The Ministry of All Believers

Scripture

Ephesians 4:11–16 “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, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

Romans 12:4–8 “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 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.”

Hebrews 13:20–21 “Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Apologetics

1 Peter 3:15 “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,”

Jude 3 “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”

What we believe, why we believe it, and how do we apply it

Intro

Football championships

It takes so many people to make it all happen

Each person has an important part to play

The life of the Church

Each person has been equipped by God for ministry

There are many areas of ministry and they are each important

The Body of Christ

The Church is the body of Christ

Jesus is the head

We are joined and held together by Jesus

When we work and work together the whole body grows

Each of us are a part of the body

An employee who doesn’t work soon finds themselves unemployed

You were not saved to warm a pew

God has called you to be a part of His work

That’s amazing!

God Almighty, the Lord of Hosts, Holy, Holy, Holy is He has called you to do His work

It’s not someone else’s job, it’s your job. Do it!

What Has God Called Me To Do?

Walk with God

Genesis begins in the Garden where God walked with Adam and Eve

Revelation ends in the Garden where God dwells with us

In between is how God is working it out for us and in us

We have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us now!

Live lives of holiness

Seek to be conformed into the image of Jesus

Ephesians 4:22–23 “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,”

The little things have greater impact

When you live to God your light is shining in the darkness

Encouraging one another

Being there for each other

When people see you walk differently then they know something is different

It’s the little things that lead to the big things

If we are taking care of the little things then God will put us where we need to be

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

How Now Shall We Live?

Let us be active members of the body of Christ

Effective ministers

Let us be faithful in the little things

God will bring us to the big things