Called to Ministry

Called to Ministry: 2016 Gospel of Luke #32

LukeThis is an exposition of Luke 9:1-6. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, October 9, 2016.

Intro:

What a world, what a world.  It doesn’t take a social scientist or a brilliant scholar to recognize we live in troubled times.  Rampant immorality, open promiscuity, blatant perversion characterize today’s world.  We proudly flaunt that which we once tried to hide.  The traditional family is disintegrating.  Life has become so meaningless that 64% of those surveyed approved of physician assisted suicide.  I few years ago 70% of the 6000 deaths that occurring daily in the United States are “timed” or “negotiated.”  In other words we are living in a mess!

“Thanks pastor – we know we can always count on you to bring the good word.  To pick up our lagging spirits and to inspire.”  I’m talking about this because it is important for us to recognize that we live in a hurting world.  We live in a world that is wrapped in spiritual darkness.  All around you are those who are lost and dying.  They are crying out for something real, something of substance, something to give them hope.  They are groping for an answer and we have it!  You and I have been given the responsibility of dispensing the cure for the world’s woes.  We have been entrusted with the antidote to this world’s spiritual and moral sickness.  We have been given the Gospel.  Once we have experienced the truth of the Gospel, once we have been made alive in Christ, we have a responsibility to take that Gospel to the world.  Ministry is not the sole responsibility of the pastor, the deacons, the church staff, or the Sunday School worker – it is the responsibility and the privilege of every child of God.  How does that work?  How do we go about the task assigned?  That is the focus of our text in Luke the 9.

Text: Luke 9:1-6

Jesus was a master teacher.

A master teacher knows that experience is the best teacher.

You do not become a expert seamstress by watching a video about sewing.  That may help but at some point you must take needle and thread and work with material and learn the skill.  One does not become an expert chef by merely reading cookbooks.  You have to cook.  You learn to love people by…well…loving people!  You learn to share you faith by sharing your faith.

Our Lord has been instructing the 12 in the great truths of the kingdom of God.

He has talked to them about faith and learning to trust in Him.

Now it was time to put some “shoe leather” to the Gospel.

Now it is time to put into practice some of what they have been learning.

Here in the opening verses of the 9 Luke records the disciple’s first training mission.

From which we can learn some valuable lessons.

Granted this text is about our Lord sending the 12 out on mission.  This is an apprenticeship for their ultimate mission after His ascension.  But from their commissioning we draw principles that apply to our work as the church.

What is clear from this text and the balance of Scripture is that…

Thesis:  As followers of Christ we are called to effectively minster to the lost and hurting through the power of the Gospel and with the blessing of God.

The Scripture is clear, we are all called to ministry.

Some are called to “vocational ministry” but all are called to minister.

Implied in the call is that we are to minister effectively.  That is we are to minister in such a way that our ministry makes a difference in our community.  How is southwest Tulsa different because Trinity Baptist Church is at the corner of 41st and Union?  In what ways are we impacting the lives of the folks who live here?  We are called to be effective ministers of the Gospel of Christ.

The task can be overwhelming.  At first glance the mandate is impossible.  Who are we?  How can we make a difference?  There is so much to do, where do we begin?  Well, we need to begin with a basic understanding.  God hasn’t called you or me to “win the world to Christ.”  God has called us to be faithful and walk in obedience to His word.  Be faithful in sharing the Gospel of Christ with our friends, neighbors and associates.  Live our convictions.  Remain true to the principles of His Word and God will reach the world through us!  It isn’t that we are doing the great work and we pray and ask God to give us a hand.  God is working and we do what He tells us to do.

Luke gives us three principles of faithful, effective ministry in this text.

  1. We minister as those who are called and commissioned by Christ, the Lord of the Church.  (9:1-2, 6)
  2. As we minister we are to rely on the power and provision of our God.  (9:3-4)
  3. God honoring ministry is focused on ministry and not on results.  (9:5)

Conclusion:

As you and I go out to minister to our community and to the world.  We are going to a world wrapped in spiritual darkness.  We are not looking for another notch in our spiritual gun belt.  We go seeking to minister to the hurting.  We go offering life and hope to those who are dying.  This is the ministry we have been given.

To be effective we need to recognize that our ministry:

Originates in the call and commission of Christ.

Relies solely on the power and provision of our God.

Focuses on ministry rather than results.

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