God has chosen to put the greatest treasure of all, not inside of gun safes, but inside clay jars, or earthenware vessels; not inside of strength, but inside brokenness and weakness. It's intentional. There's purpose behind our weakness. It's so the treasure is seen all the more clearly.
Pastor Don Stubbs, from The Branch Church in New Philadelphia/Baltic Ohio joins us, and walks us through 2 Corinthians 5. What starts with walking by faith and not by sight, becomes "we try to persuade people", "for the love of Christ compels us."
Paul says that we are ministers of a New Covenant, which isn't written on stones, but on human hearts – not by the letter of the law, but by the Spirit of the living God.
Paul faces criticism from another group doing ministry, because he doesn't carry the same "credentials" and "recommendations" that they do. Paul looks at the fruit of the gospel and says that's all the credentials I need.
Paul uses the analogy of familiar scene called a Roman Triumph, which includes a very familiar fragrance, and says that’s what disciples of Jesus are like – we are like a fragrance that to some people means life, and to others means death.
Paul has a situation in Corinth where a man had sinned against someone in the church. He lets them know the sin isn't just against him, but against everyone. He begged them to deal with the situation so the man could be restored. He also encouraged them to forgive him, so that Satan didn't get a foothold in the church.
Jesus made six statements in the gospels of Luke and John about discipleship: three from the negative, saying, if this or this is true you cannot be my disciple, and three from John in the positive, saying, this is how people will know you are my disciple. We put those six statements together to derive a working definition of a disciple of Jesus.
We hear a story of disappointment, frustration, and not knowing where God is, and we also hear from a young couple and how the gospel has stirred their hearts to move overseas and work with college students.
In one final sermon from the Acts series, we go back to the beginning and tie everything together in one simple little bow: We proclaim the kingdom of God by proclaiming Jesus – crucified, buried, resurrected and ascended.
How would you live your life if you knew Jesus was going to return in 5 years? What kind of urgency would you have? Paul is nearing the end of his life, and he is finishing well, making the most of every opportunity. Always on mission. Never off duty.