Sometimes people are confused by the term, "ministry." Most people equate it with the ministry of Pastor or Preacher. When most people think of the ministry, they think of a full-time pastor or preacher either leading a church or doing evangelistic work. But we have tried to teach people what the New Testament has in mind when it talks about "ministry" Certainly there are pastors and evangelists. Some are clearly called to those places of ministry. But ministry is a broader activity than that. The word ministry means service. And so, ministry includes all service which is done for Christ and inspired by the leading of His Holy Spirit.
The New Testament clearly calls all Christians to ministry. As a matter of fact, every person in the New Testament Church is considered a minister. We are all called to be ministers of His grace to one another. The question is: Will our ministry be effective? What are the principles by which our ministry can be effective for Jesus Christ?
What we see in our text today, a personal revelation by the Apostle Paul of those principles which made his ministry effective. We are allowed to glimpse some of the dynamic which motivated Paul in his ministry for Jesus Christ. The same principles which helped Paul be effective in ministry can also help us.
I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another. (v. 14)
Perhaps Paul never studied psychology as a part of his formal education. Even so, he seems to be a master in the psychology of communication. He knows the value of a word of encouragement. Throughout his letters, you will see He was always careful to encourage Christians who were struggling to be more like Jesus.
As he opens this personal section of Scripture, he reminds the Roman Christians of three things for which they are to be commended. Firstly, he says that they are full of goodness. In other words, their hearts were right. Secondly, he says that they were complete in knowledge. Those Christians at Rome undoubtedly were serious students of the Scripture and had learned it well. And thirdly, he says that they are competent to instruct one another. Because their heart is right and they know the Scriptures, they now can admonish one another as they seek to follow Christ.
This commendation by Paul is quite a compliment. In one simple verse, he portrays a right-spirited, informed, and self-correcting Christianity. We need a church full of people who meet these criteria. This is what basic Christian ministry is all about: We must come from the right motives, share the right information, and do it in such a way that the other person can receive it. If this were the case in many churches, they would not experience the kind of division and disunity they suffer. We need to be encouraging and admonishing one another to press in and be all that we can be for Jesus Christ. That was the kind of church which dwelt in Rome.
After Paul encourages the church by means of commendation, he moves on to an explanation of his ministry.
I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles . . .(vv. 15-16a)
In the verses which follow, Paul explains to us something of his ministry to the Gentiles and his current mission to the Jews. Paul understood that the call of God on his life was to minister to the Gentiles. He says it was because of the grace God gave me. In other words, the Lord had called him specifically to carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who were outside the ranks of Israel. He was called to share the good news of God with the Gentiles. He saw his ministry in those terms and took it extremely seriously.
In these verses of Scripture, he reveals his ministry in five ways. Firstly, he says that his ministry was a priestly ministry.
. . . to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.. (v. 16)
A priest is someone who speaks to God on behalf of man and man on behalf of God. In the Old Testament, the priest also received the offering which was being made to God on behalf of the individual or of the nation. Paul saw himself in a priestly role in sharing the Gospel of Christ to the Gentile nations. Here, he was not referring to the Old Testament priest, but to a unique priestly office. You see, the sacrifice for the sins of the world had already been made in Christ. There was no need to receive any further sacrifices for sins. The sacrifice Paul was referring to here was the Gentiles. His priestly function was to so preach the Gospel to the Gentiles that he would be able to offer them to God.
In the second place, Paul said that his ministry was a ministry of proclamation. Notice what he says he is ministering. It is the gospel of God. Gospel means "good news." The best way to share good news is to proclaim it. Paul knew the necessity of sharing that good news so that people could hear with their own ears what Jesus Christ had to offer. A few chapters earlier, in chapter 10, verses 13 and 14, he says, "‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" In Romans 10:17, he says, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." If people are to come to faith, they must hear the word of Christ, and someone must tell them. If our ministry is to be effective, we must tell the good news to others. We must become preachers of the Gospel, not necessarily from pulpits, but in our everyday conversation.
In the next place, he says that his ministry is characterized by praise.
Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. (v. 17)
We do not see Paul boasting in his own accomplishments. Rather, he boasts in what the Lord has done. There are those who would take credit for their work for Christ as though they did it in their own strength, and perhaps in their case they did. But I have found that where I have been successful for Christ, it has not been because of my human ingenuity, rather, it has been because of what God has done in me and through me. When we are successful in our ministry for Christ, it should cause us to want to praise Him, from whom the strength and the wisdom and the power came. In humility we should fall on our knees to express the praise and worship and adoration which are due Him.
Furthermore, his ministry was characterized by power.
I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done—by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. (vv. 18-19)
Where there is effective ministry, there is the power of the Holy Spirit at work. Throughout the pages of the book of Acts, we see miraculous occurrences, great works of power. It seems that the early church was characterized by a manifestation of the power of God. Now you may say, "But that was for them. We don’t see the power of God manifested today like that." Perhaps not, but why not?
I once heard the story of a minister who had built a magnificent new sanctuary. The church had gone to great expense to furnish the sanctuary with great opulence. The proud pastor took a minister friend on a tour to show off his new palatial environment. As they strolled through the magnificent edifice, the pastor, with great pride, said to his minister friend, "Well, we certainly cannot say ‘Silver and gold have we none,’" to which his friend replied, "Yes, and neither can you say ‘In the name of Jesus Christ rise up and walk.’" Could it be that because of our affection for the world we have lost the power of the Holy Spirit? Perhaps so. Now, I’m not saying that we should have the same attesting miracles today that the apostles performed, but God still moves in miraculous ways. The power of the Holy Spirit is still the same power the early Christians experienced. And nothing in Scripture indicates that the Church of Jesus Christ is ever to be lacking that power. The same power that energized the early church is available today for those who are willing to pay the price.
Finally, Paul says that his ministry was effective because it was done according to God’s plan.
It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. Rather, as it is written: "Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand." This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to see you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. (vv. 20-24)
God had a plan for Paul’s ministry and Paul knew that plan. The great apostle was not sent to go where other men had gone and do what other men had done. His call was the call to bring new people into the fold of Jesus Christ. Because of this call he said that he was to go where Christ was not known. He said he was not called to be building on someone else’s foundation. Because of this, Paul was always on the move. God had given him a plan.
Effective ministry is planned ministry. Now by that I do not mean that we are to sit down and devise our own plan independent of the counsel and guidance of God. Rather, we are to seek God’s will. We are to counsel with godly men and, through prayer, we are to discover God’s guidance for our lives. If we are to be effective in our ministry for Jesus Christ, we must plan to be effective.
In the next section of Scripture, Paul talks about his mission to the Jews. Paul was called as a minister to the Gentiles but he was currently engaged in a mission to the Jews in the church at Jerusalem.
Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ. (vv. 25-29)
The saints in Jerusalem had been suffering for some time. Many of them had financial hardship. They were in need of material blessings. The churches in Macedonia and Achaia had heard of their need. And because of their great love for them, they determined to take up a special contribution for the relief of the saints in Jerusalem. Now, the Jerusalem church was a Jewish church, and the churches in Macedonia and Achaia were Gentile churches. But there was no racial discrimination here. They were all believers in Jesus Christ. And it was because of their love and unity in Christ that these churches in Macedonia and Achaia decided to send this contribution. Notice that Paul says, that the churches were pleased to make a contribution for the poor. Again, in the next verse he says they were pleased to do it. Here is demonstrated the love of Jesus Christ which crosses racial boundaries, which breaks down walls of prejudice between people. This is Christian love, and this should always characterize the Church of Jesus Christ. They took up a contribution and dispatched Paul to be their messenger, to deliver that money to the needy saints in Jerusalem. They did so because they wanted to.
But there was another important reason why they did so. They took that contribution because they were indebted to the saints in Jerusalem. Because of the faithful witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ by the Jewish believers, these Gentile converts had come to faith. They had been blessed spiritually by the faithful work which was begun in Jerusalem. They knew this and they knew that they had an obligation because of that to help the poor and needy saints. Paul says, For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. So we see it was for two reasons the Gentile believers ministered to the Jewish believers. One was because of their desire, and the other was because of their debt.
Paul opened his personal comments with a word of encouragement to the Christians in Rome. He continued with a word of explanation concerning his ministry. And now we see that he concludes with a word of exhortation to these believers.
I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. The God of peace be with you all. Amen. (vv. 30-33)
An exhortation to enter into effective ministry with Paul is what we have in view here. All of us are co-laborers together with God in the ministry. Paul understood this concept. He knew that he needed their help to be effective in his ministry. Likewise, each one of us needs the help of every other believer if we are to be effective in our ministry for Jesus Christ. Paul urged the saints in Rome to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. He knew that he needed their help and the way that they could help was in prayer.
Do you consider prayer effective ministry? Prayer is both effective ministry and the means by which effective ministry is performed. We spoke earlier of the need for power for effective ministry. If we would enjoy the power of the Holy Spirit, it will be because we have been diligent in our prayer life to God. Paul knew his success depended on the prayers of others. And so it is for the church today. If this church would be an effective church, it must be a praying church. If you are to be an effective Christian, you must be a praying Christian. Prayer is so vitally important.
Notice here that Paul says he urges them by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit. These are strong words. This is a plea. It is a plea for Christians to become serious about engaging in prayer. What is in view is diligent, daily, intercessory spiritual warfare in prayer. We are engaged in a battle. It is not a battle against flesh and blood, but rather, it is a battle against principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. The only way that this battle is to be won is through the prayers of God’s people as they engage the hosts of hell in spiritual warfare. Paul is exhorting the Roman Christians and likewise he is exhorting us to struggle in prayer.
Sadly, so many Christians are totally oblivious to the fact that the enemy is behind so much that is happening today. Even in the life of our church, we must beware lest the enemy sneak in unaware. Whenever we see strife and discord, envy and disunity, we see the work of the evil one. It is then we must drop to our knees and plead to God to destroy the work of the enemy, to pluck from the hearts of His people those evil thoughts which have been implanted there by him who would steal and kill and destroy. As we think about those who are lost in our community and neighborhood, the Bible says that it is Satan who blinds the eyes of those who believe not. How will their eyes be opened? Well, we must pray. We must ask the God of heaven, who made their eyes, to open them to see the truth of the Gospel of Christ. We must ask the God of creation, who made their hearts, to soften them so that they may receive the truth of the Gospel. The battle is won or lost in prayer.
May God enable us to put these principles of effective ministry into action in our lives, that our work for Christ might make a difference in the lives of others.
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