Qualifications for ministry

Specific purpose: Encouragement that you do not have to be perfect in order for God to use
you.
Thesis statement: God wants us the way we are so he can transform us and equip us to do
his work
Introduction: As missionaries in training, we are faced with a lot of pressure from outside
and from within. People expect a certain standard from us. They expect that since we are
missionaries in training we need to preach powerful sermons, explain the bible in a certain
way etc. We get discouraged as we review our lives and realize that we have not attained to
that standard. You feel you cannot preach, sing, explain the bible like the next brother. You
begin to compare yourself with others who seem to have reached that standard. This
discourages you and you feel like giving up this work. I want to let you know that even
though you this way God still wants to use you.
Trans point: God does not need you to first reach the standard before he use you but
he wants you as you are so that he can make you reach that standard.
I. Ordination of the disciples
1. Mark 3:13-19 – Jesus ordains the 12 disciples.
a. V13 – Went into a mountain, Jesus loved the scenes of nature to
turn the minds of his disciples from the noise and confusion of the
city.
b. Why were they ordained? To preach, to have power to heal
sicknesses, to cast out devils
Note: The disciples were called by God to accomplish a great work
for him. God was establishing his church and he chose the disciples
to lead this church and to be his representatives on earth. What a
great work.
DA 291 Their office was the most important to which human
beings had ever been called, and was second only to that of Christ
Himself. They were to be workers together with God for the saving
of the world.
App: If someone had to represent you and your character who
would you choose? Someone of good repute. If you needed a great
work done, you choose someone qualified for that work. God chose
people without a good reputation, the lowest in society to represent
him.
Trans point: Were the disciples special that Jesus chose them, let us study their
characters. V16-19
II. Characters of the disciples
1. Philip the first disciple – What kind of person was Philip?
a. Philip did not have a lot of faith
i. John 1:43-45 – Philip heard the teaching of John and heard
John announcing Jesus as the Lamb of God. Also heard
 God pronounce Jesus as the Son of God. But his
announcement of Him to Nathanael shows he was not fully
convinced of His divinity V45.
App: Our lack of faith veiled in (if its God’s will…)
2. Jesus knew Philips weakness and tried to help him
a. John 6:5, 6 – Jesus was testing Philips faith, Philip had witnessed
Jesus perform miracles V2.
"Philip was a practical, matter-of-fact man, who could see
no use in spending money for bread when there were no
resources at hand to meet such a demand." - Ellen White,
The Desire of Ages, p. 379
i. Point: 200 hundred pennyworth will not be enough for
people to eat a little, these people are too many we can feed
them. (don’t be too spiritual…)
ii. App: Many times we show such lack faith, God does
wonderful miracles for us yet we still don’t believe in Him.
God is displead
3. Before Jesus died Philip still had no faith
a. John 14:9 – After 3½ years Philip still didn’t have faith.
i. App: Imagine being with Christ for so long yet still don’t
believe in him?
Point: God still ordained and used Philip even with such a
lack of faith.
Trans point: Let us look at another disciple
2. Peter, one of the main disciples of Jesus
a. Matt 14:25-30 – Peter was impulsive and self-confident
i. Note: Peter didn’t think about his decision, he was probably
thinking that after this he would be better than other
disciples
App: at times we get proud and want to be better than
others and we lose sight of Jesus. Jesus allows us to fall so
we may realise our need for him.
b. Matt 16:13-18 – Peter acknowledged Jesus as the Son of the living
God
i. App: having a theoretical knowledge of God without
seeking his character is useless. We profess Jesus as the
Son of the living God, yet we are proud, we are always
gossiping and evil speaking of others. Our lives should be a
profession of our faith.
Point: Peter professed Jesus as the Son of God theoretically
and grew proud because of his knowledge.
V 21-23 – Satan took advantage of his character faults and
possessed Him to go contrary to God’s will
App: When we grow proud and self-sufficient, Satan will
use us as his instrument for evil.
 c. Luke 22:61-62 – Peter was self-confidence led to his fall
Point: God allowed Peter to have this humiliating fall so that he
might help Peter see his need for dependence on God.
App: At times with our character defects, God allows us to fall so
we can see our need for Christ and lose sight of self.
Trans point: Let us see another disciple
3. James and John
a. Mark 3:13 – These were Sons of thunder
Point: Had a fiery, impulsive probably violent nature
Luke 9:54-56 – Wanted to destroy the Samaritans
App: these brothers did not play, they sorted people out quickly.
b. Matt 20:20-23 – They were ambitious for high positions
App: Some follow Jesus because they want a higher status in
society, higher positions in the church.
Trans point: there is a disciple who failed to qualify in the school, why?
4. Judas
a. Matt 8:18-20 – Judas was not called to be a disciple
i. DA 291 The disciples were anxious that Judas should
become one of their number. He was of commanding
appearance, a man of keen discernment and executive
ability, and they commended him to Jesus as one who
would greatly assist Him in His work. They were surprised
that Jesus received him so coolly.
ii. Judas’s motive for following Jesus was not clean, he
wanted a high position in the kingdom. Jesus answer was to
reveal his poverty.
b. John 6:70, 71 – Jesus knew the plans of Judas
c. John 12:1-6 – Judas loved money
Note: he would steel money from the bag and pay himself
Point: it was money that led him to betray Jesus.
Overall point: The disciples that Jesus chose were not perfect but he ordained them.
How did he succeed with the disciples that they were able to preach the gospel in less
than a century.
III. Success of the disciples
a. Luke 6:12 – Jesus spent the entire night praying for the disciples, he knew
their faults, he knew the difficulties of their mission.
App: For Leaders, you know the weaknesses of your students, you know
the difficulties of the challenges they face, and do you spend entire nights
praying for them?
b. All the disciples had defects when Jesus called them to his service.
He taught them the right way. He was patient with them. He did not
publicly rebuke their sins and embarrass them.
 App: When we are in leadership positions, it is important to not only pray
with those who have defects but we should patiently show them the right
way, without publicly revealing their struggles to everyone. I believe Jesus
is the standard of leadership, he helped Judas without revealing his faults
to other disciples, the disciples did not know that Judas would betray him
until he did.
a. For Philip, Jesus was patient with him and clarify things to him.
b. For Peter, Jesus allowed him to fall in order to show him that he
needs to depend on Jesus.
c. For James and John, they daily beheld the character of Jesus and in
contrast to their characters they lost sight of self.
d. Judas however was lost. He hardened his heart to all the efforts that
Jesus made to reach him. He did not want transformation he
wanted a high position in the kingdom.
App: When we harden our hearts against the Holy Spirit, eventually we
will be left to follow our own path.
DA 489 Every warning, reproof, and entreaty in the word of God or
through His messengers is a knock at the door of the heart. It is the voice
of Jesus asking for entrance. With every knock unheeded, the disposition
to open becomes weaker. The impressions of the Holy Spirit if disregarded
today, will not be as strong tomorrow.
App: when the disciples were reproved they did not leave Jesus, because
they deeply wanted to be changed into his image. When trials come our
way, we fall, we should not give up, Jesus allows it to purify and transform
our characters.
IV. Why Jesus chooses defective people to preach the Gospel?
1. God does not choose angels who have never fallen to preach the gospel
and represent him. Why?
a. We are to preach the gospel as witnesses
i. God chooses men with defects, the roughest characters
characters, so that he can transform them and they can be
witnesses to the power of the gospel in transforming lives.
App: God chooses you, with your pride, selfishness, and
your addictions, and if you are willing to be transformed, he
will transform you into his image.
Example of a hardened criminal (testimony of Leve)
b. God does not call the qualified, but he qualifies the called.
App: you do not need to first have eloquence, deep bible
understand in order to work for God. God wants you as you are and
he will train you and impart those gifts to you.
V. Conclusion:
So, what is the qualification for ministry? Do you feel like you are not good
enough to serve God? Do you feel you are not eloquent, intelligent? Do you
still have character defects you need help with? Guess what? You qualify.
In choosing men and women for His service, God does not ask whether they
possess worldly wealth, learning, or eloquence. He asks, “Do they walk in
such humility that I can teach them My way? Can I put My words into their
lips? Will they represent Me?”
Appeal
Story of five loaves and two fish, people had no faith, disciples suggest people
be sent home. Jesus used the humble offering of the boy to accomplish a great
miracle, the boy didn’t have much faith in his own ability to make a difference
but he offered what he had to Jesus.
In this way, Jesus demonstrates how even the smallest, humblest offering can
be used for great purposes when placed in his hands. He also shows how he
values the faith and trust of those who are willing to offer themselves and their
resources to him, even if they feel inadequate or unsure.