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Church Ministries Notes

Sacrifice-The Measure of Ministry

It is almost a shame to even talk about sacrifice in the United States. There are so many privileges and opportunities for young ministers that sacrifice is foreign to this generation (myself included).
I read historical accounts of early pioneers of the Gospel and I recognize that they understood true sacrifice.
Don’t misunderstand, I don’t believe that you have to go back to “horse and buggy” days and “brush arbor” meetings in order to sacrifice.
However, I am referring to the concept of sacrifice as an essential characteristic of ministry.
This is completely alien to many would-be ministers today. Men in $1000 suits who drive Cadillacs have become our models for ministry.
As a matter of fact, many view sacrifice as not getting one’s way. In other words, we are so used to getting our own way that we view anything other than our own way as a sacrifice (and are quite proud of ourselves if we happen to give up our way).
Sacrifice is more than not getting your way. Instead, sacrifice is giving willingly until it hurts (and then you continue to give).
Sacrifice involves a steadfast, commitment even after one is met with impossible opposition.
It does not “turn tail and run” at the first signs of difficulty.
Definition:
To offer to God in homage or worship, by killing and consuming Webster
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
“The first step in having a sacrificial ministry is to understand the nature of sacrifice itself. All too often people use words without having a good grasp of what they mean. Look at what happened to Old Testament sacrifices, for example. Those who brought sacrificial animals offered the very best of their flocks to the Lord, and these animals died on the altar (e.g., Lev. 1:1-17). In fact, one of God’s indictments against his people was they took short-cuts when they offered their sacrifices (e.g., Mal. 1:14). The Old Testament presents the idea that sacrifices were supposed to be costly. The New Testament carries this idea forward when Paul describes our state as a living sacrifice. Paul uses this language to convey the idea that our service to Christ must be all-consuming. Like the sacrificial animal who did not walk away from the altar, we live our lives in complete and total service to Christ. But unlike the animal, which died, we are living sacrifices. Our service to Christ should be complete, costly, and sacrificial.”
“If sacrifice is a way of life for the Christian, then this is especially true for the pastor pursuing ministry. Once again, our surrounding culture will tell you to put yourself first, but Christ bids you to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow him.”
Illustration: The preacher in Iowa, who made a good living off a farm, was asked by another man about the church he used to Pastor. He said, “Oh, I don’t preach there anymore. With what little they gave it was a real sacrifice for me to go each week.”
Illustration: J.L. Bailey selling the farm and building a church. Getting new tires for their station wagon, and then an evangelist comes through and preaches for them, and his tires on his car were bald, so they gave them their new tires.
Sacrifice costs something and ministry (done right) is sacrifice.
Sacrifice involves laying yourself on the altar.
Your desires and ambitions are consumed in the fire of God’s desires and ambitions for your life.
You are willing to do WHATEVER in order to please Him and glorify Him.
Preaching that costs nothing accomplishes nothing-John Henry Jowett-51.
Ministry that costs nothing accomplishes nothing. If the minister’s life is without a measure of pain and sacrifice, his ministry will be without blessing-51.
What are things that wound the servants of the Lord and call them to suffering and sacrifice?
• Working hard and not being appreciated
• Being slandered and having no opportunity to defend ourselves.
• Being misunderstood and not knowing where to turn
• “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing”
• Sleepless nights and toil-filled days. . .52-53
2 Corinthians 11:23-28 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
Paul was just presenting his credentials to counteract the charges that the false teachers were making against him. That is why he said, “I speak as a fool.” He felt foolish telling his sacrifices.
That teaches us a principle:
Be careful of glorying in your sacrifices. Even speaking about them. You will see rewards in eternity for them. Make sure when you speak about the sacrifices you have made it is to HELP others, not to HEAP glory upon yourself.
I am almost sheepish when I consider these things to be sacrifice in light of the terrible price that many have paid through the ages of time (persecution, torture, even death).
However, these are legitimate things from a practical standpoint.
Frustration w/sacrifice: that it isn’t doing any good.
Our mentality: that sacrifice is going to make an immediate, tangible difference.
Fact: sacrifice does not always result in immediate, tangible results (example: fasting). In fact, people have died without seeing the results of their sacrifice.
Our conclusion: we might as well quit if we cannot see any reward for our sacrifice.
Dr. V. Raymond Edman-It’s always too soon to quit! - 53.
Truth: Our sacrifice must be one of conscious choice w/the knowledge that it is the right thing to do (and is pleasing God).
Sacrifice is NOT measurable in time, only in eternity.
The goal of ministry is not securing results anyway! The goal of ministry is bringing glory to God and pleasing Him.
Point: I don’t want a lack of results to keep you from sacrificing.
. . .there is no easy way to serve the Lord-54.
God balances suffering with glory. He doesn’t replace suffering with glory; rather, he transforms suffering into glory. - 55
The minister’s responsibility regarding suffering:
1. Expect it.
a. 1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
2. Accept it as God’s gift.
a. Philippians 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
3. Evaluate it and yield to God’s purposes.
a. Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
4. Learn to live a day at a time and to give your cares to him.
a. Psalms 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
b. 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
5. Trust God to turn assigned suffering into eternal glory.
a. 2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
Sacrifice is not paying a price. It’s making an eternal investment with guaranteed dividends-57
O, so we’ve talked about Sacrifice.
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