Category Archives: Minister

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Bible, Holy Spirit, Minister, Ministry, Romans, Scripture, Servant, Service

BE A MINISTER

ROMANS 15:16

“to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”

I have said before in this blog how proud my mama was that I was a minister. If I ever got a letter in the mail addressed to Reverend Carl Willis, I knew it was from my mom. I am not sure she ever really understood what I did since my ministry wasn’t in a church for most of my career. However, if she could read this verse with me today, it would explain exactly what I have been called to do.

This verse is a prime example of why you can’t just read the English translation. The two words, “minister” and “ministering,” are two entirely different words. Paul is telling the readers of his role and his function as a minister to the Gentiles. We are all called to be ministers of the gospel, whether that involves full-time service or not. Paul’s example of his ministry shows us that. Let’s look at these two words and see how we can apply them to our lives.

APPLICATION

First, we have the Greek word leitourgos translated as “minister.” This word is five times in the New Testament in a variety of ways. It “is applied to civil authorities (Romans 13:6), an apostle’s missionary calling (Romans 15:16), a congregational delegate (Philippians 2:25), angels (Hebrews 1:7), and Christ Himself (Hebrews 8:2). Each instance presents God-appointed service offered for the common good and ultimately directed toward Him.” (Topical Lexicon) Paul is referring to his role here in today’s verse as an apostle to the Gentiles. God had given him a specific function.

The word “ministering” is the Greek word hierourgeó which only occurs here in Romans 15:16. It literally means “temple work.” Let’s just call that church work or mission work. Paul knew his job as an apostle wasn’t just a position of honor. He was called to serve, to actually do the work. I can relate to that. In my ministry, I have been asked to do a lot of things that are more work related than position related. Serving the Lord can be hard at times. It requires sacrifice. It requires dedication.

We are called a part of the royal priesthood, am I right? 1 Peter 2:9 says that. That doesn’t mean we sit back and relish in our position in Christ. No! We are called to serve. To do the ministering. That may mean you serve in VBS this year or you rock babies in the nursery. You may be a deacon or an elder in your church. Whatever you do to serve the Lord, make sure you let Him sanctify in the Holy Spirit, as Paul said at the end of our verse today. If the Holy Spirit isn’t in it, don’t do it. Do it for the glory of God and for no other reason.

I am Yours, O Lord. Use me to minister to the body of Christ however You choose.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Minister, Ministry, Romans, Scripture, Servant, Service

GOD’S MINISTERS

ROMANS 13:6

“For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.”

The first thing I think of when I think of ministers is someone who is in full-time Christian ministry. But there are a lot of different kinds of ministers. For example, in many governments, elected officials are called Minsters of Parliament (MPs). That title carries with it the authority to act on behalf of their constituents in enacting laws and voting to secure funding for their districts. They are ministers of the people.

Paul uses a word today which is translated “servants” which is only used four other times in the New Testament. The word is leitourgós which “was originally a term for public service done by an official minister of the State. In classical Greek, it means ‘one who discharges a public office at his own expense, then, generally, a public servant, a minister, servant.’” (HELPS Word-studies). This term also became used for those who were in a priestly role serving the Lord. Who are our ministers today?

APPLICATION

Speaking of himself in Romans 15:16, Paul writes, “to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” Paul saw himself as a servant of both the Lord and the Gentiles. He was willing to lay it all on the line for both. Are you?

In Philippians 2:25, Paul calls Epaphroditus a “minister to my need.” That’s the same word. Epaphroditus came to Paul to serve him but got sick and almost died. But God healed him and he was able to return to the Philippians. Epaphroditus also laid it all on the line for the Lord and for Paul. Are you willing to be a “minister” like that?

The writer to the Hebrews uses it twice (1:7 and 8:2). The first use is in a quote from Psalm 104:4, “And regarding the angels He says, ‘HE MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS, AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE.’” The Hebrew word sharath translated “ministers” has a similar definition as leitourgós. Isn’t that cool that the angels are also God’s ministers who serve Him and His Son?

The final time leitourgós is used is Hebrews 8:2 where it describes Jesus in that role. We need to back up to verse 1, however, to get the full impact. “1 Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord set up, not man.” Jesus called Himself a servant, did He not?

You may be a role in which you minister to others or maybe your ministry is to your family. As followers of Christ, we are all ministers (servants) of God to do His bidding. Minister to and for Him today.

Thank You, Father, for all the ministers I have in my life, both publicly and spiritually.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Messenger, Minister, Sacrifice, Scripture, Servant

A MESSENGER AND MINISTER

PHILIPPIANS 2:25

“But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need,”

Think of someone who has done something special for you that you will never forget. I am not talking about a spouse or a child. I’m thinking about a fellow believer and friend. I have someone in mind who truly blessed me years ago. I won’t go into the story because I don’t want to divulge their identity or what they did. Just suffice to say I will never forget their sacrifice and what they did for me during a very hard time in my life.

Paul spends the next six verses and one more in chapter four talking about a fellow brother, worker and soldier – Epaphroditus. His name means “lovely” or “charming.” Perhaps he was. We do know he was sent by the church at Philippi to minister to Paul and bring him something to help during his imprisonment. This servant of God took that long trip from Philippi to Rome to deliver this gift to Paul and then stayed to minister to him. We’ll see more about that in the coming days.

APPLICATION

Paul calls him “your messenger and minister to my need.” He recognized that Epaphroditus was acting on behalf of the church. He must have been a trusted member of that church since he was given the task of delivering the gift to Paul. The Greek word for “messenger” is the same word used to describe the apostles. It means someone who is sent with the authority of the sender. In Epaphroditus’ case, he had the authority of the Philippian church. His message to Paul – we love you and want to comfort you.

Then Paul uses the Greek word leitourgos which implies a servant who serves others at their own expense. It was normally used to describe a public servant. But in the case of Epaphroditus, it describes his service to Paul. The word is only used four other times in the New Testament (Romans 13:6; 15:16 and Hebrews 1:7; 8:2).

I love the way it is used in Hebrews 1:7. “And regarding the angels He says, ‘HE MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS, AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE.’” The author of Hebrews quotes from Psalm 104:4 here. “He makes the winds His messengers, Flaming fire His ministers.” Paul describes Epaphroditus with the same word used there to describe angels. Certainly, Epaphroditus was dear to Paul.

Are you serving that way? Are you a messenger and minister to someone? Be an Epaphroditus today!

Father, thank You for servants like Epaphroditus who give us an example to follow.

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