We began few weeks ago looking at The Dynamics of Ministry, we have considered the introductory aspect of this series, and then we went on to look at Living a Life That Reflects Your Calling in our part two of the dynamics of ministry. Last time we considered The Minister as A Flame of Fire. In this episode, we want to look at something also important, something that I trust God that will provoke change and growth in our spirit man, positioning us for effectiveness in the work of ministry.
So, we want to consider the question that is very important, understanding the dynamics of ministry. We want to probe a particular issue. And the issue is: Do You Have an Authority as A Minister? We can also coin it to also imply that Are You Authorized to Minister? Or we can also say: Are You an Authority in The Ministry That God Has Called You Into? These are different dimensions that we could look at, different angles that we could see the subject of our consideration today. Don't forget, we are continuing the series, The Dynamics of Ministry.
I want us to look at the book of Luke chapter 20. I'll be starting from there so that we can see the basis for our discussion. Look chapter 20 and I will read from verse 1. See what the Bible says:
“Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him 2 and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”
I'm sure you also understand now why we looked at our consideration from different angles. Even the question came to Jesus from two dimensions. Let me read that verse 2 again: “and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?” That is the first angle or who is he who gave you this authority? That is the second angle. Now let us go to verse 3-8.
“But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me: 4 The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?” 5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from. 8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Jesus did not imply or Jesus did not reply with He didn't have authority. He only said “neither would He tell them these things.” And so, it's important by the help of the Holy Spirit that we see what the Lord wants to show us today. Jesus was preaching, Jesus was teaching, He was in the ministry. He was doing the work of ministry; He was propagating the gospel of the kingdom. And it got to a point in the ministry that the ministry began to unfold onto Him in another dimension. That's why we're looking at The Dynamics of Ministry. And then He came to a point in time in the ministry that His authority was questioned.
People wanted to know; did He just jump into this or He was authorized to do this? Did He just think there is a need for this to be done? Or someone told Him to do it? And so, Jesus, also, in His reply, gave us the understanding of what that authority connote. Jesus said: If you want me to answer your question, then answer mine. John's baptism, that is, the Ministry of John, where did it come from? That also reveals to us what they meant when they asked Jesus, by what authority do you do these things? Because they were trying to ask from where does your ministry come from? Where is the origin of your ministry? Who is the source of your ministry? Who commissioned you? Who told you to go and say so and so, go and do so and so in so and so place? That was very important.
Because it's important we understand that even do ministry could look like you just speaking or doing things before people, around people, with people, it's important you understand that without being authorized to do it, you will not succeed at it, you will not finish strong. Many people have started great projects, many people have started many things. But most people have not been able to accomplish, to finish what they started simply because they go to certain moments in their ministries that they had to respond to that crucial question: by what authority do you do what you do? So that shows us that it is one thing to have the ability to do, it's another thing to be authorized to do it. And I'm sure you understand it that there is a difference between authority and power. One talks about ability to do something, the other one talks about the rights, the legality, to do it.
So, it is one thing that you believe that you can do so and so, you can actually make a difference among the people. It's another thing that God has told you to do it, or somebody has told you to do it. And Jesus said, the baptism of John, did it come heaven or did it come from men? And that shows us the two blocks that ministries can come from. You can be in ministry by men, or from men, or you can be in the ministry from God, or by God. So, God can commission you into the ministry, men can commission you. And you must understand the response of these Pharisees that came to Jesus. They said, if we say from heaven, then He would say, “why didn’t you believe him” meaning that whatever that is from heaven, from above is above all. That is the authority, the true authority for effective ministry.
But if we say, from men, then the people will stone us because the people know that the ministry of John was from God, they knew he was a prophet, the prophet, not of men, but the prophet of the Lord. And so, this thing is very important for us to consider as we desire to be fully rooted in the work of ministry that God has called us into. You must understand that without authority, you cannot fulfill your ministry, you must be authorized to do whatever you want to do. Whatever you are doing must be as authorized by God or by men. And I would admonish that it is better to be authorized by God than you being authorized by men without the authorization of God.
Now, let me show us a picture of getting authority from men without God, and then I will compare it with getting authority from God, and not from men. Now let's look at the book of Matthew chapter 7, verse 24–29. The Bible says:
“Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” 28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”
Now, the picture that we saw in verse 28 and verse 29, of the book of Matthew chapter 7 reveals to us the two instances or the two angles to the work of ministry. You are either a man authorized by God, a man who has an authority or you are without authority. You see, the authority that man gives you is not the true authority. It's a pseudo authority, because you must consider what the Bible says in verse 29. Bible says: “for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” The question you could ask is: were the Scribes men without the authority of other men? In reality, for you to be a scribe, you must be made a scribe by another scribe. So, it takes a scribe to raise up another scribe, and the senior scribe, or the leading scribe is the authority figure in the life of the junior or the apprentice, scribe.
So, what I'm trying to say is even the scribes are authorized by other scribes. But for effectiveness in ministry, you must be authorized by God. You cannot say: "A man of God laid hands on me and so, I am authorized to do ministry". It is not about a man of God laying hands on you, is the God of the man laying hand on you? Is the God of the man or the woman approving of your ministry? So, it is important you understand that true authority in ministry comes from God. If you must do the work that God has called you to do, you must do it as one that is authorized to do it.
In conclusion, I would like to remind us of what happened in the book of Acts of apostles concerning the seven sons of Sceva. Now they had seen Apostle Paul deliver people from the power of darkness, they'd seen Apostle Paul do great and mighty things. And so, they took it upon themselves to exorcise a man who was possessed by demons. And then they said, we exorcise you in the name, that name shows in the authority of Jesus that Paul preaches. And then, the man possessed by demons responded, he said, Jesus, I know, Paul I know, who are you? That is Jesus is authorized by God, Paul is authorized by the Lord Jesus Christ, who authorized you and by what authority do you seek to chase me out of this tabernacle?
So, as we conclude, I want us to keep this at the back of our minds. Without the authority of God, we cannot fulfill ministry. It's not enough for a man to say, go ahead I am behind you. You must understand that without God being behind you, being with you, being in you, you will not succeed in the ministry. The ministry is so demanding, the ministry is so challenging – that it questions your authority on a daily basis. And so, you must understand that, if it would take you a long time to get the approval from God, the authorization from God to do a ministry, you would rather wait than rushing out and then failing along the way. I trust God that you will not rush out prematurely. I trust God that you will stay with Him, as the disciples stayed with Him, from Peter to the least of the disciples who ended up becoming apostles under God and then they were fulfilled in their ministries.
As they fulfilled their ministries, tarrying at the feet of the Lord until they were endued with power from on high, authorization to go ahead, I trust God that the same grace of God will be upon you, and you will tarry with God until the Lord gives you the authorization for a course of action on the earth in Jesus’ name. Till next time that I bring you another episode on Forms and Patterns, I want you to stay committed to the Lord. I want you to stay true to your calling. I want you to remember that if you have not been authorized, if you have not become an authority, you should not go ahead in the pursuit of a particular line of action.
Wait for authorization, allow God to back you up, don’t be carried away by the backings of men. “Go ahead, I am behind you” is not always true. I trust God, that His grace will be sufficient for you, and you will grow in His grace in the kingdom of God and you will become a tree of righteousness, bearing fruit of righteousness for the nations to consume in Jesus’ mighty name we have prayed.
God bless you.
