Week 4 Day 5- Recognition From Others

-R-

DAY 5 – RECOGNITION FROM OTHERS (2 Timothy 1:6)

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

    There is a practice that our church has in the ordination of pastors and deacons, and that is what the Bible calls the “laying on of hands.” The writer of Hebrews implied that this practice was an elementary, basic teaching of the church. It was practiced in the Old Testament (when Moses transferred his leadership to Joshua, for example) and several times in the New Testament.

    Paul wrote to the Romans, a church which he had never visited, stating he longed to “impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you; that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.”  In instructing Timothy later, he cautioned the young pastor against “laying on of hands” on pastors and perhaps deacons too early in their ministry.

    The early church “laid hands” on seven men in Acts 6 who were assigned to help out with the apostles. The early church was told to “pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.”

    These verses indicate that members in the church can discern and recognize ways other believers can be used and involved in ministry. Spiritual gifts tests are man-made ways of asking questions to see inclinations for service.

    “Me? A minister?” That may seem surprising but the ability one may have to serve others may not be seen by the person who has the ministry because he or she may think “Anyone can do that!” when in reality, they cannot or will not.

    Ministry means “service,” coming from the Greek word diakonia. Jesus used the verb form of the word to describe Himself and His ministry:

Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become      great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served (ministered unto), but to serve (minister) and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:25-28

     Jesus taught that all Christians are called to service. His prescription “to be great” is to be the “servant of all” (Mark 9:35, 10:43). Whoever uses his or her spiritual gift is ministering (1 Peter 4:10,11). The root word “minister” below is as a noun for a servant, as a noun for “ministry” and a verb “to serve.”

     Diakonos--Servant, deacon, minister

    This term is used 31 times for a person who serves. Except for two occasions in John 2:5, 9, it refers to a person who ministers as a Christian church. Three times (Philippians 1:1, 1 Timothy 3:8, 12), it refers to deacons. Timothy was a pastor and evangelist but a diakonos. Paul described himself and the other apostles as “servants” (Colossians 1:23, 2 Corinthians 11:23). Phoebe, a woman in Romans 16:1, is described as a “servant of the church.”  In this passage, a minister is anyone in the church who serves as a privilege and responsibility for all church members.

     Diakonia--Service, ministry

     As a noun, this word describes the spiritual work of the apostles (Acts 6:4), the physical work of the church (Acts 6:1). It is a spiritual gift (Romans 12:7, 1 Corinthians 12:5) and the work of the entire church (Ephesians 4:12). We see this term used generally for all church members.

     Diakoneo--To serve, wait tables, minister

    More than half of the 37 times this verb is used, it is in the gospels. Later, it is an office of deacon ministry to aid pastors (Acts 6:2, 1 Timothy 3:10, 13) and also a manifestation of a spiritual gift (1 Peter 4:11). It is not restricted to men (Luke 8:3, 4:39, 10:40, and John 12:2). All church members are called to minister (to the church in Hebrews 6:10, to Christ in John 12:26, and to both in Matthew 25:44).

    Do you think you are called into the ministry? The answer is yes, every member is to minister. Some are more gifted than others in certain areas while others are called to be ordained (set apart) as deacons or pastors for the specific service within the church.

Day 6, Experiences