PK’s Corner March 2013
Matthew
8:1919A scribe then
approached and said, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’
Jesus’ response to this scribe was “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man
has nowhere to lay his head”. The pathway of ministry looked so inviting to
the scribe, but Jesus put the reality check out there. Not only did he cause the scribe to pause,
but he put in perspective the call to ministry all together.
Ministry is more than just standing in front of people and
telling them what you think the bible says.
It is being willing to leave everything behind so that God’s word can be
share. Ministry is more than expecting
accolades for a sermon well done, as my professor said repeatedly, “It is a
ditch you must be willing to die in”.
Don’t get me wrong, if you are contemplating a more active role
in the church, or even looking into becoming a minister, by all means, explore,
look into and let God guide you, but also, know what is at stake. Not only must you be willing to go where God
calls you to go, you must be willing to let go of all that you hold dear. There is no half way to following Christ; you
are either all in or not. You don’t look
for reward, and you don’t look for accolades, because, that isn’t what it is
about. Ministry is about being so broken
hearted about the millions who don’t know Christ that you know you have to do
something about it. Ministry is about
your neighbor, not yourself.
In the days of the Circuit Riders, Methodist ministers were
expected to travel every day. At any
given time, they may be sleeping in the woods or in a barn. A place to lay their head not an issue, the
issue was going to places where people could hear the word of God. Comfortable lodgings were not always
available, and many times food was scarce.
Still, these men felt the call to serve God so strongly that they took
up the bible, got on a horse, and literally changed the world.
Ministry is for everyone, yes I said for everyone, but not all
are called to do the same ministry. Some
are called to preach and some to support those preachers. Each of us is called to worship and share the
good news in some way. If the sacrifice
of the pulpit is too much, there is no condemnation, for there are other ways
to pour yourself out for God. Ministers
need support, they need encouragement and love.
Many followers of Christ stayed in their home towns showing Christ to
the people, and supporting the ministry in prayer, presence, gifts, service and
witness. These practices are called for
today.
Being in the ministry isn’t just about the sermon, it is about
willing to give up everything so that God’s message can be known and the world
can be saved.
What kind of ministry is God calling you too today?
Amen
