6/29/14   YEAR OF EQUIPPING TO SERVE

Involvement - The Work Won’t Get Done Without Workers

    As believers, we all have a job to do.  God’s design for the church includes getting everyone involved.  We don’t have anyone who has mastered everything that needs to be done.  God’s work is as team effort.  It was never God’s plan that “professionals” would do all the work.  Church was never designed to be a spectator sport.  God’s design is for involvement.  Involvement doesn’t seek position, but work to do for the Lord.
    Here’s an interesting story on the benefits of being involved.
Research Study Uncovers the “Ikea Effect”
    A team of researchers from three universities have identified a phenomenon they call “The Ikea Effect”. The name derives from Ikea, the successful company whose products usually arrive with some assembly required. In a series of experiments, the researchers had participants assemble Ikea products, fold origami projects, and build sets of Legos. The study concluded, “[Participants experienced] the increase in valuation of self-made products …. [They] saw their amateurish creations … as similar in value to the creations of experts.” In other words, the researchers found that when we get personally involved in a project, we have a greater affection for the end product—even when we know it isn’t perfect.
    One of the researchers for the study described the Ikea Effect this way: “Imagine that you built a table. Maybe it came out a little crooked. Probably your [spouse] or your neighbor would see it for what it is—a shoddy piece of workmanship. But to you that table might seem really great, because you’re the one who created it. It’s the fruit of your labor. And that is really the idea behind the Ikea Effect.”
Matt Woodley, PreachingToday.com; sources: Michael Norton, Daniel Mochon, Dan Ariely, "The Ikea Effect," Social Science Research Network (3-4-13); Shankar Vedantam, "Why You Love That Ikea Table, Even If It's Crooked, NPR (2-6-13)
    Involvement.  I built that.  I worked on that.  There is a proper place for pride of accomplishment.  Involvement leads to ownership.  Ownership is important for more involvement and accomplishment.  It’s more fun to be involved and not just a spectator.
Acts 6:1-7 NIV
1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
What do we see here?  Some key points.
A Community of Fellowship of the Believers
    God made people with a need for fellowship.  We need to belong and have friends.  From the beginning, the church has put emphasis on community, on fellowship.  They cared about each other, they did what they could to take care of needs.  This is how they functioned. This is how the church must continue to function.
The Attacks Against Unity
    Because unity is so necessary, there have been and will continue to be attacks by the enemy.  When the church is fussing with the church, the work of the ministry doesn’t get done.  The amount of time that has been wasted over totally worthless issues is unable to be counted.  “We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord” must not only be our theme, but our continued reality.
The Preservation of Unity
    Keeping an eternal focus and staying deeply in love with Jesus are keys to keeping unity.  Here’s a good verse to maintain unity.
Colossians 3:23 NIV
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
    Work for God.  Don’t care about getting credit.  Let God work out the details of rewards.  We are here to change eternity, not get a pat on the back.
Involvement of Godly People
    God’s people got involved in the practical aspects of the work of the local church.  The disciples understood something that the church has struggled with for 2,000 years.  Yes, God has called people to vocational ministry.  But, no, they are not expected to do all the work.  God’s design is that everyone gets involved.
    Let’s look again at these verses.
2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
    The disciples understood their responsibility to teach and give spiritual leadership.  Believers must learn what the Bible says and the spiritual battle must be fought.  Consistent and solid Bible teaching is critical if we are going to live a righteous life.  Spiritual compromise must always be rejected.
    The church selected a group of people to serve.
    The church selected people to serve tables.  They were selected to serve.  Yes, I am repeating myself, this is a position of service. They were selected to work and oversee an important ministry.  They did not obtain a position of power.  They were to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.
    Instead of only focusing on the administrative skills of these servers (note that it was not a political position they sought) they focused on their spiritual maturity.  Full of the Spirit!!  They must be empowered by the Holy Spirit.  These men selected had to give evidence of faithfully living under the Spirit’s influence.  They had Godly character and were faithful.
    These servers that were selected also had to have spiritual maturity.  They needed wisdom.  While Luke doesn’t specifically use the term deacon here, but the root word is the same.  Those who serve in the role of deacon carry a real responsibility before God.  They can’t be spiritual novices.  It was expected that they were people who lived for Jesus daily, not just when they church gathered.  They needed to live a continuing experience in the Lord.
Galatians 5:16-17 NIV
16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
God expects His servant-leaders to live an overcoming life.
Romans 8:13-14 NIV
13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
    So much stuff looks like so much fun.  Many activities are not all necessarily sin.  But, they don’t all bring benefit.  Some things become controlling in our lives.  We must kill off the sinful nature so that we can live in the Spirit.
    The disciples, the spiritual leaders, said they would be devoted to prayer and to teaching the Word of God.  God has called the local church leaders to devote themselves to prayer and to the faithful preaching and teaching of God’s Word.  They must give a continuous, focused and faithful commitment to getting God’s Word to people.  Prayer and the proclaiming of the Bible are the highest priorities of Christian leaders.
Former Hell’s Angel Member Joins Knitting Ministry
    I walked out of my office one morning, and a guy I had never met was just getting off the elevator. He was about six foot four, at least 250 pounds, and he wore cut-off jeans and a sweatshirt.  …. We talked down the hall together, and he told me he was going to his first ministry meeting, and he was really nervous.
    [I asked], “Nervous? How come you’re nervous?”
    “Pastor Miles, you always encourage us to do something, so I figured I got to do something. I want to serve the Lord.”
    Since our church has over a hundred outreach ministries, I asked him, “What’s the ministry you’re joining?”
    “The knitting ministry,” he said.
    He added, “Well, actually, I don’t knit, I crochet.”
    Here’s this huge guy who looks like he could be an NFL tackle, and he’s nervous about joining a ministry that makes blankets and hats for hospitalized children.
    Curious, I asked him where he learned how to crochet.
    “I was in the Hell’s Angels for 12 years,” he told me. “I learned to crochet in prison. I know it’s the one thing I can do for the Lord.”
    Just then the lady who heads up the knitting ministry walked toward us, said a quick hi to me, then asked the former Hell’s Angels, “Are you Jim?” She gave him a big grin and took his hand. I watched them go down the hall together. It may not seem like a unique ability to crochet, but when you package that with his life, the ripple effect can push countless others out of their comfort zone to step up and stand out the way God designed them to. Imagine if Jim was worrying about what others would think about him crocheting for Jesus!
Miles McPherson, God in the Mirror (Baker Books, 2013), pp. 51-51
    God never told us to pray for everything to go well or for us to have an easy life.  He did tell us to pray for workers.
Matthew 9:36-38 NIV
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
    God is calling for people to be involved.  This means we seek His direction regarding the areas where He has given us gifts and talents.  Then we are to develop them and use them for GOD.
DISCUSSION
What are the main points of this message?
How can you personally apply this message?  It is a challenge for all of us to be involved.
What equipping do you see needs to be done so we can all serve the way God wants us to serve?
PRAYER
Prayer for equipping.
Prayer for involvement.