We will be taking a break from our daily scheduled posts this week to launch the “Faith Work 101” sermon series that can be used as a back to school series for your church, student ministry or personal devotion. This message was originally preached at Adrian United by David Morehead on 8-29-10.

We are in week four of our “Faithwork” series. Today we are going to talk about “Service 101.” Napoleon once pointed to a map of China and said, “There lies a sleeping giant. If it ever wakes up, it will be unstoppable.” I believe the church is a sleeping giant. Each Sunday, church pews are filled with members who are only“keeping the faith” not “using THEIR faith.”

A Gallop survey discovered that only 10 percent of American church members are active in any kind of personal ministry. 50 percent of all church members have no interest in serving in any ministry at all. That means that 40 percent of people in our churches DESIRE to be in a ministry. They have just never been asked or don’t know how to get involved. Your ministry is like a muscle – If you do not USE it, you will LOSE it!

In God’s army, there are no volunteers – he drafted all into service! I BELIEVE THAT EVERY HOLY GHOST FILLED PERSON IS A MINISTER! Every Christian is:

CREATED for ministry

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

SAVED for ministry

2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

CALLED into ministry

1 Peter 2:9-10 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10. Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

GIFTED for ministry

1 Peter 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

AUTHORIZED for ministry

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19. GO YE THEREFORE, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20. TEACHING THEM to OBSERVE all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

PREPARED for ministry

Ephesians 4:11-12 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

NEEDED for ministry

1 Corinthians 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

ACCOUNTABLE for ministry

Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

REWARDED according to our ministry

Colossians 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

VESSELS OF HONOR

There are many symbols for ministry, but the one image that really has an impact on me is a serving bowl. 2 Timothy 2:21 says, “If a man therefore purge himself from these, HE SHALL BE A VESSEL UNTO HONOUR, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” Let’s examine four interesting aspects of a bowl and how it can relate to our ministry here at Adrian United.

1) POTTERY IS CREATED BY THE HANDS OF THE POTTER (GOD)

• Isaiah 6:8But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
• Jeremiah31:4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built,

2) A SERVING BOWL IS POURED INTO

• Acts 11:24For he (Barnabas) was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.

3) A SERVING BOWL POURS OUT FOR OTHERS

• Acts 11:25Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: 26. And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

4) PROTECT THE (BOWL) MINISTRY GOD HAS GIVEN YOU

• Clay is a fragile thing, and we must protect the ministry God has given us with all diligence. We must protect ourselves from bitterness, gossiping, idleness and anything else that can creep in our hearts and destroy the ministry within us.
• Romans 8:35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36. As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

FAITH WORKS 101 SERIES

LESSON ONE: PRAYER 101

LESSON TWO: GOD’S WORD 101

LESSON THREE: UNITY 101

LESSON FOUR: SERVICE 101

LESSON FIVE: EVANGELISM 101