God has given me the responsibility of serving His church by proclaiming His entire message to you. This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people.
(Colossians 1:25-26 NLT)
As I was cruising through Colossians this morning, I was arrested by this concise statement from Paul. What a great reminder of the job of ministry!
- I am responsible. Every one of us has an assignment in the Kingdom of God here on earth. When we see Jesus, He will hold us to account for what He asked us to do. All Christians are responsible to pray, to give, to be involved in reaching others, and to serve the Body of Christ. Paul knew his specific area of service and understood that it was an obligation, not a suggestion.
- It’s the message, stupid! Sometimes in the uproar and dailiness of church life, it is possible to forget what’s important. Thank God for covered dish dinners and clean rest rooms and printed bulletins and pretty music. They are all wonderful, but you can buy that entire package at your local dinner theater. Church without the Word is entertainment, and precious little of that.
- It’s His message, not mine. I have lots of opinions, plenty of prejudices, and innumerable personal preferences. None of these are particularly life-changing. My one and only job is to present the Truth that God has revealed in a way that is conducive to understanding and application. I try to be entertaining and erudite, but the message must be His Word and not my best thinking on the subject.
Thank God for His Word. It serves to strip away the ornamentation once in a while and remind me of the substance.
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