What Ministry Demands

=MsoTitle>Sunday Morning April 15, 20072nd Corinthians 3:1—4:6

            Paul established a church in the city of Corinth during his second missionary journey.  That Corinth was well known as one of the most sinful cities in existence nearly led Paul to pass it by.  Remember, he had just experienced a traumatic experience in   Philippi and Berea.  In both instances, the Jewish community had persecuted him for his ministry.  There is little doubt he wanted to avoid cities with large Jewish populations if possible.  But the Lord sent him a vision in the night telling him not to be afraid (Acts 19) and so he entered the city and stayed there for quite some time.

            After one and a half years (11/2), Paul left Corinth and established his European missionary headquarters in Ephesus.  He sent Apollos to lead the church at Corinth but he found them too difficult to handle and soon left vowing not to return (1 Cor. 16:12).  Corinth was much like the Netherlands in our time – any and every sinful thing one could imagine was available there.  No church caused Paul more grief than did that at Corinth.  Paul is known to have written at least three and maybe as many as five letters to the church there.  He also visited the city on two or three occasions.  He found the people of Corinth to be very shallow in their faith.  They were easily swayed by any and every new doctrine that came along.  The result was a church filled with great potential for service that was nevertheless idled on the sideline.

            While there are few similarities between our church and that at Corinth, there is one thing we have in common – the ministry!  We are agents for Christ in our community.  It is our purpose to live for Him and to bring others into fellowship with Him.  With that in mind, we may examine the words of Paul in 4:1-6.  It is here that we discover the demands the needs of the ministry place upon us.

I.                    The Ministry Demands Constancy

A.    Our ministry is essential

1.      Which organization is most essential to a community?  Police?  Medical?  Fire? Or Educational?

2.      Our motivation - And we have received mercy

II.                 The ministry demands honesty and integrity

A.    Goes without saying right?

B.     Then why are there so many scandals involving ministers and ministries?

C.    No amount of growth justifies compromise

III.               The Ministry Demands Visibility

A.    Everything must be open and above board

B.     Ours is a ministry of light; of integrity and honesty

1.      Jim Baker in Paducah, KY

2.      Benny Hinn tossing prayer requests

3.      Jimmy Swaggart

IV.              The Ministry Demands Service

A.    Toward both God and our fellow man

B.     We do not promote ourselves or our views but Christ and His word!

C.    We must serve one another

It is obvious that we have been hindered in our service for the Lord.

I.                   Hindered Personally and Collectively

A.     Stopped growing and maturing

B.     Not so active nor so loving

C.     The fire of excitement banked

II.                 Who Or What Hinders Us?

A.     Was it I or another believer?  Forgive us – It was not intentional

B.     Was it affection for the world?  Then you are too much in it!

It is time to put the past behind us and press toward the future.  We can dwell on old injuries and injustice or we can live for Christ.  We can not do both!