Numbers 22:16-18)

And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord has held you back from honor.” And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak’?" (Numbers 24:10-13)

Everybody remembers Balaam for being the guy with the talking donkey. But really, what we should remember him for is his integrity in proclaiming the word of the Lord. He is confronted by King Balak to curse the people of Israel. Now as far as we know, Balaam is some sort of a seer who Yahweh speaks through. This is amazing, considering that he is not found among the Israelites. But nonetheless he knows God's personal name, Yahweh, and speaks with Him directly.

But what astounds me as I read this account in Numbers is the integrity of a man who obviously lived at the mercy of those who gave him money. Balak, the king, offers to take care of his every need, silver, gold, housing. Without batting an eye, Balaam tells the king's officials right up front that receiving those things mean nothing, the only thing that matters is to accurately convey the word of the Lord.

Even while proclaiming the oracles that God gave to Balaam, he unflinchingly continues to follow after whatever God tells him to say. Balak the King is right there, I imagine waving money bags the whole time. But Balaam never turns to the left or right, he continues to prophesy whatever the Lord lays in front of him. With absolutely no concern for how it might lead to him receiving no payment, or possibly may even lead to his own death!

Oh that we would have preachers like Balaam! Men who would have no regard for their paychecks, housing allowances, or their popularity among the masses. Here is Balaam with no regard for his life or well being, proclaiming a blessing on Israel to their enemies! And yet, it seems that we sometimes water down the truth of the gospel for the sake of not offending someone.

I know the dangers and how terribly frightening it is to have to say things that are going to be difficult. But if God has revealed to us in His word what must be preached, then let us not shrink back in fear. "If God is for us, then who can be against us?" I long for preaching that is willing to proclaim the truth no matter what the consequences. I am so encouraged when I see men lifting up the truth about Jesus Christ in places where they could suffer the loss of reputation, support, or even their life.

Recently, I had to say some very difficult things as a result of a suicide in our church family. But after sharing that message, I was amazed at the impact that it had on people's lives. I was worried that people would not receive the message and be bothered by it. But I knew I had to speak what God had placed before me in His word. And for that moment, I know I was faithful to the task.

Oh, that we would be faithful to the task week in and week out, regardless of the opinions of the masses. That we would join with Balaam in saying, "What the Lord speaks, that will I speak!"