Ministry is a Calling

Is the ministry a calling? You know, sometimes I come across people and they say, I've attended a course, a seminar, a Bible course, or whatever it is, and I've got a diploma that I've got this theology degree and I want to start my own church. Is that how you become a minister of Jesus Christ? What does the Bible tell us about the subject? Today's sermon is about that and I'm going to look at a number of scriptures in the Bible so in a sense we could say it is more like a Bible study so we'll be looking at quite a few scriptures and we're going to look at it from the point of view. Is ministry a calling from God or not? And if it is, how is it communicated to you? Is it because you had a dream or you had a vision and you know you had it so it's very real to you so it's a real personal experience but is that how God calls today? Or is it through Christ's authority, Him being the head of the church and Him inspiring His servants in the church to aspire it to ordain? You see, it is a very important question because today we live in an age where a lot of people self-appoint themselves ministers of Jesus Christ and we need to understand this question. There's even some people that say, I'm a believer in the church for a long time. I have been in the church for a long time. In fact, you can see my gray hair. I'm an I'm an older person. I'm an elder. Therefore, I'm an elder in the church. And therefore, I'm a minister. I joke not. I have encountered people like that. Or, again, is it those that are ordained by God for that responsibility? Now, some people turn to 1 Timothy 3, verse 1, and if we look at it, 1 Timothy 3, verse 1, where it basically says it's a good thing to desire a responsibility in a ministry. 1 Timothy 3, verse 1. Let me read. This is a faithful sign. If Amanda desires the position of a bishop, the position of an elder of leadership in the church, and then he says he desires a good work.

So, does that mean, therefore, because you desire, you are a minister, and you now self-appoint yourself a minister? Or does it mean, because you desire, you better be preparing yourself in case God calls you to do that, that you are prepared? Well, I'll get others. I've come across that as well.

I've come across that in Brazil, and I've come in the Brevard Angola, came across it in Angola as well. And it says, they say, I'm a pastor in this XYZ church. I've got a number of followers, and we believe now that we've got to keep the Sabbath, and I'm bringing all these people into God's church. And because they are my flock, I want you in the church to accept me as a pastor, now as I'm in the church. Is that how it works?

Because the person says, I was called, I'm a pastor, so just recognize me as one of your pastors. Is that the way all this works? So, brethren, we want to go through that today. It is a very serious topic, because it's not a topic I usually like to talk about.

But let's understand a couple of things. That the ministry is a calling. Then, how do we know that you've been called? And how do you know you've ordained? What is the process? And what are some of the responsibilities of the ministry? And last but not least, what should our response as lay members be to the ministers? A lot of stuff to cover, and as I said, I intend to put our noses quite a bit in the Bible. So, in first place, indeed, to be a minister of Jesus Christ, it is a calling. Let's start in Acts 20. Acts 20. Acts 20.

And let's read in verse 24 first. But none of these things move me, nor do I count my life, dear to myself, so that I may finish my race. And the ministry which I received. The ministry which I received. Now, the word ministry is actually an act of service, the Akunea. It's an act of service that I received from the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

And look at it also in verse 28. Therefore, take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the church of God. Now, in the context, Acts 20, as you know, it's Paul, as he was on his third mission trip, and he was coming back to Jerusalem, and there after that, as you know, he went into jail.

But as he was coming back, and he called the elders from Ephesus, those were ministers, appointed ministers in Ephesus, and he was telling them, hey, you're not going to see me again. And then in verse 28, he's telling the elders, take heed to yourselves and all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit, so God's Holy Spirit, it's inspired the ministry to appoint other ministers, as we'll see a little later, has made you overseers.

In other words, Episcopos, which is those that have a responsibility to shepherd the church of God, which Christ, he purchased with his own blood. So Paul received the responsibility of being a minister, and he also says the others that are ministers also received it through Christ, obviously, through God's Holy Spirit as well.

Let's look at a few other scriptures to back that up. In Romans chapter 1, Romans chapter 1, verse 1, at the introduction of the epistle to the Romans, Paul says, Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle. He was called to be an apostle, separated to the Gospel of God. So there is a special calling, a special responsibility, a postulist, to be apostle. The Greek word is apostolos, 652, which is the messenger, the delegated one. Likewise, in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 1, again, he's in introduction to the first epistle in Corinthians.

He says, Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God. So it's Paul writing to them as well as Sosthenes, our brothers, also writing to them. So both are writing this letter. But Paul is saying he was called to be an apostle through the will of God. So now we can see there's a will of God that is besides who it is.

That goes through the head, which is Christ, he is the head of the church, and Christ then inspires his ministry through God's Holy Spirit to select amongst those that are qualified to be ordained as elders. And we'll look at more of that in a moment. But I'm just giving you the summary of how it works. Let's also look in 2 Corinthians chapter 3.

2 Corinthians chapter 3. And we're going to read verse 6. 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 6. Talking about, he says, God who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant. So God made us ministers. God made us. God put us in that responsibility of ministers, of servants, of diaconos, as it is there, the word diaconos, of this new covenant, this new agreement. 1 Timothy. Now, as you know, the epistles of Timothy and Titus are epistles to elders. 1 Timothy was an epistle, just like 2 Timothy, like Titus, was what we call pastoral epistles. In other words, they were specifically written to ministers in the church.

Sure, a lot of principles that are equally applicable to us, no questions about it, but these three epistles, 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, were written to ministers. In this case, it was written to Timothy. He's a minister, which Paul had laid his hands on, and he had been ordained a minister. So, yeah, we read in 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 12, where Paul is saying, and I thank Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has enabled me because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.

So, time and time again, we see, yeah, that Paul was put into the ministry. It was not something that he woke up one day and he said, I've had a dream, I have a vision, and I'll be a minister. He was called and appointed, and you know the story about he was on the road to Damascus, and he was struck down, and then he had to get the information from another servant of Jesus Christ about how to go further. So, there is this delegated authority within the spiritual organism, which is the Church of God, the body of Christ. Let's look at Christ in the Church. Christ's own words, and that's in John 15 verse 16, when he was selecting the apostles. In John 15 verse 16. As you know, John 15 is that section, starting from chapter 13, after the foot washing, and then when Christ spoke to his apostles, that they went together, until he went to the Garden of Gethsemane, and where he was betrayed. So, it's that period of time, after the Passover ceremony and the foot washing, when he lectured, or he gave a message to the apostles. And so, that is from the middle of chapter 13, all the way to chapter 17, which is his prayer. So, in John 15, which is that section that he's talking to those that were at the ceremony, he says, he's talking about that I'm divine, and then a little further in verse 16, that's 15-16, he says, you did not choose me. You did not choose me. That's Christ's own words. Now, again, think about 1 Timothy 3 verse 1, which I mentioned. Yes, you want, you desire a position of leadership. It's a good thing to desire. Then, he talks about things that you need to work on yourselves. But, it is God that calls. It is God that chooses. In this specific case, it's God's will and then Christ himself as the capability to choose. And he says, yeah, verse 16, you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you. And you know, when Christ chose the apostles, he went into prayer with the Father, and he was there the whole night, and then he chose the apostles, the 12. And appointed you. So, it's Christ that chose and Christ that appointed them, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain. So, Yahweh have that Christ himself says he made a choice. Greek 1586, eclogomai. And he says, and I appointed, and that is Greek 5087, tephemai, which means I ordained, I appointed.

So, Yahweh is, we can see that it is a calling from God. Now, my question, moving one step further, is how do I know that God is calling me?

Now, I've had an experience with a person in Brazil, which it was a very frightful and serious experience, but this person was explaining to me how he had personally seen the Father and talked to the Father. And certain things he said, I clearly could immediately see this is not from God.

So, when some people come to me and say, I had this vision, I had a string, and therefore it's real to me. Of course it is. You had a vision. Nobody's denying that you did or did not have the vision. Nobody's denying that. But the question is, where did that vision come from?

Now, usually people that have that vision don't like to hear what I'm going to say next. But how do you know that it was a vision from God?

You see, could have been a vision from a lying spirit? You don't know, but you need to check.

Now, let's look at some scriptures about that. The first one we want to look at is 2 Thessalonians 2, 2 Thessalonians 2, 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 7 through 10.

And it says, talking about the mystery of lawlessness at the end time, and he's already at work, and only he will now restrain him, will do so until he's taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth, and destroyeth the brightness of his coming. So he is talking about the false prophet that is going to come, and that Christ's coming, Christ will destroy him. And he's talking then in verse 9, the coming of that lawless one is according to the working of Satan with all power, signs, and lying wonders. So when that false prophet is going to come, he's going to have huge miracles, huge miracles. That's what it says, all power, signs, and lying wonders. Brethren, I hope and pray that you will not be deceived. Because the miracles will be so huge, the power will be so huge, the signs will be so huge, that if it were possible, we'll deceive the very elect. You know that, Matthew 24, right? If it were possible, Matthew 24, I think it's 24, 24. If it were possible, deceive the very elect. Be careful. Now, the point that I'm saying is that he's, that Satan's bag of tricks is not different today. He has many lying wonders.

And we know that he deceives the whole world. We read that in, well, before we go there, I just want to finish reading verse 10. Sorry, and then I'll go and show you with, he deceives the whole world. In verse 10 he says, And with all unrighteous deception, among those who perish. Why? Because they did not love or did not receive the love of the truth. Now, brethren, there's a lot of things that could be the lack of love of the truth. And one of them is not putting the Bible first.

You see, when you start discrediting the Bible, or parts of the Bible, to me is a problem. To me it's a serious problem, because thy word is truth.

And if you're not receiving the word of the truth, and you're discrediting portions of the Bible, to me is a serious problem. But we know that he deceives the whole world. That's Revelation 12, verse 9. Revelation 12, verse 9. Because talking at that time, our Satan, and then he says he's angry, and he's going to come down because he's been kicked out of heaven. And then he says in 12, verse 9, the great dragon was cast out that serpent of old called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. Let's pay attention that it does not say deceives the majority of the people.

It says deceives the whole world.

And that's why we read in Matthew 24, 24, like I mentioned earlier a moment ago, if it were possible, it will deceive the very elect, not just the elect, but the very elect.

Look at the law, Deuteronomy 13. Look at Deuteronomy 13.

Deuteronomy 13. Verse 1 through 3.

If there arises among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, or I have a dream, or I had a vision, I'm not denying that they did or not have the vision. But it says, if it arises among you such a person and gives you a sign or a wonder, and look at verse 2, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass. It happens.

Of which he spoke to you, saying, let's go after other gods which you have not known, and let's serve them. Oh, brethren, to be a deceiver, you have to tell a lot of truth mixed with a little bit of lie.

Remember that. To be a deceiver, you have to tell a lot of truth with a little bit of lie. Because if you're going to tell a lot of lie, people won't believe you. You gotta tell a lot of truth that will really appear right. But all you need is a tiny drop of arsenic, and it's poison, and it'll kill you. But it appears perfect clear water, but there is a tiny drop of arsenic in it. There is the danger. And so it tells something, and it happens.

And that person says something, therefore, because of that, something in the Bible is not true. There's a little deviation from the Bible. Tiny little one, but it is. Verse 3. You shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or of that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. So, there are people who come to me with, as I mentioned, they happen in Brazil more than once, who come to me with these dreams and ideas. And I get people sending me miles, or saying, well, whatever things.

I must admit to you, brethren, that I'm not impressed. At all.

Plain and simply does not impress me.

Particularly when they say, I saw God and I spoke to the Father.

Because, let's look at John chapter 1. John chapter 1 verse 18.

And here is the point. Do we love the truth, and thy word is truth? Or what? John chapter 1 verse 18, it says, And no one has seen God the Father at any time.

The only begotten Son that Jesus Christ who is in the bosom of the Father, in what is God, in a close relationship with the Father, He has declared him. So even in Old Testament, those visions of people seeing God, the being that they saw was the Word, which emptied Himself and became a man and became flesh. Also in John chapter 5 verse 37. John chapter 5 verse 37.

And these are Christ's own words. So if you have a red-letter Bible, they're actually written in red. And it says, And the Father himself, who sent me, that's not what I'm saying, who sent me, that's Christ talking, the Father sent me, as testified of me, you have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.

So, who is lying? Christ or the vision?

Simple. Jeremiah 23. Jeremiah 23.

Verse 21. Yeah, it's talking about woe to the shepherds.

Uh, who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pastor. But look at Jeremiah 23 verse 21. I mean, it's a profound chapter. I recommend you to read all chapter. But just look here at verse 21.

And then one or two other verses that I'm going to cite as well.

And it says, I have not sent these prophets. I have not sent these ministers, so-called ministers. I do not send these so-called pastors. Yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

Look at verse 25 and 26. I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesied lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have a dream.

I think it's very plain what the Bible says. Verse 26. How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed, they are prophets of deceit of their own heart.

Look at verse 31. Behold, I am against the prophets, says the Lord, who use their tongues and say, he says, you know what God says? Verse 32. Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams, says the Lord, and tell them, and cause my people to err by their lives and by their recklessness. Yet I do not send them or command them. Therefore, they shall not profit these people at all.

So how does God today communicate with us?

Look at Hebrews chapter 1. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 1 and 2.

Hebrews chapter 1 verse 1 and 2. God, with sundry times, and in various ways spoken past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by his son Jesus Christ, whom he has appointed heir of all things, through whom he also made the worlds.

How does God speak to us today?

Through the teachings of Jesus Christ and the YAH. Right? YAH. You don't need a vision. You don't need a dream. You just need to believe the truth. Thy word is truth.

As we read in 2 Thessalonians, they did not have the love of the truth.

We read a moment ago in Revelation 12. I want to go back to Revelation 12, but to the last verse of Revelation 12. Revelation 12.

Verse 17.

And the eyes sang, the dragon was furious, enraged with the woman, which is the church. Now, this is the rest of the woman that was not protected. You can see that part of the woman in verse 13 was protected.

As I covered in the Bible studies I did about the book of Revelation, about the letters to the seven churches, and I explained that in detail. So, Satan was furious with the church, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring. Those are the members of the church that were not protected during the Great Tribulation.

And he says, those who keep the commandments of God and the people who keep the commandments of God have the testimony of Jesus Christ. So, these people that were not protected keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

So, why were the others protected? Well, it's a whole different subject, but I've covered that, as I mentioned, in that Bible study of the book of Revelation. But anyway, the point here is they keep the commandments of God. Okay, I think it's clear. They keep the Sabbath. They keep the Holy Days. That's clear. And it says, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

What is the testimony of Jesus Christ? I was in a Bible study with a counseling session with one of the brethren just recently, and then that question came up, and then we looked at Revelation 19 verse 10. Revelation 19 verse 10, at the end of Revelation 19 verse 10, it says, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. So, what is the witness of Jesus? Why did Jesus come? To make it possible for us to be sons and daughters of God, to redeem us with His blood. That is the whole prophecy. The whole prophecy is about Christ coming and opening the door for you and I to be children of God.

So, that is the testimony, the actual witness of Jesus Christ, what He's doing, His acts, and the whole New Testament giving us that understanding of our Christ as bought our lives back, you know, was redeemed us freely, not because of our works, but by His faith, and therefore by He dying and giving His blood for us. That is the whole testimony of Jesus Christ. We have to believe that Christ has this responsibility and He's done this job. And part of what He has done, part of what He has done, is in Matthew 16 verse 18. Look at, obviously, there are many things, but one of them, very importantly, we need to understand is Matthew 16, 18. And Matthew 16, 18, part of what He has done, it says, And I say to you, let's to Peter, or Petros, little stone, that you are Peter, Petros, little stone, and on this rock, petra, big rock, I will build my church. In other words, Christ is a rock, is a foundation, and He's building the church on the rock. And the gates of Hades, of the grave, will never prevail against the church. In other words, the church will never disappear. The church will prevail till the time of the year until Christ comes. And if Christ has built the church, He's using that church as part of His job and His mission and His accomplishments. So, we have seen so far that the ministries are calling, and we've seen that how do you know that there is a calling is not by a dream, but through God's church. Let's look at that in more detail, and that is in Acts 14 verse 23. Acts 14 verse 23.

Because yeah, we see, so when they had appointed elders in every church, who had they that had appointed elders in every church, the ministry, in this case, Paul and Barnabas, they had been ordained and they had gone out and they had appointed, they had passed the baton and they had ordained other men to be elders in the church and prayed with fasting. So, through prayer and fasting, the ministry prays and fast like Christ did when He selected the apostles, and we pray and fast. The ministry prays and fasts, and then we look at the fruits, whether the person is really bearing the fruits of 1st Timothy chapter 3 verse 3, 4, 5, that section of fruits. Make sure that he's not a young person that hasn't got fruits, like it says in verse 6, 1st Timothy 3 verse 6. Make sure that he is a person that has proven over time. And then, through prayer and fasting and the guidance of God's Holy Spirit, the ministry is inspired to then ordain another elder. There is a delegated chain of authority from the Father through Christ through the power of God's Holy Spirit to His ministry to then appoint other ministers. That's how a minister is ordained. Look at 1st Timothy chapter 2 verse 7. 1st Timothy chapter 2 verse 7. Here is Paul talking to Timothy, which as I said, it's a pastoral letter, and 1st Timothy chapter 2 verse 7, it says, Paul is saying to Timothy, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle. I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying, a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. So Paul was ordained, was chosen as a minister, and not only as a minister, as a teacher, which is Didaskalos, 1320 in Greek. So he was appointed as a teacher. And then in his letter to Titus, and Titus is another minister that he was writing to, and in Titus chapter 1 verse 5, he says, For this reason I left you in Crete, that means Paul left Titus an elder in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, so put things decently and in order, because in the Church of God things are done decently and in order. And appoint elders in every city as I commanded you. So there is this chain of delegated authority from God through Christ through the power and inspiration of God's Holy Spirit to ministers through prayer and fasting, that they then look at the fruits and they appoint elders in different congregations. And he says, as I commanded you, as I gave you orders.

Look at Ephesians chapter 5, Ephesians chapter 5 verse 21 through 24. And it's talking, I submit to one another in the fear of God, wife submit your husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church, he is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the Church is subject to Christ, let our wives be subject to their own husbands in everything. So, but the point here is talking about this authority in the Church. Now today, today, it's a thing that a lot of lay members say, ah, he's trying to be a leader, he's trying to be, he's got no authority over me, I'll do what I want. I will start my own Church. Brethren, this is happening, and we're going to be careful with that attitude.

There is an authority in the Church, and look at 1 Corinthians chapter 12. 1 Corinthians chapter 12.

1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 18. Verse 18.

But now God has set the members, each one in the body, just as he pleased. God has put brethren, members in the body of Christ, which is the spiritual body of Christ, which is the Church of God, as he pleased. And verse 28. And God has appointed these in the Church, first apostles, second prophets, teachers. After that, miracles, gifts of healings, administrators, varieties of tongues, are all apostles, are all teachers. You see, there is an authority, and it's God that has appointed, that has placed members in the body, and He designated who, which ones, have the authority. Look at also Romans chapter 10. Romans chapter 10 verse 14 and 15. Romans chapter 10 verse 14 and 15.

How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How shall they believe in Him in whom they have not heard? And how shall they year without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Unless they are sent.

Sent by whom? Sent by God, by Christ, through the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit.

They have to be sent. Now, once they're sent, how are they ordained? What is the process? The process is in Acts 13, 1 through 3. Acts 13 verse 1 through 3.

It says, now in the church that was in Antioch, there were certain prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simon, Barnabas, Barnabas, Simon, Lucius, Mayen, and Saul. And as they ministered, they served to the Lord and fasted. So they got together, they prayed, they prayed, and they fasted. The Holy Spirit guided them, inspired them, and He said, now separate to Me, Barnabas, and Saul for the work to which I've called them. So God chose, Christ chose, the Father's will, Christ chose, through God's Holy Spirit, the ministry through prayer and fasting. It says verse 3, then having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, laid hands on them. In other words, through the laying on of hands, they were appointed or ordained ministers of Jesus Christ, through a laying on of hands. Now some people say, oh, I had my hands laid when I was baptized before I'm a minister. No, brethren, it's something else additional. Sure, when you were baptized, hands were laid on you to receive God's Holy Spirit. But verse is an addition to that. This is an addition. Look at 1 Timothy chapter 4 verse 14. 1 Timothy chapter 4 verse 14.

Do not neglect the gift. That's Paul telling Timothy, do not neglect the gift. What gift is that? The gift of God's Holy Spirit. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, that is in Timothy, which was given to you by prophecy. Yeah, that is God's Holy Spirit is given to us by prophecy through or with the laying of the hands of the eldership, the Presbyterian, the ministry, the body of elders, and through, as we do in united, through approval through the Council of Elders. So it goes through that process as well. But there it is that Timothy received the position of leadership as a minister, and it was an additional portion of the Holy Spirit to serve as a minister through the laying of hands. And then Paul is telling Timothy a little bit more. Look in chapter 5. 1 Timothy chapter 5 verse 17. And he says, Let the elders, Perspectros 42-45, who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the ward and doctrine, rule well. You see there's an instruction there that they have a position of rulership in the Church. And a little bit further, in verse 22 of the same chapter, 1 Timothy chapter 5 verse 22 says, Do not lay hands on anyone hastily. In other words, don't just make somebody quickly a minister.

In other words, look at the fruits. Take time. Get counsel. Pray and fast. Take time. In 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 6, again Paul is writing to Timothy. And understand in the context that he's writing to an elder, to Timothy, he's reminding Timothy in chapter 6. Paul is reminding Timothy, Therefore I remind you to stir the gift of God, that extra portion of God's holy spirit that I received as a minister, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. That reminds me of that person I saw in Brazil, that he said he's so God and and this whole thing was about this fear that imposed on him. This pressure that imposed on him and fear. And God is a God of love. Because he was telling me, for instance, that's why people have to be burning in hell forever because so that they will never reject God because they can always see those people suffering forever and therefore they will always remain faithful to God. And he was saying, I've spoken to God and that what God was telling him, that is demonism, brethren. So we have to discern the spirits. We have to discern the spirits. And yeah, in 2nd Timothy, he's saying, stir up the gift of God, which is God's holy spirit, which is spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind. Brethren, this is very important for us to understand. So, so far we've seen ministry is a calling. A ministry is ordained. There is a process through the laying on of hands. And a ministry has responsibilities in the church. In other words, a ministry is accountable to God and has responsibilities. Let's look at 2 Corinthians chapter 10. 2 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 8 through 11. For even if I should boast somewhat about our authority, there is an authority which the Lord gave us, for what purpose? For the building and edification of the church, and not for destruction. The ministry has an authority to build, to encourage, to uplift, to help you, not to destroy you, not to make you feel like a piece of rubbish. Yes, we need to all look at ourselves, examine ourselves like we heard in the sermon, which I appreciate was very good. We all have to examine ourselves. We may start examining ourselves early for the Passover, but our job is to help us all see what we are so that we repent and there is edification in the church. So, there is that authority. That is Hebrew 1849, exusia. That's the right to exert an authority. Look at chapter 13, 2 Corinthians chapter 13, verse 2. He says in verse 2, I've told you before and foretell as if I were present the second time and now being absent, I write to those who have sinned before and to all the rest that if I come again, I will not spare.

Is that words from somebody that has authority or what? It says, I will not spare. Look at verse 10. Finally, therefore, I write these things being absent, less being present, I should use sharpness according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction. It is a very serious position, this position of authority. And when he talks about sharpness, that's succinctly, abruptly. That is curtly. That is a position of authority that he's saying, that's the way. Walk in it. But then in 1 Corinthians chapter 9, verse 13, 1 Corinthians chapter 9, verse 18, Paul is saying, what is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. We've got to use it in a godly manner, not abuse it.

Not abuse my right. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 1. 2 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 23.

2 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 23, Moreover, I call God as a witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. Not that we have dominion over your faith, but we are fellow workers for your joy, for the faith, for by faith you stand. We are fellow laborers for your joy. And what is that joy?

What is that joy? The joy is that you will be in the kingdom with us. That's going to be the joy.

Look at 1 Timothy chapter 4. 1 Timothy chapter 4, verse 6 through 11. 1 Timothy chapter 4, verse 6 through 11.

If you instruct a brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of good doctrine, which you have carefully followed, but reject profane and old wife's tables and exercise yourself towards godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful sign, and worthy of all acceptance. For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, special of those who believe. These things command and teach. Command and teach.

Parangelo 3 8 5 3 command. Look at 1 Peter chapter 5. 1 Peter chapter 5.

1 Peter chapter 5.

1 Peter chapter 5. Verse 1-4. The elders, Praspita Ross, were among you I exhort, I am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed. So, Berea is specifically in this section addressing Adam and his sisters. And he says to them, Shepherd the flock of God, which is among you, serving as overseers, serving as overseers. That is, those that have a responsibility to care and look after, because they are overseers. They are exercising supervision, not by compulsion, but willingly, not for dishonest gain, but eagerly, not being lords over those entrusted to you, but being an example to the flock, being leaders by example.

So, and when the chief shepherd, which is Christ appears, you'll receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

Look at Acts chapter 20. We started reading at that earlier on, but let's just emphasize it again. Acts chapter 20, verse 17 through all the way to 18. As I mentioned in Acts chapter 20, that is the section there that Paul is talking to the ministries from verse 17, the Ephesian elders, and he's telling them certain responsibilities to serve, to do, as it says as bishops, in other words, as Episcopos, which is 1985, a man which has a duty or a right to do the things as they should be. That would be done correctly. I mean, there's other scriptures. Like it says in Titus 2.15, says, exhort, rebuke with all authority, let no one despise you.

So, the minister does have responsibilities in the church. And so, my final point that I want to mention briefly with two scriptures is how do we as members in the church need to respond to the ministry? And that we find in Hebrews chapter 13, verse 7, Hebrews 13, verse 7, which reads, Remember those who ruled over you. Those are the ministers who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow considering the outcome of their conduct. And a little bit later, in verse 17, it says, Obey those who rule over you and be submissive. Oh, the ministry, no ministers are going to ever tell me what to do. I have heard that before, and probably some of you have heard it too. But look at the instruction here. Do we receive the love of the truth? And in verse 17, it says, Obey those who rule over you and be submissive. For they watch out for your souls, you know, for your lives, that's eternal lives, as those who must give account. We as ministers have to give account to God. Look at verse 24. Concluding this chapter, it says, Greet all those who rule over you and all the saints. So, Yah is again, they are those that have responsibilities of rulership. And lastly, in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 12 and 13, it says, And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for all. And admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their works' sake. Be at peace amongst yourselves. And look at verse 25. Brethren, pray for us, which is for the ministry. So, brethren, the ministry of God, of Jesus Christ, is a gift of God to the Church to serve the Church. Ministers are appointed, called, and chosen by God through His ministry, the ministry of Jesus Christ, through prayer and fasting and the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit. A new minister is not self-appointed, nor is he appointed because he had a dream or a vision. God works through His servants. There is authority in the Church. Not all members that are in the Church are ministers. The ministry does need to exert the authority and responsibility that God gives them in love and gentleness. The ministry is there to serve and help the flock of God so that we all can reach the kingdom of God. And the flock, the sheep, need to respect this serving authority voluntarily and pray because we're all helpers of your joy for us all to be the sons and daughters of God. In the kingdom of God.