Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. Paul understood that the saints
are completely equal in the authority of their function in the church.
This is why he exhorted those who were called to be elders
to lead by example rather than power. Feed the flock of God,
which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint,
but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, neither
as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.
We are certain that the Church of Jesus Christ has one King
and that He has delegated His authority to all of His children
alike. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness and
the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of
the earth, unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins
in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God
and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.
Amen. The manifestation of certain
types of gifts does not give grounds for a man to be lifted
up in some midst of the church any more than the lack of those
particular gifts should relegate him to some secondary tier of
importance, as to the ministry of the saints. Many equate the
work of the ministry, which Paul mentions in Ephesians 4.12, to
the gift of preaching and teaching. A thorough study of the passage
and its context reveals that the gifts of teaching and preaching
are for the purpose of instructing the saints in general, that they
might in turn understand and be equipped to perform the work
of the ministry one to another. The body is edified and knit
together by that which every joint supplied. Only as every
joint is performing that ministry to which they are called is the
church knit together. This means that the ministry
cannot be simply preaching and teaching, but must consist of
something else which is supplied even by those who are not given
verbal gifts. We have no desire to minimize
the blessing and importance of sound teaching and preaching
among the saints of God. This is a vital gift and calling
which the Church must not neglect nor consider in any less importance
than that which the Scriptures plainly set forth, as the Lord
has seen fit to commit it to faithful men. But speak thou
the things which become sound doctrine. Yet we find that the
spoken testimonies of the saints and recounting the dealings of
the Lord with them are often as timely and useful as those
messages which are the result of labor in word and doctrine.
Those are meant for the encouragement of the saints. Let the redeemed
of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the
enemy. The Lord teaches His children every day in the trials, failures,
and triumphs of daily life, and it is unfortunate that some regard
these lessons as inferior to those which are gained by exposition
of the Holy Scriptures, and give minimal opportunity or encouragement
for the sharing of them in the congregation of the saints. One
should not replace the other, nor should either be neglected.
Then Samuel took a stone and called the name of it Ebenezer,
saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. Yet there is another
form of ministry of the saints one to another, which is equally
as important as any other, and is often not considered as ministry
at all. These ministries may be the most
powerful of all, since they don't involve the tongue, which, according
to the scriptures, is set on the fire of hell. This nonverbal
ministry is not about words, but is about a true demonstration
of the power of the Holy Ghost, as His work is manifest in those
in whom He works both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
This is a manifestation that his people are doers of the word
and not hearers only. For as the body without the spirit
is dead, so faith without works is dead also. This non-verbal
ministry is first demonstrated as the saints of God give proper
regard unto the declaration of the Lord that said, Where two
or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the
midst of them. Those who value the presence
of Christ cannot neglect or forsake the assembling of the saints
without neglecting a meeting with Christ himself, if they
indeed believe that what he said is true. This desire to assemble
with the saints also demonstrates to those who gather regularly
the mutual love, esteem, and respect that each has for the
other in valuing their fellowship above the activities, cares,
and attractions of this world. Together they can enjoy the presence
of Christ in a fashion which is unique. The gathering of the
saints is a testimony to the faithfulness of God to keep his
own from falling, as each is reminded by the presence of the
others that some have not forsaken the faith once delivered to the
saints. The children of God are exhorted to bear one another's
burdens, and it is in this assembly that those burdens are made known
and shared as each one feels his brother's pain and with him
bears apart. This is perhaps the greatest
ministry which the saints can perform to one another, and is
a clear demonstration of action which manifests the true children
of God. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.