SACRIFICIAL MINISTRYHave you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence? 5 signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. 12 had their homes ransacked and burned. 2 lost their sons in the Revolutionary War, another had 2 sons captured. 9 of the 56 fought and died from wounds or the hardships of the Revolutionary War.
They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they? 24 were lawyers and jurists, 11 were merchants, 9 were farmers and large plantation owners, men of means, well educated. They signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.
Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags. Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward. Vandals or soldiers or both, looted the properties of Ellery, Clymer, Hall, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.
Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis, had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. The owner quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt. Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his grist mill were laid waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.
These are the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. They were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken educated and men of means. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged:"For the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."
They gave us a free and independent America because they were willing to sacrifice for what they believed in. In the New Testament we find that all Christians are called upon to be ministers. We also find that all of us, as ministers, are called upon to sacrifice ourselves for the cause of our ministry.
It is noble to sacrifice for one's country, and such sacrifice should be honored. But the New Testament gives us an even higher call. We are called to a Sacrifical Ministry".
We learn about it in -- Colossians 1:24-29 (NIV)
1. SACRIFICIAL MINISTRY
Our model is the Apostle Paul himself. He says: "I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions" (v24). Then he says he experienced these sufferings "for the sake of ... the church".
Paul's suffering was not only for the Colossians, but for the body of Christ at large. What kind of sufferings did Paul endure? Paul knew at the beginning of his ministry it would be one of suffering. Jesus, speaking of Paul, told Ananias (Acts 9:16) "I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
And we find that suffering was a continual feature of Paul's ministry. 1 Corinthians 4:10-13 "We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.
2 Corinthians 11:23-28 "Are they servants of Christ?...I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
Galatians 6:17 "...I bear on my body the marks of Jesus."
Paul, who suffered all these things for Christ could say: Rom. 8:18 "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing w/the glory that will be revealed in us."
Paul said that he went through all these things because he had been commissioned by God to be a servant to the body of Christ. We all receive this same call to servanthood by virtue of our imitation of Christ. Christ modeled sacrificial ministry all the way to the cross. Paul modeled sacrificial ministry through his sufferings and giving of himself wholly to the body of Christ.
This is our model for sacrificial ministry. As Christians we are called to do more than show up at church on Sunday. There are a number of believers who can't do that very well! We are called to give of ourselves. We are called to serve in whatever capacity God asks. Christ has given us everything
He has given His life on our behalf. We are asked to dedicate our lives to Him. If our ministry never involves personal sacrifice then we don't have a ministry. The two go hand in hand.
Paul gives us his personal example of physical suffering as sacrifice. Your sacrifice and mine might not be the same. One Christian might be called to physical suffering. Another might be called to give of him/herself financially. The point is, we must be willing to sacrifice anything and everything for the advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
2. THE MATURITY OF SACRIFICIAL MINISTRY
Someone once said: "We can only be young once, but we can be immature indefinitely." Christian, we are not to be idle in our Christian walk We are to always be moving forward.
David D. Glass, the CEO of Wal-Mart, When asked whom he most admired, responded: "Sam Walton." He went on to note, "There's never been a day in his life, since I've known him, that he didn't improve in some way."
Could that statement be applied to our spiritual lives? Could we say that there is never a day in our life that we are not improving as Christians? 1 Peter 2:2 "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation..."
When we first become Christians we are spiritual babies. We grow to maturity as we ingest the Word of God. Now if we only gain head knowledge through the Word, instead of becoming mature, we become arrogant. True Christian maturity comes only as we ingest the Word to the point that we make life-changes as a result.
Christian maturity has nothing to do with one's age. I have known teenagers who were more spiritually mature than their parents. Spiritual maturity is based not on one's age but on how much of God's Word has come to life in us. Christian maturity is a part of sacrificial ministry.
It takes sacrifice on our part to begin and maintain the process. We must sacrifice time to read and study the Word. We must sacrifice our will allowing it to be conformed to the will of God. We must sometimes sacrifice friends who do not understand the process and necessity of Christian maturity.
Paul's main goal was to lead us into spiritual maturity. ( vss. 28-29) "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. {29} To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me."
Paul's proclamation of Christ in his teaching was for the purpose of presenting us "perfect" (mature) in Christ. When Jesus comes for His bride we will be fully mature. John wrote in 1 John 3:2 "we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." We look forward to that day! When we can be presented complete in Christ.
Until that time, we must be willing to sacrifice ourselves as we attempt to grow as Christians. David Livingstone, once received a letter: "Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to send other men to join you." Livingstone replied, "If you have men who will come ONLY if they know there is a good road, I don't want them."
In the same way Christ says to us today, "If you want to be My minister,
you can't take the easy way, there are many hardships you must endure".
The call to Christian ministry is a call to sacrifice. Are we willing
to sacrifice for Christ today?