The Pattern of Ministry
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· 703 viewsSermon Preached by Steve Gaines at SBC 17
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Wacky Kickball. Out of Order. Sometimes follow the wrong pattern.
As silly as that sounds, sometimes we get in the wrong pattern expecting great results.
We try to attempt great things for God before we talk to God. We forget that we are His people, His Church, and that He is our General. We do not give God His marching orders.
We all are ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Unleashed.
God wants us to minister first to Him. Then as we minister to the Lord, He anoints us with the Holy Spirit, and only then do we have the power to minister to other people.
We can be guilty of trying to minister to others without first ministering to the Lord. We attempt to do great things for God without God. It is like trying to run a car without gas.
This is what has happened with churches and Christians throughout the Southern Baptist Convention. The recently released SBC stats show a Baptisms at its lowest baptisms since 1946 (Fallen 8/10 years); lowest membership since 1990; lowest worship attendance since 1996.
But we have hope because Jesus is alive. If we follow God’s pattern, then we will grow the Kingdom of God.
1. We must minister to the Lord with Prayer and Worship.
1. We must minister to the Lord with Prayer and Worship.
Acts 13:1-2
1 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
Prophets - Predicted the future, encouraged believers.
Teacher: Taught, built up the church.
Barnabas - - Joseph - Apostles changed his name. Son of Encouragement. Barnabas encouraged the church to embrace Saul/Paul. Barnabas sent to check out Gentile conversion in Antioch to see if was really work of God. He rejoiced in what God was doing.
Simeon the black man. Hebrew name, black man from Africa. Many theologians believe that He is Simon from Cyrene who carried the cross of Jesus. His son was Rufus in Rome. Paul loved this family and was close to them.
Lucius of Cyrene - from Africa, probably black.
Manaen -Herod Antipas. brought up with the son of Herod the great. The son, Herod Antipas. The one who stole His brother’s wife (Herodias). He had JTB beheaded, Mocked Jesus and Jesus didn’t talk to him.
Saul - planted the church all over the Roman Empire.
Herod the tetrarch
Diversity in the church. The Gospel draws all races, saves all races, and forever smashes the sin of racism.
Verse 2. They were ministering to the Lord and fasting.
Minister - we get the word liturgy from the Greek word. Liturgy is the pattern of Christian worship. Ministering to the Lord. Worshiping the Lord. When you give your heart to God and God gives His heart to you.
Prayer and fasting. Their worship was Jesus focused, not people focused. Jesus centered, not me centered.
Verse 2. The Holy Spirit separates out two, Barnabas and Saul, for the Work that He had for them. This was Barnabas and Paul reporting for duty. Hard and difficult work.
3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
Ac
This was not an ordination service. Paul received His ordination from God not from man . Affirmation of the church of God’s call on them.
The gospel had already been taken to Jews and Gentiles, taken to Jerusalem, Judea, Galilee, and Syria. Now the Holy Spirit is going to us Barnabas and Paul to take the Gospel to ends of the earth.
This overseas mission trip would have never happened if the church had not been ministering to the Lord. The church was birthed in a prayer meeting, missions was birthed in a prayer meeting - ministering to the Lord.
Personal Story - I am sorry. I want to know God. Before I get horizontal, I am going to get vertical.
Worship the Lord - Read the Scriptures - see who God is. Ask Him to reveal Himself. Look for His character. Then pray, giving thanks for who God is and how He relates to you. Not a history book, but a living book. Thank you for His attributes. Thank God for what He has done for you in the last 24 hours. Ask for forgiveness for sins. Pray for lost people. Pray for sick people. Fasting without food. Memorize Scripture. Worship together with other Christians, Give/tithe.
When was the last time you had a meaningful time in prayer? If you don’t talk to the Lord, then you don’t love the Lord. When you love Jesus, you talk to Jesus.
2. Once you minister to the Lord in worship, the Lord will minister to you by the Holy Spirit.
2. Once you minister to the Lord in worship, the Lord will minister to you by the Holy Spirit.
2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
Acts 13:2
Everyone knew the Holy Spirit Spoke to them.
3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
They ministered to God again. Then they were sent out by the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:4
4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
First overseas mission trip. They ministered to the Lord, The Holy Spirit ministered to them and sent them.
We don’t want a live of dullness and dryness. We want to see the Lord move in our midst in powerful ways.
Holy Spirit Lives in Us.
1 Corin
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
If you minister to the Lord, then your dull, spiritual dryness will be flooded like an ocean from the Holy Spirit. God can do more in a Spirit-led moment than we can in a lifetime.
But there is more.
3. After we have ministered to the Lord, and He has ministered to us by the indwelling Holy Spirit, then we are to minister to others with the Gospel.
3. After we have ministered to the Lord, and He has ministered to us by the indwelling Holy Spirit, then we are to minister to others with the Gospel.
Soul Winning Mission Trip - Be a soul winner.
Acts 13:5-7
5 And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant. 6 Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? 11 And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
Some oppose but some will trust. Be faithful.
Dead Sea Christians.
The Right Pattern - Ministered to God, God Ministered to them, Went in the Power of the Holy Spirit = Fulfilled mission.
Are you tired of being ineffective in your walk with Christ?
Saved? Repent? Worship?
Ministering to the Lord better be a priority.
9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” 14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.
Revelation 7:9-
Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.
