Our Mandate for Ministry
“THE MANDATE TO MINISTRY” 2 COR. 4:1
NEW SPIRIT COMM. PRESBY CHURCH – FOUNDER’S DAY - NOV. 25, 2007
MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH – FOUNDER’S DAY- DEC. 2, 2007
2 CORINTHIANS 4:1-18 THEREFORE, SINCE WE HAVE THIS MINISTRY, AS WE HAVE RECEIVED MERCY, WE DO NOT LOSE HEART.
2 BUT WE HAVE RENOUNCED THE HIDDEN THINGS OF SHAME, NOT WALKING IN CRAFTINESS NOR HANDLING THE WORD OF GOD DECEITFULLY, BUT BY MANIFESTATION OF THE TRUTH COMMENDING OURSELVES TO EVERY MAN'S CONSCIENCE IN THE SIGHT OF GOD. 3 BUT EVEN IF OUR GOSPEL IS VEILED, IT IS VEILED TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING, 4 WHOSE MINDS THE GOD OF THIS AGE HAS BLINDED, WHO DO NOT BELIEVE, LEST THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL OF THE GLORY OF CHRIST, WHO IS THE IMAGE OF GOD, SHOULD SHINE ON THEM. 5 FOR WE DO NOT PREACH OURSELVES, BUT CHRIST JESUS THE LORD, AND OURSELVES YOUR BONDSERVANTS FOR JESUS' SAKE. 6 FOR IT IS THE GOD WHO COMMANDED LIGHT TO SHINE OUT OF DARKNESS, WHO HAS SHONE IN OUR HEARTS TO GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST.
7 BUT WE HAVE THIS TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS, THAT THE EXCELLENCE OF THE POWER MAY BE OF GOD AND NOT OF US. 8 WE ARE HARD PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE, YET NOT CRUSHED; WE ARE PERPLEXED, BUT NOT IN DESPAIR; 9 PERSECUTED, BUT NOT FORSAKEN; STRUCK DOWN, BUT NOT DESTROYED -- 10 ALWAYS CARRYING ABOUT IN THE BODY THE DYING OF THE LORD JESUS, THAT THE LIFE OF JESUS ALSO MAY BE MANIFESTED IN OUR BODY. 11 FOR WE WHO LIVE ARE ALWAYS DELIVERED TO DEATH FOR JESUS' SAKE, THAT THE LIFE OF JESUS ALSO MAY BE MANIFESTED IN OUR MORTAL FLESH. 12 SO THEN DEATH IS WORKING IN US, BUT LIFE IN YOU. 16 THEREFORE WE DO NOT LOSE HEART. EVEN THOUGH OUR OUTWARD MAN IS PERISHING, YET THE INWARD MAN IS BEING RENEWED DAY BY DAY. 17 FOR OUR LIGHT AFFLICTION, WHICH IS BUT FOR A MOMENT, IS WORKING FOR US A FAR MORE EXCEEDING AND ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY, 18 WHILE WE DO NOT LOOK AT THE THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN
INTRO: WE LIVE IN A DAY AND AN AGE WHERE MANY PEOPLE LOOK AT THE CONDITIONS OF OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR CITIES OUR SUBURBS AND WORLD. WE SEE SICKNESS, SUFFERING, AND UNSPEAKABLE CONDITIONS OF CHAOS. AND ALL WE CAN INITIALLY SAY IS, LORD HAVE MERCY.
AFRICA IS RAVAGED AIDS..AND DARFUR IS STILL IN NEED OF HELP.
ANTARCTIC CRUISE SHIP HIT AN ICEBERG IN THE FRIGID WATERS OF ART ARICA...LHM
WAR IN IRAQ...THOUSAND OF MEN AND WOMEN DYING...LHM
WORRY IN PAKISTAN...AS SUICIDE BOMBERS ARE THE NEWS OF THE DAY. LHM
HOME MORTGAGE AND HOUSING FIASCO
EARTHQUAKE IN CALIFORNIA
WILD FIRES IN CALIFORNIA...DESTROYING LAND AND HOMES...LHM
DROUGHT IN THE SOUTH...ALABAMA, TENNESSEE AND GEORGIA
CRIME IN PHILA..FROM YOUNG MAN AT THE END OF THE BLOCK ..
TO THE POLICEMAN IN NW PHILA. AND A YOUNG MAN LIFE MESSED UP FOR LIFE..
ALL WE CAN SAY IS LORD HAVE MERCY...
BARREL OF OIL APPROACHING $100 WHICH MEANS AT THE PUMP...CLOSE TO AND OVER $3.
IN THE MIDST OF ALL THIS ...BLACK FRIDAY...WHERE MAY CANNOT AFFORD THE BARGAINS.
ESP. SINCE THE US DOLLAR IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW..@ WORLD MKT.
WE HAVE MALADIES OF SUGAR, OBESITY, ASTHMA AND CANCER...LHM.
BRITNEY HAS LOST HER MIND AND HER KIDS...
KANYE LOST HIS MOTHER...OVER COSMETIC SURGERY IN A DEATH THAT DIDN’T HAVE TO BE...
ALL OF US CAN LOOK AT OUR LIVES, LIVES OF OUR LOVED ONE’S AND COLLECTIVELY SAY...LORD HAVE MERCY.
IN AN ANSWER TO THIS PRAYER THE LORD GIVES US MINISTRY....HE CALLS US TO SERVE ...THE QUESTION IS ...WILL WE ANSWER THE CALL TO MINISTRY....AND EMBRACE THE MANDATE TO MINISTRY.
ONE CHURCH DID....THIS PAST WEEK ...
SUMMIT, N.J. (AP) _ FOUNTAIN BAPTIST CHURCH HAS MADE GOOD ON ITS PROMISE TO HELP HURRICANE KATRINA RECOVERY EFFORTS BY RAISING $1 MILLION _ AN AMOUNT THAT'S CONSIDERED ONE OF THE LARGEST EVER DONATED BY A SINGLE CHURCH.
IT'S A PLEDGE THE SUMMIT CHURCH MADE IN MAY 2006 AND COMPLETED A FEW WEEKS AGO, SIX MONTHS BEFORE ITS SELF-IMPOSED TWO-YEAR PLEDGE TIMETABLE. THE FEAT WAS CELEBRATED AT THE CHURCH'S ANNUAL THANKSGIVING SERVICE LAST SUNDAY.
"ANYTIME YOU HELP SOMEONE AND KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE BLESSED BY YOUR EFFORT, THERE'S NO BETTER FEELING," MICHAEL WILLIAMS, A TRUSTEE OF THE CHURCH, TOLD THE STAR-LEDGER OF NEWARK FOR THURSDAY EDITIONS.
THE CENTER ON PHILANTHROPY AT INDIANA UNIVERSITY SAYS IT'S AWARE OF ONLY ONE OTHER DONATION FROM A SINGLE CHURCH THAT IS LARGER: THE LOS ANGELES ORIENTAL MISSION CHURCH'S $3 MILLION DONATION TO EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS IN EL SALVADOR IN 2001.
REV. J. MICHAEL SANDERS TOLD THE STAR-LEDGER THAT $400,000 HAS GONE TOWARD JOB AND LIFE-SKILLS TRAINING FOR 200 FAMILIES IN LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI, $300,000 HAS GONE TO CHURCHES IMPACTED BY THE STORM, $200,000 HAS PAID FOR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY BUILDING PROJECTS, AND $100,000 HAD PAID FOR GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
"AFTER A WHILE, PEOPLE OFTEN FORGET CERTAIN THINGS AND PEOPLE LOSE THEIR COMMITMENT, THEIR EXCITEMENT OR CONCERN," SANDERS SAID, SPEAKING OF HOW PROUD HE IS THAT HIS CHURCH KEPT GIVING AFTER ATTENTION FADED AWAY FROM THE 2005 DISASTER.
CHURCH OFFICIALS SAID ABOUT 1,200 OF THE CHURCH'S 1,900 MEMBERS GAVE AN AVERAGE OF $833 TO RAISE THE MONEY, WITH TWO DONORS WHO WISHED TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS DONATING $33,000 AND $15,000.
AND SOME MEMBERS DON'T THINK THE GIVING IS ABOUT TO STOP.
"I DON'T THINK THE EFFORTS ARE GOING TO BE OVER," PATRICE EDWARDS, A CHURCH MEMBER FOR 17 YEARS, SAID. "THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE IN THAT AREA. IT'S NOT LIKE WE MET A GOAL AND THAT'S IT."
FOUNTAIN BAPTIST CHURCH _ WHICH STARTED IN 1897 WHEN A GROUP OF BLACK WORKERS, MOSTLY GARDENERS AND DOMESTIC WORKERS, STARTED PRAYING TOGETHER _ IS KNOWN TO MAKE CHARITABLE DONATIONS, INCLUDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT WENT TO THE UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND AND TO THE BAPTIST CONVENTION HEADQUARTERS BUILDING IN SOUTH AFRICA.
THE CHURCH ALSO DONATES THOUSANDS ANNUALLY TO HELP 850 STUDENTS IN KENYA.
EXPL: CORINTH WAS A COSMOPOLITAN CITY OF GREECE; LARGE AND PROSPEROUS IT WAS ONE OF THE LEADING CITIES FOR TRADE AND COMMERCE. IT WAS KNOWN FOR ITS BRASS AND POTTERY WARES....BUT IT WAS ALSO KNOWN FOR ITS DARKSIDE; IT WAS A CENTER FOR SLAVE TRADE BUT ALSO A CENTER FOR SEXUAL VICE AND IMMORALITY. AND HERE THERE WAS A CHURCH. IT WAS A CARNAL CHURCH AND
PAUL WROTE THE FIRST LETTER TO CORRECT MANY OF IT’S PROBLEMS
PAUL WROTE THE SECOND LETTER TO
- DEFEND HIS APOSTLESHIP,
- DESIGNATE OUR PATTERNS OF GIVING
- DECLARE TO US THE MANDATE OF MINISTRY. (2:14-7:16)
CH 1. MINISTRY PLAN
CH 2. MINISTRY CONCERNS
CH 3. MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS
CH. 4 MINISTRY MANDATE – MERCY IN THE MIDST OF MADNESS
CH 5. MINISTRY MOTIVATION – NEW CREATURES IN CHRIST
INTER: THUS THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS INVOLVED IN MINISTRY? MERCY!
YES, THERE IS THE TEACHING, AND PREACHING, THE VISITING, THE FEEDING, THE CLOTHING, THE GIVING, THE GOING, THE SHARING, THE SERVING. YES, REMEMBER, JESUS SAID,
MATTHEW 25:40-45 40 "AND THE KING WILL ANSWER AND SAY TO THEM, 'ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, INASMUCH AS YOU DID IT TO ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE MY BRETHREN, YOU DID IT TO ME.' 41 "THEN HE WILL ALSO SAY TO THOSE ON THE LEFT HAND, 'DEPART FROM ME, YOU CURSED, INTO THE EVERLASTING FIRE PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS: 42 'FOR I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU GAVE ME NO FOOD; I WAS THIRSTY AND YOU GAVE ME NO DRINK; 43 'I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU DID NOT TAKE ME IN, NAKED AND YOU DID NOT CLOTHE ME, SICK AND IN PRISON AND YOU DID NOT VISIT ME.' 44 "THEN THEY ALSO WILL ANSWER HIM, SAYING, 'LORD, WHEN DID WE SEE YOU HUNGRY OR THIRSTY OR A STRANGER OR NAKED OR SICK OR IN PRISON, AND DID NOT MINISTER TO YOU?' 45 "THEN HE WILL ANSWER THEM, SAYING, 'ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, INASMUCH AS YOU DID NOT DO IT TO ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE, YOU DID NOT DO IT TO ME.
BUT WHAT ELSE IN INVOLVED WHAT SHOULD BE OUR MINDSET TO EMBRACE THE MINDSET OF MINISTRY.
TS: AS WE LOOK AT 2 COR. 4 WE WILL GET LEARN A FEW MORE LESSONS THAT WILL FURTHER ENABLE US TO EMBRACE THE MANDATE OF MINISTRY.
IN ORDER TO EMBRACE THE MANDATE OF MINISTRY; MERCY IN THE MIDST OF MADNESS...WE MUST,
MP I. MINISTRY TAKES HEART. MP. II MINISTRY MUST BE HONEST MP III. MINISTRY IS HARD.
MP I. MINISTRY TAKES HEART V.1 18 THEREFORE, SINCE WE HAVE THIS MINISTRY, AS WE HAVE RECEIVED MERCY, WE DO NOT LOSE HEART.
MINISTRY IS THE WORD...DIAKONIA...WE GET THE WORD DEACON FROM IT..IT MEANS TO WILLINGLY SERVE; WILLING WORKER; WAITER OF TABLES; ONE WHO IS WILLING AND ABLE TO ASSIST OR HELP SOME TO THE GLORY OF GOD.
FEARLESS- WE MUST BE FEARLESS, BOLD, HAVE COURAGE...COURAGEOUS CONGREGATIONS; BRAVE BELIEVERS; NOT FEEBLE FAINTHEARTED OR SCARED. CONSIDER;
- ABRAHAM WENT TO RESCUE LOT
- MOSES WENT BEFORE PHARAOH
- DAVID TOOK ON GOLIATH
- ESTHER WENT BEFORE THE KING
- NICODEMUS AND JOSEPH OF ARIMATICAH AGAINST THE COUNSEL
IMP. FAITH - WE MUST EXERCISE FAITH IF WE ARE TO SERVE IN MINISTRY
TIMOTHY 1:7 FOR GOD HATH NOT GIVEN US THE SPIRIT OF FEAR; BUT OF POWER, AND OF LOVE, AND OF A SOUND MIND.
ROMANS 8:15 FOR YOU DID NOT RECEIVE THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE AGAIN TO FEAR, BUT YOU RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION BY WHOM WE CRY OUT, "ABBA, FATHER."
1 JOHN 4:18 THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE; BUT PERFECT LOVE CASTETH OUT FEAR: BECAUSE FEAR HATH TORMENT. HE THAT FEARETH IS NOT MADE PERFECT IN LOVE.
APPL: FIT – FIT FOR MINISTRY – ARE YOU FASTING AND PRAYING
ARE YOU SPENDING TIME ALONE WITH GOD
ARE YOU GENEROUS IN YOUR GIVING
ARE YOU WATCHING WHAT YOU WATCH AND WHAT YOU SAY AND WHERE YOU GO.
ARE YOU ABLE TO SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY AND THE GOSPEL.
DON’T STOP TELLING YOUR STORY
DON’T STOP SHARING THE GOOD NEWS
DON’T STOP PASSING OUT TRACTS
DON’T STOP VISITING THE SICK
DON’T STOP FEEDING THE POOR
DON’T STOP SHARING WITH THOSE IN NURSING HOME...
NEVER GIVE UP.... ON ANYONE WHO NEEDS THE LORD...
ILL: Never Give Up
A long time ago an old woman tripped and fell from the top of a stone stairway in Boston as she was coming out of the police station. They called the patrol and carried her to the hospital and the doctor examining her said to the nurse, “She will not live more than a day.” And when the nurse had won her confidence the old woman said, “I have traveled from California, stopping at every city of importance between San Francisco and Boston, visiting two places always—the police station and the hospital. My boy went away from me and did not tell me where he was going, so I have sold all my property and made this journey to seek him out. Some day,” she said, “he may come into this hospital, and if he does tell him that there were two who never gave him up.” When the night came and the doctor standing beside her said, “It is not but a question of a few minutes,” the nurse bent over her to say, “Tell me the names of the two and I will tell your son if I see him.” With trembling lips and eyes overflowing with tears she said, “Tell him that the two were God and his mother.”—J. Wilbur Chapman
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WINSTON CHURCHILL... • Never give in! Never give in! Never, Never, Never, Never.—Winston Churchill[2]
MP II MINISTRY MUST BE HONEST V. 2- 6
HONESTY IS OUR ABILITY TO BE AND COMMUNICATE THE TRUTH; IT IS A VALUE AS WELL AS AN ACTION. THERE IS THE YIDDISH PROVERB THAT SAYS, “A HALF-TRUTH IS A WHOLE LIE”. AND AS MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH..WE ARE TO RENOUNCE, SPEAK OUT AGAINST, THE HIDDEN THINGS OF SHAME...EUGENE PETERSON SAYS, WE REFUSE TO WEAR MASK AND PLAY GAMES...WE DON’T MANEUVER AND MANIPULATE BEHIND THE SCENES. AND E DOESN’T TWIST GOD’S WORD TO SUIT OURSELVES. RATHER, WE KEEP EVERYTHING WE DO AND SAY OUT IN THE OPEN, THE WHOLE TRUTH ON DISPLAY, SO THAT THOSE WHO WANT TO CAN SEE AND JUDGE (FOR THEMSELVES) IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
HEAD IN THE SAND - HIDDEN – IF THE GOSPEL IS HIDDEN, VEILED, COVERED...IT IS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE..
LOOKING THE OTHER WAY
REFUSE TO GIVE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION
DON’T’ WANT TO BE BOTHERED WITH THE BIBLE
LOOKING TO THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR...THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD. THEY GET WHAT THEY WANT SO THEY ARE NOT WORRIED ABOUT BELIEVING THE TRUTH. WHILE LOOKING TO HIM, SATAN BLINDS US...BLINDS OUR MINDS...TO THE GOOD NEWS...COVERS THEIR EARS TO THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL.
IMP. IF WE ARE TO B HOLY, SET APART, CHILDREN OF GOD...THEN WE MUST PROCLAIM THE TRUTH; WE MUST PROCLAIM RIGHT AND WRONG...AS WELL AS UNDERSTAND THAT THERE THOSE WHO WILL DISOBEY AND DENY THE TRUTH,
ELIJAH IN THE CONTEST ON MT. CARMEL..HOW LONG WILT YE HALT BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS....
PSALM 25:10 ALL THE PATHS OF THE LORD ARE MERCY AND TRUTH UNTO SUCH AS KEEP HIS COVENANT AND HIS TESTIMONIES.
PSALM 100:5 FOR THE LORD IS GOOD. HIS UNFAILING LOVE CONTINUES FOREVER, AND HIS FAITHFULNESS CONTINUES TO EACH GENERATION.
JOHN 1:14 AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, AND DWELT AMONG US, (AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY, THE GLORY AS OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER,) FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH.
JOHN 1:17 FOR THE LAW WAS GIVEN BY MOSES, BUT GRACE AND TRUTH CAME BY JESUS CHRIST.
JOHN 8:32 AND YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE.
APPL: STEADY DIET OF TRUTH AND
STAY IN THE WORD OF GOD
FACE THE TRUTH AND FACE THE MUSIC
ILL: BLIND TO THE TRUTH
A WIFE WHOSE HUSBAND HAD EMBEZZLED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS SIMPLY WOULD NOT BELIEVE IT OF HIM. SHE LOVED HER HUSBAND. SO DID A CLOSE FRIEND, BUT THIS FRIEND HAD TO APPEAR IN COURT FOR THE TRUTH’S SAKE AND WITNESS AGAINST HIM. THE MAN WAS PRONOUNCED GUILTY BY TWO COURTS AND SENTENCED TO A JAIL TERM, BUT HIS WIFE STILL REFUSED TO BELIEVE THE TRUTH. WAS HER KIND OF LOVE OF ANY HELP TO HIS SINFUL AND ETERNAL CONDITION? NO, IT ONLY ENCOURAGED HIM TO PERSIST IN PERPETUATING A LIE. REAL LOVE IS NOT BLIND TO THE TRUTH. IT DOES NOT REJECT TRUTH FOR FEAR THAT IT WILL NOT SURVIVE THE BLOW. IT ACCEPTS TRUTH AS THE BASIS OF THE REDEMPTIVE WORK OF LOVE.
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MPIII. MINISTRY MUST BE POWERED BY THE HOLY GHOST
7 BUT WE HAVE THIS TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS, THAT THE EXCELLENCE OF THE POWER MAY BE OF GOD AND NOT OF US. 8 WE ARE HARD PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE, YET NOT CRUSHED; WE ARE PERPLEXED, BUT NOT IN DESPAIR; 9 PERSECUTED, BUT NOT FORSAKEN; STRUCK DOWN, BUT NOT DESTROYED -- 10 ALWAYS CARRYING ABOUT IN THE BODY THE DYING OF THE LORD JESUS, THAT THE LIFE OF JESUS ALSO MAY BE MANIFESTED IN OUR BODY. 11 FOR WE WHO LIVE ARE ALWAYS DELIVERED TO DEATH FOR JESUS' SAKE, THAT THE LIFE OF JESUS ALSO MAY BE MANIFESTED IN OUR MORTAL FLESH. 12 SO THEN DEATH IS WORKING IN US, BUT LIFE IN YOU.
HUMAN – WE ARE HUMAN AND IN OUR HUMANITY WE HAVE CRACK, FLAWS AND IDOYSCRICIES; TICKS AND ODDITIES ...BAD HABIT THAT REVEAL OUR FLAWS AS PEOPLE. WE ARE CHARACTERIZE AS CLAY POTS OR JARS OF CLAY AND GOD PUTS IN US...HIS TREASURE..HIMSELF..VIA THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE EMPOWERS US ...WITH EXCESS POWER....TO SERVE BECAUSE LIFE IS HARD.
HARD – WE ARE PRESSED ...(AFFLICTED), AND SQUASHED BUT NOT FLATTENED.
WE ARE PERPLEXED...DON’T KNOW HOW TO PROCEED BUT NOT IN DESPAIR.
WE ARE PERSECUTED ...PUT TO FLIGHT BUT NOT LEFT BEHIND OR ABANDONED.
WE ARE STRUCK DOWN...BUT NOT DESTROYED.
IMP. HARDRIVE – WHAT IS ON THE INSIDE EMPOWERS US ON THE OUTSIDE..WHAT’S ON THE INSIDE WILL COME ON THE OUTSIDE. AND WE MUST BE CONNECTED TO THE POWER,
NKJ JOHN 15:5 "I AM THE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. HE WHO ABIDES IN ME, AND I IN HIM, BEARS MUCH FRUIT; FOR WITHOUT ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING.
GALATIANS 5:22-26 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. 24 AND THOSE WHO ARE CHRIST'S HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH WITH ITS PASSIONS AND DESIRES. 25 IF WE LIVE IN THE SPIRIT, LET US ALSO WALK IN THE SPIRIT. 26 LET US NOT BECOME CONCEITED, PROVOKING ONE ANOTHER, ENVYING ONE ANOTHER.
KJV 1 CORINTHIANS 13:7 BEARETH ALL THINGS, BELIEVETH ALL THINGS, HOPETH ALL THINGS, ENDURETH ALL THINGS.
APP: STAY PLUGGED IN DESPITE POCKS AND FLAWS...
ILL: CRACKED POT THEOLOGY... A WATER BEARER IN INDIA HAD TWO LARGE POTS, HUNG ON EACH END OF A POLE WHICH HE CARRIED ACROSS HIS NECK. ONE OF THE POTS HAD A CRACK IN IT, WHILE THE OTHER POT WAS PERFECT AND ALWAYS DELIVERED A FULL PORTION OF WATER AT THE END OF THE LONG WALK FROM THE STREAM TO THE MASTER’S HOUSE; THE CRACKED POT ARRIVED ONLY HALF FULL. FOR A FULL TWO YEARS THIS WENT ON DAILY, WITH THE BEARER DELIVERING ONLY ONE AND A HALF POTS FULL OF WATER IN HIS MASTER’S HOUSE. OF COURSE, THE PERFECT POT WAS PROUD OF ITS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, PERFECT TO THE END FOR WHICH IT WAS MADE. BUT THE POOR CRACKED POT WAS ASHAMED OF ITS OWN IMPERFECTION, AND MISERABLE THAT IT WAS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ONLY HALF OF WHAT IT HAD BEEN MADE TO DO.
AFTER TWO YEARS OF WHAT IT PERCEIVED TO BE A BITTER FAILURE, IT SPOKE TO THE WATER BEARER. “I AM ASHAMED OF MYSELF, AND I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO YOU.” “WHY?” ASKED THE BEARER. “WHAT ARE YOU ASHAMED OF?” “I HAVE BEEN ABLE FOR THESE PAST TWO YEARS, TO DELIVER ONLY HALF MY LOAD BECAUSE THIS CRACK IN MY SIDE CAUSES WATER TO LEAK OUT ALL THE WAY BACK TO YOUR MASTER’S HOUSE. BECAUSE OF MY FLAW, YOU HAVE TO DO ALL OF THIS WORK, AND YOU DON’T GET FULL VALUE FROM YOUR EFFORTS,” THE POT SAID. THE WATER BEARER FELT SORRY, AND SAID, “AS WE RETURN TO THE MASTER’S HOUSE, I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS ALONG THE PATH.” INDEED, AS THEY WENT UP THE HILL, THE CRACKED POT TOOK NOTICE OF THE SUN WARMING THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS ON THE SIDE OF THE PATH, AND THIS CHEERED IT SOME. BUT AT THE END OF THE TRAIL, IT STILL FELT BAD BECAUSE IT HAD LEAKED OUT HALF ITS LOAD, AND SO AGAIN IT APOLOGIZED TO THE BEARER FOR ITS FAILURE.
THE BEARER SAID TO THE POT, “DID YOU NOTICE THERE WERE FLOWERS ONLY ON YOUR SIDE OF THE PATH, BUT NOT ON THE OTHER POT’S SIDE? I HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN ABOUT YOUR FLAW, AND I PLANTED FLOWER SEEDS ON YOUR SIDE OF THE PATH. EVERY DAY WHILE WE WALKED BACK FROM THE STREAM, YOU WATERED THEM. FOR TWO YEARS I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PICK THESE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS TO DECORATE MY MASTER’S TABLE. WITHOUT YOU BEING JUST THE WAY YOU ARE, MY MASTER WOULD NOT HAVE THIS BEAUTY TO GRACE HIS HOUSE.”
EACH OF US HAS OUR OWN UNIQUE FLAWS. WE ARE ALL CRACKED POTS. BUT IF WE WILL ALLOW IT, THE LORD WILL USE OUR FLAWS TO GRACE HIS FATHER’S TABLE. AS WE SEEK TO MINISTER TOGETHER, AND AS GOD CALLS YOU TO THE TASKS HE HAS APPOINTED FOR YOU, DON’T BE AFRAID OF YOUR FLAWS. GO ON BOLDLY, KNOWING THAT IN OUR WEAKNESS WE FIND HIS STRENGTH. YOU, TOO, CAN BRING BEAUTY TO HIS PATHWAY!*
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CLOSE: MINISTRY IS A LIFE AND DEATH PROPOSITION....WE MUST DIE TO SELF...SO OTHER CAN LIVE...AND IN THE MIST OF OUR LIVING...WE SEE...
SICKNESS, SUFFERING, HOSPTIAL AND HOSPICE...HOMEGOINGS....
WE ARE KILLED ALL THE DAY LONG...WE ARE ACCOUNTED AS SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER...
BUT ONE THING WE HAVE...IS HOPE...MINISTRY MUST HAVE A HEART, MUST BE HONEST IS CERTAINLY Y HARD...BUT IT IS ALSO ROOTED IN HOPE...CONFIDENT EXPECTATION IN THE FUTURE...BECAUSE JESUS...MINISTER...JESUS SERVED...JESUS SUFFERED ...AND JESUS WAS SLAIN... JESUS CAME AND GAVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY....
HE HAD A HEART...WAS MOVED WITH COMPASSION
HE WAS HONEST....HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN CAST THE FIRST STONE
HONEST...TOLD JAIRUS HIS DAUGHTER WAS NOT DEAD
HONEST...LAZARUS WAS JUST SLEEPING
HONEST..FISH WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BOAT
HONEST...A FEW FISH AND LOAVES WERE MORE THAN ENOUGH
HE KNEW IT WOULD BE HARD...IN THE GARDEN PRAYED TIL SWEAT FELL LIKE BLOOD
HARD...AS HE WAS BETRAYED AND DENIED
HARD..AS HE WAS BEATEN ALL NIGHT LONG
HARD...AS WE WAS MOCKED AND SPATE UPON
HARD..AS HE WENT TO THE CROSS, GRACE WAS THERE... MERCY ON IT’S WAY...WHEN GRACE AND MERCY KISSED TOGETHER...HE DIED,,
DIED BUT EARLY SUN. MORN ROSE AGAIN WITH ALL POWER...
THE MANDATE FOR MINISTRY IS FROM OUR MASTER THE LORD JESUS....
MINISTRY TAKES A CONCERTED AND COMPASSIONATE EFFORT
FROM THE ENTIRE CONGREGATION;
WE MUST USE OUR HEARTS...OUR HEADS AND OUR HANDS.
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[1] AMG Bible Illustrations. electronic ed. Chattanooga : AMG Publishers, 2000 (Logos Library System; Bible Illustrations Series)
[2]Morgan, Robert J.: Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000, S. 819
[3] AMG Bible Illustrations. electronic ed. Chattanooga : AMG Publishers, 2000 (Logos Library System; Bible Illustrations Series)
[4]Morgan, Robert J.: Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000, S. 774