In Colossians 4:17, Paul sends a message to a young man, Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it." That's a tremendous charge, worth a closer look.

Take heed- From the Greek, it means voluntarily giving careful attention to. Paul's tone is one of encouragement.

Ministry- This is the word deacon comes from and carries an idea of waiting tables. We tend to think "ministry" is only for preachers or other big-shot Christians, but any of us can serve others and attend to their needs.

Received- This one means to "to take near". On a recent trip to a theme park, I received some money for one of the kids. (His parents were afraid he might lose it.) I kept it close to me in a pocket, protecting it, acting as a steward for the money, parceling it out as the boy had need of it.

Fulfill- This is an interesting word and several of the usages carry the idea of filling in what's empty, whether it's a hole or a net or an empty house. Don't leave anything out or undone.

To paraphrase- When you accepted Christ, you agreed to serve Him as needed. Don't you see what a tremendous role you've been entrusted with? Run with it!

Sometimes, in our way of thinking, being a servant is not such a great draw. But if someone we love asks for a favor, we deliver without hesitation. Maybe that was the issue for Archippus. We know from the letter to Philemon, that he was the son of a comfortably wealthy man. Maybe the transition from having servants to being a servant was a little difficult.

Paul said back in chapter 3: "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ." Ultimately, all our service is to Christ, not the individuals who receive the immediate benefits.

What is your ministry? Are you fulfilling it? 

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Jesus had some real challenges in His ministry. We tend to think because He was God that everything clicked along smoothly. Everything DID click along according to plan, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it was smooth. He said we shouldn’t expect any better treatment than He got.  Reading Mark 3 this morning, I saw a picture of ministry.

Jesus had some real challenges in His ministry. We tend to think because He was God that everything clicked along smoothly. Everything DID click along according to plan, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it was smooth. He said we shouldn’t expect any better treatment than He got.  Reading Mark 3 this morning, I saw a picture of ministry.

• People will take advantage of your time and attention. Verse 20 said Jesus couldn’t even grab time to eat.
• People will question everything about your ministry. Verse 21, Jesus’ own people, His family and friends questioned His sanity.
• People will misattribute your motives. In verse 22, the religious leaders reasoned that Jesus had to be in league with Beelzebub.

If ministry wasn’t tough enough, what makes it more difficult is that these same people…

• May be part of the respected religious establishment (v.22)
• May believe they have your best interests at heart (v.21)
• May be well meaning (v.31)
• May be your closest associates, perhaps even family (v.32)

I tend to take opposition as a sure sign that I’m headed the wrong direction. That’s not always the case. I need to take the time in prayer and study to confirm with God. Once the confirmation comes, I can’t second-guess that.

The flip-side is a warning to be very careful before questioning or criticizing another’s ministry. I can’t presume to know how God is directing someone else.