Fullness of Ministry

John 4:27-

Great Moments of Ministry

There are moments, like a highlight reel.

Parenting has these moments.

Ministry has these moments.

Kingdom Victory. High moments at camp. When someone comes to you with just that perfect question. (Travis at youth group?)

I said last week that the woman at the well is one of my favorite stories. I think it is one of Jesus’ favorite moments as well.

Disciples at the Well

Jesus Ministers to the Woman at the Well

Retell story.

Be like Jesus. Jesus hears her story. He has the advantage of knowing her heart and her story, but he draws her story out of her. He speaks to her where she is at. He shows her compassion and, gives her hope.

Jesus Invites the Disciples into Ministry

John 4:24-45

25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?”

John points this out, because these would be the most natural questions in the world to ask. But the disciples have apparently seen enough of Jesus that, at least in this case, they expect the unexpected.

28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.

31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”

What is he talking about? The disciples ask the most natural question:

33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.

36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

Now the woman had a backstory and Jesus met her right at her need, right at a moment when she was ready to hear, and her life transformed from what seems like such a quick encounter. Even counting the next two days.

Every Samaritan there had a backstory. A need, and many more found that moment coinciding with the presence of Jesus passing through their town. The harvest was ready. And that God had that all queued up, perfect timing (imagine that). But it is the disciples I love to think about.

They are seeing this all just unfold. This whole town just basically come to Jesus. The woman… they even missed the whole encounter with her. All of a sudden there is the weeping woman (I assume she is weeping by the end of that encounter), and she runs off, and then the whole town comes to Jesus and people are believing all over the place. Probably the disciples are rolling up their robes and baptizing folks, because we just heard at the beginning of the chapter that’s what they were doing.

The joy of it. The fulfillment of it. And they weren’t part of the whole journey of getting to that moment. But because they were following Jesus, they were invited to be a part of an incredible moment, as person after person believed and called Jesus the Savior of the world.

Sometimes the Sower

Ministry isn’t all flash and glory. It isn’t all high times and you don’t always see the results of ministry immediately.

For every youth we had the opportunity to baptize, there are several that we wonder where they are today… and if the seed we planted got watered. There are week in and week out moments that feel like work.

Sometimes the Harvest

How amazing when we get to reap the harvest. (Story of Kate from camp).

Always the Disciple

But we are not commanded by Jesus to be always sowers or always harvesters. It isn’t even a balance kind of thing we have to find.

We are the disciples of Jesus… and we are just looking for where he is, what he is doing, and joining in as he leads and commands us.

We are followers. We are disciples. And throughout his teaching ministry, Jesus led his disciples in ministering to people. Do you remember that story of Jesus leading his disciples through hours of quiet meditation on the attributes of God? No. It doesn’t mean that’s a bad idea, and none of the gospels are attempting to give us a manual for spiritual discipline or anything…

But the picture we have over and over is following Jesus into ministering to people. Through teaching, through healing, through meeting practical and emotional needs. This has only just begun with the disciples… and it has only just begun for us at Next Step Christian Church.

Intro to the Fullness of Ministry

Many of you have served in this church in all sorts of positions for years. God is not done with you… but perhaps he is leading you in a new direction? I have watched some of you prayerfully considering God’s calling on your lives… saying no to some good things so you can say yes to exactly the ministry he is calling you to.

But I believe there are some God is calling to step up and serve in the ministries of this church. The harvest is plentiful. And if God is calling you, there is no greater food than to do the will of our Father in heaven. Enter the Fullness of Ministry.

There has been no greater privilege in my life than to be both sower and harvester, to know at times the absolute Fullness of being in the center of His will, His ministry, His saving work in someone’s life. And He isn’t done with me yet… just as He isn’t done with you.

May we answer Jesus’ invitation into the Fullness of His Ministry.