{"id":31097,"date":"2022-09-10T15:16:45","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:16:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/why-a-long-obedience-in-the-same-direction-is-necessary-in-ministry\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:16:45","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:16:45","slug":"why-a-long-obedience-in-the-same-direction-is-necessary-in-ministry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/why-a-long-obedience-in-the-same-direction-is-necessary-in-ministry\/","title":{"rendered":"Why ‘A Long Obedience in the Same Direction’ Is Necessary in Ministry"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
Photo by Aldric RIVAT on Unsplash<\/div>\n

By Matt Henslee<\/em><\/p>\n

We live in a day where we can pull a small rectangle from our pocket and have near-limitless access to near-countless mediums for information instantly.<\/p>\n

With the tap of a finger, you can read breaking news a day before it hits a newspaper, hours before it airs on a newscast, and often, minutes before it breaks on a major news network\u2019s website.<\/p>\n

You can spend over an hour cooking a meal at home, thirty minutes waiting for your food at a restaurant, or just drive through your favorite fast-food spot and have it in your hands a moment after you finish your order.<\/p>\n

Instant gratification makes life incredibly convenient, but it carries a cost into our church ministries we ought to take into account. Think about it: You can say, \u201cI\u2019ll have a number one,\u201d and receive your order a few seconds later, but share the gospel with an unbeliever and receive only a blank stare.<\/p>\n

Eugene Peterson penned a classic book, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction<\/em>, many years ago\u2014long before instant gratification became a way of life for us. Peterson based his book on Psalms 120-134, the Songs of Ascents sung by pilgrims on their way up to worship in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

There, Peterson finds encouragement for us as we learn to grow in worship, service, joy, work, happiness, humility, community, and blessing. That call, a long obedience in the same direction, is helpful as a way to learn a new skill or working towards losing weight\u2013\u2013but I believe we find it most beneficial in our preaching the Good News.<\/p>\n

A Painful Reminder<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There once was an old preacher struggling to stay in the fight of gospel ministry. To make matters worse, one of his deacons criticized him moments before their worship gathering started.<\/p>\n

His criticism was a painful reminder, \u201cPastor, there has only been one added to our rolls this year\u2026and it was only a little boy.\u201d The pastor knew this, of course, but the reminder cut him to the core.<\/p>\n

He ended up preaching his message, thinking about resigning after the sermon the entire time. As everyone was leaving, he found himself face to face with the \u201clittle boy\u201d that marked their only addition that year.<\/p>\n

The boy began to inquire about how he could become a preacher or missionary. The response blessed the pastor, but that\u2019s not the best part.<\/p>\n

The young boy was Robert Moffat, a Scottish pioneer missionary to South Africa for over 50 years. Throughout his mission work in South Africa, Moffat opened mission stations, translated the Bible into the language of the people, and wrote two missionary books still encouraging missionaries today.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, he was also the father-in-law of David Livingstone, the famed explorer and missionary to Africa.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, that old preacher was struggling. His sermons seemed to bounce off the wall and seemed to accomplish very little\u2013\u2013aside from that little boy. Yet amid his faithful plodding, God was working. The preacher might have been ready to quit, but God was only getting started. Because of that preacher\u2019s faithfulness, the world has been forever changed.<\/p>\n

I love my denominational family and have had opportunities to lead and serve in a variety of ways, but my chief desire is to love my family well, faithfully shepherd my church, die, and be forgotten.<\/p>\n

Still, God has also burdened me with a desire to encourage pastors who are barely hanging on by a thread. If that\u2019s you, allow me a word (or a few).<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
See also  3 Practical Steps for Reaching the Mission Field in Your Neighborhood<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Stay Faithful<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If you are struggling, press on. You\u2019re called only to be faithful\u2013\u2013you have to remember God is still working, even when we cannot see what He is doing. Your faithfulness may not get noticed in your denomination. You might get passed over on committee appointments or the conference circuit.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, you may not know your reach in a lifetime. If you have preached 10 sermons or 1,000, with little or no response, and see a baptistery filled not with water, but with cobwebs, press on<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n

It might feel like you are spinning your tires in mud, but while you are spinning faithfully, God is working. And one day, one glorious day, you\u2019ll know.<\/p>\n

On that day<\/em>,<\/em> all of the tears, all of the seemingly wasted sermons (there is no such thing if you will preach Christ), and the frustrations will pale in comparison to what God accomplished through your two mites of faithful exposition.<\/p>\n

Paul charges us in 2 Timothy to \u201cpreach the Word.\u201d Notice what he didn\u2019t<\/em> say. I\u2019ve looked it up in every version of the Scriptures I have\u2013\u2013none of them translate Paul\u2019s words to \u201cHit a home run,\u201d or \u201cWow them with your brilliance.\u201d He said, simply, \u201cPreach the Word.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not your job to build your church. It is Jesus\u2019 job, and there\u2019s no foundation other than Him. In fact, should you build your church on the foundation of your brilliance, your personality, or anything of you<\/em>\u2013what happens when you leave?<\/p>\n

Instead, if you\u2019ll put your faithfulness on the altar\u2014along with your desires to grow a platform or build a name for yourself\u2014and follow Paul\u2019s encouragement to Timothy to \u201cpreach the Word\u2026with great patience,\u201d Jesus promises to take care of the rest.<\/p>\n

Leave a Legacy of Faithfulness<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I shared the story about the preacher being used by God to send Robert Moffat into missions and onto changing the world and learned some missionaries our church supports have friends descended from Robert Moffat. Get this: They\u2019re missionaries, too.<\/em><\/p>\n

In fact, they sold some land to another missionary couple I served alongside years ago. It\u2019s still used today to continue to advance the kingdom as a training ground for pastors and missionaries.<\/p>\n

All because one faithful preacher at the end of his rope decided to stay in the fight. He was faithful to preach the Word and had no idea his influence would end up being incalculable.<\/p>\n

So, preach the Word and leave the results to God. He\u2019s working, far more than you realize. The results may not be as instantaneous as we expect in our instant society, but a long obedience in the same direction is all God requires.<\/p>\n

This article is adapted from preachingsource.com and used with permission from the author.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Matt Henslee<\/h2>\n

@mhenslee<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Matt and his wife Rebecca have four daughters. He is the Associational Mission Strategist for the Collin Baptist Association in Texas, and coauthor of Replanting Rural Churches<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n