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ACTS 20:19 - 24

"THE TRUE MINISTRY"

Intro: Paul the Apostle lived an exemplary life He was able to say, "be ye followers of me
       even as I also am of Christ." God has called each of us to a ministry.

I. HOW WE ARE TO SERVE.
        A. "Serving the Lord"
                1. This is the concept we must keep in our minds.
                        a. l am not here to please all men.
                        b. I should not look to men for the rewards of my service.
                        c. I should not look to man for directions for my service.
                2. My serving the Lord involves serving man.
                        a. He has commanded me to go, give, love.
                                1. Go second mile.
                                2. Love as I love myself.
                3. Whatever I do I am doing for Him.
                        a. One of my most distasteful tasks is picking up cigarette butts.
                                1. From my earliest childhood my mother impressed me to  never
                                   touch a cigarette.
                                2. As I go around after the Saturday weddings, picking
                                   them up I am often muttering about pollution and litter
                                   bugs.
        B. "With all humility of mind."
                1. This area is one of the greatest pitfalls of any ministry.
                        a. People look at the work God is doing through you and
                                start to give you credit for it.
                                1. We're so dumb we start taking credit.
                                2. The Lord has ways of humbling us. 
                2. What a tragedy when ministers start to get haughty.
                        a. They become too important for individuals.
                        b. They strut through airports like politicians.
        C. "With many tears."
                1. "Bearing other's burdens."
                2. Broken by the needs.
                3. Weep over suffering of others, failures of others.
                4. Weep over my own failures.
        D. "Serving the Lord in trials."
                1. Paul's trials came from the Jews.
                2. You think if a person was good and trying to help others all would  speak
                   well of him.
        E. "Holding back nothing that is profitable for the people."
                1. Giving, when possible, for physical needs.
                2. Giving for emotional needs. 
                3. Giving for spiritual needs.
        F. "Have showed you."
                1. What value there is in demonstrations of truth.
                        a. People learn more readily what they see than what they hear.
                        b. Your life should be a reflection of your teaching. 
                2. We teach love, do we love?
        G. "And have taught you."
                1. Where?
                        a. Publicity.
                        b. House to house.
                2. What?
                        a. Turn to God.
                        b. Believe in Jesus.
        H. "Not counting your life dear to yourself."
                1. Not looking for the easy way.
                2. Willing to sacrifice and if necessary, do without.
        I. "Finish the course with joy."
                1. "l have fought a good fight..."
                2. The joy of knowing I have done by best.
        J. Finish the ministry I have received from Jesus.