Serving is ministering
That also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem. ~ Mark 15:41
Have you ever thought, I’m not really in ministry. Maybe you’ve imagined that ministry is only for pastors, missionaries, or people standing behind a pulpit with a microphone. If that’s your picture of ministry, today’s passage might completely change the way you see yourself. God has called all of His people to be ministers of the gospel.
When we hear the word minister, we often think of preaching, teaching, or leading a church. While those are certainly forms of ministry, the Bible paints a much bigger picture. Jesus Himself said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 The greatest act of ministry Jesus ever performed wasn’t delivering a sermon. It was laying down His life.
In today’s passage, Mark tells us that many women followed Jesus and ministered to Him. At first, that statement almost seems surprising. How could anyone minister to the Son of God? Didn’t He have everything He needed? The answer is found in the meaning of the word itself.
These women served Him by opening their homes, preparing meals, providing hospitality, supporting His ministry financially and creating places where Jesus and His disciples could rest and be refreshed during their travels. They weren’t standing behind a pulpit. They were faithfully serving. That realization has really opened up my understanding of ministry.
At the beginning of Luke 8, we see Joanna, Susanna, and many other women supported Jesus’ ministry with their own resources. Peter’s mother-in-law ministered by preparing a meal after Jesus healed her. In Acts 13, believers ministered to the Lord through prayer and fasting.
Ministry happens anywhere love is put into action. That means every one of us has opportunities to minister every day. Maybe it’s through delivering a meal to someone recovering from surgery, a handwritten note of encouragement, watching a friend’s children so they can rest, giving generously, praying faithfully or listening when someone needs a friend. Every act of love done in Jesus’ name is ministry.
Here are a few practical ways to become a minister today:
- Look for one practical need you can meet this week. Ministry often begins with simply noticing what someone else needs.
- Serve without expecting recognition. The greatest ministry is often unseen by everyone except God.
- Ask the Holy Spirit each morning, “Lord, who can I encourage today?”
- Remember that kindness is one of the most powerful sermons you’ll ever preach.
One of the things I’ve discovered is that some of the people who have impacted my life the most never stood behind a microphone. They quietly served, faithfully loved people, and made everyone around them feel seen. Their ministry wasn’t flashy, but it looked exactly like Jesus.
And let’s be honest, sometimes ministry looks a lot less glamorous than we imagine. It may involve washing dishes after a church event, stacking chairs, or making another pot of coffee. Somehow the coffee always disappears faster than the volunteers! But every act of service matters when it’s done for the Lord.
Here is how you can get started today:
- Ask God to show you one person you can serve this week.
- Look for practical ways to meet someone’s needs.
- Pray for those who serve quietly behind the scenes.
- Thank someone whose faithful service has encouraged you.
Today I want to encourage you to see yourself as a minister wherever God has placed you. You don’t need a title to serve His people. Every act of kindness, every encouraging word, every meal prepared, every prayer offered, and every sacrifice made in love is ministry. Follow the example of Jesus by becoming a servant of all, and you’ll discover that some of the greatest Kingdom work happens through ordinary people who simply choose to love others well.
Today’s scripture reading: Mark 15:33-41
33 Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
35 Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, “Look, He is calling for Elijah!”
36 Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.”
37 And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.
38 Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
39 So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”
40 There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome,
41 who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.
Journal:
- How have I limited my definition of ministry?
- What gifts has God given me to serve others?
- Who needs encouragement from me today?
- Am I serving with joy or obligation?
- What simple act of kindness can I do this week?
