This is the first of a series of reflections of gratitude on 20 years of ministry at GBC.
When I think about ministry and about 20 years of ministry at GBC, I am thankful for grace.
The word “grace” comes quickly to the lips of most believers, but are we genuinely convinced of our need for grace? Are we certain that God really uses nobodies to accomplish His purposes? Or do we say “grace” and really mean, “I am worthy of what I have received from Christ…”?
Paul would never have said the latter. His letters regularly affirm what he writes in 1 Timothy 1:12-15. He understood that his former life left him in a position to be rightly condemned by God; when he viewed his life, he saw nothing of credit and nothing that would supersede even the worst of sinners — because he considered himself the worst of sinners.
This is where we all should stand. When I consider both my own family and my church family, I recognize quickly the frailties and sin that have inhibited my discipleship and leadership in both venues. I understand there are a virtually innumerable amount of deeds that could have been done with more righteousness and greater effectiveness. To honor me for my role in the home or the church really is (as I mentioned Sunday) to glorify a worm.
Yet Paul also understood that he was still used by God. In grace, Christ strengthened Paul, and considered him to be faithful and placed Paul into service of Christ (v. 12). And by the exercise of His mercy in using Paul as a faithful servant, Christ was able to demonstrate His perfect patience for all those who would believe in Him (v. 16). Mercy toward Paul became an illustration — “this is what Christ can do in the life of a man who hates and rejects Christ!”
This is the story not only of every apostle, but also of every pastor, and of every servant and believer in Christ. Every believer is unworthy of being used to serve Christ in any capacity, and yet Christ indwells through the Holy Spirit every believer and accomplishes ministry through each one. In fact, He not only gives “sufficient” grace — but He gives overflowing, super-abounding, over-abundant “grace upon grace.” What a wonder! What grace!
And this is what I see in ministry these years at GBC — an unworthy servant who has been declared righteous by Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit and equipped for ministry. And that all means that there is no worthiness in me, the servant; but there is much grace in Christ, the provider.
So I am thankful — thankful that Christ has graced me to serve Him in any capacity, and grateful that He has graced me to serve Him at Grace, and grateful that He continues to work through our entire church body as an expression of His wonder and sufficiency.
Words of Grace 