Minisry: Every Member a Minister

Text: As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. John 9:4-6

When seeking to define ministry in the secular realm you will find that dictionaries don't fully give a true understanding of what biblical ministry stands for. Dictionary.com defines ministry as the service, function, or office of a minister of state; A governmental department presided over by a minister; something that serves as an agency, instrument, or means. To fully understand our role in ministry, we need to go to God's word.

Ministry is not just for the leadership, it's for EVERYONE! In our text we see that ministry is the calling of every christian. Jesus having said that He is the light of the world, He did work, He ministered. He precedes this with the statement that WE must do the work of Him who sent Jesus.

1.) It's time to CLOCK IN! - v. 4a says...As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me. Like clocking in at work, as you put your card in the machine you hear...*CH-KLUNK*. This is how we get paid, this is also how our boss knows that we are there to work. When we clock in at work we usually aren't ready to do the work. We want the reward but don't want to do the work to get it. In the same way, where is your joy in ministry. Where is the compassion, the love, the desire to love. Isaiah 6:8 says, Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" We should declare to our "Boss" that we are ready to work. "I'm Jello, mold me, send me!"

2.) There will be a time to CHECK/CLOCK OUT! - v.4b says, Night is coming, when no one can work. When we clock out at the end of our work day, our spirits soar! When we clock out of this life, better things are to come in eternity. There is something to look forward to. We have limited time here, though, to take as many loved ones with us. It is called the end of the world as we know it, and the beginning of eternity. We have friends and family who aren't ready to "clock out"!

3.) There will be a PAY DAY for your ministry. - There is a reward. Our reward for our heavenly job is better than the reward we receive here on earth for our job. Despite whether we do our heavenly job on earth or not, there will be a pay check. A pay check in words. 1 Corinthians 3:8-9 states that The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. There will be only 2 phrases that we may receive. The first being, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" The second being, "Depart from me/Away from me, I never knew you!"

It is time to get to work! What kind of paycheck will you be receiving?