The Ministry of the Saints
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15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)
Introduction
Introduction
Emily's song
Fritz
Sophie
Lexham Theological Wordbook διακονία
διακονία (diakonia). n. fem. ministry, service. Refers to a ministry or service; either waiting on others or a ministry in the church.
This word is used to describe several different actions. In its most basic form, the word can refer to the simple servitude that a person would provide when someone was visiting his or her house.
The Ministry of the Saints would be attending to the saints, waiting on them, service to them. The way a waiter would at a restaurant.
The Ministry of the Saints is different than the Ministry of the Word.
1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
Ministration - diakonos
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
The first deacons.
(Some of these were preachers too)
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
If you’re a preacher, you’re called to the pulpit to preach. 61-0108 - "Revelation, Chapter Four Part III"
A preacher needs to know what he’s talking about.
(paraphrase)
If you are a preacher, get you a pulpit. If you’re not, live your sermon. See, that’s the best way to do that, live your sermon.
If you’re a preacher, get a pulpit, see, and go to preaching. If you’re not, just live your sermon, let your life be your pulpit.
I think that takes care of a whole lot, don’t you? See? See? Because a lot of times we find out…And you brethren do that in your churches.
Remember, your laity sometimes tries to explain things and do things, it’s best that you instruct them not to do it. And if somebody wants to know something, let them come to one of the…the one that’s instructed to do it. You see?
(Rightly divide the Word)
Say, well, now, like somebody would say, “Hey, They tell me, you over at your church believes in Eternal security.”
Now, you better watch. You’ll probably get in a bigger mess than you ever was in, you see, and make him worse off than ever. Say, “I tell you what, if you’ll come over and ask our pastor, see. You go talk to him, see.
That is true, I know our pastor believes that. I believe it also, but I’m not able to support…I’m not a preacher. I just believe it, that’s all I know. I believe it because I’ve heard him explain it so out of the Bible, that it was beyond any shadow of doubt to me.”
But better let the laity speak to the pastor about that. And, the pastor, be sure that he knows how to answer it, too. So study it real good, ’cause a lot of times they’ll tie you up in it, you see. 61-0112 - "Questions And Answers"
You’ve got to be called to the ministry of the Word.
Full Gospel Businessmen in Jamaica
And those businessmen was trying to preach the Gospel. He’s out of his place. We preachers have hard enough time to keep it level. And they use every little influence they can find, and every little technique this way and that way, and keeps it so scruppled up, you don’t know what to do.
The thing to do is protect this Message, the way It’s going. Stay right with It, and knock everything away from It, if we’re ever going to cross the goal line. All right.
Notice:
And I said, “Brethren, there is something wrong. You fellows are businessmen. The first place, you don’t understand the approach. You don’t understand the approach to the ministry, because the ministry is a God-called gift.”
You might be able to talk real good, but you can’t understand the approach with being gifted to it.
(Paraphrase)
“God hath set in the Church, first apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, and pastors.” God set them in there for the perfecting of the Church.
(Eph 4:11)
Get out and testify. Don’t try to be a preacher, live your message. Be like the woman at the well.
The house of Stephanas was addicted, not only to preaching, the ministry of the Word, but to the ministry of the saints.
What is the ministry of the saints?
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
Paul recognizes differences in:
Gifts - charisma
Administrations - diakonia
Operations - energema (activity or effort)
There is a difference in how you are gifted, how you serve, and with what effort you serve.
9 Spiritual Gifts, 5 ministry gifts and countless other ministries that keep the church going.
Each one of us has a different ministry, each one works different; each one of you has a ministry, a separate ministry. All that comes into Christ has a ministry. That’s right.
Not only the preacher, but you have a ministry to something, you, something you can do. And, I hope this don’t sound sacrilegious, but usually God has to drive you into your correct ministry. 60-0611B - "Fellowship"
(Paul)
Each individual has a peculiar ministry. Something only you can do.
This balances it out. You can speak it, just let the ministry divide it.
The Great I Am, the Almighty God, has come as Spirit to fill His true church. He has a right to move anywhere He wants to, and upon anybody He wants to.
We don’t make any “holy men” amongst us, but the whole true congregation of the Lord is holy, because of the presence of the Holy Spirit. It is He, the Holy Spirit, that is holy, not the congregation of itself. An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages (1 - The Revelation Of Jesus Christ)
What are some ministries in the congregation?
Ministry of giving
Ministry of hospitality
Ministry of organization
Ministry of prayer
Ministry of cleaning
Ministry of food
Ministry of youth
Ministry of music
Ministry of sound and video
Ministry of amens
You might say “Bro. Ben, I’d like to do something but I don’t know what to do.” I’d say “what can you do. Do that until you find God’s perfect will.”
Be willing to volunteer when you see a need or are asked to do something.
Simon had a ministry of cross carrying, but he just did what he was compelled to do.
A soldier is compelled to do his duty.
Bro. Branham talking about church order:
I’m compelled to preach the Gospel. I’m compelled to stand for This regardless of what my other men and brethren and so forth say about It, I’m compelled to do this. 63-1226 - "Church Order"
What compels a soldier? The guy beside him. they fight for one another. We should do the same thing.
When you are compelled you don’t quit.
O God, have mercy. I just think back across the streaks of tears and heartaches and troubles, O Father, and I’m ashamed of all of my life. Why didn’t I know You before?
And I’ve tried with all my heart, dear Jesus, to live for You, to do the thing, no matter what this cross is, or how scornful it seems to be. I love You, dear Jesus, You’ve broken my heart over and over, but I love You for it. 51-0722A - "Life Story"
5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.
10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
The house of Stephanas was addicted to ministry because they were the first Christians in that part of Asia. They did it because there was no one else to do it. They were compelled to the ministry of the saints, and because they were compelled, they became addicted. They couldn’t do anything else but serve.
Jesus is our example in ministry.
42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
That kind of service is eternal life.
Jesus never lived for Himself. His life was spent for others. That’s, perfectly, Eternal Life. When you say you go to church, and you do good things, that’s fine. But when you live your life to yourself, you haven’t Eternal Life.
Eternal Life, is living for others. It proved it when It come in the Lamb of God. He lived, and had Eternal Life, because He did not live for Himself. He lived for others. And you receive Eternal Life, by receiving that day, and you don’t live for yourself no more. You live for others.
Someone said, “How can you stand, let anybody call you such bad names?” You don’t live for yourself. You live for others, that you might redeem that man. You become sons.
And the trouble of it is, the church has forgot they were sons. You’re a son. You’re taking Christ’s place. You’re a son, so don’t live for yourself. Live for others.
(He lived and died for the ones who spat in His face)
“We must reckon ourselves dead, and alive to Christ.” Then, He made the way that we could sacrifice ourselves to His service, to follow Him. If we follow Him, we lead the life that He lived. 60-0925 - "That Day On Calvary"
Being addicted to ministry is the maturity of the eternal life that is in you.
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
A man is not strange because his life is spent for God’s people, he’s just manifesting the Son of Man in Bride form.
Unselfish life; not the second thought. Not to think about it; but you are so dead to the things of this world, and so alive in Christ, and so walking on the highway, that these things are just an automatic thing.
It’s just the Life that lives in you. You’re completely yielded to that Spirit, and It just lives Itself in you. Oh, you feel that blessed Spirit, that Life! “Not me that liveth,” said Paul, “but Christ liveth in me,” just so automatic.
You don’t need applause.
Christ just completely surrendered His life to God. He gave Hisself, as a public servant, to the people. He gave His life, freely. He didn’t have to do it. He didn’t begrudgely do it.
He didn’t say, “Now, brethren, you all ought to think a whole lot of Me, because I come to die for you.” He never said a word about it. He died, anyhow, because it was God in Him. 60-0925 - "That Day On Calvary"
If the church can ever come to those fundamental facts, that it’s not something you try to do, you work yourself up to do. It’s something that’s born in you.
Forgive me, my Pentecostal friend. I am pentecostal. But my Pentecostal friends has got to a spot, to where it has to be a lot of fast music, beating of some bands, or clapping hands, or tambourines, to bring up a shout. That’s only emotion.
They play in the bands before they go to battle. They get people in the emotion of battle. I believe in music. I believe in clapping hands. But I believe in these things. That’s exactly true. We ought to have that.
But you have left the great things undone, is that self-sacrificed life that God lives in you, automatically doing that which is right because it’s right. Just going on, don’t even think nothing about it. Just living it. 60-0925 - "That Day On Calvary"
There’s joy in that. There’s peace in that.
If everyone in the church would be that way, the burden would never be too great on one person.
A man who is addicted to alcohol will spend all that he has for one more bottle.
The will to have a drink is so much greater than his will that he has no self control.
Jesus surrendered His will to the Father’s will. Why did He die? Why did he let them drive the nails in his hands? He was addicted to serving us!
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The reward is the joy of fellowship for eternity with His Bride. The reward for us is to hear Him say:
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Let me be spent in your service Lord, so the joy set before me will be set before others as well.
We dod what we do because we recognize the value of a soul.
Nothing but lost souls, is the only thing that’s got any value in it. Money passes away. Homes decay and go away. Everything in the earth moves away.
The only value, lasting value, I’d rather have one soul in glory, that I won to Christ, to know and see that that Light of God circles around that soul, through all eternity, my name to be associated with that, than to have every penny of money in the whole earth, ’cause I’d have to lose it all. But what you send up there, is Eternal. And that’s the reason we’re trying. 56-0726 - "Love"
Conclusion
Conclusion
“All I want to do is look at him for a million years”
Sing: All I want to see is Jesus
