Ministry Partnerships-6(2025)

MINISTRY PARTNERSHIPS-VI—Luke 1:56(1:39-56)

Attention:

George* & Ralph* were brothers. They loved each other. Ralph had been an alcoholic who had allowed his addiction to ruin his life & relationships, including the relationship he had with his brother George. But after all that, Ralph was wonderously & radically saved by Jesus! Upon his trusting Christ, Ralph readily gave up his addiction! He & George reestablished their relationship as brothers, who were now also, brothers in Christ!

They spent time with each other most every day. They would normally meet around lunch-time. They regularly met on the porch of an abandoned restaurant that sat under the shade of the pines & live oaks that were covered in spanish moss hanging from the limbs. The property surrounding the abandoned restaurant was untended & was overgrown with native palm tree & yaupon holly bushes(weeds in Florida!). The porch & property was located directly across the street from the side of the church house.

George & Ralph would occasionally eat lunch together there. But most of the time they just met with a few local guys that they knew or had grown up with. They would all voice their complaints, brag on their families, & solve the world’s problems together. They would ‘shoot the breeze’ for a solid hour or more—some of them were well-retired. But more than anything, the guys just enjoyed one-another’s company.

When I was their pastor, George & Ralph attended church together. And they always got along real well together. And what a joy it was to be around them! They were both skilled in carpentry, electrical work, & they quickly tackled most any need the church had. They were dependable workers together in the church.....

.....HOWEVER, Neither George nor Ralph really enjoyed working on a project together! Each one of them would fuss about the other! Ralph was super precise about anything he did. And George would fuss about him saying, “Ralph would measure ‘five times’ before he made the first cut!” On the other hand, in Ralph's eyes, George was too willing say “Yes!” to any project without first counting the cost.....

So, Ralph thought George was too brazen, & George thought Ralph was overly analytical. Together, whatever task was at hand, they conquered well, so that God gained the glory!

Despite their different approaches, their love for one another as brothers, & as Christian brothers shown thru. And their love for the things of God, & particularly the Church(local & otherwise), overshadowed any temptation for either of them to go it alone, or to simply give up!

*Names have been changed.

Need:

Ministry Partnerships bring both challenge & reward!

Ministry Partnerships teach us about the importance of Christian teamwork, as we work toward common goals. They reveal the significance of depending upon God.

Those partnerships can help us to see the personal weaknesses & strengths that God has blessed us with, & that He works thru & with.

Ministry Partnerships help divulge & complete our passions & giftedness in the Lord.

Ministry Partnerships show us the power of God to overcome our human weakness.

Elizabeth & Mary shared their experiences as ministry partners in God’s service.

Ministry partnership fosters a sharing of experience in God’s service.

BUT, What exactly do ministry partnerships share?

Not only do Ministry Partnerships share...

1. EXCITEMENT(:39-40)

2. GOD’s BLESSING(:41-45)

&

3. GOD’s MAGNIFICATION(:46-55)

Through His Regard for...

a. the LOWLY(:46-49)

b. the FAITHFUL(:50)

c. the WEAK(:51-53)

d. the CHOSEN(:54-55)

Today, we will look at the fact that:

4—Ministry Partnerships also share...

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY(:56)

Explanation: (:56)Place

:56—“And Mary remained with her about three months, & returned to her house.”

“Mary” “remained with” her relative(:36) Elizabeth, for around “three months.”

•That puts Elizabeth’s pregnancy within the normal limits of a 9-month pregnancy(:26, 36, 56). And indeed, the very next verse(:57) tells us that Elizabeth’s time came to birth her promised son, John.

•Thus during her visit, we may be tempted to believe that “Mary” witnessed John’s birth. However, verses :56-58 suggest Mary’s absence!

*“Mary” then “returned” from her visit with Elizabeth to her” home in Nazareth.(:26).

Ministry Partnerships share the Excitement(:39-40), God’s Blessing(:41-45), & God’s Magnification(:46-55) in every instance—whenever & wherever God plants, whenever & wherever God calls, whenever & wherever God equips, & whenever & wherever God leads them.

Every work of God is specific to each of us. We must answer His individual calling. And we must continue to answer even as it intersects & involves our Ministry Partnerships.

Every aspect of our individual calling must be surrendered to God’s power, whether on our own, or in Partnership with other believers.

We each have a Personal Responsibility to allow God to accomplish the work to which He has called us, every moment of every day, & in every Partnership & in every Place!