The Original Ministers

Share – Connect – Minister – Disciple

Jesus’s ultimate goal on earth was to bring glory to the Father; therefore, His ultimate goal in ministry was to bring the Father glory.

John 17:4 “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do” (ESV).
Matthew 5:16 “[…] Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (ESV).

[Telescope] How do we glorify God?

Where does the love come from to do ministry?

You need the Spirit of God
1 John 4:7-8 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God, and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (ESV).
No amount of helping the poor or Sunday school teaching can earn you one merit in being right with God.
Salvation comes through faith alone through grace alone!

Abide – you can do nothing apart from Jesus
Luke 7:47 “Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven – for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
John 15:4 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me” (ESV).
Reflect upon and rejoice in the gospel daily.

How does the Church function to do ministry?

Ephesians 4:11-14 “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (ESV).

Check list: Are you ready to…
Meet the physical needs of a sick person (cut the lawn, take a meal, etc.)?
Share the gospel if a neighbor wants to know how to get in a right relationship with God?
Parent your children in such a way that they both hear and see the gospel being lived out in your life?

Give me an example to follow.

Acts 8: 26 – 40 (ESV) Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
7 observations
Be in tune with the Spirit.
“The Lord said to Philip”
Set your mind to obey.
“And he rose and went.”
Notice where God is already working.
“Reading Isaiah the prophet”
Keep listening to the Spirit.
“The Spirit said to Philip”
Meet people where they are at.
“Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.”
Entrust the end results to God.
Keep on preaching the good news.

Application

Imitate Christ! Matthew 5:16 “[…] Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (ESV).
Where do you see a need? (Church, home, work, and world spheres)
Abide! Fill up your cup till it’s overflowing… go memorize the gospel with 3×5 cards and be reignited with awe at God’s goodness and greatness and love for you!
Act!
We need help in youth ministry, children’s ministry, or to lead a life group.
1 Peter 4:10-11 “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

Small Group Discussion:
Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Peter 4:7-11; Luke 9:1-6; Mark 2:1-12 (Jesus Heals a Paralytic); Acts 8:26-40 (Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch); Acts 5:1-11 (the story of Ananias and Sapphira)

Questions:
What did the men in the story (Mark 2:1-12) do that the paralytic couldn’t do for himself?
What do you think motivated these men to take their friend to Jesus? Why didn’t they just give up when they couldn’t get in?
These men put the needs of the paralytic before their own. What causes someone to put others first?
How do you think the guy that owned the house felt about this? When has something disrupted your life that was actually for a good cause?
Many people who aren’t Christian build wells for thirsty people, feed the hungry, care for the sick, and adopt the orphan. What are critical differences between what we are doing and what they are doing?
What can we learn from the story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-40)?
Read Acts 5:1-11: the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Why did God strike them dead? What does that tell us about God and about what He thinks about the way we do ministry?
What is God speaking to you concerning serving others? What can you do to help them? What needs is God asking you to consider, sacrifice for or minister to, in this season? What is your next step?