The Sacrifice of the Servants of God
In every generation, God raises up men and women who dedicate their lives to the work of the gospel. Pastors, evangelists, missionaries, worship leaders, teachers, and unsung workers who, without seeking applause, bear the weight of spiritual service. Their work sustains entire communities, strengthens families, restores hearts, and keeps the light of the gospel alive in a world that grows darker every day.
However, their sacrifice is often ignored, questioned, and even criticized. Many question their contributions to the church, spiritual leadership, or missionary projects, without understanding the magnitude of the calling or the personal cost of serving in God’s work.
Scripture, however, is clear: God honors the sacrifice of His servants, and His people are called to sustain and actively participate in that work. In Romans 15:26–28 we find a powerful example.
1. A biblical model of support for God’s servants
The apostle Paul explains that the churches of Macedonia and Achaia collected an offering for needy believers in Jerusalem. Why did they do this?
Because they understood a profound spiritual principle:
“If the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual blessings, they ought also to minister to them of their material blessings.” — Romans 15:27
That is to say:
If we receive spiritual nourishment, healing of the soul, biblical guidance, prayer, teaching, and pastoral care…
then we are spiritual debtors.
We have received something priceless.
That is why the Lord himself established that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:14).
The churches of the first century understood this:
they were not “giving money,” they were honoring God, sustaining His work, and supporting those who were sacrificing for the kingdom.
2. Spiritual service is a sacred… and exhausting job
The work of God is not ordinary work:
Full-time demand.
It requires deep intercession.
It exposes the worker to spiritual attacks.
It involves risks, pressure, fatigue, and sacrifices.
It takes away nights of rest.
It consumes emotional, physical, and spiritual energy.
A pastor, missionary, or evangelist carries struggles that many do not see:
They are besieged by spiritual opposition.
They face the needs of the people every day.
They carry the burdens of others, even when they themselves are wounded.
They protect the flock, even at the cost of their own peace.
Not everyone can do this job.
But we should all support it.
3. The mistake of criticizing God’s work
In modern times, it has become common:
- criticize what is contributed to the church,
to judge the resources a pastor uses,
to question ministerial support,
suspect all spiritual work,
Meanwhile, paradoxically, millions don’t think twice before spending on entertainment, luxuries, or things without eternal value.
The Scriptures teach us that criticizing the support of God’s servants is to completely misunderstand the nature of the ministry and dishonor the sacrifice of those who work for the Kingdom.
He who honors God’s work, honors the God of the work.
He who despises it, becomes spiritually impoverished.
4. We are participants… and therefore, debtors
Paul says it with beautiful clarity:
- We have received spiritual gifts.
- Someone dedicated their life so that we could receive them.
- we are indebted to them .
God calls us not only to attend, but to participate.
We participate when:
We pray for the servants,
We support the project,
We give generously,
We serve where needed,
We hold tired arms,
We sow in the Kingdom.
He who sows for the work of God will reap from the work of God.
5. The offering is not payment. It is gratitude. It is participation. It is obedience.
The offering that Macedonia and Achaia sent was not a tax, nor an obligation.
It was a voluntary act of love, because they recognized that they had received eternal treasures.
God never asks His people to give under pressure…
but out of gratitude.
When we give, we declare:
-
“I appreciate what God has done in my life.”
-
“I love His work.”
-
“I honor those He has called.”
-
“I know this work has eternal value.”
We give because we are part of the same body,
the same mission,
the same Kingdom.
6. God remembers every sacrifice made for His work
Paul called this offering “fruit” (Romans 15:28).
For everything given to the Kingdom becomes an eternal harvest.
God observes:
-
the sacrifice of those who preach,
-
and the sacrifice of those who uphold the preaching.
And both will receive a reward.
Jesus established the principle: “Do not take a double tunic or provisions”
When the Lord sent out the apostles (Matthew 10:9–10; Luke 9:3; Luke 10:4), He told them:
“Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper;
no bag for the journey,
nor two tunics, nor extra sandals.”
(harmonic paraphrase of the texts)
Why did Jesus give them such radical instructions?
Because it was demonstrating an eternal principle:
He who serves the gospel must concentrate on the mission,
and the people of God must sustain the messenger.
Jesus did NOT want the apostles to be distracted by seeking resources.
He did NOT want them to carry extra burdens.
He did NOT want scarcity to stop them.
He wanted them to live trusting that the children of peace, the believers, the spiritual communities , would assume the honor and duty of supporting those who carry the message of life.
If Jesus had wanted each servant to be self-sufficient, he would have told them otherwise.
But he sent them out lightly , because the church was to be their support.
