Participate in the Ministry of My Church

This morning we want to finish our little mini-series on our church covenant, or the promise that you make when you decide to have Christ Community Church be your church home. It's a commitment that you make to the Lord and to one another. But I wonder what kind of commitment you make.

Is your commitment one of convenience, or is your commitment one of conviction? I was raised by parents who were deeply committed people.

My father was in the military. He learned loyalty. He learned about discipline. He learned about commitment. And he instilled those principles in my sister and myself while we were growing up.

My mother was raised on a farm. She had the belief that if your work wasn't done before seven there was no way you were going to heaven. But she was raised on a farm.

She learned about durability, strength, steadfastness, commitment. And the Lord brought them together and they were married. And so having them as parents they would raise me with those virtues ringing in my ear every single day.

They truly were committed people. But one day God saved their souls. My dad was saved in 1967 in Thailand at a charismatic camp with two women preachers who led him to the Lord.

He gave his life to Christ during the Vietnam War. My mom was in the United States at the same time and we were with her. And she gave her life to the Lord at the time my dad was giving his life to the Lord.

But she was in America and she came to know the Lord through a Baptist preacher. And then their commitment accelerated. It's almost as if they were infused with some kind of steroid that would cause them to be even more committed than they were before they were saved.

Because they were committed to Christ. They were committed to His church. And they understood Ecclesiastes chapter 9 that whatever your hand find it to do, do it with all of your might.

Or Ephesians chapter 6 where it says that we are to do all that we do for the Lord and not for man. And they did. They were deeply committed.

So when we moved to the East Coast, we became a part of a church. A church in Delaware that they were committed to for 45 years until they died. Until they went home to be with the Lord.

And for 45 years they were deeply committed. During that time they went through seven different pastors but never left their church. They went through two church splits but never left their church.

In those church splits they lost their best friends but never left their church. Because they were more committed to their church than they were to their friends. And they instilled that in my sister and myself through the 45 years that they stayed on at what is now called Faith Community Church in Delaware.

And they understood, they understood Mark chapter 3 when some people came to Jesus and they said that your mother and your brothers are outside. They are looking for you. And Jesus said, who is my mother and who is my brother? But those who hear the Word of God and believe the Word of God.

Jesus made it very clear that your spiritual family is more important than your physical family. We don't understand that today. But Jesus made it very clear that that is true.

And so my parents had a commitment of conviction not of convenience. Today we live in a world where most people are committed for convenience’s sake. As long as it works well for them, they will be committed.

If it doesn't work well for them then their commitment goes out the window. So let me ask you this question. Do you have a commitment of convenience or conviction? And how do you tell the difference between the two? Glad you asked. I will tell you.

The commitment that is of convenience is a commitment that's conditional. A commitment that is based on conviction is unconditional.

In other words, I am committed as long as certain conditions are met. It is like your marriage. I am committed as long as the conditions of my marriage are kept to my standard.

And if they are not then my commitment might go out the window. But a commitment of conviction is based on that which is unconditional. In other words, there is nothing that is going to change in my circumstances or my situation that is going to cause me to compromise my conviction because I am truly committed.

A commitment of convenience is a commitment that says, how does it make me feel? A commitment of conviction asks, is it true? Big difference. People have a commitment of convenience that they want to feel a certain way. And once they stop feeling that way they are done with their commitment.

But people who have a commitment of conviction, it's all based on truth. What is true? No matter how I feel what is true. That's what matters.

People who have a commitment of convenience have a very fragile commitment. Those who have a commitment of conviction have a very durable commitment. The convenient commitment is fragile because if things don't go my way, if there is hardship or difficulty or problems, then I am out.

But a commitment of conviction says, I'll be steadfast. I'll be immovable. I'll be strong.

Because everything I do is based on truth, not how I feel. It's not conditional, it's unconditional. And therefore my commitment is one of conviction, not of convenience.

Another characteristic, a commitment of convenience is based more on friendship. Where a commitment of conviction is based on discipleship. There is a difference.

You see, if I am committed only because my friends are committed, then I am committed for the wrong reason. But if I am committed because I am convicted about making disciples and growing people in the faith, then my commitment is long lasting. It's unconditional. It's not conditional.

A commitment of convenience truly wants autonomy. A commitment of conviction truly wants accountability.

In other words, I am committed as long as I can do what I want to do. But as long as you say, I can't do what I want to do, I'm out.

But a conviction, or a commitment of conviction says, I want to be held accountable. I want to make sure I'm doing things the right way. I want to make sure I'm doing things that truly honor the Lord, so hold me accountable to that. Because I am truly committed based on a conviction, not a convenience.

Another characteristic, the commitment of convenience seeks to please others. The commitment of conviction seeks to please only God. Again, big difference.

As long as I'm pleasing others and they're happy with me, then I'm committed. But so many times people aren't pleased with what you do. And therefore, does your commitment stand? Because you're there to please God.

Paul would say, if I seek the pleasure of man, the favor of man, Galatians 1, verse number 10, I will forfeit the pleasure of God. You see, there's a difference between the commitment of convenience and a commitment of conviction. Here's another one.

A commitment of convenience is extrinsically motivated, where a commitment of conviction is intrinsically motivated. In other words, I'm committed as long as all the externals affirm me. All the externals applaud me. All the externals focus on me.

But a commitment of conviction says, I am intrinsically motivated. It doesn't make any difference what's happening on the outside. It's what's happening on the inside. Because it's a heart commitment. It's a heart attitude.

It's a full-on desire to honor and please the Lord no matter what is happening around me. One more. I have a lot more, but I'm just gonna give you one more.

The commitment of convenience is more about manipulation, where the commitment of conviction is about ministry. In other words, I'm gonna get from you what I need from you in a commitment of convenience. But in a commitment of conviction, I'm gonna do for you what needs to be done for you, whether anything happens to me or not.

One is ministry motivated. The other is me motivated. Therefore, it becomes manipulation more than ministry.

So let me ask you, is your commitment to your church one of convenience or one of conviction? That's a fair question. Is your commitment to your marriage one of convenience or conviction? You see, our commitment says a lot about us. And therefore, when we associate with the church and we become a part of a church, we say, I'm gonna commit myself to this church. I wanna be here. I wanna preserve the unity of my church. I'll do all I can to do that.

I'll endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. I will preserve the unity of my church. I will protect the testimony of my church. I will pursue the strategy of my church.

And lastly, number four, this one we haven't covered, I will participate in the ministry of my church. I'm so committed, so deeply committed that I will participate in the ministry of my church in four ways. All the points have four subpoints.

Number one, by exercising my spiritual gift. I will participate in the ministry of my church by exercising my spiritual gift.

Do you know that your spiritual giftedness is part of your identity in Christ? It's something that God grants you by His grace upon salvation. It can be defined this way. A spiritual gift is a God-given enablement through which the Holy Spirit energizes you to edify the body.

A God-given enablement by which the Holy Spirit energizes you to edify the body. Who doesn't want to do that? So I make this commitment to participate in the ministry of my church by exercising my spiritual gift. That's why Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verse number 1, these words, now concerning spirituals, and gifts is added by the translators, concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant.

But isn't it interesting that we are really ignorant about spiritual gifts? We don't know where they're found. We don't know what they are. We don't know how they're defined.

We don't even know how they're used. You can ask someone, what's your spiritual gift? He could say, I'm a plumber. Well, that's not a spiritual gift.

What's your spiritual gift? I'm an athlete. That's not a spiritual gift. It's a talent.

But there's a big difference between talents, innate talents, and spiritual giftedness. In fact, they're called by a variety of words in 1 Corinthians 12.

They're called spirituals in verse number one. They're called gifts in verse number four. They're called ministries in verse number five. They're called effects or energies in verse number six. And they are called manifestations in verse number seven. They are called by a variety of terms because they manifest the glory of God. They are gifts because they are given to you by His grace.

And here's the great thing about spiritual gifts. You can't pray for one: I'm going to pray for that gift. No, because they're granted to you by God's grace. They're gifts.

In fact, 1 Corinthians 12 says these words about the gifts. Verse 11 of 1 Corinthians 12, but One and the same Spirit works all these things distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

You get a gift because of the will of God. And then it says in verse number 18, but now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body just as He desired. And then in verse number 27, now you are Christ's body and individually members of it, verse 28, and God has appointed in the church certain individuals with gifts.

Your spiritual gift is a divine appointment. It's a grace gift. It's been granted to you by the Lord so that you can participate in the ministry of your church.

So you can build the body of Christ. Such a marvelous way that God has gifted His own children. Meaning that everyone in the room is valuable.

Nobody is invaluable. Everybody is worthy. Nobody is unworthy.

Everybody is useful. Nobody is useless. Why? Because we're all given to build the body of Christ.

This is so important that we miss it. Over in 1 Peter chapter 4, one of the places the gifts are mentioned, 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, 1 Peter 4, Ephesians 4, he says these words. He says, as each one has received a special gift, a spiritual gift. You've received it. Employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Then he says this, whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God. Whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever.

Amen. Wow. You've received a gift.

Have you even unwrapped the gift? Do you even know what the gift is? It's like you received a gift at Christmas and it's still under your tree unwrapped. Who does that? Nobody leaves gifts under the tree unwrapped. But when you're born again, you're granted a gift, a gift by God's grace that you might be used in the body of Christ to build the body.

And the gifts come in four categories. There are special gifts, there are speaking gifts, there are support gifts, and there are sign gifts. Four categories.

Very simple. Sign gifts, gifts that authenticate the message we don't believe are in existence for today. They went out of existence with the apostles and prophets.

The speaking gifts, such as the gift of exhortation, the gift of teaching, the gift of prophecy, the gift of word of wisdom and word of knowledge, those are speaking gifts. And then there are support gifts. There's the gift of helps, the gift of service, there's the gift of administration, the gift of leadership, there is the gift of hospitality, there are the gifts of mercy, the gift of faith, the gift of giving.

They're all gifts granted by God. And the ironic thing about it is that you have the gift and, in that gift, you demonstrate to the body of Christ how it is to be implemented.

For instance, let's say you have the gift of faith. You're one who trusts in the providence of God, trusts in the sovereignty of God. You get involved in the prayer ministry at the church because you have the gift of faith. You believe everything that God says and you're trusting Him to accomplish great works.

And so that gift of faith does not mean that no one else has faith to trust in God. No, but you build the body by demonstrating to the body exactly what it means to have faith.

It's like the gift of mercy, right? I do not have the gift of mercy. That's no news to anyone, okay? That should shock no one in the room. But that doesn't mean I cannot show mercy or be merciful. The gift of mercy is the one who commiserates with those who are in sorrow. Those are the ones who go to the hospital and visit those who are sick, go to someone's home and minister to them in their home. Those who pick up others and bring them to church, they go and they sit by the bedside of those who are sick and ill. They have a unique way of ministering to those people in pain.

Those people teach me how to be merciful, right? I don't have that gift, but I learn mercy from them. They build the body by teaching their pastor how to be merciful toward those who are in pain. Those who need pity.

Those who need support. And that's how all the gifts work. Just because you don't have the gift of mercy doesn't mean you can't be merciful.

Like if you don't have the gift of giving doesn't mean you don't give to the church. Oh no. Those who have the gift of giving, those are the ones who give large amounts.

They just love to give. They give of time, talents, and treasures. But they give.

But they model to us how to sacrifice ourselves when it comes to giving. So they model to us how to do that. That's so important.

That's not saying, well I don't have the gift of teaching so I can't teach anybody. Sure you can. Because you're supposed to go into all the world and make disciples and teach them to observe all that I've commanded you.

So everybody is to be a teacher to some degree. It doesn't mean you have to stand up and have a pulpit or stand in front of a church or a classroom and teach. But you are to teach others the truth of the gospel.

Right? But because you don't have the gift you learn from those who do. So therefore you can communicate that truth to those who need to understand the gospel and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. That's how the body of Christ works.

So important. It's like we're going to go to OT today. That's okay. If you're watching a soccer game and it went into OT you'd be so excited.

But this is so important. Why? Because God has given gifted men to the church. Those are called special gifts. Ephesians 4. Apostles, prophets, pastor, teachers, and evangelists. And some will say that apostles or prophets are no more just pastor, teachers, and evangelists.

I would disagree with those people. I would say that apostles, prophets, pastor, teachers, and evangelists all exist today in the church because they were given to equip the church for the work of ministry. Ephesians 4, verses 11 and 12.

But I would also say that apostles and prophets are not the way they were during the time of Christ. For example, Jesus in Hebrews 3:1 is called the apostle, the high priest. Right? And yet he appointed apostles.

And the apostles he appointed were not nearly the apostle he was. Would you not agree with that? Sure you would. He is the apostle.

He is the sent one. He is the Messiah. But he appointed 12 other apostles. All with a capital A. Christ is all caps when it comes to the apostle. And yet the Bible tells us that Timothy was an apostle, but he never saw the resurrected Christ. The Bible tells us that Titus was an apostle, but he never saw the resurrected Christ.

But they were called apostles because they were sent ones. An apostle was one who was sent. And so God still sends people today.

And there are modern-day missionaries who go and are sent out by their church to proclaim the gospel. The Bible tells us that Barnabas was an apostle, but Barnabas never saw the resurrected Christ. The Bible tells us that Epaphroditus was an apostle, but he never saw the resurrected Christ.

So he was an apostle, just wasn't an apostle with a capital A, like Peter, James, John, the apostle Paul. But they were apostles.

Also prophets. Prophets who speak forth the truth, they do not speak forth the truth about the future. Those are Old Testament prophets. For instance, we read in the Bible in Acts 13 verse number one, is that in Antioch, Bartimaeus, Silas were prophets, but they never predicted the future.

They just spoke forth the truth. Acts 13 also tells us that Manaan was a prophet, but he never predicted the future. He proclaimed the truth.

So in Ephesians 4:11-12, when it says that God has given gifted men to the church, apostles, prophets, pastor, teachers, and evangelists, He's giving four gifted men to the church, who in turn have spiritual gifts, but they're given to the church to equip the church for the work of ministry. And the word equip is katartismos, which means to mend together. It's used in the setting of bones or the mending of nets.

And they do that with the Word of God, because 2 Timothy 3:16 says that the Word of God is inspired and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction of righteousness, so that the man of God will be thoroughly equipped, thoroughly mended, thoroughly set in place, thoroughly put together, so that he'll be complete. In other words, the Word of God is given to gifted men, so they in turn can preach that Word, teach that Word, so that the church itself is equipped to do the ministry, so that they can in turn, as they go and do the ministry, begin to build the body of Christ.

A commitment of conviction says, I'm going to participate in the ministry of my church.

I'm going to find out what my spiritual gift is. I'm going to begin to exercise my spiritual gift. I'm going to be able to use my spiritual gift for the glory of God, no matter what it is, because I'm useful.

I'm important. I'm valuable to the body of Christ. I'm no longer invaluable.

I'm no longer worthless or useless, but God's going to use me for His glory. And that's why every ministry of the church is so important, that there is no ministry in the church that is of less importance. All of them are valuable, because without them we can't function.

We are only as strong as our weakest link. In other words, our church is only as strong as those who participate in the ministry. Those who don't only weaken the equipping of the church, the edifying of the church, the building of the body of Christ, but when God uses you, then all of a sudden, the church begins to be stronger.

That's why, number one, exercising my spiritual gift is how I participate in the ministry of my church. And number two is edifying the saints or the building up of the saints. How do you build them up? I commend you to God in the word of His grace, Paul says in Acts chapter 20.

I commend you to God in the word of His grace, which is able to build you up. It's the word of God's grace that builds you up. And so when God's word is given forth, it begins to strengthen spiritual muscles, right? And so you become stronger mentally, physically, spiritually.

Why? Because you are being strengthened by the body of Christ. And so I participate in the ministry of my church by exercising my spiritual gifts and by edifying the body, edifying the saints, by building them up, by exercising my gift and using the word of God in their life, I am building them, strengthening them, making them stronger in the Lord. This is the great thing.

And then number three, by evangelizing the sinner. We gather together to be edified and we scatter to evangelize. But we go to evangelize a sinner.

Paul told Timothy, do the work of an evangelist. Timothy wasn't an evangelist, but he was to do the work of an evangelist. Make sharing Christ your life's work.

Do that, Timothy. Make sure people all around you know the Christ. Make sure that people on the outside know that you're a Christian.

Evangelizing the sinners. And then lastly, exalting the Savior. Lifting the name of Christ above everything else.

That's a commitment of conviction that I want Christ to be seen. Like John the Baptist, he must increase, I must decrease. Like the Lord Jesus, the Son of Man came not to be ministered to but to minister.

How many people come to church to be ministered to? They don't want to be Christ-like. Christ came to not be ministered to but to minister. He didn't come to be served.

He came to serve other men. But so many people in the church have a commitment of convenience because they come to want to be served. But listen, when you serve, when you minister, you in turn then are served and ministered to.

That's a byproduct of service. It's a byproduct of ministry. See? But I want to exalt my Savior.

He must increase. I must decrease, John the Baptist said. And Mary in Luke chapter 1 said, my soul exults in Christ my Savior.

How do you participate in the ministry of your church? You just lift Jesus higher than anything else and anyone else. Exalt Him above all things. Why? Because I want to evangelize the sinner.

I want to edify the body. And I want to exercise my spiritual gift. I want to be a part of my church.

I do not want to have a commitment of convenience. I want a commitment of conviction. I'm all in.

I'm not one foot in, one foot out. I'm all in. So I ask you this question, are you all in? Are you 100% committed to your church? Are you 100% committed to Christ? Christ died for His church.

Christ is the head of the body. Right? He's the head of the body. Let me ask you a question.

Are you committed to your bride? That's a great question. Right? If you're the bridegroom, are you committed to your bride? Answer? Yes. Fellows, you should say yes.

Right? Yes, I'm committed to my bride. Well, the church is the bride. Christ is the bridegroom.

Are you committed to the bridegroom? If you're committed to the bridegroom, you're committed to His bride. Right? Sure you are. So you can ask yourself the question, how committed am I? I leave you with that. Let's pray.

Father, thank You for today. Thank You for a chance to be together. Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for the challenge to all of us, and myself included, to uphold the Word of the Lord as supreme above all else, that we might glorify Your precious Name. As we leave this place today, may we leave energized to be more committed ever to the church You've called us to be a part of.

We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our soon-coming King. Amen.