Acts 13:25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he, But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose
Have you ever begun the day feeling like a failure? Maybe the day before you had everything together, felt that you were smart, and that everything was going your way. Then, some small thing happened and you thought,“Wow, I was not as ready as I thought I was.” You wake up the next morning feeling like a failure. Well, success is in fulfilling your ministry, not in building it.
In Acts 13:25 the Apostle Paul says something interesting about John the Baptist. He said that John fulfilled his course. That is significant because John did not build a ministry, but John certainly fulfilled one. He fulfilled the service that God had given to him to steward.
John 1 says that Jesus is the word and Jesus is the light. John was merely the voice that gave utterance to that word and the witness of that light. There were those who came to John thinking that maybe he was the Messiah. John said, “I am not the Messiah.” Each time he answered their question he became more concise and, it seems, increasingly impatient. He said, “I am not the Messiah. I am not, No.” He was always pointing people to Jesus Christ. In fact, John saw Jesus coming and said to his own disciples, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” Then his disciples left him and followed Jesus. Losing disciples is not what we would call a success today. But John was not losing his disciples; he was making disciples for Jesus. That is a success.
John says in John 3, “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease.” In John 10:41 the estimation of John by people was “John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man [Jesus] were true.” I thank God that I don’t have to be impressive as long as I am doing what God called me to do, bear witness of Jesus Christ. John fulfilled his ministry. God fulfilled His. I don’t know that He has a ministry per se, but Acts 13:27-29 says that those who rejected Christ fulfilled the prophecies in condemning Christ. Verse 29 says, “And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him.” In other words, at the very time they were trying to thwart Jesus, they were fulfilling the prophecies of God about Jesus. So, God will fulfill what He intends to do. John fulfilled his ministry even if he did not build it.
Can we always build something impressive? No. Can we always fulfill what God has put in our hands to do? Yes. Howard Shultz of Starbucks fame essentially said, “Success is unsustainable if it is determined by how big you become.” That is obviously true. At some point there is a limit. If five is good, isn’t ten better? If ten is good, isn’t twenty better? Isn’t a thousand better? Success is unsustainable if it is determined by how large you become. I want the ministry God has given me to increase. I pray that your ministry and opportunities to serve will increase, but success is in fulfilling your ministry not merely in building it.
David fulfilled his ministry. In verse 22 Paul says about Daivd, “David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.” David fulfilled the task God had given him to do. In verse 36 it is said of David, “David…had served his own generation by the will of God.” It was God’s idea. I ca’’t serve the generation before me. I can’t directly serve the generation that comes after I’m gone except by extension. All I have is today. All I have is here and what God has put into my hand. I need to fulfill my ministry whether I build it or not. Success in God’s eyes is not building my ministry; it is fulfilling it.
Barnabas and Saul fulfilled their ministry. Think about Barnabas. Verse 1 says, “Barnabas and Saul.” Barnabas had the prominence, the history, was at it longer. Saul is still called Saul. When you get to the end of the chapter, the Bible talks about Paul and Barnabas. Things had changed. Barnabas started to recede in prominence, and Saul, who became Paul, started to increase in prominence. Yet Barnabas did not think himself ill-used because he was fulfilling his ministry. Think about Paul. He ended his days on earth by being beheaded. Was that a success? Yes, because he fulfilled the work God had called him to do.
Did everyone appreciate Paul and Barnabas? No. There were a group of people who expelled them out of their coasts. Verses 51-52 say, “They shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy.” So, walk it off and keep it up. Can you always have a grand day? No. Can you always fulfill what God has put in your hands to do? Yes, by God’s grace you can. In God’s sight that is success.