MAINTAINING YOUR MINISTRY

It is likely that you have watched an Olympic track meet. The runners place their feet in the starting blocks and listen for the starter’s pistol to fire. Getting off to a good start is vital, but a good finish means victory. It is possible to start strong, but then to stumble.  This is likewise true of ministry. 

Paul is speaking to a young man in ministry named Archippus. We know little of him. He is mentioned in Scripture perhaps only one other time.  Paul mentions him along with Philemon, and Philemon’s wife Apphia (v.1-2) “and to the church in your house.”  So, it would seem Archippus was their son. The Apostle further refers to him as “our fellow soldier.”  Thus, we may conclude that this was a preacher boy Paul had recruited for the Lord’s army. 

There are three exhortations suggested here for those of us who preach the Gospel and lead the church. 

First, TAKE HEED!  Paul says, “Take heed to the ministry.”  Have a solid conviction that God has called you. Revisit persistently that assignment and meditate on God’s mandate for you. Saturate your mind with the Word of God.  Be alert to danger about you—moral disqualification or doctrinal deviation. Satan is like a lion ready to pounce.  Take heed to the truth. 

Secondly, TAKE HOLD!  Paul speaks of, “the ministry which you have received in the Lord.”  The opportunity to serve Christ had been offered and young Archippus had responded with enthusiasm, reaching out his hand to receive the grace to do  Gospel ministry.  When we begin to just show up because it is expected or to show off only when others are watching, we are in danger of service slipping from our grasp. Cherish your call as a treasure and hold to it firmly and joyfully.  Take hold of the task. 

Thirdly, TREAD ON!  The Apostle urges, “fulfill it.”  The road will not always be smooth. There are potholes and perils. It is an uphill slog.  There are a few like Stephen who are Gospel sprinters whose race is short as they run into immediate crisis. Yet, as difficult as that is, most in ministry will find it a cross-country mountain marathon.  It is a race of ups and downs—a race of endurance. You dare not give out or give up.  Tread on with tenacity.

Man of God, maintain your ministry. Don’t quit!  Fulfill it—fill it full by taking heed to the truth, taking hold of the task, and treading on with tenacity.

IN THE MASTER’S SERVICE

Paul writes in a day when men and women were bought and sold in the marketplace. So, there is the literal application of this truth to those were saved and yet still slaves. Yet, there is a spiritual implication for the preacher of the Gospel, too. Paul frequently referred to Himself as a bondservant in his labor for the Lord.  God’s preachers are bought by the precious blood of Christ. We are held by shackles of love. We are in the service of the Master. As such, there are some lessons for church leaders here.

Consider our FOCUS (v.22). We are to serve the Master pointedly. Our focus is to please the Master and not men. We do not work for a church board, some church bosses, the congregation, but for Christ.  The hypocrisy of people-pleasing will lead you sooner or later to failure and frustration. The sincerity of God-pleasing will bring you to success and satisfaction. You cannot please people all the time, but you can please God every time. The reality is that sometimes you will displease people by pleasing God. Always focus on Who you work for—the Boss is watching.  It is the fear of the Lord and not the fear of the people that should be our pointed intent.

Note our FERVENCY (v.23). We are to serve the Master passionately. Not only do we serve the Lord sincerely (v.22), but heartily. There should be a zeal that drives us. The preacher is not merely doing a job, but honoring the Lord. Think of the difference between someone who cooks for a living, and one who grills steaks for his lover.  The former is a job, while the latter is a joy. God looks on the heart and weighs the motivation behind the ministry. Going through the motions will drain you and you will eventually burn out. Serving with loving motivation will energize you and you will faithfully burn on. It does not mean you never get physically weary in well-doing, but you will not become spiritually weary of well-doing.  This is the way we serve with passionate insistence.

Weigh our FUTURE (v.24-25). We are to serve the Master persistently. As previously seen, ministry is not about pleasing people, but God. It is not about performing a job, but fulfilling a joy.  Now, we see it is not about temporal reimbursement, but eternal reward. If you work for a paycheck you will find yourself consumed with covetousness. You will be corrupted by vanity if you have a lot and consumed with envy if you have a little. What the preacher needs is just enough to provide for his family—even, if he must be a tent-maker like Paul to do so. Do not forget, “godliness with contentment is great gain,” (1 Tim.6:6). Our payday will be in heaven. God is keeping account and we will secure a reward or suffer a loss accordingly (see 1 Cor,3:10-15). This is why we serve as our persistent incentive.

THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH

Who runs the church?  Is it a pastor, or maybe the elders, or perhaps the deacons, or some combination—who is in charge?

It better be Jesus!  He is “the head of His body, the church.”  Now, many local congregations may not behave accordingly, but in so doing they are in rebellion against God!

There would be no church without Him. His resurrection as “the firstborn from the dead,” birthed the church in His atoning work through the crucifixion and resurrection. Now, He claims absolute authority, “that in everything he might be preeminent.”

I heard the story of an old African chieftain.  He sat before his hut, bent over, weariness on his face, skin wrinkled from advanced age.  One of the strong young warriors came up to him and challenged him, “It is time for you to step aside. We need a man of strength to lead  this tribe. What gives you the right to rule over us?”  The elderly man answered, “There was a time you do not remember, for your father was a child. A lion came into the village. He would have killed many, including your father. I thrust my arms into the lion’s mouth, broke his jaws, and killed it with my bare hands. Then raising himself up, his voice resounding with authority, he lifted his arms to reveal many scars from battling the beast, and said, “By my wounds I demand the right to rule over you!”

So, Jesus lifts His hands, shows the scars from His battle on Calvary, and says, “By my wounds I demand the right to rule over you!”  Surely as a preacher, and as a church of the Lord Jesus Christ, we will submit to Him who saved us by His sacrifice!

ALL ON THE ALTAR

The Old Testament sacrificial system with its priesthood, altar, and sacrifices foreshadowed Christ, the Great High Priest, who offered Himself as a Lamb on the cross in fulfillment.  Yet, what Christ did absolutely, we are as His followers to do spiritually as  a kingdom of priests, offering spiritual sacrifices on the altar of our commitment.  That is the imagery Paul uses in this text.  Paul so describes the sacrificial gift of money brought by Epaphroditus from the Philippian church. There is a principle that we may apply to any gifts God graces us with—and how we may worship Him through the sacrificial offering of those for God’s glory.  Allow me to specifically speak to the preacher.

THERE IS THE SCENT OF THE SERMON. It is to be “a fragrant offering.”  Now, some sermons just stink! That brings no honor to God or help to the congregation. In contrast to that, If you have smelled a steak cooking on a grill—an aroma that makes you salivate—this should be akin to the scent of our sermon. In our prayerful preparation and passionate presentation, the offering of the message can make each one attending hunger for God and His Word—as Psalm 34:8 says to, “taste and see that the LORD is good!”

THERE IS THE SACRIFICE IN THE SERMON. It is “a sacrifice.”  The Old Testament worshipper was not to bring the worst of the flock, but the best. God was to get the firstfruits and not the leftovers. As David declared, “I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing,” (2 Sam.24:24). There is a price to pay for preaching that is for the glory of God and good of man. You don’t grab sermon scraps from a book or podcast, stick it in the microwave and go through the motions from the pulpit!

THERE IS THE SATISFACTION FROM THE SERMON. It is “acceptable and pleasing to God.”  If meant to only satisfy yourself in doing your job, or to tickle the ears of the people so they magnify you, then as a preacher your motivation is deadly. We pray that people will be touched by the truth, but it is not that they will always react with acceptance, they may respond with anger. We will find joy if the sermon is acceptable to God. Fundamentally our focus is on God being satisfied. If God is pleased, it ultimately matters not whether anyone else is.

Dear God, may the preacher offer in the sermon his all on the altar—a living sacrifice to You, that is holy in its conception and acceptable in its communication—as his spiritual act of worship!

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE!

As the moon reflects the sun’s light, so we are called to reflect the Son’s glory. Jesus is the Light of the World, and He has said, “You are the light of the world.”  He is the source of the light and we are to shine with His light. As the old hymn puts it, “Let the lower lights be burning.”  John the Baptist illustrates this.  Our Lord said of him, “He was a burning and shining lamp.”  Here, Paul tells us how to let our light shine.

THERE MUST BE A CONNECTION WITH THE WORLD, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians‬ ‭2:14-15).  

We are to be in the world, but not of the world, as a physician must be among the sick, but not sick himself.  He must be clean from infection to treat those who are ill. Thus, we cannot be isolated from the sinful, but are to be immunized from sinfulness. Light is potent because it is distinct from the darkness, yet its very intent is to encounter darkness.

So, stop whining about the conditions of the world and “Do all things without grumbling.”  Yes, it is very dark—and getting darker—but, that is the opportunity for the light to be most valuable.   

Cease warring with the citizens of the world and “Do all things without…disputing.”  Our enemy is the Devil, not those captured by him. Jesus was known as the friend of sinners, and we are to be.  

Yet, be wary of the contamination of the world, “that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation.”   You must be different to make a difference. While Jesus was connected with sinners, He was clean from sin.

THERE MUST BE A COMMUNICATION OF THE WORD,  “holding fast to the word of life,” (v.16a). While an oil lamp requires the wick to be trimmed and the globe to be clean (v.15), there must be fuel and a flame. Paul deals with that next.

We must digest the Word and thus hold fast to it ourselves. This is ingestion of truth, as the word of life. It is our daily bread to fuel our faith. Partake of the Word.  You cannot give out what you do not have.

We must demonstrate the Word. We not only hold it fast, but hold it forth. This is incarnation of truth. Jesus said our light would shine as we do good works before men for the glory of God.  Practice the Word. You cannot speak out about what you do not live.

We must declare the Word. That word is meant to be proclaimed.   This is illumination with truth. Good news is meant to be shared. Preach the Word.  You cannot help out if you do not speak up.

THERE MUST BE A CONSECRATION TO THE WORK, “so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain, (v.16‬b). 

We have a race to run. Paul did not want to run in vain. He was intent on giving his all and not stumbling short of the finish line.  Many a man has dropped out from discouragement or disqualified himself by defilement.  Don’t be that guy!

We have a rigor to show. The Apostle did not want to labor in vain. Gospel ministry is not just about inspiration, but involves perspiration. Labor and do not be lazy!  You can rest when you get to heaven.

We have a reward to gain. Paul points to the day of Christ, and his desire to hear Christ’s, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”  He lived with faithfulness on earth that he might attain fruitfulness in eternity—a crown on his head for the race he had run, and a crop from the labor for the souls he had won. There is going to be some surprises on Judgment Day, when a lot of celebrity preachers see their works go up in smoke, while some who have labored in obscurity are summoned to the dais and the Judge crowns them with glory (1 Pet.5:4)!

What a challenge to my heart today and I trust to you as well!  Let your light shine!

GIVE THEM JESUS!

If you want to see heaven move and hell retreat, then give the people Jesus when you preach. It is not current events, but Christ that they need. It is not humorous stories, but heaven’s Savior that they need. Satan is not impressed with our homiletic skill, but he trembles at he sound of the name above all names: “Jesus!”  Give the people Jesus!

WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL

 

Paul challenges us to a manner of life that is worthy of the Gospel. By this, he does not mean that we are deserving of the grace we have received, nor could ever be. Rather, it is about bringing our lives into alignment with the Gospel we proclaim—one with conduct consistent with our claim. How can we do this?

It demands FIRMNESS, “standing firm…striving…for the faith of the gospel.”  The way is steep, the occasion for retreat—under withering fire from the enemy—is ever present, and many a soldier of the cross has slipped and fallen. The way to stand firm is to stand beside other warriors, “in one spirit, with one mind…side by side.”  I want to remind you that you are not in this battle alone. It is not a sign of weakness to call on your fellow soldiers, but an indication of wisdom to do so.

It demands FEARLESSNESS, “not frightened in anything by your opponents.”  Those who stand for truth and speak the Gospel will face opposition. The devil will see to that. They may come in the form of a hostile secular culture, in the guise of a fellow church member, or even one of our own family. Do not be blind-sided. Expect there will be an enemy. Not all will be your friends to help you stand firmly, but there will be the foes intent to make you run fearfully.

It demands FAITHFULNESS, “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have,” (.29-30). ‬‬The Apostle had been a faithful example and now challenges us to walk the same pathway—the bloody Calvary Road. He writes as a prisoner for the sake of the Gospel. His sufferings were intense and inescapable. If we should be faithful, then we will find them inevitable.  Be faithful to the end!  

This is a life worthy of the Gospel!