Fulfilling your Ministry

Well, the question that's been on my heart on this great day of Pentecost is a simple question. It's a simple question that maybe you have asked yourself from time to time. Maybe you've asked yourself just recently. The question is this. Can God use me in His church? Can God use me in His church? This is the question we want to grapple with today and the implications of that answer. Recently, I recalled a phrase which is commonly made in the church, and that phrase is, going into the ministry.

Have you heard that phrase? Going into the ministry. It's not an uncommon for an individual who is maybe preparing for the pastor to be referred to as, Mr. X, who is going into the ministry. We understand the background of that statement as being within the framework of Acts 6. We won't turn there, but I referred to it earlier.

In Acts 6, the apostles said, it's not right for us to leave the preaching of the Word to serve tables. Then they said, we will give ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word. They said that they would give themselves to the ministry. People who use that phrase, use it within that framework, no doubt. But, I suspect that it may be likely that not everyone is able to set it in its proper context.

And to some, that phrase is used and perhaps misunderstood. And what it comes to mean is this. Mr. X is going into the ministry, and that's fine, because I am not. I will gladly support Mr. X prayerfully, enthusiastically. I will support him with my tithes.

I will applaud when he does well. I will commiserate when he doesn't do well. But I will enjoy the freedom from the obligation of being in ministry. And so, the phrase, whereby certain people go into the ministry, can create in the mind the notion, thereby, that the rest of the people are not. And I suppose, in one narrow sense, that is true. It is true that if that word ministry is narrowed down, to only include those who are in the pastor position or the eldership or even deacon. And I suppose you could remove the rest of the body of the church from being in ministry. But I believe that that would be a regrettable perspective.

Because what we're going to see today is that that narrow view is diametrically opposed to God's view. Turn with me to Ephesians 4, if you will, to see God's view on this matter. Ephesians 4, and we'll pick up in verse 4. Here we're going to pick up just what is crucial knowledge regarding the ministry. And what this is going to reveal to us is that there is a ministry, but it's a ministry for the whole body of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4, let's see Paul explain God's view on this matter.

Ephesians 4, let's read verses 4-6. Ephesians 4, verse 4. He says, There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all. Let's consider these words here. We really want to hone in on these verses.

These verses are speaking to the whole of God's church. And what does it say here? Verse 4. Think about this. One body and one Spirit called into one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, baptism, one God and Father of all, and through all and in you all. What's the common word there? So as we consider the impact of those words, and that we are all in this together, I'd like us to go down just a few verses to verse 11.

Let's read verses 11-16 as we consider that. Verses 11-16. Within this one calling and hope, there is positions, no doubt. But look at what else it says here. Verse 11-16. He himself gave some positions, we could say, to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers. These positions are for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry. That's true. For that, if I am of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro, carried by every wind of doctrine, trickery of men and the cunning craftiness and deceitful plotting.

But speaking the truth in love, that we may all grow into Him who is the head, Christ. So all those things are true. These positions fulfill those things. Look at verse 16. Look at this. From whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes then growth of the body for edifying of itself in love. Let's stop there. I hope what you understand what's now been revealed about your ministry. Your ministry. Because I want you to know this morning that the church has been sustained in the past, is currently sustained today, and will be sustained in the future by you, the body.

The unsung, the unspoken, in many ways the invisible body of the church. I hope verse 16 reaches your heart today. Let's read it again. I want you to get this. Let's get this together. From whom the whole body, it says, the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. What causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love? Or better yet, where does the growth come from?

Where does the edification come from? From whom the whole body? From whom the whole body? One body. You know, it was one spirit. It's one spirit that was given on this day in Pentecost. One spirit. And through all and in you all. Let's think about the body for a moment. If we look at the average, if we think about the average look of the local congregation, could we say that sometimes, sometimes, it resembles that of a pyramid?

A pyramid in which the pastor is precariously perched there on top, and the members of the congregation are set out in rows and what seems like a display of inferiority? Maybe that's something we can identify with. Another look that we can say that sometimes aptly fits a local congregation is that of a bus. Where the pastor is driving, the members are okay with just looking out at the scenery or maybe even catching a nap.

Why wake up? Everything is being taken care of. What we want to discover today is that while these notions may be present in the congregations today, these notions are totally unbiblical. The New Testament picture of fellowship with one another never puts the picture of a single pastor with an idol or docile flock. Never. But rather, we'll see a pastor. We see the pastor, but what we also see is a plurality of oversight.

And we see it every member of ministry is what we see. So when we say we're going into the ministry, well, that's true. We're all in ministry. All of us. And what we're doing here is done through all and in you all. So again, we want to consider the implications of this today. What a miracle it is. What a miracle it is that we sit here together on this great day of Pentecost.

It's really a day that shows us, that reminds us that the Creator still does miracles. Granting His Spirit to those first fruits of the spiritual harvest. Establishing His church. A church with members empowered by the same Holy Spirit to carry out His work here on this earth.

And so when we ask that question, can God use me in His church? The answer is yes. And also, in fact, it's the very reason He gave you His Holy Spirit. Ministry. It's the very reason you've been brought into this body. I'm assuming that this morning that you have come to faith in Jesus Christ. You have understood the message of Jesus Christ. You have come to repentance and laid a hold on God's mercy for salvation.

And you know yourself to be a member of God's church. You know that. And you're desirous in progressing in the things of faith, and you are progressing in faith. But tell me if this is true. In that progression, one of the areas of accusations that you have faced, that the evil one has come to make this accusation to you, is God can use Him. God can use her. God can use them. But I don't think God can use me. And so fierce is the accusation that we find ourselves actually capitulating to such a statement. And wondering if God can really use me. Wondering if we're... am I even part of this whole thing?

Part of this work? Well, I want you to realize today that that kind of introspection really, we find ourselves with that putting too much emphasis on ourselves and not on God. On this day, when God brought His called out ones together, I assure you that there's a work for Jesus Christ that none can do but you.

God did not make you like the person next to you. God did not make you like Him or her. He made you different. And He did so with a purpose, a distinct purpose. He made you, you. He redeemed you knowing exactly who He redeemed. And now He wants to take His truth and baptize it, if you will, through your personality, through you. You renewed in the image of His Son. He wants to take you to a distinct place and a distinct purpose in His Church.

Uniquely you. So when you lie your head down on the bed tonight and on the pillow and you wander to yourself in the future of all these things, you begin to think of these things. I believe in the authority of the Bible that God has a unique and special place for you in His body.

And He has a specific ministry for you to fulfill. Now, when I say that, almost immediately, the devil might come to your thoughts and bring to your attention all of your inadequacies. Maybe some of you have been thinking that as I've been talking today. All of your inadequacies. I want you to realize something about God. God has not chosen to take the treasure of His Holy Spirit and put it into individuals who apparently and obviously to society are very special people. God has chosen, rather, to put this treasure in old clay jars. To put it into the very, very ordinary.

And we see this throughout all the lives of the apostles. Turn with me to Acts 4. Here, Acts 4. Acts 4. Here we find Peter and John now filled with the Holy Spirit. The power had come to them. They are described in the earlier chapters of Acts on the day of Pentecost. And they now set out to begin their ministry in that spirit. And look at this interaction between Peter and John and the rulers and the elders of that day here in chapter 4.

Here is their testimony, how? Empowered by the Spirit. So, Acts 4. Let's read verses 1-7. This is about Peter and John. Now, as they spoke to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them. Verse 2, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them. And they put them in custody until the next day. For it was already evening. However, many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be about 5,000. And it came to pass on that day, on the day, that their rulers and elders and scribes, as well as Annas, the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many were of the family of the high priests, they gathered together in Jerusalem.

And when they had said them in the midst, they asked. Now, look at this question. Look at this question. By what power, or by what name, have you done this? Let's stop there for a moment. By what power, and by what name, have you done all of this? Now, allow your eyes to move back one chapter to chapter 3. Chapter 3, in verse 11 and 12. Peter and John had already answered that question.

By what power, and by what name, they were doing all of this? Look at chapter 3, in verse 11 and 12. Let's see the answer. Now, as the lame man who was healed, held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch, which was called Solomon's, greatly amazed. And when Peter saw it, he responded to the people. Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why do you look so intently at us? As though, by our own power, or godliness, we had made this man walk.

Let's stop there for a moment. So, they were moving through their ministry, empowered by the Holy Spirit, teaching the people, preaching Jesus Christ and His resurrection, laying hands upon the sick, having those healings. And the men of Israel were looking at them so intently. They marveled, it says. Why? Why such perplexity? Well, go back to chapter 4, verse 13. Look at this. Chapter 4, in verse 13, tells us why they were so perplexed, and what Peter and John were doing.

Look at this. Chapter 4, verse 13, Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. Let's stop there.

The people were amazed by it all. Because they were unlearned, we could say ignorant men, rough in their schooling. And the only thing that marked them out was what? They had been with Jesus. So it wasn't the container, it was the treasure within. And in many ways, it's despite the container that they saw Jesus in them.

It wasn't the natural ability, it was the supernatural ability of God revealed through them. The ability was given to them by the Holy Spirit, which had been poured out just days earlier on their day of Pentecost. And they were fulfilling their ministry, empowered by that spirit. I suppose we could ask, is that the same spirit we have? Yes. Same power.

And we see this throughout Scripture. We can think of Paul. Paul writes to the Corinthians in his second letter. We won't turn there, but his ministry was being questioned, and his authority was being challenged. And Paul says, you know, I could lay out my credentials for you. I could do that. But he says the great wonder of it all is that God has put his treasure in old clay pots, deliberately so. So that the power might be seen to belong to God and not us. And the phraseology that Paul uses is really that of dirt. It's this old dirt container. It's an old dirt pot, easily discarded, lowly.

And that's the way Paul describes himself and those called out ones. And that's not to discourage such individuals. It's to put us in the rightful sense of our placement in God's Church. And so this morning we look at our lives, and if we're not careful, we have a tendency to say, I wish I was like this person here. I wish I could talk like him. Or I wish I could communicate better, like that, like she does. And we look around and we see lots of people that we wish we were like. If we're quiet, we wish we were more outgoing. If we talk a lot, sometimes we wish we could be more quiet.

And if we qualify ourselves, though, on the basis of the people around us, we can often be horribly discouraged. So let me say again, let me say again. God made you. And he wants to use you, filled and empowered by his Holy Spirit. God does not want you to be like the person next to you. He wants you to be like Jesus Christ, but not like the person next to you. And so on this day of Pentecost, as we think about this, it's precisely our frailty, our smallness, our weaknesses, which makes us usable in the hands of God.

That's why when Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians, for when I am weak, I am strong. And if there's any strength seen in me, I know that belongs to the power of Jesus Christ. Rest upon me. His power is what helps me do this ministry. And in fact, it's why he gave me his power. Fine, you say. Well, if that's the case, give me more proof. Give me illustrations. But which illustration would you like?

We can look towards Peter. Peter, I'll respectfully say, the man who was always putting his foot in his mouth. He would remove one and he would seemingly put another one in. Would you like the illustration of Thomas the Doubter, who was always saying, ah, but, but, Lord, but... How about Philip? Always stuttering and stammering throughout the whole Bible. Moses, you know, God, I have a wonderful brother, and he's a fabulous speaker.

You should have put your affections on him. He's your man. And God replied and said, Moses, who made your mouth? Who made your mouth? Do you think I'm surprised at your weaknesses, Moses? Did that come as a surprise to me? Don't you think I can put my words in your mouth? And again, throughout the Bible, Jeremiah, I'm no good, I'm just a child.

God says, you may only be a child when I take you up, but you can do wonderful things. So many examples. But the person that may be of greatest encouragement to us, of them all, you might be thinking about him. It's Timothy. It's Timothy. Timothy was called to enter into ministry at an age of moral and doctrinal decline and confusion. Young man, we know his heritage went back to his mother and his grandmother.

A disciple placed in ministry, and when he looked at himself and he looked at the challenge, he said, I'm not up for this. Maybe you've said that. But beyond any other individual in the Bible, he reflects like a mirror. I believe he reflects like a mirror in our, as we think about our prospect of our own personal ministry for God. And there is, if you like, more disqualifications than qualifications in Timothy. Let me give you a few disqualifications in his ministry.

I'll give you five. See if any of these are yours, and I know they will be. See if these are your disqualifications. First disqualification for Timothy, to be used by God in ministry, was that he was not a physically fit individual. Look at 1 Timothy 5 and verse 23. 1 Timothy 5 and verse 23. We know about his stomach illness, right? We know about that. But did you realize he was always getting sick? Always getting sick. Paul tells us that here.

1 Timothy 5 and verse 23. Look what it says. 1 Timothy 5 and verse 23. Paul says to Timothy, No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities. 2 Timothy 5 and verse 23. Stop drinking only water, use this wine for your stomach. But often we might move on from that final day and not notice it, also for your frequent illnesses.

Timothy was always getting sick. He was the kind of kid that was always being sent with a note from his mother. Timothy, I know, I know. Timothy can't participate again today. He's sick again. If he would have been considered for modern ministry, I wonder if they would accept him. We like you, Timothy. You seem to have a good heart. You're just not fit enough.

He was perhaps very very frail. And some of us today, one of our greatest alibis for usefulness is our physical condition. Oh, I've got a bad back. If only I could sit, if only I could stand, if only I could walk, if only I could run. Do you think that God doesn't know about your elements?

And he was surprised. Oh, I put my Holy Spirit in this individual and now I realize what elements they have. Have you believed the lie that your physical element prevents you from ministry? So that was his first disqualification. Second, not only was he physically weak, he was naturally timid. See if some of you can relate to this. He was not the kind of person who immediately took charge of a situation. He was not the person that went into a room and took control of it. Very apprehensive. Paul writes his first letter to the Church of Corinth. We won't turn there, but it's 1 Corinthians 16.

And he says, when Timothy comes to you, would you see that he would be without fear? Would you put him at ease? Now, you don't ride ahead to a church congregation and say, would you please put Timothy at ease if Timothy is not naturally ill at ease? Do you? That's the kind of person he was. And maybe we've excused our involvement in ministry because we think our natural timidity is somehow too powerful for God's power to overcome.

It was a disqualification for Timothy. Never hindered God. Never hindered God. Third, his usefulness. He was physically beat, naturally timid, and too young to be doing what he was doing as far as the majority of the people were concerned. And as a result of that, he had challenges. There are challenges that face us in our youth. We know that. One challenge is inferiority. Paul admonished him, said, don't let anybody disqualify you because of your youth. Don't let that happen, Timothy. Also, we know there are certain challenges in youth. Stirrings in the realm of sexuality. The longings after things. The longing after being well thought of. The longing to be prosperous or have the world's goods. We could say those are uniquely true to that age. What age? Most agree, most, that Timothy was somewhere around 35 to 40 years of age when Paul wrote this letter to him. So those of us who are feeling old, be encouraged because Paul is essentially writing to a 40 year old and says, don't let him despise your youthfulness. It's ultimately no disqualification. Fourthly, get this for a disqualification. His tendency to be ashamed of the gospel. Think about that. Do you have that tendency? Do you struggle with that? Has it held you back from ministry? Go with me. You might be in 1 Timothy still. Look at 2 Timothy. Let's turn to 2 Timothy chapter 1 in verse 8. Look at this. This is pretty eye opening. This was eye opening for me. 2 Timothy 1 verse 8. Paul says to Timothy, He says, Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share with me the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God. Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or be ashamed of me as his prisoner. Couldn't we say that's another disqualification? You're frightened. You're frightened to show others that you're actually a servant of God and his Son, Jesus Christ. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt that struggle? Some thought may be put in your mind, you'll never be a good minister with that thought. How could you? You struggle with being ashamed of even the gospel. Well, you can reject that thought and remind yourself of Timothy. He struggled with that same thing. I'm sure, I'm sure he maybe wasn't too keen on being associated with the one who was Saul of Tarsus. Oh, this troublemaker. You're associated with him? Ah, but Paul said, oh, don't be ashamed. Don't be ashamed of your God. Don't be ashamed of me either.

Fifth disqualification. His proclivity to give up. Maybe that's one of yours. His proclivity to say enough is enough, which is folded up. It's too much.

Timothy was like that. That's why Paul wrote in 2 Timothy the first seven verses. We won't take the time to read it. But 2 Timothy chapter 2, the first seven verses, check it out sometime. He wrote to Timothy to remind him not to give up. He said, a soldier keeps going, an athlete keeps running, a hard-working farmer keeps going until he reaches the crops. You're not going to quit, are you, Timothy? You're not going to lay down in the middle of the track.

At some point, you have to pass this baton off, too. You can't give up now. I have to urge you to keep going.

Well, that's a few. That's a few of Timothy's disqualifications for ministry. Physically sick, naturally timid, too young by general standards, a tendency to be ashamed by the gospel and prone to give up. Certainly, God could never use such a pot.

Oh, yes, he could. And yes, he did. God knew he could use Timothy. He could fulfill an incredible ministry. Timothy had to believe it, though, didn't he? He had to believe it first. Paul called Timothy his true son in the faith, left him an emphasis to oversee the congregation there, and he said to Timothy before he left, If you continue in these instructions that I've given you, you can be a good minister of Jesus Christ, he said. You can be a good minister.

But you say, well, that's good and well. But isn't Paul speaking about Pastor Timothy and his ministry? I'm not sure if Paul would say that about me. You say, non-pastor, I'm not ordained.

He would never say that of me, that I could be a good minister of Jesus Christ.

Well, I believe he would. I believe if Paul were here today, he would encourage you the same way, that you, too, can be a good minister of Jesus Christ.

And I'll prove it to you. I'll prove it to you. With the time we have left, I want to introduce you to a few of Timothy's fellow brothers and sisters in ministry, in the ministry of Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that empowered Timothy and Paul. I'd like to introduce you to a few servants who never obtained the position of pastor, elder, or deacon, individuals who never had a letter written to them.

But they most certainly were good ministers of Jesus Christ. So I'd like to draw your attention to Romans 16. Romans 16.

Romans 16. You know, this chapter of Romans is one where you may have scanned through very quickly, and maybe you've even heard some sermons finished with the last verse of chapter 15.

But if that was the case, what happened was a very valuable piece was left to the side here. In Romans 16, there's a vital section of scripture here for us, because part of it consists of a series of greetings that I'd like to take just a moment to share with you. Let's read this. Let me read chapter 16 of Romans. Let's start with the first four verses here. Let's read about Paul and Timothy's fellow brothers and sisters in the ministry.

He says, I commend to you, Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the church in Kincria, that you may receive her in the Lord in a worthy manner of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you. For indeed, she has been a helper of many, and of myself also. Verse 3, Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise, greet the church that is in their home. Let's stop there. Now, what I'd like to do is highlight these words of greeting, and we notice, first of all, that Paul is concerned to greet this lady of a Phoebe. He would like her to receive his greeting. It's an estimation that Phoebe was perhaps given charge in delivering this letter to the Church of Rome. This letter of commendation here, it was actually essential at that time when individuals were given this responsibility, and they traveled from one congregation to the next, that if they were unknown to the fellowship, they would give this commendation of this sort. And we estimate that, that she was entrusted with this responsibility. It's just an estimation, though, because we really don't know anything about Phoebe apart from this brief mention, apart from these few words.

Ah, but what words they are.

Look at these words here. Look what it says. You know, concrea, it was on the eastern seaport of the city of Corinth, about nine miles apart, and we see that she was a servant at her other congregation.

And notice additionally here, he says, our sister, you know, he's not referring to the physical relationship, of course.

She was a sister in the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father, part of the God family, through faith in Jesus Christ. And he says, I want you to receive her in that special way, as part of the family.

And we can look around this morning. We're brothers and sisters. Well, you can consider Phoebe as one of your sisters. She was a servant of the church. In verse 2 it says, for indeed she was a helper of many and a helper to myself also. And this was a time of great distress for the church in need. She was doing her part.

And there are so many responsibilities. Think about it for a moment. Here in our church family, and how we are sustained, quickened, developed, stimulated in so many ways by the presence of such women.

And it's not without significance. Phoebe's mentioned first in this letter of commendation. And look at these words. Sister, servant, helper.

Does that describe your ministry? Your ministry.

And you go to verse 3. He now describes this wonderful couple here. The cause to be thankful, he says, he describes Priscilla and Aquila. And actually, Priscilla and Aquila have a little bit more notoriety. They're actually mentioned in the Acts, in the Acts of the Apostles. And we find out that they shared the same occupation as Paul. They were, this couple was tent makers, just like Paul was. And he says, greet them, Aquila and Priscilla, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. Fellow workers, verse 4, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but the churches, the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise, greet the church that is in their house. It must have been some couple that he was grateful, so grateful to. And even the whole church, all the churches, rejoiced when they heard their names. Faithfulness. Quite a ministry. And let's just take a moment to look at a little snapshot of their ministry. Keep your finger here in Romans, but turn with me to Acts 18. We're going to come right back to Romans, but Acts 18, in verse 24 through 28. This was an incredible couple.

See if this is your ministry. See if it could be. Acts 18, in verse 24 through 28. And we're going to get to this couple in just a moment, but we're going to talk first here and look first at a certain Jew named Apollos here. Acts 18, verse 24.

It says, Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born in Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately in the things of the Lord. Though he only knew the baptism of John. So maybe there was a part he wasn't educated on. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the Brethren Road, exhorting the disciples to receive him, and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace. For he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. So here's this man, Apollos, on a trajectory to do a great work for Jesus Christ and God the Father. He began to speak boldly in the synagogues.

He was speaking accurately.

But maybe he was missed in just a small part that would help him in his ministry. So who comes along? Aquila and Priscilla. Give them maybe a little bit more depth. Maybe have you thought about this?

Invited him to their home, explain the way of God more accurately. That was their ministry. What kind of ministry was it? They opened their homes and opened their Bibles. It was a ministry of an open home and an open Bible.

Maybe that's to be your ministry.

Paul just commends them. Let's go back to Romans 16.

And they were fearless. We're not told of that particular incident here in Romans. But it's amazing that Paul said they risked their lives for me as well.

They risked their lives for me. That's what he says in Romans 16 verse 4. So their ministry, faithfulness, fearlessness, and fellowship.

Faithfulness, fearlessness, and fellowship. Why read these commendations? Why?

It's because of the undisputable fact that God's ministry is about the Priscillas and the Aquillas. And it's about the Thebes.

For whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies. According to the effective working by which every part does its share. Causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

These greetings here ought to be a great encouragement and a great prompting. A great prompting for us all. And he goes on and he mentions these others. Verse 5 through 16. It just conveys how deeply Paul was thankful. And he knew to whom to give credit and who were his fellow ministers. And in this ministry of Jesus Christ, second part of verse 5. I think it's important to take the time to read this. Give them honor.

He says, greet my beloved Epinatus, who was the first fruit of Achaia to Christ. He was the first in the fellowship there of Achaia. You might be the first in a particular fellowship in your congregation. Paul didn't forget him. In fact, I bet he prayed for him quite often. Verse 6, meet Mary, who labored much for us. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen, in other words, my relatives. Look what it says about these individuals, these brothers and sisters. My fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

Greet and Playas, my beloved in the Lord. Beloved means, I love them. So he says, I love and Playas. Greet your Banas, our fellow worker in Christ, Stachas, my beloved. Greet, Appellas approved in Christ. Greet those who are in the household. The Aristobulus, Greet Herodian. Again, my relative, my countrymen. Greet those who are in the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord.

Greet Trophina and Traphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. A lot of women on this list, you'll notice. A lot of women. Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord. And here's a wonderful note. Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

In other words, Paul's saying, she was like a mother to me. If you've ever lost a mother, I'm sure you picked up many more in the Church, haven't you?

Greet Asynchridus and Phlegon, Hermas, Petrovus, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. Greet Phila-Lokas, Phila-Lokas, easy for me to say, and Julia, Narcissus, and his sister, and Olympus, and all the saints who are with them. Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you. Then down in verse 21-23, it's reciprocal. Timothy, my fellow worker, and Lucius, Jason, and so Pippeter, my countryman, greet you. Tertius, who wrote this epistle, he was the scribe here, he was the secretary, if you will. He says, I, Tertius, I wrote this letter down, I greet you as well. Gaius, Gaius was the person who hosted, often it says, the host of the whole church. Is that your ministry?

Erotus, Erestus, the treasurer of the city greet you. Quartus, a brother, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. I wanted to read that with you. Frankly, I wish the names would have been a little bit easier to pronounce, but, you know, I hope you're grateful to hear the names of these fellow brothers and sisters in the ministry. Many of whom we know nothing about, except here in chapter 16.

Brothers and sisters who never made the bright lights of the epistles, if you will. It's a reminder to us that the issue is not whether we're prominent or unknown, big job, little job, up front, in the back, seen or unseen, shy or outgoing, sick or strong, young or old. It's not even whether you're ashamed of the Gospel sometimes, and you fight through it.

The fact is, at your baptism, there was not only God's Holy Spirit placed in you, but a ministry was given to you on that day as well. Paul no doubt knew who truly sustained the Church, and it's true today. Here's the conclusion I want to leave you with. There's a ministry for Jesus that no one else can do but you. Ask yourself, what is the growth procedure in which Jesus Christ set in motion? The early Church grew tremendously without Church buildings, even without mass evangelistic campaigns. That's not to degrade Church buildings or mass campaigns. They have their part. Absolutely. But I wonder, if you ask Jesus Christ, what is the primary way to reach the people? I wonder if He would say to them, it is the continual working of the hidden parts. Those to whom names have never been written about. Jesus may say, you don't know them, but I do. And they're good ministers, am I? They're good ministers.

When we think of ministry, don't think in terms of pastoral development. Don't think of yourself as riding in a bus.

Let's realize God wants to use you. And you've been given a ministry to fulfill in His Church.

Rise each day and ask the Father, say, O Lord, use me today. Use me today. Keep me in my job, take me out of it. Keep me in this home, take me out of it. Use me. And let me tell you, Father, I'm fully aware of my inadequacies.

My frailty, my fear, it marks so much of me.

But I know what else marks me. I've been with Jesus. I've been with Jesus Christ, and He's still with me.

May I encourage you this morning to see that God has a unique and special purpose for you in His Church. So find it. Find it and fulfill it.

Jesus is coming back soon. The time is short. The world looks a little bit dark. So let's get to it.

Let's get to it and fulfill our ministry.