The Ministry of the Cross
I was in my study on Wednesday afternoon, pondering a sermon for Sunday and a vision talk that night, as well as what time I needed to be home to prepare the chicken for the grill, when I got a knock on my door. It was one of our ministry partners—one who is more than a partner, she is a beloved friend. We hadn’t had a chance to catch up since we’d wept together after she got the news some members of her church were killed in a plane crash. After a warm embrace, I told her to come in and have a seat. We exchanged pleasantries and talked about ministry and, after listening to her talk of all the challenges and brokenness she faced in her ministry, I said, “It is just bewildering, isn’t it?” She said, “Yes, it really is; and oftentimes, you just don’t even know what to do or if there is even a fix.”
My head was already spinning from our text this week and, after looking at the three episodes we will talk about Sunday, I too was just baffled at how difficult ministry really is. Our text starts off with Paul and Barnabas about to make a victory lap to give the good news of the Jerusalem church to these recent converts, both Jew and Gentile; and, lo and behold, a disagreement arises of such magnitude that they both go their separate ways. It doesn’t get any easier, as Paul and Silas take on a disciple of mixed race, and we get a case study in essentials and non-essentials. Then we come to a problem of guidance—what do you do if God keeps saying “no” to the ministry plans you are sure are the right ones?
As I said, bewildering! The center piece of a gospel ministry is the cross. It is really all we have—the good news about what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross. It is what the whole Bible is about. But when I say, “The Ministry of the Cross,” I mean it in another way—ministry is the cross! Real ministry is hard, bewildering, baffling, and is so far outside what you can do in your own flesh that your only recourse is to run to Jesus. It is a broken hallelujah. I keep coming back to this phrase. The hallelujah of the gospel is so great that God’s people have always been willing to sacrifice greatly and move into the most broken places.
We will talk about it Sunday, and I can’t wait. Come early and bring your family. Whether you are a newcomer, been around a while, or just curious, we have a class for you—a place where we talk about not just the difficulties of a life of faith but the glories as well.
Blessings,
JimThe Ministry of the Cross
I was in my study on Wednesday afternoon, pondering a sermon for Sunday and a vision talk that night, as well as what time I needed to be home to prepare the chicken for the grill, when I got a knock on my door. It was one of our ministry partners—one who is more than a partner, she is a beloved friend. We hadn’t had a chance to catch up since we’d wept together after she got the news some members of her church were killed in a plane crash. After a warm embrace, I told her to come in and have a seat. We exchanged pleasantries and talked about ministry and, after listening to her talk of all the challenges and brokenness she faced in her ministry, I said, “It is just bewildering, isn’t it?” She said, “Yes, it really is; and oftentimes, you just don’t even know what to do or if there is even a fix.”
My head was already spinning from our text this week and, after looking at the three episodes we will talk about Sunday, I too was just baffled at how difficult ministry really is. Our text starts off with Paul and Barnabas about to make a victory lap to give the good news of the Jerusalem church to these recent converts, both Jew and Gentile; and, lo and behold, a disagreement arises of such magnitude that they both go their separate ways. It doesn’t get any easier, as Paul and Silas take on a disciple of mixed race, and we get a case study in essentials and non-essentials. Then we come to a problem of guidance—what do you do if God keeps saying “no” to the ministry plans you are sure are the right ones?
As I said, bewildering! The center piece of a gospel ministry is the cross. It is really all we have—the good news about what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross. It is what the whole Bible is about. But when I say, “The Ministry of the Cross,” I mean it in another way—ministry is the cross! Real ministry is hard, bewildering, baffling, and is so far outside what you can do in your own flesh that your only recourse is to run to Jesus. It is a broken hallelujah. I keep coming back to this phrase. The hallelujah of the gospel is so great that God’s people have always been willing to sacrifice greatly and move into the most broken places.
We will talk about it Sunday, and I can’t wait. Come early and bring your family. Whether you are a newcomer, been around a while, or just curious, we have a class for you—a place where we talk about not just the difficulties of a life of faith but the glories as well.
Blessings,
Jim