As ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, indeed we are servants of the message of grace at the throne of God. The ministry is not of mankind or of the doctrines of man, but it is for mankind as a message of hope in all things. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:15-16). It is obvious in that we having a High Priest without sin, we do not have a High Priest among the sons of man except He is also the Son of God, Jesus. Our boldness at the throne is in the message of forgiveness through grace.
John also wrote of the boldness: “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (1 John 4:17-18). We can have boldness in the day of judgment, because of what Jesus is in the world and the fact that He has granted the same to us. “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). As He is, so are we in this world. “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). By our love for every one another all will know we are like Him in this world. As ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are servants of the message of grace and all will know we follow Jesus by our love. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10). We are all ministers of the grace of God – all servants to His message of grace; that He no longer calls servants but friends.
As ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we serve more than the words men want to hear – we serve the gospel. We do not serve those who think themselves to be something – we do not serve titles – we do not serve buildings. We minister the gospel even if some do not want to hear or see. The gospel is a message of God setting us free to worship Him; setting us free in all things, having fulfilled all things for us. We serve the gospel with liberty, and not by compulsion – we give and we receive with liberty and not by decree or law. We are free to trust God. “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world” (John 4:42b). We are free to hear Him for ourselves.
If everyone is free to hear Him for themselves, why do we have ministers of the gospel – to speak and teach against the lies of the enemy? Yes, but also to proclaim the gospel and to witness the truth in the words – to walk by faith and to be an example of the glory of God in the earth. We are free to hear, but some have been deafened by the lies of those wishing to promote their own ministry – those that serve themselves or follow someone serving themselves. We are free to hear, but some are so caught up in the needs of this physical life that they cannot hear. Some are so caught up in the work of church that they cannot hear, and they do not remember why they were called. Let’s be real, some have set the church as their prize and do not want the gospel interfering by setting the members free to hear for themselves.
Jesus came to deliver us. Jesus came to transport us from where we were (fallen mankind) to the kingdom of God. Jesus came to set us free from the works and worries of doctrines to the ministry of truth in love. Jesus won and the enemy has to hand us over to the kingdom of God. Jesus sent to us, from the Father, the Holy Spirit to furnish us with the tools to live in victory. Jesus set us free to make the choice God gave us in the beginning. Believe or do not believe. Live or surely die. As ministers of the gospel, we are here to remind people that they have a choice. The works we now do, we do out of love from a free heart that makes a choice to do the work of the ministry – to believe in the Son of God
© 2010, Tim D. Coulter Sr.