"This Ministry"

2 Corinthians 4

1. This Ministry (1-7)

    This ministry, which Paul will be more specific about in chapter 5, is not accomplished by our own craftiness but through the truth(2). We are simple earthen vessels, no flash, no shine, no glimmer. It is the power of God and not us that makes conducts this ministry (7).

2. The Challenges (8-15)

    The challenges are many and some are severe. If you are looking for the easy road this is definitely not it. This is the narrow path. Yet, no matter how difficult it gets it is never to the breaking point. God always shows up and helps us in our time of need. What we do we do for him and for the sake of others.

3. These things are a light affliction compared to the reward (16-18)

    All tough there is suffering and difficulty, it is nothing compared to what God has in store for us. This hope, this steadfast assurance is a powerful motivator in this ministry.

2 Corinthians 5

1. Longing to be with the Lord, we strive here to please him (1-9)

    A life Goal; to be well pleasing to the Lord. That is something worth living for. While we long for the day that we will be with him and freed from all the trapping of the world, being confident that that day will come, because we walk by faith, we must press on in this ministry.

2. The motivation of the judgment (10-16)

    We said earlier that our hope of a brighter future with Jesus should motivate us to serve him. Another future event that should motivate us is the Judgment Seat of Christ (10). This is where all saved people will be judged according to their works, whether that be good or bad (the unsaved will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment). I think the fact that some day we will stand before him and give an answer for the way we have lived should push us to faithful service.

    Even though it is sobering to think about standing before him in judgment, the truth is that fear is not a powerful enough motivator for proper service. Only love will push us to do what he ask. Basking in his love for us and proving our love for him through service (14). Because he died for us we should no longer live to ourselves (15).

3. The Ministry of reconciliation (17-21)

    Here we get to the details of "this ministry". This ministry is a ministry of reconciliation. Here are the highlights.

1. It is about people who have been made new (17) helping other be made new.

2. God took the first step by coming in the person of Jesus Christ, but now we must step out and preform this ministry (18).

3. The ministry of reconciliation is carried out through the word of reconciliation. We call it the gospel. It is the only path through which people can be reconciled to God (19).

4. We have been placed in the lofty position of being God's ambassadors. We are pleading to the lost world on his behalf (20).

5. The message is simple. Jesus became sin for us, so we could become righteousness in him (21).

    It is not that Jesus committed sin, so we could do righteous acts. He was made sin, so we could become the righteousness of God. He was made to be something he could never do, so we could become something we could never do on our own. It was an act of creation. Jesus embraced the ugliness so you and I could be overwhelmed by the beauty.

    So believe it or not, you actually are not trying to help people get to heaven or to avoid hell. That is a wonderful benefit of this ministry. But what we are doing is helping people find reconciliation with God. That is our ministry.