Message summary: How are you being useful to others? Who are some useful people who have blessed you? In what ways might another describe you as being useful in ministry?

Listen to this message on your audio player.

"Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry" (2 Timothy 4:11).

Last Friday morning we made our first chaplain visit at JK Mechanical, a company that has a plumbing department, where we were invited to witness a rather unusual presentation. Trevor (pictured) had completed his apprenticeship in plumbing and the previous day made his first solo call. Ken, his manager, along with his trainer, David, acknowledged Trevor's accomplishment with a toilet seat ceremonially placed over his head. He was then asked to walk through the office area where he was lightheartedly congratulated for his accomplishment while wearing the newest fashion statement for his line of work.

I have been visiting with Trevor for several years since he first started as a warehouse associate not long after he completed high school. Now in his mid-twenties it's good to see this young man with an ambition to be useful and plumbing is at the very essence of usefulness!

On a far more serious note, many take plumbing for granted but my plumber friends explain they are on the front-line of public health. If the plumbing stops working, especially in a city we are in trouble really fast. Of course, we consider a sad report out of Ukraine concerning areas that are now without electricity and water. The news this morning said, “People are drinking from puddles in the streets. The shelling destroyed the left bank area of the city, rendering it unsuitable for human life". The desperate plight of the Ukrainians continues to be at the top of our prayer list.

Today we want to consider the blessing of being useful, in the opportunities God gives us. Yesterday in church I saw an elderly man walking through the sanctuary distributing communion cups (the new method since COVID is the hygienic cellophane wrapped bread/juice combo packs with bread that tastes like Styrofoam). He was using a cane for balance and walked about carefully, adding to the effort required in carrying out his voluntary duty. But having today's message already forming in my thoughts I considered how blessed he was to be doing something useful for the Kingdom of God, and how blessed we were to be recipients of his sacrificial service.

2 Timothy is the last letter we have from Paul and in the last chapter he candidly discloses, "My time of departure is near" (2 Timothy 4:6). He makes several requests of his long-time associate Timothy from the practical such as, "Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas" (v.13a) to the continued quest for growing in knowledge, "and my scrolls, especially the parchments" (13b). This indicates that Paul wanted his tools for study, that he was still eager to learn all that God wanted to teach him, though he knew his time of departure was near.

But today let's consider a very personal request, "Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry" (2 Timothy 4:11). This is likely the same Mark, who at one time had deserted the missionary team and caused a sharp division between Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:36-41). In that case "second chance" Barnabas proved right and later Mark's relationship with Paul was also restored.

The Precept commentary reminds us that "The life of Mark stands as a testimony to the grace of God, who is ever 'The God of the Second Chance'. Many of God's greatest servants failed miserably at the start of their course, but returned to finish the race in a God-honoring fashion."

In this very personal appeal Paul states concerning Mark, "for he is very useful to me for ministry". What a contrast to Demas mentioned in the previous verse who deserted Paul during this very needy time. Various versions render the word "useful" as "profitable" (KJV) and "helpful" (NIV).

Today there are scores of useful people such as Trevor the plumber, the man distributing communion elements and "second chance" Mark. Genuinely useful people are rarely in the limelight nor do they seek to be.

Whatever your vocation is today consider how your job is a benefit to others. How are you being useful?

And in regard to God's work, useful ... for ministry" whether your involvement in your church or ministry setting is that of a leader, teacher, clerical worker, grounds keeper, janitorial services, maintenance worker, kitchen coordinator, or any of a multitude of other small or larger roles required for a local church/ministry to function, may you also see it foremost as a calling from God and find great joy in being useful for ministry.

How are you being useful to others? Who are some useful people who have blessed you? In what ways might another describe you as being useful in ministry?

Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)