Our Supreme Ministry

Supreme meaning highest in degree or rank

God has a ministry for every child of His.<= /o:p>

Sometimes we need to evaluate what= we are doing and effectiveness in what we are doing.

Near the end of the book of Ezekiel, the prophet was shown a vision of the temple and God gave instructions regarding the priests.

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Ezekiel 44:15-16

"But the priests, the Levites, the sons of = Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the child= ren of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near Me to minister to Me; and = they shall stand before Me to offer to Me the fat and the blood," says the = Lord GOD. "They shall enter My sanctuary, and they shall come near My table= to minister to Me, and they shall keep My charge.(NKJV)

Only the sons of Zadok were allowed to come near and minister to God

they shall stand before Me to offer to Me the fat and the blood,"

Lev: 3:17 says you shall not eat fat or blood because they were to be offered only to God.

Because there is life in the blood-------Atoneme= nt in the blood

The fat represents a precious portion of the ani= mal

High in energy

Good to the taste

Warming to the body

When we come to minister to the Lord it’s = our willingness to lay aside the best portions for God

God disciplined the rest of the Levites because = they were unfaithful to Him.

He punished them by limiting their scope of mini= stry

Ezekiel 44:11

Yet they shall be ministers in My sanctuary, as gatekeepers of the house and ministers of the house; they shall slay the bu= rnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them= to minister to them.(NKJV)

God authorizes them to perform these functions--= --but let’s see what they cannot do

Ezekiel 44:13

And they shall not come near Me to minister to M= e as priest, nor come near any of My holy things, nor into the Most Holy Place; = but they shall bear their shame and their abominations which they have committed.(NKJV)

Sometimes we wait on God for a ministry opportun= ity.

As Christians we are all given an opportunity to= minister to Him

Sometimes neglecting our supreme ministry opportunity

When I was faithful to minister to the Lord, God opened up ministry opportunity.

Has God really positioned us to minister to Him?=

1 Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesth= ood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of= Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;(NKJV)

Revelation 1:6 says He has made us kings and pri= ests unto God.

A royal priesthood with the distinguished honor of ministering to Him.

1 Peter 2:5

you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices accept= able to God through Jesus Christ.(NKJV)

Our supreme ministry is ministerin= g to Him.

To bless Him, through worship, communion and fellowship

We offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God---With complete devotion to Him

Holy and acceptable to Him which is our reasonable service

Service is so essential that God allowed the unfaithful Levites to minister to His people.

As a royal priesthood we are all called to minis= try to people and to God Himself.

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Luke 10:38-40

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her hou= se. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him a= nd said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."(NKJV)

That seems like reasonable request----She thought He would agree

What is Mary doing----spending time with Jesus.<= o:p>

What is His response?

Luke 10:41-42

And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away fr= om her."(NKJV)

He is saying you are agitated over temporal matters where there are more important things.

Mary was more interested in the Kingdom and fellowship with Jesus than she was serving.

Can we let these verses excuse us from service?<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> -     NO

Satan came to Jesus and said all the kingd= oms of the world I will give you if you fall down and worship me.<= /o:p>

Matthew 4:10

Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Sat= an! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you s= hall serve."'(NKJV)

The Greek word here for worship is Proskuneo

Proskuneo=

To kiss the hand in token or reverence

The fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence.

This is what Satan was asking Jesus to do.

Satan was saying I will give you the dominion th= at I stole from Adam

But first fall down and worship me.

Jesus won back the authority and dominion by the= way of the cross.
In fellowship and worship to God we receive <= u>revelation and empowerment for service.

John 12:3

Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.(NKJV)=

I’m sure the fragrance filled the room----= But the real fragrance was in the perfume of her worship and adoration

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A priestly ministry upon the Son Of God.

This offering was historically given to a daught= er by her Jewish parents for her dowery.

On her wedding night the perfume was to be poured out upon her husbands feet at the time of the marriage consummation.

This gift represented a year’s wages------= What an offering.

Matthew 26:8

But when His disciples saw it, they were indigna= nt, saying, "Why this waste?(NKJV)

It could have been given to the poor.=

The emphasis pointed to service rather than wors= hip.

((Her worship was just to extravagant))

I will take the criticism of too much emph= asis on worship in order to see it accomplished, as it should be.

If serving is a God given directive I can’t disregard my supreme ministry of ministering to Him.

Jesus said what she had done would be remembered= as a memorial to her.

A critical spirit sometimes will rise when someo= ne shows forth more adoration that you do.

(((Ministering to Jesus)))    does He count it valuable------YES

Notice that she broke open the alabaster box ---= -not Jesus

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Where did she get the motivation to do what she = did?

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She had received much forgiveness------(((= She had a heart full of adoration))

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Does God want our worship or our service?

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1 Corinthians 1:9

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.(NKJV)

To enjoy and relationship with Him.

Why was Adam created-------for fellowship = with God.

Sometimes fellowship and communion are excused by busying ourselves with service.

I don’t come here to serve this house; everything I do here is service to Him

I have to question something.    Am I serving the Lord = by performing the service He directs or just the things that I feel comfortable with and enjoy.

Ezekiel 44:15 said the priest shall come near me= to minister to me.

Not just drawing near---but ministering to= Him in that closeness.

In Old Testament some did not have the opportuni= ty to come closer than the outer court.

It’s really impossible to stand afar off a= nd minister to Him.

True effective service is God directed ser= vice coming from direction received from spending time with Him.

Ministry to God in the Holy Place far transcends ministry to the people in the outer court.

There was specific clothing assigned for those ministering in the inner court

And beyond

Ezekiel 44:18

They shall have linen turbans on their heads and linen trousers on their bodies; they shall not clothe themselves with anyth= ing that causes sweat.(NKJV)

they shall not clothe themselves with anything t= hat causes sweat

Part of the curse from the fall of Adam was in t= he sweat of your face you shall eat bread

Ministering directly to the Lord is a ministry without sweat.

In the Holy of Holies all work has been accompli= shed

This helps us break apart service to the Lord and direct ministry or worship unto Him.

In the Most Holy Place all flesh efforts cease.<= o:p>

Jesus said the Father is seeking worshipers who = will worship in Spirit and in truth.

Sometimes it’s hard for people to understa= nd the intimacy of relationship we can have with God.

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Many times we say things about God but how much better to say them to Him.

Busy about business in serving, but spending lit= tle time ministering to Him.

Out of our ministry to Him flows the guidance and direction we need in service to Him

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