Nothing is more beautiful to watch than thorough breds galloping around the track. This is the horse capital of the world and most of the thoroughbred champions were bred and raised here in Ocala.
The amazing thing is to see those four legs working in complete harmony with one another in racing around the track.
Those four legs are in “harmony with each other” and not in harmony with the world around them. If they were in harmony with the world around them, they would not be able to run the race and there would be a lot of frustration, confusion and physical exhaustion.
Many Christians today are living in frustration and physical, emotional and spiritual exhaustion. The reason is they are not living in “harmony” with other believers.
Yes, they are Christian, but they are dysfunctional Christians in that they are not working in harmony with other believers. You cannot live the Christian life on your own.
This is what Paul meant in, Hebrews 10:25 – “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
Examine your own Christian life, are you really in harmony with other brothers and sisters in the Fellowship? Or, are you a rogue Christian trying to do it all on your own?
Nothing is more delightful than finding your place in God’s kingdom in harmony with God’s people. Ministry, however, is not as easy as it looks.
One of America's best known theologians, Eugene Peterson, reflects on 81 years of life and ministry in an interview with the Mennonite Weekly Review.
“What advice would you give to seminary students? If you were asked to describe what is at the heart of pastoring, what would you say?”
“I'd tell them that pastoring is not a very glamorous job. It's a very taking-out-the-laundry and changing-the-diapers kind of job. I would try to disabuse them of any romantic ideas of what it is. As a pastor, you've got to be willing to take people as they are. And live with them where they are. And not impose your will on them. Because God has different ways of being with people, and you don't always know what they are.”
Good advice for all of us.
Theme…
Ministry is seeing an issue in the kingdom that needs to be addressed and driving us to our knees.
What is “kingdom ministry”?
• Where Jesus is exalted.
• Where the enemy is encountered.
• Where spiritual gifts are employed.
This can only be accomplished in the “assembly.”
The question, of course is, how do we get to that place of really delighting in kingdom ministry?
I. The Call – Judges 6:11-23.
Gideon was trying to be about his own business and God interrupted him in the middle of it. God was calling Gideon to do a work with his people.
God does not call the qualified, he qualifies the called.
Every time God calls us to some work for ministry it is something that is beyond our ability and talents to do.
A. W. Tozer was being examined for ordination and almost did not pass. He had no formal education and his grammar was very bad. And there was nothing about him that even suggested he was qualified to do the work of the ministry.
At first, everybody on the committee agreed that he should not be ordained. Then somebody spoke out and said, “I just think that this young man really has a heart for ministry. I think we should give him a chance.”
After some conversation, they finally all agreed to ordain him.
We all know what became of A. W. Tozer. According to man’s evaluation, he was not qualified, but according to God’s evaluation, he was the man for the job that he had for him.
We need to understand that “The Call” always reveals God’s heart. There is something that God is focused on and he wants to do something about it and calls someone to do that job.
If I’m walking in obedience, I will hear his call. This call is beyond family, personal issues and work. It has everything to do with the kingdom of God.
II. The Commitment – Judges 6:36-40.
The keyword in this passage is “if.” We need to understand that God is never intimidated by the word “if.” In fact, it is key in understanding the call in order to make a commitment.
Before I can really make a commitment to the Lord, I really need to understand if it is the Lord calling me and if I really understand his call. Whatever it takes for me to get to that point is okay as far as God’s concern.
“If you are calling me… Then let this happen.”
I call it the “Gideon Wager.
The call reveals the heart of God.
This commitment reveals our heart.
We want to serve God, but we want to make sure that we understand what God wants us to do and what God is calling us to do. How many people do not fully understand what God is calling them to do? Consequently, their ministry sooner or later falls apart.
God is never intimidated by our uncertainty and he never wants us to make a commitment that we do not fully understand.
Thomas – “Unless” Jesus never rebuked him for his doubts.
Elements of our commitment to the call must be worked out between “me and God.” I would venture a guess that everybody’s commitment is different and unique to their relationship with God.
God is not calling me to do what he wants you to do. And God is not calling you to do what he wants me to do. I need to understand very clearly what God is calling me to do so that I can unconditionally commit myself to that call whatever it might be.
III. The Compensation – 2 Timothy 1:16-18.
God never expects us to make a commitment to his call in our life without establishing the full compensation for that call.
To understand this I need to go to 2 Timothy.
16The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
17But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.
18The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.
When I hear the call and work out the elements of my commitment, I have access to God’s compensation. What is that compensation?
I fear most Christians do not understand the compensation package that God has established for us when we make a commitment to his call upon our life. To understand that compensation is to bring into my life the delightful element needed in kingdom ministry.
If we are in a situation that we can handle, we do not need God.
God brought into Paul’s life Onesiphorus.
Three aspects of God’s compensation:
1. “Oft refreshed me.”
Paul is reflecting on this marvelous compensation that has come to him in light of all the exhaustion he has experienced in his ministry.
If we are doing what we are called to do, we will face the elements of exhaustion in our life and the compensation is to minister to that exhaustion.
God does not expect you to do this all on your own. That is what the fellowship is all about.
2. “Not ashamed of my chain.”
What Paul is referring to here is the consequence of obeying God’s call upon his life. When Paul is writing this, he’s in prison.
There comes with our call to ministry Struggles we cannot handle alone. The reason many people drop out of ministry, and I’m not referring to pastors here, although it does apply, is that they do not have anybody to support them in the struggles they have in doing what God is calling them to do. The enemy is vicious and we need to have each other’s back.
3. “Sought me out very diligently.”
This is a delightful aspect of our compensation package. Paul is saying that Onesiphorus was very diligent in seeking out Paul. There in the Roman prison, he diligently sought Paul out in order to encourage him.
This man Onesiphorus would not give up regardless of the obstacles. And boy, are the obstacles plenteous.
This Onesiphorus compensation package refused to give up on Paul as he responded to the call of God upon his life.
If I hear the call of God upon my life and commit myself to that call, God will provide for me a more than enough compensation package for me to delight in my kingdom ministry.
Conclusion…
This compensation package is boiled down to the Onesiphorus factor in our life. Because God brings into our life an Onesiphorus, we can be an Onesiphorus to someone else who is committed to their call of God upon their life.
I never tire of this illustration. To prove a stick is crooked simply lay a straight one beside it. I want to be a straight stick in this crooked society. And frankly, I cannot do it alone.
If I’m where God wants me to be,
doing what God wants me to be doing,
I can expect his full compensation.
The devil can discourage me, but he can’t “defeat” me, and as long as I have my “feet” I can move forward to the glory of God.
