OPEN: A church once put this on the back page of their bulletin -
CHURCH MOURNS DEATH OF PROMINENT MEMBER
The church was saddened this past week to learn of the death of one of its most prominent members, "Someone Else."
"Someone’s" passing creates a vacancy that will be difficult to fill. "Else" has been with us for so many years. "Someone" did far more than a normal person’s share of the work. Whenever there was a job to do, a class to teach, or a meeting to attend, one name was on everyone’s list. Let "someone else" do it.
It was common knowledge that "Someone Else" was among the most generous givers in the church. Whenever there was a financial need, everyone just assumed that "Someone Else" would make up the difference. "Someone Else" was a wonderful person - sometimes appearing to be superhuman, but a person can only do so much. Were the truth known, everyone expected too much of "Someone Else."
Now "Someone Else" is gone. We wonder what we are going to do. "Someone Else" left a wonderful example to follow, but who is going to do the things "Someone Else" did?
APPLY: I’ve been told that in the typical church, 90% of work is done by 10% of the people
ILLUS: I was talking once with a preacher who explained his frustration in not being able to get much of anyone to help out in the nursery. The congregation was made up principally of retired individuals and when asked to help they would complain "I’ve done my share of work in this congregation. Get someone else to do it!"
There are many reasons why people don’t help in church (here are just a few I could think of)
· Sometimes its because they feel they have done enough for the church in the past and now it’s their turn to just sit in their pews
· Sometimes, because the preacher doesn’t want the help. He enjoys doing ministry so much he doesn’t want to share it.
· And then, sometimes, churches have the attitude that ministry was what they pay the preacher and the youth minister to do.
Like I said, there are many reasons why people don’t do ministry in the church, BUT I BELIEVE the principle reason people don’t "do ministry" in the church is because they don’t understand how critical their service is to the Church and to Christ.
I. For example: consider the Apostle Paul
Paul is perhaps one of the best known of the Apostles. In the New Testament, Paul’s name is probably mentioned more often than anyone else’s other than Jesus. And this may have a lot to do with the fact that Paul wrote nearly half the New Testament himself.
He was instrumental in forming much of the thinking and theology of the early church. In fact, Paul’s influence was so powerful in the early church, that - to this day - Jewish religious leaders literally hate the Apostle Paul.
ILLUS: I’ve been told that religious leaders in Judaism dismiss Jesus as a deluded and uneducated country preacher who was later misrepresented by His followers.
Jesus they can forgive.
But, Paul... they despise him. Paul had been a Pharisee, a student of the great Gamaliel, and an early persecutor of the church. These religious leaders believe, that had it not been for Paul, the church would not have become as strong and influential as it has.
And - of course - they’re probably right.
II. All of this leads many people to believe that Paul literally turned the world upside down - all by himself. But he didn’t.
Consider the list of friends and companions Paul mentions here in Colossians 4:
Tychicus (for example) was with Paul on part of his missionary journeys and was a regular letter carrier for Paul to places like Colossae, Ephesus, and to men like Titus, and Timothy.
Aristarchus - traveled regularly with Paul and was with him when Paul was mobbed in Ephesus, shipwrecked in the Mediterranean, and was later imprisoned along with Paul.
Epaphras - apparently also imprisoned with Paul (according to Philemon 1:23) and he was a man dedicated to the ministry of prayer.
THEN there were people like
Onesimus, once a servant of Philemon who proved himself so useful to Paul that Paul asked for his freedom so he could continue to serve beside him.
Mark who wrote the Gospel that bears his name, who was with Paul on his early missionary journeys
Luke (who composed the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts) was a faithful companion during most of Paul’s ministries
AND then there are lesser known individuals like
Nympha who housed a church in her home
Archippus - either a preacher, teacher or other prominent person there at Colossae
Jesus (Justus)
Demas
The point is: Paul didn’t do ministry alone - these were just 10 of the people who were his fellow ministers. In fact, in his letters, Paul mentions over 100 individuals who worked alongside him who encouraged him and assisted him and made his ministry stronger.
Paul didn’t do ministry alone. In fact (unless Jesus had wanted him to) Paul couldn’t have done what he did by himself.
ILLUS: as the American poet: Gil Scot Heron, once wrote:
Nobody can do everything,
but everybody can do something,
and if everybody does something,
everything will get done.
That’s why I believe God listed so many of Paul’s companions in the pages of the New Testament.
III. But I believe there’s an even more important reason why
I believe that God deliberately listed so many of Paul’s co-workers in the Bible because He wanted to tell us that we are a priesthood of all believers. And that He counts the labor of every member as important/ critical to the success of His church.
ILLUS: John Rigle gave a communion meditation a couple of weeks ago that intrigued me
He spoke of the Last supper. And he told of how Jesus had sent Peter & John into Jerusalem with these instructions: "As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’
He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there." They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. (Luke 22:10-13)
Now, why did God did take the time to tell us about this man who had the upper room set "all furnished" for Jesus & His disciples?
Why tell us of a man who’s name is never even mentioned in the story?
Why would God do that?
Because, EVEN this mysterious unnamed, man performed an important service for Jesus. Even tho’ we may never know who he was - God does. And because of this man’s faithful service to Jesus, the most important meal in the entire Bible came off just the way Jesus had planned it.
So also, the labor of every Christian in the Church is important to Jesus… And critical to the success of the mission of the Church.
IV. AND SO, it is vital - if we’re going to do church the way Jesus needs it to be done
... it is vital that as many of us as possibly can find a way to do ministry in the church
Sadly, it is true, that in the average church 10% of the people do 90% of work. But that got me to thinking… what percentage of people HERE do ministry. Would you like to know?
Well, I did too - so I made a list. I wrote down the names of every person I could think of who
- taught a class
- mowed the grass
- was part of the prayer ministry
- took part in greeting people Sunday mornings
- helped with the Jr. church, or the youth group
and so on, and so on...
And I came up with a list of 50 to 60 people (and those were just the one’s I could think of)
Now, my math’s not real good - but that’s roughly 40 to 50% of the church. That’s a pretty decent percentage. And I want you to know how proud Brad & I are to serve in a church like this where so many of you take your role in God’s Kingdom so seriously.
V. Over the next few weeks, we’re going to encourage ALL of you to be involved in some form of ministry
And, to that end, we’re passing out ministry sheets for you to look over fill out and sign and then hand in.
(I then called for the servers to come forward and pass out the ministry sheets)
I want to stress - your ministry for Jesus is critical. Now, it may be that this church can along just fine with out the service you can contribute. Maybe you don’t think your part in this church is all that critical… but what if it is more critical and vital than you imagine…
So... I want to share with you this final story that comes out of WWII
In WWII, an Allied bombing raid had just returned to its base and they told a miraculous story. It seems that while on their bombing run they had been hit several times by German antiaircraft gunners, but that none of the shells had exploded.
Specialists gingerly removed the shells from the plane and took them away to a safe place to examine them. What they discovered was this: the shells contained no firing pins.
In the place of the firing mechanism a note was found written in Czech. The note was apparently put there by one of the slave workers in a German munitions factory: "this is all we can do for now, wish we could do more."
BELOW IS THE HANDOUT SHEET WE USED:
Name:_____________________________________________________
_____ Do you like to sing?
_____ Do you enjoy playing sports
_____ Do you find it easy to organize things in your house or work place?
_____ Do you find prayer is something you do regularly
_____ Do you have ideas for special activities in the church
_____ Do you enjoy working with pre-teen kids
_____ Do you like working with babies
_____ Do you have a vision for teenagers
_____ Do you want to be part of making new people feel welcome in the worship service
_____ Do you like to cook, work in the kitchen, etc.
_____ Do you hunger to know more about your Bible than you do now?
_____ Do you like to work with landscaping/ plants/ etc.
_____ Do you like to work with your hands
_____ Are you comfortable speaking in front of people
_____ Do you like to work with computers?
_____ Would you like to take a missions trip to Honduras?
_____ Do you like interior decorating or creating art work?
TYPES OF MINISTRY:
Mark beside a ministry you are presently doing, or would like to do
_____ Mowing
_____ Landscaping
_____ Giving Specials
_____ Teaching
_____ Organizing church events
_____ Singing in a choir
_____ Helping set up chairs
_____ Greeting people
_____ Working in the Nursery
_____ Working in the Kitchen
_____ Helping with Funeral Dinners
_____ Prayer ministry
_____ Playing an instrument
_____ Leading singing
_____ Providing transportation
_____ Encouraging missions
_____ Working with the Hispanic Church
_____ Organizing the church library
_____ Involvement in mid-week Bible Studies (either as a teacher, host or member)
_____ Helping Brad in Youth ministry
_____ Helping fold Church Newsletters
_____ Sound booth & power point presentation
_____ Tape ministry
OTHER:
SERMONS IN THIS SERIES
· Remembering What We Have - Colossians 1:1-1:14
· He Is Lord Because Of Who He Is - Colossians 1:15-1:23
· The Mystery - Colossians 1:21-1:29
· Jesus is Lord Because Of How He Rules - Colossians 2:1-2:23
· Feet On The Earth, Head In The Sky - Colossians 3:1-3:17
· Prescription for a Healthy Family - Colossians 3:17-3:21
· Working For Jesus - Colossians 3:22-4:1
· Thinking Like Jesus - Colossians 4:1-4:6
· Someone Else - Colossians 4:7-4:18
