Paul’s ministry: a ministry of a different kind…
2 Corinthians 6
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
1) Credible: It was important to Paul that they do not cause people to stumble so that their ministry will not be discredited. How sad it is when Christian ministers lead people astray, causing strife and conflicts. What makes a ministry credible is how it leads people to love God and love neighbours more.
2) Commendable: It is interesting to note that Paul said they commended themselves in every way. To commend has 2 meanings: 1) to praise formally – I thought this was what Paul meant. After reading on… I realised he meant 2) to entrust.
As a servant of God, Paul went through a lot of hardships. He was flogged. He was jailed. He was mobbed. He encountered ship wrecks – sleepless nights and going hungry. In spite of all these and along with all these, he practiced to be pure, understanding, patient, and kind. How? By the guidance of the Holy Spirit and motivated by ‘sincere’ love. By the power of God, he spoke in truth regardless of the wrath of man and consequences that came with it.
Paul went through the paradoxical experiences in his ministry: glory and dishonour; bad and good reports; genuine and false; known and unknown; dying yet alive; beaten yet not dead; sad yet ‘always’ joyful; poor yet ‘making many rich’; having nothing yet owning everything. He saw his ministry from both sides of the coin. He experienced being in want and being satisfied. Such resilience! Paul showed us his secret for persevering in ministry in good times and bad.
1) As servant of God – this is Paul’s identity. This is his motivation – to serve and obey God.
2) In the Holy Spirit – this is Paul’s security. This is his guaranty – that everything he does, there is the guidance and counsel of the Holy Spirit.
3) In the power of God – this is Paul’s armoury – his weapon of righteousness – in the both hands. Paul fought his battles of physical sufferings, mental anguish, spiritual testings enabled by the God he served. God’s righteous right hand upholds and supports.
To ponder:
1) Why? Each time I do good works – church work or otherwise, what motivates me? Who am I? Am I doing it as a servant of God or am I doing it as the president of the choir, as editor of a publication, as chairman of the board, as officer of the fellowship?
2) How? Each ministry or good work that I do – how do i do it? With my own skills and talents? In my self-sufficient way or method? Do I listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit? Is it in sincere love? Love for God and man?
3) For Whom? Why do I do the things that I do – my responsibilities to be a good Christian? Is God in the picture? Is His righteousness my weapon to stand firm, to persevere even in the most difficult circumstances?
