EmmDev 2016-07-29 [Treasure in Clay Pots (2Cor)] Servants

This one is a bit late today - I wrestled with it - I'm speaking to myself as much as to anyone else.....

Servants

For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.      (2Corinthians4:5)

Although we looked at this verse as part of yesterday's passage, it bears re-visiting.

Unfortunately some people are eager to preach for the wrong reasons:

• They like to be the centre of attention.
• They like to call it "their ministry".
• They like to tell endless stories about themselves and what they are doing for God.
• They rely on their charismatic personalities to "hold" the crowd.

But Paul defines preaching very clearly:

• It is about Jesus, through Jesus and for Jesus' sake.
• And we have to have the heart of a servant.

Let's look at these more clearly:

Firstly, faithful preachers point towards Jesus and portray Him not only as Saviour and "God of the Gaps" but as LORD. This means tackling uncomfortable issues and being willing to push comfort zones and confront hypocrisy, idolatry and sin. It also means that God's gracious love is celebrated and lifted up. They will do what they can to help people see Jesus. This doesn't mean that they never use a personal illustration - people relate to personal illustrations - it is just about focus. Where does the spotlight land?

Tony Campolo tells the story of a man in London man who, after hearing one of the other great Christian orators of the day, was overheard saying to a friend, "What a preacher! What a preacher!" The following week, this same man, having heard Charles Spurgeon, was overheard to say "What a Saviour! What a Saviour!"

Secondly, faithful preachers are also willing to serve. They're willing to help with behind-the-scene tasks and they don't compete for the spotlight. They don't have a "speaker's fee" (which doesn't mean that we shouldn't look after those who faithfully and diligently preach God's Word.) Their lives demonstrate that Jesus has the first priority and that they love the people they serve.

Bill Hybels talks about his dad who faithfully ministered to a group of handicapped women on a regular basis - although he was a very competent businessman who could have spoken to big and sophisticated audiences Bill's Dad was content to share with these women who he loved and served over a long period of time. As a young boy Bill felt awkward and embarrassed about these women who would come and speak to his dad who showered them with care and affection but was later inspired by his father's selfless love for them.

Not all of us are involved in preaching.

• But we can encourage those preachers who point us to Jesus. There is a difference between constructive feedback and ego-feeding compliments and flattery. If a preacher helped you see Jesus more clearly - you could say to them "God used you today - I saw Jesus more clearly."
• We can also be careful not to put people on pedestals. Some churches publish the preaching roster and attendance waxes or wanes depending on who the preacher is - this shouldn't happen. We should do our best to hear the message in spite of the messenger.
• We should pray for our preachers regularly.

Why not pray for Sunday's preachers right now?

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EmmDev 2016-07-28 [Treasure in Clay Pots (2Cor)] Veiled minds

Veiled minds

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.      (2Corinthians4:3-5)

As Paul has been reflecting on the privilege of ministry, he returns to his image of the veil as he considers those who resist the gospel. Throughout his various missionary outreaches there had been those who resisted the gospel - Paul is quite pragmatic about this: They were not resisting him because he was not preaching himself, but Christ.

As we proclaim and preach the gospel there will be those who don't "get" it. They just can't see the glory of the cross and the resurrection of Jesus the Son of God.

Why is this?

Paul explains that their minds have been veiled by the "god of this age" who is none other than Satan, who, by leading Adam and Eve into sin, plunged this world into chaos and spiritual darkness and became, for this present age, the "prince of this world."

As the prince of this world, Satan causes us to be obsessed with the things of this world: materialism, pleasure and power. God is always inviting us to know Him - The beauty of the sunrise, the bounty of His provision and those nudges in our hearts are His constant invitations to us to know Him better. When we resist the invitations of God in our lives, our minds become "veilable" and the evil one throws a veil over our hearts so that we cannot see the glory of God's grace. And the saying becomes true - "there are none so blind as those who will not see."

The Good News, as we saw in ch.3 is that if we turn to Christ the veil can be taken away. So, Paul's conclusion is very simple: Let's be absolutely sure that we are preaching Christ and not ourselves.

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EmmDev 2016-07-27 [Treasure in Clay Pots (2Cor)] The keys to ministry

The keys to ministry

Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.      (2Corinthians4:1-2)

All of us have a ministry. God calls us to share His love and goodness with the world so that His Kingdom can come on earth as it is in heaven. It's not only ministers and church leaders who have a ministry - all of us have a ministry. Making a difference in your family, your workplace, and your community is a ministry.

But how do we execute and act on this ministry?

Firstly we must understand what ministry is. The Greek word that Paul uses is diakonia (from which we get "deacon") and it means to serve. Ministry is not a title or a status. Ministry is about serving. It is about doing what the Master wishes for those He loves.

Secondly we don't possess this ministry - we haven't earned or deserved it. It's a gift that comes from the mercy of God. I really worry when I hear people cling to ministry as a status. We can never really say "MY ministry is xyz..." Paul uses the participle form of "have". One should really translate "therefore since through God's mercy we are ones having this ministry..." This puts "having" in the weakest possible sense. Ministry is much more about the God who gives ministry to us than about us who "have" it. God could use the angels to make this world a better place or He could do it all by His great power, but He chooses to share this work with us.

Thirdly, because this ministry is His and not ours, we don't lose heart. We do our best and leave the results to Him. We don't take too much ownership of success or failure. We just do what He asks.

Fourthly, when we are secure in the fact that this is God's ministry and not ours we are less tempted to try and get things done by "hook or by crook." Secrets, shameful ways, deception and distortion are not God's tools of the trade.

Fifthly, it is not our status or position that needs to be put on display, but our lives that are lived in line with the Scriptures that people - whether they agree with us or not - will see God's Word lived out in our lives.

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EmmDev 2016-07-26 [Treasure in Clay Pots (2Cor)] No fading!

After a long winter break EmmDevs resume...

No fading!

Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.      (2Corinthians3:12-18)

At the end of last term we started considering a powerful analogy that Paul uses to describe the lasting hope and impact of the gospel on our lives. He uses the Old Testament story of how Moses' face would shine with radiance of God's glory. This would happen because Moses had spent time with God.

The Israelites were filled with awe (at first they were too afraid to come near him) and Moses had to reassure them. But this glory faded and to save face (if you'll pardon the awful pun) Moses would wear a veil so that the people wouldn't see the glory fading. When next he spent time with God, His face would glow again.

This veil, partly for fear and partly for pride, is still on people's hearts today. The sad thing is that this veil not only prevents the wearer from being seen, it also prevents the wearer from seeing.

When we turn to God and receive His gift of salvation, the veil can be taken away and two beautiful things happen:

Firstly, we don't have to be ashamed of fading glory - brokenness and failures are not what it's about - we're not perfect, but our Saviour is. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. He is at work in us and we will be transformed into the likeness of Jesus: I don't have to be ashamed - He's the One who shines in me and He's at work.

Secondly, we can see clearly. The tragedy of Moses' story is that he didn't realise that instead of wearing a veil, he could have acknowledged that the glory wasn't his and that by being in God's presence he would shine again. When the veil is taken away we realise that He is all we need. Max Lucado's beautiful story about Punchinello portrays this so clearly. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI-kS4q8VB8

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EmmDev 2016-06-24 [Treasure in Clay Pots (2Cor)] Glorious Hope

Glorious Hope

Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!      (2Corinthians3:7-11)

The "Letter of the Law" got Paul digressing...
His thoughts go to the Old Testament account where Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive the Law (including the Ten Commandments) in the presence of the Lord. When he came down has face shone with the glorious holy presence of the Lord although it faded over time.

Moses' "glow of glory" ("Shekinah" in Hebrew) got Paul thinking: If this was how glorious the giving of the Law was, then how glorious is the news of God's salvation in Christ and the coming of the Spirit into our hearts?

Technically speaking, the law brought death and condemnation because, although it revealed the glorious nature of our holy God, it also revealed our utter lack of holiness and righteousness. The law, by its very goodness, revealed our complete brokenness. The law, though good in the sense that it revealed God and could regulate and guide society, couldn't save us.

The gospel doesn't only show us what righteousness is, but imputes it to us. The coming of the gospel was therefore much more glorious than the coming of the law.

Paul picks up a nice image - Moses face glowed with the glory of the Lord - people could not look at it steadily because it revealed the holiness and righteousness of God. But this glory faded from Moses' face over time, (according to Ex.34 Moses would go into the "Holy of Holies" and his face would once again shine). It faded because hearing the law and seeing God's glory couldn't change the fact of Moses' basic sinfulness, eventually his brokenness would drive the glow of divine glory from his face.

But with the gospel we are pronounced forgiven!
Furthermore, the Holy Spirit takes away our heart of stone and gives us flesh hearts - we can shine "like a city on a hill" because Jesus-in-us is the "Light of the world." This light doesn't have to fade because it doesn't depend on us.

It's a glorious hope!!!

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I'll be taking a break from writing the EmmDevs over the holidays and will resume at the start of term 3.
Hope you've found them helpful!
God bless!
Theo

EmmDev 2016-06-23 [Treasure in Clay Pots (2Cor)] (In)Competent

(In)Competent

Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.      (2Corinthians3:4-6)

The church in Corinth had been inundated with itinerant preachers - each bearing letters of recommendation and claiming their competence against Paul's alleged incompetence.

Paul's argument started with his assertion that he needed no letter of recommendation because the results of his ministry (the founding of the Corinth congregation) spoke for itself. But now he goes even further by trashing the idea of competence completely....

Our competence, according to Paul's argument, is found in our relationship with Jesus. Our own competence is not relevant - and if you want to explore that idea further, go to Philippians 3 where Paul makes an extensive list of his achievements and qualifications and then declares that they are "a pile of smelly refuse" (to properly render the Greek word) in comparison to knowing Christ.

The secret to competence is not found in the "letter" (and here Paul is jumping from "letters of reference" to the "letter of the law"...) but in the powerful working of the Spirit.

We are incompetent when it comes to the things of God, but with the Holy Spirit working in us we have competence. So we are (in)competent - competent when we let the Spirit work in us.

When we face difficult circumstances where we didn't think we would get through - but we do - it is because we have been (in)competent!

Paul said a similar thing in Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

I am (in)competent!
It's a very cool thought and a very great comfort.

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EmmDev 2016-06-21 [Treasure in Clay Pots (2Cor)] Letters and Fingerprints

Letters and Fingerprints

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.      (2Corinthians3:1-3)

I get to write many letters of recommendation for people. It's a job I take seriously and I take trouble with them.

But Paul has a surprising take on the idea of letters of recommendation - he says "who needs a letter when you have fingerprints? In other words, you(the church community) are our letter." If you want to see what someone is like, look at the fingerprints they have left on the lives of others.

Paul argues that his 18 month stay with the Corinthians left a church community that reflected the integrity of Paul's character. His argument is valid. If he had been a fake, 18 months would have revealed it and any church would have died a death by dearth of integrity. But there was a church and although it had some issues, it was a significant church under tough circumstances.

The significant point is that the community has become a message - a letter from Christ. Their identity as a faith community was a message from Jesus to the world and this is further reinforced by the idea that this letter is written on hearts by the Spirit and not with ink or on tablets of stone.

The Corinthians were not a perfect church (And, by the way, if you find a perfect church - don't join it - you'll spoil it!) But in spite of the problems they had, they were still a redeemed, Christ-filled community and their lives were making a difference.

What are the fingerprints you are leaving on the lives of others? Are they the fingerprints of Christ? Let's take a moment to pray that God would move in us by His Spirit so that the lives of those we touch may reflect the beauty of Christ.

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EmmDev 2016-06-17 [Treasure in Clay Pots (2Cor)] Fragrance

Fragrance

For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.       (2Corinthians2:15-17)

In the last devotion I spoke about the Roman victory procession and its fragrance and how we as Christians are also a fragrance proclaiming the victory of the Salvation Campaign of our Lord Jesus - His Life, Cross and Resurrection.

But there are two more things to highlight about Paul's image:

The first is that the aroma of Christ that we offer the world is not for us or even for the world primarily. The primary reason we bear the fragrance of Christ to the world is for God's glory and renown. "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing..." God is glorified and delighted when people hear of His name and are saved and even when people reject the free offer of salvation and perish, God's justice is revealed.

This is hard to wrap our heads and hearts around, but it is paramount to understand although God does not intend for anyone to be lost, justice is as much part of God's nature as love is. When we are the fragrance of Christ to the world, we reveal that the decision we make about God is the most important decision that there is. There is no other decision as important as this. This decision has absolute priority and cannot be ignored - this glorifies God.

The second important aspect is highlighted in v.17 where Paul makes it clear that this important message should not be proclaimed with ulterior motives - whether for the sake of profit or ego we cannot and dare not take the gospel of Jesus to the world for our own sake - it needs to be about God. It needs to be for His glory.

The false teachers and trouble stirrers had made the Corinthians doubt Paul's sincerity and for much of the remainder of this letter, he (Paul) will go about defending his sincerity in a very self-effacing way.

So here's the bottom-line:
Anything we do for God is for God. It's not about others primarily: while we are concerned about the eternal decision that they must take - we are even more concerned about showing God's love and justice to the world. And it's definitely not about us....

Bach signed all his compositions JSB and SDG. The JSB was his own initials and the SDG stood for SOLI DEO GLORIA. We're the fragrance - He's the one we do it for!

EmmDev 2016-06-15 [Treasure in Clay Pots (2Cor)] Victory

Victory

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.      (2Corinthians2:14-16)

This is the start of Paul's 5 chapter long digression.

He has been mentally re-living the hardships he had endured in his missionary activity along with the concern that his relationship with the Corinthians had broken down. The happy ending to the story was that he found Titus in Macedonia and that Titus had good news for him...

This is a fist-pump victory salute moment for Paul. It makes him think of the Roman victory procession... When the Romans defeated a city, they would lead a procession through the streets with the chief officers leading and the VIP captives would be with them in humiliation. They would burn incense and spices in honour of Caesar and the gods of war. The smell was victory for the Romans and defeat for the enemies.

Paul smells great victory in the healing of a relationship. It makes him think of Christ's great victory over sin and death. But he takes it further - he argues that our lives can become a fragrance.

As we experience God's resurrection, healing and grace in our lives, we can become a fragrance. This fragrance will be a blessing to many, but to Satan and his agents of destruction it is a fragrance of death and we can expect resistance.

But I want to come back to the fact that Paul sees a healed relationship as victory - it makes it clear how important the relationship was to him and how seriously he took his relationships. It's not the number of cities that he has preached the gospel in, not the number of people he has baptised, nor the number of leaders he has trained that gets Paul doing a victory dance. It is a healed relationship that gets him celebrating.

And, if you think about it, nothing gives off a defeat-aroma more strongly than bad relationships...

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EmmDev 2016-06-10 [Treasure in Clay Pots (2Cor)] Conflicts #6 Healing

Conflicts #6 Healing...

Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-by to them and went on to Macedonia. ...(Huge 5 chapter long digression on God's power in our weakness).... 7:5 For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn--conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.      (2Corinthians2:12-13)

Today's passage has a five chapter long(!) digression in it. Paul is telling about how, when his itinerary had changed, he was hoping to meet Titus who Paul trusted and loved who would give him news of the situation in Corinth.

Paul was anxious about the congregation and was upset when he couldn't find Titus in Troas and so he headed for Macedonia where he hoped to meet up with Titus. There were many hardships Paul experienced during this time and so the eventual arrival of Titus was a great relief to him.

This process of searching, longing, struggling, waiting and then hearing good news obviously had a very big impact on Paul. As he writes about it, he is like a good novelist who keeps his readers in suspense by spending five chapters talking about how God gives victory and works in our weaknesses before giving us the happy ending to the story.

As we'll see in these five chapters, Paul portrays a very human side to himself as he reveals his struggles and weaknesses. We'll spend the next few weeks on this digression.

But the good news at the end of the digression is that the relationship has already started healing. Titus was well-received and well-treated by the Corinthians even though he was closely associated to Paul. Titus also expressed their longing, their remorse and their concern for Paul.

This is the start of healing. Longing, Remorse and Concern. It reveals their understanding of what they could lose (longing), what went wrong (remorse) and what they truly wanted (concern). Maybe these are the foundations of healing...

And, in the case of Paul and the Corinthians, it had already started! There was still more to do and this letter is the next step. But it had started...

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