Ministry

Date
Sunday, February 9, 2020
Speaker
Bobby Grossi
Series
Believing Life
Book
John

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“Ministry”, John 4:1-9

these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:31
- Who is Jesus? What does it mean to “believe”? As we walk though John Chapter 4 we will focus on “Life”. When you have biblical faith in the biblical Jesus as the Spirit through the word aligns us with truth, what does it mean to now live the believing life?

The title of this series within a series is called “MINISTRY”

Ministry, What is it? Very commonly a “minister” is defined as someone who is vocational. Therefore “Ministry” is the work the “professionals”. We mostly derive this concept by the way the OT uses the word. It was the Priests who were the ministers and did the ministry.

“Now take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as priest” Exodus 28:1

Hebrew word for “Minister” means service or work of Priests.
- So to minister was directly related to the priesthood, the professionals.
- BUT, the New Testament changes the rules a bit. In the New Covenant not only did our relationship with he law change based on Christ fulfilling it, but the idea of priesthood changed as well. In 1 Peter 2:4–5 Peter writes to Christians, “To those who are elect exiles of ^athe Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia”

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4–5

Anyone who is a believer in Jesus is now apart of the priesthood or to use todays terms, a minister.
- Who are you? You are a minister.
  - What do new covenant Priest or minsters do? Offer Spiritual Sacrifices.
- Jesus is our sacrifice, so our salvation is secure and we are justified. This is not a question of earning our salvation but one of the “Believing life”, how shall you live? This is the work of the ministry.
- Who are you? You are a minister.
- What do you do? The work of the ministry.
  - There are roles in the ministry based on gifting of the Holy Spirit, but we are all called to minister.

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, Ephesians 4:11–12

When a person is born again, (justification) he is gifted the Holy Spirit who gives you gifts for the “building up” of the church (body of Christ). But we do not know yet who is included. So we serve in the church, the Body of Christ, and outside the church to our neighbor, meaning whoever is near us, in hopes they will be called by Jesus to his kingdom. This is the work of the ministry. But notice, it’s work.

What is Ministry? It’s work

Jesus models this for us in the scriptures. He ministers inside the church, as we see in Luke 4:16 which says, And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. It’s implied throughout the Gospels as we see Jesus at Passover, in the temple, in the synagogue, that Jesus was a good church kid, faithful to the mode by which the people of God worshiped, and we live by his example, but it’s interesting to note that much of Jesus’ work of ministry is outside the 4 walls of the church.
- Our NT use of the word “ministry” means to humbly serve.
  - Ministry: to render assistance or help by performing certain duties, often of a humble or menial nature. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
- To come under someone and lift up through service.
Ministry is work
“So we can care for those who live and work alongside us. We love our neighbor for Jesus’ sake, and in our daily vocation help and support him, living in such a manner that our fellow believer is encouraged and strengthened, and that those who are lost and dying may see such hope and grace in our daily dealings that they may wonder and ask about the hope we have which so transforms our behavior.” Reverend Jim Wilson (Source)
Who are you? You are a minister. What is ministry? It’s work.
- In our text this morning Jesus is chillin’. Read vs. 5-7a
  - I picture Jesus napping a bit in the cool of day in the shadow of Jacob’s well. His boys headed to town to grab some grub. And then footsteps… It’s a samaritan women with a bucket in hand. Dang, naps over.
- In one commentary it said, “It would have been easy to rationalize in this situation. ‘I have been ministering to 1000’s and I am tired. I just need to relax.’” Ken Hughes, Preaching the Word Series on John.
But that’s not what Jesus did. He went to work. Even on the edge of capacity, he carries on!
- Nowhere in the bible are we told to slow down and take it easy. If fact we see the opposite.

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

let us not grow weary of doing good Galatians 6:9

let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, Hebrews 12:1

One commentary said, “When Alexander MacLaren went into his study he took off his slippers and put on working boots because he knew that a minster of God is to be a working man!” Ken Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary
- Most souls are won by tried people
- The best sermons are preached by tired men
- The best camps here run by exhausted youth ministers
- Our world is being reached by tired missionaries
- Churches are led by tried Pastors
- And show me a successful VBS and I will show you some tired and beat up ministers.
  - And Christ, as our example of a minister, was tired.
    - We just read last week that the spirit was in Jesus “without measure” and yet he is tired. God rested on the 7th day.
Rest is not wicked and being tired is Godly when our rest is to restore us for more ministry and our work is to the Glory of God and our joy! (REPEAT)
- Jesus takes naps. It’s cool.
  - JESUS TOOK NAPS, BE LIKE JESUS
- The problem is that too often then not we are tired for the wrong reasons.
  - Matt Chandler speaks to this. Men should go to bed tired. Keeps us from idol work. Naps are not evil.
Read vs. 7-9, (SWITCH SLIDE to “MINISTER” SLIDE)
- We will discuss this more next week, but what Jesus does is minister. He serves. We will see he comes under and lifts this Womens soul to the heavenliness. No racial, nor political, nor religious ideals come in the way of Jesus ministering the good news!
Who are you? A minister / What do we do? Ministry What is it? It’s Work.
- Let’s get to work!
Why? Because of what the table represents. (Lead into communion)