2016 picture of Ray Sparre

Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67



February 21, 2018

Good day, dear people.

I wish I could say I’m doing well. But this viral head cold is sure hammering me. I did that job yesterday with my boom truck, but since then I’ve just been pretty washed out. I think I’ll try to go check out some trees this afternoon a friend wants taken down. But whether or not I crank things up to do anything about them today remains to be determined.

With all the snow on the ground, and in the trees, along with sunshine, it sure makes a pretty scene outside.

Blessings on your day. Ray.


21 Feb 2018
Acts 6
Focus: “All seven stood before the apostles, who laid their hands on them and prayed for them, commissioning them to this ministry.”
Acts 6:6 (The Passion Translation)

What ministry? If you or I heard this verse read without knowing the context, we would probably assume that “this ministry” these seven guys were being commissioned to would have to be a big one—a very important high profile position—maybe like preaching or teaching every day in the morning or evening meetings—or being delegated the task of serving as an ambassador representative of the church to the Roman Government. But here we learn that this special MINISTRY is actually that of KITCHEN DUTY!—or serving members at mealtimes like a WAITER. Wow! How many of us would regard kitchen duty within the church fellowship as requiring ordination credentials? But that’s about what I see here.

The more I brood on this idea, the more I see the shoe fitting. After all, Paul sets the bar of Christian service pretty high. Listen to his charge to believers at Ephesus who function as employees: “Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free” (Ephesians 6:6-8, NIV). Paul imposes a similar command on the Colossian believers in regards to Christian service: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24, NIV).

Here’s the fundamental point I glean from all this: If, at our core, you and I are truly passionate lovers of God, it only stands to reason that EVERYTHING we do computes to being an important form of MINISTRY.

“It pleases God more when we demonstrate godliness and justice than when we merely offer him a sacrifice. Arrogance, superiority, and pride are the fruits of wickedness and the true definition of sin.”
Proverbs 21:3-4 (The Passion Translation)