WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:02.959 Romans 15, verses 15 to 20. 00:00:03.919 --> 00:00:12.960 The Apostle Paul introduces what I call his ministry identity, how he works for God, who he is in Christ. 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:20.960 And the last two-thirds of the passage, he begins to tell us who he is in Christ and the way he serves God. 00:00:21.199 --> 00:00:26.000 You see, he's just like each of us, only different. 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:32.799 So listen as I read the passage to Paul talking about who God has prepared him to be. 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:36.560 Romans 15, verse 15. 00:00:36.799 --> 00:01:00.320 But on some points I have written to you quite boldly, by way of reminder, because of the grace given to me by God, to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 00:01:01.359 --> 00:01:02.479 Verse 17. 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:09.840 In Christ Jesus, then I have reason to be proud of my work for God. 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:24.480 For I will not venture to speak anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God. 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:33.439 So that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ. 00:01:36.719 --> 00:01:48.239 And thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already known, what has already been known, lest I build on someone else's foundation. 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:54.959 And I would add, I love the NIV's translation of verse 20. 00:01:55.439 --> 00:02:02.159 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known. 00:02:02.879 --> 00:02:08.240 I think Paul was pretty excited about getting to play his part. 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:10.800 And that was what this morning is about. 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:14.960 Let's ask the Spirit to lead us in this process. 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:19.840 Lord, we praise you for this morning. 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:28.159 Thank you for the quietness and the work that your spirit has already done in some of us through the worship and the singing and the prayers. 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:32.319 Thank you for preparing us to receive your word. 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:43.360 Thank you for giving us to one another in this season of our lives, in this place, in this community, for your purposes. 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:48.879 Lord, you desire to speak deeply to many of us this morning. 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:57.919 Lord, I ask that you get me out of the way, that I would play my part, but that your spirit would be the one in the midst doing the heavy lifting. 00:02:58.159 --> 00:02:59.759 Thank you for that, Lord. 00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:06.960 We release the process of the word and your work, trusting that you will fulfill your purposes in Jesus' name. 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:07.919 Amen. 00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:14.240 I call it discovering your ministry identity. 00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:24.960 You and I, as followers of Jesus, each have an essential role to play in the body of Christ. 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:32.639 As I've already said, you see, you and I are just like the Apostle Paul who talked about his calling. 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:36.960 You and I are just like the Apostle Paul, only different. 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:40.400 Each of us have a part to play. 00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:47.360 Got a letter from one of our missionaries in Asia last week in this picture from that newsletter. 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:54.639 Sometimes we give missionaries and pastors and lead elders. 00:03:54.719 --> 00:04:01.039 Sometimes we we give higher praise and honor to those people who seem to be in more important spiritual roles. 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:02.639 It's a great concept. 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:05.439 It's not a particularly biblical concept. 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:24.480 Spiritual leadership is important, but scripture is very clear that every one of us is called by God with specific gifts and preparation to play a specific part in and out from this place. 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:26.959 It's quite an amazing concept. 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:29.759 I call it ministry identity. 00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:31.600 Ministry identity. 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:37.199 And if you want to utilize that outline that is in the bulletin, here's where I'm going to start referencing it. 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:41.279 I'm always excited when somebody has an outline in the bulletin and they actually follow it. 00:04:41.360 --> 00:04:45.680 So I'm actually going to be following that outline in the bulletin for your benefit, hopefully. 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:47.519 Ministry identity. 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:49.920 Ministry identity. 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:51.600 Fascinating. 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:58.000 Because ministry identity is not what you do for God. 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:09.839 Ministry identity is who you and I already are in Christ, waiting inside, just wanting to come out. 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:13.120 It's not good works that we do for God. 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:25.360 It's becoming, and actually, for most of us, it's a process of discovering the gifts and the heart passion God has placed in each of us. 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:34.879 We're going to use the Apostle Paul as our model this morning because he clearly shows us this ministry identity concept to be real. 00:05:35.120 --> 00:05:46.879 And so as we talk about the Apostle Paul and others, consider yourself as one with a distinct ministry identity, who you are in Christ. 00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:53.040 Romans 15, 15 to 20, number one, Paul understood what his spiritual gifts were. 00:05:53.920 --> 00:06:00.079 Paul actually clearly had three primary spiritual gifts that he had from conversion. 00:06:00.639 --> 00:06:07.120 They were part of his constitution, if you will, they are part of his spiritual makeup from the time he came to Jesus. 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:13.120 Where do I get off thinking I know what the Apostle Paul's three primary spiritual gifts were? 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:16.560 Well, I get off thinking I know that because he told us that. 00:06:19.040 --> 00:06:34.639 It's referenced in your outline, 1 Timothy 2.7, 2 Timothy 1.11, Paul clearly says, I'm an apostle, I'm an evangelist, and I'm a teacher. 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:46.639 He clearly states in two different places for Timothy, and now our behalf, that he is clear on who he is from a supernatural empowerment of God. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:57.360 See, Paul is acting like who designed, well, just like who God designed him to be, as he desires for each of us. 00:06:58.160 --> 00:07:00.720 Okay, Paul, can you make this a little bit more practical? 00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:03.519 Maybe somebody else beside the Apostle Paul. 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:07.199 Okay, let's look at Fred the Shepherd Carpenter. 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:13.519 A dear friend, Fred, carpenter by trade, mostly built houses, custom houses. 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:20.000 When he wasn't working, what he loved to do was to go build habitat for humanity houses as a volunteer. 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:29.519 And I wish that you could have watched Fred on the roof shingling with another man, another woman with several others. 00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:33.600 I wish you could have watched the way Fred pastored them. 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:41.920 No, not functioning in the role of pastor, but with the supernatural power of the gift of pastoring. 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:44.000 He would shepherd people. 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:46.639 He would encourage them. 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:48.720 He would counsel them. 00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:52.319 He would protect them if they needed protecting. 00:07:52.800 --> 00:08:00.800 Fred was a gifted pastor on those roofs for Habitat for Humanity. 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:07.920 He was extending his local church's ministry to a rooftop. 00:08:09.839 --> 00:08:13.279 Touching people that none of the rest of us could have touched. 00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:15.920 Very interesting. 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:25.199 Paul was not only clear about his gifting, and if you want to be sure in his gifting, let's actually look briefly at the passage. 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:28.079 I said Paul told us what his three gifts are. 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:40.799 If you look at verses 19 and 20, the apostolic gift, he actually, as he's talking about his ministry identity, he tells us in verse 19, he says that there's movement in signs and wonders. 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:46.080 A gifted apostle was very much involved with supernatural healings and miracles. 00:08:46.240 --> 00:08:48.000 That was true of Paul's ministry. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:50.879 So he met that criteria of the gift of apostle. 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:57.679 If you look at the end of verse 20, he says, I would so build on a foundation. 00:08:57.759 --> 00:09:00.320 I don't want to build on someone else's foundation. 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:07.120 Apostles are people who go to new places to start new works, to build up new spiritual foundations. 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:09.840 Second criteria of the gift of apostles. 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:12.799 So he clearly was a gifted apostle. 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:14.879 How about the evangelist? 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:17.679 That's the other gift that he shows clearly in this passage. 00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:29.039 Verse 19, excuse me, verse 18, he says, I will not speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience. 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:34.240 I'm out there rousting out the Gentiles so they will respond to God. 00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:39.200 In verse 20, it's always been my ambition to preach the gospel. 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:43.440 Those are things that a gifted apostle says and does. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:46.720 They want people to come to Jesus. 00:09:47.679 --> 00:09:59.679 So, like Fred the Carpenter, the Apostle Paul tells us who he is and shows us who he is through his words. 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:04.639 Supernatural gifting, true of each one of us. 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:07.519 We'll get to you in a minute. 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:13.919 Secondly, Paul also understood his ministry burden or passion. 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:17.759 I call this the supernatural who, what, or where. 00:10:19.039 --> 00:10:22.159 So let's pretend that it's in the passage. 00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:23.120 Look at the passage. 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:26.960 For whom or what or where was the Apostle Paul impassioned? 00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:28.240 Can somebody help us with that? 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:30.399 Don't look at me, look at the passage. 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:34.799 Who or what or where was Gentiles? 00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:35.919 Sorry? 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:36.559 Gentiles? 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:38.000 Gentiles. 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:39.600 Yeah. 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:45.360 Paul was crazy about going after Gentiles and sharing Jesus. 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:49.600 He says that clearly in the passage several different times. 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:53.360 Gentiles, for the record, are non-Jews. 00:10:53.600 --> 00:11:05.759 In fact, if you look in the book of Acts, you'll find that Paul often went to synagogues and he got quite frustrated or irritated with the Jews, so he left the synagogue and he went out and he found some Gentiles. 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:08.960 Because he wanted Gentiles to come to Jesus. 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:14.399 Outside the synagogue, he wanted others to respond to God. 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:20.000 At the end of Romans 15, he wants to go to Spain. 00:11:20.320 --> 00:11:25.840 I think the Apostle Paul wanted to go to Spain because there are lots of Gentiles in Spain. 00:11:26.159 --> 00:11:33.840 You see, he was passionate about reaching the who God had put on his heart, the Gentiles. 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:40.320 Okay, Paul, how about another person, another practical illustration? 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:48.000 Well, from your outline, let's look at John, the I love to help stranded people on the highway guy. 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:54.960 I had privilege a number of years ago to speak at a conference in college students in northern Pennsylvania. 00:11:55.120 --> 00:12:03.360 And I flew into Pittsburgh, and a young man named John, we'll call him John since, well, that was his name. 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:08.159 And so, John, um, boy, you guys, what a tough crowd. 00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:10.080 Let me let me try that again. 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:14.000 We'll call him John because, well, that was his name. 00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:15.600 John picked me up, thank you. 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:17.679 We're getting there. 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:36.159 John picked me up and we we started talking as we went along, got on the interstate and drive a couple hour drive, and and John was a bit giddy and pretty excited, and seemingly a little erratic in his driving, he said, you know, Paula, I love helping stranded people on the highway. 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:41.279 Which I was, you know, don't I was excited about, but I was much more committed to getting to where we were supposed to go. 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:45.200 And I wanted John to pay a little bit more attention to his driving, just for the record. 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:49.679 And then I got to watch John move into action. 00:12:53.039 --> 00:12:54.799 Car on the side of the road, stranded hood up. 00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:57.519 It was a woman whose car had broken down. 00:12:57.919 --> 00:13:06.639 John pulls the car over, he gets out of his car, he goes back and he talks to the woman, finds out what's wrong, looks under the hood, goes into his trunk. 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:13.200 In his trunk are no less than 1,000 individual items with which you help stranded people on the highway. 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:20.080 And he got the tool that he needed, and he fixed the car within 10 minutes, and the woman was so happy and on her way. 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:22.559 And John was a new person. 00:13:25.519 --> 00:13:35.200 It's probably the most dramatic example I've ever seen of the gift of service, but it was also John fulfilling his ministry burden or passion. 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:40.720 What happened that day on that highway in northern Pennsylvania? 00:13:42.480 --> 00:14:00.480 John extended the ministry of his local church by playing his part in a way that no one else could play, reaching someone that no one else could reach by using his gift and passion. 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:04.240 Ministry burden or passion. 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:08.559 God has prepared each of us with a distinct ministry identity. 00:14:08.799 --> 00:14:14.159 These things are a part of our calling, these gifts, this ministry burden or passion. 00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:22.879 Now, if you're questioning right now, I'm not sure I'm included in the list of people of whom you're speaking about, even though I'm a Christian. 00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:28.559 Well, look at Ephesians 4:1, and hear what Paul has to say there. 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:36.399 Lead a life worthy of your calling to which you have been called by God. 00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:40.799 This is all of us. 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:43.759 This isn't a few of us. 00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:51.919 Each of us have been given a distinctive calling by God to play our parts. 00:14:53.600 --> 00:14:55.600 Lead a life worthy of your calling. 00:14:55.679 --> 00:15:01.519 It doesn't say, lead a life worthy of your drivenness. 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:09.360 No, in fact, I had privilege to, with 32 friends, to put together a devotional called Growing Deeper Together. 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:19.440 And this week, amazingly, week 21, day three, a good friend of mine, Larry, had a devotional that is right in the center of our message this morning. 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:20.799 And here's what he shares. 00:15:20.879 --> 00:15:24.240 First of all, he starts with Ephesians 4:1. 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:29.600 Live a life worthy of your calling, for you indeed have been called by God. 00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:35.120 And then he shares these two devotional paragraphs. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:47.200 Pastor Gordon MacDonald, in his book, Ordering Your Private World, talks about the difference between driven people and called people. 00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:51.919 Driven people are caught in the success syndrome. 00:15:52.159 --> 00:16:01.039 Their self-worth is measured by their accomplishments and how others see them in those successes. 00:16:02.480 --> 00:16:28.720 Called people, on the other hand, see themselves as stewards who manage what God gives them: their careers, their assets, their health, their talents, their spiritual gifts, their relationships, their ministry identities. 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:34.720 You see, professional pastors are not the only people called by God. 00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:41.679 He desires all of us to fulfill the calling He has prepared in each of us. 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:56.240 Fulfilling that distinct God-given purpose gives us a sense of peace and joy that driven people cannot understand. 00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:14.240 Fulfilling a distinctive God-given purpose, bringing peace about who I am and where I'm going, and joy. 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:17.680 Joy is actually the root word of spiritual gift. 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:24.960 Such is the preparation of God in giving each of us a calling of which we are to steward. 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:30.799 So then that's the focus of the rest of our time. 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:34.240 What is your ministry identity then? 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:39.920 Who are you, gift-wise? 00:17:41.119 --> 00:17:46.480 What supernatural giftings has God placed within you? 00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:55.680 What heart passion or calling has God given to you? 00:17:56.960 --> 00:18:02.640 Remember, you and I are just like the Apostle Paul. 00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:06.480 Only different because we have different gifts and passion. 00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:12.240 Continuing the outline, the second portion. 00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:17.440 How am I supernaturally designed by God to function as a Christian? 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:19.599 What are your two or three? 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:22.319 What are my two or three spiritual gifts? 00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:37.359 I know from extensive last 30 years of work with spiritual gifts that scripture teaches us that Christians have either one, two, or three primary spiritual gifts, constitutional, a part of who we are in Christ from when the Spirit filled us at conversion. 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:48.880 Most of us in this room who know Jesus have a combination of two or three very powerful spiritual gifts. 00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:57.119 My primary three gifts would be exhorter, leader, and prophet. 00:18:57.359 --> 00:19:04.640 Exhorter, supernatural encouraging, supernaturally calling out people in such a way that they respond. 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:14.640 Leadership, giving a painting a biblical vision so clear that people are willing to follow that vision, as if from God. 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:17.839 And then the prophetic gift. 00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:28.000 Sometimes when I speak and I'm simply being faithful in obedience, the Spirit of God ecstatically rises up and touches people deeply, almost like electric shocks. 00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:30.240 See, it's got nothing to do with me. 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:36.240 It's got everything to do with the greatness and power of God because, see, that's what gifts are. 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:44.079 Gifts are not what we do for God, they're who we are dynamically in Christ. 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:47.359 That's me. 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:48.720 Let me compare it to my wife. 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:54.720 My wife went to the Lord four years ago, but her gifts here are very helpful to clarify a distinction between types of gifts. 00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:58.319 My gifts are more upfront, alongside verbal. 00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:02.240 My wife Julie's gifts were more alongside and quiet. 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:07.119 Julie was had gifts of helps, service. 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:12.000 She also had the gift of exhortation, but it came out very differently. 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:18.880 While I would be encouraging from the front, she would be in the back row writing notes of encouragement to people. 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:26.880 It's not uncommon for her in places we minister around the world that she'd write a personal note to every person in the room where we were training. 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:28.000 Amazing. 00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:31.119 She just wanted to help and serve. 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:34.240 Now, so we don't get confused. 00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:35.680 Which of those is more important? 00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:40.319 My upfront speaking, calling out, training, or my wife's alongside. 00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:54.480 Well, you should know that April 5th was in Uganda and they built and dedicated a building to my wife. 00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:56.799 The quiet one. 00:20:59.599 --> 00:21:03.359 Nobody's ever going to dedicate a building to me, just for the record, okay? 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:12.880 But what is amazing about that is sometimes we build a hierarchy of gifting, but scripture teaches that all of these gifts are equal. 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:24.160 And my wife's impact on at-risk women and teenage moms was so significant that they wanted to honor her. 00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:32.640 My wife, at this big deal, there's a four-hour celebration, and my wife would have said, Stop talking, stop talking, you know, quit, quit. 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:36.799 Let's just move on with the ministry of serving and loving others. 00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:44.319 So whatever your gifts, they are of equal importance. 00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:54.400 Whether strong, equipping, verbal, whether more quiet, action, serving, supporting. 00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:59.839 That's one of the things we'll be talking about in the gifts class this next month, is that distinction? 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:11.599 Secondly, then, God has also given me a heart passion, as he has the majority view. 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:19.680 My heart passion is to give my life away to leaders in other cultures as God leads relationally. 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:24.960 That's why go to Uganda and other places, raise money to do it. 00:22:26.400 --> 00:22:29.599 Some people think I'm a bit of a crazy guy. 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:31.759 I'm not a crazy guy. 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:37.039 I'm just being faithful to using my gifts, investing in the people that God gives me. 00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:38.720 It's the funnest thing in the world. 00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:40.400 It's why I hurt my back. 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:44.480 It's 22 hours of sitting after it costs. 00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:46.000 But it doesn't matter. 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:48.799 It's who I am, it's not what I do for God. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:51.680 See, I'm just like you. 00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:54.000 Only different. 00:22:56.400 --> 00:23:01.599 I give you examples here of what it what some ministry burdens or passions. 00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:03.759 Look there on your outline, the what. 00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:09.200 Some of us are ministry burden or passions is an activity. 00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:10.720 Teaching the word of God. 00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:17.039 And in fact, this church has dozens of powerful, spiritually gifted teachers. 00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:20.240 Part of the uniqueness of who we are. 00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:28.240 But equally so in Scripture is the calling out to feed the poor, to serve orphans and widows. 00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:34.720 Some of you are passionate and have supporting gifts to serve those needs. 00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:38.559 Don't want to teach the word, but love to care for the needy. 00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:45.920 There's some of you in here who can show mercy supernaturally in a way that I, as a trained pastor, never could do. 00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:50.960 I go to the hospital and I come away from a hospital visitation and I'm worn out. 00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:52.799 It kind of scares me. 00:23:53.039 --> 00:24:04.400 I don't know why, but some of you, never trained, are gifted to show mercy and thrive in loving people in crisis and brokenness. 00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:06.000 What's that about? 00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:10.640 It's about the greatness of God and all of us being needed. 00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:16.240 Secondly, some of us, our ministry burner, passion is tied to a who. 00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:20.240 The Apostle Paul, for him, it was the Gentiles. 00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:26.000 For my wife, it was at-risk women and midschoolers. 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:32.799 She would give, she gave her life away for those two groups of people. 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:37.119 Single moms. 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:40.079 For some of us, it might be caring for the elderly. 00:24:41.039 --> 00:24:43.519 For some of us, it might be teenagers. 00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:48.319 I know that if you have a heart passion for midschoolers, that definitely is a calling from God. 00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:49.519 Hallelujah. 00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:50.799 Amen? 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:54.559 Crazy time of life. 00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:58.319 But God prepares some of us to just love that. 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:01.599 Are you getting the idea here then? 00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:03.680 Thirdly, specific location, the where. 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:05.279 Some of us are passionate. 00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:09.359 The missionary I mentioned earlier was passionate about going to Asia. 00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:10.480 Why? 00:25:10.640 --> 00:25:14.559 Because their family felt like God was calling them to go, so they they've gone. 00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:29.279 Or your apartment complex, your condo complex. 00:25:29.759 --> 00:25:33.119 You're passionate about people God has placed right by. 00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:36.880 Your neighborhoods. 00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:47.279 One or two of you in here since the Ukraine-Russia war started have this deep sense that you need to do something about helping people in Ukraine. 00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:49.359 Where did that come from? 00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:55.920 Well, well, that could be God calling a part of your ministry burden or passion out. 00:25:58.960 --> 00:26:02.240 I remember I went my early days here. 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:07.759 Um I went to lunch with a guy who was my intercessor. 00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:13.359 And long story short, he was actively involved with his business. 00:26:13.680 --> 00:26:27.759 And since that time, he has moved into a new sense of calling, change distinctive, a part of who he is and what he did, to fulfill a ministry burden or passion that God placed on his heart. 00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:37.440 God causes people to do crazy things because as he impassions their hearts. 00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:41.279 So, ministry burden or passion. 00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:42.960 Let's pretend that this is true. 00:26:43.119 --> 00:26:46.240 Here, let's pretend that this is true in this place. 00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:52.240 Ministry burden or passion. 00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:53.599 I'd love to hear from several of you. 00:26:53.680 --> 00:27:00.079 And if you're interested, the toughest groups in the body of Christ to do this with are Lutherans, Episcopalians, and Presbyterians. 00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:03.200 They're not big on speaking up in church, just for the record, okay? 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:08.880 So you stand, I stand warned, but let's pretend that you get this concept. 00:27:09.119 --> 00:27:13.279 Tell us what for you is a ministry burner passion. 00:27:13.599 --> 00:27:17.200 Now, what I'm not asking you to tell us is what the church ought to do. 00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:18.400 No, no, no, no, no, no. 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:19.599 That's not what I'm asking. 00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:25.279 I'm asking who or what or where is God placed on your heart to have impact? 00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:27.519 Some of you are already doing it. 00:27:27.759 --> 00:27:37.599 Some of you out of this very morning's message are struck by something that's been in your craw for years that you've never acted on. 00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:41.759 So, I'm a person of faith. 00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:46.880 So, one or two of you, what's it what's what's a potential ministry burden or passion that you might have? 00:27:49.440 --> 00:27:51.359 The ushers will wait. 00:27:52.960 --> 00:27:55.920 See, I'm a total man of person of faith here. 00:27:59.599 --> 00:28:00.240 Yeah. 00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:02.720 Say again? 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:04.480 Working with kids. 00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:05.359 Why? 00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:13.759 Look at that face. 00:28:13.839 --> 00:28:15.119 Look at that excitement. 00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:18.160 It's probably a part of who you are. 00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:20.319 It's probably God's fault. 00:28:20.799 --> 00:28:21.839 Thanks for sharing. 00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:23.359 Somebody else. 00:28:25.119 --> 00:28:26.160 Working with kids. 00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:26.960 Amen. 00:28:29.279 --> 00:28:30.400 Say it a little louder. 00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:33.440 I sorry, I still couldn't hear you. 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:41.279 So I don't have to ask why. 00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:42.640 I love it. 00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:43.839 Special ed. 00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:46.480 I couldn't do that. 00:28:46.880 --> 00:28:47.759 Thank you. 00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:56.880 See, this is what God has done is He has placed the body where everybody is uniquely different, differently prepared. 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:00.000 Amen. 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:00.640 Thank you. 00:29:01.039 --> 00:29:01.680 Thank you both. 00:29:01.839 --> 00:29:02.799 One last one. 00:29:03.119 --> 00:29:06.319 Time does not allow us more, but one last one, somebody else. 00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:09.680 Yes. 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:20.799 Working with people that other people don't like working with. 00:29:20.960 --> 00:29:22.799 Did you get that part of what she said? 00:29:27.920 --> 00:29:28.240 Okay. 00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:32.160 Animals. 00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:41.359 There are different things, different places, different things that God calls each of us to that are part of the way He wants us to reach the world. 00:29:42.640 --> 00:29:47.759 And you and I are called as a part of that deal. 00:29:49.359 --> 00:29:56.319 If we continued on, uh I remember in a Lutheran church once it took three minutes for anybody to speak, and then I had to shut them down after ten minutes. 00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:57.680 They wouldn't stop talking. 00:29:57.920 --> 00:30:12.319 People were, listen to me, people were beginning to identify with the reality that God had called them in a special way, and that they had a part to play and that they fit. 00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:18.079 See, I've been told that motivation of laypersons in the local church is the big deal. 00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:22.000 Motivation of laypersons in the local church is not a problem. 00:30:22.400 --> 00:30:30.000 Once people understand that they've been gifted and called by God and that there's this process of discovery, wow. 00:30:31.279 --> 00:30:32.880 Motivation is not a problem. 00:30:33.119 --> 00:30:37.920 You can't get out of people's way when they have a clarity on their ministry identity. 00:30:40.319 --> 00:30:40.960 Wow. 00:30:41.839 --> 00:30:44.400 Last point of the outline, number three. 00:30:44.559 --> 00:30:48.960 And actually, you'd apologize to spiritual leadership and staff here. 00:30:49.440 --> 00:30:50.400 It's a typo. 00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:57.119 It says, as each of us begins to understand and live out our ministry identities, that's not true. 00:30:57.680 --> 00:31:12.480 By my guesstimate, and I'm probably low in my estimation, there are at least a hundred people in our body, probably more, who already have a clear sense of their gifting and their burden or passion, the who, what, or where, and are playing it out. 00:31:12.559 --> 00:31:22.559 And I'd like to thank you all who are among that here this morning, because you are our role models for playing your called-out part. 00:31:25.599 --> 00:31:30.079 No, it should say, and if please edit your outlines here so I correct my mistake. 00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:39.680 It should say, as more of us begin to understand and live out our ministry identities at APC, then together we can reach the world of people around us. 00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:46.079 We have a dismissal statement that we'll be reading here in a minute. 00:31:46.240 --> 00:31:48.240 Every week we're together. 00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:58.160 It says, as we go forth and serve our city and our world in the name of Christ, this is what that's about. 00:31:58.480 --> 00:32:02.799 When we say that in five or six minutes, this is what that's about. 00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:17.920 This is about all of us understanding and discovering and fulfilling our parts so that we might go forth in our city, in the DMV, in our world for the sake of Christ. 00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:22.880 And nobody else can play your part. 00:32:24.240 --> 00:32:24.880 Wow. 00:32:25.759 --> 00:32:29.039 If I were God, I wouldn't have designed the deal to work that way, just for the record. 00:32:29.119 --> 00:32:30.960 Now, the good news is I'm not God. 00:32:31.839 --> 00:32:35.279 But that's how he prepared the body of Christ. 00:32:35.920 --> 00:32:44.880 Now, what you don't know about me is that I spent 10 years in full-time ministry helping churches establish lay-mobilizing ministries, what we're going to talk about in conclusion today. 00:32:45.119 --> 00:32:51.359 I worked with 250 churches over 10 years, and I learned that a room like this has three different kinds of people. 00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:58.720 The first group are the people who are already clear on their gifting and their burden or passion and are already doing it. 00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:09.359 The second group, always, in all 250 settings where I was over those 10 years, this second group was larger than the first group. 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:22.640 And the second group is people who are ready to discover, or not ready or willing, or run away from, to discover your ministry identity for the first time. 00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:35.279 To seek to understand those gifts and passion already waiting to come out, that that is by far the largest group represented here today, if this is a normal congregation. 00:33:35.920 --> 00:33:48.319 And then thirdly, and this one always intrigued me, there are leaders in this church, if this church follows suit, who have been doing a certain ministry for five or ten or fifteen or twenty years. 00:33:48.480 --> 00:34:02.000 As a result of seeking to understand better their gifts and their calling, there's a new sense of passion or a new gift, a latent gift that causes them to want to step away from what they've been doing and moving into a whole new area. 00:34:02.319 --> 00:34:03.680 What is that about? 00:34:06.480 --> 00:34:08.400 It's about the greatness of God. 00:34:08.880 --> 00:34:20.960 It's about the fact that God prepares each one of us and gives us something that's a part of our calling that even can be new for those of us who've been serving for a long time. 00:34:21.360 --> 00:34:22.320 Amazing. 00:34:22.800 --> 00:34:26.960 And so then, God is really smart. 00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:28.639 Yeah. 00:34:29.280 --> 00:34:32.559 Our God is wise and has prepared us. 00:34:32.880 --> 00:34:37.119 He's brought us here, He's selected us to be here as a part of this process. 00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:58.800 Now, in response to this message, the first thing that we're going to do next, you're aware from the bulletin references the last three or four weeks, that I'm going to be teaching a class for the next four Sundays on Sunday afternoon in June to help go deeper on this idea of ministry identity. 00:34:59.199 --> 00:35:05.360 There are some of you who are so excited about that you'll spend two hours, four Sunday afternoons in June to do it. 00:35:05.599 --> 00:35:07.440 That's how excited people get about this. 00:35:07.519 --> 00:35:10.960 I had three or four people come to me first service and say, I'm going to be there. 00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:11.519 I can't wait. 00:35:11.599 --> 00:35:12.159 I really need this. 00:35:12.239 --> 00:35:15.039 I'm going to make time work to come in June. 00:35:15.760 --> 00:35:16.800 That's God. 00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:20.960 But that is there for any of you who would like. 00:35:21.119 --> 00:35:22.320 But we're actually starting today. 00:35:22.400 --> 00:35:27.519 We have, I've been given permission by leadership of our church to shake the bushes today. 00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:29.840 And this is my closing today. 00:35:30.400 --> 00:35:46.559 I've also learned that when God prepares a church like APC to go deeper with a lay mobilizing ministry to help more people find their places, their ministry identities, that God always prepares what I call spiritual gift coaches. 00:35:47.519 --> 00:35:54.480 Spiritual gift coaches are laypersons who want to help other laypersons discover their gifts and find their place. 00:35:55.119 --> 00:36:01.199 I have found that God always prepares people like that who want to do that. 00:36:01.440 --> 00:36:10.880 In other words, if God wants us to develop a lay mobilizing ministry, a new one, He's calling. 00:36:11.280 --> 00:36:15.920 He will have already prepared some of the people in the body to help with it. 00:36:16.159 --> 00:36:18.000 Called spiritual gift coaching. 00:36:18.320 --> 00:36:20.960 And so I shake, today I'm going to shake the bushes. 00:36:21.280 --> 00:36:24.000 1230 to 130 in room 112. 00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:33.519 If any of you want to learn more about the spiritual gift coaching and what it could be about to help others discover their gifts and play their part, come join us from 1230 to 130. 00:36:33.679 --> 00:36:34.960 But we didn't have any notice. 00:36:35.119 --> 00:36:36.480 Well, that was on purpose. 00:36:36.800 --> 00:36:40.239 See, if you shake the bushes and you get to trust God, you can't tell people. 00:36:40.320 --> 00:36:42.719 You've got to just tell them and see what God does. 00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:46.480 See if he brings anybody out of passion. 00:36:47.599 --> 00:36:53.679 So I found this to be true many hundreds of times. 00:36:53.920 --> 00:36:59.519 People come to me afterwards and say, I didn't know I wanted to be a spiritual gifts coach until you said it today. 00:36:59.599 --> 00:37:01.920 But man, I think I've wanted to be this the whole of my life. 00:37:02.000 --> 00:37:03.280 And where does that? 00:37:03.840 --> 00:37:06.960 That's got nothing to do with, I'm not a good motivational speaker. 00:37:07.039 --> 00:37:09.199 No, that's the power and the greatness of God. 00:37:10.480 --> 00:37:15.280 Now, what if you don't feel that? 00:37:17.119 --> 00:37:18.719 Well then don't come. 00:37:19.519 --> 00:37:20.480 Hallelujah. 00:37:20.639 --> 00:37:21.679 Don't come. 00:37:22.719 --> 00:37:24.400 What a no guilt approach? 00:37:26.480 --> 00:37:27.039