Lesson series
▪ 2001
Tags: 2 Corinthians; Ministry; Paul; Confidence; Motives
Excerpted from
Paul on Ministry: Lessons from 2 Corinthians
Objectives
- To encourage participants to be(come) involved in one or more ministries in the church.
- To encourage participants to minister with confidence by appropriating the right motives.
- To distinguish between right and wrong motives for ministry.
Text (NKJV)
Chapter 5
9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.
10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each
one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has
done, whether good or bad.
11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the
Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust
are well known in your consciences.
12 For we do not commend
ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf,
that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not
in heart.
13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
16
Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even
though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him
thus no longer.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
18
Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through
Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19
that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not
imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of
reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though
God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be
reconciled to God.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Chapter 6
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.
Introduction
In the last two lessons we have discussed how we can gain confidence
in ministry. First, we discovered that the authority of the gospel
message itself is a source of confidence. Second, we found that the hope
we have in Christ gives us a stable foundation for ministering to those
who have no such hope. Today we will examine a third source of
confidence in ministry: spiritual motives.
In 2 Corinthians 5:9,
Paul states his purpose in life: to please God. In the following verses,
he elaborates on this theme by discussing three proper motives for
serving the Lord. These motives stand in contrast with carnal ones that
we may see in ourselves or in others.
The Fear of the Lord (5:9-13)
Paul was motivated to serve the Lord out of fear--though not in a negative sense. The word terror (5:11) translates phobos, the common Greek word for fear, from which we get the English word phobia. The precise nature of Paul’s fear is explained in verse 10: “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.”
Elsewhere
Paul explains in greater detail what the judgment seat of Christ
entails. It is not to be confused with the great white throne judgment
of Revelation 20:11-15. Rather, it is a judgment of believers’ works,
with rewards being given to those whose faithful conduct has earned
them. Paul’s fear had nothing to do with a loss of salvation, but rather
a loss of rewards (Rom 14:10-12; 1 Cor 3:9-15).
Paul had a
healthy sense of accountability. He realized he would one day stand
before Christ and give account for his actions in his earthly life. Not
wanting to be ashamed in the Lord’s presence (1 Jn 2:28), he labored for
the Lord with purpose. In so doing he assured himself of receiving
rewards from the Lord’s hand (cf. 2 Tim 4:8).
The Love of Christ (5:14-17)
Perhaps
a nobler motive for service is that of gratitude for Christ’s love. In
recognition of what Christ had graciously done for him, Paul could do no
less than offer humble service. In his own words, “the love of Christ
compels us” (5:14).
Paul’s entire life had been transformed
through his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. The old life
had passed away, and all things had been made new (5:17). He had died
with Christ so that he could spend the rest of his life in service to
the Lord (5:14-15).
1 John 4:19 plainly says, “We love Him
because He first loved us.” This was Paul’s spirit. His service was
reciprocal. The debt he had incurred at salvation obligated him for the
rest of his life (cf. Rom 1:14). What better reason do we need to serve
the Lord than our deliverance from the penalty, power, and presence of
sin?
The Commission of Christ (5:18-6:2)
Third,
Paul was motivated by Christ’s commission. Paul alluded to this
commission when he said that God “has given us the ministry of
reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18). Notice that this ministry is naturally
given to those who are themselves reconciled to God. To be saved is to
be called to witness of God’s saving grace.
Jesus’s final
instructions to His disciples were for them to “be witnesses to Me in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth”
(Acts 1:8). As spiritual ambassadors they were to carry “the word of
reconciliation” to those who were at odds with God. The essence of the
gospel is expressed in 2 Corinthians 5:21: God provided a way for us to
possess His righteousness by sending His Son to bear the penalty for our
sins.
Conclusion
On what basis can we claim the authority to
minister? We can certainly do so because of the superiority of the gospel message and the hope that it brings. We can also gain assurance
in ministry by evaluating our motives. Paul’s adversaries carried out
“ministry” for the wrong reasons, much as some do today (e.g., 2 Cor
2:17; 5:12; cf. Phil 1:15-17). We would do well to learn from his
testimony: We should be motivated by fear of Christ’s judgment; gratitude for His love; and obedience to His commission.
