1. “Five Key Elements of Ministry!” Romans 15:14-24

2. Sign on the desk of a Pentagon official: “The secrecy of my job does not permit me to know what I am doing.” Sign that should be hung in every Christians’ home: “The sacredness of my job does not permit me to know what I am doing.”

3. “Naw, not me. I’ve been in the game long enough to know that every week the quarterback is either in the penthouse or the outhouse.” Sonny Jurgensen

4. Our text gives five key elements of ministry. The review and study of these elements will help and encourage our more faithful participation when it comes to ministry!

5. Purpose: to look at five key elements of ministry

6. IMinistry Begins With GRACE (vv 14-15) A. Saul of Tarsus Received GRACE

7. Saul had the risen Lord appear to him on the road to Damascus… Saul was not forgiven his sins there… Acts 9, 22, and 26 say otherwise…

8. 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”

9. IMinistry Begins With GRACE (vv 14-15) A. Saul of Tarsus Received GRACE B.We Can Receive GRACE

10. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

11. Saved BY grace, THRU faith (repentance and confession of faith), AT baptism (work of God), FOR good works!

12. IIMinistry is Centered in the GOSPEL (v 16) A. Paul Was a Minister of the Gospel

13. Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

14. 1 Corinthians 9:16 “Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel…”

15. IIMinistry is Centered in the GOSPEL (v 16) A. Paul Was a Minister of the Gospel B.We too Are Ministers of the Gospel

16. 2 Corinthians 5:14 “For the love of Christ controls (constrains) us…”

17. John 3:30 “He must increase and I must decrease.”

18. IIIMinistry is for God’s Glory (v 17) A. Paul Gloried Only in the Cross

19. Philippians 3:4ff “…if anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more…”

20. Galatians 6:14 “But may it never be that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

21. 1 Corinthians 10:31-32 “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God… not seeking my own profit, but, the profit of the many, that they may be saved.”

22. Paul not bragging about his ministry, but is boasting about what the Lord has done for him and through him…

23. IIIMinistry is by God’s Glory (v 17) A. Paul Gloried Only in the Cross B.We Must Glory Only in the Cross

24. Say it again, ministry is always for God’s glory, and not for our own!

25. IVMinistry is by God’s Power (vv 18-19) A. Paul Was Empowered by God

26. 2 Corinthians 12:10 “Therefore, I am well content with weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecutions, difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

27. IVMinistry is by God’s Power (vv 18-19) A. Paul Was Empowered by God B.We Can be Empowered by God

28. “We’re about to embark upon this ministry knowing that without the Lord’s blessing and power, we will miserably fail.”

29. VMinistry is in Harmony With God (vv 20-24) A. Paul Did What He Was Told to Do B.We Have a Mission Given to Us

30. “Ministry is fulfilling the Great Commission – anything more or less is NOT ministry.”

31. Preacher tells of the time his wife use to work for an accounting firm in Cincinnati. She often would bring home box seat tickets for Reds’ games…

32. Conclusion and Summary God has given each of us distinctive talents. If we insist on playing our own tune or doing our own thing the world will remain unimpressed… Stand ready right now to harmonize with each other for the cause of Christ and watch what will take place!...