{"id":1032,"date":"2020-01-07T00:05:10","date_gmt":"2020-01-06T23:05:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/?p=1032"},"modified":"2020-01-07T00:05:11","modified_gmt":"2020-01-06T23:05:11","slug":"knocked-down-but-not-knocked-out-2-corinthians-61-11","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/?p=1032","title":{"rendered":"Knocked down but not knocked out – 2 Corinthians 6:1-11"},"content":{"rendered":"

3 We put no stumbling-block in anyone\u2019s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.<\/p>\n

Paul\u2019s defence of his ministry
\nTo defend his apostleship Paul shares his own experiences of ministry. From those I could use this passage then to talk about the nature of Christian ministry and specifically about the work of ministers and missionaries, pastors and teachers. In particular these verses and many other parts of 2 Corinthians challenge and condemn the health, wealth and prosperity teaching of many prominent preachers and televangelists. Actually these verses show up flaws and weaknesses in the ministries of many mainstream preachers and teachers as well. Even if the content of their teaching is entirely biblical, some preachers find themselves lured into the contemporary culture of entertainment and celebrity. They can find themselves pursuing popularity rather than truth, and the illusion of success rather than faithfulness and holiness,
\nSo these verses are about the practice of ministry and mission. That was their original significance as Paul wrote to the Corinthians defending his own ministry and I will make those points as we go along. But the things Paul says here also apply to all of us, to every Christian in all our experiences of being followers of Jesus the Servant King. So I will comment on that as well. In his defence Paul talks about three things<\/p>\n

PAUL\u2019S SUFFERINGS
\n4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:
\nFor ministers: Paul cared what other Christians and what the world around thought about him. Many ministers do not.
\nFor every Christian: equally we all need to be careful about how we conduct our lives so that we are giving a Christlike example.
\nDo you remember this old Mission Praise song?
\nThough the World has forsaken God
\nTreads a different path, leads a different way
\nI walk the road that the Savior trod
\nThat all may know I live under Jesus\u2019 way
\nRefrain:
\nThey are watching you, marking all you do
\nHearing the things you say
\nLet them see the Savior as He shines in you
\nLet His power control you every day.<\/p>\n

Men will look at the life I lead
\nSee the side I take and the things I love
\nThey judge my Lord by my every deed
\nLord set my affection on things above.
\n4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:
\nThat is the challenge we all face!
\nin great endurance;
\nFor ministers: keeping on going. So many ministers leave pastoral ministry and go on to do other kinds of things.
\nFor every Christian: keeping on with the work God has given us to do until he tells us to lay it down.
\nin troubles,
\nFor ministers: the reality of ministry and mission means that we will face troubles of all kinds. In this case I think Paul is meaning particularly opposition and persecution but trying to stand alongside people and help people and stand up for justice and truth will always bring all kinds of trouble. It will be hard and ministers who think they can organize themselves out of such difficulties are just deluded.
\nDo you remember that scene in Yes Minister where Jim Hacker is a candidate to become Prime Minister? Now Cabinet Secretary Sir Humphrey makes it very clear to Jim\u2019s Personal Private Secretary Bernard Wooley that his job is to make absolutely certain that Jim does nothing incisive or divisive in the next few weeks, avoids all controversy and expresses no firm opinions about anything at all. To which Bernard replies, \u201cI think that is probably what he was planning to do anyway.\u201d
\nSome Christian ministers follow the Jim Hacker approach Their highest goal is to make no waves, and rock no boats. To avoid doing or saying anything controversial or unpopular. But when you are preaching the Christian gospel, that is an impossible goal. As Spurgeon said, \u201cthe gospel comforts us in our afflictions but it also afflicts us in our comforts.\u201d The gospel declares that Jesus Christ is Lord and that simple statement is a rebuke to the status quo and to all the rich and powerful people in this fallen world.
\nFor every Christian: following Jesus the servant King will bring all kinds of difficulties.
\nRemember these words of Jesus. They are not just for the apostles but for all of us, for every Christian.
\nJohn 15 18 \u2018If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: \u201cA servant is not greater than his master.\u201d If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.
\nFollowing Jesus will bring us troubles! And hardships and distresses!
\nIf we have never experienced any kind of opposition or persecution for being Christians, we have been doing it wrong!
\nHopefully we won\u2019t have had to endure the same difficulties as Paul could talk about from his own experience. 5 in beatings and imprisonments.
\nBut we may in our small way have caused a few riots
\nand riots;
\nFor ministers
\nI love this extract from the diary of John Wesley
\nFrom the Diary of John Wesley
\nSunday, A.M., May 5 Preached in St. Anne\u2019s. Was asked not to come back anymore.
\nSunday, P.M., May 5 Preached in St. John\u2019s. Deacons said \u201cGet out and stay out.\u201d
\nSunday, A.M., May 12 Preached in St. Jude\u2019s. Can\u2019t go back there, either.
\nSunday, A.M., May 19 Preached in St. Somebody Else\u2019s. Deacons called special meeting and said I couldn\u2019t return.
\nSunday, P.M., May 19 Preached on street. Kicked off street.
\nSunday, A.M., May 26 Preached in meadow. Chased out of meadow as bull was turned loose during service.
\nSunday, A.M., June 2 Preached out at the edge of town. Kicked off the highway.
\nSunday, P.M., June 2 Afternoon, preached in a pasture. Ten thousand people came out to hear me.<\/p>\n

If a minister has not caused a few riots they have not being doing their job properly.
\nFor every Christian: we cannot hope or expect to go through life without making some waves and rocking some boats. Just keeping our heads down is not an option for Christians. We cannot be secret disciples. Either the discipleship will kill the secret or the secret will kill the discipleship.
\nin hard work,
\nFor ministers: working hours for ministers. Discussions in minister\u2019s groups about \u201cwork-life balance\u201d.
\nFor every Christian: Living the Christian life will be hard work \u2013 fitting everything in. Doing the jobs that need to be doing behind the scenes. Going the extra mile.
\nsleepless nights and hunger;
\nFor minister and for every Christian:<\/p>\n

PAUL\u2019S VIRTUES<\/p>\n

6 in purity,
\nFor ministers: concern for holiness e.g. drinking
\nFor every Christian: – place of holiness
\nunderstanding,
\nFor ministers: declining importance of growing in understanding, Bible knowledge, continuing ministerial development. Focus instead on management and leadership and publicity
\nFor every Christian: growing understanding
\npatience
\nFor ministers: we all need patience \u2013 some try to run church like a big business and delegate pastoral care so that the ordinary people never get to see \u201cthe big man\u201d at all. Perhaps that same tendency built into the institutions of some denomination
\nFor every Christian: \u201cLord give me patience, and give it to me quickly\u201d. We all need to learn how to be patient with other people, with God, with ourselves
\nand kindness;
\nFor ministers: ministers can be known for many things, wisdom, preaching. Not enough are known just for being kind.
\nFor every Christian: we all need to work at being kind.
\nin the Holy Spirit
\nFor ministers: you would think that learning to be open to the Holy Spirit was an essential element of being a minister or a missionary. In practice that is less and less a part of the training ministers receive.
\nFor every Christian: the Holy Spirit is absolutely vital for each one of us in every part of our Christian living and Christian service in the church and in the world.
\nand in sincere love;
\nFor ministers: again \u2013 so few ministers are known for their love.
\nFor every Christian: they will know we are Christians by our love!
\n7 in truthful speech
\nFor ministers and for every Christian: we should be known as people who will always tell the truth\t!
\nand in the power of God;
\nFor ministers and for every Christian: everything we do should be done in God\u2019s strength, not our own efforts. Depending on God and not on our own skills or experience or human wisdom
\nwith weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
\nFor ministers and for every Christian: weapons for attack and for defence \u2013 the armour of God, the Word of God, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the weapons of prayer and love and holiness.<\/p>\n

HOW WE RESPOND IN SUFFERING IS WHAT MATTERS<\/p>\n

The paradoxes of ministry \u2013 the difference between the outward appearance and the inward reality. So often two opposites are in tension.
\n8 through glory and dishonour,
\nFor ministers and for every Christian: it is only by sharing the dishonor of the suffering servant that we will also share his glory. If you will not bear the cross you won\u2019t wear the crown.
\nbad report and good report;
\nFor ministers: Time was that people respected clergymen. It was seen as an honourable profession. I have seen that change even in my years as a minister. Nowadays preachers are seen as just another dodgy salesman trying to trick you into buying something you don\u2019t want.
\nFor every Christian: Time was Christians were respected in society. Now people are mostly suspicious of Christians.<\/p>\n

genuine, yet regarded as impostors;
\nFor ministers and for every Christian: everybody suspects our motives. What\u2019s our angle? What\u2019s in it for us?
\n9 known, yet regarded as unknown;
\nPaul experienced this. Appointed by God to be the Apostle to the Gentiles he had to start again from scratch everywhere he went. In a way that is true for every minister or missionary when we move to a new situation.
\ndying, and yet we live on; For ministers and for every Christian: we have talked about carrying about in our bodies the dying of Christ so that the life of Christ may be seen in us.
\nFor Paul that meant coming close to death on many occasions.
\nbeaten, and yet not killed; Hopefully that will never have to be our experience.
\n= \u201cknocked down but not knocked out\u201d
\nBut we may all have to experience what it means to be
\n10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;
\nHere is the challenge, to know the joy of the Lord in the midst of all the sorrows of life
\npoor, yet making many rich;
\nFor ministers and for every Christian: that would probably not be the lifestyle we would choose. But we are followers of the Son of Man who had no place to lay his head, no home in this world who gave up all the riches of heaven to share in our poverty so that we might become rich..<\/p>\n

So here is Paul\u2019s defence of his ministry. An example and an inspiration to ministers and missionaries and indeed to every Christian.<\/p>\n

4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

3 We put no stumbling-block in anyone\u2019s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Paul\u2019s defence of his ministry To defend his…<\/span><\/p>\n

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