Ministry in the Marketplace…..
Let your work be unto the Lord
Colossians 3:22-24 (New International Version)
22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
This is the verse that most ‘ministry in the marketplace’ organizations, talks, discussions, etc. refer to. I agree wholeheartedly with the verse and believe that it is, certainly, a reflection of our Christian maturity by ‘work(ing) for the Lord, not for men’.
And this is right, don’t you all agree?
It is true and we all practice this, right?
Without fail right?
Or do we?
It is clearly a challenge as human beings to ‘give it our all’ for Christ at our workplace, because, frankly, we’re humans!! We’re frail, weak, overwhelmed with so many things to do, protective of our turf, jealous, prideful, difficult, afraid to lose our jobs or be thought ill of, well, we’re humans, right?
If we could only keep focused on ‘working for the Lord, not men’.
Why is it so difficult? Well, if we look at it, our faith lives are difficult, right? I mean, just trying to be a good Christian person in the face of the challenges thrown our way every day, it is very, very difficult to control ourselves, isn’t it, to keep the ‘will’ of the Lord prevalent in our thinking, words and actions.
But, we live a life of freedom and we make our own choices about how we spend our time.
How are we spending our time?
Are we growing in the knowledge of God?
Are we spending quality time with Him; in His Word, in prayer, in fellowship with other Believers?
What is the calling for Believers relative to their being “transformed by the renewing of their minds”? What do you think that means for us today as Christian marketplace leaders or just as growing-to- maturity Christians? Where is that found, does anyone know?
That’s right, it’s
Romans 12
Living Sacrifices
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual[a] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
We all have our own make-up, our own personality, our own backgrounds and culture, our own experiences, both good and bad. He has made us. He has allowed, no, orchestrated that we are who we are; “I knew you before you were in your mother’s womb”…
Psalm 139:12-14 (New International Version)
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
This makeup, culture, experience is what we are and…………… yet….
we are new in Christ. We are all together, now, to magnify our God through the indwelling of His Spirit. We are fearfully and wonderfully made.
We have everything we need for life and godliness…… to participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
That is a sampling of what Peter tells us in …………..
2 Peter 1
1Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
2Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
It’s interesting that the title in the NIV for these passages in 2 Peter is “Making One's Calling and Election Sure”…. Have you ever heard of the verse; “Study to be approved”?
2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)
15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Growing in the knowledge of God
Studying to be approved
Rightly dividing the word of truth
That WE may know the will of the Lord….
This is the true Marketplace Ministry as we accomplish, sojourn, mature and grow in sanctification in our own faith-lives. We become mature. We become sensitive to God’s Holy Spirit in our everyday lives, our relationships with our loved ones and our relationships at work and at play….
If we are ‘matured up’ (my new phrase), then we are ready for Marketplace Ministry!
When we’re growing in the knowledge of God there is an ‘Outpouring of His spirit’ into us that we may have an outpouring of our spirits in our lives.
What is God’s mission for us in accordance with Matthew 28:18-20?
Matthew 28
18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
You see, this is the everyday mission of the Believer. It is in the growth of our personal faith lives that we are equipped to minister to our marketplace.
Now
I believe on top of all that I said, there is a movement of God within the marketplace in America.
There are numerous sources and ministries encouraging business people to equip themselves for ministry at their workplace.
To name a few;
The Tennessee Christian Chamber of Commerce (LEADS group every Thursday from 11 AM – 12:15 PM @ Sloans Motorocycle on Memorial.
Pass the Salt… uh, here each Wednesday…
C12 Groups
FCCI
Marketplace Leaders http://www.marketplaceleaders.org/#
I mean, just Google ‘ministry in marketplace’ and see what comes up.
But, I believe the bottom line is my maturity in my faith-life. Am I saturating myself in the word of God? Am I whole-heartedly seeking His face? Am I growing in the knowledge of God that I might know His good and perfect will? Am I giving my plans to Him that I might succeed?
Are YOU?
A dear brother in the Lord spoke of this at one of our Tennessee Christian Chamber of Commerce LEADS Meetings a couple of weeks ago and it seems appropriate here; it’s Proverbs 16 and the verse he shared was;
3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
And I have pulled a few other verses in that Proverb that apply to our subject for today, I believe;
Proverbs 16
1 To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.
2 All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
4 The LORD works out everything for his own ends—
9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
Let’s pray!!!!
