Actions Speak Louder Than Words

2 Corinthians 6:3–13 CSB

3 We are not giving anyone an occasion for offense, so that the ministry will not be blamed. 4 Instead, as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardships, by difficulties, 5 by beatings, by imprisonments, by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, 6 by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7 by the word of truth, by the power of God; through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, 8 through glory and dishonor, through slander and good report; regarded as deceivers, yet true; 9 as unknown, yet recognized; as dying, yet see—we live; as being disciplined, yet not killed; 10 as grieving, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. 11 We have spoken openly to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide. 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 I speak as to my children; as a proper response, open your heart to us.

In this passage, Paul is once again defending his ministry as well as the other disciples.

If we look at the points of his defense we can see how we should present our ministry to the world…

Our ministry should not be offensive to others.

This is does not mean the truth of the gospel is not going to be offensive - Paul actually call the gospel a stumbling block.

What this means is that we should behave in such a way as to not disqualify us from our ministry or discredit the ministry itself.

Our lives should be an open book.

We are not perfect and thats ok.

Living as an open book keeps us accountable to others as well.

Our ministry will be affirmed by what we go through and how we go through it.

The first HOW is with great endurance, endurance for what?

Paul describes the general what as: afflictions, hardships, difficulties

The more specific what is: beatings, imprisonment, riots, hard work, sleepless nights and times of hunger….sounds fun huh?

Paul describes the how as: by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God.

Our personal ministry is marked by a life of contrasts.

Glory and dishonor, good reports and bad reports, as deceivers yet honest, unknown and known, dying yet alive, beaten but not killed, filled with sorrow but still rejoicing, etc.

Open your heart to the truth and to Jesus.