A Consistent Heart (Part Three)

This is the first of several weeks we will consider a heart for ministry by examining it through the lens of Paul’s message in Acts 20. We begin this week by seeing the need for a consistent heart, and by examining Acts 20:17-19. Monday we saw (v.18) that it begins with a consistent lifestyle and yesterday looked at the need (v.19a) for a consistent attitude. Today we add a final piece to this consistency—the priority of being consistent in service.

Consistent in Service

serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews (v.19)

Who He Served- “serving the Lord”

• “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” (Gal 1:10)
• “… God to whom I belong & whom I serve…” (Acts 27:23)
• “Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;” (Eph 6:5)

All of it—like the cup of cold water in Matt.25:35-40—is to done “unto Him.” We are to serve God, and to perceive that all we do in life is in service to Him.

How He Served-

• With His Whole Heart- “… fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;” (Rom 12:11)
• With Love For Christ- “’Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?’ …. ‘Tend My lambs.’” (John 21:15)
• With a Distinctive Life- “For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,” (1 Thess 1:9)

What His Service Produced- reward? NO! A pain that revealed the cost of faithfulness!

• Many trials- suffering of hardship (2 Cor 11:23-30); Christ suffered to do the Father’s work, and the servant is not greater than the Master!
• Much Treachery- “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Tim 3:12). Paul was by the Jews, by the Romans, and even by Judaizing Christians!
• Many Tears- for the lost (Phili.3:18), for rebellious believers (2 Cor. 2:4), for endangered believers (Acts 20:31), for beloved believers (Acts 20:38), for apathetic believers (Isaiah 6- they won’t listen!).

The heart for ministry learns faithfulness through the hardness of trials, the bitterness of treachery, and the saltiness of tears—but keeps serving the Lord. Consistent in service, in spite of the hardships and unkindnesses of life. Christ-centered obedience does that, teaching in the fires the lessons of patience, fortitude and faithfulness!

It is here that we come to examine ourselves before the table of the Lord. What kind of servant am I? Are you? Are you giving Him a consistent heart of service that consistently displays godliness and humility? That is not the exception, that is the expectation! Notice…

“Say to Archippus, ‘Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.’” (Col 4:17)

A heart for ministry begins with a heart devoted to Christ—in spite of tears, trials or treachery—that consistently demonstrates loving service to Him. Do we?

Next week we will continue our look at the heart of ministry as described in Acts 20.