Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. ; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. Spiritual gifts are revealed and recognized in the context of serving. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. pdf, 5.33 MB. Paul doesnt say, Play the good Sunday School picnic, but fight the good fight. The ministry is spiritual warfare. When the pastor heard it, he said to his son, Keep close to God, keep close to men, and bring the two together. Wise counsel for faithful Christian service! Amen. Jehovah's Witnesses and 'the Faithful and Discreet Slave'. Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. Answer To be faithful is to be reliable, steadfast and unwavering, and the Bible speaks of this type of faithfulness in four ways: as an attribute of God, as a positive characteristic of some people, as a characteristic that many people lack, and as a gift of the Holy Spirit. Pauls line of reasoning here is similar (although simpler and more abbreviated) to his comments in Romans 1:18-32 and his sermon to the Athenians (Acts 18:22-31). I need adequate time to read and think and pray, or I begin to feel drained. But he answered them, You see all these, do you not? We all have rebelled against Gods rightful rule and we all deserve His judgment. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. We also invite congregational input, so that if anyone knows a reason why a man should not be an elder, they can bring that to our attention. And with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. When the master returned from a long absence, he rewarded his two faithful servants and said to each of them, "Well done, good and faithful servant! Elders should normally be old enough to have the wisdom that comes from years of living. If anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. Two cautions are in order at this point: (1) Dont sit around waiting for some special revelation of your gift. Others bail out when they catch criticism (which you will!). Maybe we can use it later to tell them about Christ, since they will then respect us. If that temptation flitted through their minds, they immediately cut it off. You go on Sunday and sit and watch while the pros perform. Along with her father-in-law, Terah, husband, Abraham, and nephew, Lot, Sarah moved far away from home.Twice. On rare occasions, it may have to go before the church and result in formal excommunication, with the prayer and aim of restoration. As faithful servants, their spontaneous response was to point people away from themselves and toward the living God, to whom we all must one day give an account. In the Bible, the term Servant of the Lord has been applied to individual people, certain . Youre under orders. May we imitate them so that someday we will hear our Savior welcome us into heaven with the words, Well done, good and faithful servant!. Paul himself, as soon as he was saved, began preaching Christ in Damascus. Besides, it is great to know that a sending church is praying for you and your work. For they preach, but do not practice. That wasnt a fun assignment, especially for someone of Timothys timid disposition, so he was probably tempted to look for a more peaceful situation. While there may be some helpful methods, I tend to avoid such techniques like the plague. OpenBible.info The ministry is a sacred trust to be obeyed. O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. Second, God in His inscrutable wisdom knows how people would have responded if they had had the revelation that others have had, and He will judge each person according to His wise justice. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Donald Guthrie writes, Timothy is solemnly reminded that the ministry is not a matter to be trifled with, but an order from the commander-in-chief (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, The Pastoral Epistles [Eerdmans], p. 67). The word shows that ministry is always in the context of warm personal relationships. On the return journey, Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting (14:23). But you will catch criticism if you attempt to serve the Lord. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. But the ministry is not an institution. R What will a little mistake like that hurt for a while? Gifts are always revealed in the context of serving. M Paul exhorts Timothy to keep faith and a good conscience. Faith is probably a broad reference both to doctrine and to belief. This is somewhat similar to my first point, that a faithful servant points people to the living God, not to himself. A faithful Christian servant loves his Heavenly Father and strives to follow Jesus. But it must be done if people are going to grow in Christ and if the body of Christ is going to reflect His holiness and love. Knowing and following these seven principles of ministry will help you to be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ: A little boy went to his first day at first grade. But he answered them, You see all these, do you not? Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. To serve the Lord faithfully, you must understand and follow these principles of ministry: Paul says (1:18), This command . Its the same word used in verses 3 and 5, and refers to the command to promote sound doctrine by confronting the false teachers and their doctrines. Usually there is a correlation between physical age and spiritual maturity. Paul says (1:18), "This command .." It's the same word used in verses 3 and 5, and refers to the command to promote sound doctrine by confronting the false teachers and their doctrines. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. And he is to walk uprightly. But whatever the lesson, no disciple of Christ will be exempt from trials. The ministry is people building into the lives of people who build into the lives of people. Some shipwreck their faith. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 2 Timothy 2:13 Helpful Not Helpful Does this contradict the principle of pointing people to God, not to himself? A pastor had a son who felt Gods calling to follow in his dads footsteps. Many rich people put in large sums. Im not belittling them. 25:21 ). Ill bet that if someone new in the church asked, Who is your minister? most of you would reply without a thought, Steve Cole is our minister. Do you know what you should reply? Paul says that he entrusts this command to Timothy. So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. Timothy probably felt like that as he faced the task of confronting the false teachers in Ephesus. Since there was no synagogue, Paul probably preached the gospel in the open marketplace. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. What does this teach us about Gods protection as we serve Him? In light of the many needs in the world, is it wrong to take time off from ministry. Z, His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant. The word appointed (Acts 14:23) in Greek meant to approve by a show of hands in a congregational meeting (Simon Kistemaker, Acts [Baker], p. 525). I will put you in charge of many things. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. So when these mysterious visitors insisted that they were mere mortals, not gods, the people were really bummed out! I dont know whether Jesus will speak English when I stand before Him someday, or whether He will give me the ability to understand Hebrew or Aramaic, or whatever language is spoken in heaven. Men invent myths, like the ancient Greek mythology and the modern myth of evolution, to dodge their accountability to the Creator. Then he went away. Many rich people put in large sums. And he called him and said to him, What is this that I hear about you? But they never get involved in serving. Schedule time each week and each year for renewal in body and soul. 16 But he sternly warned them not to make him known. Why do you think this is so? Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. If he had been allowed to continue, I believe that Paul would have urged his audience to repent of their idolatry and would have told them of the Savior who died and rose from the dead (see Acts 18:30-31), but he got cut off when they angrily dispersed. Although God did not give them His written revelation, as He did with the Jews, yet He did not leave Himself without a witness. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. How important is it to know your spiritual gift? If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. God may not direct you to go to a foreign country. His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9), they probably did so in conjunction with the participation of the local members. He later reminds the Galatians (these very churches) that he bore on his body the brand-marks of Jesus (Gal. Hardly a week goes by without my receiving a flyer promising me proven techniques to increase attendance in this church. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Even after getting stoned, Paul didnt give up. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. If such a person falls, there are usually a lot of others who fall as well. Matthew 12:15-21 (NET Bible) 15 Now when Jesus learned of this, he went away from there. He had broken the hard ground by his years of labor, but others saw the visible fruit. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. But theres one more thing--I hope to hear from my Lord someday the words, Well done, good and faithful servant.. Note that Timothys fight was against men who were in the church. It would be absolutely tragic to hear, I never knew you. The testimony of creation is sufficient to condemn people for their rebellion against God, but it is not sufficient to save them. When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, Do you understand what I have done to you? As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: For you were called to freedom, brothers. One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. Churches need adequate organization so that the life is preserved. Enter into the joy of your master.. Some think that Paul may have had his out-of-body experience of being caught up into the third heaven at this time (2 Cor. Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus to confront some false teachers who were leading people astray through their wrong teaching from the Law. I trust that Im not reading too much into the text here, but Luke notes that Paul and Barnabas spent a long time with the disciples (14:28). Sometimes He permits the enemy to afflict us to teach us to put on the full armor of God and stand firm. At any rate, these men were apparently church leaders who were involved in some sort of sin (violation of conscience) as well as doctrinal errors. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Paul mentions two examples by name, Hymenaeus and Alexander. For it is not an enemy who taunts me then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me then I could hide from him. His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. In His patience, God did not destroy them in their sin. Luke reports the gist of what either Paul or Barnabas shouted out to the crowd (14:15-17). This point is in the context of Paul and Barnabas reporting to the church. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. Blog, A And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. What are some warning signs of burnout? Why did God let all of these nations go for centuries without hearing the gospel? Without digressing for too long, consider the following. But you, O Lordhow long? Paul uses the same expression when dealing with the Corinthian man who was openly committing adultery with his fathers wife (1 Cor. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. "It will be more tolerant for Sodom and Gomorrah than for this generation.". It was probably a year to a year and a half before Paul left on the second journey, although this included the visit to Jerusalem for the council. In some places Paul and Barnabas did not see as much response as in other places. Who signed me up for this, anyway? The Lord did! See, I have made five more.' 21 d His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Some Christians study the lists of spiritual gifts and pray that God will reveal their gift to them. Jesus says, "Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives" ( Matt. When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified. Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Probably the apostles knew that if they preached openly again in these cities where they recently had been driven out, they would be killed and their missionary labors would come to an end. Elder looks at the spiritual maturity of the man. G 21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! But if He is speaking English, I will be watching His lips and hoping that I see them forming a W. I want to hear, Well done, good and faithful servant. Now the Lord said to Abram, Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. From 1977-1992 he was the pastor of Lake Gregory Community Church in Crestline, California. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. Proverbs 28:20 Helpful Not Helpful A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished. After all, thats what theyre paid to do, isnt it? Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. Scripture references for quick Bible . The ministry involves unpleasant tasks at times. Seven Marks of a Godly Servant Brad Archer You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. What often happens in the local church is that ministry becomes institutionalized instead of being personalized. Its so much more comfortable just to keep the institution functioning. You cant give out what you dont possess. "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord," was the master's reply ( Matt. You can do things that I cant do as well, because I dont have your gifts and personality. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (v. 34). If we are faithless, he remains faithful for he cannot deny himself. A servant of God is willing to submit their own plans, desires and rights to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit. The apostles were traveling evangelists who established new churches through their preaching. Going where He leads often comes at a cost, but a servant of God pays it willingly. Paul and Barnabas are given to us as examples of faithful servants. See, I have gained five more.'. Satan cant cause Christ to fall, but he can work on leaders who have a lot of people looking to them for growth. C All of these problems could be solved if people would realize that the ministry to which God has called each one of us is a lifetime campaign against a powerful enemy. Satan shoots real bullets! What are you doing, son of my womb? For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.. In Matthew 11:20-24, Jesus reproached the cities where He had performed miracles, but they did not repent. On the way back through Perga, where for some reason (perhaps the controversy over Marks departure, 13:13) they had not been able to preach on the outward journey, they spoke the word when they went back through there (14:25). And he said to them, If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.. If youre so busy doing your own thing that you dont have time to serve the Lord, youre too self-focused. It makes me confront the sin in my heart and be alert to spiritual danger. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. It shall not be so among you. The reason ministry tends to become institutionalized is that were threatened by people. If you do not repent of your sins and trust in Christ, God will judge you according to the light that He has shown you!. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1976 in Bible exposition) and Califo More. Elders are to have oversight of the flock, to make sure that people are growing in godliness and that the church is doctrinally sound. This is where he calls us to practice, cultivate . And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.. Labs He makes me lie down in green pastures. This means that when he makes choices of what to do in his life, he chooses what Jesus would choose and goes where Jesus would go. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her., And Jesus called them to him and said to them, You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. G You should say, Which minister did you have in mind? Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. Paul often urged others to follow his example (1 Cor. He preached the gospel to them so that they would turn from the worship of vain idols to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them. From 1977-1992 he was the pastor of Lake Gregory Community Church in Crestline, California. As your gift emerges, it should define your primary focus for ministry. The word fight signifies a campaign rather than a single battle. To change the metaphor it is a marathon race, not a hundred yard dash. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? And Jesus answered them, See that no one leads you astray. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. In the parable of the talents, God says to the man who traded 5 talents and obtained 5 more: "Well done, good and faithful servant. 5:5). God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. We need to develop the attitude that says, Even if _____ (whoever you admire spiritually) falls away from the faith, Im going to keep serving the Lord Jesus.. Paul had delivered them over to Satan. What does he mean? Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness" ( Matt. But me? Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. Bible Answer: The phrase "good and faithful servant" occurs only two times in the New Testament. One more sickness you refuse to recognize. Is it not the one who reclines at table? Geocoding One of the biggest mistakes that churches make is to put men into leadership who are not spiritually qualified, mature men of God. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. In verse 16, Paul anticipates an objection from his audience: We have served what you call vain idols for centuries, and life has not been so bad. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 6:17), probably referring to scars that he suffered from this harrowing incident. Is burn out avoidable? pdf, 8.68 MB. We could probably come up with a dozen or more marks of faithfulness, but I will limit myself to seven: Lystra was a small town about 20 miles south-southwest of Iconium. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. God doesnt call for volunteers. If He does not work, there will be no fruit. And then will I declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness..
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