The Mission - The call to reach

1 Kings 19:16 NKJV

16 Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.

1 Kings 19:1

Elisha was called to be the prophet in the sted of Elisha. But what does it mean to be prophet in the Old Testament?

What did it mean to be a prophet in the old Testament?

2 Chronicles 24:19 KJV 1900

19 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.

2 Chr

Jeremiah 7:25 KJV 1900

25 Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:

The mission of the prophet is the identical mission of the New Testament church. In fact the word from which we get the word Apostolic is the Greek from Apostolos means “sent ones”.

Elisha, as a prophet was one that was sent with a message to bring people back to the Lord!

our mission is no different. As ministers of the Gospel, we are sent to bring people back to the Lord.

Ministry is not about title, position, recognition, platform…Those things may come…but that is not the mission. the reason that we minister is to reach the lost.

When ministry becomes about title, position, recognition, or platform, we are abusing and miss-using the purpose of ministry.

The focal point of the enemy is to allow ministry to become inward focused. Where the focus becomes inward:

About our ministry.

About our church.

About our programs.

About whatever area of responsibility that we are given.

Each of those things are important. It is important that we give attention to our ministry, our church, our programs, whatever area of responsibility we are over…The problem comes when those things become the end in themselves.

The Danger of an Inward Focus

When I was in Israel, our guide took us to the top of Mt. Carmel, and there, in what is believed to be the exact spot that Elijah called down fire and the prophets of Baal were defated…overlooked the valley of Magedo…he shared with us commentary on Elijah from Jewish scholars and Rabbi’s.

He took us to 1 Kings chapter 19 where Elijah is having the ultimate in pitty parties.

1 Kings 19:3–4 NKJV

3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”

1

1 Kings 19:3–4 KJV 1900

3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Let me state that ministry can leave you empty and depleted.

If you are doing ministry correctly, you are constantly pouring out.

I don’t think it was the threat of Jezebel that caused brought Elijah into this place of discouragement and depression. Jezebel wanted him dead long before chapter 19. Rather it was in chapter 18 that Elijah has this incredibly public showdown with the prophets of Baal. The faith of an entire nation rests upon his ministry.

He had not only emptied 12 waterpots onto the altar atop Mt. Carmel…he had emptied himself.

Every sermon you pour out not only the Word, but you pour out a part of yourself.

Im going to let you all a little into my private world. Mondays can be very dark and discouraging days…Im certainly not looking for pity…more hoping to share something that might help you all. Why? Because on Sunday after i finish preaching…I am empty.

phone calls where people are relying on you to provide spiritual instruction.

Emails...

Text messages.

Im not complaining at all…its part of the calling, but it will leave you empty.

In the last year, we have witnessed two very public demonstrations of this where Pastors of successful churches and significant congregations took their own lives, due to depression.

And the angel of the Lord comes to Elijah in this dark place and provides him with the remedy for discouragement.

First he comes and Elijah is resting and then he instructs him to rise and eat. Then Elijah sleeps again and again he wakes him and instructs him to rise and eat.

Notice that the angel didn’t instruct him to fast and pray. The angel didn’t encourage him to intercede and travail.

When you are emptied and poured out, rest and physical renewal are the recipe for renewal.

We need to ensure that we are not ignoring our own health. Spiritual, mental, physical and emotional health.

I don’t apologize that I go to the gym 4 or 5 days a week. I don’t apologize that there are days that I load up the family and we go to Williamsburg for a day or two.

If you are going to make it in ministry…you had better pour yourself out every time you ministry…but you had also better ensure that you rest and eat!

And the angel of the Lord comes and ministers to Elijah by

from that, he is strengthened to journey to Mt. Horeb where he finds his way into a cave, the Lord speaks to him and asks him…what are you doing here Elijah?

This wasn’t where Elijah was supposed to be. He was supposed to be out prophesying and ministering…instead he had isolated himself in a cave.

1 Kings 19:10 KJV 1900

10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

The Lord instructs him to stand on the mount of the Lord and there the Lord speaks to him in a still small voice. While we don’t know what the voice is saying, we know that it is a ministering voice.

And following that ministering voice, God again speaks to Elijah and asks…what are you doing here Elijah? The message is clear…you’re not doing what I’ve commissioned you to do!

And after being fed by an angel…ministered to by the very voice of God…Here is Elijahs response:

1 Kings 19:14 KJV 1900

14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

It has woefully become all about Elijah… I, even I only, am left.

God is trying to nudge Elijah back into his mission and all that he can focus upon is himself...

and the guide said that the next response from God is God basically saying…I’m done with you…go anoint your replacement....I can no longer use you because your ministry has become about you.

When ministry becomes about me…my comfort....my recognition…my calling…my gifting…The word of the Lord IS going to come…what are you doing here!?!

Ministry does not mean that there won’t be times that we need to get help and seek renewal. Ministry doesn’t mean that we will never feel low and never feel depleted. Ministry does mean that we can’t stay there!

Ministry is about REACHING. it is about the lost.

Ministry IS the good samaritan who goes to the one that life has robbed and left for dead.

Ministry is the good samaritan who goes to the one that life has robbed and left laying on the side of the road. It is messy work of pouring wine into gaping wounds. It is the inconvenience of placing him on your own beast, then saying to inn keeper, whatever it costs to heal this man…i’ll pay the price!

It is messy work of pouring wine into gaping wounds. It is the inconvenience of placing the bleeding and broken on your own beast and then being willing to pay whatever the price of whatever it takes to bring that person healing!

Ministry is the father of the prodigal running when he saw his wayward son coming home.

Ministry is the father of the prodigal running when he saw his wayward son coming home.

Ministry is the shepherd who went out to search for the one lost sheep!

Ministry is inconveniencing myself…sacrificing my time, my agenda, my schedule, my routine to reach for a lost soul!

When the inconvenience of reaching a soul becomes too great of a price to pay, we have lost the purpose of ministry.

yes, ministry is about what we do within the church

yes, it involves our preaching and teaching

When the ministry of a church has lost the heartbeat of evangelism, we are preaching a powerless Gospel.

2 Corinthians 4:3 NKJV

3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,

2 Corinthians 4:3

Before early church leaders were ever given titles of Apostles, bishops and pastors, they were first given the great commission to GO into all the World and preach the Gospel to every creature.

Of a higher priority than any position that you hold in ministry is the priority of GOING into the world.

The latest census of our community reports that there are just over 110,000 people living in the Lexington Park and California communities alone. The majority of them have not heard the message of Jesus Christ. They haven’t heard the message of Salvation.

When we lose our outward focus…when we aren’t doing what we were commissioned to do…just as Elijah who wasn’t doing what he was supposed to be doing…we become very inward focused...

I, even I only...

Me...

My problems

my agenda

my calendar

Fulfilling the mission

At General Conference last month one of our missionaries who is currently reaching into nations where Christianity is illegal. Nations where, if his identity as a missionary is discovered, he will likely be executed, and at the very least persecuted.

He spoke of three men by the name of Ananias in the book of ’m going to use some of what he talked about as well as other elements that are applicable. T

First of all the name Ananias means “favored of God”.

Each of these men had indeed been favored of God…they had been blessed. Each of them in their own way is given an opportunity to use their favor to impact their world. We also have been favoured of God. the fact that we have been given the free gift of salvation, we are favoured. At to that that we have been chosen and anointed to be co-laborers with Christ…that is incredible favor.

These three men are a study in how we, as ministers, use the favor that has been given to us to impact and reach our world.

The first Ananias we find in Acts chapter 23 vs. 1-2

Acts 23:1–2 KJV 1900

1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.

This Ananias was the high priest. A position of great honor and great responsibility.

And as Paul stands before him, Paul simply says I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

I have done my very best to honor God with my life. I have done my very best to fulfil the calling that is upon my life.

Ananias…favored of God, is so convicted that he orders the guards to strike Paul in the mouth…shut him up!

Why? Because, Ananias who had been favored of God, given a position of influence and power but HE knows that he cannot say that he has lived in all good conscience before God…and then he hears a man who has been bound in chains and when he has an opportunity to speak, all that he has to say is “I’m doing everything that I can with what God has given me”.

This Ananias had been satisfied by position and what he had accomplished.

This Ananias was motivated by the recognition of men rather that doing everything that he could to please God!

We cannot allow ministry to become about the applause, approval and the appointment of men.

At the end of the day I must be able to say as Paul did, “I can say with a good conscience that I have given my very best to the ministry that I have been entrusted with!”

The second Ananias we find in Acts chapter 5:1-4

…this favored one…he had been blessed. The bible tells us that he had sold a possession. He brings his financial blessing and lays it at the feet of the Apostle Peter.

The second Ananias we find in Acts chapter 5…this favored one…he had been blessed. He brings his financial blessing and lays it at the feet of the Apostle Peter.

He declares that he is giving his all.

but his motivation really wasn’t giving all, his motivation was that just a few verses prior, Barnabas HAD sold his possessions and brought all of the money and laid it at the Apostles feet. Perhaps he sees the accolades that are given to Barnabas. The words of affirmation and gratitude that are addressed to Barnabas after this benevolent act of giving.

And in an effort to keep up with Barnabas, and appear that he was giving all, he lied to the Holy Ghost and was immediately struck dead.

The first Ananias was convicted because he knew that he wasn’t giving his all

This Ananias had been satisfied by position and what he had accomplished.

His motivation was appearing to others that he was giving his all.

Was he really giving his all…no…and God knew that…hence the whole being carried out of the room by his hands and feet…He wasn’t nearly as concerned with giving everything but giving just enough to make others believe that he was giving everything.

As long as I give as much as Barnabas gave.

The problem with comparing your offering with the offering of others, is when Ananias gave as much as Barnabas had given, he still had more to give!

Acts 9:10–15 NKJV

10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” 13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

Acts

Acts 9:10–13 NKJV

10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” 13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.

Here is the practical element of the mission:

When you how much of yourself you give to God, to how much others around you are giving of themselves to God, you limit God’s ability to use you!

The problem with giving only as much of yourself in ministry as those around you, is that you limit your calling!

Pretty soon, our churches ministry standards become so low…because we are living down to the lowest denominator, rather than up to our highest calling!

Competition and comparison are enemies of impacting ministries!

The second ananias died because he only wanted to do enough to give the appearance that he was giving everything. ministries are stagnate, sheep suffer and the Kingdom stands still, when powerfully anointed men and women simply want to do enough to look like we are giving everything.

When we have been involved in ministry. We can learn the tricks of the trade. How to put it into auto-pilot and coast, while appearing to everyone else around us that we are giving our all. The problem is that we are aware of that growing chasm between what we are giving and what we could be giving!

But the third Ananias....we find in Acts chapter 9:10-17

Acts 9:10–17 KJV 1900

10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. 11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. 13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. 15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake. 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

God speaks to Ananias to go. Not just to go…but to go to the most feared man in church circles. Go to Saul and pray for him that he will receive his sight. Ananias with trepidation replies…Lord…are you sure? I’ve heard many things about Saul…all of the evil that he has done to the saints…how he has authority to anyone that calls on your name.

The Lord simply says…go thy way...

And Ananias goes…knowing who Saul is…knowing what it could cost him. Knowing this literally could cost him everything!

There wasn’t any crowd around to applaud him. Ananias wasn’t doing this for position or title. he wasn’t doing this to prove that he was giving as much as the minister next to him. In fact there is no evidence that anyone is ever made aware of the obedience of Ananias. We find no account of Ananias preaching to multitudes or pastoring a church.

Ananias was simply doing EVERYTHING that God asked him to do!

And if there was any one man in the New Testament, who their obedience and them using the favor that they were given, impacted and moved the kingdom forward which resulted in the salvation of lost souls…it was Ananias.

His obedience led to the salvation, anointing and the commission of a man who was the greatest propagator of the Gospel.

If Ananias doesn’t GO…if Ananias doesn’t obey what God has asked of him to give, Paul doesn’t plant 14 churches. How many thousands of believers have received guidance and counsel unto salvation, from the letters that Paul wrote?

When we can move move to the place that we are simply able to say I have done EVERYTHING that God called me to do. this isn’t about me! Its about me going! Reaching!

If my going involves a platform and a podium, then so be it…but if not, I will still go!

Here is the practical element of the mission:

One of the first principles established in the Bible is that every living thing produces after its own kind. Apples produce apples. Oranges produce oranges. Humans produce humans, etc…

In ministry, it is no different. Ministry that does not place a high priority on evangelism will produce a church that doesn’t place a high priority on evangelism.

If ministry becomes about us, we will produce a church that is inward focused.

Who we are is being transmitted into the heart of this church. If we are not evangelistic, our church will not be evangelistic. The pulpit is the steering wheel of the church, not just in what we say, but in who we are.

As we move forward, it is going to be a requirement for every minister in this church to be teaching a bible study! I recognize that there may be many here that don’t feel equipped or like you know enough to teach a bible study.

We have resources to help to equip you!

I’m going to give a grace period…By the end of March, everyone that stands in the pulpit of this church will be actively teaching a bible study! We aren’t going to propagate a powerless gospel into the DNA of this church.

Nothing will solidify your doctrinal beliefs, like teaching a bible study!