Most careers that men undertake
require a certain amount of know-how in the craft or practice of that
profession. Most lawyers have a minimum of
seven years of training in the liberal arts and in the study
of the law itself. The majority of doctors spend
at least eight years in training before they are considered competent
in the practice of medicine. Then they must continually educate
themselves about new techniques, medical equipment, medicines,
changes in the law, etc. Even those crafts which are considered
blue-collar jobs require that those who would succeed therein
have a certain level of expertise and ability. Those who are willing
to apply themselves to improving their skills and becoming more
proficient in their understanding and ability usually gain the
admiration of those less skilled in these endeavors. All of the
natural employments of men and their ability to profit from
them depend upon their know-how and aptitude to carry out the
tasks which they are assigned to do. Thus it would naturally
occur to men that those who are called to the ministry of the
saints should of necessity undergo specialized training in order
to be proficient and efficient in that undertaking. The first
error that occurs in this line of thinking, however, is in assuming
that the ministry of the saints is to be undertaken only by a
select few with certain oratorical gifts, when the scripture indicates
that the ministry of the saints is to be undertaken by each member
of the body, as every joint supplies that which the body lacketh.
The second error is that ministry is the product of men, rather
than completely of the supply of God's grace. Somewhere in
the sojourn of the Lord's people through this low land of sin
and sorrow, it became the norm to equate the work of the ministry
to the preaching or declaration and teaching of the scriptures.
Now it is indeed true that the exercise of such gifts are a
work of the ministry, as the Lord uses them to build up the
saints for the work of the ministry. The work of the ministry, however,
is not limited to a few with a certain skill set, but is rather
the activity of each member of the body, seeking the benefit
of the other members of the body. The scriptures exhort the saints
to bear one another's burdens, to esteem one another above themselves,
and to build one another up in the most holy faith. Since the
saints are members one with another in the body of Christ, they are
exhorted to love one another. to pray for one another, to watch
over one another, to distribute their wealth among the saints
as necessity might arise. We are indeed our brother's keeper. These things are the true work
of the ministry. as each seeks his brother's welfare. To limit our understanding of
the work of the ministry to the teaching gifts is to have a sterile
view of what the true work of the ministry actually is, and
results in the exaltation of certain individuals above the
rest of the body, which is not healthy for them or the body,
since man is naturally filled with pride and desires the accolades
of others. This practice also lessens the
esteem that each member of the body is to have for one another,
since deference is paid to a few. There is absolutely no place
for individual glory in one's accomplishments before God. Each
must confess that we have nothing, and we are nothing, apart from
that which Christ is pleased to do. For it is God which worketh
in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure. He is our
sufficiency as He stands as our Redeemer who has obtained our
eternal redemption. He is our sufficiency as He is
pleased to give His people faith in such time as He calls them
out of darkness and into the light. He is our sufficiency
as He unfolds the promise of His calling of His own sheep
by name. He is our sufficiency as He teaches
His people and makes known the truth to them. He is our sufficiency
as He makes His people holy, even as He is holy, which holiness
cannot be improved upon or enhanced. He is our sufficiency as He is
risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of them that
slept. He is our sufficiency in all things. Who or what is
your sufficiency? If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at 4the4 at windstream.net.