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REPRESENTING THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF 2X2 HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS ON THE INTERNET
The New Testament Ministry
The Ordained Ministry by Howard Mooney
WOMEN PREACHERS - TEACHERS:
The Ministry of Sisters in the Church and in the Home
Acts 2:18 - Women Teaching/Preaching by Donald D. Karnes
Women's Part in the Ministry (Speaker unknown)
The Ministry of Women in the Gospel (Speaker unknown)
THE NEW TESTAMENT MINISTRY
Author Unknown
The word "ministry" means "to serve", especially in a religious charge. In the Old Testament there were prophets, priests and kings; while in the New Testament Paul mentions "the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers" and their work was "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." (Eph. 4:10-12) They were to "give themselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word", and were not to "leave the word of God and serve tables." (Acts 6:2, 4)
An apostle is a person called of God into the ministry. (Matt. 10:20; Luke 10:1; Rom. 1:1; 16:7)
A prophet is one who speaks unto men to edification, exhortation and comfort. (1 Cor.14:3)
An evangelist is one who sounds out the glad tidings of the Kingdom, who can contact sinners and bring them to Christ, who can make living for God look good and sound good.
A pastor is a shepherd, one who loves the sheep of God, and cares for them with a heart-interest. (Phil. 2:20)
A teacher is one who is able to teach and instruct, open up the Scriptures to others.
All in the ministry must be apostles-- called and sent of God. All must be prophets, in that they have a message from God; but all have the evangelistic, pastor and teaching qualities to varying degrees.
The ministry is also to be "witnesses" (Acts 26:16); "stewards, (1 Cor. 4:1,2); and "ambassadors" (2 Cor. 5:20).
As a young person, Jesus was the example to all young folks; as a carpenter He was the example for all lay-member Christians; as a preacher from the age of 30, He became the example for all ministers. (Matt. 4:19; 9:36; 11:29; John 14:6; 20:21; Phil. 2:5; 1 Peter 2:21).
CALLING INTO THE MINISTRY: Jesus called the 12 disciples and sent them forth to preach, following His example: (Matt. 10; Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6;) others: (Luke 10:1-20; Acts 16:1-6) Included women also:(Judges 4:4; Exodus 15: 20; 2 Kings 22:14; Neh. 6:14; Luke 2:36; Acts 2:16-18; 21:9; Rom. 16:1, 12)
FIRST COMMISSION: "to the lost sheep of Israel." (Matt. 10:5,6) This was later extended to "the uttermost parts of the world." (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16: 15; Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8)
Their Message: "Repent, the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." (Matt.4:17; 10:7)
Their qualifications: "Must have a good report". (Acts 16:2,3; 2 Cor. 4: 1,2-18; 1 Tim. 4:12; Titus 2:7)
MUST PROVE THEIR FAITH:
(1) By forsaking all: Jesus did this: (Matt. 8:20; John 19:23,24) Peter and others followed suit: (Matt. 19:27; Mark 10:23; Luke 5:10-11, 28; 12:33; 18:28) (Jesus asked the "rich young ruler" or young rabbi to do this, in order to be right as a minister, but he wasn't willing: Mark 10: 17-22; Luke 18:18-25)
(2) By becoming homeless: (Matt. 19:29; Luke 4:42-43; 9:58; John 7:53; 8:1)
(3) By preaching the gospel freely: (Matt. 10:8) Paul and others continued this: (1 Cor. 9:18; 2 Cor. 11:7) In Acts 18:1-3 we read of Paul staying with Aquila and Priscilla for a short while, giving them a hand with their tent-making when he could, while preaching the Gospel in that area. This was just a temporary "courtesy situation."
In 2 Thess. 3:6-12 we read about Paul and his companions working with their hands while amongst them, not of necessity, but to give an example to some who would not work. (verse 11) Preaching for money was forbidden: (Judges 17:10-13; Micah 3:10-11; John 10:10-13, Luke 12:22-33)
(4) By making no provision for food nor clothing: (Matt. 6:24-34; 10:9-10). Their "hire" was "hospitality." (Matt. 10:9,10; Luke 8:3; 10:7; Acts 20:33- 35; Phil. 4:10-19). The "wages" mentioned in 2 Cor. 11:8 was a term used to denote the rations given to soldiers, issued as they needed it. In that instance, as in all instances where true preachers are in a part where they have no converts, they were supported by voluntary contributions from Christians in other parts, as this passage indicates.
In Luke 22:34-38 Jesus was dealing with the "transgressing disciples", bringing to light how they were straying from His requirements for the ministry. They admitted that "being sent without purse nor script" worked perfectly.
If the ministers fulfilled the above mentioned conditions and qualifications, then they were promised what is mentioned in Matt. 19:27-29; Mark 10:2830; Luke 18:28-30.
Their Spirit: (Acts 20-26-33; Matt. 9:36; John 10:11; Gal.1:9-10)
Their titles : (Matt 23:8-12)
Their education: (Matt. 4:18-19; John 6:45; 7:15; Acts 4:13; Phil.3:5-8; Gal.1:11-12)
Marital status: (Matt. 19:10-12;1 Cor.7:7; 9:5)
THEIR AUTHORITY: This ministry is the supreme test to the world: (Matt. 10:40; 23:39; Luke 10:16; John 13:20; 20:21; Heb. 13:8)
This ministry appointed the elders, deacons and bishops from amongst the local church group. (Acts 14:23: 1 Tim. 3; Titus 1:5)
The church was subject to these, and these were subject to the ministry, and the ministry to Christ.
All who received salvation in the New Testament were in fellowship with this ministry: (Matt. 10:11-14; Acts 16:15, 34, 40; Phil. 1:5; 1 John 1:3)
This ministry, with Christ, is the foundation. (Eph. 2:20) It is represented as that in Heaven: (Rev. 21:14)
THE MINISTRY OF SISTERS IN THE CHURCH
AND IN THE HOME
Author Unknown
I.
1. Order in the Church: I Corinthians 11:1-6
This passage teaches clearly that both man and women, under certain conditions, have a equal right to pray and prophesy in church or fellowship meetings. The simpler meaning of the word, "prophesy" is to “tell forth," not "fore-tell.” Every child of God, both men and women, should feel free to tell forth God’s mind in and out of meetings.
2. Disorder in the Church: I Cor. 14:33-35
Evidently married women in Corinth were creating disorder and confusion in the church meetings by interrupting and asking questions which should have been asked only of their husbands in the home. They were reproved for their lack of consideration.
II.
1. Order in the home: Ephesians 5:22-33; I Peter 3:1-7
2. Disorder in the home: I Tim. 2:8-15
In the above passages, Paul is not dealing with church or fellowship meetings, but with home and family life. Evidently some women in Ephesus were not willing to be guided by instruction given in Eph. 5:22-33, which is the only true foundation for happy home and family life.
THE MINISTRY OF SISTERS IN THE GOSPEL
There are several examples in Old Testament which prove the Lord used women to make known His mind to others:
Miriam, Exodus 15:20; Deborah, Judges 4:4-9; Huldah, II Chron. 34:22.
In Psalm 68:11 R.V. we read, "The women that publish the tidings are a great host."
In the New Testament there are many passages which prove conclusively that women filled a useful place in the extension of the Kingdom of God as forth-tellers of the Good News, while many others ministered of their substance to the needs of those whom He sent forth. Luke 8;13; 10:38-42; Romans 16:3-4.
Proof from the Gospels:
Luke 2:36-38 "Anna, a prophetess, spake of Him to All that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." She preached in a public place to all, both men and women, for a long term of years.
John 4:27-29; 39-42. The Samaritan woman "left her water pot, went into the city, and saith to the men, 'Is not this the Christ?' And they (the men) came unto Him." She became a winner of souls immediately after her conversion and her going into the city and speaking to the men of her new found Saviour had the full approval and seal of the Christ.
John 20:11-25. Women were last at the cross and first at the tomb. In verse 17, Mary Magdalene was given a special commission, "go to my brethren" (men and women) and say unto them, 'I ascend unto my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' "Mary came and told the disciples (men and women) that she had seen the Lord and delivered her message.
The same day at evening these same brethren or disciples (men and women) were gathered together in an upper room and Jesus came and stood in the midst and showed them his hands and feet. The disciples (men women) were glad when they saw the Lord. He said unto them "Peace be unto you; as the Father hath sent Me, even so send I you. Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosoever sins ye retain they are retained."
The following passages prove that between the crucifixion and Pentecost women were very closely associated with the eleven and were with them when Jesus gave the commission in John 20:19-23; Luke 24:9, 10, 22, 24, 33, 48.
Note the expressions in these verses "all the rest," ''other women that were with them," "certain women also of our company,' "certain of them that were with us," " The eleven gathered together and them that were with them," "Ye (men and women) are witnesses of these things."
Proof from Acts of the Apostles:
Acts 1:12-14. The women mentioned in John 20 and Luke 24 are here numbered with the apostles in the upper room as continuing with one accord in prayer and supplication, and in verse 15 to end, evidently had a part in selecting one of their number to take the place of Judas.
Acts 2:1-4, "And when the day of Pentecost has fully come they (the 120 men and women) were all with one accord in one place and received the same baptism of the Holy Ghost and preached the same Gospel in other languages as the spirit gave them utterance."
Acts 2:14-21. Peter solemnly declared that the pouring out of the Holy Ghost and the preaching of the Gospel in other languages by the 120 men and women, bondservants and handmaidens, was the fulfillment of the Prophecy of Joel. Joel 2:28-32. Thus on the day of Pentecost, God set His seal to the ministry of women and as the result of the labors of the whole 120, over 3,000 were added to the Lord that day.
Acts 21:9. Philip had four daughters which did (preach) prophesy.
Proof from the Epistles:
Romans 16:1 "Phebe, our sister, a servant. ” The word translated servant in this verse is translated “ minister" in I Cor. 3:5 and II Cor. 6:4, and refers to the ministry of the word. Phebe was undoubtedly a minister of the word and ministered as a worker just as Priscilla ministered as a saint.
Romans 16:6 “Greet Mary who bestowed much labor on us."
Romans 16:12 "salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. "Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.”
Philippians 4:1-3 Euodias and Syntyche – “help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other of my fellowlabourers, whose names are In the book of life."
Why were women told how to dress when praying or prophesying if they were not to do so?
I Cor. 11:5. This chapter deals with the worship service and partaking of communion.
I Cor. 14:31 “ Ye ( men and women) may all prophesy one by one, ”
I Cor. 14:3 To prophesy means to speak unto men to edification, and exhortation and comfort. If men and women cannot speak in this manner, they are to be silent. They were not given permission to speak just any way (gossip, chatter, etc.) but both men and women had equal right to pray and prophesy in the fellowship meeting.
The Ordained Ministry
Dronin, Australia , December 20, 1980
Howard Mooney
“And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach.” The Bible tells us about an ordained ministry and an ordained message, and an ordained peace, and an ordained fellowship, and an ordained future that God has planned for His people.
One of the meanings of the word “ordain” is to invest with power. When a man is ordained by an organization, all the power of that organization is behind that ordination, but when a person is ordained by God, all the power of heaven and earth is behind that ordination. Isn’t that the assurance Jesus gave to His disciples that last night He was with them, when He said, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth, you go forth and carry My work on in the world and I will be right there to back you up with that power right to the end of the world.” In this chapter of Mark which we read together, we read of the order of God’s ordination. He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach. He ordained them, and then He trained them, and then He sent them out to preach.
A few years ago when we were having this compulsory military draft over in America , we had a young man that had just gone out into the Work a few days before, and he received notice to appear before his draft board for induction into the Army. We obtained an audience with the Board, and we explained the position and gave them a chance to get acquainted with that young man. We told them about our Work and how desperately we needed him, and they were very favorable toward him, and granted him his deferment. One of the members on the draft board was also a board member of the local Lutheran Church . He said, “Did I understand you correctly, that in your church the ministers are ordained first and then trained afterwards?” I said, “That is true.” He said, “Isn’t that rather unorthodox?” I said, “It might be in comparison with the way it is done in the religious world, but this is the way Jesus did it,” and I had a wonderful opportunity to talk to them about the two and two ministry, and I quoted this verse.
Maybe I can tell you a few things tonight why Jesus planned a two and two ministry. One is so that the young workers starting out can have access to private tutoring, instead of being run through a seminary with a mass of other students, a kind of mass production. God has planned when a young worker starts in the Work under the guidance of an older worker and with the help of the Holy Spirit, they get the privilege of private tutoring and then the next year they get another companion that might help them along another line, and the next year they get another companion that might help them along another line, and I said at the end of five years this young worker has not only had five years of private tutoring, but he has had five wonderful years of practical experience in the ministry.
He turned to the other members on the Board, and he said, “Men, that makes sense. That is the most practical thing I have ever heard.” And he said, “We are mighty glad to let a young man go forth in a ministry of this nature.” When we were leaving the court house, I said to the young man with me, “ Dale, we don’t have to make any apology concerning the way of Jesus, because from whichever angle you look at it, it is the most sensible and practical way you have ever heard of. In fact, it is the only thing that works, and it has never needed a change from the days of Jesus right to now. So, this is the order of the ordination. He ordained them, and then He trained them, and then He sent them out to preach.
Have you ever wondered how your workers were ordained? Would you like to know how your workers were ordained? I had a Chinese sister worker in Hong Kong ask me that question once. She was reading where Jesus ordained His ministers and how Paul mentioned that he was ordained, and she asked, “Is there a record in the Bible of how that ordination took place?” I said, “There surely is,” and I quoted 2 Corinthians 8:16, “Thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.” I said, “When God ordains a person, He doesn’t do so by putting a diploma in their pocket, but He does so by putting something into their heart—the same earnest care that He Himself has for a perishing world,” the care that causes that young person to turn their back on all their future prospects and everything life holds dear, and on everything else because of that which God has put, not in their pocket, but in their heart.
That is why when Jesus was speaking to the Lord’s people about the necessity and urgency of more workers, He said, “You pray to the Lord of the harvest, you appeal to the Lord of the harvest, to see if He cannot send out more, because that is the way it is done.” You cannot make a worker by outward pressure or anything like that. God never works in that order, but God always works in the heart, and He puts in the heart that same earnest care that He Himself has for a perishing world. A diploma in the pocket would never change a person. All that a diploma does is gives them a passport into society. But when God puts into the heart of a young man or woman the same earnest care that He Himself has for a perishing world, there is something about that that changes that young life completely.
Would you like me to give you some evidences, some proofs that this ministry is still ordained by God, and all the power of God and heaven is still behind that ordination? You have proofs on either side of the platform, to begin with—these young sisters and these young brothers! You know that only the power of God working in the heart of a young person could cause them to do what these young folks are doing, turning their backs on the possibility of a home of their own, and a family of their own, blasting every other prospect in life and all that a human heart holds dear. They are doing so because the ordination of God is working in their heart, creating there the same earnest care and love God Himself has for a perishing world. All the power of heaven and earth is behind them, enabling them to take a step like this. And I should add, when you see these older workers on either side of the platform, past the years of retirement, past the time when people of the business world have retired, taking it easy and enjoying themselves, but you see these older servants of God putting more into it than ever before, it is proof that the ordination of God is still upon those old souls and all the power of Heaven is helping them pour out the last drops of their sacrifice. They still have in their hearts the same earnest care that God Himself has for a perishing world.
Another proof, may I give you? This involves money, and we generally don’t like to talk about money in connection with the Gospel or any part of our Work because this is too sacred to be associated with money. But, at the same time, this is a miracle, and the more you appreciate this miracle, the more you appreciate the Truth. The fact that God’s servants can go into all parts of the world and freely give the Gospel today, without any collection, without any tithing, without any books to sell, and no missionary board to support them, and no knowledge of where the next penny is coming from—when men and women can do that in this selfish age, that is a compound proof, folks, that all the power of Heaven and earth is backing them up, or this thing could not take place in such a selfish world. When we talk to people about this ministry and tell them we can freely give this Gospel, they say it would not work today—it would not work in this selfish age, but it does work in this selfish age.
Jesus said to those first ministers when He sent them out to preach, you won’t have to worry a thing about your future, or your food or clothing. Look at the birds of the air. If you go forth to do His will, you won’t need to worry about your clothing. Look at the lilies of the field, “They toil not, neither do they spin, and yet even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these; wherefore if God so clothe the grass of the field which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you? Therefore, take no thought saying, ‘What shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or wherewithal shall we be clothed?’ for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. You seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and I will see to it that you are taken care of. Not a board behind you, and not a group behind you, not any individual pledged to support you, but I will see you are fed and clothed along the way”—a miracle which only God Himself is able to bring about.
We had an experience during the depression years. I don’t know if you ever heard of the depression years over in America —they were called the hungry years because a lot of people were hungry. In one year’s time, during that period, 18,000 churches over there closed their doors—in one year that happened. They could not pay the preacher, the organist, the janitor, the fuel bill, the light bill, so they just had to close their doors. Many of those churches had missionaries over in other countries and they could not send any help to them or a ticket to come home. They were stranded and the U.S. Government, at their own government expense, sent ocean liners over and rescued those stranded missionaries.
Oh! I am glad to tell you this, folks, that during those hungry years never once did we have to bring a worker back from a foreign field, and we had many of them there, and never once did they suffer want or were they a charge to the country where they were laboring. I was just a young worker at that time and it was a wonderful confirmation to my faith to know that He Who said, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel” could still stand true to His promise even in the depression period, when He said, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” I will see that you are fed and clothed along the way. This is the miracle which accompanies this ministry and it is this which has made this ministry revolutionary different from any other in the world. That is because the ordination of God is upon it and all the power of Heaven and earth is backing up that ordination.
May I tell you a little now about the ordained message? 1 Corinthians 2:7, where Paul said, “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory.” If you don’t mind marking your Bible, you would find it beneficial to underscore those marvelous words “unto our glory.” He is saying that everything pertaining to the Gospel is planned for our benefit that we might be the recipients and that we might have the glorious privilege of enjoying it in our own lives.
May I tell you now about the revolutionary difference between this fellowship and all other religious fellowships? My parents were dedicated people; they were just as religious before they got saved as they were afterwards. My father was a deacon and my mother a deaconess and Sunday school superintendent, and you know they had to work day and night to keep that organization going. Those of you who were associated with some religious organization before you were saved know the truth of those words—you had to work day and night to keep your organization going.
But here is a fellowship where everything in Heaven and earth is working to keep you going. This is what is said here. This is planned for our glory that you might be the recipient. It is not a fellowship where you have to work to keep the organization going; it is a fellowship where everything is working to keep you going. This convention has been planned by God for your benefit, to help you keep on going. The help God is giving you at this convention is to help you go on triumphantly through another year.
Paul said, “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.” That was for your sakes. And when Paul was writing to the church at Thessalonica reminding them of the ministry, the unselfish ministry that he and his companion had brought unto that city when they brought the Gospel, he said, “Ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.” We didn’t ask for a penny of your money, we didn’t ask for your service or anything from you, but all we asked was that you would receive what we were offering to you, the unsearchable riches of Christ.
God ordained that it would be that way instead of you being in a movement where you had to work day and night to keep that organization going. God has planned for your glory and your benefit that you would be a part of a worldwide fellowship where everything in heaven and earth is working to keep you going. Paul said, “This is a mystery.” The reason it is a mystery is because it is a miracle. It produces a miracle life. Where does that life come from? People will listen to the simplest message you ever heard and all of a sudden something begins to happen in the process of time, and your understanding begins to change, and your outlook begins to change, and your attitude begins to change, and in the process of time you become a new creature in Christ Jesus.
The mystery is what is there about this simple message of the Gospel that can bring about a miraculous change like that? When Jesus was trying to explain this change to people, He spoke of the parable of the sower and the seed, the seed sown in the ground producing a new life. When the Gospel is sown in the hearts of those who hear it, it produces a new life that was not there before. When they listen to the Gospel, the word of the truth of the Gospel settles down in their heart and produces a new life. It doesn’t renovate the old life; it produces a new life that was never there before. That is the miracle.
The reason Jesus used that illustration, and maybe you have never thought of this—in your garden every year, whether a flower garden, vegetable garden, or wheat field there is a miracle that takes place that you cannot explain. Science with all their ingenuity cannot explain it. All that they know is that some power beyond the comprehension of man transforms that dormant seed into that living vibrant wonderful something that it becomes. Jesus said, when the seed of the truth of the Gospel, this message that God ordained before the world unto our glory, when that settles into a person’s heart, it brings forth the same miraculous change that takes place in your flower garden or vegetable garden or wheat field every year.
When Paul was writing his second letter to the Corinthians, in chapter 3, he said, we don’t need to carry about a pocketful of papers to prove we are the servants of God. He didn’t put it in those words. He said, “Or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you,” because there were those going forth at that time presenting themselves as apostles of Christ, and they had a pocketful of papers to prove it, letters of recommendation and commendation, and this they felt was evidence of the fact that they were genuine ministers of Christ.
Paul said such are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as the apostles of Christ. If they had been true apostles of Christ, they would never have needed a pocketful of papers to prove their genuineness or that they were true servants of God. Paul said we don’t need a pocketful of papers to prove we are the true servants of God. To these Christians at Corinth he said, “You are our epistle.” You are our letter of recommendation. The fact that our message can produce converts like you, and can bring you into a heavenly fellowship that you are now enjoying, that is the proof the ordination of God is on this message.
On another occasion he said, “You are the proof of our apostleship.” You are the seal of our apostleship, the fact that it can produce people like you. If you want to know the miracle that took place at Corinth, look at 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, and it will tell you the sordid background of those people at Corinth, but when Paul wrote this second letter, those people had now become new creatures, and that is why he said we don’t need a pocketful of papers to prove to the world that we are the genuine servants of Christ; you are our letter of recommendation. When you think of the sad state you people were in when you obeyed the Gospel, but now you have been washed, and you have been sanctified, and you have been cleansed and have received the spirit of God, and now you are new creatures in Christ Jesus. You are God’s tillage, you are God’s temple, a wonderful change had taken place, a miracle that happened in their life, and when you see a miracle take place in the life of a person whose background is so far out, you understand it more fully.
I received a letter in the mail today with a convention picture in it, and on that picture was a young woman. Five years ago when that young woman came to the Gospel meetings she was as far out in the hippie world as a person could possibly be - every evidence of dissipation. She came to the Gospel meetings, and in the third meeting she professed. She was desperate for help and she realized here is the life I am needing. She was so happy over the change that took place in her life, we felt it was just emotional, or maybe it was an aftermath of the drugs she had taken, but no it wasn’t; she was genuinely happy that she had found the way out, a satisfaction for the first time in her life. She had been only a few weeks professing when she offered for the Work, but we told her that in this ministry people prove this from every angle so that when they go out in this Work they can talk from the background of their own experience. Jesus said, “We testify of that which we have seen,” we talk from the background of our own experience. We said, “You experience this, you let God continue His work and later on we will talk about a place in the Work.”
Three years later we gave that girl a place in the Work. This picture was taken at the convention. It was taken at the end of her second year in the Work. I saw her recently standing on a platform like this—no evidence of the past dissipation of her life, no marks to show anything had happened. The way she stood up, and the way she beamed, you would have thought she had grown up in the most godly home. It is a comfort to us as God’s servants to know there is no one beyond the love of God and there is no one beyond the reach of the Gospel if a person is honest enough to accept it in their heart like in the case of those Corinthians. When people come out of such a sordid background, the change is more outstanding and most noticeable.
This is what Nicodemus was talking about that night he came to Jesus and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher come from God , for no one else can do the miracles that thou doest except God be with him.” He was referring to the miracles he had seen that had taken place in the lives of those disciples. He knew the Pharisee church could not do it. Jesus did not have to tell him, like he told some of the Pharisees, they were like whited sepulchers. He was using an illustration they could understand because people would from time to time whitewash the sepulchers to make them white and beautiful, but all it was doing was to cover up the fact that death and corruption were working on the inside. When Jesus said, “Ye are like whited sepulchers which indeed appear beautiful unto men, but are within full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness,” He was saying, you are just like that, you are a sacrificial people and dedicated to your cause, and living up to the best of your ability to what you believe, but you are just putting whitewash on the surface. You are not taking care of the dead corrupt condition inside of you. Jesus did not have to tell Nicodemus that. He already knew it.
When Nicodemus came to Jesus that night, it was with the question, “How can I get that miracle?” Otherwise, the conversation would have been disjointed. “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do the miracles that thou doesn’t except God be with him.” And Jesus said, “Nicodemus, you must be born again.” I believe Jesus saw in the heart of that man that night this great question, “How can I have that miracle in my life!” Oftentimes men and women have come in contact with our brethren, maybe working with them, or neighbors to them, but they saw the miracle of God that had taken place in their lives.
And I could tell you tonight of a number who have come to us down through a period of time and asked us, “How can I get that same miracle in my life?” I wonder if there is someone here tonight and that burning question is in your heart, and you are asking that question, “How can I get this miracle in my life?” If that question is there, we want to assure you that this miracle is within the reach of you the same as anyone else. You just honestly receive the seed and you will prove in your own experience, not from looking on others anymore, you will prove in your own experience that the ordination of God is behind this message and all the power of Heaven and earth is backing up that ordination.
May I speak to you about the ordained peace that God has planned for His people? Isaiah 26:12, “Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us, for thou also has wrought all our works in us.” This emphasizes the fact that this peace that passeth all understanding is brought about by God working in us. We have already told you about God putting into the heart of young people the same earnest care for perishing souls that He Himself has, God sowing into the hearts of men and women a seed that brings a miracle life, and the secret of that peace of God which passeth all understanding is made possible because of God working all our work within us.
There is a wonderful study about peace in this Book of Isaiah, and maybe some of our young workers would like to make a little study of them. I always appreciated the older workers that came to us when I was a young worker and oftentimes dropped a little handful of purpose for my benefit. They often said, “You take this now, and you go home and see what you can get out of it. You make a study of it; you take it and make it your own.” That helped me when I was a young worker, and I have found myself time and time again just suggesting, now this will be a good study for you. There is so much mentioned about the peace of God in the Book of Isaiah. We were hearing about Jesus, the Prince of Peace. You put the government of your life on His shoulders and of that peace there will be no end. You read of God leading His people in a way of peace—even in a world of violence on every side they go in perfect peace because they are walking in His way. There are some wonderful things mentioned here in this Book of Isaiah about this peace that passeth all understanding.
This 12 th verse explains how this is brought about. It is God working within us. Shall we connect that now with a verse in the New Testament, Ephesians 3:20, “Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” When you professed and first gave your life to the Lord, did you even have a hope that you could be enjoying what you are tonight? You didn’t! This is the only thing in the world that turns out to be more exceeding abundant than you hoped or thought, above all that we asked or thought, and so much better than we ever expected. Think of anything else you turn your hand to—when the glamour wears off, you find it is not what you expected it to be. This is so much better than we ever expected. When I stood up in the meeting and gave my heart to God, I never dreamed, I never had the least idea I would be enjoying what I went on to enjoy. When I left my home to go in the Work, I had no way of knowing what a glorious future God had planned for me, a future that turned out away beyond anything I ever thought could possibly be my portion. This is the only thing that turns out to be better than we thought, and it is all made possible because of the God that is working in us. When we let Him have His rightful way and accomplish His work, then this verse will be your reality. Isaiah 32:17, “The work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.”
It is so simple. It is not a matter of attaining to some great scholastic standard, or to be able to pass some great IQ test or accomplish some great thing. Just honestly turning your life over to Him, and trusting your life to His keeping. Isaiah 26:3, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.” If you do that, He will keep you in perfect peace, proving that this peace He offers to men and women is an ordained peace. It’s a peace that the world cannot give and cannot take away. All the power of heaven is behind that ordination.
I would like to read the next verse regarding an ordained future—1 Chronicles 17:9. This is the Lord speaking. “Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place and shall be moved no more, neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more as at the beginning.” I used to read that verse and think that it referred to the Promised Land and what God would do for them. But one day it dawned on me, this promise was made to them years after they entered into the Promised Land, so I checked the dates in my Bible, and it was 409 years after they had entered into the Promised Land that God made this promise to them. This was a promise that was in their future, and this is the promise God has made concerning your future.
God has ordained a place, a place that one day He wants you to finish up in, where you will move no more, and be wasted no more, and the enemies won’t bother you any more, and you will never know the falling of a teardrop, or an ache or a pain or any distress like that. “In the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth.” He created the Heaven first—a place in Heaven for you before He ever created the earth, or created man. He had prepared for them that place.
Just like the offering in Leviticus 1—before that offering ever went on the altar, God had a clean place provided for the ashes after the sacrifice was consumed. That clean place is just a little picture of the clean place that God has planned for you and me when our little sacrifice on earth is over: a place where there will be no more tears, no more sorrows, no more struggles and no more battles; all the former things will have passed away. When Peter spoke of that, he said, it is an “inheritance incorruptible, undefiled and that passeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you.” That is that clean place; that is the place God has ordained. Four things cannot happen to it: 1) it cannot be corrupted; 2) it cannot be defiled; 3) it cannot fade; and 4) it cannot be taken away from you. It is reserved for you who are kept by the power of God. It is an ordained place. All the power of Heaven and earth is at your disposal to help you finish triumphantly in the race, so that at the end of the journey you can end up in that ordained place. This is the whole story of the Gospel. There are a lot of details that could be worked into the story. This is the general skeleton or outline - the wonderful story of salvation that God has made possible and that is within the reach of everyone.
We would just like to close by assuring you that there is not a person in this meeting that is beyond the reach of anything we have been talking about in this meeting tonight. This is something that is within the reach of all if you are honest enough to receive it into yourself and let God work as He wants to work in your life. Then you will prove to your satisfaction the ordination of God is behind this, and all the power of heaven and earth is backing up that ordination. It is something too good to miss, and I hope no one in this meeting will take any chance of missing it.
"Oh my handmaidens (as well as, "my servants") I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy!" There were a number of women among the 120 gathered in the "upper room"!
The O.T. relates several incidents (events) where women had the leading rolls, II Kings 22:11 to 20: The King commanded the Priest, the Scribe and others, "Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me and for the people, concerning the words of the book that is found—Book of the law, etc.) And they went unto Huldah the prophetess...and they communed with her. And she said unto them, "Thus saith the: Lord God of Israel...” We, too need to hear such godly women!
Micah 6:4: "For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron and Miriam." She is mentioned with the 2 servants of God, sent to deliver Israel.
Judges 4:4: "And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time." With God's authority in her soul, and approval of her position, she broke thru' her nations shame, sin, defeat and slavery, brought deliverance & a better day!
Another book that bears her name: Esther: One can find no account of greater bravery, anywhere! She changed history! She faced opposition, some ugly men: rose in God's kingdom, to usefulness & heights. It was said to her: "God had brought her to that place, for such a time as this!" There are others too! But want to mention a few in the N.T.
Gal 3: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither bo nd nor free, there is neither male or female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." It might be good to remember, that God is no respecter of persons!
Mark 16:9: "Now when Jesus was risen early the first Day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast 7 devils."
John 20:17 tells us also, more details of His appearing unto Mary M. and among the many things he said unto her, we find these words: "Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, etc." Jesus not only appeared "first" to a woman, but Jesus Himself commanded her to carry the first Message of a risen Christ, to the disciples; that He spoke of, as my brethren! If there was no other verse in all the Bible, but this one, it's enough to convince most people that women have the privi lege to tell the Story, the Most wonderful News in all the world: The Resurrection Message!
In Matt.28, we read that the angels told the women who came to the sepulcre, and showed them the place where the Lord lay: "Go quickly and tell his disciples that He is risen from the dead, and behold He goeth before you into Galilee." And we read 2 verses further on; Jesus met them, saying All hail!.....T hen said Jesus unto them, "Be not afraid, Go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee and there shall they see Me!"
It is so clear, the greatest of all Messages, these women were called and commissioned by angels and then by Jesus Himself, to go and proclaim it to their brethren: Wh o am I, to say or even entertain the thought, that women can't carry the same Message today?
There are so many examples, but will mention one, where Jesus used a woman, John 4:39. It's a long story. Jesus talked to this Samaritan woman: Not of her past sinful life but first of the Gift of God, and what she was missing! This well of water of life that could be springing up in her unto eternal life. She asked for this water! Jesus said, "Go, call thy husband." She said she had none- -and all that followed, about true worshippers! She went, and was a vessel, to carry this message to others! V. 39. "Many of the Samaritans of that city believed on Him for the saying of the women, which testified, "He told me all that ever I did".
In Acts 21.9, Philip the Evangelist had 4 daughters, virgins, who did prophesy: Theses references all favorable to women.
New let's quote Paul. Phil. 4:3: "And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women who labor with me in the Gospel, with Clement...whose names are in the Book of life."
Rom. 16:1, “I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you, for she hath been a succourer of many and of myself". Paul was not ashamed to mention, She helped him!
I Cor.14:1, "Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but that ye may prophesy...he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, exhortation & comfort." V.31. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all m ay be comforted". Certainly that word "all" embraces both women as well as men! Vs.34. "Let your women keep silence in the churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law; and if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home, for it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church:"
Paul was not contradicting himself here, on what he had previously said, in favor of women; much less contradicting Jesus, who must have the last word! If some women had to depend on their husbands for knowledge and understanding, they'd die in ignorance! What about women without husbands? Widows? and Virgins? Paul wasn't talking about prophesy , as he tells us in this same chapter, Vs. 23 & 24, “all speak with tongues makes confusion: B ut if all prophesy and there came in one that believeth not or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all, and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest...” V.26. "How is it then, brethren? W hen ye come together, every one of you, hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation.” Here again "every one" must include both men and women!
What Paul deplored was just "speaking", arguments, janglings, family affairs, ask their h usbands at home, a shame to bring up such in the church! I Tim.2:12. "I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man, (husband in the original,) but to be in silence." That doesn't mean a woman can't speak to her husband, but be in subjection! The same goes for the women in the church! In this light, both Old & New Testament blends perfectly together!
D/D/K.
(Speaker Unknown)
Are women preachers mentioned in the Old Testament? Yes, as prophetesses. A prophetess is a woman preacher. Exodus 15:20 mentions "Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron." Judges 4:4 tells us about "Deborah, a prophetess." II Kings 22:14 gives us the account of "Huldah, the prophetess." Nehemiah 6:14 mentions "the prophetess Noadiah." Joel 2:28-29 tells us that God would "pour out of His Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy," and also the same for the "servants and upon the handmaids." This was ful filled in Acts 2 and other New Testament scriptures.
In Mark 16:9-10 we have Jesus giving Mary Magdalene the message of His resurrection which she was to repeat to the disciples. What greater message is there to give mankind than that of the resurrection of Jesus? And it was a woman that Jesus told to give this message to His apostles! (See also John 20:17-18.)
In Luke 2:36, 37, 38 we have Anna, a prophetess, speaking the message of the Messiah's coming to all in the temple who were looking for redemption. In Acts 21:8-9 we have a record of Philip's "four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy." (If you wish a Bible explanation of the word "prophesy," see I Cor. 14:3: "He that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, exhortation and comfort." Doesn't this mean preaching or speaking helpfully in a gathering?)
Rom. 16:1-2 Paul commended Phebe, and it is easy to recognize that she was one of the "lady preachers." In Rom. 16:12, Paul wrote: "Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord." These were, without doubt, two lady preachers.
Then in I Cor. 11:5, Paul mentions women praying or prophesying, and the context of that scripture is that they would be "in order” if they fulfilled certain conditions and "out of order" if they did not. The same was men tioned for men in that chapter.
Galatians 3:28 tells us that in Christ Jesus all are one--whether male or female.
In Philippians 4:3, Paul urges that the church help those women which laboured with him in the Gospel. This is all very much in line with the truth of the rest of the scripture; women can have a part in preaching the gospel as well as men.
But what about I Cor. 14:34? This is a verse that is very much misunderstood, and some religions have made a very decided false doctrine out of it. However, "Truth" doesn 't come from the Bible; rather, the Bible came out of Truth. And in order to know what the Bible really means by any certain passage in it, we first must have a revelation of truth from God Himself-- then we can go back to the Bible and understand it as it was meant to be understood. We have seen that women, as well as men, have had a part in proclaiming Truth down through the ages--in Old as well as New Testament times. With this view, we must look at I Cor. 14:34-35 from a different standpoint.
"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church."
It is quite evident from this text that Paul was referring to married women; other wise, they would not have had "husbands at home" to ask of or learn from. This excludes about all the women preachers we are in fellowship with. More than this, it is a commonly known fact that many women have husbands who are not Christians, and this is a situation in most churches of which I am aware. How would those married women learn spiritual truths from unsaved husbands? Moreover, it is suggested that they were asking questions in the church worship service, and this is out of order.
From these deductions, it is evident that some of the women folks in the Corinthian church were "out of order," in that they were asking questions in the church service; and also bringing up subjects that were not spiritual or edifying, but rather such subjects should only be discussed with their husbands at home. Because of this, Paul was censuring them to not speak about such subjects, but rather to keep silence. However, in this same chapter, referring to speaking in "edification, exhortation, and comfort," Paul gives the liberty for all to speak. (Read verses 24, 26 & 31.)
Shall we look at I Tim. 2:11-12: "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. Bu I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." A gain in this text, it is evident Paul was referring to married women. However, even in the ministry, you do not see any of our women preachers usurping authority. Any authority they are using is only that which the Holy Spirit gives to them and that which our responsible brothers in the ministry give to them. This is true also of our Christian sisters who are not in the m inistry.
In the over-all picture in the home life, anyone realizes that no home is complete without influence of both the male and the female, of both the father and the mother. When either is missing, the other cannot make up that lack. It takes the balance of both working together. By same token, the ministry of the New Testament is not complete without the influence of the brothers and the sisters; neither can fill the place of the other. Each have their touch that is necessary in the work of salvation of souls and shepherding of the flock.
We repeat Gal. 3:28: "In Christ there is neither male nor female." It is not a matter of whether we are a man or a woman, but what counts is what the Holy Spirit is able to do in us and through us. We often come in contact with those who teach very strongly that women are not to have a part in the ministry. However, a number of these have been converted by the Holy Spirit. Then they were able to see those scriptures in an entirely different light. And the i rony of their salvation is that they received it through the ministry of women preachers!
Another "proof" that women have the Holy Spirit's blessing in the ministry and in speaking in the worship services is that we have seen it work so beautifully and helpfully amongst us. When we see bountiful evidence of the Lord's blessing on anything, then who are we to pass re verse judgment on such?!
THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN IN THE GOSPEL
Old Testament example which prove the Lord used women to make known His mind.
Exodus 15:20 Miriam "and Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron . . ."
Judges 4:4-9 Deborah "And Deborah, a prophetess, she judged Israel . . ."
II Chron. 34:22 “. . .the prophetess . . ."
Ps. 68:11 R.V. "The women that publish the tidings are a great host."
Proof from the Gospels:
Luke 2:36-38 Anna, a prophetess preached in a public place to all, both men and women for a long term of years.
John 20:11-23 Women were last at the cross and first at the tomb. Vs.l7, Mary Magdalene was given a special commission "go to my brethren" (men and women) and say unto them . . ." The same day at evening these same brethren or disciples (men and women) were gathered together in an upper room and Jesus stood in their midst. The disciples (men and women) were glad when they saw the Lord. He said unto them, "Peace be unto you; as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you . . ."
The following passages prove that between the crucifixion and Pentecost, women were very closely associated with the eleven and were with them when Jesus gave the commission in John 20:19-23; Luke 24:9, 10, 22, 24, 33, 48. Note the expressions in these verses "all the rest," "other women that were with them," "certain women also of our company," "certain of them that were with us" "the eleven gathered together and them that were with them" " ye, (men and women) are witnesses of these things.”
Proof from Acts:
Acts 1:12-14 The women mentioned in John 20 and Luke 24 are here numbered with the apostles in the upper room as continuing with one accord in prayer and supplication; and vs. 15-16 evidently had a part in selecting one of their number to take the place of Judas.
Acts 2:1-4 “And when Pentecost had fully come they (the 120 men and women) were all with one accord in one place,” and received the same baptism of the Holy Ghost and preached the same gospel in other languages as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:14-21 Peter declared that the pouring out of the Holy Ghost and the preaching of the gospel in other languages by the 120 men and women, bondservants and handmaidens, was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel. Joel 2:28-32. Thus, on the day of Pentecost, God set His seal to the ministry of women and as the result of the labors of the whole 120, over 3,000 were added to the Lord that day.
Acts 21:9 Philip had four daughters which did prophesy.
Proof from the Epistles:
Romans 16:1 “Phebe, our sister, a servant.” The word servant (diakonos) is the same word used in I Cor. 3:5, II Cor. 3:6; 6:4 translated minister, and refers to the ministry of the word. Phebe was undoubtedly a minister of the word and ministered as a worker just as Priscilla ministered as a saint.
Romans 16:6 “Greet Mary who bestowed much labor on you.” (kopiao) same as Gal. 4:11 “Lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.”
Romans 16:12 “Salute Typhena & Tryphosa who labor in the Lord.”
Phil. 4:1-3 Eudios & Syntyche “Help those women which labored with me in the gospel.”
Proof from Revelation:
Rev 2:20. The Lord’s people in Thyatira were “suffering that woman Jezebel which calleth herself a prophetess. . .” Had they not been used to women preachers, they never would have listened to a false prophetess.
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