LESSON ON SERVICE

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Cor. 3:6 NKJV).

Here we have a very helpful verse about service. It speaks of the difference in tasks, the dependence of tasks, and the dynamic for tasks.

Difference in tasks - “I planted, Apollos watered.” Here the apostle Paul is highlighting the fact that in serving the Lord, we all have not been given the same tasks. He did the planting, but Apollos did the watering. God has wisely given each believer different skills and abilities. And the church is not the only place where our different skills and abilities are needed. It is needed in every area of life. Further, we should not think that we must do certain jobs to be involved in serving the Lord. We do not have to teach or preach or be a missionary in order to serve God. There are many tasks in the church that need doing which does not involve teaching or preaching tasks.

Dependence of tasks - “I planted, Apollos watered.” The success of doing our task is dependent upon others doing their tasks properly. If the apostle Paul does not plant, all the watering by Apollos will do no good. And if Apollos does not water, the planting that the apostle Paul has done will fail. Many problems in the church are caused by some folks not doing their job, which makes the church function unsatisfactorily. And it seems that those who are the first to complain about the church not functioning properly are those who have not done their job well. Our task is important whether it is in the spotlight or not. It is an important link in the chain and if we fail, we will cause others to fail.

Dynamic for tasks - “God gave the increase.” The bottom line is that we must have the dynamic of God, or we will fail in our tasks. All our planting and watering will do no good unless God blesses the work. We need the dynamic (the power of God) in our service. And when He gives us His power, and success comes as a result, let us not be slow in praising Him for blessing our work.

(Adapted from Butler’s Daily Bible Reading 2)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“It is more important that God be glorified then that I accomplish certain things in the line of service!”

Henry Allan “Harry” Ironside (1876 – 1951)

Canadian American Bible Teacher, Preacher, Theologian, Pastor, and Author

Word Study

Fight

In 2 Tim. 4:7 we read, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (NKJV).

“Fight” is the Greek word agṓn (ἀγών = ag-one'). It refers to strife, contention, a competition, a contest, a race, a struggle against opposition. We get our English words agony, agonize from this word. In classical Greek, agōn denotes a gathering or assembly. Eventually agōn denoted the place and the spectators in the national games. It was also used to describe the participants who contested for the prizes. Generally speaking, agōn denotes a struggle, which included the idea of battle action or action in court. In the Septuagint, agṓn carries the idea of contest. In the New Testament, agṓn is frequently used to present the Christian life as a contest which must be completed and endured. By using agṓn, the apostle Paul is referring to the agonizing life and death spiritual struggle. When we were transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light and of God’s beloved Son, we entered into the agṓn, to engage the powers of darkness in spiritual warfare. And motivated by the apostle Paul’s example, we too should engage in this spiritual struggle with resolute commitment and maximum effort, fully convinced that eternity will prove that it was worth the extreme effort.

Did You Know…

Based on word count in the KJV, the Gospel of Luke is the longest of the four gospels – Matthew 23,684 words; Mark 15,166 words; Luke 25,939 words; John 19,094 words.

Bible Quiz

In the Book of Esther, what did Mordecai do to anger Haman?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz

According to the Book of Ecclesiastes, what is “the duty of all mankind?” “Fear God and keep His commandments” (Ecc. 12:13).

Prophecies Fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ

Having the title of Anointed (Christ) - Prefigures the Lord Jesus Having the Title of Christ (cf. John 1:41; Acts 2:36)

"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed” (Psalm 2:2 NJKV).

“Anointed” is the Hebrew word māshîach and means “Messiah;” the Greek equivalent is “Christ.” In the Old Testament, kings were anointed (cf. 1 Sam. 10:1; 2 Kings 11:12), as were prophets (cf. 1 Kings 9:16) and priests (cf. Ex. 28:41). But ultimately, the term referred to the prophesied Coming or Expected One, God’s anointed Deliverer and King, His Son the Lord Jesus (cf. Dan. 9:25-26; Matt. 11:3). Long awaited and promised by God through the prophets, the Messiah was identified in Andrew’s confession in John 1:41, “We have found the Messiah.” This is the first direct declaration in the Gospel of John that the Lord Jesus is the Christ. Of course, the “Anointed One,” the Lord Jesus Christ is the name that Christians have placed their redemptive expectations.

Did You Know – Christian History

Jonas Michaelius was born in 1577, in Hoorn, Netherlands. He was America’ first Dutch Reformed Pastor.

Michaelius studied at the University of Leyden from 1600-1605, and worked as a clergyman in various towns from 1607-1624. He was married in 1614. Perhaps it was a mid-life crisis that caused Michaelius to offer his services overseas. For twenty years, after graduating from the University of Leyden, the forty-year-old pastor had preached in quiet Dutch villages and reared his family. Now, whatever the reason, he volunteered to serve in the Dutch colonies.

During the early part of the 17^th Century, there was a real shortage of pastors in the Netherlands and the situation was even worse overseas. The colonists had to be content with so called “comforters of the sick.” These were men authorized to read Scriptures and sermons, hold prayers and (with special permission) to officiate marriages and baptisms.

Michaelius first overseas assignment was to Brazil which the Netherlands had just wrested from Portuguese control. Before he could take up his new duties, Portugal seized Brazil back. Michaelius was redirected to Guinea, Africa for two years before returning to the Netherlands. Then on January 24, 1628, Michaelius sailed for the New Netherlands (now the state of New York). His wife and two of his children sailed with him. The ten-week voyage was a miserable affair. The captain was drunk much of the time and the sailors wild. Storms battered the ship. Food was poor and quarters were cramped. No doubt the five were glad to land in New Amsterdam (now Manhattan).

Michaelius was the first Dutch Reform pastor in the American colony. He immediately organized a church in New Amsterdam and began holding services above a grain mill for the approximately 270 European inhabitants. The Church Michaelius founded became the famous “Collegiate Church.” With his wife dying just seven weeks after the family landed, Michaelius, was left to raise his family by himself. Coupled with this was the continual friction with the director of the colony, dealing with scarcity of food and dismal living conditions. Nevertheless, Michaelius stuck to his post a year longer than he had agreed to do. He returned to the Netherlands around January, 1632. What he did after that or when or where he died is not known. In 1637, the Dutch Church recommended that he be sent back to New Netherlands, but the colony’s leaders, remembering his earlier sharp report on them, did not want him back. This is the last known mention of his name in the old records.

A Little Humor

One day a space shuttle crashed to the ground in the yard of a preschool. When he finally struggled out of the wreckage, the astronaut shouted, “I'm free! I’m free!” At this point, one of the little children standing there shouted back, “Big deal, I’m four!”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Have You Read My#1 Best Seller? There Will Be A Test! – God!”