Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Picking up where I left off yesterday, the next verse in Ephesians 4 explains how all the ministries listed in 11 work to edify the body of Christ. Speak the truth in love. This is the foundation of all service ministries, it is the Rock of our foundation, it is Christ.

Going just one step further in this understanding, how can you know truth if you do not know Christ intimately? Even more so love, for if the love of Christ does not dwell in you richly, how can you express that love?

Can God be served without this intimate relationship? Sadly yes.

Philippians 1:15-18 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

What we all need to remember in service is that the furtherance of the Gospel is not dependent on the exercise of the will of man but rather on the power of God. We must not lose ourselves in service to that point where we fail to maintenance the relationship we have with God. Pride will worm its way into any of these ministries once we start looking at the service as being of our own making.

My only fear is for those who will be followers of men and not of God. Does that mean they will not come to a right and proper relationship with God? No. God will win out, but how much time will be lost in service to self?

The saddest words ever said to me were: “Why didn’t you tell me back then?”

Because I was wrapped up in self.

Ephesians 4:11-14 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

My ministry is listed in verse 11. For some time I have been pondering the length of service and I discovered here that it does not end until we are all perfected. I do not look at this awareness as a hindrance to retirement. We only get to retire from earthly work. In that sense I have been retired for ten years.

As long as there is a new believer, my work continues. Much of what I do is repetitive. It is the same old thing, over and over again, year after year. It falls on young ears now. The older and more mature members have moved on into their own ministries. We stay in touch and rather than taking my ministry to heart, they adapt my part into a thing which can be used in their own personal ministry.

I know that God performs the work, even more so in my ministry than some of the others. What is common in all those ministries is the point of entry into all ministries listed no matter the ministry.

There are two elements which remain unchanged in all of the ministries listed in verse 11.

Truth and love.