MInisters of God pt 2

Welcome to NECF. We're thrilled you're here.

Make sure to stay with us till the end, where

we'll share some great resources to deepen your

faith. Now, let's dive into this week's sermon.

So, very quickly, we'll continue from where we

stopped on Sunday, and I'll just do a bit of

a big hack. I don't know whether we're hearing

me clearly. If we're hearing me clearly, then...

I think just a thumbs up or something. Thank

you for hearing me clearly. Okay, good. So we're

going to continue where we stopped and we said

the topic is still ministers of God. It's still

ministers of God. I want to remind us that it's

plural. It's not singular. It's ministers, meaning

that we're doing it together and we're doing

it as a team. And that's how we can be effective.

And our text is from 2 Corinthians 6. And I want

to read it from the Amplified. Because the Amplified

adds something to it that I want us to see and

pay attention to. It says, to no purpose. Do

not receive it to no purpose. What this last

line points to us is that there is a purpose

for what we have received. There is a purpose

for what we have received. And that purpose is

the work of ministry. And on Sunday, we say,

who is the minister? We ask ourselves that question,

who is the minister? And it says, the minister,

the word there is from the Greek word, which

is diakonos. And we say that that word implies

a servant, someone who serves or to serve with

another. We said it implies someone who serves

or to serve with another. It means that is when

you refer to as a minister, you are someone who

serves and you're not just serving yourself.

You're not serving your own purposes. You're

serving God because you are his minister. You

are his minister. And we said, we saw that as

a minister, we have an identity and our identity

is tied to the one who sent us. The one who has

called us, the one who has given us the mandate

as a way to do the work of ministry. And we say

that that identity is tied to a responsibility,

means that we're responsible during the course

of the prayers. And we see that we're called

to that ministry of reconciliation. What has

been done to us, we also... do to others. We

are trained to train others. We are trained to

bring others in to call others out of darkness

because when we are proclaiming that which we

have seen or that which Christ has done to others

for them to come into that reality. And we see

that the ministry that we are called into is

a natural consequence of salvation. The ministry

that we have is a natural consequence of salvation,

meaning that an individual is saved and trained

for the work of service. And it's very important

that we prioritize that work of ministry as believers.

And we can get, I think on Sunday I painted a

picture for us how we can be distracted, we can

be sidelined from little things. Our everyday

life, you want to do this one thing and then

you just get sidelined. And we have to come to

a place where we realign ourselves to what we

are called to. Reorient ourselves to what we

are called to because we can be doing a lot of

things, which is what we're going to take time

to focus on in this meeting. how we want to have

singleness of mind. We want to be doing that

thing that he has called us. And every other

thing that we're doing is tied to that one singular

thing. And we say that the local church is the

training ground for believers to do the work

of ministry. The local church is the training

ground for it. We cannot train ourselves. You

can't be trained outside of the local church.

And we'll see in this teaching why it's important

for us to be part of the local church. We'll

further expand it on. And we also discussed,

we talked about the grace of God. We looked at

a couple of passages and I want to just remind

us of what the grace of God is. You see, the

grace of God is all that is freely given to us

from God to man for salvation and for the work

of ministry. And that is the definition in North

Shore because we look at several passages of

scripture. And I want us to come to that place

where we bring everything together. Know that

it's from something that is freely given to us

from God. It's not something that we can walk

to have. And that gift of God is what brings

us into heaven. That gift of God is everything

that we need for the work of ministry. It's everything

that we have been given for the work of ministry.

Praise God. So the gift of God is all that is

freely given from God to man for salvation and

the work of ministry. All that has been given,

freely given from God. to man for salvation and

the work of ministry. And what I want us to take

time to discuss in this teaching, and we're going

to look at examples of different characters,

different individuals that had this singleness

of mind, that had one thing at their focus, and

how that one thing they had in their focus helped

them drive... was the drive or the motivation

and was what led to the result and what led to

the life or the character of the individuals

that we are going to be looking at. And we're

going to look at a couple and we're going to

do this. We're going to do this with the help

of God and we're going to see how we go. So we

are going to look at David. We're going to look

at the life of David and we're going to see it

from Psalms, Psalms 27. I want us to open our

Bibles to Psalms 27 verse 4. Psalms 27 verse

Psalms 27:4 Psalms 27:4

4. And we know that David is one, is a king.

And David, when David shows up, we see him serving,

we see him tending sheep. The father heard. Psalms

Psalms 27:4

27 verse 4. Psalms 27 verse 4. So, Psalms 27

Psalms 27:4 Psalms 27:4

verse 4. So it reads, it says, One thing I ask,

one thing I ask of the Lord, the thing I seek

most is to live in the house of the Lord all

the days of my life, delighting in God's perfection

and meditating in his temple. Delighting in his

perfection and perfections and meditating in

his. I will read it again from the New King James.

It says, One thing I have desired of the Lord,

that I will seek that I may dwell in the house

of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold

the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his

temple. And one thing I want to see from the

life of David, because he starts that psalms,

he starts, he starts, he's the one that wrote

the psalms, he starts the psalms from verse 1.

He says, The Lord is my light and my salvation.

So why should I be afraid? Why should I be afraid?

He says, the Lord is my fortress, protecting

me from danger. So why should I tremble? He says,

when evil people come to devour me, when my enemies

and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.

Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart...

will not be afraid. Even if I'm attacked, I will

remain confident. I like the last part. It says,

even if I'm attacked, I will remain confident.

And this is a man of war. David is a man that

went to battle. David is a man. And he's telling

you, and know that all of this, one, two, three,

I think there was a point in time, I think when

I had a ringtone where this was, this was the

verse that was actually beside, I think the ringtone

had the verse. And that was one part, like the

ringtone was just, you know, it gives you the

stats of the Lord is my light and my salvation.

You don't hear that and it doesn't exude confidence

that this person is sure what they're talking

about. This person is confident, not in himself,

but in the Lord. The person is confident, not

in himself, but in the Lord. And David speaking

is a man of war. He went into battle knowing

one thing, that his strength, his abilities,

every of those things. and nothing except for

God. Except for God. And David was one person

that you knew through the way he did his things,

knowing that what was very important to him was

his relationship with God. And that's why he

says that one thing. And his one thing, his own

one thing is right. And that one thing motivated

every of his actions. And I want to remind us

as believers, there should be one thing that

motivates every of our decision making. It should

be one thing that is our digital making is anchored

on. And every other thing should flow from it.

And that is our relationship with God. Meaning

that our faith in God is what should drive our

motivation, not the other way around, where several

things are the things that drive our motivation.

And we'll see it exemplified in the life of David.

David is telling us very clearly, he is his light,

he is his salvation. And that is where he...

He anchors his faith on God. And then that is

what makes him not to be afraid of anything.

And I know that you, which is what we'll come

to, as a believer, as someone who knows the God

that they serve, as someone who has a relationship,

as someone who is taught, as someone who is learning,

you want to come to that place where you are

very, very, very confident. in the God that you

serve. And that is what gives you the boldness

to boldly declare. That's what gives you the

boldness to proclaim. That's what gives you,

that's what takes away every form of fear. Because

fear is inconsistent with our identity. Because

we serve a God, because we know the God that

we serve, we are bold, we declare. And this is

one thing that David exemplifies in his whole

life, where he, because of the relationship he

has, he determines and detects how He lives and

the way the things he appreciates and the things

he wants to do. He says, one thing I've desired.

And what is important to him is that constant

fellowship and communion with God. And we see

it in how he says it. He says his confidence,

his faith, all of that is anchored on the priority

of the relationship he has with God. That prioritizing

the relationship we have with God. And there's

something I think I read. which book was that?

It very clearly states that the believer never

lacks faith. A believer never lacks faith, no

matter the situation. Because a believer believes

in the one who has saved him, the one who has

called him to the work of ministry. So even with

regards to the work of ministry, you have faith.

for the person that you're speaking to. You have

faith for the walk that he has called you to

because he's the one that has called you to the

walk and he's the one responsible. So you are

putting your trust in him who has called you

because he's the one, he who has called you,

he's faithful. He who has called you is the one

who placed our confidence in. And we have a tendency

to place our confidence in things that we are

not 100 % on. I was here, I think I was talking

last week with someone or on the weekend with

someone. I was like, we sit down on chair, we

take a seat on the chair. We don't know who made

the chair. We don't know who was the manufacturer.

We're not confident. We just put our full weight

on the chair and we just move on like it's normal.

We don't know who the pilot is, but we're confident

that we're going to arrive at this. We don't

know who, we don't, there's certain things we

don't know about, but we have confidence in those

things. But we know this God and we know that

this God has done so much already. He has given

us a son. He has brought us to that place where

we know that he has promised. He has given us

his promise and he has kept his promise over

and over again. So it doesn't bring us, we never

come to a place where we are in doubt of God's

faithfulness when we know, when we are learning,

when we have a revelation of this God. And Apostle

Paul very much exemplifies this in the passage

where we were reading where he goes down and

states a lot of things that he has, a lot of

things that has happened. You see him in verse

4, starting in verse 4. He says, but in all things

we commend ourselves as ministers. That is 2

2 Corinthians 6:4

Corinthians 6 verse 4. He says, but in all things,

2 Corinthians 6 verse 4, but in all things we

2 Corinthians 6:4

commend ourselves as ministers of God in much

patience. In tribulations, in needs, in distress,

in stripes, in imprisonment. Apostle Paul knows

a lot about imprisonment and he still doesn't

look, he doesn't change his identity as a minister

of God, doesn't change it. He doesn't stop him

from carrying out his responsibility. He still

carries out his responsibility in imprisonment.

And as he's in tumult, in labors, in sleeplessness.

In fastings, by purity, by knowledge, by long

-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit,

by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the

power of God, by the armor of righteousness on

the right hand and on the left hand, by the armor

of righteousness on the right hand and on the

left hand. By honor and dishonor, by evil report

and good report, as deceivers and yet true, as

unknown and yet well -known, as dying and behold

we live, as chastened and yet not killed, as

sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making

many rich. as having nothing, yet possessing

all things. And we see that he contrasts all

these things, and he's trying to establish to

us that in all these things, he still stands

in his identity, his solid and confident identity,

because his identity is not based off of himself.

It's based on the one who called him, on the

one who called him. And in the same Corinthians,

I think that's verse 4. 2 Corinthians 4 verses

2 Corinthians 4:1

1. 2 Corinthians 4 verses 1. He said, therefore,

2 Corinthians 4:1

since we have this ministry, we have this ministry

as we have received mercy. We do not lose heart.

We do not lose heart. We do not lose heart. In

the NLT, he says, we never give up. We never

give up. Meaning that as ministers, we know what

we have. We never give up. We are consistent

in it. We are consistent in it. We are consistent

in it. And we know that it's a responsibility

of everyone. It's not the pastor's responsibility

to never give up for each and every one of us.

It's we, individually, never give up. Because

know that David is speaking of that one thing.

Apostle Paul is telling his own. He's speaking

about how we. Call it today as believers. He

says, since we have this ministry, we never give

up. We never lose heart. We never give up. We

never lose heart. And I want us to see another

one thing again. And in this particular one thing,

I want us to pay attention because we come to

this passage and we are looking at it from this

direction. But I want us to see what God is going

to be ministering to us strongly on. And look.

In Luke 10, in Luke 10, in Luke 10, verse 40

Luke 10:40–42

to 42, in Luke 10, verse 40 to 42, it says, But

Luke 10:40–42

Martha was distracted with many servants, and

she approached him and said, Lord, Do you not

care that my sister has left me to serve alone?

Therefore tell her to help me. 41 now says, And

Jesus answered and said to her, Martha, Martha,

you are worried and troubled about many things.

But one thing is needed and Mary has chosen that

good part, which will not be taken away from

her. And we can look at this passage and we're

like, oh, Martha is just doing. She's just more

concerned about, oh, you want to look at what

was going on while she was doing the many things.

She was doing, it says, she was worried and troubled

about many things. She was worried and troubled

about many things. And 42 now says, but one thing

is needed. And it says, and Mary has chosen that

good part. Mary has chosen that good part. And

what was the good part? Note that prior to the

verses, my previous verses in 39, it says, and

she had a sister, Mary, that's verse 39 of Luke

10. She had a sister, Mary, who also sat at Jesus'

feet and heard his word. She sat at Jesus' feet

and heard his word. And I want you to understand

that as a minister, What should be more important

to you? Service is important. But what should

be more important to you or what should be more

important to us is learning at Jesus' feet. The

training that happens when teaching of God's

word is happening. Because that is what is most

important. In the Church of NACF, we have said

this so many times. What is important to us is

that people are not just serving. That people

are learning and they are growing. People are

learning and they are growing. Not just seven,

because you can be seven and you're not growing.

You can be seven, but you're not growing. What

is more important is that you are learning and

you are growing. That is why we prioritize and

we say, okay, leaders, members, every one of

us should be part of the midweek service. Every

one of us should be part of the cell meetings.

Every one of us should be paying attention and

be taking notes in the Sunday services. All of

this is to the end that everyone is learning

and is growing. And that is a hallmark. That

is what a minister, and that's what ministry,

that's what a minister of God should hold as

priority. That is the one thing, which is the

good part, that should be a priority to us. Because

you can be doing many things. You can be doing

many things, troubled. You can be doing many

things and be troubled about those things. But

know that there's something about when you're

focused on one thing and you're focused on the

thing that is good, the most important. You will

see growth. And your service will be more effective.

Praise God. Your service will be more effective.

See, those who are trained serve effectively.

Most of the people who struggle to sit under

the training and teaching, they are the ones

that you will have a hard time with in service.

And this is very important, that as ministers

of God, that we ensure that we devote ourselves

to the trainings that are happening in the church.

The trainings that are happening in the church

are what is most important to us. The trainings

that are happening in the church is what is most

important to us. And we also see another example.

And I love this example because it is not just

what is needed, it is also what we can lack.

It's not just what is needed, it's also what

we can lack. And we see this in, we can look

at it from Luke's account. Since we're in Luke,

let's look at Luke 18. Luke 18, verses 18 to

Luke 18:18–23

23. Luke 18, 18 to 23. This is an account of

the young ruler, the rich young ruler. It says,

Now a certain ruler asked him, saying, good teacher,

what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus

said to him, what do you call, and why do you

call me good? Why question, why do you call me

good? No one is good but one. That is God. You

know the commandments. Do you commit adultery?

Do you murder? Sorry, you know the commandments.

Do not commit adultery. Do not murder. Do not

steal. Do not bear false witness. Honor your

father and your mother. And he said, all these

things I have kept from my youth. So when Jesus

heard these things, he said to him, you still

lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute

to the poor and you will have treasures in heaven

and come and follow me. 23 now says, but when

he heard this, he became very soulful. for he

was very rich. And when we read this passage,

we just look and then we say, oh, he's the wealth,

he's tied to his wealth. But beyond this, we

see a man that comes and he presents to Jesus

Christ a flawless CV. He says, my CV. He says,

this is my CV. He says, my CV is, I have kept

all, you see, in verse 21, he says, all these

things I have kept from my youth. As a minister,

you want to be very careful when you, during

the course of service, our pride is not, there's

nothing of us. Remember we said the gift that

we have received, we didn't pay any price for

it. It was freely given. And it's all that we

have is what we have. We have those things in

Christ Jesus. Yes, there's the effort, the responsibility

that we. we put into the work that gets us. We

know that there's no basis for you to come and

then you look at the person you're talking to

and you're saying, yeah, see, I've kept all of

these things. We can present. And we know that

our flawless series, if you want to always get

a job, you want to go with, you want to have

a series, you know, not this, this, that. You

want to have a series that ensures that you are,

you... You want to have a good CV. You want to

know how to write the CV. You want to know how

to package even the things that you have done.

You want to know how to package and put. But

in this work of ministry, our CV is, Apostle

Paul says it very beautifully, that it's not

all these things. He has even the things to brag

about. He has all of those things. But he knows

that it's not anchored on things. It's on what

Christ has done. He's able to brag and make his

boast on. And he comes and then he's out. saying,

okay, look at me, flawless. But know that the

only flawlessly we have is the one we have is

on what Christ has done. So if we want to go,

we present that. So the minister of God is not

taking pride in the things that they can do or

the things that they have done. They are taking

pride in the things that Christ has done and

the things that Christ is enabling them to do.

So what we are not doing, when we are doing God's

work, We're doing God's work in his own terms.

We're doing God's work with the CV or with the

ability that he supplies. So this man now is

presented with the one thing he lacks because

the person he's talking to is not a man that

will not see past the flaws or the errors in

his presentation or the motive behind it. And

he comes now and he presents that and then he's...

brought his attention is brought to the one thing

he lacks and i want you to notice that what he

lacks in this in a sense is that passion for

like because he's instructed here now to sell

all he has and give to the poor meaning that

his heart and which is very key once our our

desire and our heart our relationship well we

have a relationship with god our Every of our

desire is anchored. Remember what we said earlier.

We said that our motivation, once our motivation,

once our faith is what drives our motivation.

So if we have faith in God, we believe in God,

we know that what he has called us into is greater

than what it is that we can call ourselves into.

You mean that no matter what exactly it is that

we're doing, what he has called us into is more

important than what it is that we are doing,

like our careers. all those responsibilities

that we have, because that is what is most important.

We are able to say, okay, this is what is important.

I think someone says this, because you have a

relationship with someone, the person has your

heart. Your resources will easily flow because

you know that this person is important to you.

This person is a priority to you. So when an

instruction is given, because God is your Lord,

His resources are yours. Your resources are his.

You are able to respond easily. And the fact

that you love God, you will love the people that

are his. You will love the people. You will love

people. You will have relations. You know, some

people say, I'm not a people person. You know

that the ministry you have been called into is

a ministry where you deal with people. You don't

deal with chairs. Yes, if you are doing ushering,

you will be cleaning them and all of that. But

know that the end goal is that you're going to

be interacting with people. Even the reason why

you're cleaning things, the reason why you're

arranging, the reason is for people. You're ministering

to God and you're also ministering to people.

And the point here is that this individual comes

in and then he's wanting to do it in his own

terms. He's wanting to present his own thing

and then believing that that is how he's going

to get through. But we know that... The instruction

is the same and it has not changed. That the

moment we come into him, we are no longer ours

but his. And our activity, every activity is

anchored on that. The fact that we have a relationship

with him, he tells us how we do our things. And

this is very true for our personal relationships.

Once you have a friend that is dear to your heart,

you will go out of your way to ensure that if

they have a need, that their need is met. Once

you have a relationship, there's nothing that

is too big for you to give because you have a

relationship. And that is basically at the core

of it. As ministers, our responsibility is beyond

just the casual, the everyday run -ins. We understand

that we're called to something. We're called

to minister to people. People are the... the

agency by which people are important in the work

of ministry. So it means that we shouldn't have

a hard time serving. We shouldn't have a hard

time serving. We shouldn't have a hard time serving.

And I love how Mark's account, Mark's account

actually says he looks at him with compassion.

He looks at him with compassion. He looks at

the young rich one, he looks at him 21. He says

on Jesus Christ, Mark 10 verse 21. Mark 10 verse

Mark 10:21 Mark 10:21

21. It says, then Jesus looking at him, loves

him, looking at him with compassion. He says

to him that one thing you lack. Mark 10 verse

Mark 10:21

21. He says, one thing you lack. He says, go

away, sell whatever you have and give to the

poor. Go away, sell whatever you have and give

to the poor. But in 22 he says, but he was sad

at his word. He was sad at his word. He went

away sorrowful. for he had great possessions.

So this person at the instruction to give away

what he has is sorrowful. He was saddened by

that. It was sorrowful. So it means that as believers

or as ministers, we shouldn't have a point in

time where we come and then we are feeling sorrowful

because we are asked to serve others. We are

feeling saddened because we are asked to do the

work that we are called into. Remember we said

that this work of ministry is a natural consequence

for our salvation, meaning that that is what

will flow naturally from us. And there's a training.

We shouldn't run away from training. So he says,

so I want us to ask ourselves this one question.

What is the one thing that we lack that stops

us from genuine and wholehearted service to God?

What is that one thing? What is that one thing?

That is holding you back. What is that wanting.

That is limiting your desire. Or not allowing

you to. Because in the passage. Apostle Paul.

Let's go to 2 Corinthians 6. 2 Corinthians 6.

In verse 11. Verse 11. Apostle Paul says. All

Corinthians. We have spoken openly to you. Our

heart. is wide open. Our heart is wide open.

The NLT says, the New King James says, it's spoken

openly to you. He says, our heart is wide open.

Our heart is wide open. Verse 12 now says, you

are not restricted by us, but you are restricted

by your own affections. You're restricted by

your own affections, meaning that the problem

is not from his own end. The problem is from

their own end. It means that something is now

more important. That is one thing that is different

from the main thing that is restricting them.

Praise God, that is restricting them. Verse 13

now says, now I turn from. It says, now in turn.

For the same, I speak as to children. I speak

as to children that you also be open. That you

also be open. In Daniel, he says, open your hearts

to us. Open your hearts to us. Meaning that he

says, so he's like, something else has your affection.

Something else has your attention. He's saying,

open your hearts. He's speaking to them as children.

He says, open. your heart out to us. Because

there's a need to recalibrate and realign ourselves

to what is important. And what Apostle Paul is

pleading, Apostle Paul is pleading to them that

they should respond to his plea and set their

affection on God and his people. Set their affection

on God and his people because their gaze is away

from what is most important. Their gaze is away

from the call and the responsibility that they

have. to do that which is the work of ministry.

And he's pleading to them. He's saying, what

exactly it is? What's more important? And another

question to us is, what or who have we set our

affection on? What and who have we set our affection

on? Like King David. It is his desire. One thing

as he desired. And his desire is for God. His

desire is for the things of God. Is our desire

for God, is our desire for the things of God?

If so, our response to the work that he has called

us as ministers will be seamless. It will be

seamless. Our response will not be arguing, will

not be having any, will just flow with things

that he instructs us to do. It will not be difficult

for us to follow through with his will. It will

not be difficult for us to follow through with

his will because what is important to us is the

work of ministry. And it's his work that he has

called us to. So we do it. And Apostle Paul,

again in Philippians, in Philippians 3, verses

Philippians 3:13

13, he also screams, he says, I do not count

myself to have apprehended. He says, one thing

I do, one thing he does. Even Apostle Paul, he's

saying this loudly. Remember, we're talking about

the focus, that singleness. And every believer

should have the fact that we are. We're doing

this, we're pursuing careers, we're pursuing

this and that. There's something that we should

prioritize. We have to have our priorities set

on the work that we are called to. And as I said

on Sunday, sometimes things can happen, we can

shift, but we have to come back to the things

that are most important. We have to come back

to it. We have to come back to it. And I suppose

it's forget one thing it does. He's forgetting

those things that are behind. Meaning that there

is a tendency for us to allow the things that

we have done in the past to cloud us from the

things that he's wanting to do in the future.

And as human beings, we have this tendency to

do things habitually. We want to do things like

creature of habits. We want to do it like this

all the time. Sometimes we need to make... to

be able to help us to be able to do the things

that God has called us to even more effectively.

We need to make changes to do even the things

that God has called us to more effectively. And

I want us to see also that even the purpose that

God has called us to affect the way we will structure

ourselves as a church, there are a lot of things

that are changing, there are a lot of things

we are arranging so that we can be more effective,

so that people will grow, people will be trained.

And people will be sent out for ministry because

how it happens is that we are called, we are

equipped, and we are sent out. We're trained,

we're equipped, and we're equipped, and the equipment

is for the work of service. It's for the work

of ministry. Praise God. So in Acts 6, I want

us to see a situation that happened, and we want

to see the growth. We want to see the expansion.

I want to see the reasons for it. All the things

that are happening in Acts 6, verse 1 to 7. Acts

Acts 6:1–7

6, 1 to 7. Acts of Apostles 6, 1 to 7. It says,

now in those days, when the number of the disciples

were multiplying, there arose a complaint against

the Hebrews by the Hellenists. The Hellenists

are the Greek -speaking... The Hellenists are

the Greek -speaking believers, and it's against

the Hebrew -speaking believers. He says, because

their widows were neglected, meaning that there

was some form of discrimination that was happening

as a result, that was happening during the distribution

of food to the widows. He said, then the twelve

summoned the multitude of the disciples and said,

it is not desirable that we should leave the

work of God and sell tables, meaning that the

apostles, prioritize the work of God, the ministry

that we're called into over this thing that could

be some form of distraction. Therefore, brethren,

seek out among you seven men of good reputation,

full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may

appoint over this business. But we will give,

we say, but we will give. ourselves continually

to prayer and the ministry of the word. And the

saying pleased the whole multitude, and they

chose Stephen, a man full of faith, and the Holy

Spirit, and Philip, Procrius, Nicanor, Timon,

Hermanus, and Nicholas, a proselyte from Antioch,

whom they set before the apostles, and when they

had prayed, they laid hands on them. Seven, then

the word of God spread, and then the number of

disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and

a great many of the priests were obedient to

the faith. And I want us to see something here,

that we understand that the decision of the apostles

to select this individual on the basis of a challenge,

because in... it's short -setting, you can have

conflicts. And the way they chose to address,

to resolve this conflict is by not giving all

of their attention to this, but creating a system

of leadership around that particular area to

be able to checkmate what was going on. And know

that they decide to have a set of criteria because

know that the purpose... that whatever purpose

it is of what you're doing will determine how

you structure it, how you create structure. Whatever

purpose you want to, if this is important to

you, there's a structure around that. If that

is not important to you, you leave it because

it's not important. But it very much tells us

how you structure things and knew that there

was a reason for it. They said they want to give

themselves to, to give themselves continually

to prayer and the work of ministry and that will

be destruction. And hence, you now decided to...

They now ask that they should find people. And

note that the choices, like the men of good reputation,

seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy

Spirit and wisdom, whom they have appointed over

the business. Note that all of these criteria

are the criteria that are lacking in a believer.

Are the criteria that should be lacking in a

believer. All of these criteria should not be

a criteria lacking in a believer. So it means

that everyone, like if they were, because the

instruction was to have seven men. So it means

that every other person will have, but know that

these individuals are to be leaders. They are

to be leaders. So it means that these persons

stood out and were selected. These persons stood

out for the position and they were matured individuals

because just imagine if you now carry it and

give it to some group of persons where people

don't even respect people because they are individuals

that are matured, they are individuals that have

these criterias and they were able to do the

work. What I want us to see is that the apostles

delegated this for focus, so that they will be

able to focus on what is important, which is

prayer. and the work of men and the prayer and

the word. So they are able to do that. And we

see that after that is done, the result of it

is that people are effectively trained and there's

an expansion. People are effectively trained

and there's an expansion. And let us know that

the spread of the word is the result of disciples

that were trained. The spread of the word is

the result of disciples that were trained because

if the disciples... Because it's not the apostles

that are just doing the work all by themselves.

You know that in the Church of Hennessy, it should

be every one of us doing the work of ministry,

serving. Not just the pastors, not delegated

to us solely. Yes, we're doing different things.

And it goes beyond Sunday to Sundays. An everyday

thing. It's an everyday thing. We have this time,

but we have more time outside of here than now.

The walk of ministry is a lifestyle for the believer,

meaning that anywhere we find ourselves, we should

be positioned to do the work. We should be positioned

to do the work. And we see that this spread,

the increase, we saw that in verse 7. It says,

then the word of God spread. And the spread,

as I repeat myself again, is as a result of the

disciples that were going out and doing the work.

The disciples... And the number of disciples

multiplied greatly, meaning that it's one person

giving rise to another. There is a multiplication

that happened as a result. So it means for tremendous

growth, everyone has to be involved in the training.

If we want to see growth, everybody has to participate.

One person can do several things, but if several

people are doing one thing, it's going to be

more effective. it's going to be a lot effective.

One person can do several things, but if several

people are doing one particular thing in particular,

there's going to be effectiveness in that particular

thing. And that's why we all are called to this

program. We are ministers of God and we are all

to that responsibility of doing that. And for

a long time, most of us have just negated ourselves

to just the normal routine. And that's basically

what church has done to where we just show up

and then once it's over, We go back home. We

come back and your month is over. It's now a

routine. It's now a routine. And I want you to

see something similar in Exodus. Exodus 18 verse

Exodus 18:21

21. With Moses. Exodus 18 verse 21. Exodus 18

Exodus 18:21 Exodus 18:21

verse 21. Moreover, you shall select from all

the people able men. Such as fear God, men of

truth, hating covetousness, and place such over

them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds,

rulers of fifties, rulers of tens. Rulers of

thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties,

rulers of tens. there's still a criteria. We

see that in the Old Testament. We just saw that

in the New Honor. We're seeing this in the Old,

where a selection is done based on a criteria.

People who are able men and they feared God and

they are men of truth, hating covetousness, and

place such men. Such men who have place over.

We see the disciples, a structure where Moses

is going to be more effective. And that was the

advice that his father -in -law, Jethro, had

given. Because it's beautiful when you can come

and do everything. And most of the times, we

do that because we trust ourselves to get it

done. But what will happen over time is that

we'll be doing a lot, and then people will not

be trained. And people themselves, and when you

have a church with a lot of people that are capable,

and sometimes we used to say this, we say, those

of us that are... and are just looking at those

that are struggling with it. We need to check

you again. I want you to understand why you are

in a place where there's a need and then you

are not wanting to see how you can meet that

need. I really want to understand what is sponsoring

the attitude of just watching and waiting until

when it's, you know, there's a people that the

car is broken or you see that the car is about

to break or the car is about to get damaged.

And then you are just waiting for you to be the

Messiah when it does happen. And then you now

show up and then you will now be saying, all

this while you have been looking at us. So you

knew that this thing needs fixing and then you

were just waiting. That is not godly. Praise

God. That is not godly. We are called to the

work of ministry and we want to see, we have

to put our hearts to it and ensure that we are

all in it and we are working towards it and having

everybody. participate and does their own quarter

to the effectiveness of the work itself. So I

want us to look at Acts 2. Acts 2. Acts 2. 42

-47. Acts 2. 42 -47. Where I looked at it briefly

at the church on Sunday. It is... And with many

other words, he testified and exalted them. That's

Peter now. And exalted them, be saved from this

perverse generation. Then those who gladly received

his word were baptized. And that day, about 3

,000 souls were added, seeing that multiplication

happening as a result of the preaching of God's

word. No, that is the preaching of God's word

that causes the multiplication. not just inviting

people to church, is the preaching of God's word

that causes the multiplication. Preaching and

having people saved causes the multiplication.

It says, and they continue to stay sparsely in

the apostle's doctrine and fellowship in the

breaking of breads and prayers. And not that

they continue to stay sparsely, meaning that

the teaching of the word, remember what we said

on Sunday, that is, when people are saved, trained,

what will naturally happen is that they will

be They are trained for the work of ministry

and will have expansion. And what we are believing

God for and what we know that God is doing in

this season is that he's given men a desire to

not sit down and just be receiving training and

not doing anything about it. Or rather, men are

getting that sense of desire to go out. And for

most of us, we feel that, okay, going out will

mean that you have to go out. I said it, I think

I said it now. So some of us have friends, housemates.

We have people around us that we have had so

many opportunities to present, and we don't.

We don't. And we are holding back. I think the

word that Abura Takunda came and gave to us during

the course of the prayers, we want to... go out.

We want to speak and it has to be consistent.

It has to be consistent. And we want to be able

to ensure that we are not just saying these words.

We are also believing God for the gifts to be

manifest. As you are speaking to the person,

you are praying and you are receiving a word.

You are asking them, okay, what do you need prayer

for? Or what are the practical needs that you

feel that you have? And then you are believing

the ones you can meet, the ones you You can pray

for, you'll see that I can be a tool for God

to be able to minister. And you want to be able

to make sure that you are going out of your way.

I think something happened last week where I

was really concerned for a particular individual.

I was praying for the individual. And then all

of a sudden I was like, I got a word that this

person is not saved. And all the while this person

is telling me all the things and just talking.

And when I asked him about it, he said, yes,

he was. And then only for me to ask them, okay,

what is then the gospel that got you saved? And

then the person is just stammering. And then

I now realize that, okay, that word I got was

very valid, that this individual wasn't saved.

And we want to be able to really believe because

there are people that show up in church and they

are moving around and they are not. And you want

to believe God to be able to address certain

things. And it's all by believing that God is

able to. do these things and is able to work

it and we're able to ensure that we get people

not just showing up in church because that in

itself will change that person from the state

of just a church attendee to someone who is equipped

for service. So in 43 it says, Then fear came

upon every soul and many wonders and signs were

done through the apostles. Now all who believed

were together. and had all things in common and

sold their possessions and goods and divided

them among all as many had need. So individuals

were just very, were just open because once God

has happened, you have people just very willing

to serve others with what they have. Remember

when we talked about the rich young ruler, not

be saddened by just the singular fact that he

was asked to give what he had to the poor. Once

people are saved, they are trained, it's very

easy for them to just commit to the needs of

others, commit to helping others in need. So

they continued daily in one accord in the temple,

breaking bread from house to house, meaning that

they were moving. There was that priority, moving

from house to house. They were moving to where

people were and ensuring that they were preaching

as well. They ate their food in gladness and

singleness of heart, praising the Lord. and having

favor with all the people. And the Lord added

to the church daily those who were being saved.

Meaning that there is also the positioning that

happens as a result of the expansion. There's

a position in that. I thank God for the Church

of NECF where we have cell meetings in house

environments, in people's houses, where we want

to really believe God for just how we're going

to position ourselves in such a way that there

are people around. that we can be able to minister

to and we can be able to bring to the knowledge

of the truth and then train. Because as I said

on Sunday, I said, you can get someone to work,

the main work is ensuring that they grow, that

they are trained for the work of ministry. And

that requires patience, that requires consistency,

that requires the great help that God is able

to supply to us. And in Timothy, 2 Timothy 2

2 Timothy 2:2

verse 2, 2 Timothy 2 verse 2. 2 Timothy 2 verse

2 Timothy 2:2 2 Timothy 2:2

2. It says, And these things that you have heard

from me, among many weaknesses, commit this to

faithful men who will be able to teach others.

Meaning that you want to, you're not just, the

goal is that it is committed to faithful men

that are able to teach others. The goal is to

commit the things to the... teaching to faithful

men. This is Apostle Paul commending Timothy,

that he commends it to faithful men that are

able to teach others. And we see Apostle Paul

having, I think, he had a lot of individuals

around him that ministered, that were ministers,

right? That ministered to him that were ministers.

I want us to see it in this passage in Acts 20.

Acts 20. Acts 20, 4 -12. Tychicus and Trophimus

of Asia. It says, these men had, going ahead,

waited for us at Troas. But we sailed away from

Philippi after the days of unleavened bread and

in five days joined them at Troas where we stayed

seven days. And I want us to see how the work

of ministry brought people around him and then

also he moved. And then you have people ministering.

And we see him coming to Troas and then also

ministering in Troas. Now, there's verse 7. Now

on the seventh day of the week when the disciples

came together to break bread. Remember we said

that was a routine. They would come around, break

bread, ready to depart the next day. Paul ready

to depart the next day to spoke to them. and

continued his message until midnight. You can

imagine the time he started and he continued

until midnight. There were many lamps in the

upper room where they were gathered together.

And in a window sat a certain young man. That

is in verse 9. The window sat a certain young

man. Take your course. He says, Who was sinking

into a deep sleep? And I'm hoping somebody is

not sinking into it deeply. He was overcome by

sleep. And as Paul continued speaking, he fell

down from the told story and was taken up dead.

He said, I was taken up dead. But Paul went down,

fell on him, and embraced him. And embracing

him said, do not trouble yourselves, for his

life is in him. Now when he had come up, had

broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while,

even till daybreak, he departed. And they brought

the young man in alive, and they were not a little

comforted. They were not a little comforted.

Now that Paul had... thought and thought and

thought to tell you how what was important going

back to what we said about what was most important

to him. The man that slept and fell from the

dust did not distract him from the work he was

doing. He had gone prayed for the man and thanked

God for the healing. The man did not die. The

man did not die. But you want to see that even

in the life of Paul, Paul prioritizes the teaching

of the word and he comes in and he's an example

for us where he's moving from one point to another.

He spent this much time teaching and teaching

and wanting to see that the disciples or the

persons, the believers were equipped. And once

he even goes, he takes his time to send them

letters, to minister to them. They are certain

individuals that he was moving around with, which

one of them is Tiki Kos. I want us to see in

Ephesians where he, how he refers, Ephesians

6 .21, Ephesians 6 .21, Ephesians 6 .21, we see

him saying, he says, but you also, that you also

may know my affairs and how I am doing. Tiki

Kos, a beloved... brother and faithful minister

in the Lord will make all things known to you.

So we have an individual that is a faithful minister

that is going to help, that was helping him and

ensuring that the word is spread. And in also

Colossians 4, Colossians 4, verse 7, which is

Colossians 4:7

what we, I think we're very familiar with that

passage down to 12. I'll just read it very quickly

to us. We see that Tychicus was a beloved brother.

faithful minister and a fellow servant with all,

he said, will tell you all the news about me.

And I want us to go down to 9, where he says,

and Onesimus, this is another individual again,

Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who

is one of you. He will make known to you all

the things which are happening. So these individuals

are ministers and they are enabled and they are

helping in the work of ministry. And then we

have... 12, 12, verse 12 of that same Colossians

4, Epaphras, which is, we pray this a lot in

church, said, who is one of you? Same as Onesimus,

who is one of you? I think during the course

of the prayer, we had looked at Philemon, where

he was commending Philemon, he was asking Philemon,

you should show love to this person, Onesimus.

He says, in 12, he said, Epaphras, who is one

of you? A born servant greets you, always laboring

favorably for you in prayers. that you may stand

perfect and complete in all the will of God.

Praise God. So we see that all these individuals

are ministers. All these individuals are ministers.

And in closing, I want us to look at 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 15. 1 Corinthians 15, verse 58.

1 Corinthians 15:58

1 Corinthians 15, verse 58. It says, Therefore,

1 Corinthians 15:58

my beloved brother, my beloved brethren, be steadfast,

immovable, always abounding in the work of the

Lord. Knowing that your labor is not in vain

in the Lord. Knowing that your labor is not in

vain in the Lord. Knowing that your labor is

not in vain in the Lord. Every minister's labor

is not in vain in the Lord. Our ministry to God

and to his people is what will last. Our ministry

to God and his people is what will last. And

we're not doing something that others before

us have not done. We're not doing something that

others before us have not done. We want to stay

steadfast. We want to not allow distractions

to stop us from doing the work. We want to stay

focused. I want to believe God for strength to

even do more than we're doing. I want us to just

close by saying, I'm a minister of God. We're

thankful you joined us today. Don't forget to

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to having you with us next time. God bless.