Ministering to the LORD , as Spiritual Exercise.

In ancient Israel, ministering to the Lord was the role God assigned exclusively to the tribe of Levi: “At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord to stand before the Lord to minister to him and to bless in his name, to this day” (Deuteronomy 10:8, ESV).

Deuteronomy 10:8 (NKJV)

8 At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister to Him and to bless in His name, to this day.

The verb translated “to minister” in Deuteronomy 10:8 means “to serve, help, or aid” the Lord by doing various commanded religious practices, especially in the performance of rites and worship ceremonies.

Thus, a minister is a person specially called by God to serve and perform his duties. Young Samuel was said to be “ministering to the Lord” when God called him to assist Eli, the priest in the tabernacle (1 Samuel 3:1).

1 Samuel 3:1–2 NKJV

1 Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. 2 And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see,

The Levites’ duties of ministering to the Lord are explained in detail in

Numbers 1:47–54; 3:5—4:49; 8:6–22; 18:1–7; and

1 Chronicles 23:13.

The Levites were set apart by God to perform the services and rituals of worship in the tabernacle and later in the temple—to dedicate the most holy things, make offerings, pronounce blessings in the Lord’s name, and carry the emblem of God’s holiness—the ark of the covenant. Levi was the only tribe God gave no portion in the inheritance of the Promised Land. Instead of property and material possessions, the Lord Himself was to be the inheritance and reward of the Levites (Deuteronomy 10:9).

Deuteronomy 10:9 NKJV

9 Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brethren; the Lord is his inheritance, just as the Lord your God promised him.)

They would be sustained through the tithes and offerings given to God from the Israelites (Numbers 18:20–24).

Through His close relationship with the Levites, God showed Israel and all future believers what He regards as the most valuable treasure—knowing the Lord intimately and finding one’s fulfillment in that relationship. King David testified that nothing in this world could compare with knowing God closely and possessing the person of God as his portion: “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25–26).

Psalm 73:25–26 NKJV

25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. 26 My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

In New Testament times, the concept of ministering to the Lord was extended to all followers of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:9–10).

1 Peter 2:9–10 NKJV

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

The apostle Paul was called to be a minister of Christ to the Gentiles (Romans 15:16).

Romans 15:16 NKJV

16 that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Paul expressed tremendous zeal for this ministry: “Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him” (Philippians 3:8–9, NLT).

Phil 3:8-9

Philippians 3:8–9 NKJV

8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

Paul mentions others such as Timothy (1 Timothy 4:6), Epaphras (Colossians 1:7), and Tychicus (Colossians 4:7) as special ministers and servants of the Lord.

God equips His ministers with unique gifts to aid the whole body of believers in ministering to the Lord: “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11–12, ESV). Ministering to the Lord means humbly serving needs, whatever they may be

(Matthew 25:35–44).

Jesus taught that we must become servants to be considered great in His kingdom (Mark 10:43–44).

Our example is Jesus Himself, who “came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45, NLT). In Jesus, every Christian receives the ministry of ambassador for Christ. We are “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9).

The Lord entrusts us with the “ministry of reconciliation” and the “message of reconciliation,” that through us He might reconcile the world to God (2 Corinthians 5:18–21).

In Christ, every believer also obtains the Lord Himself as an inheritance (Ephesians 1:11–14). Knowing God intimately and walking in close fellowship with Him constitute the highest aim and most excellent reward of the believer’s life.

As it was for the Levites of old, it remains for His ministers today.

Whether we perform regular duties in the church, preach like the great apostle Paul, or quietly help in the background, we are all ministering to the Lord as “fragile clay jars containing this great treasure”—the life of Christ.

We serve Him by letting His life be evident in our dying bodies so that others can see God’s glory and receive eternal life (2 Corinthians 4:7–18)

2 Corinthians 4:7–18 NKJV

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you. 13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

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What is “Ministering to the Lord?”

The phrase that is sometimes heard among those leading worship is that we must come and “minister to the Lord,” and since the word “minister” can bring to our minds the idea of “meeting needs,” we need to think seriously what we are saying. This is particularly interesting since God is self sufficient and needs nothing. The following found its spark from discussions in our Bible Study last Sunday, as well as a followup conversation with my wife, Kathy. To be able to talk about the subject, I’ll list the more prominent passages that deal with ministering to the Lord as well as ministering before the Lord, which is similar. The goal here is not to provide commentary for each passage, but see the common elements that exist. Old Testament: Psalm 101:6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; the one whose walk is blameless will minister to me. Isaiah 56:6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant— Judges 20:28 with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, ministering before it.) They asked, “Shall we go up again to fight against the Benjamites, our fellow Israelites, or not?” The LORD responded, “Go, for tomorrow I will give them into your hands.” 1 Samuel 2:18 But Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod. 1 Chronicles 16:1 [ Ministering Before the Ark ] They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God. Jeremiah 33:21 then my covenant with David my servant—and my covenant with the Levites who are priests ministering before me—can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. New American Standard Bible (©1995) While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Acts 13:2 New International Version (©1984) While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." New Living Translation (©2007) One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them." English Standard Version (©2001) While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Numbers 18:2 Bring your fellow Levites from your ancestral tribe to join you and assist you when you and your sons minister before the tent of the covenant law. 1 Samuel 2:30 “Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the LORD declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. 1 Samuel 2:35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always. 1 Chronicles 15:2 Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD chose them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before him forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:4 He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to extol, thank, and praise the LORD, the God of Israel: 1 Chronicles 23:13 The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart, he and his descendants forever, to consecrate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices before the LORD, to minister before him and to pronounce blessings in his name forever. 2 Chronicles 29:11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before him and serve him, to minister before him and to burn incense.” Jeremiah 33:22 I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.’” Ezekiel 40:46 and the room facing north is for the priests who guard the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who are the only Levites who may draw near to the LORD to minister before him.” Ezekiel 43:19 You are to give a young bull as a sin offering to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who come near to minister before me, declares the Sovereign LORD. Ezekiel 44:15 “‘But the Levitical priests, who are descendants of Zadok and who guarded my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, are to come near to minister before me; they are to stand before me to offer sacrifices of fat and blood, declares the Sovereign LORD. Ezekiel 44:16 They alone are to enter my sanctuary; they alone are to come near my table to minister before me and serve me as guards. Ezekiel 45:4 It will be the sacred portion of the land for the priests, who minister in the sanctuary and who draw near to minister before the LORD. It will be a place for their houses as well as a holy place for the sanctuary. Joel 1:9 Grain offerings and drink offerings are cut off from the house of the LORD. The priests are in mourning, those who minister before the LORD. Joel 1:13 Put on sackcloth, you priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God. Joel 2:17 Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” There is an interesting addition in two passages in 1 Chronicles 16:4 and 1 Chronicles 25: 6-7. The first passage were to lead the praising of God through music, while the other describes their particular work was that of leading, being “trained and skilled” in music. Old Testament Summary: 1. It was restricted to the priesthood. 2. It was tied to the carrying out of their responsibilities to offer sacrifices on behalf of themselves and the people. 3. It was done in recognition of who God was and what He had done for them. 4. It was done in obedience to what God had commanded. 5. It was tied to worship. New Testament: The passages related to “ministering to the Lord” in the New Testament are limited. The Acts 13:2 passage [“While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." NASB ©1995] might equally be translated “while they were worshiping the Lord” [NIV, NLT, ESV]. There are few instances where Jesus is “ministered to:” the first is after the temptation account in the wilderness and he was ministered to by angels [Matthew 4:11]. Another is Jesus being anointed in the house of Simon the leper by the adulterous woman [Matthew 26:6-13], and a general reference to the women that offered help to Jesus and the disciples [ Matthew 27:55-56] and the anointing of the Lord’s body after the crucifixion might be considered in this same light [Mark 16:1]. With the possible exception of the adulterous woman, which might be considered worship as well as service, the instances revolve around meeting the physical needs of Christ. The motivation for doing so was no doubt out of love. In the Apostle John’s Revelation, the idea of ministering seems to center around a constant recognition of the character and nature of God, from the angelic beings that proclaim His holiness [Revelation 4:8-11], and His work of salvation, who in response bow down before the throne saying “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain” [Revelation 5:12-14]. General Summary and Conclusions: The common thread seems to be an awesome recognition of the greatness and majesty of the character of God and the recognition of His gracious redemption of His people through His great acts. Ministering to God would then involve an obedient response to God’s character and work, or how worship itself may be defined: “The obedience response to the revealed nature, character, and work of God.” As we worship God then, we are ministering to Him. The more that we understand about who God is and what He has done, the more that we can allow Him to renew and remold our minds and our thinking, the more that we will be better able to minister or worship Him. God needs nothing, so there is no need in Him that we might possible meet, however God does have desires: He desires to have a relationship with us. He knows that the most satisfying relationship that meets our inmost needs is found in our recognition of who He is and our submission to the plan that He has for us. We can only come to that relationship through the confession of our sins and recognition of God’s saving act of redemption through His Son, Jesus. We must come to realization of the absolute power and authority of God over everything, and begin the process of grasping the depth of His love for us in what He did through Christ in redemption. Our submission and obedience are tied to our understanding of who God is and what He has done. As we live our lives allowing His love and work as our point of reference, we joyfully submit our wills and lives to Jesus, the One who loved us enough to give His own life to reclaim us, rising from the dead, showing His power and authority over even death itself. We respond in obedience to His nature and work. We can do nothing less than worship Him.