The Grace of Giving

                                                 THE GRACE OF GIVING

Christian leader Gordon MacDonald shared the following story about how God transformed him from "giving as merely an institutional obligation" to a cheerful giver. The process began when my wife, Gail, and I made a mission trip to West Africa. On the first Sunday of our visit, we joined a large crowd of desperately poor Christians for worship.

As we neared the church, I noticed that almost every person was carrying something. Some hoisted cages of noisy chickens, others took baskets of yams, and others had bags of eggs or cassava paste. "Why are they bringing all that stuff?" I asked one of our hosts.

"Watch!" she said. Almost every person in that African congregation brought something: a chicken, a basket of yams, or a bowl of cassava paste. I saw that giving, whether yams or dollars, is not optional for Christ's followers. Soon after the worship began, the moment came when everyone stood and poured into the aisles, singing, clapping, and even shouting.

The people started moving forward with what they brought to a space in the front. Then I got it. This was West African offering time. The chickens would help others get a tiny farm business started. The yams and the eggs could be sold in the marketplace to help the needy. The cassava paste would guarantee that someone hungry could eat. I was captivated.

I'd never seen a joyful offering before. My keep-money-under-the-radar policy would not have worked in that West African church. Those African believers, although they never knew it, had moved me. I understood that giving—whether yams or dollars—was not an option for Christ-followers. Instead, it was an indication of the direction and the tenor of one's whole life."[1] Today we will learn about the believers in the 1^st-century Macedonia region. The Apostle Paul used them to teach the Corinthian Christians and us a few lessons on the Grace of Giving.

I. What do we know about the first-century Macedonian Christians?

We have been drawing lessons from Corinthian Church for the past several weeks. In this passage, Paul uses the example of Macedonian churches to teach them a lesson on giving. What do we know about the Macedonian Christians? Responding to a vision of a man from Macedonia in Northern Greece, Paul preaches the Good News in that region. (Acts 16:9).

As a result, three Churches were established in Philippi, Berea, and Thessalonica. Paul wanted the Corinthian believers to know that God's grace motivated Macedonian churches' generosity. Macedonia was an impoverished province that many wars had ravaged. It was plundered by Roman authority and commerce. Christians were persecuted and lived in abject poverty. Yet the believers in those churches displayed a beautiful spirit of generosity.   

II. The poor Christians yet were rich in giving.

Vs.2 "They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which overflowed in rich generosity." This verse is paradoxical. How could poor people be rich in generosity and the troubled be filled with exceeding joy?

When those who make $100,000 yearly give $100 to charity is no big deal, but when someone who lives on food stamps makes such a donation, it is admirable. That was what the Macedonian Christians were doing. Their circumstances did not control their giving.

We see some unusual practices of giving among the churches in Macedonia. They gave what they could afford and beyond. We do not often see such qualities displayed by Christians of our time. They repeatedly begged the apostles for the privilege of sharing the gift with the believers in Jerusalem. From Acts 11:27-30, we learn about a severe famine that occurred during the reign of Claudius in the entire Roman province. The Macedonian believers and others gave as much as possible and beyond their ability to help the poor saints in Jerusalem.

Macedonian believers saw it not only as a privilege but an obligation. Romans 15:26-27 "For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially."

III. What made the Macedonian Christians excel in joy and giving?

Vs. 5. "They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do." They exceeded the apostle's expectations. What contributed to Macedonian's joy and outlandish giving? They first gave themselves to God and then gave themselves to serve the needs of God's people.

When we give ourselves totally to God first, something happens in us. We will recognize that all we have, and all we are, belongs to God. We say He is the Lord of all my life, including my checkbook. How many believers today are willingly saying that to the Lord?

When we serve God and the needs of God's people, God will meet our needs in return. Philippians 4:15-19 "As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent help more than once. I do not say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.

At the moment, I have all I need and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." The principle at work here is, "The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." Prov 11:25.

III. The Grace of Giving (Vs. 6-7)

            It looked like the Corinthian Church was doing well in its scripture knowledge, faith, love for the apostles, and enthusiasm. They also have a lot of gifted speakers but may be lacking in the area of generous giving. Hence Paul appealed to them to grow in the grace of giving.

            Why is giving associated with grace? One of the earliest revelations of God to Moses was that He was full of love and grace. (Ex 34:6) God's love and grace motivate him to give. John 3:16, For God so loved the world that He gave his son. Romans 12:6 reads, "In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well."

            How does grace-giving practically work out in our lives today? First, we don't give out of compulsion and guilt. No, one is commanding us to give, but we give out of our love for God and others. Secondly, we give not out of compulsion but out of our free will. Thirdly, we give not grudgingly but cheerfully. Each one will decide what to give in their hearts.

Two primary ways of giving are mentioned in the Bible: Tithes and free will offerings. According to Smith's Bible Dictionary, a "Tithe" or tenth is the proportion of property devoted to religious uses from very early times. Tithing first appeared in the Bible when Abraham gave one-tenth of the spoils of war to Melchizedek, the priest-king of Salem (Gen 14:18-20).

As we give 10% of our income to the local church, we use that to maintain this facility to have a place to worship. It helps pay the salaries, provides for the poor, and supports our local missions and missionaries so that the Gospel will continue to be preached.

In addition to tithing, whatever we give, amounts to free-will offerings, like towards the Deacons fund or to meet a specific need or cause. It is not how much we give but how we give matters to God. When we give with eagerness, it is acceptable to God. Giving helps us overcome selfishness, greed, and discontentment. Therefore, let us excel in this grace of giving.     

 

 

 

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[1] Gordon MacDonald, "Transforming Scrooge," Leadership Journal (Summer 2013)

Restoring Broken Relationships

                                       RESTORING BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS

Relationships are a gift from God. They are also very fragile, and they can be easily broken. We enjoy the blessings of a good and harmonious relationship and feel the pain of a broken relationship. Nothing is more devastating to individuals than having broken relationships.

. In the 17^th century, the English Poet John Donne noted, "No man is an island, entire of himself; every man is a piece of the continent." I agree because God has created us for relationships, and He delights in the right relationships. However, in this highly individualized society, it is a challenge to cultivate healthy relationships and navigate difficult ones.

We see unhealthy relationships in the first family in the garden of Eden. The Bible contains examples of broken people living in a broken world, dealing with broken relationships, and how God restores broken relationships. We have dealt with heavy theological doctrines for several weeks from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians.

Today we will look at some practical advice from Paul on restoring broken relationships. Before that, we want to look at what causes broken relationships. How do we recognize if our relationship is broken? How can we restore our broken relationships? II Corinthians 7:1-16.

Among all relationships, the marital relationship needs more work from both sides. If your marriage is healthy, you enjoy its blessings. When it breaks apart, it hurts everyone involved.

I. A few warning signs indicate your marriage may be falling apart.

Here is a list of warning signs worth noticing: "You feel lonely in your marriage. You do not feel safe talking about finances together. You prefer the company of others more than being together with your spouse. You get mildly irritated about a lot of little things your spouse does. You do not celebrate special days (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) anymore. You subconsciously keep track of past wrongs. You do not have much to talk about with each other.

You have the same argument repeatedly with no resolution. It feels physically wrong to be together (no sexual intimacy). You keep secrets. Trust is low. You have stopped having date nights. You feel resentful about what your spouse isn't doing. You blame your schedules for your inability to work as a team. You pay more attention to your phone than to your spouse. Etc.[1]

If your marriage is failing before it takes an irreversible turn, cry out to God for help and seek marriage counseling. Healthy marriages do not happen by default; they happen by design. More than any other apostle, the apostle Paul cared for the right relationships. In II Corinthians 7^th chapter, Paul gives us a couple of principles that could help restore broken relationships.

II. God's promises call us to live together in harmony with one another (Vs. 1-4)

            After dealing with some profound theological and doctrinal themes in the previous six chapters, in chapter seven, Paul shares his anguish over broken relationships and the joys when those relationships are restored. How do you know you are in a broken relationship? When we obey God and do not live according to the patterns of this world, God has promised to be in us, with us, and among us. In a personal way, God will be our father, and we will be His sons and daughters. In other words, we will become God's family.

Therefore, we cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates and defiles our bodies and spirit. We work towards complete holiness because we fear God. Nothing disturbs the peace in and among us more than broken relationships. Paul was deprived of peace and felt betrayed when some Corinthian Church believers closed their hearts against him.

Paul was so committed to relationships that he told them, "You are in our hearts, and we live or die together with you." Yet some believers fought him relentlessly. Let us hear his anguish. Vs. 5-6, "When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us.

We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus."

What made Paul restless? Why did he come to Macedonia? We read in chapter two that Paul wrote a letter to Corinthian believers addressing several problems that disturbed the peace.

He intended to find out whether they would follow his instructions or not. After that, he came to Troas to preach the Good News but had no peace of mind because his dear brother Titus had not arrived with a report from the Corinthians, so he went to Macedonia in search of Titus. Paul was discouraged by conflicts and strife with people on all sides. Amid such restlessness, God encouraged him by sending Titus with a good report.

Titus's presence brought him so much joy, as did the encouraging news about the Corinthian believers and how they received and treated Titus. The eagerness of the Corinthian believers to see Paul and their repentance of their rebellion against Paul, and their loyalty to him only added more joy to the otherwise discouraged Paul. What once was broken is now restored.

III. Restoring Broken Relationships. (Vs.7-16)

            In verses seven through sixteen, we glean several principles of how broken relationships could be restored, resulting in harmony and joy. These principles could be applied to any broken relationship, even more so to broken marital and family relationships.

A. Confront the problem head-on without ignoring or avoiding it. (8-9)

After Paul's painful visit, some powerful insult had been directed against him or one of his representatives by a visitor to Corinth or a Corinthian, who perhaps headed the opposition against Paul at Corinth. Despite his love for the Corinthian believers, some of them hardened their hearts against Paul. He confronted that situation by writing them a severe letter. Though it caused them pain initially, it led them to repentance and a change of living.

Similarly, if you notice a problem in your marriage, confront it directly, even if it hurts. Do not ignore or cover it. The longer you avoid it, the more toxicity builds up and might destroy your relationship. If you cannot speak boldly to your spouse, write a letter as Paul did, or get the help of a third person or a therapist. Here is the second principle in restoring broken relationships

B. Godly sorrow leads to repentance and results in salvation. Worldly sorrow lacks repentance resulting in death. (Vs10). Paul mentions two kinds of sorrows and their outcomes. Godly sorrow leads to repentance (change of heart) which leads to salvation or saving a relationship. Worldly sorrow void of repentance results in death (a relationship may be beyond recovery).

            How do these two types work? For instance, if your spouse is at fault in your marriage, worldly sorrow might result in simply saying, "I am sorry," without a change of heart. On the other hand, a person who displays godly sorrow acknowledges a specific sin, takes full responsibility for it, and does whatever it takes not to repeat the same sin again and again.

            When you move in godly sorrow, you are earnest to clear yourself if you are in the wrong. You will have real distress over the wrong you have done. You will do whatever you can to make things right. We see these principles at work in the Corinthian Church.

            Upon receiving a severe letter from Paul, the believers disciplined the person in question. They may have put him out of fellowship as a way of punishment. Upon repentance, they forgave him, so he did not overcome by discouragement. In the end, they reaffirmed their love.

 

You may struggle in a broken relationship, but do not give up hope. Psalm 34:18 says, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed." There is nothing that our Lord cannot do, including restoring a broken relationship. Sometimes, despite all effort and prayer, some broken marriages may not be restored and end in divorce. Know that God still loves you and will never leave or abandon you when that happens.

 

 

 

             

 

 

 

 

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[1] https://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/marriage-problems/how-to-fix-a-broken-relationship-find-the-termites/

God's Dwelling Place

                                                  GOD'S DWELLING PLACE.

Flannery O'Connor's short story A Temple of the Holy Ghost written in 1953, tells of a precocious 12-year-old girl and two country boys who have come to court her visiting cousins. The girl overhears her teenage cousins mock a nun, Sister Perpetua, who has suggested a formula to use in fending off fresh young men in the back seats of cars. "Stop, sir! I am a Temple of the Holy Ghost!" the nun taught the girls to say. The cousins think such advice is hilarious.

However, the girl could not follow the conversation but was moved. The news that she is the dwelling place of God makes her feel as if somebody has given her a present."[1] This fictional story may help girls to fend off any guys making undue advances. On the other hand, when it comes to thinking of it, being the Temple of the Holy Ghost is an honor to consider.

Last week we learned that we are given the weapons of righteousness to attack and defend against the tactics of Satan and his demonic forces. Today we will learn about the impact of unhealthy partnerships with unbelievers and where God's dwelling place is.

I. Can we partner with unbelievers? (Vs. 14)

I conversed with my cousin's American husband in India a few years ago. I told him how I work with Sharon's interfaith clergy for the town's Shalom. Suddenly he became very judgmental and began to say, I compromised my faith and, to an extent, lost my salvation. What made him and other over-zealous Christians take these extreme views of the scripture?

I Cor 6:14. "Don't team up with those who are unbelievers."  Some quote this as saying we should not have any contact with unbelievers. There is a doctrine called the doctrine of separation or non-fellowship. Some protestants believe that the members of a church should be separate from "the world" and not associate with people of the world.

Many scriptures in the Old and New Testaments provide some basis for this doctrine."[2] Is II Cor 6:14 saying that we should never be friends with unbelievers? Is this encouraging a kind of unhealthy separatism to the extent that we become insular and exclusive? The context in which it was said matters. Paul was warning the Corinthians against the dangers of idolatry.

Let us examine what Paul meant by "Do not team up with those who are unbelievers" or "Don't be yoked together with unbelievers." (NIV). Paul is not suggesting that we should not have any relationships or associations with unbelievers. Instead, this is a prohibition against forming close partnerships with non-Christians. He uses an agricultural metaphor about yoking.

To fully understand the impact of this scripture, we need to know what a Yoke is. Farmers commonly use a yoke on their cattle. It is a wooden device that goes on the neck of two cattle connecting them. It is tied around both animals so that it is secure and they cannot escape.

They must walk next to each other. If they are not equally yoked, one ox will drag the other. It even causes them to choke the other. God warned His people against unequally yoked alliances, saying, "You must not plow with an ox and a donkey harnessed together." Dt 22:10.

For the Corinthian believers to cooperate with false teachers, who are servants of Satan, falling for their charming ways, is to become unequally yoked, which would destroy destroying their relationships with Christ and one another. How does being unequally yoked affect us?

Partnering with unbelievers would compromise our faith, weaken our witness, and ruin our good relationships. Unequally yoked with unbelievers is a warning, especially for Christians seeking marriage alliances. Marrying a non-Christian will cause you to be unequally yoked. That unbelieving marriage partner might turn you away from following Christ. Paul encourages us to avoid such partnerships to protect us from wounds caused by unequally yoked alliances.

What if you are a Christian and have already married a non-believer? Or your believing partner becomes an unbeliever? God can redeem and heal any marriage relationship. Paul has a bit of advice for Christians whose partner is not a believer in the I Corinthians 7^th chapter. 

II. Three contrasts explain why partnering with unbelievers would not work.

The Apostle Paul uses three contrasts to explain unequally yoked partnerships cannot survive. Vs. 14-15, "How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?" These verses encourage Christians to live differently in the world.

Just as righteousness can not stand wickedness, as darkness flees from the light, Christians must be wise in dealing with unbelievers. As Christ stood against the works of Satan, we must stand up and resist the devil and his followers, not walking hand in hand with them.

What does that mean practically? It means a child of God must recognize that they are in the world but not of the world. We have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the glorious kingdom of light. Therefore, let us live like the children of light.

As the Apostle Paul advised the Roman believers, we should not copy the world's behavior, culture, and customs, like celebrating a pagan festival, Halloween, etc. Instead, we should let God transform us into new people by changing our thinking. We must give up destructive friendships and seek spiritually and emotionally healthy partnerships. There is another chief reason why Christians should avoid compromising alliances with unbelievers.

III. God's Dwelling Place (Vs. 16)

Vs. 16 "And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: "I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people." Here Paul was referring to a portion of the Israelite's history.

In the OT, God commanded Moses to build a holy sanctuary, the Tabernacle, so that He could live among them. The Tabernacle became God's dwelling place. In Leviticus 26, we read about God's pronounced blessings for obedience and punishment for disobedience.

One of the blessings of obedience to God was His abiding and accompanying presence. But the Israelites failed to obey God. Instead, they made alliances with people of other nations and worshipped their idols. God punished them by exiling them into Babylon.

What can we learn from this history lesson? God dwelt in the Tabernacle in the wilderness and later in king Solomon's temple and now resides in His people. In other words, we become God's dwelling place. Like the little girl in the story earlier, consider it an honor.

In the OT, God appointed priests to maintain and keep His temple. The priest's responsibility was to keep themselves pure and keep unholy people or animals from entering and defiling the temple. Similarly, let us get to work and take good care of God's dwelling place.

Paul lays out some practical ways to care for our bodies, God's dwelling place here in this passage and elsewhere. First, we take care of God's dwelling place by not entering unholy partnerships with unbelievers. Secondly, by avoiding sexual immorality. "Run from sexual sin!

No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So, you must honor God with your body." I Cor 6:18-20

We are strengthened and encouraged in our faith when we come together with fellow brothers and sisters and worship God on the Lord's Day. God not only dwells in our hearts individually but also among us when the living stones unite to serve the Lord. May Hope Church become God's dwelling place as we become devoted followers of Christ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] Source: Philip Yancey, "Holy Sex—How it Ravishes Our Souls," Christianity Today, (October 2003)

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctrine_of_separation

The Weapons of Righteousness

                                             THE WEAPONS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

One of the end-time sins is that the nations and kingdoms will be at war. As we speak, several countries are waging conventional war with conventional weapons. War is always destructive, resulting in injuries and casualties, causing much distress to everyone involved.

Since the beginning, the Devil has fought another kind of war against God, His creation, and His people. It is purely spiritual and fought in the cosmic realm. It is over the souls of humans. Ultimately, God comes out as the total victor, and the Devil will be thrown into hell along with all his followers. Since the Devil knew he was defeated and could never win over God, he turned his focus and fury on people who are made in God's image.

How does the Devil wage this spiritual warfare? What are his strategic battlegrounds? How can we, as Christians, withstand the onslaught of our adversary? What weapons do we have to fight off the Devil? It would take a series of sermons to address these questions adequately.

In II Corinthians 6:1-13 the Apostle Paul uses a warfare analogy to introduce believers to spiritual warfare in their own lives, families, churches, and communities. In Chapter five, Paul shared God's salvation is a gift that makes us new people. We are Christ's ambassadors.

As a fellow worker with God, Paul urged the whole Corinthian Church. II Cor 6:1, "As God's partners (or as we work together), we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God's kindness and then ignore it." In NIV, it reads, "not to receive God's grace in vain."

Most Corinthians were saved by grace but hindered in their spiritual growth by legalism. Some were not truly saved but deceived by the false teachings of works. In either case, Paul's concern was that his preaching of the Gospel of grace would not have the desired impact and that his many months of ministry at Corinth were for nothing. Paul wanted the Corinthian Church to become God's ambassadors and proclaim His message of grace and love. But the enemies' tactics of legalism and false teachings hindered them from being effective in their ministry.

What happened to Corinthian Christians could happen to us as well. God may have heard our cries during our troubles and saved us by grace. After receiving God's grace, we can undo its work by refusing to purify ourselves from things that contaminate our bodies and souls. God's grace becomes in vain when we do not live by faith and give ourselves to fear and unbelief.

I. Living like the ministers of God.

The apostle Paul modeled God's ministers should live their life in a secular world. Vs. 3, "We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are ministers of God."

Paul not only preached the Gospel of love and grace but demonstrated it through a lifestyle of integrity and humility. So he could say follow my example as I follow Christ. Paul's faith was seen in His actions and godly conduct. He made sure that his life was not a stumbling block for others. Living that way gave no room for others to find fault in his ministry.

As the ambassadors of Christ, how do we live in this world? Do our actions match what we believe and proclaim? When people see our behavior, do they wonder who we are and what makes us different? Or despise us by not finding a connection between our faith and actions?

The early apostles and Christians lived like faithful ministers of God by patiently enduring troubles, hardships, and calamities of every kind. Amidst challenging and hard times, how we respond can either bring glory to God or shame and hinder the cause of Christ.

Certain Christians and ministries bring shame to the name of Christ by how they live, react, and retaliate amidst opposition and challenges. We adopt the Old Testament theology of "tooth for tooth, eye for an eye, and vengeance when wronged.

But that was not how Jesus and the apostle Paul lived. We, as faithful ministers of God, are to follow their examples. We love those who hate us, pray for those who persecute us, and forgive our enemies.

On October 2, 2022, in South Tripura, India, Hindu tribal miscreants entered and started demolishing a church during Sunday worship. The believers were unfazed and did not retaliate. Instead, they kept worshipping the Lord. I was upset by the disrespectful act of those antagonists, simultaneously challenged by the sincere and innocent faith of the believers.

This is one incident where Christians lived as faithful ministers of God. Instead of fighting back, they entrusted themselves to God, the righteous judge. India is number ten on the persecution list of Christians. Yet the Gospel is advancing due to faithful ambassadors of Christ. The Apostle Paul lists his share of difficulties and how he handled them so that we can endure all kinds of problems with the help of the Holy Spirit and remain firm in our faith.

II. God uses hardships to purify us and strengthen our faith. (Vs. 5-6)

Vs-5-6, We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love." Any believer in Christ might go through what Paul went through to a varying degree.

Why do we go through hardships? Troubles are consequences of our sins or the sins of others. At times we face troubles due to our foolish choices. We experience natural disasters due to living in a fallen world. On rare occasions, God may allow Satan to attack us as he did in the case of Job, the righteous man. Whatever the source, this is how we respond to our troubles.

James 1:2-4, "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." Whatever the Devil and others may intend, God uses it to purify us and strengthen our faith. What else God gave us to fight spiritual warfare?

III. The Weapons of Righteousness (Vs:7)

Vs. 7, "We faithfully preach the truth. God's power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. "Paul uses a warfare analogy of weapons to explain how they fought in their war against Satan.

Calling them the weapons of righteousness, Paul indicated that they are of God and are to be used against the enemy, primarily in the heavenly realms. He later writes in II Cor 10:3-4, "We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do. We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. What are those weapons? Our text doesn't specifically list them.

Paul deals extensively with this spiritual weaponry in Ephesians 6:10-18. From the Full Armor of God, Paul took two weapons and used them in his right hand and left hand to attack the enemy and defend himself. They are the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, and the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the Devil. We can use them successfully against the Devil.

For instance, if the Devil says, "you are unloved, and no one cares for you. You attack it by quoting I John 3:1, "See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!" When he throws the arrows of fears of inflation and doubts about God's character, you lift the shield of faith in your left hand and rest in the truth.

Phil 4:19. "And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." When the enemy makes you feel depressed and anxious about life, again quote these scriptures Psalm 43:5, I Peter 5:7, etc.

Jesus, Paul, the disciples, and the believers who have gone before used them well. They are available to all believers to aid them in their war against Satan and his demonic forces. You need to know what they are and use them effectively in your times of struggles and trials.

 

 

 

 

 

 

God's Ambassadors

                                                        GOD'S AMBASSADORS

Nepal is the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. It is the only official Hindu kingdom in the world. According to C. Peter Wagner, professor emeritus of church growth at Fuller Theological Seminary, "many missiologists considered the Himalayan region a hopeless case for Christianity." However, several years ago, the Lord saved Lok Bhandari, a revolutionary "freedom fighter," a national martial arts champion whose father had groomed him to become prime minister of Nepal.

Today, Lok is an ambassador for Christ in his home country and is not discouraged by the fact that he has been detained and arrested more than 30 times and persecuted for preaching the Gospel. Now Lok tells crowds of 65,000 to 70,000 how Jesus revolutionized his life. According to some estimates, there are 3 million Christians in Nepal now, a great work of God considering that only 50 years ago there were no known Christians in Nepal."[1]

All that great work resulted because of Christians like Lok Bhandari, whose life was transformed by the love of Christ. A revolutionary "freedom fighter" became an ambassador for Christ. He decided not to live for himself but for the one who died to give him eternal life. Not only in Nepal, but we see such fearless and selfless ambassadors for Christ worldwide.

Looking at chapters 3 and 4, we learned about our mortal bodies and their final destiny in the past couple of weeks. We also learned that the right ambition in life is to please God. In II Corinthians 5:11-21, we will see how pleasing God works out in our lives as we look at how the apostles persuaded others and what controlled them in their persuasion. Why did Christ die for sinners? What is expected of Christians who are saved by grace? What are Christians called? What task and message are they given to share with the world? Let us begin our study.

Vs. 11-13, "Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit."

After addressing inevitable afterlife matters, it appears that Paul had to do some convincing work regarding his ministry among the Corinthian believers. In chapters 3 and 4, we learned how some people doubted Paul's ministry and apostolic credentials. Out of the reverential fear of God, Paul persuaded those doubters in the Corinthian Church that he was the authentic apostle appointed by God, and none of those false prophets were as they claimed to be.

 

I A Spectacular Ministry Or A Sincere Heart?

It was apparent that some false prophets during Paul's time were priding themselves on outward appearances and bragging about their achievements and successes. In contrast, Paul was content to take a humble stand and paid attention to what was in his heart.

 Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians to watch their hearts and remain sincere in their service to God and one another. There has always been, and more so now, an emphasis on outward appearance and performance. But God has always looked at the heart of man.

 

 

 

Christian ministry is not all about performing spectacular things for God but doing it with a sincere heart. In a highly consumerist world, people want to do spectacular things, as if the likes and reviews on social media matter most. But on the other hand, God is least concerned about our spectacular ministry. We read in II Samuel 16:7, “The Lord does not see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Vs. 14-15, “Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.” Here we see Paul’s assertion of what controlled them.

II. The Compelling Love of Christ.

Some of us have a hard time with the word ‘control.’ We often associate control with authority, command, power, and sway. We do not like to be controlled, especially when people abuse their authority and leadership. That is not how Christ's love works. It does not exercise its authority over us or demand our obedience; instead, it implores, urges, or compels us to action.

When the apostle Paul wrote, “The love of Christ compels us,” he was describing the powerful, Spirit-filled motivation that drives followers of Christ to share the Gospel in ways that persuade people to commit their lives to Jesus. Let us see how Paul approached the Gospel.

 Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.” I Cor 9:6, “Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News!” Are you ashamed of the Good News?

Because of Christ’s love for His people, He died for us while we were yet sinners. The love of Christ compelled Paul to share the Gospel. It motivated him to take the Gospel to distant lands in the face of opposition and persecution. Paul was willing to die to himself (Gal 2:20).

This testimony of Paul encourages us to ask ourselves, “What motivates us to share the good news of Jesus with others?” If the love of Christ compels us, we will not live for ourselves; instead, we live for Christ, who died for us. We will go anywhere and do anything to share the good news of the Gospel with people because God loves all people and wants them to be saved. 

III We are God’s Ambassadors. (Vs. 18-21)

These verses talk about how God brought us back to himself through Christ in His mercy and love. It was purely a gift from God, so we cannot boast about it. He entrusted us with the task and the message of reconciliation. It is the job of leading people back to God. Paul further dignified that reconciliation job, calling it as we are God’s Ambassadors. Sounds excellent!

God’s Ambassadors! It is a badge of honor for every follower of Christ to wear with pride and responsibility. Now some practical matters, what does a real-time ambassador do? An ambassador is the official representative of their government; in a sense, they bear the image of their nation. They represent the interests, values, intentions, and expectations of the country that sent them to a foreign country. To do their job well, they must thoroughly understand their nation’s domestic and international policies. Their government places absolute trust in them.

So, it is with God’s Ambassadors. We are the image bearers of God in this world. We are to represent and reflect God’s character, redemptive plan for humanity, and the consequences of not following His plan for their lives. Real-time ambassadors are well educated and informed in various fields. Similarly, as God’s ambassadors, we want to be well equipped in matters about life and the life to come. We want to study and understand the person and the work of Christ.

 

Paul encouraged a young ambassador of Christ named Timothy with these words. II Timothy 2:15, “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” To the extent we read and study God’s word to that extent, we will come to know God.

As God’s Ambassadors, let us take every opportunity to tell our friends, family, and neighbors about our merciful and loving God. We want to represent our God and his purposes rightly to the people we meet through love and utmost graciousness. Amen!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] God's Kingdom Grows in the World's Only Official Hindu Nation: Mission to the Himalayas, Missions, and Missionaries (August/September, 2002) p. 3