Roadside Service

A friend from Botswana sent me an article about the Service Station. It's a cafe in Spokane, Washington in the U.S. Their mission is to serve people and build relationships. The owner used to be an assistant pastor who decided to quit the ministry to be able to serve people. Hmm.

The author of the article, John Fischer, writes that if we just get these important principles we won't have to quite the ministry to do it. What I want to know is when and how did it become ministry to begin with? When I read Acts 2 it seems to be the way people lived their lives. How did what was once our lifestyle become ministry?

It makes you want to do some heavy research to define ministry. Have you ever seen that word in the Bible? If we are following Jesus' model we wouldn't have need for this word.

Rick Warren talks about the Purpose-Driven Life and there is even a daily devotional entitled: The Better LIfe. I have never seen it but the title just puts me off. It feels exclusive somehow. What if we, like Abraham, trust and obey God's direction to go to a place He will show us versus all we've ever known?

The Service Station didn't want to look like a cafeteria. Neither does the Promised Land look like an assembly line conveyor belt with choices and decisions like Door #1, 2, & 3 where we pick and choose what days we will go to church; Sunday for sure, and maybe if the calendar is clear, Wednesday or maybe a small group on another night. Hello?

Jesus modeled a lifestyle for His 12 disciples and in turn it became the 'way' the first believers lived- not ministered! A fundamental problem we have today is the separation of our lives and our relationship with God. Shouldn't these be one in the same? And represented by an interesting word- lifestyle? I seem to recall Jesus saying, "Behold, I make all things new." He also said He only did what He saw His Father doing. Do you think he went to temple on Saturday to check to see what that was?

The author of Hebrews first tells us: "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. "

Then Chapter 10:19: "Therefore, brothers, since we have a confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain... let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

I am convinced the promised land is before us all the time. Like when Jesus said, "The Kingdom of God is at hand." Where? As close as the palms of our hands that we can use to serve others! This requires laying down your own life for your brother, though. It requires that you have an unoffendable heart. There is nothing in you that can be offended when the desire of your heart is to serve God and your neighbor. Tall words, eh? Yep, but they have not come without a whole lot of experience!

Often Revelation 12 is use when teaching on Spiritual Warfare. A very powerful key is found starting in verse 10:

"Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

"Now have come the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers who accuses them before our God night and day, has been hurled down.

They overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony;

they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and to the sea, because the devil has gone down in yu! He is filled with fury, because he knows his time is short.

Were you hearing any alarm bells when you start to read about the accuser of the brother? Oooh, Holy Spirit pricked my heart for the times I have judged and gotten angry and offended! The prize surely is before us in vs. 11! They overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

Could that mean that it wasn't always about them? How often in disagreements are we looking out or defending our selves? We aren't even aware of it most of the time, we do it so much. When someone is offended by us and lashes out we are shocked as if to say, 'what did I do?' 'What's wrong with them?' 'Can't they see what they are doing to me?' 'Why aren't they sensitive to my need or hurt?' Could it be about their own hurt or need? Does that look like Revelation 12:11?

Stephen gave up everything, laid it all down and threw himself into the life and fellowship of the church. I don't think that means he abandoned everything to move into the church building. I think it looks more like: he didn't love his life so much. He trusted God for where he would eat, sleep, pray and go. Now before you go getting all mad at me or judge me for suggesting this I want to say: Not everyone is a Stephen or a Paul or a Peter. Jesus knew a lot more folks than just the 12! So not everyone is called to lay everything down. But there are seasons, even instant ones, where God is asking us to do something for him. It could be as simple as a hug, prayer, smile or as complex as a cup of cold water or shelter or praying for a miracle. The thing is, will you love your life so much that you won't care? The Good Samaritan certainly had this choice before him and so do we each day. Whether it be simply extending our hand to the poor and needy in the streets or to one in our own family. When it was said that the Son of Man had no place to lay His head. It wasn't meant for pity but compassion! Jesus was saying, "Follow Me! Lay down your lives, pick up your cross and follow me! My Father cares for me in every way. I have all I need."

He wasn't interested in fine cars and or travels to Italy and the like. He wasn't interested in positions, titles or even the number who would follow Him. He was interested in doing only what He saw Hif Father doing. He hung out with twelve guys, pouring everything into them because He knew they were the ones to carry on. They were the ones that would produce the fruit that lasts, the Bride. It wasn't a building but those He loves and longs for. His sheep are His Bride! And they know His voice because they know Him. And therein lies the Promised Land. 1 Corinthians 13 says that now we see but in a glass dimly, then we shall see fully even as we are fully known! Wouldn't you like to be known? Wouldn't you like to know Him rather than just know about Him?