In All Things
Notes
Transcript
Paul isn't vaunting his ministry like many do. I know folks that have overlooked sin, to not “hurt” the ministry. Paul isn't talking about protecting the ministry. But the purpose of the ministry. He doesn't want anyone to think it that sin in life or ministry is acceptable. le. e. . Paul here shows the choices, character and quality of a servant. Everyone wants to think they are servants. The Navigators are well known for their emphasis on having an attitude of servanthood. A businessman once asked Lorn Sanny, then president of the Navigators, how he could know when he had a servantlike attitude. The answer was, “By how you act when you are treated like one.”
By way of introduction, lets read last weeks text
1 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
3 We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. 4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; 6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Now in regard to offense in general,
Charles Spurgeon said, “The cross of Christ is in itself an offense to the world; let us take heed that we add no offense of our own.”
3 We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.
Offense: proskopen: an occasion for taking offense or an occasion to sin, only used here. Not the same as we might see offense. When we read this we often associate it with not offending people with our attitudes or politics. Thats not what this is about. In the greek its to trip someone up, stumble them. For the jew/Christian it was to cause or give them reason to sin. We destroy our ministry when we live in sin or affirm sin in others. When we overlook the sin in us or our ministries, we give offense. The gospel, truth, is foolishness, offensive, etc.
Paul gave an example of this in Romans 14:12–13 “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.”
Paul isn't vaunting his ministry like many do when they build their little fiefdoms, like folks that have overlooked sin, to not “hurt” the ministry. Paul isn't talking about protecting the ministry. But the purpose of the ministry. He doesn't want anyone to think it that sin in life or ministry is acceptable.
Pauls purpose is to ensure he can share the gospel to as many as possible. Hes willing to die for it.
Now lets pull apart 2 Corinthians 6:4a
First he says, But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God:
Paul as a minister, wants everyone to know whats “first”. 1 Corinthians 4:1 “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.”
commend is recommend. he presents himself so that folks will always associate him as someone that is a jesus freak. never a doubt who paul represents. Like the crazy folks that wear Cowboys jerzees :) you know where paul stands.
He does it IN: 2 Corinthians 6:4b–5
in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, that patience might also be said as endurance. We endured trials under pressure, lack, difficulties that make us feel cornered -
"in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;“ so, in beaten imprisoned mobbed in riots, worked to exhaustion, starved for sake of ministry. This was his love for the folks in Corinth. Everywhere he went.
Turn 2co 11, Turn to: 2 Corinthians 11:23–29 “Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—28besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?”
The tools he uses BY: 2 Corinthians 6:6–8a
Living in purity (means exactly that, chaste morally clean), by understanding the word (not just knowledge), long-suffering with difficult people and being kind to them. 2 Corinthians 7:14 “For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true.” Paul means all of this.
by the Holy Spirit in us. Sincerely loving, teaching the truth in the power of God, we use his armor and weapons to battle with the right and left hands. 2 Corinthians 10:4 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,”
His testimony AS: 2 Corinthians 6:8b–10
When folks honor us or not, speak good or evil of us, call us liars when we share the truth, even though they know us, they ignore us when they can, they wish or treat us as dead even when we live. They beat us, but we wont die. Much to sorrow for yet always celebrating the Lord. Though poor, we provide riches to all who hear the gospel, and though we live humbly, we have everything!
2 Corinthians 4:2 “But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”
Say that 3 x fast eh? As you listen to all this hear it through Pauls heart, what the Holy Spirit is revealing about how important the Gospel is. And how living in the Gospel right now, lifts us up, changes us, changes everything.
“Lapide tells an ancient story of missionaries to Japan who had made no progress until a man spat in the face of one of them and he simply wiped his face and continued preaching as if he had suffered nothing. They so admired this fortitude that they honored them as “men descended from heaven” and began to embrace the faith these men not only preached but lived.”
We don’t need to struggle for riches, for status, for love or attention. Heaven itself celebrates what the Lord works in us, shouldn’t we? For those in Corinth, they see what it cost Paul to bring them this message of grace. for ministers, we see how easy most of us really have it. You need to know how valuable the message you have received truly is.
Pray