“Every Member a Minister”
April 15, 2010
Read John 21
What a busy month spiritually it has been. We started with Palm Sunday, Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem; then we celebrated the Lord’s Supper with Jesus on Thursday. Following that was the night of agonizing prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, with Jesus’ arrest early Friday morning. To them it was still Thursday, but nevertheless Jesus was taken in custody, tried in a phony, illegal, kangaroo court, beaten half to death and then crucified.
What a gloomy Saturday it must have been while Jesus was in the grave – but then - Resurrection Morning! What an eventful day. It kind of slowly grew from disbelief to overwhelming joy. But Jesus was alive! And the Bible tells us that He showed Himself alive with many infallible truths.
“After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.”
Acts 1:3
How cool is that! For over a month Jesus appeared to them, spoke with them, taught them, encouraged them. But why? Why do you think He remained on earth for forty days before His ascension into heaven? Certainly to fulfill prophecy – but was there another reason? I think there was. I think it was to make ministers of His disciples.
What was the first thing Peter did post Resurrection? Understand that he had followed Jesus around for three years and been a part of His ministry. Understand that he had seen miracle after miracle. Understand that he had already seen the resurrected Jesus twice. But what did He do? He went back to fishing for a living. And there Jesus found him by the shores of Galilee. When Peter realized it was Jesus there on the shore – he jumped out of the boat and swam to shore. In the movie, Forest Gump, they tried to capture that moment when Forest jumped out of the boat to meet Lt. Dan – but nothing comes close to the real thing. Peter must have been so excited to see his beloved Leader! But Jesus questions that love. Listen again, to the conversation between them.
“After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"
"Yes, Master, you know I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
He then asked a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
"Yes, Master, you know I love you."
Jesus said, "Shepherd my sheep."
Then he said it a third time: "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, "Do you love me?" so he answered, "Master, you know everything there is to know. You've got to know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I'm telling you the very truth now: When you were young you dressed yourself and went wherever you wished, but when you get old you'll have to stretch out your hands while someone else dresses you and takes you where you don't want to go." He said this to hint at the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And then he commanded, "Follow me."
John 21:15-19
This is Peter’s call to preach. This is Peter’s call to change his life. This is Peter’s mission statement. “Feed my sheep”. And Peter was forever changed by it. He left his boat; he left his fishing; he left what he had been doing all his life -to live a life of obedience to Jesus. He gave his life feeding Jesus’ sheep and he died for the calling - just as Jesus had foretold.
I want you to know that, 1. You have been chosen and called by Jesus.
Jesus said, “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”
John 4:34-35
I believe Jesus says that to us today. Our ‘food’, our ‘strength’, our ‘nourishment’ is to do the will of Him who sent us – and to finish HIS work. We are called to go and finish what He began. We are called to be His hands, His voice, and His heart in our world today.
But let’s face it. We are like Peter. Our fleshly desire is to go back to the familiar and the well known. We want to be where it is comfortable and safe. A.W. Tozer says,
“The devil’s master strategy for us Christians is not to kill us physically but to destroy our power to wage spiritual warfare. And how well he has succeeded. The average Christian these days is a harmless enough thing. He is a child wearing with considerable self-consciousness the harness of the warrior; he is a sick eaglet that can never mount up with wings; he is a spent pilgrim who has given up the journey and sits with a waxy smile trying to get what pleasure he can from sniffing the wilted flowers he has plucked along the way.
Such as these have been reached. Satan has gotten to them early. By means of false teaching or inadequate teaching, or the huge discouragement that comes from the example of a decadent church, he has succeeded in weakening their resolution, neutralizing their convictions and taming their original urge to do exploits; now they are little more than statistics.
If we want to escape the struggle we have, we have but to draw back and accept the currently accepted low-keyed Christian life as the normal one. That is all Satan wants. That will ground our power, stunt our growth and render us harmless to the kingdom of darkness. Compromise will take the pressure off. Satan will not bother a person who has quit fighting. But the cost of quitting will be a life of peaceful stagnation. We sons of eternity just can not afford such a thing.”
We have to get out of the seats and into the game. We have to get up off the bench and into the coliseum. The coach has called us. He needs us. The pastor needs you. I read a while back that the average pastor only last 12 years. I’ve more than tripled that. But the reason is because of burn out. Too many pastors try to do it all themselves. We are all guilty of doing that too much. But if the typical pastor tries to shepherd the flock all by himself – he WILL burn out. Even in a small church, if a pastor thinks he has to minister to the flock all by himself – as well as do administration, writing sermons, praying and putting out fires- he will burn out.
Experts have put pastors and the way they minister into different categories. One is to be a shepherd. That means he does it all. He feeds them, leads them, and tends to them. If it is a very small flock – he can last for awhile. Another type of pastor is the ‘rancher’. A rancher has a foreman – or a couple of them. He has workers out working with the cattle. He may have a blacksmith, cook, and other kinds of workers. After consulting with his foremen, he has help make major decisions, but leaves most of the day to day work up to those he has put his trust in. Consequently, the load doesn’t become too great.
In the church, every member is a minister. It is every Christian’s job to win the lost and visit the sick and fulfill his individual calling. You HAVE been called. Are you fishing – or feeding sheep?
Not only have we been called, but 2. We have been equipped. Three times in the Bible it says we have been given gifts. Here’s one. Paul says,
“But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”
Ephesians 4:7
Notice who receives the grace – EACH ONE OF US. That's you and me. Also, it is Christ who gives it – not us. It’s not by our own will. He then goes on,
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-15
Do you see WHY we have been gifted? It is to 1, “equip his people for works of service.” In another place Paul said,
“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”
2 Timothy 2:2
Our job is to equip God’s people to serve. Every member is a minister, and ever member is a teacher.
We are also given gifts so we can help God’s people, 2. Grow up, 3. Be unified in the faith, and 4. Grow in knowledge about the Lord. There are too many in the family who remain immature in knowledge and immature in the faith. They are up and down, tossed to and fro, fragile and ready to fall at any moment. There are too many who are in disunity. Love bonds us together. The flesh divides us. Problems are going to come. Disagreements, personality clashes, differences of opinion are going to come. Sometimes it is even God’s will. Our choice is to follow our flesh or follow the Spirit. Love covers a multitude of faults and the Spirit unites us. You have been equipped or at least the equipment is available for you to become an effective unifier and teacher. Remember, God does not call the equipped – He equips the called. And you have been called. Work and become the best equipped for the job that you can be.
We have been 1, called. We have been 2. equipped, and 3. We have been given an assignment. Don’t know what yours is? Here’s part of it.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
You have a part in the disciple making process. You may be a natural evangelist. You may be a gifted teacher. Or it may be in another area. But you gave been given a commission with your calling –“ make disciples”.
That is such a huge task. Here are some gifts the bible mentions are needed in building the Kingdom.
Prophesying, evangelism, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leading, showing mercy, gifts of healing, helping, guiding, and languages.
That’s only a partial list. Your gift may not even be on that list. But you have one or two or three. It may be undeveloped and you may not even realize what it is. But your job is to find it and use it. Grow it. Nurture it. Become good at it through practice. If you don’t know what it is – experiment. The Spirit will soon let you know if it is your gift or not. And remember – you don’t get to choose. It is the Spirit who gives us our gifts. You may not like what you get. I didn’t when God first called me to preach. I resisted the calling. But God kept at me until I surrendered to the call. Now, after a lifetime of service – I am so grateful for being able to use my life in the way God called me. I am so grateful for my assignment. I want to be able to say with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” May God make it so.
I hope you realize, that 1. You have been chosen, 2. You have been equipped, 3. You have been given an assignment.
Don’t be like the average Christian. Remember the description?
“The average Christian these days is a harmless enough thing. He is a child wearing with considerable self-consciousness the harness of the warrior; he is a sick eaglet that can never mount up with wings; he is a spent pilgrim who has given up the journey and sits with a waxy smile trying to get what pleasure he can from sniffing the wilted flowers he has plucked along the way.
“A child wearing a warriors armor; a sick eaglet than can never mount up with wings of eagles; a wore out pilgrim who has given up. Just living to get what pleasure he can from life. Is that you? I hope not – but if it is – it is not too late. Get into the battle of life. Would you pray with me?
Dear Jesus,
I am so sorry for taking the easy way. Please forgive me for not striving to become the Christian you want me to be. I give myself to you right now. Fill me with Your Spirit. Show me my gifts and talents. Show me how to become equipped for the job you have given me. And give me the courage and the will to do it.
