One farmer came to his friend and posed a question. “If you had 100 horses, would you give me 10?”
The friend answered whole-heartedly, “Absolutely.”
The farmer continued, “If you had 50 pigs would you give me 5.”
The friend replied without hesitation, “Of course!”
The farmer then asked, “If you had 10 cows, would you give me 1?”
The friend stopped in his tracks and retorted, “Now wait a minute…you know I have 10 cows!”
We are often willing for God to use us in some big way. We will make claims to be willing to serve God on a foreign mission field away from family and friends or serve Him in ministry here in the states – asserting a willing heart to sacrifice time and money. However, we will also often end such thoughts with, “but God has not ever called me to do that.” Perhaps the Lord has not called you or I to serve Him on a foreign mission field; however, we are all called to be the missionary right in our corner of the world (Mark 16:15). We are given opportunities all the time to live the gospel and witness (Matt. 9:37-38), to help the needy (Prov. 19:17; Eph. 4:28), and to minister to the fatherless and widows in their affliction (James 1:27). Yet do we tend to ignore or side-step such ministry that is right in front of us? Busy schedules, comfort zones, and plain old selfishness tend to claim the top reasons for such ministry inactivity. It is easy to state we would serve God if He called us when we truly believe He will not call us to foreign missions. So, the question is worth asking. Are we truly willing to serve God around the world…if we are not serving Him right where we are?
We are clearly in a post-Christian culture.
A 2021 Gallup poll revealed:
church membership dropped below 50%.
36% of millennials identify with a church
67% of Generation Z identify with a church
The organization called FACT (Faith Communities Today) conducted a survey between 2000 and 2020 (pre-COVID). They discovered that the median church service attendance had dropped from 137 people to 65. Those watching these trends believe the data for 2022 will show further decline. The need before us is massive! God has called you and I to be alive at THIS time in history for His work. God has equipped us for this time in history for His work. We, the church, must rise up and go where He calls us.
Ministry Agents of Physical Relief
Acts 11:29-30. The phrase “Then the disciples,” is a reference to the Christians at Antioch. In response to this prophecy of a famine, the text indicates the offering was taken immediately and every man gave as God had prospered him. This does NOT mean they were rich, but they gave as they could!
Also, take note that this is a Gentile offering. Such an offering clearly worked unity among the Jews and Gentiles. It is the beginning of that collection for the “poor saints of Jerusalem.” Paul goes on to talk of this offering in Acts 24:17; Romans 15:25-26; I Cor. 16:1; II Cor. 9:1-15; Gal. 2:10.
Barnabas and Saul had the privilege to be the messengers of the work wrought in the form of an offering. This was a demonstration of pure Christian love on the part of the Gentile believers in Antioch!
Genuine ministry requires sacrifice and selflessness.
Ministry Agents of Spiritual Strength
Acts 12:25. Barnabas and Saul chose a young man in which to invest, to disciple, to give “on the job ministry training.” John Mark is not a stranger. Barnabas was John Mark’s uncle and Peter was John Mark’s spiritual father (I Peter 5:13). John Mark had a natural connection to this team – and God used that connection to do a work in the whole team.
It is funny how we tend to find the things we are looking for. Just start the process of looking to purchase a new car of a certain make and model. All of the sudden, it seems you see that car on the road everywhere! We tend to find what we are looking for, don’t we? For example, if we are looking for a way out of working, we will find it. If we are looking for problems, we will see them in the masses. If we are looking for things we do not like in the daily habits of others, we will find those as well. So, the question is, what are you looking for? We need to look for ministry opportunities until the Lord returns. So, Look around you. Who is it that you can begin to prayerfully consider investing in and to help them grow in the Lord?
Ministry Agents of Spiritual Choice
Acts 13:1-3. Acts 13:2 uses this phrase, “Separate me.” The idea here is to “appoint someone.” The ones who were chosen were the ones described as those who “ministered.’ In other words, they were known as ones who served the Lord.
The Lord often entrusts ministry opportunities to those who are already serving Him without any titles, accolades, or accommodations.
Notice the emphasis the church placed on Barnabas’ & Saul’s ministry. They prayed and fasted over them – before sending them out! How serious do we take serving the Lord AND fasting and prayer over the work and workers of the Lord? What kind of urgency do our prayer meetings have? What kind of attendance do our prayer meetings have? Does it burden our hearts when there is a lack of attendance and a casual response to a prayer meeting?
In January of 1956, Jim Elliot and four other missionaries gave their lives in Ecuador in their effort to reach the Waodani (Auca) Indians. This fierce group was known to attack any outsiders, but the vision for reaching them with the gospel compelled these young men to take the risk. Not long after they set up camp near the Waodani village they were attacked by warriors. Refusing to defend their lives with force, the missionaries were killed. The news flashed around the world, and the story of courage and sacrifice challenged many to take up the missionary cause.
Even today Elliot’s words live on: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
In a very real sense, Jim Elliot and his missionary friends were willing to give up the comforts of home and promising careers and to ultimately lay down their lives to take the gospel to those who had never heard. They could have fought back to defend themselves, but they chose not to.
This is what Jesus did for us in coming to Earth. Paul wrote, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).
Nothing of lasting significance and importance for God is ever accomplished without great sacrifice. Whether it is our time, our talent, our treasure, or even our lives, we must be willing to give up what is temporary for the sake of what is eternal. When we do, we are following the example and pattern of Christ and walking in His steps. (Source: Jim Elliot, Kathleen White)