Matthew gave an incredible view of Jesus’ own ministry. He shows us the preaching ministry of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. He shows us the teaching ministry of Jesus in such places as Matthew 21-22 where Jesus speaks about the Temple, his authority, and different parables. He shows us the healing ministry of Jesus in chapters 8-9 where Jesus heals ten times in only two chapters. What we see is that Jesus’ ministry is one of preaching, teaching, and healing.
Jesus’ Ministry Through The Disciples
In Matthew 10:1-15 (particularly in verses 1 and 7), we see Jesus send the disciples out on mission. They were to go about to minister to the people as well. But, whose ministry would this be? Was it their own ministry? No. The ministry is not theirs but rather it is Jesus’ ministry through them.
When Jesus sends them, he sends them out to proclaim the same gospel and to heal the same broken people. Jesus sends us out to do His ministry as well. No, this is not only ministry work for paid church staff or really committed volunteers. All Christians are sent out to do ministry (Mt. 28:16-20; Eph. 4:12). If you are a Christian, you have a ministry. But, here is the thing. It’s not your ministry. It’s Jesus’ ministry through you.
The reason Jesus gives you the gifts that He gives you and the reason Jesus has you living in the place where you are living is that He seeks to minister to the people around you. It’s His ministry, not yours. He desires to reach those people much more than you ever will. Do you have the gift of teaching? Do you have the gift of service? Do you have the gift of compassion? What gifts do you have? He wants to use your gifts, the gifts He has given you, to bring those people to Him.
The Ministry of Jesus Through You
You might be thinking, “I don’t have any supernatural gifts but only natural gifts.” You need to remember that these gifts have been given to you by God our Creator. We are to do all things for the glory of God and the mission of Christ. Are you a doctor? Are you a lawyer? Are you a stay at home parent? Are you great at administration? Are you passionate about hosting others at your home? Do you have finances that you can wisely give to the ministries that need your help? What are your gifts?
These gifts are for the ministry of Jesus. It is not your ministry; it’s Jesus’ ministry through you! This means that you can have complete confidence that where you are and who surrounds you that Jesus is there and He is at work. You can have the boldness to go out into your work, neighborhood, school, and community because you know you have been equipped by the Holy Spirit. You can get excited because no one is more passionate about the ministry than God Himself! Your ministry is not yours. It’s Jesus’ ministry.
The Church Needs YOU
That’s what makes your personal ministry pivotal for the people. Jesus has equipped you with the gifts He wants you to have so that He can minister in that way through you. Here is why that’s encouraging. No gift is small or insignificant. The world may say that there are more important gifts than others but that’s not true. As Francis Schaeffer says, “There are no small people.”
In our celebrity culture, we are lead astray by thinking that only the “up-front” gifts are what builds the church. God loves working in the small and humble gifts. He loves working in the ordinary day-to-day acts. He does more in the “small acts of kindness and love” than some do with their more public gifts. We need people like Martha who find their primary calling in serving others. Not everyone is called to speak, write, and lead. Everyone is called to something. Jesus doesn’t need celebrities. He uses you.
What if you having people over for a nice dinner and godly conversation is one of the ways in which God builds His kingdom through you? What if Jesus wants to minister to others through you by your giving a Christian book to someone? What if Jesus desires to change someone’s life simply through your godly character and counsel as a school teacher? Don’t underestimate Him.
How might this encourage you? How does this make you bold? How does this motivate you to use your gifts? Ministry is not about us. It’s about Him. It’s about Jesus showing His glory through the gifts He has given us. Jesus wants to minister through you. That’s the reason why ministry, the ministry of Jesus through you, is pivotal for the people.