Paul - An Unmoveable Minister

How To Stay Serving

Acts 20:24

 

Pastor Craig Ledbetter

Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland

9 May, 2010  AM

www.biblebc.com

 

I.       Introduction (Matthew 20:25-28)

 

A.     This is our month long focus on MINISTRY

 

1.      “Servanthood”, and the honour of it

2.      By nature, we love attention, and pampering, and being served

3.      But Christ came NOT to be ministered to, but to give His life a ransom for many – it cost Him everything

4.      And so he calls every Christian to be like Him – a servant!

 

B.     To serve the Lord IS my ministry

 

1.      People are the beneficiaries – they get the benefit of my efforts

2.      But the Lord is the reason why I serve!

 

a.       He was the reason the moment I believed Him and was born again

b.      He was the reason I went out on Saturday mornings to invite people to come out to hear preaching in Church on Sunday

c.       He was the reason why I went off to Bible College to be trained as a Preacher and Pastor and Missionary

d.      He was the reason why I left New Jersey to come to Ireland to start New Testament, Bible believing churches here

e.       He was the reason I married my wife

f.       He was the reason I carry burdens and heartaches in the ministry

g.       He was the reason why anything good happens here

h.      The Lord Jesus is my only reason for serving! I love Him!

 

C.     The question is How to STAY Serving – How to CONTINUE when the pressure is always to quit?

 

1.      Everything in life is pressure away from God! It is natural to quit, and to resign, and to “go with the flow” (which, by the way is always down hill)

2.      We need some servants that stay serving, some ministers that are unmoveable from their course

 

D.     The Apostle Paul tells us what enabled HIM to stay the course; what helped HIM to finish what God started in his life! How he became “An Unmoveable Minister”

E.      Paul’s Secret for Unmoveableness

 

1.      By Finishing Our Course

2.      By Keeping Our Joy!

3.      By Staying with the Simple Gospel!

 

F.      And I want to do the same!

 

II.    Message

                                                                        

A.     Finish Your Course (Acts 20:24)

 

1.      A “course” is a direction that a Christian is going

 

a.       It is supposed to be the will of God for their lives

 

1)      Laid out by God, like a race course is laid out for runners

2)      They don’t run any way they feel like!

 

b.      It is a different course than he used to live (1Tim 1:12,13)

 

1)      Too many of you just tried to “add” Jesus to your lifestyles

2)      He calls us to walk a totally different path than we used to

 

c.       It is a totally new course (Mt 18:3)

 

1)      Towards heaven, yes – but that part is easy – that is your sure destination if you are born again! Jesus fixed your destination, but the course, the path you walk on your way is up to you!

2)      Following Jesus – on a day by day basis, moment by moment, decision by decision, doing what Jesus would do, and reacting as Jesus would react

 

d.      That is where the will of God matters – that is when your life becomes a series of foot steps that you take by faith as you follow the Lord through what seems like a wilderness

e.       Are you “on course” or “off course?” Do you even know what direction to go, and how to walk by faith?

f.       Some of you haven’t even STARTED doing the will of God for your lives!

g.       If you are doing anything other than the will of God for your life, then you are off course, and are missing the purpose of your life, and will only know regrets and bitternesses!

 

2.      The Example of Israel

 

a.       Freed from slavery in Egypt

b.      New course was the Promised Land

c.       Most did not finish their course – only two did

d.      Because of griping, complaining, unbelief

e.       Basically, the entire adult nation of Israel (2 million people) missed out on the promises of God! Si that what YOU are willing to risk too?

 

3.      There is not supposed to be any quitting in the life of the Christian (1Cor 16:13 means FINISH like MEN)! Thank God Jesus doesn’t quit on US! It is very shameful to start running a race and not even finish it!

                                                                                                              

a.       You don’t have to be swift or smart

b.      You just have to FINISH! Stay the course – stay faithful in the race (1Cor 4:2)

 

4.      So, Be a Finisher (Eccl 7:8)! Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof

 

a.       The world is filled with quitters

b.      So also is the church filled with people who jump ship, turn around, give up, and stop following their Saviour!

c.       If nothing else Christian, BE A FINISHER!

d.      Anyone can start something!

 

1)      Anyone can get married – it takes character to stay in a marriage

2)      Anyone can start to build a house – it takes hard work to finish it

3)      Anyone can start to read their Bible – it takes love to finish it

 

e.       Have you started something for God? FINISH IT!

 

1)      Started going out soul-winning on Saturdays with us? Stay with it!

2)      Started discipleship? Stay with it and finish it!

3)      Started praying and reading your Bible every morning? Stay with it until the rapture!

 

f.       BE A FINISHER!

g.       It takes WORK to finish something! Especially THE MINISTRY (Eph 4:11,12)

 

5.      Examine the examples of:

 

a.       Jesus (John 17:4) – Jesus was a FINISHER!

b.      Paul (Philp 3:13-15). Paul finished HIS race – accomplished God’s will for his life (2 Tim 4:6-8)!

c.       All Christians (Heb 12:1,2) – run your race Christian, and FINISH it! No matter what it is!

 

B.     Keep Your Joy! (Acts 20:24)

 

1.      We are talking about, “How to Stay Serving!” How to CONTINUE when the pressure is always to quit? How to be servants that stay serving, ministers that are unmoveable from their course!

2.      To be a Finisher, the right kind of a finisher, you need to finish WITH JOY!

 

a.       It is no good to finish something with a bad or bitter attitude!

b.      Many a marriage has lasted decades, but without the joy it should have had – and that is YOUR fault!

c.       Many a young person has grown up, and sowed their sinful lives, and ended up cold, and bitter and angry

d.      And many Christians, who used to love this Bible, and love preaching, and love God, fell out with someone or got into some sinful habit, and lost their joy and ended up backslidden and cold, and hard, and bitter and empty!

 

3.      A Christian’s Joy is probably THE most lost or stolen thing in the world today!

 

a.       Did you know that Satan can come along and ROB you of your joy? He is a thief! He cannot rob you of your salvation, but he can steal your satisfaction and delight in Christ!

b.      Did you know that you can LOSE your joy?

 

1)      You can swap it for some cheap thrills

2)      You can let it slip out of your life when you lust for something this world vainly offers

3)      The world offers pleasures and fun and “happiness” - but all that disappears like vapour (Heb 11:24,25)

4)      You had better get a good grip on what is truly good and thrilling and exciting, and then never let it go!

 

4.      Talking about the Priceless Joy of:

 

a.       Salvation (Isaiah 61:10; Psalm 51:12)

b.      Supplication (John 16:24)

c.       Serving (John 13:12-17)

d.      Spirit Filling (Galatians 5:22)

e.       Submission (Hebrews 13:17)

f.       Soul-Winning (Matthew 18:12,13)

 

5.      We get our joy from Jesus (John 15:11) – so stay close to Him throughout every day

6.      You renew your joy as your read and study this Bible (1John 1:4). If you are away from this Book, you are only growing cold!

 

C.     Stay with the Simple Gospel! (Acts 20:24)

                                                        

1.      People are always worried about trying to figure out WHAT ministry they should do

2.      It doesn’t matter WHAT you do for the Lord, as long as at its core is this statement: “that I get to testify the gospel of the grace of God!” What does that mean?

 

a.       The Gospel is the good news that sinners don’t have to go to hell – that they can be saved from the wrath to come – that their lives can be transformed! All by the power of the resurrection!

b.      The Grace of God is the kindness that God shows towards sinners when He should only condemn them (Eph 2:8,9; Rom 11:6) – not based upon our own efforts or good works!

c.       And “I” get to testify about it

 

1)      I get to tell people all about it

2)      I get to tell them what happened to me on the 15th June, 1980

3)      I get to show how Christ loved men, and forgave me, and has changed me

4)      I get to go everywhere and tell the message that works (Acts 1:8; 20:21)

 

a)      Repentance towards God

b)      Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ

 

d.      THAT is THE ministry of all ministries!

 

3.      Example:

 

a.       Sunday School Ministry – you get to tell hungry hearts how Jesus loves sinners, and saves sinners and strengthens His children, and blesses them, and nurtures them, and uses them, and one day will take them to be with Him in heaven! All by His grace!

b.      Media Ministry – you get to be a part of getting the GOSPEL of the grace of God into people’s hands who otherwise may never get to hear via the internet, or via an audio recording of a message or son, or even a DVD recording of a sermon!

c.       Bus and Transportation Ministry – you get to help bring people who wouldn’t be able to make it to church otherwise! You sacrifice your time to go and bring people in to hear the Gospel of the grace of God!

d.      Creche Ministry – you enable parents to listen and hear the Gospel of the grace of God without interruption, AND you bless the young hearts of children with Bible songs and love that only a Church crèche can give!

e.       Evangelism Ministry – you get to go out two by two telling folks door to door that there is a way back to God through the blood of the cross of Jesus Christ, and that the GRACE of God is still available to anyone who will only believe!

f.       Discipleship Ministry – you get to help mould and shape young Christian lives into faithful men and women of God as you teach about the grace of God from Genesis to Revelation

g.       Preaching Ministry – I get to testify every week about how powerful the grace of God is, and how worthy our Lord is of following Him!

h.      There is NO ministry that is without testifying the gospel of the grace of God!

i.        The Music Ministry – you all get to sing about GRACE! You don’t sing about works, and pride and religion – you get to sing about JESUS, and SALVATION, and HEAVEN!

 

 

III. Conclusion

 

A.     By nature, we love attention, and pampering, and being served. But Christ came NOT to be ministered to, but to give His life a ransom for many – it cost Him everything

B.     And so he calls every Christian to be like Him – a servant!

 

1.      To serve the Lord IS my ministry

2.      The question is How to STAY Serving – How to CONTINUE when the pressure is always to quit?

 

C.     We have seen the Apostle Paul show us what enabled HIM to stay the course

 

1.      By Finishing Our Course (Acts 20:24)

 

a.       DO the will of God for your life (find it first)

b.      Ask yourself, “Are you ‘on course’ or ‘off course?’” Do you even know what direction to go, and how to walk by faith?

c.       Some of you haven’t even STARTED doing the will of God for your lives!

d.      If you are doing anything other than the will of God for your life, then you are off course, and are missing the purpose of your life, and will only know regrets and bitternesses!

 

e.       It is very shameful to start running a race and not even finish it!

f.       So, Be a Finisher (Eccl 7:8)! Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof

 

2.      By Keeping Our Joy!

 

a.       Be the right kind of a finisher, … WITH JOY!

b.      Don’t lose your joy, or let it be stolen from you!

c.       Hold onto the Joy of:

 

1)      Salvation (Isaiah 61:10; Psalm 51:12)

2)      Supplication (John 16:24)

3)      Serving (John 13:12-17)

4)      Spirit Filling (Galatians 5:22)

5)      Submission (Hebrews 13:17)

6)      Soul-Winning (Matthew 18:12,13)

 

d.      Renew your joy as your read and study this Bible

 

3.      By Staying with the Simple Gospel! (Acts 20:24)

 

a.       It doesn’t matter WHAT you do for the Lord, as long as at its core is this statement: “that I get to testify the gospel of the grace of God!” What does that mean?

b.      THAT is THE ministry of all ministries!

 

1)      Telling people that don’t have to go to hell – that they can be saved from the wrath to come – that their lives can be transformed! All by the power of the resurrection!

2)      Telling people about the GRACE of God!

 

c.       Just get into ANY ministry and start testifying:

 

1)      Sunday School Ministry

2)      Welcome Ministry

3)      Media Ministry

4)      Bus and Transportation Ministry

5)      Creche Ministry

6)      Evangelism Ministry

7)      Discipleship Ministry

8)      Reformer’s Unanimous Addictions Ministry

9)      Preaching Ministry

10)  The Music Ministry

11)  There is NO ministry that is without testifying the gospel of the grace of God!

 

D.     Some of you will never know real joy

 

1.      Because you yourself are not born again – never been saved by believing the Gospel of the grace of God

2.      But some of you also don’t know joy because you are still only wanting to be served instead of serving!

3.      It’s time to get busy serving and finding out just how much joy a human can experience!