Kingdom View, Vol IV, Issue
IN ACTS 2:18, LUKE THE PHYSICIAN AND AUTHOR OF THE BOOK OF ACTS, shares an awesome cause and effect truth with us. He quotes from the Book of Joel, "In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike—and they will prophesy" (New Living Translation). God pours forth His Spirit and His sons and daughters prophesy. The Greek word for "prophesy" carries the idea of to declare, to proclaim or to make known. Hence, God’s children will proclaim the good news of God’s provisional redemption for humankind. Likewise, this passage serves as the supporting Scripture for our ministry’s theme this year, which is "I am the Spirit of the Ministry."
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your sin-bearer and Savoir, then He has given you at least one spiritual gift for the benefit of the Body of Christ (1 Peter 4:10). The Greek word for "minister" is diakonia (dee-ak-on-ee’-ah), which carries the idea of serviceable labor or service. Fact, God has called and gifted all Christians for service. Moreover, diakonia is the same word that describes the role of deacons and ministers in God’s church. Likewise, all members of the church are servants. Therefore, we believe that every member of a church is a minister. Thus, it is my desire that all members of the church cultivate the mindset that they are the spirit of the ministry; or that they possess "the Spirit of Christ for kingdom service."
Your call and gifting for the service of others is due to God’s divine enablement (Acts 1:8). Likewise, your Divine energizing is designed to operate through His church (Matthew 16:8; Luke 24:49; and Acts 1:1-8), which was birth on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Moreover, this new institution (the church) had been a mystery and not revealed to the prophets of Israel (Ephesians 3:1-12). The composition of the church would consist of Gentiles and Jews whereby creating a new man or race (Ephesians 2:13-15). This transpired because of the final rejection of Christ by the Jews after the nation’s religious leaders ascribe the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit to demonic forces, which sealed their spiritual fate (Matthew 12:22-32). Consequently, the church’s commission now is to advance God’s kingdom program in the earth. Therefore, how do we complete this task?
The answer to the aforementioned questions is simple: we focus our actions around the mindset that ministry involvement is paramount. This idea is so important that Paul made a concerted effort to address the issue by illustrating the truth that it conveys (1Corinthians 12:12-27). Thus, every member of the church body is critical to its proper operation and success. When the people of God are not involved in ministry work, it hampers the church’s ability to fulfill its mission effectively. Therefore, we must resolve not to sit on the sidelines, but to contribute our time, talents, and treasures to the work of the Lord. Remember, you are the spirit of the ministry!
