‘The Significance Of A New Creation’--XXI—2Corinthians 5:9--6:10...
14. The PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY-B—2Corinthians 6:3-10...
Part B of point 14 in the series.
No matter what we do for a living or how we worship together corporately, much more is required to bring about the actuality of ministry than may be perceived/considered/grasped.
A true Christian receives a new nature.
Need:
*The key to our verses is 2Cor. 5:17—“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Paul clarified the significance of being a new creation in Christ to the Corinthian church.
There is great significance to being a new creation in Christ.
14 significations/signifiers of being a new creation in Christ.
Previously we have found that A new creation is significant in its New...
1. PLEASUREs(5:9)
2. RECEPTION(5:10)
3. PERSUASION(5:11)
4. OPPORTUNITY(5:12)
5. SOUND INSANITY(5:13)Risk
6. LOVE(5:14-15)
7. CONSIDERATIONS(5:16)
8. NEWNESS/Creativeness(5:17)
9. RELATIONSHIP--Reconciliation(5:18-19)
10. INSTRUMENTATION/Mediation(5:20)
11. RIGHTEOUSNESS(5:21)
12. VIEW Of VANITY(6:1)
13. URGENCY(6:2)
We will see that Paul & Timothy commended apostolic ministry to the Corinthian church thru a list of Practical Realities within which they operated.
The significance of how being a new creation in Christ is played out in the Practical Realities of Ministry.
We are going to examine the significance of these Practical Realities one-by-one in their manifestation as Commendors of God-ordained Ministry.
14—A new creation is significant in the...
PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY-B(6:3-10)
So far we have looked at the role of...
A. OFFENSE & BLAME(6:3)...as well as...
B. MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS(6:4ff.)(CONT...)
i. (6:4)Patience—cheerful endurance & constancy
ii. Tribulations—pressures
iii. Needs—forced subsistence
iv. Distresses—narrowed circumstances
v. (6:5)Stripes—officially sanctioned punishment
vi. Imprisonments—(officially sanctioned removal from society)
vii. Tumults—chaotic/unstable lifestyle
viii. Labors—physically/mentally taxing work
ix. Sleeplessness
x. Fastings—prayer & fasting
xi. (6:6)Purity—living uprightly
xii. Knowledge—personal, of God & His way
xiii. Longsuffering—refrain from wrath/revenge/vengeance
xiv. Kindness—Useful moral goodness
xv. The Holy Spirit—
xvi. Sincere Love—Unhypocritical
xvii. (6:7)the Word Of Truth—God’s unfailing word
xviii. the Power Of God—God’s ability
xix. The Armor/Weaponry Of Righteousness—protection
xx. (6:8)Both Honor& Dishonor
xxi. Both Evil Report & Good Report
xxii. Perceived as Deceivers yet Genuine
Continuing our look at MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS we find a 23rd commendation beginning in 6:9....
14—A new creation is significant in the...
PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY--B(6:3-10)
B. MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS(CONT...)
6:9—“as unknown, & yet well known; as dying, & behold we live; as chastened, & yet not killed;”
As with being accepted as both deceivers & true(:8c), the contrasts with reality continue...
A 23rd Commendation as ministers of God...
“as unknown, & yet well known”—(Ignorance & Recognition)
Comes in their being regarded “as” “unknown,” while at the same time being regarded as “well-known.” Christians are “well-known” among the church but entirely “unknown” among the unaccepting.
Paul was & is mostly “unknown” to the unregenerate world, but is entirely “well-known” to believers.
Some Christian workers feel a great need to be ‘recognized’ for their efforts. These talk much on How much they give, What they give, When they give, How committed they are, etc. However, the recognition must belong to Jesus!
Such ‘ministers’ are mere ‘talkers’ who have given zero, have given the right thing with the wrong heart, & are committed, not to Jesus, but to themselves!
!We should be known for our commitment to Jesus!
Christians are the family of God & this should be apparent!
Mat. 6:1-4, 5-15, 16-18—““Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues & in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; & your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues & on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, & when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; & your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:
“Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom & the power & the glory forever. Amen.”
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head & wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; & your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
Argumentation:
Acts 17:13-21, 32-34—“But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also & stirred up the crowds. Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away, to go to the sea; but both Silas & Timothy remained there. So those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens; & receiving a command for Silas & Timothy to come to him with all speed, they departed. Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews & with the Gentile worshipers, & in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there. Then certain Epicurean & Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus & the resurrection. And they took him & brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.” For all the Athenians & the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.”.....“And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.” So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him & believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, & others with them.”
Jn. 3:25-36—“Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples & the Jews about purification. And they came to John & said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified--behold, He is baptizing, & all are coming to Him!” John answered & said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands & hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. “He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly & speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. And what He has seen & heard, that He testifies; & no one receives His testimony. He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. The Father loves the Son, & has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; & he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
It does not matter whether I am known...What matters is that God the Son(Christ Jesus) is known...That God the Father & that God the Holy Spirit are known...That the Kingdom of God is known...What matters is that you come to understand the fullness of God’s intent for you, etc.
?Do the IGNORANCE & RECOGNITION declared thru your ministry commend your ministry as born/borne of God...
...OR does it negate it?
Illustration:
Football players(or any other sport for that matter)/I am generally ignorant of the statistics surrounding certain players...The way their worth to a team is measured—How many touchdowns they have gotten, How many yards they average per game, How many receptions they average, How many quarterback sacks they have accumulated, Who’s the winningest coach, etc./However some actually make a living as sports commentators & know such statistics like the back of their hand!/AS UNKNOWN & Yet WELL KNOWN
“As”3X(See :8, 10)—wv—Adverb—1) As, like, even as, etc. Strong—probably adverb of comparative from ov, h, o; Which how, i.e. In that manner(very variously used).
“Unknown”—agnoew—Present Passive Participle—1) To be ignorant, not to know; 2) Not to understand, unknown; 3) To err or sin through mistake, to be wrong. Strong—from A(as a negative particle) & noiew[ To exercise the mind(observe), i.e. figuratively--To comprehend, heed]; Not to know(through lack of information or intelligence); by implication--To ignore(through disinclination).
“Well known”(See 5:10—“Appear”; 5:11—fanerow)—epiginwskw—Present Passive Participle—1) To become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly—1a) To know accurately, know well; 2) To know—2a) To recognize—2a1) By sight, hearing, of certain signs, to perceive who a person is, 2b) To know i.e. to perceive, 2c) To know i.e. to find out, ascertain, 2d) To know i.e. to understand. Strong—To know upon some mark, i.e. Recognize; by implication--To become fully acquainted with, to acknowledge.
From—epi—properly, meaning superimposition(of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution[with the genitive case], i.e. Over, upon, etc.; of rest(with the det.)--At, on, etc.; of direction(with the accusative case)--Towards, upon, etc.—&—ginwskw—1) To learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel—1a) To become known; 2) To know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of—2a) To understand, 2b) To know; 3) Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man & a woman; 4) To become acquainted with, to know. Ginwskw denotes a knowledge grounded on personal experience. Strong—a prolonged form of a primary verb; To "know"(absolutely) in a great variety of applications & with many implications.
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
*Obviously some ministries are more fraught with difficulty than others, but they are all tied to spiritual relationships with other people & the physical hardships of sharing the Good News.
Action:
14. A new creation is significant in the...
PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY-B(6:3-10)
B. MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS(6:4ff.)(CONT...)
xxiii. (6:9)As both Unknown & Well-known
i. (6:4)Patience—cheerful endurance & constancy
ii. Tribulations—pressures
iii. Needs—forced subsistence
iv. Distresses—narrowed circumstances
v. (6:5)Stripes—officially sanctioned punishment
vi. Imprisonments—officially sanctioned removal from society
vii. Tumults—chaotic/unstable lifestyle
viii. Labors—physically/mentally taxing work
ix. Sleeplessness
x. Fastings—prayer & fasting
xi. (6:6)Purity—living uprightly
xii. Knowledge—personal, of God & His way
xiii. Longsuffering—refrain from wrath/revenge/vengeance
xiv. Kindness—Useful moral goodness
xv. the Holy Spirit—
xvi. Sincere Love—Unhypocritical
xvii. (6:7)the Word Of Truth—God’s unfailing word
xviii. the Power Of God—God’s ability
xix. The Armor/Weaponry Of Righteousness—protection
xx. (6:8)in Both Honor& Dishonor
xxi. Both Evil Report & Good Report
xxii. Being perceived as Deceivers yet Genuine
Part ‘B’- subpoint xxiii. ONLY! of point 14 presented 10/23/2016pm to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SE
Carrabelle, FL 32322
