The Church’s Calling

Introduction

Every believer is a minister, and every minister has the way in which they ought to minister.

I. Ministers of Grace

Paul calls himself and ambassador. He also says that he is in the ministry of reconciliation.

He opens 6:1 with a key word. “Grace”. We must understand that we are all ministers of the grace of God.

A. Learn the Doctrine of Grace

2 Corinthians 6:1–2 NKJV

We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 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.

This church is confused about the doctrine of grace. They are plagued by people who abused grace, now they are plagued by people who have taken grace in vain.

What is grace?

An easy way to remember grace is from an old acrostic that has been used many time. Gods Riches at Christ’s Expense. Grace is getting what we do not deserve.

Grace is Unearned

There are Judiazers that have come into the church and they are trying to add onto salvation. They are trying to demean the ministry of Paul and they are trying to make the grace of God void by implementing works as a means for salvation.

Ephesians 2:8–9 NKJV

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Grace is something that we cannot earn, it has to be given.

Grace is Not to Be Abused

Some take it to the other extreme. They use the grace of God to justify sin. Paul answers this in the book of Romans.

Romans 6:1–4 NKJV

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

When God saved us, the Bible says that we are new in Him because we died with the Lord Jesus. That is what baptism is made to picture. Baptism is not salvation, but baptism is a picture of salvation.

So, when someone says that they are a Christian and that means they have an excuse to sin, you can be sure that they are not a Christian. Christians, even though they do sin, feel something wrong when they sin, and they need to be internally cleansed just like they were when they were saved.

Grace is Commonly Applied

This doesn’t mean that it’s common that people get saved, but it means that God’s grace is commonly seen in the world. We all deserve death, and yet we’re here. We hear the birds sing and see the grass grow. And God’s blessings fall on the just and on the unjust.

Matthew 5:45 NKJV

He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

So, God’s grace is common in our world, it’s just that people refuse to recognize it.

God’s Grace is Available Today

So many miss this, and this is our message to a lost and dying world, that God has given His Son Jesus, and that today is the day He wants to save you.

2 Corinthians 6:2 NKJV

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.

Grace is Constantly Given

Everything that we do as ministers of the gospel, comes from God’s grace. Paul acknowledges this.

1 Corinthians 15:10 NKJV

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

This means that our power, our energy, and all our ability comes from the grace of God.

Romans 5:20 NKJV

Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,

When we call on God for salvation, He applies His grace to us which was made possible by the blood of Jesus.

This is the doctrine of grace: That is cannot be earned, it must be given. It should not be abused, but it should be cherished. It may not be recognized, but it is commonly applied. It may not be recieved, but it’s available. And once we receive it by faith, it is constantly given.

Because of the grace of God we have this wonderful verse.

Romans 8:1 NKJV

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Paul calls them not to receive the grace of God in vain.

He is making an appeal to them not to misuse or misunderstand grace, but to rely on God’s grace in every situation.

v.2 gives us the impression that he is calling members of the church to be saved because they aren’t really saved. They are more like the tares among the wheat and they have caused false conversions in the church. Paul wants them to receive God’s grace.

B. Understand the Application of Grace

Grace is our power, and grace is why God would consider us in the first place. So, we need to apply that to our lives so that we can live as ministers of the gospel.

2 Corinthians 6:3 NKJV

We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.

Our calling as ministers of grace is to live quiet and peaceful lives with people so long as it depends on us.

Romans 12:18 NKJV

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

There’s a reason for this:

Do Not Embarrass Christ

We can never win the lost by offending them intentionally. The gospel is offensive, but we are compelled to preach the gospel. But we can go about it in a way that is honoring and filled with grace. Not with bitterness or to cause a scene.

What is our method for sharing the gospel?

We Don’t Preach a Social Gospel

Because this is true, some have adopted this thing called the “social gospel”. What they want to do is use the church to improve the lives of people on a societal level.

While that may be an avenue to reach them, us improving their lives is not the goal.

Not embarrassing Jesus Christ doesn’t necessarily mean working to rid the world of social evils.

We Don’t Preach a Hateful Gospel

God is love. He may be judge and He may be executioner, but He has called His people to reach the world by loving each other and then loving them.

The entire gospel of Luke is dedicated to showing that Jesus loved those who were outcasts.

Not embarrassing Jesus means that we aren’t hateful to the world.

We Preach a Saving Gospel

Our message is the love of Christ and the truth of Christ hand in hand. That is what we mean when we say to speak the truth in love.

I know that at one point it was popular for preaching to take on a fire and brimstone vibe. That in so many ways turned into a hateful and uninformed gospel where it was more about how loud they could be instead of how much truth they could share.

Then, we swung the pendulum way too far and no one talked about Hell, righteousness, and judgement. Now we have all of these soft preachers that never touch Hell, never talk about devotion, never talk about sacrifice, and never talk about dying to self.

What we need are ministers who will preach the salvation of God with boldness and conviction. This means that we share clearly that God so loved the world, that He sent His only Son to die, because we deserve Hell and judgement.

And once we’re saved, we abandon everything that we have for His mission.

Luke 14:33 NKJV

So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

The application of Grace keeps us from embarrassing Christ by being hateful or lax towards a lost and dying world.

Do Not Embarrass His Bride

It’s not just so that we keep from embarrassing Him, it’s so we keep from embarrassing His bride.

2 Corinthians 6:3 NKJV

We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.

Paul doesn’t want to cause hate between brothers for the whole world to see. This church has already been such an embarrassment to the Lord, he doesn’t want to make it worse. And he certainly doesn’t want his enemies to have any ammunition to use!

How have the embarrassed the Lord?

Allowing sexual immorality in the church to be center-stage; they were divorcing each other just because; they were suing each other in public court; they were taking advantage of the poor; and they were just using their worship services to promote themselves instead of worship God.

Paul didn’t want to add to that fire, so he says that he wants to resolve these things so that others don’t stumble.

To be ministers of grace, we need to understand the doctrine of grace, the application of grace...

C. Produce a Testimony of Grace

We all go through hard times, and we need a good testimony. We need a good testimony to save ourselves from the enemies in the church that try to tear us down, and for the people outside the church we want to win to Christ.

Paul is explaining his ministry. He is giving his testimony so that he can show himself as an example of the grace of God in every trial, in every weakness, and in every false accusation. His life should be compared to those who are accusing him of being a false teacher to show who really has the character of Christ,

He Lists His Trials

2 Corinthians 6:4–5 NKJV

But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;

These are all the things that he has suffered for the gospel of grace. These others that don’t love the church haven’t gone through these things. They came with their letters of commendation and weaseled their way into leadership, but they have made none of the sacrifices required of ministers.

In the life of a leader in the church, they ought to undergo the greatest sacrifice in giving, in work, in prayer, and in Bible study. Not so that they can brag, but so that they can be a testimony that their hope goes far beyond any accomplishment or pleasure in this life.

He Shows His Character

2 Corinthians 6:6–7 NKJV

by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

This is how he made it through all of these trials. A minister of the gospel of grace cannot be impure, cannot be unknowledgeable of the Scripture, cannot be impatient or unkind; they absolutely must walk in the power of the Holy Spirit; they must have sincere love, speak the truth, and live in a constant state of righteousness.

It’s so bad what we see on the internet with how many pastors and church leaders fail to have an honest testimony before the people. If our character is weak, our ability to witness is weak too.

He Addresses Accusations

2 Corinthians 6:8–10 NKJV

by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

There are all kinds of lies these people are making up about the man of God, but he just says, “look at the evidence.” Nothing that they say is true. This is a list of contradictory statements and it shows the importance of living blameless lives according to God’s grace. So that when people do talk about us, they don’t have any real ammunition to us.

We are ministers of grace. We have learned grace, we need to understand grace, and we need to produce a testimony of grace so that we can share with a lost and dying world.

II. Ministers of Purity

To be “pure” means to live without mixture. It is to live without contamination. To be clean.

We have to be pure in our doctrines, we have to be pure in our fellowships, and we have to be pure in our worship. The power that we have to live by God’s grace comes in direct proportion to our purity.

That’s not to say we are less saved when we’re impure, it’s not to say that our efforts determine how much God loves us, it simply means that our purity shows how closely we are walking to God or if we have strayed. In times of impurity, it’s not a slight against God and His saving power, but it’s a revelation of our lack of personal desire to be with Him.

A. Purity in Affections

2 Corinthians 6:11–13 NKJV

O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.

When we think purity of affections, we might think we’re talking about sexual purity, but here in this chapter he’s talking about doctrinal purity.

Instead of holding strong on the teachings of the Apostles, this church has grown in their affection for the Judiazers. They’ve let them in and they esteem them as teachers that are superior to Paul, and it is affecting their doctrinal purity.

And when we don’t have truth sorted out, we cannot grow. For there to be sustainable growth and maturity in the life of a believer, they must have the correct affections.

We can’t just follow any teacher.

They’re are many out there, that are popular, and it makes me cringe a little bit when people tell me they’re listening to them. The truth is that doctrine in the church matters. And what we believe makes all the difference in the health and vitality of our church.

But it also makes the difference the maturity of the individual members. You can always gauge the maturity of a Christian based on how active they are in sharing the gospel.

When Jesus had His disciples, what was His mission to bring them to maturity? “I will make you fishers of men.”

How did He get them there? By showing them the resurrection so that they would preach it with all conviction. They believed it, therefore they preached it. If you don’t preach it, then you don’t really believe it.

Who we follow, and what we believe matters; therefore, we must have purity in our affections

B. Purity in Fellowship

2 Corinthians 6:14–15 NKJV

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

This doesn’t mean that we don’t befriend and that we are not around sinners. Jesus Himself was around sinners and ate with them, talked with them, and went to their houses.

What it does mean is that we cannot be aligned with people that stand in opposition to us. We cannot be hitched to the same wagon. Literally, “do not be unequally yolked”. The reason the imagery of yoking is used is because two animals that aren’t compatible cannot operate the same wagon or plow. Instead of working with each other they will work against each other.

In the same way, when we try to balance old friendships, old habits, and old sins with our new life in Christ, we’ll be unproductive. This new life we have and the old life we had are in opposition to each other.

C. Purity in Worship

2 Corinthians 6:16–7:1 NKJV

And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Worship Starts Within

Everything that we’ve ever done comes from within us.

Proverbs 4:23 NKJV

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

Mark 7:21 NKJV

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

So, if we worship something that we ought not worship, if we say something that we ought not say, go somewhere we ought not go, do something we ought not do, the circumstance isn’t to blame, we are.

2 Corinthians 6:4 NKJV

But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,

In all these things, Paul held his testimony. Why? Because within his worship was pure and reserved for God.

Worship Pours Out

I’m not talking necessarily about raising our hands or getting emotional during the music portion of the worship service. I am talking about worship pouring out in the form of obedience.

John 15:5 NKJV

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Well, friend, when we are abiding in Jesus we are doing something.

James 2:14–20 NKJV

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

We cannot earn grace, but grace does cause us to worship, and that worship pours out of us and moves us to obey the Lord.

When our heart is kept with diligence and purity, then anger, murder, and adultery doesn’t come pouring out, but worship comes pouring out.

2 Corinthians 7:1 NKJV

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Perfecting holiness means to stay pure in our doctrine, in our fellowships, and in our worship.

We are ministers of grace, ministers of purity

III. Ministers of Comfort

We are tasked with bringing comfort to a world that has no comfort. To be like God is to be a minister that seeks to comfort and rebuild those that are broken down.

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 NKJV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Now Paul seeks to give comfort to the church, and he seeks to be comforted by his friends, and he seeks that the church be a comfort to its shepherds.

A. Comfort the Church

2 Corinthians 7:2–4 NKJV

Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one. I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.

Paul brags on his churches!

He was the one that birthed this church, and, even while there is some kind of weird estrangement caused by the invasion of false teachers, Paul still brags on them and loves them. He want to be an encouragement to them by writing this.

What does he have in them that should comfort them?

He has confidence. It’s easy for us to get to the place where all we see is the negative and where we think there’s no potential for improvement. This wasn’t Paul’s attitude. He saw the best in them, so much so that he boasts in them and claims them as his own. He has confidence in them that they are godly and can be godly.

B. Comfort to Co-Laborers

When I say a co-laborer, I am talking about someone that is in the ministry along side us. I don’t always consider this to be just pastors, but I consider it to be anyone who actively works to see people come to Christ. Some of the most rewarded people in heaven will be lay persons who sacrificially served the Lord without ever expecting anything in return.

But here, Paul is saying that he was comforted by Titus when he was in sever affliction

2 Corinthians 7:5–10 NKJV

For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more. For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Paul got a good report from Titus.

Ya’ll might think I’m lying but I give a good report of ya’ll everywhere I go. Not only do you encourage me, but you all give me an avenue to encourage other pastors that God is still working, that deacons still get along, and that churches still love one another.

As it stands, you all are my prized possession and I am thankful to serve here.

Because of your testimony I’ve been able to go and report and encourage others.

C. Comfort to Shepherds

I have also been able to encourage other pastors because of ya’ll. I can say that God is still working, deacons still get along, church members still love each others, and churches still love their pastors!

I heard another preacher say that his church would charge Hell with a water pistol for him!; and I feel the same way here!

Corinth was a major encouragement to Titus, and churches and the ministers that make up that church ought to do their part in encouraging their shepherds.

2 Corinthians 7:13–16 NKJV

Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 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. And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.

Conclusion

Paul was very stern and severe towards this church because of their immaturity, and it costed him a very valuable relationship. But through the ministry of grace, through a ministry of purity, and through the ministry of comfort, the relationship is now back in right standing.

We have a world to reach, we have a testimony to keep, and we have a people to constantly encourage. That is our calling, and I pray that we live up to that calling!