Ephesians
4: 11-12 « And He Himself gave
some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some
pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of
ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ»
Romans
12 : 3-5 « For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who
is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought
to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of
faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members
do not have the same function, so we, being many,
are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. »
A profession of
faith is more than a verbal declaration of belonging to the Body of Christ; it
is also, and above all, a commitment to living according to Christ's teachings
and serving with excellence in God's work for His glory alone. Today, we will
emphasize the importance of excellence in service to the Church, given its
crucial role in building up and perfecting the Body of Christ. This excellence
is not sought to impress others, but rather to please God and glorify Him.
The excellence we
are discussing today is not measured by attendance at or participation in
church activities, the number of church groups one belongs to, or never missing
a service. These are all indicators visible only to human eyes. The excellence
we want to discuss today depends on our love for God, not on our level of
appreciation for or respect of the authorities within the Church. It depends on
our commitment to honoring our obligations to God first and foremost and on our
desire to please God and edify His people. It is an excellence that only God
can evaluate because it depends on the state of the heart in service, which
only He can see.
1
Samuel 16 : 7 « But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not
look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused
him. For the Lord does not see as
man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but
the Lord looks at the heart.” »
Therefore, these
lines are an invitation for those active in or desiring to become active in
God's work to ask themselves an important question before each action: "Am
I doing this for my own glory or for God's glory?"
While we don't
claim to know all the "conditions" for serving God with our hearts,
we will share a few.
1.
Refrain from fostering an environment of rivalry.
Ephesians
4 : 16 « from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every
joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its
share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. »
The gifts that
each person has received by God's grace—not merit—are for two purposes: the
edification of the Church and the glory of God. The effectiveness of these
gifts depends entirely on the Holy Spirit. We must certainly seek to perfect
them, but their usefulness and effectiveness depend on God's plan: the needs he
wants to meet for his people, the time he has chosen to meet those needs, how
he wants to do so, and whom he has chosen to be used, as was the case with
Mary. Therefore, any attempt at rivalry is futile. No one can decide in God's
place regarding His work. Therefore, the only thing we can do is always be
useful in God's work, no matter what role we are given. This can be done on two
levels:
a.
Intercede for those
whom God has chosen to be the visible instruments for a specific mission and
time. Even if I am not a choir member, I must intercede for the Holy Spirit to
bless His people through all the singers and musicians during choir activities.
I must pray for a
performance that glorifies God.
b.
Be available and strive for excellence through
the power of the Holy Spirit and by doing what depends on our qualities and
efforts, when we are the instruments chosen by God. For example, a spiritual
leader must devote himself to prayer and fasting to achieve perfect communion
with the Holy Spirit and study the scriptures to develop his knowledge and
understanding (the human dimension).
2. Do
everything for the love of God.
When we love God,
seeking His glory in all that we do comes naturally. Whether in secret or in
public, the primary goal of a lover of God is His glory. When serving, he is
not concerned with being seen but with showing God's love for others through
his service. He recognizes that he is merely an instrument of God and
understands that this is a grace. He is not forced to do what he must do because
his heart seeks to please the One he loves more than anything or anyone else.
Whether he is in the spotlight or not, his commitment to God remains the same.
He does not seek to impress by being better than others, but rather, he strives
to improve every day for the sole purpose of becoming more and more like Jesus,
who is perfect.
Luke 6 : 40 « A disciple is not above his
teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. »
