“Isn’t it strange that princes and kings, and clowns that caper in sawdust rings, and common folk like you and me, are builders for eternity? To each is given a bag of tools, a shapeless mass, and a book of rules; and each must build ‘ere life has flown, a stumbling block or a stepping stone.” (“A Bag of Tools,” R. Lee Sharpe)
Strange indeed! But even stranger that God would save the weak, the base, the despised, and the foolish—and use them to build His church and further His kingdom! But it’s true; therefore, it is incumbent upon us to take to heart Paul’s admonition in his epistle to the church at Colossae, when he wrote: “And say to Archippus, Take heed to thy ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it.” (Col. 4:17)
I have addressed these words “to those in ministry,” and every person who has confessed Christ as Savior has a ministry to discharge faithfully for the Lord. Peter says that “as every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (I Pet. 4:10) The gift Peter speaks of is the gift with which the Holy Spirit has endowed each believer, meted out at the moment of one’s salvation. Peter says, “every one of you has received a spiritual gift for use in ministry.” Paul reiterated that in Eph. 4 when he wrote that He (Christ) gave gifts unto men (v. 8), including apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastors-teachers. These gifts, Paul said, were “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” (Eph. 4:11,12) Another and more complete list of spiritual gifts occurs in Romans 12:6-8: “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, or ministry…teaching…exhortation…or he that giveth…he that ruleth, he that sheweth mercy.” Other spiritual gifts are mentioned in I Cor. 12. So, God has equipped, by His Holy Spirit, the Church He founded with men and women who are gifted for ministry in the Body of Christ for the purpose of edifying the Body.
You, if you have been redeemed, have a spiritual gift. You received it when you became a follower of Christ. It was given to you not to keep to yourself, not to show others how gifted you are, but to use in ministry to build up the Church that Christ loved and died for. Just like Archippus. How are you doing with your gift and the use of it? No believer can plead ignorance by saying, “I’m not sure what my gift is.” God does not give gifts to people so that they can figure out what the gift is. He will shew you plainly, and it behooves each of us to “take heed to the ministry” that we have received. The Devil has darts of discouragement, of doubt, of disappointment, discontent, detours and distractions. Take heed that you are faithful and fruitful, and that your ministry is, at the last, fulfilled:
1) Faithful. Faithful to your calling, which is a high calling. “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:14) Not only is it a high calling; it is a holy calling: “Who saved us and called us with an holy calling.” (II Tim. 1:9) And, too, it is a heavenly calling: “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling.” (Heb. 3:1) Faithful to our calling means that we will “study to shew ourselves approved unto God” (II Tim. 2:15); pray without ceasing (I Thess. 5:17); love one another (John 15:12); stand (Eph. 6:14); watch (Matt. 24:42); occupy (Luke 19:13); and contend (Jude 3), among many other things.
2) Fruitful. Not “successful,” nor “acclaimed,” nor “popular,” nor “well off,” but fruitful. Jesus: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” (John 15:16)
3) Fulfilled. Paul said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” (II Tim. 4:7) He knew his death was pending, but he could say, “I am now ready to be offered.” Archippus, Paul had exhorted, was to fulfill the ministry he had received. Paul fulfilled the ministry that God had given him and for which the Holy Spirit had equipped him.
Babe Ruth was the “home-run king,” but he once said, “Most of the people who have really counted in my life were not famous. Nobody ever heard of them except those who knew and loved them. I was acquainted with an old minister once. His hair was white and his face shown with joy. I have written my name on thousands and thousands of baseballs in my life. The old minister wrote his name on just a few simple hearts, but how I envy him! He was not trying to please himself, so fame never came to him. I am listed as a famous home-run hitter, yet compared to that obscure preacher, who was so good and wise, I never got to first base.”
Take heed to your ministry: Faithful. Fruitful. Fulfilled.
“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness; which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.” (2 Tim.4:8)
YOU and GOD 