What defines your ministry?

I was reading up on churches on a website and saw something that I believe marks a disturbing trend in so-called Christianity. The pastors of a particular church were called "part of an emerging generation of leaders, whose ministry is marked by relevance, inspiration and encouragement." My opinion, which matters very little, is that folks of this persuasion ought to go back to the holes or skins they emerged from. Would you say that the ministry of Jesus Christ is primarily marked by these things? It depends on your definition, but I can say that these were certainly not the foundational virtues that marked the ministry of Christ.

We live in a day when "relevance" is as important as being relative. It is something many Christians try to become. Relevance often means "becoming like the world in an attempt to reach the world." Is God's Word relevant for today? Of course! God's Word is His living will and testament for our lives. His Law reveals His perfection, Christ reveals His love, the resurrection proves His power, and the Word is filled with promises that are relevant to all people. Every man is born into sin with a soul headed for hell, and Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost. Jesus never tried to "be relevant" to His generation: He remains relevant for all generations in His unspoiled majesty. He never had to tweak His message to make the Gospel relevant. The truth of God Word does not need to be sweetened with the honey of humanism or spiced up with innuendo or allegations of the Illuminati. Christ did not have electronics, media, a budget, or formal training, but the world has never been the same.

The modern idea of inspiration is far from godly. When I Googled "inspirational," the first website boasts, "A collection of inspirational quotes on topics including success, life, leadership, teachers and more." Another website says, "Famous inspirational quotes for all ages. Get energized now!" Inspiration these days is about pumping up your mind with motivational ideas and thoughts, to urge you to believe in yourself. Like the video's title states, those who chose this form of inspiration fail at life for eternity! (Life Fail) Jesus was inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit, not by some motivational speech or positive suggestions. Inspiration that comes from a man is mired in pride for selfish purposes. Emotional experience is a pathetic substitute for the power of the Holy Spirit and God's Word. 2 Tim. 3:16-17 states: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." If by "inspirational" it means they preach the unadulterated Word led by the Holy Spirit, good on them!

Jesus said many encouraging things, but He also said many disheartening things! His intent was not to build up a man's confidence in his own abilities, but to move men to desperation for God's intervention for forgiveness, salvation, and to place their faith in Jesus. He spoke about eternal damnation, trials, tribulation, suffering, and sacrifice! Jesus did not monotonously strum the single string of encouragement, but played the full array of notes: harsh with the proud and self-righteous; grace to the humble; rebuke to the hypocritical; kind words to the weak, sick, and grieving; hope to the hopeless; peace to the repentant. Jesus says in Matthew 23:33, "Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?" Certainly not on the "encouraging" list of quotes. The Pharisees had rejected Jesus Christ as Savior and He is the only way to Heaven. He is the Way, the Truth, the Life (John 14:6). Jesus always told the truth even if it hurt to hear. I know it pained the LORD to say it because He loved those Pharisees. He had reached His arms out to them for generations and they refused to come to Him (Is. 65:2). He stretched out His arms on a cross and they continued to mock Him in spite of His love and sacrifice.

If I had to pick three primary things that marked the ministry of Jesus Christ, it would be love, obedience to His Heavenly Father, and sacrifice. I don't think I would be wrong to say truth, power, prayer, service, compassion, grace, mercy, power, humility, sorrow, faithfulness, gentleness, and many other things also marked the life of Jesus Christ on earth. The ministry of Jesus for the glory of God and the good of mankind was culminated with Christ being crucified on Calvary. In the garden Jesus prayed to the Father, "Not my will, but yours be done." Though He was God in the flesh, He made Himself of no reputation, took upon Himself the form of a servant, and remained obedient to God, even to death on the cross (Phil. 2:5-8). Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." To me, this truth is relevant, inspiring, and encouraging. It is not because the message is tailored for the 21st century, makes me feel good about myself, or helps me find confidence in my abilities to meet my goals.

The Gospel is a message of salvation for sinful men who deserve none. It gives hope to the hopeless, freedom for the prisoner, sight to the blind, strength to the feeble, power to those who have none. A man must admit he is sick before he will seek a doctor's prescription, and we must see ourselves as doomed sinners before we will come broken to Christ in humility and faith. One thing I never want to do is encourage people in their sins and inspire their emotions as they trudge toward the fires of hell! Oh God, put such an abominable practice far from me! May we never veer from the narrow path of following Christ and His example.