Grace For The Journey

  We live in a visual society. We are often drawn in by what we see.  This tendency bears on ministry in the life of the Christian: some service is more visible than others. But I’d like to state up front that . . .

Service that is less visible is no less valuable.

Why?

Because it is being done for the glory of our Priceless And Precious Savior.

It is often asked, “Who is more valuable in kingdom work?  Is it the person out front in the place of high visibility?  Or is it the person in the background who often goes unnoticed?”  The answer, of course, should be a source of great comfort and encouragement to the majority of kingdom workers.

Very few are out in front in Christian ministry.  They have not been shaped by God to be in positions of high visibility.  The majority of kingdom servants minister in the background.  But we must always remember that ministry that is more visible is not more valuable.  No matter how humble and hidden the service to our Savior may be, the body of Christ absolutely depends on that service in order to be fully functioning!  The Bible clearly teaches this in 1 Corinthians 12:14-18, “For in fact the body is not one member but many.  If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,’ is it therefore not of the body?  And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,’ is it therefore not of the body?  If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing?  If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?  But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just s He pleased.”

We need the church; but more than that, we need to be the Church.  Of course, this requires a correct understanding of what church is.   A church is not a building, not a club, and not a business.  We do not come to church, we are the church.  The church is not like the country club with perks and privileges. You do not join a church to receive things, such as power, position, or gifts. You join a church in order to honor God and worship Him, learn more about Him and His life in Jesus, to reach out with the Gospel to those who need Christ, and minister to each other.  A church is also not a business. The church is not Burger King where you get it your way.  We are His Church and we do it God’s Way.  So, what is a church?  A church is a living organism.  It can be healthy and it can be sick, and yes, it can even die.  Thousands of churches close their doors each year. Paul used language in this passage to describe a living church.  There are three truths regarding his description we see in this passage: 1) A church is one body with many members, 2) All members are necessary, and 3) Members care and share for one other.

This truth causes us to understand our place and position in the Body of Christ.

It is God who gives us our assignment,

And every person has a perfect place

And portion to serve God.

We need only live it out with

Our eyes steadfastly fixed on Him.

I can tell you from personal experience at First Baptist Church, those behind-the-scenes servants are the glue that holds us all together.

“Less visible” most certainly does not mean “less valuable,”

Because God works through

The different people He has called and gifted

To accomplish His purposes in this world.

So . . . have you been serving in a place of seeming insignificance?  Let me assure you that . . .

There is nothing done for the glory of God

And

The expansion of His kingdom that is insignificant!

Remember, the one thing no one else in the world can be is YOU!  And that makes you indispensable to the expansion of God’s kingdom in this world.  Whether highly visible, less visible, or invisible to the watching world, “visible” does not mean “more valuable” in God’s economy.  It never has . . . and it never will.

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”