Work of the Ministry

Photo By Ericka Giraud

Jesus said to some of those whose employment was fishing "follow me and I will make you fishers of men". Fishing is "work" unless you love it.

 Work is the enterprise of occupying your time, energy, talents, thoughts and action in the business of providing for yourself, others and or the kingdom.

"Work of the ministry'' is how Paul put it. Which means to occupy oneself in the business or Busy-ness of....in this case diakonia a greek word meaning ministry. Diakonia is where we get the word deacon or in secular terminology "waiter", those who execute the command of others in service to others, whether it be one of the offices of the five-fold ministry gifts, apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher, serving the kingdom or Christian Affection serving the saints or the world. The "work of the ministry '' is simply distributing to others that which you have received from God, which begs some questions…

How are you employing yourself in the kingdom in the service of others? How are you with the commands of others?

Are you giving people what you need or what they need?

It really all distills down to the fact that Jesus takes us, he takes our gifts, personalities and passions and employs them in service to the masses. Think of those fishermen serving thousands with only a few fish. We may have little but God can do extraordinary things with what we allow him to use in the employment of his kingdom.

Think of the joy of that moment...you’ve helped Jesus feed the multitudes in miraculous fashion distributing to others fish and bread from heaven. But at the end of the day there was Happy exhaustion/full of life but tired. (They were in the wilderness, a good ways from town and its conveniences). Then you entered the rest of the goodness of God. 

I remember going fishing one day with my brother and My brother in law. We caught over 120 bull bream. It was a day to remember! We came home tired but the thought of eating those fresh fish was too great. We decided on a fish fry that night. The only problem was we had to clean all those fish, which we did. It was exhausting but fun, exciting (the fishing part but not the cleaning part) at the end of the day it was refreshing to share the fruit of our labor with one another and our families. In the "work" of the "ministry" it is much the same, at the end of the day or project you get to come away with Jesus and your fellowship or family and be rejuvenated at the supper table with him as he serves and provides refreshments and entertainment for you. 

Jesus employed himself for us when he fasted for forty days and was tempted. He wrestled with the Devil intellectually, emotionally and spiritually, who knows maybe even physically (Jacob wrestled with an angel all night long). Afterwards he was depleted in more than one way. The bible says the angels came and ministered to him. Mark 1:13 NKJV — And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.

1 Kings 19:4-8 NKJV — But he (Elijah) 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!” Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree (dog tired from the work of ministry), suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. 

The "work" of "ministry" is tiring, exhausting and sometimes too great for us, often impossible, however the refreshments can be supernatural, out of this world and are long lasting, more than natural food. But God lives in the miraculous. 

You can look at work from a couple perspectives. One, it provides you the opportunity financially to resource you to fulfill the need of a greater mission. I have often said "I work to support my habit of preaching." In other words I am able to tolerate the inconveniences or distractions that come from "secular" employment for the greater mission or purpose percolating in my heart. The other is: you may have the good fortune of working in a service, business, industry or a field you love and you get paid for it and at the same time your work fulfills the mission and purpose for which you feel "called", way cool!!! But in all reality these lines tend to blur...jobs, vocations, ministry opportunities tend to bleed into or over each other. Life changes, times and circumstances change but God does not. He is always there with you and when you feel exhausted from the "work" and changing demands or commands. Hey there is a very faint call screaming on the inside "come aside". 

Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV — “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

This doesn't mean quit your job or stop doing the ministry. Rather it means learn to come away, for those moments of affirmation and encouragement.

Jesus has a yoke for us which implies work but he also promises rest. From the stories in the bible angelic refreshment is always given. 

The word angel means messenger or sent. God will either send to the weary messengers from heaven itself, in various forms or people unexpected to bring refreshment to them after the day's work is done. 

The encouragement is: work hard, serve Him well and expect refreshing from heaven. Put a period at the end of your day or a stopping point for the work or project you are engaged in. Make time to receive the refreshing that Jesus offers and get up and go again. Retirement isn't for a believer. We all Retire daily but we can also restart refreshed morning by morning or evening by evening from being in the presence of God. 

Love always

Pastor Tim.