We have been looking scriptures related to the Building Blocks, which are spiritual practices we can adapt and use to “practice the presence of Christ,” and are used in LifeJourney Church’s Soul Care Plan. Today’s Block is “S”, for service. You can do your Soul Care Plan for 2017 here -> 2017 Soul Care Plan.
Today’s scripture: Ephesians 4:11-16 (NRSV) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Keith Phillips):
So many times while I was in seminary, I heard Elton Trueblood, Quaker theologian, (who also, for you trivia buffs, officiated at President Herbert Hoover’s funeral) complain about these verses as translated in the old King James Version. There, verses eleven and twelve read: “And [Christ] gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
His complaint was that the translation confused laypeople into believing that the clergy were the ones supposed to “perfect the saints” and the ones to do “the work of the ministry.” Elton stood in a long line of Quakers who have held that the work of ministry belongs to all of God’s people, that all Christians have the capacity to edify, to build up the body of Christ, the church. He would have liked the New Revised Standard Version, which reads: “The gifts [Christ] gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”
All Christians (regardless of gender or orientation or any of the other usual “disqualifiers”) are given spiritual gifts “for the work of ministry.” By using those gifts, by doing the work of ministry, two things happen. The first is that our church grows, both in number and in Christ-likeness. It is the desire of God’s heart that all people encounter God’s love for them and come to know, trust, and love God. St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.” The people around us most likely will encounter the Good News of God’s love through our actions, as we serve, using our spiritual gifts. Our church will grow as we use our spiritual gifts.
The second thing that happens when we use our gifts for ministry is that we grow spiritually. There’s nothing quite like working for someone to get to know her/him better. In using our spiritual gifts, in doing the work of ministry, no matter who we are, no matter where we are, we are serving Christ and we are getting to know Christ better. A most wonderful, glorious by-product of serving Christ is that we grow closer to the One who loves us unconditionally and who empowers us both to become the best that we can be and to change the world in which we live.
Thought for the day: God, show me where I can serve you, today. Show me how our church grows because I am serving you. And show me how I am growing because I am serving you.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.