Ministering Is Sharing Our Treasures

Ministering is Sharing our Treasures

Psalm 126:6

A couple of years ago, Tim Forneris, a 22 year old groundskeeper gave Mark McGwire, a million dollar ball, saying "I think I have something that belongs to you." McGwire in turn gave it to the Hall of Fame to display beside Babe Ruth’s and Roger Marris’ record breaking balls. Why? He said it didn’t belong to him, it belonged to the world.

Forneris and McGwire, both displayed the kind of attitude Christians should have about their salvation. We do not hoard our treasure, we share it with the world.

The whole idea of sharing our treasure seems to run counter to man’s nature, that is - to do our own thing, to think only of ourselves first.

INTRO.- ILL.- A man once prayed like this:

Lord, bless me and my wife

My son John and his wife

Us four and no more.

A childless couple prayed:

Lord, bless us two,

And that will do.

An old bachelor prayed:

Lord, bless only me,

That’s as far as I can see.

We’re generally more concerned about our likes and dislikes and our wants more than anybody else’s.

Even more than that of our mate and our family members and often, MORE THAN THE LORD!

We need to think about others! We need to think about reaching out to others and sharing our treasures with them.

What is the greatest thing we can do for others

It is to share with them the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Psalms 126:6 NIV

6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Regardless of the level of our gifts and abilities, God expects us to invest ourselves boldly for his glory.

You may be surprised to know that the word "minister" or "ministry" has in its root form in Greek the term for "service" or "to serve." Remember our Lord Himself "did not come to be served, but to serve," Mark 10:45.

Ministry is understanding people’s deepest needs, and concerns it’s showing them how & why Jesus cares, how He will provide for them. (Look at the consequences of serving without Jesus)

The danger ministering without Jesus (Not telling others about Jesus)

In Decision magazine, Peggy DesNoyers writes:

My job as a psychiatric home-health nurse brought me in touch with many people who were hurt or angry and who were searching for answers to problems in their lives.

I knew that Jesus was the answer, but I couldn’t bring myself to talk to them about him.

I was the master of excuses.

[Until] one patient changed my life.

Wanda was a 56-year-old widow in chronic depression.

All of her family had died, some of them tragically, within a span of 16 years.

The loss and her grief overwhelmed her until life for her became a burden she was unable to bear.

One day she quit her job, went home, pulled the curtains, and refused to leave her house. Eventually she stopped eating, and even the smallest of tasks became too difficult for her to do.

An observant neighbor had noticed the changed in Wanda’s behavior, and that neighbor made arrangements for her to be taken to a hospital where she was admitted to the psychiatric ward.

At the end of her hospital stay, when she went home, I was assigned to be her home-health nurse.

I visited her weekly to make sure she was taking her medication and was eating and taking care of herself.

Over the course of six months Wanda continued to recover.

Although I knew she needed to meet Jesus as her Savior, I reasoned that she would soon be attending church and would hear about him there.

One day I went to Wandas’s house for my regular visit, and I was surprised to find the door ajar. I knocked and when there was no response, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. The living room was vacant, so I went to her bedroom and found her lifeless body on the bed. There were several empty medication bottles beside her, and in her hand she held a noted addressed to me.

I sat on the bed beside her and took the note.

I read: "Dear Peggy, I’m so sorry. I tried it your way, but I got tired. Please forgive me. I tried. I just couldn’t do it. I got tired."

I slid off the bed onto my knees and cried my heart out to my loving, forgiving Father: "Lord Jesus, she tried it my way. I gave her the best that I had. But it was my way. I didn’t tell her about you. I didn’t tell her about your way."

On my knees beside [Wanda’s] lifeless body I promised God that I would never pass by another opportunity to tell someone about him.