The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Corinnthians 6:3-10,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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"We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."
Here is an incredible statement by Paul to the Corinthian believers. He cites the many ways in which he has conducted his ministry in sincerity, in honesty, and at great personal cost. He points to the nature of how he has pursued his ministry, with the many personal hardships and challenges he had faced. He speaks of their careful adherence to those things that would enhance the prospects of his efforts in bringing the message of reconciliation with God to people in an effective way.
It really is quite a statement. I notice that he begins it with the words, "We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited." I take this to mean that Paul was cautious to present Jesus Christ to the unsaved in such a way that resulted in his hearers needing to wrestle with the claims of the gospel and not about how Paul presented it or the way in which he comported himself. Clearly, Paul wanted his efforts to bring people to decision making about Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone.
I find great direction here for the church. Sometimes we present ourselves in a way that causes people to wonder about us, not Jesus Christ. If we present ourselves in such a way that detracts from the key points of the gospel, as we share with others, it does little good. "Turn or burn!" shouts the fire and brimstone preacher. Is it true? Yes. However, we can be assured that kind of approach will have others considering this wild man, not Jesus Christ. If we show up in a cultural context where we violate people's norms (outside of the wickedness of the world) in the way we present the gospel, we are not going to get very far. We'll get people feeling offended, not because they were shown to be sinners, but because they found the approach offensive. Hopefully you get my drift.
Paul was careful about these things and I should be as well. The gospel itself should be offensive, and I just make sure it is not the way I comport myself that causes the offense, only the claims of Jesus Christ and the message of the gospel alone.
Here is an incredible statement by Paul to the Corinthian believers. He cites the many ways in which he has conducted his ministry in sincerity, in honesty, and at great personal cost. He points to the nature of how he has pursued his ministry, with the many personal hardships and challenges he had faced. He speaks of their careful adherence to those things that would enhance the prospects of his efforts in bringing the message of reconciliation with God to people in an effective way.
It really is quite a statement. I notice that he begins it with the words, "We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited." I take this to mean that Paul was cautious to present Jesus Christ to the unsaved in such a way that resulted in his hearers needing to wrestle with the claims of the gospel and not about how Paul presented it or the way in which he comported himself. Clearly, Paul wanted his efforts to bring people to decision making about Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone.
I find great direction here for the church. Sometimes we present ourselves in a way that causes people to wonder about us, not Jesus Christ. If we present ourselves in such a way that detracts from the key points of the gospel, as we share with others, it does little good. "Turn or burn!" shouts the fire and brimstone preacher. Is it true? Yes. However, we can be assured that kind of approach will have others considering this wild man, not Jesus Christ. If we show up in a cultural context where we violate people's norms (outside of the wickedness of the world) in the way we present the gospel, we are not going to get very far. We'll get people feeling offended, not because they were shown to be sinners, but because they found the approach offensive. Hopefully you get my drift.
Paul was careful about these things and I should be as well. The gospel itself should be offensive, and I just make sure it is not the way I comport myself that causes the offense, only the claims of Jesus Christ and the message of the gospel alone.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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