Amazing grace how sweet the sound that. . . “I am starving, hope he doesn’t preach long” . . . saved a wretch like me… “I don’t want to go back to work tomorrow”. . . I once was lost but now am found. . . “Oh! Joe’s here today”. . . Was blind, but now I see. . . “God please bless me with that new car”… T’was Grace that taught. . .
Ever carried on a similar monologue with yourself during church? Your mouth is singing rote words, but your brain is in another realm. I image every Christians goes through the motions at some point. Multiple reasons can bring about these moments. You may be passing through a period of spiritual dryness, you may not feel good, you may be tired, or there can be unrepentant sin in your life. Included in this list is what I call the ‘me syndrome’.
Ask yourself why you go to church or why you have a daily devotional time with the Lord. Do you focus on yourself and your needs? Or is your focus on God? Luke chooses an insightful word in Acts 13:1 describing a particular activity by Paul and a group of leaders at the church in Antioch. While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said. . .” (Act 13:2). They were not gathered together to receive ministry from the Lord. Rather they were ministering to the Lord.
The word ‘ministering’ literally means ‘people work’. In Roman government, the word referred to someone serving in a public office at their own expense. They rendered their service at no cost and expected nothing in return. The Jews used this word for all the activities carried out by the priest in the temple. It referred to the offerings of worship and everything connected with the sacrifices. Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship (Heb 9:6). Divine worship is the same word translated ministering. The Old Testament Levitical system provided a guideline of how the people, through the priest, should worship God. Every function centered on ministering to the Lord as an act of worship or Him.
Paul uses the word referring to the offering of our lives. Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship (Rom 12:1). Paul writes that offering our bodies or lives becomes a spiritual service or ministry to the Lord—both translations of the same word. In this verse, Paul’s imagery flows out of the five Levitical offers. With four of them, the priest and/or the person offering received a portion of the sacrificed animal for food. However, the fifth the Burnt Offering was a voluntary sacrifice and the priest burned the entire animal. Neither the priest nor the offerer received a portion. This sacrifice was all for God. Most agree Paul has the burnt offering in mind in this verse. In other words, Paul is saying we should offer our lives as a burnt offering totally for God’s purpose.
We cannot determine the specific details of what the leaders at Antioch were doing. However, the context indicates they were possibly praying and studying the Old Testament scriptures, or discussing the expansion of the Gospel. Regardless, we can conclude they were doing it for the Lord expecting nothing in return. During their ministry to the Lord, the Holy Spirit spoke and gave instructions. “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them,” verse two.
This leads to another question. What is your motive for being a Christian—fire insurance or blessings? Or is it serving God with no expectation of receiving anything? Is your focus on ‘me’, and what God can do for you? Jesus promised He would take care of us. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Mat 6:33). Why not turn your focus to God. We glorify God, whether in church or our time with the Him, when we minister to Him. Instead of wanting God to minister to you, try ministering to the Lord. When you sing Amazing Grace or any hymn, make it an act of worship not a rote ritual. Sing it to Him. This can also bring us out of spiritual dryness.
Your spiritual service of worship is presenting your bodies a living and holy sacrifice or giving your life as a total sacrifice for Him. Much false teaching abounds today centering on how God can bless ‘me’. This does not mean we stop petitioning God for our needs. It means our central focus should be ministering to the Lord.
Sustaining Word for the Week: In church and your devotional time and with your life, minister to the Lord. Make these an act of worship. Focus on Him, not ‘me’.