Thursday, July 27, 2017
It has been interesting to watch our building contractor and all the subcontractors work together along with our congregation in our remodel project. Onlookers to any type of project, event, or work setting notice a lot about the workmanship, craftsmanship, and relationships between workers. We often make quick comparisons to others when we see these qualities (or lack thereof), and find ourselves questioning...
WHAT KIND OF A WORKER ARE YOU?
The Apostle Peter spoke about working and serving with the gifts God has graciously given us. But under divine inspiration he uses the word "minister" (which means, "to serve"), in how we use our God given gifts.
1 Peter 4:10-11 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever.
Peter reminded the Christians in and around Jerusalem that God has given every single person a variety of gifts, and he tells them "minister it to one another." In other words, use those God given gifts to serve others, to serve God! We have the sinfully selfish habit of using God's gifts to only think about and serve ourselves. Whether it be an attitude of only focusing on our career and income, or the attitude of pride and a holier or better than thou attitude with our service. That's why Peter goes on to use those God given gifts so that "God may be glorified through Jesus Christ."
What kind of a worker was Jesus? He lived to glorify His Father in Heaven by doing His will and completed the selfless, sacrificial work of the cross to pay for our debt of sins with His holy and precious blood (the only thing that could). When Jesus spoke, He did exactly as Peter encourages all Christians to do, with "the oracles (Scriptures) of God." After all, as we are reminded again today that our purpose is to continue to serve Christ our Savior by building up His kingdom. That is done when we share the Word of God with others. That is done when we lead them from their sin to their Savior just as Jesus did for us!
Like construction workers or any other kind of worker, let's let our gifts and attitude serve Christ our Lord as we remind ourselves this is our good and reasonable service and duty to Him, "to whom belong the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen!"
