Ministry: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Part 2: The Good
2 Kings 2:19-22

I. Introduction - last week we looked at the lack of leadership Elisha displayed when he first took over as the Prophet of God. We also examined that we too need both to be leaders and groom leaders. That we have to face hard facts as a church we have to be engaged in our community if we are going to see them come to know Christ and our church thrive, not merely survive, or worse. So what needs to be done?, you might ask. I’m glad you did, let’s find out.

II. Elisha saw what Jericho needed
a. They had a need for clean water to drink and for their fields
b. How many times as a church do we try to reach a community without knowing their needs?
i. How many churches and church people expect people to come to their church simply because it is there?
ii. We will not meet the needs of the people and see their lives changed until we know what they need and are willing to provide it for them.

III. Elisha threw salt from a new jar in the spring
a. We all know that if you throw salt into a spring it always takes care of any of the problems that spring has, right?
i. Of course not.
ii. So what was the cure?
b. Look at the end of vs. 21. God says he purified the waters.
i. If we are to experience the good of ministry, we must trust that even when we do things that in and of themselves seem to have no merit, God uses those things to His glory.

IV. The water was purified
a. The Bible says that the water was still running pure when the Kings was written several hundred years later.
i. This is a testimony to what happens when God purifies something. Nothing can remove God’s the change that God has instituted in a person.

V. Challenge – when Christ comes into our lives and saves us, we become a new creation, and like that new jar, we are clean on the inside. We become filled with the Holy Spirit, and should have a desire to let what is within us spill out. The jar wasn’t important, it was what was within that God was going to use, the jar just got the salt to where God wanted it.
a. Are you being used? Are we as a church being used? This story is a wonderful example of what happens when a simple person is obedient and is willing to be used.
b. This is what happens when we strive to meet the needs of others, not worrying about ourselves.
c. Bud Miller president and CEO of large company, comes in, cuts staff and closed regional offices to turn away company, which he did, but in the end, he fired himself because he too, wasn’t needed to make the company run best. He didn’t have to, but he was selfless and wanted the best for his company. Are we doing that for our church? Are we doing that for this community? Because if not, we should be!