Date:   02/15/09

Text:   Colossians 1:24-29

Title:   A High Calling

Theme:   Since serving God is a calling from God, it demands the utmost from those who are called.

Introduction:

  Shortly after I became a pastor, an elderly man, a Chinese believer from Korea moved into our neighborhood. When he found out that I was a pastor, every week he would bring some cooked food, dumplings and buns to us. He used to have a small restaurant in Korea , so the food was good. We felt uncomfortable receiving such royal treatments. He explained to us that since I am a pastor, this is how he can show respect for God's servant. To a young pastor, this was certainly a very encouraging experience. Even to this day, many of you still show respect to ministers.

  However, in recent years, there are more and more ministers involved in inappropriate and unbecoming conduct. Increasing in our society and churches, being respected is no longer entitlement that comes with the calling, but something we have to earn. Many Christians have left the church because of pastoral misconduct. Many more are frustrated in not knowing what to expect from their pastors.

Today's passage is Paul's testimony of being a minister of the gospel. So strictly speaking it is a message to the ministers and all those in full time ministry. However, since we are all serving God in different capacities, some as elders, deacons, Sunday School teachers and fellowship leaders, there is a message for all of us.

  We'll rediscover some of the true nature of a servant of God. We'll learn that since serving God is a high calling, it demands the utmost from those who are called.

I •  The calling to serve comes from God .

Recently when my college friends find out that I had been a pastor for the last 27 years, it solicited different responses. Such as: I am happy for you, or what caused you to make the change? Shortly after I became a pastor, at a social dinner party, a doctor said, “you must have gone through quite a mid-life crisis to go from life science research to be a pastor.”

In v25, “ 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you ….”Paul understood that he was sent by God, he was called by God to be a minister, an apostle. He had a clear sense of calling. It was a high calling.

    We saw the same pattern in the OT. In Psalm 78:70-71 we read that, “ 70 He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds;…..to shepherd Jacob his people,… ” God said to Jeremiah 1:5, “ Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations .” Then Amos 7:14-15, “ I was no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. 15 But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel ” God calls individuals to be his prophets. This is what is known as the internal call.

  Today, God still issues this internal call to different individuals, calling them to enter full time ministry. However, since we are fallen and sinful creatures, how can we be sure of this calling is from God? Does it mean that once I feel God has called me, then no one can challenge me? No, this is very dangerous. This internal call must be affirmed by people who know us well. In many seminaries, before they accept a student, they need the church to write a recommendation letter. Why? So that the subjective, internal calling can be affirmed by people around you. If I think I have the gift of teaching, but whenever I teach or preach, people fall asleep, then I better have second thoughts about this.

  To be a minister of the gospel is never an voluntary act. It is a response to a high calling from God.   

II •  The calling to serve requires a Servant Attitude .

What kind of attitude should a minister possess? Many years ago in a CA restaurant, we met a person who turned down an offer to be the president of Netscape. As one of the vice presidents at Silicon Graphics, he was known to have said at various banquets to his staff, “I love you all very much, but I can also kill you.” He must be very smart and capable, but also an eccentric and arrogant.

But in v25, Paul writes, “ according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you ….” Paul understood that because he was called and commissioned by God, he was a steward of God, and a servant to God's body, the church. A minister called by God is one with a servant heart, like Jesus Christ. He is in the ministry not for personal gain, ambition or gratification. He is not there to manipulate and control others so they'll listen to him. Instead, he serves others with their well being in mind. A servant listens and submits to others.

1 •  A suffering heart.

V24, “ 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, ….” This is one of the most difficult verses in the NT. One thing is clear, it does not mean that Christ's death is inadequate to forgive and save us, therefore for salvation to be complete, Paul and other believers must also suffer. The simplest explanation of this verse is that through suffering, we identify with Jesus Christ. It tells us that there will be suffering in the ministry. Thus, to be a minister, one must be willing to suffer.

I read about a testimony by a Chinese pastor. One day in the 50's, a security officer came to his home and invited him to the office to have a chat with the supervisor. This chat lasted 38 years in prison.

Such suffering is so foreign to us today in the west. However, suffering can also take the form of emotional and psychological pain. When we are misunderstood, when others are not responsive to our teaching or caring, or when we do not get the cooperation we want and need, it can bring pain to us. There may be times, when individuals are feeling pain in their lives, they may spill out their anger and frustration on us. As ministers with a suffering heart, we learn to accept such pain, as they come with the territory. For in suffering, we experience a deeper oneness with our lord Jesus Christ. If Christ suffered for the church, why should we, his followers expect less?

2 •  A joyous heart.

V24, “ 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake ….” First Paul rejoiced because he was a servant of God. He also rejoiced because of his suffering for Christ's body. Paul had joy that transcends all circumstances.

In recent sermons, this theme of Rejoice has surfaced many times. We are to learn with God's help, that our joy are to transcend all circumstances. In this passage we are reminded that even in the down times, in times when ministry does not go well, when we experience emotional pains, we are to rejoice because God has called us to serve him. This is a very tall order. To rejoice when we are being misunderstood and even mistreated by those we serve.

III •  The calling to serve centers around the Word of God .

What is the focus of our ministry? What are we called to? Again, in v25 Paul clearly stated, “… to make the word of God fully known, .” The foremost task of a minister is to teach and explain God's word in clarity and its entirety. This means that we are to spend time to study God's word, to constantly sharpen our preaching/teaching skills to help God's people to understand and practice God's word. Preaching and teaching God's word is primary to an authentic ministry.

I heard that are ministers in some Asian cities, where they would spend many hours every week in all kinds of meetings, that they had little time for preparing sermons. So on Sunday mornings, they would either invite guest speakers, sometimes as many as 3 times a month, or preach sermons no one understands. This is wrong.

In the book of Acts, the apostles appointed 7 deacons to take care of the church's physical needs. Why? So the apostles can focus on the ministry of the Word and Prayer. As recipients of God's calling, God's word must be the focus of our ministry. If God's word is not the message, then what is?

IV•  The calling to serve brings believers to God. .

What do A proper attitude, a ministry that centers on the Word, lead to? What is the purpose of all these? In v28b Paul writes, “ 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. .” Paul's purpose in ministry was to bring God's people to perfection. This word ‘perfect' does not mean sinless. Instead, in the Bible when its used to address the believers, it means complete and mature.

Take for example, what is the purpose of parenting? For your child to take care of you when you are old? We parents certainly hope so. But that is not our purpose. As parents, our objective in child rearing is that our children may become mature, capable of leaving home and to live independently.

Like wise, the purpose in ministry is to help God's people become mature spiritually, so they can stand on their own, and face their challenges in life.

How is this done? Through warning and teaching with all wisdom. When we see individuals going astray, we are to warn them of the danger ahead and the consequences of their behavior. We are to warn them what life will be like if they disobey God. Its not a pleasant job and no one likes to do it. On the other hand, as Christians, including ministers, we must also ask God to help us be humble so that we accept others' warning and even confrontation. It may be painful at the moment, but it is opportunity to grow. Besides warning, there is also teaching; to carefully explain and apply God's word to the believers' daily life.

Paul said that he would warn and teach with all wisdom. That is, he would find the most effective and skillful way to teach so that God's people would listen and grow into maturity. If one method did not work, he would find another way, until he found the right one.

Sometimes I hear people say, this is how I teach. This is the only style I know and I have been teaching for 15 or 20 years. Howard Hendricks once said, experience without evaluation is repeating the same mistake over and over again. With different people, at different times, we use different methods, so that others will understand and respond to God's word and grow into maturity. This is one reason that the teaching ministry is always challenging. The message stays the same, but the teaching style will change.

V •  The calling to serve comes with Power from above .

Ministry is also hard work. In vs29, “ 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. ….” There is hard work and struggles in the ministry. It was told that Luther worked so hard that many days he fell into bed. Moody's bedtime prayer on one occasion was, “Lord, I'm tired! Amen.” John Wesley rode sixty to seventy miles many days of his life and preached an average of three sermons a day. Alexander Maclaren would get to his office when the workmen went to work so he could hear their boots outside, and would put on workmen's boots to remind him why he was in his study. Campell Morgan kept a newspaper clipping for 20 years, entitled “Sheer hard work”.

Not just physical hard work, but its also emotionally draining. One well known preacher, every Saturday evening would experience severe headaches. Another would experience depression every Sunday afternoon after the preaching. When we see individuals come to know Christ and grow rapidly, we rejoice. There are times when we see believers and ministers give in to sin and bring shame to God's name. There will be plenty of disappointments and discouragements; frustration and anguish. We will be misunderstood. People may resist or be indifferent to our teaching. They do not respond well to our initiative. And because of this, many have dropped out of the ministry.

But here Paul says that he labors and struggles in God's energy, which so powerfully works in him. What is the key to perseverance in ministry? Not by our own ability or strength, but by the power of God. This means that as God's called servant, we are to learn to depend on God. To develop a habit of coming into God's presence regularly. When we are tired, exhausted, wanting to quit, we're to take time off to spend time with God. Have a word with God, tell him about our feelings and also learn to be silent before him so that he can also have a word with us. When God is our energy source, even in the midst of headaches, depression, frustrations and disappointments, we can persevere.

When we are plugged into God's power source, we'll be like that energizer bunny, just keep on going…going…going…and going.

Conclusion:

  Being a minister, servants of God is a high calling. Its a direct commission from God. It is a glorious thing.

  In Kent Hughes' book, he wrote about a woman in Africa who became a Christian several years ago. Being filled with gratitude, she decided to do something for Christ. She was blind, uneducated and 70 years old. She came to her missionary with her French Bible and asked her to underline John 3:16 in red ink. And then the missionary watched her as she took her Bible and sat in front of a school in the afternoon. When classes were over, she would call a student or two and ask them if they knew French. When they proudly responded that they did, she would say, “Please read the passage underlined in red.” When they did, she would ask, “Do you know what this means?” And she would tell them about Christ. The missionary said that over the years, 24 young men became pastors due to her work. This blind lady had the right attitude, did the right work, with the right purpose and energy.

  God has called some of us to be pastors, but he has also called you to serve him in his universal and local church. This high and glorious call is for all of us. Whatever capacity we are in, whether we are Sunday school teachers, leaders of small groups, elders and deacons, we give our utmost to him.