Serving as Ministers

“Ministers are servants.”- C.H. Spurgeon

Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace,
which was given me by the working of his power.
– Ephesians 3:7 (ESV)

Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests. – Exodus 30:30 (NIV)

Ministers are servants of the Lord.   They are called by God to serve God.  Ministers answer their calling by answering to God.  Paul addressed such a notion in his epistle to the Galatians when he wrote: I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up.  I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:11-12, NIV).

 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ
– Galatians 1:12 (NIV)

Where you get your message from makes a difference.  If it came from man, then man could dictate and determine what the message should be and how it should be delivered.  Yet, since it comes from God, man has nothing to say about it that should make a difference.  Protocol and deference make for some troubling encounters when we put them before the priority of what God says to us.  Where our message stems from makes a huge difference in how we deliver and disseminate our message.

13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.) 21 Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. 23 But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God in me. – Galatians 1:13-24 (NKJV)

What you do with the message makes a big difference, too.  Paul went forth with his message and did something with it.  He worked with the Word.  He told the Corinthians how he did not approach them in eloquence of speech but simply preached Christ.  He had a message and a mission, and he stuck to his guns with both.

Ministers have serious work to do with God’s people.  Ministers are called to minister, to serve.  When we serve as ministers, we serve the Lord with our fullest and finest.  We give it our all and we give it all over to God.  As we give it our all, we give all praise, honor and glory to God.  We put everything into God’s hands, even ourselves, fully trusting Him to lead us and guide us as we seek to do His work.

Ministers are servants.

Read more about the priesthood in Exodus 28 & 29.