Introduction

God has a ministry for every one of His children, not just the Pastor. Every Christian has a ministry, including you! While not everyone will be a great soul-winner, we all have a part in leading others to Christ. We are all links in the chain, though not all are the last link. Some may have the ministry of inviting, bringing, giving personal testimony, teaching, praying, or serving in various church ministries. Today, I want to talk to you about the "Ministry of Availability." It is important to be available for God to use us in whatever ministry He has given us.

Examples

- Samuel: When the Lord called Samuel, he responded by saying, "Here am I." Samuel was mightily used by God because he made himself available.

- Mary: Mary, the mother of Jesus, said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." She made herself available for God's use.

- Jesus: Jesus always did the will of God and said, "Knew ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" He made Himself available to do God's work.

- Disciples: The disciples immediately left everything and followed Jesus. They made themselves available to be used by Him.

- Paul: Paul, once a persecutor of Christians, became mightily used by God because he asked, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" He made himself available.

The Key

You may think you are not as significant as these biblical figures, but God can use you too. Just like Jesus used a little boy's lunch of five biscuits and two sardines to feed 5000 people, He can use what you make available to Him. Jesus took what the boy had and multiplied it, using it for His purpose.

Luke 5:1-11

In this passage, Jesus had just healed Peter's mother-in-law and performed other miracles. The crowd gathered to hear the Word of God, and Jesus saw Simon Peter's boat as an opportunity to be seen and heard. Jesus asked to use the boat, and Peter made it available for Him.

Lessons from the Boat

1. Let Jesus into your boat: Many Christians are willing to let Jesus save them and take them to Heaven, but they hesitate to let Him into their daily lives. To be used by God, we must make ourselves available and invite Jesus into every aspect of our lives.

2. Use what you have: Jesus asked Peter to let down his nets for a catch. Peter had doubts because he had fished all night without success. However, he obeyed and used what he had available. Even if it seems insignificant, God can use it for His purposes.

3. Don't let past failures hold you back: Peter had experienced failure before, but he didn't let it stop him from obeying Jesus. We should learn from our past mistakes but not allow them to hinder us from serving God now.

4. Be amazed at what God can do: Despite Peter's broken net, he still caught fish. When we make our weaknesses and inadequacies available to God, He can do amazing things through us.

Conclusion

Jesus wants us to go from doing little things to doing greater things for His kingdom. We need to listen to His voice, follow His lead, and make ourselves available for His use. Remember, we may not feel worthy, but Jesus can use us if we are willing. Let Jesus into your boat and see how He can transform your life and use you for His glory.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help us to make ourselves available for Your ministry. Give us the courage to let You into every area of our lives and use what we have for Your purposes. Help us not to be discouraged by past failures but to trust in Your power to work through us. Use us to lead others to You and bring glory to Your name. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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