This is an exposition of 2 Corinthians 2:12-17. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, April 8, 2018.
Intro:
Early last week someone sent me a link to a YouTube video. I clicked on it and I will say it was funny. It was a pastor hurriedly moving through his church making sure everything was ready for Easter Sunday.
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“We want our guest to feel welcome people, are the rose pedals in the guest parking spaces?” Later he says, with frustration, “No, we do not have a ministry area but we do have a petting zoo.” Yes, it was overblown and satirical but it hit a little too close to home. That led me on a journey through this man’s other videos. This was a man very much aware of the evangelical culture. This was satire from an “insider.” Sadly, many would not recognize it as satire - it’s the church they are used to. It is the church they attend. In our dash to be relevant again, in an attempt to reach a culture dismissive of the gospel and the church, we are in danger of losing the gospel. We are in danger of become a spoof of ourselves. The story is told of two ministers walking past a great cathedral. One turns to the other and says, “Brother, no longer can we say, ‘Silver and gold have I none.’” To which the other replied, “Yes, and no longer can we rise, ‘Rise and walk!’” Compromise comes at a price. Yes, we need to speak the langue of our culture. We must be able to communicate the great truths of the gospel in a way that can be understood and embraced by the people we seek to reach but we must not compromise the message and we must not use perverted means.
Paul’s, “I’ve become all things to all men so that by all means I may save some” is not a call to abandon biblical standards or to approach ministry with a “Whatever it takes” mindset. Well, how do we bring the gospel to a pagan culture? How do we communicate gospel truth to those whose lives are opposed to everything the gospel stands for? We are not the first to face such questions. That is the culture in which the church was born. That is what Paul found in Corinth. This evening we continue our look at 2 Corinthians.
Text: 2 Corinthians 2:12-17
Paul’s relationship with the Corinthian church was a mixed bag.
As the founding pastor he was loved and respected.
After 18 months with them, they were near and dear to him.
After he left trouble soon followed.
Divisions developed - “I’m of Peter, I’m of Paul, I’m of Christ.”
There was open immorality.
Confusion about gifts of the Spirit, marriage and a host of other issues.
1 Corinthians was written to deal with many of those.
Then some false teachers were critical of Paul, his integrity, commitment and his teaching.
There was the painful visit and the tearful letter.
Finally we have 2 Corinthians.
Paul begins the letter by talking about affliction and God’s comfort (1:1-11).
It is to be expected and it is necessary (part of God’s sanctifying work).
Paul then addresses his critics and in so doing helps us understand how to so respond (1:12-2:4)
He then deals with the issue of discipline within the church (2:5-11).
Now, his focus turns to ministry within the church.
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As we work through this brief text we are reminded that…
Thesis: With church culture fixated on celebrity and desperate to be embraced by an increasingly secular world, the need is for a return to a genuinely biblical model of ministry.
This passage seems to be little more than a transition statement but I’m convinced there is something more for us here. Something important given our cultural moment. Something necessary for us to see.
I want to point out three marks of a biblical ministry.
- A genuinely biblical ministry burdens the heart and can lead to despair. (2:12-13)
- A genuinely biblical ministry embraces the crucified life. (2:14-16)
- A genuinely biblical ministry is marked by simplicity and sincerity and is empowered by God alone. (2:17)
Conclusion:
Yes, ministry, biblical ministry is hard. It will hurt and there is no way around that. At times it is frustrating and discouraging but there is no greater joy and privilege. Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.
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