The Purpose of Ministry 2 Corinthians The Purpose of Ministry

Review

Review –Week 1 & 2 The Gospel Message (Rom and Gal)

Review –The Gospel Message Week 1 & 2 * become a FULLY Loved son or daughter through * Eternal means forever—would it be eternal if we could lose it?

Review –Paul’s Description of Ministry Week 3 & 4 * OUR INSTRUCTION: In our Weakness we See Gods Power

We are being used by God to GROW His Church 15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. 2 Corinthians 4:15 NLT

Temporal VS. Eternal 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly(FLESH-Temporal) we are wasting away, yet inwardly(Spirit-Eternal) we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16–18 NLT

Temporal VS. Eternal 1 For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, is dismantled, we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this earthly house we groan, because we desire to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed, after we have put on our heavenly house, we will not be found naked. 4 For we groan while we are in this tent, since we are weighed down, because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. NET 2 Corinthians 5:1–5

The Purpose of Ministry... to persuade men to “be reconciled to God”

The Purpose of Ministry... Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!” NET 2 Corinthians 5:20

The Purpose of Ministry... 5 Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.6 Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth we are absent from the Lord—7 for we live by faith, not by sight. NET 2 Corinthians 5:5–7

The Purpose of Ministry... His Ambition in life is to Please God

His Ambition in life is to Please God 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. NLT 2 Corinthians 5:8–10

The Washing of God: RECONCILIATION Permanent In eternity Relational Forgiveness Ongoing In time Fellowship Forgiveness Faith

His Ambition in life is to Please God Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. NIV84 2 Corinthians 5:11–13

“Fear of the Lord” - Job speaks of ‘the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom’ (Job 28:28). - ‘What does the Lord your God require of you? …to fear the Lord your God’ (Deuteronomy 10:12). - ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge’(Proverbs 1:7) - ‘By the fear of the Lord one avoids evil’ (Proverbs 16:6). - ‘The fear of the Lord is pure’ (Psalm 19:9).

His Ambition in life is to Please God Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. NIV84 2 Corinthians 5:11–13

He Accomplishes his PURPOSE (Ministry) by the Love of God empowering him

God’s Love empowers him For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 2 Corinthians 5:14 NIV84

God’s Love empowers him so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. NIV84 Ephesians 3:17–19

Empowers him to be selfless -14b-18

Empowers him to be selfless 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. NIV84 2 Corinthians 5:14–15

Empowers him to be selfless 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: NIV84 2 Corinthians 5:16–18

The Purpose of Paul’s Ministry is to persuade men to “be reconciled to God” 18 And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation. 19 In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation. NET 2 Corinthians 5:18–19

The Purpose of Paul’s Ministry is to persuade men to “be reconciled to God” 20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!”21 God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God. NET 2 Corinthians 5:20–21