The Significance Of A New Creation-15 Series

‘The Significance Of A New Creation’--XV—2Corinthians 5:9--6:10...

14. The PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY-B—2Corinthians 6:3-10...

Part B of point 14 in the series.

Attention:

Ask, “Do we have any ministers in the house today?”

If there are any takers, ask them to describe their ministry.

*Relate to everyone, that if they belong to God thru Christ Jesus, then they are ministers by default!

The glowing term ‘ministry’ sounds like it might be wonderfully satisfying & fulfilling...& it is! But along with acting by God’s will there are many devilish & mundane things to which every minister must be attentive! Attention to these things can either derail or bolster the most well intentioned saint.

No matter how we worship together corporately, much more is required to bring about the actuality than may be considered/grasped by the receivers of such.

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)

And as part of the Significance of this New Creation, we have found that Paul Commended his apostolic ministry & Timothy’s ministry to the Corinthian church thru a concise list of Practical Realities within which he operated.

The significance of 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.

14. PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY(6:3-10)

A. OFFENSE & BLAME(6:3)

B. MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS(6:4ff.)

Some Commendations as ministers of God are...

i. Patience(6:4)

ii. Tribulations

iii. Needs

iv. Distresses

Continuing our look at MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS we find a 5th commendation....>.>.>.>.>.>.>

14—A new creation is significant in the...

PRACTICAL REALITIES Of MINISTRY--B(6:3-10)

B. MINISTRY COMMENDATIONS(CONT...)

6:5—“in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;”

A 5th Commendation as ministers of God...

“in stripes”

Comes by means of “stripes.” i.e., A Commendable Ministry is delivered in the package of “stripes.”

That is, physical floggings/scourgings[most often publicly administered]. Mistreatment of ministers of Christ thru governing authorities was the apostle’s unwelcome expectation.

True Christianity cuts into the very core of existing belief systems, leaving the minister of Christ vulnerable to being identified as criminal & ultimately a candidate for martyrdom.

2Cor. 11:23-25—“Are they ministers of Christ?--I speak as a fool--I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night & a day I have been in the deep;

Mat. 10:16-23—“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents & harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils & scourge you in their synagogues[where they worship their God!]. You will be brought before governors & kings for My sake, as a testimony to them & to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. Now brother will deliver up brother to death, & a father his child; & children will rise up against parents & cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

Heb. 11:32-40—“And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon & Barak & Samson & Jephthah, also of David & Samuel & the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings & scourgings, yes, & of chains & imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins & goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented-- of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts & mountains, in dens & caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”