Your Sacrifice, Your Ministry

Success, someone said, is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. It is part of giving back, being generous or putting forth effort. For a church, maybe it is an aspect of stewardship.

In his inaugural address on January 20, 1961, President John F. Kennedy spoke the following words, for which he became known for:

In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than in mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.

Now the trumpet summons us again — not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are — but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation" — a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.

Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility — I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavour will light our country and all who serve it — and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.

I read that excerpt because it is an inspiring way of looking at our citizenship in this great land. We cannot take anything for granted. If this country is going to continue to be great, we must do our part.

Church membership is comparable in some ways. As the summer winds down and we gear up for a busier time in church life, I want to challenge you with your own sense of ministry.

Being a Christian comes with certain expectations that lay the groundwork for something greater.

It may seem common for folks to have a small commitment to the local body of believers; that church is just an activity that you do on Sunday, if you are in town and feel like it.

Truthfully, this is far from what the New Testament records was the early practice of Christians. They gathered on the first day of the week. They collected an offering. They participated in worship. They heard the word preached. And they exercised their spiritual gifts. Some passages that speak to these actions are the following:

· Acts 2:42: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

· 1 Corinthians 14:26: “When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. “Let all things be done for building up….”

· 1 Corinthians 16:2: “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.”

· Hebrews 10:24: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

· 1 Peter 2:2: “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation….”

So, you can see that Christians in the early church had several expectations placed upon them: expectations to learn, to engage, to pray, to participate, to give, and finally, to be hungry for God and His word.

Many years ago, I was having a conversation with a pastor in the Midwest. I asked him why “so and so,” no longer attended the church. His answer intrigued me. He said: “Because our church is not for the faint of heart.” His point was, church membership with his congregation came with a level of expectation.

I hope there is a sense of expectation placed upon your membership at Central. Each of you has something to contribute, regardless of his/her physical ability or financial capacity.

In our Schwenkfelder heritage and practice, much of the ministry of the local church has been shared with the laity for the promotion of Christ’s kingdom. This, we believe is in keeping with the experience of the Christian Church from its very beginning. The various ministries of the Church of Jesus Christ call for a variety of gifts among its members, but all for the same purpose; that the Kingdom of God may come in all the earth.

So let’s take a closer look at spiritual gifts, as found in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome.

The Christian faith and life is an offering back to God.

Romans 12:1 (ESV)

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

Now notice that Paul uses the term: “Therefore.” Any time “therefore,” appears in the Bible, there’s a rule of thumb that we must find out what it is there for!

So we revert back to the previous chapter, how Paul has brought to a close his great argument of justification by bringing together Jew and Greek, the totality of the human race, with deep spiritual needs, even bankrupt in their moral and spiritual abilities- and how Jesus came to pay the price for sin and that both Jew and Greek can be reconciled to God through faith in Him. Four portions of Romans indicate such.

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

and

Romans 6:23 ESV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And so the gift of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone is granted to both Jew and Greek- whomever calls on the name of the Lord.

Romans 10:9–13 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

And so it is from this great plan of salvation, that God is given glory. Romans 11:36 functions as a crescendo to all that Paul has taught in the previous 11 chapters.

Romans 11:36 ESV

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

And so from that litany, we understand that the Christian offers his life back up to God as a thank offering, a worshipful response.

And notice that Paul calls us a “living sacrifice.” Sacrifices in the Old Testament were killed upon the alter and their blood spilt for the purpose of atonement. But because of Jesus’ sacrifice, you and I can live for God in the power of the Spirit. And our lives can be living sacrifices, a tribute to the glory of God.

We live for God by being transformed non-conformists.

So how do we do that?

Well Paul tells us in verse two. Romans 12:2

Romans 12:2 ESV

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

As a Christian, your heart has been re-tuned to sing and live for God. And the more that you learn, the more that your life is transformed into a more mature, grace-filled, vessel that lives a holy life unto the Lord.

Humility flavors your every judgement. You live a sober life, keeping prayerful watch and being fully consumed with living for God. You are a member of something greater than yourself. And the Lord lovingly employs you and you are given gifts for ministry, meant to serve God and one another.

And this is what gives greater value to life- being involved in something that is important.

The Israeli settlement of Netzarim in the heart of the Gaza Strip was a point of much conflict with militant Palestinians for several years. The conflict was so great that the settlement was evacuated in 2005.

Those who lived in Netzarim did so at great personal risk because they felt it was an important part of keeping their land free. A schoolteacher, Shlomit Ziv, who lived in Netzarim in 2001 said, “I don’t live where it’s comfortable; I live where it’s important to live.”

What would happen if Christians quit worrying about being comfortable and started doing what was important to God—leading lost souls to Him?

Just yesterday, my home church in Nevada, Missouri was burned to the ground. Friday before midnight, it was a place that contained many memories. Today, it is a pile of bricks and ash. This will be a season of discomfort for that congregation. But the church is not a building; it is the people.

You live for God by being involved in ministry.

Romans 12:6–8 ESV

6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

And so when one comes to faith, God equips a person to serve others in the context of the church. There are several gifts listed here.

Prophecy: speaking on behalf of God;

Service; the willingness to do a variety of tasks for the progress of the church.

Teaching; giving insight into God’s word and sharing His truth.

Exhortation: encouraging others in many ways;

Giving: using the resources God has given you to bless others;

Leadership: ability to have vision and make decisions for the good of a group.

Acts of mercy: applying empathy to the hurting.

These are just a few. This list is not exhaustive. Other spiritual gifts are listed in 1 Corinthians 12 (The more sensational gifts); Ephesians 4:11-12 tells us of the administrative offices. These gifts are not badges of pride buy tools used to bless others. But whatever your gift is, it is given to you that you might serve the Lord and His church, and thus be in God’s will and be involved in His work.

Conclusion

A missions director once met with the mother of one of his agency’s missionaries and spent some time getting to know her. She prepared tea for the director in her parlor and as they drank the tea, she explained to him the difficulty of having a daughter on the mission field of China and a son as a missionary in Sudan.

She loved and missed them dearly, but as she explained, her love for God allowed her to let them follow His will for their lives. The mother went on to describe the burden her son had for the Sudanese people. Her relay of his description of the people brought her to tears several times during the conversation. The missions director left her house with a deeper appreciation for the parents of missionaries and a greater burden for the country of Sudan.

A few months later the missions director got word that a missionary in Sudan had been killed—it was the Scottish lady’s son. Feeling he should be the one to break the news to her, he once again visited the mother in her home. After telling her the tragic news, the mother looked down, and in a few moments of composure she said, “Sir, I would rather have my son die in the middle of Sudan, alone, than to have him living here with me, disobeying God’s will.”

We don’t understand the person who is compelled to do the Lord’s work, even at great risk. But God is the One who calls and leads His resources to do His will.

Each of you has a ministry according to your faith and gifts You are a part of something greater. Would you give back in some way, for His glory and the progress of your church? Amen.