Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power.
The ministerial gift
1. The ministerial gift, which God of grace giveth, makes a minister.
2. Ministers differ in their gifts and qualifications.
3. God’s power accompanies the gift of the ministry. (Paul Bayne.)
A true minister
The Rev. S. Pearce, being one week day evening in London, asked a friend where he could hear a good sermon. Two places were mentioned. “Well,” said he, “tell me the characters of the preachers, that I may choose.” “Mr. D--,” said his friend, “exhibits the orator, and is much admired for his pulpit eloquence.” “And what is the other?” “Why, I hardly know what to say of Mr. C--; he always throws himself in the background, and you see his Master only.” “That’s the man for me, then,” said the amiable Pearce; “let us go and hear him.” (W. Baxendale.)
Gifts differ
A violet shed its modest beauties at the turfy foot of an old oak. It lived there many days during the kind summer in obscurity. The winds and the rains came and fell, but they did not hurt the violet. Storms often crashed among the boughs of the oak. And one day said the oak, “Are you not ashamed of yourself when you look up at me, you little thing down there, when you see now large I am and how small you are; when you see how small a space you fill, and how widely my branches are spread?” “No,” said the violet; “we are both where God has placed us; and God has given us both something. He has given to you strength, to me sweetness; and I offer Him back my fragrance, and I am thankful!” “Sweetness is all nonsense,” said the oak; “a few days--a month at most--where and what will you be? You will die, and the place of your grave will not lift the ground higher by a blade of grass. I hope to stand some time--ages perhaps; and then, when I am cut down, I shall be a ship, to bear men over the sea, or a coffin to hold the dust of a prince. What is your lot to mine?” “But,” cheerfully breathed the violet back, “we are both what God made us, and we are both where He placed us. I suppose I shall die soon. I hope to die fragrantly, as I have lived fragrantly. You must be cut down at last; it does not matter, that I see, a few days or a few ages, my littleness or your largeness; it comes to the same thing at last. We are what God made us. We are where God placed us. God gave you strength; God gave me sweetness.” (W. Baxendale.)
All gifts come from God
In the year 1808, a grand performance of the “Creation” took place at Vienna. Haydn was present, but he was so old and feeble that he had to be wheeled in a chair into the theatre, where a princess of the house of Esterhazy took her seat by his side. This was the last time that Haydn appeared in public, and a very impressive sight it must have been to see the aged father of music listening to the “Creation” of his younger days, but too old to take any active share in the performance. The presence of the old man roused intense enthusiasm among the audience, which could no longer be suppressed as the chorus and orchestra burst in fall power upon the superb passage, “And there was light.” Amid the tumult of the enraptured audience the old composer was seen striving to raise himself. Once on his feet, he mustered up all his strength, and in reply to the applause of the audience, he cried out as loud as he was able. “No, no! not from me, but,” pointing to heaven, “from thence--from heaven above--comes all!” saying which, he fell back in his chair, faint and exhausted, and had to be carried out of the room. (Frederick Crowest.)
The Christian’s personal duty towards the gospel
Every Christian hath his talent given him, his service enjoined him. The gospel is a depositum, a public treasure, committed to the keeping of every Christian; each man having, as it were, a several key of the Church, a several trust for the honour of this kingdom delivered unto him. As, in the solemn coronation of the prince, every peer of the realm hath his station about the throne, and with touch of his hand upon the royal crown, declareth the personal duty of that honour, which he is called unto, namely, to hold on the crown on the head of his sovereign; to make it the main end of his greatness, to study, and by all means endeavour, the establishment of his prince’s throne; so every Christian, as soon as he hath the honour to be called unto the kingdom and presence of Christ, hath immediately no meaner a depositum committed to his care than the very throne and crown of his Saviour, than the public honour, peace, victory, and stability of his Master’s kingdom. (Bishop Reynolds.)