The calling to ministry

Let us do something a little different today, and read a Bible story. I love Bible stories!

We shall be reading about the choosing of the seven in Acts. I would have thought before that these seven men must have been great disciples of Jesus, and they must have been chosen to serve in the church as extremely honorable positions. Perhaps as elders of the church or great teachers. Let us read:

Acts 6
Seven Chosen to Serve

¹ Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. ² Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. ³ Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; ⁴ but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
⁵ And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, ⁶ whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.
⁷ Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

NKJV

Read verse 7 again! Isn’t it amazing? After they had chosen seven men to serve the widows food, “Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.”

The number of disciples didn’t just increase, it “multiplied greatly”! Now before we start jumping to conclusions about how this may happen, let us use some other references.

1 Corinthians 12

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

We all have a specific role to play. Be it an usher, a teacher, an apostle, and so on, ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. The specific roles we have to play in the church are determined by God. Now this is an extremely important truth. You see, I might find myself very good at teaching, but if God’s calling for me is not to teach, but to serve food, then all my efforts will be for nothing. Firstly, I will not have the anointing of the Holy Spirit, because God cannot commission me to do what He doesn’t want me to do. You can see that the seven men were prayed for, so that God will multiply and bless their service. Secondly, even if I were to touch the lives of many, and influence many disciples of Christ as a teacher, all these will count for nothing when I am judged before the great white throne. Because I was not obedient to God regarding my ministry, all my efforts will be consumed by the fire of judgement.

But if I follow my calling, and go to serve food, my efforts will be multiplied and I will influence many lives because God has meant this to be my role. It is by grace that we are saved, many people know that. But it is also by grace that we may be presentable to God, holy and pleasing to be used mightily for the advancement of His Kingdom. All gifts and talents that we have are God-given, and are meant to be used in the church as God directs. It is by His awesome grace that we may stand before Him on the day of judgement, and be called a good and faithful servant, only if we are obedient to Him. I remember a post I typed not too long ago about obedience and sacrifice. That is exactly my point! God requires only humble obedience from us, not sacrifices that He has not asked for.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Every single person in service is important to the growth of the church. Even those that seem weaker, by human standards, are indispensable. You see, regardless of the ministry that we are in, we have the potential to touch many lives. The mind of God we cannot understand, and the ways of God we cannot fathom. In His amazing way, God caused the church in Acts to greatly multiply because they did not leave out the little things, like serving food!

So do not be discouraged if you think you are serving in a lesser ministry, because it is not. If God’s calling for you is to be there, He has, and is going to use you for the advancement of His Kingdom, though you may not see it. You’ll probably only know when He shows you on that day we are judged. Also, if you have noticed, Stephen and Philip, who later became outstanding disciples of Christ, were part of the seven.

Matthew 25: 23, 29

Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.

For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.

So first be faithful in the things that God has put you in charge with, whatever it is, big or small, and much will come out of it.