Ministry Over Mediocrity

Introduction

Acts 5:12–16 (ESV) — 12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Ministry = Jesus + People and the work of Jesus through his followers to bring the two together.

Who does ministry?

All followers of Jesus!

1 Corinthians 5:18

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself,

There is a difference between vocational ministry and non-vocational ministry, but all followers of Jesus are involved in ministry.

Ephesians 4:11-12

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

We’re talking about Fully Devoted not Partially Involved.

*If this is the definition of ministry, then how many of you have participated in ministry at some point?

What does ministry look like?

The unloved are loved.

People are being loved

16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

People are being healed

A physical healing with no explanation is actually a spiritual explanation of things not physically seen.

People are being freed

those afflicted with unclean spirits,

People are being saved.

14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,

Don’t neglect to see that the greatest of all the miracles listed here is that those who are spiritually dead with no chance of helping themselves are brought to life through the gospel.

Why do we not have miracles today? Because we aren’t sharing the gospel. Salvation is the greatest miracle of all.

ILLUST - what if I told you you could say certain set of words and you could see people healed, freed, completely changed? - You can - it’s called the gospel.

Acts 5:17–42 (ESV)

Acts 5:17-26

17 But

But as we all know, ministry doesn’t always go as we expect.

the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy

Interesting that the religious leaders were jealous that God was at work through the apostles.

These were undeniable signs that God was at work. So why were they jealous?

Because it didn’t come through THEIR work.

At this point, the apostles were persecuted not because of their belief in Jesus but because they were successful in ministry.

If you become jealous that you don’t get the credit for how God is working, then perhaps you are not really interested in bringing people to Jesus but rather bringing people to yourself. In the end, it doesn’t bring people to Jesus at all.

18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.

19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.

“This is the thanks I get for doing ministry?”

God called them right back to what got them into trouble.

Freed during the night, they didn’t even return to their beds for deserved rest but went immediately and began to teach at dawn, likely just a couple hours after being released.

— Acts: Verse by Verse (The Apostles Witness and the Authorities Fail (5:21–26))

Engage in ministry not mediocrity. (12-19)

“Good enough”

— Mediocrates

Jesus frees you for ministry

This story would make no sense if verses 12-16 read this way:

Nothing all that special happened among the church. Everything that happened could be easily explained by the skill of those in “professional ministry.” (13) People came and people went inasmuch as the church suited their desires, and the community knew them to be a typical American church. (14) The church’s membership grew modestly as people would transfer from other churches. (15) They were attracted to the church because the pastor was dynamic and the worship suited their style which put them a notch above the other churches in town. (16) The church’s ministry and monies were focused on providing a smorgasbord of services and events to attract and keep as many of the churchgoers as happy as possible.

Which version of “church” is more common today? Which is more common to your experience?

Real ministry is not mediocre.

It may not be flashy or always involve healing and casting out demons, but it is never boring. It is never mediocre. It is never lukewarm.

Revelation 3:14–17 (ESV)

14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. 15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

You can’t coast and follow Christ. You can’t sit on the path of discipleship!

Real ministry is not mediocre. It’s spiritual warfare.

Spiritual complacency is more deadly than anything the devil can bring against us in our upward struggle.

A. W. Tozer

“A moderated religion is as good for us as no religion at all—and more amusing.”

— The Screwtape Letters

If our spiritual enemy does not bother with you, perhaps it is because you are not a danger to him!

Commit to live a life that makes an eternal difference not temporary comfort.

Don’t waste your life by living only for this life!

“Do not be deceived, Wormwood. Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy’s Will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.”

— C. S. Lewis, “The Screwtape Letters”

Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

Your ministry is as boundless as the Spirit. (19-32)

God can work through you wherever you are or He can change where you are!

- Notice the twists:

But the high priest rose up,

19 But during the night

And when they heard this

Now when the high priest came,

But when the officers came

Now when the captain of the temple

*You can have a ministry wherever God places you

Sometimes God opens the prison doors for ministry

Sometimes God gives you ministry inside the prison walls

Acts 16 - Philippi - the jailer - Paul and Silas

God is in the business of opening doors in order that we might “speak to the people all the words of this Life.”

It is interesting that God made a way of safety for the apostles only to call them to a place of risk.

Ministry can be risky

God may call you to place yourself in a vulnerable position in order that you might speak the words of Life.

*Are we willing to allow God to call us to place of risk for the ministry?

The most dangerous thing you can do is attempt to “play it safe” apart from God.

The safest thing to do is to risk everything to answer God’s call to ministry.

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”

Notice how they can’t even say Jesus’ name.

If only our charge was that we were FILLING the entire area with the teaching of Jesus.

29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

A couple of weeks ago we explored the relationship of the Christian to the government and we looked at it through the words of Peter

1 Peter 2:13 (ESV)

13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme,

Peter tells the church that submission to our government should be the default position of our heart even as we stand for God.

Here we have Peter and the other apostles taking a stand against the ruling leaders claiming allegiance to the highest authority of God as sovereign and in contrast to obeying any man.

There is no contradiction here.

In 1 Peter, Peter is urging believers to submit to the government as those placed in power by the highest authority — God.

Those in government have been given circles of authority in our lives for the good of society and human flourishing.

But when the government (or any man) impinge on the circles of authority belonging to God alone, we must obey God rather than men.

Taking human life apart from the areas of instituting justice

The defining of reality, humanity, and sexuality - These were given by God prior to any human society and thus form the basis of every human society.

The command of any human dominion to stop the spread of the kingdom of Jesus Christ through the spread of the gospel.

In all of these cases we, as the church, must with a prophetic voice and (if necessary) a defiant stance, side with God in obedience to him even at the cost of liberty and even life.

While I’m sure to get some ‘Amens’ to this, I want us to see that “obeying God rather than men” is a true statement outside of the context of religious persecution.

We are called to take a stand even in our own hearts and minds to obey God rather than men in every context we find ourselves.

Sometimes I think Christians are more ready to stand before a lion in the colosseum than face the coworker at the water cooler.

We are ready to take a stand against the government but we crumble at the slightest form of peer pressure.

*Is this a true statement for you?

The apostles had a greater fear(worship) of God than they did fear of man

In what ways has the fear of man stopped ministry God is calling you to do?

Take a stand for Christ and his cause in the mediocre things of life and your life will be anything BUT mediocre!

30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!”

God’s ministry through you will not fail! (33-42)

God’s work will be accomplished. The question is: Will it be through you or around you?

“If God is not involved there is nothing to worry about; if God is involved there is nothing you can do to stop it.”\

beating - In Deuteronomy 25:2–3 this meant being beaten with a whip thirty-nine times or “forty lashes minus one,” as it came to be called.

So they took his advice, 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

I love how they didn’t skip a beat. “They did not cease . . .”

What confuses me, though, is that it is when they are leaving the presence of the council that they are rejoicing.

Their backs are throbbing but they are rejoicing.

The beating was not only to inflict pain but shame.

You can be beat for something you deserve, but being beaten for doing the right thing rarely brings joy.

Philippians 3:10 ESV

10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

The only way this is possible is if the power of “the Name” is greater than the power of the the council - even to inflict physical or psychological pain.

It is my prayer that I/you become so satisfied in Jesus that suffering shame and pain in ministry could be an occasion for joy.

Conclusion

I think it is interesting that the last word of this passage in Greek is “Jesus.”

One of the most loved Brother Andrew stories recounts a risky incident from early in his ministry. On this occasion, Brother Andrew approached the Romanian border in his car—which was packed with illegal Bibles.

He could only hope the border guards were moving swiftly and not paying much attention, which might allow him to pass through undetected.

But just as he was hoping this, Brother Andrew saw the guards stop the car at the front of the line. He watched, in anticipation, as the vehicle’s owners were forced to take out all of the car’s contents and spread them on the ground for inspection.

Each car that followed received the same treatment, with the fourth car’s inspection lasting the longest. The guard took a full hour to sift through it, including removing hubcaps, taking the engine apart, and even removing the seats.

“Dear Lord,” Brother Andrew remembers praying, “What am I going to do?”

As he prayed, a bold idea came to Brother Andrew. “I know that no amount of cleverness on my part can get me through this border search.  Dare I ask for a miracle? Let me take some of the Bibles out and leave them in the open where they will be seen.”

“Lord, in my luggage I have Scripture I want to take to your children. When you were on earth, You made blind eyes see. Now, I pray, make seeing eyes blind.  Do not let the guards see those things You do not want them to see.”

Putting the Bibles out in the open would truly be depending on God, rather than his own intelligence, he thought. So when the guards ushered Andrew forward, he did just this. “I handed him my papers and started to get out. But his knee was against the door, holding it closed.”

And then, the almost unbelievable happened.

The guard looked at Brother Andrew’s passport and abruptly waved him on. “Surely thirty seconds had not passed,” he remembers.

Brother Andrew started the engine and began pulling away, all the while wondering if he was supposed to pull over so the car could be taken apart and examined. “I coasted forward, my foot poised above the brake. Nothing happened. I looked out the rear mirror. The guard was waving the next car to a stop, indicating to the driver that he had to get out.”

God had cleared the way for Brother Andrew to smuggle the Bible to Christians who had no access to God’s Word.

If Brother Andrew talked with each of us, he would likely encourage us along these exact lines. He would tell us as he has told many others, “The Bible is full of ordinary people who went to impossible places and did wondrous things simply because they decided to follow Jesus.”

“The real calling,” he has said, “is not a certain place or career but to everyday obedience. And that call is extended to every Christian, not just a select few.”

(https://www.opendoorsusa.org/about-us/history/brother-andrews-story/)

Maybe you thought given where you have found yourself that ministry is not an option. You’re right about one thing - ministry is NOT an option, but not in that you are limited - you are freed to do ministry wherever you find yourself.

Maybe you need to be freed for ministry - God may be calling not to a place of safety but of risk.

Maybe you’ve allowed the fear of man to slow or stop your ministry.

Maybe you need to experience the JOY of ministry - externally and internally.

Maybe for you “Jesus” needs to be the final word. You need to trust him for the first time today. You need something in your life that you would risk everything for?

Galatians 6:9 ESV

9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.