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A Faithful Minister
Read
I Corinthians 4:1-2.
Each of us has been entrusted with the precious gospel. The
Lord expects us to be faithful stewards or managers of it.
But what does it mean for us to be faithful ministers? Paul
answers that question in
II Corinthians 4:1-4.
Body:
I.
The Preaching of the Message
(II
Corinthians 4: 1-2)
·
As a faithful minister, we do not lose heart. Never give
up. Do not be faint-hearted, but bold. (Acts
4:29)
·
Be humble, never self-promoting. We always remember that we
ourselves have received mercy. (Titus
3:5)
·
Be honest and sincere; never use underhanded methods to
promote the gospel. (II
Corinthians 5:11)
Do not be peddlers. (II
Corinthians 2:17)
Never try to trick anyone. Refuse to wear masks or play
games. Never manipulate people. Do not add to the message
thinking it will make the gospel more acceptable. (I
Peter 2:2)
·
Declare the whole truth of the gospel. (Acts
20-27)
We must handle the Word accurately. (II
Timothy 2:15)
·
Be people of integrity – “every man’s
conscience.” (II
Corinthians 1:12)
·
We must always remember as a faithful minister that we are
ultimately to please God. (Galatians
1:10)
II.
The Reception of the Message
(II
Corinthians 4: 3-4)
·
Faithful ministers are responsible for sowing the seed, not
producing a harvest. (I
Corinthians 3:6-8)
·
The gospel is understandable to those with an open and
willing mind. (Ephesians
3:4)
·
“Veiled” – obscure (II
Corinthians 3:14-16) People who won’t turn to the Lord won’t give the gospel the
serious attention it needs.
·
Satan – “the god of this age” (Ephesians
2:2) He rules over the vast majority of people in this world. (I
John 5:19)
·
Satan works on the mind of men. That’s the battleground.
He wants people to keep their minds focused on earthly
things. (Philippians
3:19)
Conclusion:
Just as Christ is the image of God, so we are to reflect to
the world the image of Christ. This is essential for a
faithful minister in taking the gospel to the world.
Bobby
Stafford
September 22, 2013
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