After Jesus arose into heaven, HE set up the New Testament church and called some individuals to be HIS ministers to edify HIS church.
The apostle Paul was persecuting the Christians after the time Jesus was crucified and taken into heaven.
From heaven, Jesus called Paul and set him into the ministry.
Acts 9
1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Paul heard a voice which was Jesus speaking from heaven to him. Paul did not see a physical image of Jesus. Jesus called to Paul from heaven.
Jesus sets up HIS ministers today from heaven by reaching those persons to reveal to them that they are to be ministers of Jesus, the call of Jesus to be HIS minister.
And with that call of God, those persons called by God are given gifts of the Holy Spirit which identify themselves to others as being of God, with the "hand of God" being upon them. So Jesus confirms HIS ministers to the church.
But some individuals put themselves into the church as ministers without having the Spirit of God.
One very big time minister said he shut himself up in his garage for two weeks and memorized the teaching tapes of another minister. Another radio/TV minister said she got an acting coach to help her to make her presentations more interesting.
So some put themselves into the ministry. And they often gain great numbers of followers.
But we, who are real ministers of Jesus, are called by Jesus for the work of the ministry.
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