Part Of A Whole Pt2
I have been feeling Jesus was not finished with what he laid on my heart last week in the Blog “Part of a Whole.” I sense more teaching on this topic is so important currently.
As I mentioned Jesus gave five-ministry gifts to the Body of Christ. The Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher and Evangelist. These ministry gifts represent whom Jesus is and are to prepare and equip the Body to “do” the work of ministry. They are not to be the only people doing ministry, as we are all ministers of the Gospel.
So…after we have received from each of these ministries what then? What do we do now? I’ve been a believer for 45 years and it has been my experience that for the most part Christians come to church, receive from a message, and go home. We may serve in the church or attend outreaches or some other activity but that has seemed to be the basic experience for most Christians.
But is that the plan of God for us? Are we simply attending to attend? Or is there another reason for the knowledge that we are hearing every week? I don’t know about you but these have been questions that have haunted me for quite some time. I just began to feel like we were missing something! Why were so many ministers quitting the ministry, losing their marriages, taking their own lives, and suffering tremendous burnout? Why were so many believers living half-hearted Christianity without the power of the God working in their lives?
The “Body” of Christ is symbolic of the the way a natural body functions. The way the human body functions is that every part, organ and system has a job to do and if they all work together to get the job done it’s a win for the whole body. But if one system is hurting or not doing its part the other systems have to work double time to help take up the slack. Soon another system goes down because it was never meant to do two jobs. The whole body soon suffers and it takes a toll. The Body becomes unhealthy.
For as long as I can remember the Body of Christ has operated this way. The Leadership has been placed on a pedestal it was not designed to be on. We have expected Pastors to do all of the work while we “receive.” Our Pastors have suffered the consequences of doing the work they were not created to do and the whole Body has suffered.
The congregants have also suffered. We have become fat and lazy wanting to be spoon fed God’s word instead of growing up to feed ourselves and doing our part to see the work be done. The seeker movement has been detrimental in some ways as we have filled more seats but we have made less real conversions to biblical Christianity. #ouch
We are not to receive to gain knowledge we are to receive to “do” what we have learned. Jesus said in Matthew 28:18, “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” That is a command for every believer.
Matthew 10:8b states, “Freely you have received now freely give.” We are to pour out to others what has been poured into us. DO the work of ministry everywhere we go. We are all given a sphere of influence, our neighborhoods, friends, co-workers etc. We have so many opportunities everyday to reach out to those around us and give all that we have been given.
The early believers began to be called Christians because they were acting like Jesus acted and doing what he did. People of that day noticed that. They were doing what they had seen Jesus do. Are we not to do the same? We are not called to be spectators but participants in the Body.
Next week we will talk about how to do just that….
Father you have given us so very much. You have called us to partner in your great plan for humanity. Help us to see just how we fit into that plan on a daily basis; how do we share the Gospel, how do we use our gifts? Give us insight into the execution of your plan for us and for the Body of Christ. Give us the courage to walk out that plan trusting you to help us every step of the way.