Daniel Law brings a message on 2 Corinthians 2:14-3:3 as part of our series "God's Power in Our Weakness," a series in the book of 2 Corinthians.
Redeemer Bible Church of Fort Bend
Authentic Ministry (2 Corinthians 2:14-3:3)
(soft piano music) - You're listening to a podcast by Redeemer Bible Church. Come visit us Sunday mornings at 10.30 a.m. or visit our website at redeemerfortbend.org for more information. Thanks and enjoy. (soft piano music) - If you have your Bibles with me, please turn to the book of second Corinthians for our reading this morning. And that is our sermon passage. The book of second Corinthians chapter two, verse 14 to chapter three, verse three. And it's a relatively short passage. So I would like to ask all of us to stand up as we read God's word. And if you don't have a Bible with you, please feel free to grab one from the back of the seats. The book of second Corinthians chapter two, verse 14 says, but thanks be to God who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession. And through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God amongst those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To one, a fragrance from death to death, to the other, a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not like so many peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity as commissioned by God in the sight of God, we speak in Christ. Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation written on our hearts to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink, but with a spirit of the living God. Not in tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts. This is God's word, amen. Please take a seat and let us pray together. Emily father, as we come to read and to consider your word, I pray God that your spirit may be amongst us. And doing that great work of change that's needed in all of us. I pray that you'll give us understanding, help us to understand how you would have us be engaged in authentic ministry here at this church. We pray this in Jesus name, amen. In 1937, there was a museum in Rotterdam that bought a beautiful painting called The Supper at Emmaus. And this painting was thought to be a lost masterpiece by a Dutch master painter called Johannes Vermeer. And a lot of investigation went into establishing that it was in fact a masterpiece. And after a long process and approval from top art experts, the museum paid millions of dollars to a man called Han Van Meergen. He was the one that discovered this lost painting, you see. And everything about the painting, the colors used, the style, the age of the painting looked like a genuine Vermeer. But sadly, many years later, after World War II, Van Meergen confessed that many of the paintings he had sold, including The Last Supper at Emmaus, were forgeries that he had in fact created. And no one would believe him. The forgeries were so convincing that people did not even believe his confession. And he had to paint and demonstrate his technique in front of experts while he was in custody to show that he indeed was the con artist that he claimed to be. Now, just as art can be forged, soak in ministry. And we need to be careful to be able to discern between what looks authentic and what truly is authentic. So how do we know what authentic ministry looks like? Today, we're going to examine that in Paul's description of authentic ministry in the Book of Second Corinthians. And if you're new here with us, or you've just recently joined us, I want to extend a warm welcome to you. Thank you for joining us. Here at this church, we really value the preaching through books of the Bible. And right now, we're walking through the Book of Second Corinthians. And for those who have been here for a little bit, you might remember that Paul started the church in Corinth during his second missionary journey. And he spent about 18 months there establishing relationships and preaching the gospel there. And as we've learned, Paul's relationship with the church in Corinth wasn't always easy. They struggle with divisions. They tolerated behaviors that didn't align with the gospel. Some of them even spoke out and criticized Paul for various things. He didn't have the right credentials. He changed his plans. He didn't visit them when he said he would. And so in recent weeks, we saw that Paul had changed his plans and traveled to Troas, where he had hoped to meet with Titus. But when he couldn't find Titus, he then moved on to Macedonia. And today, Paul explains that despite all the challenges in ministry that he had experienced, he was not bitter or discouraged. Instead, he praises God for the privilege of serving in authentic ministry. And so the title of this morning's sermon is called authentic ministry in Christ. And we'll break it into three parts. First, we will hear about the description of authentic ministry. Then we will see the demands of authentic ministry. And finally, we will close with a demonstration of authentic ministry. So if you have your Bibles with you, let me encourage you to turn to the book of 2 Corinthians and keep it open. You can fact check me as I go along in the sermon. I really would love all of us to be in God's Word today. Let's start at verse 14 again. Verse 14 says, "But thanks be to God, "who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, "and through us spreads the fragrance "of the knowledge of him everywhere. "For we are the aroma of Christ to God, "amongst those who are being saved "and amongst those who are perishing. "Here, Paul gives us a picture, "a description of what authentic ministry looks like. "And I want to highlight four aspects here. "Right from the start, Paul makes it clear "that authentic ministry is all about Christ. "Paul describes himself and all believers "as the aroma of Christ. "And the purpose of authentic ministry "is to spread the good news of Jesus everywhere. "Paul wants the entire world to know that Christ is king. "And he wants the world to know what Christ came to do. "Christ and the message of the cross "is at the center of Paul's ministry. "Now in our world today, "we might not think too much about this concept "of Christ and his cross. "The cross is as common as jewelry, "war or decor, even tattoos. "But in Paul's time, the cross had a very, very different meaning. "Back then, Jesus wasn't seen "as this natural hero figure or God character "that naturally would attract people to follow him. "Jesus was associated with the cross, "a cruel form of execution, so brutal it was reserved "for the worst criminals, murderers, traitors, rebels. "And mentioning crucifixion would have been as awkward "as bringing up a highly sensitive topic at the dinner table. "Follow a crucified saviour? "That was shocking. "It went completely against the culture's idea "of what a God or a hero should be. "Now, current, you might remember, "was a really diverse and influential city "in the Roman Empire. "It was filled with people worshiping gods "like Apollo and Athena and Poseidon and Aphrodite. "Jesus, a dead Jewish man, "did not fit the mold of these celebrated gods and heroes. "And this made Paul's message even more shocking "and counter-cultural. "In a society that was driven by success and power and beauty, "the idea of following a crucified saviour "turned that value system upside down. "We know from the book of 1 Corinthians, "Paul preached Christ and him crucified, "and he says this is a stumbling block "to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles to Greeks. "And yet Paul wasn't ashamed of his mission. "He was focused entirely on spreading the aroma of Christ "and making Jesus known everywhere. "The second thing that Paul tells us "is that authentic ministry is triumphant. "We don't hear the word triumphant much these days, "but Paul's audience would have understood the phrase "in a very, very tangible way. "You see, Corinth was a Roman colony. "So the idea of a conqueror returning to the city "after a successful campaign, "celebrated with a grand parade, "would have been very familiar to everyone. "Paul says, "Thanks be to God, "who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession. "Now in this parade, the conqueror would march in, "accompanied by his army and captives from the conquest. "And Paul uses this picture to illustrate "what Christ is doing. "Christ is the victorious conqueror. "But unlike a Roman procession where captives "were eventually led to death, "we as believers are led to life and freedom. "Jesus's victory frees us from the power of sin. "And as his authentic ministers, "we get to walk in his triumphal procession, "transform from captives to participants in his kingdom. "Now Paul's point is this, "despite all the challenges that he had, "or the setbacks, or the changes in plans, "he remains thankful because Christ's victory is certain. "No matter what happens, God's kingdom will not fail. "The unexpected twists and turns of ministry "can't derail God's ultimate plan "to make Christ known throughout the whole world. "And friends, this isn't just something "that's happening sometime in the future "that we have to look forward to. "It's happening right now, today, as the gospel spreads. "Jesus himself tells us in John chapter 16, "I have said these things to you, "that in me, you may have peace. "In the world, you will have tribulation, "but take heart, I have overcome the world. "And Jesus reminds us that although we face "many hard times in our ministries, "we can have peace knowing that he has already won. "No matter our struggles, Christ is in control, "and his triumph should give us hope. "And this should give us incredible confidence "because Jesus has already won, "so when our plans in ministry go off course, "we can trust that Christ still reigns. "Even when we hear of missionaries being killed, "our missionary in Congo being sick, "when it looks like enemies of the gospel "is gaining ground, we can stand firm, "knowing that the war is already won. "And yes, dare I say that even when we witness pastors "and ministers fall into sin and ruin their own ministries, "we can still be confident that the gates of hell "will not prevail against Christ and his church. "And so let's be encouraged friends, "authentic ministry is triumphant, "and not because of us, but because of Jesus." Now, the third thing that portals us about authentic ministry is that it spreads everywhere through human instruments. Paul says in verse 14, "Christ, through us, spreads the fragrance "of the knowledge of him everywhere. "Christ, through us, spreads the knowledge of him everywhere." You know, the gospel was never intended to stay confined to the original disciples. After Jesus' resurrection before he ascended to heaven, he got his disciples together with one clear singular mission. He said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, "baptizing them in the name of the Father "and of the Son of the Holy Spirit, "teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. "And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age." Now, Jesus could have chosen many, many different ways to spread his kingdom. Remember that time he said the rocks would cry out if the children were not crying out. And in the Old Testament, God used donkeys to speak his message. But instead he chooses us, human instruments, to be his means of spreading the gospel. Every follower, every disciple of Christ is called to be his ambassador. Now, we call this the Great Commission. A commission is an authoritative command like those given in the military. Disabaying orders in the military can have serious consequences like a court martial, or perhaps you're not familiar with the military, but all of us are called to work in the workplace. So if your boss gives you instructions and you choose not to follow them, what happens? You could lose your job, right? And your means to a livelihood. And kids, you receive commissions all the time when your parents ask you to do something. And when you don't obey, well, they're usually consequences, aren't they? Now, in this case, the Great Commission comes directly from King Jesus. It's for every Christian and the command is simple. Go into the world, go wherever you are, and go and make disciples. And so if you're a Christian this morning, do you realize you're appointed by Christ for authentic ministry? We may not be a poor, but we are commanded to authentic ministry. And this isn't an optional add-on. You may not be called to move to another country, but your mission field is right here, in your homes, in your workplace, in your neighborhood, in your church. God's plan is to use human instruments like you and me to grow his kingdom through authentic ministry. And this leads us to a fourth description of what that looks like. Paul tells us that authentic ministry is divisive because the knowledge of Christ divides people. In verses 15 and 16, Paul explains that to those who are being saved, authentic ministry is like a sweet fragrance, a scent that brings life. But to those who are perishing, it's like a stench. Let's read this with me. For we are the aroma of Christ to God, amongst those who are being saved and amongst those who are perishing. To one, a fragrance from death to death, and to the other, a fragrance from life to life. We go back to this picture of that victorious ruler returning from the battle with a grand parade in the city. And in that time, people would toss flowers and petals to welcome the hero back. Today, you can think about it, something like the baseball team winning the World Series and coming home to a ticket tape parade. But instead of confetti, they used petals and they would also burn incense so that the whole city would smell like victory. Of course, not everyone likes the smell of flowers, do they? Some people find it pleasant, and others find it really yucky. And Paul uses this image to describe that authentic ministry has the same effect. Some will find the message of Christ's sweet and beautiful and life-giving, while others will hate it and reject it. In his previous letter in the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul says the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing. But to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. Why do people find the gospel so hard to accept? Jesus tells us in the book of John chapter three, he says, "But this is the judgment. "The light has come into the world. "And people loved darkness rather than the light "because their works are evil. "For everyone who does wicked things hates the light "and does not come to the light, "less his works be exposed." The truth is people resist the gospel because it exposes their sin and their need for a savior. No one likes being told that they're wrong or that they're sinful or they're deserving of judgment. It takes real humility to admit that even our best efforts are like rags before God. And it takes even more humility to come bow down before him, confess our sins before him, and to openly want to receive this free gift of grace and salvation. And so while we recognize that authentic ministry is divisive, let us also approach those who reject the gospel with much grace and patience, just like God has done to us. Let's continue to pray that God will open their hearts. And so as we leave this section on what authentic ministry looks like, let me ask you, who is Jesus to you? Is the message of his sacrifice something you cherish? Or does it actually make you feel uncomfortable? Like a stench? Because it reminds you of your need for forgiveness. It reminds you of your need to turn to him. If you're not sure, let me encourage you to reflect on this and to turn to him today, because Jesus offers life and hope and peace to all those who would come to him. And for those who are called to the faith and who confess to be Christians, these verses should encourage us to be bold, to share the gospel and to serve in authentic ministry. Authentic ministry may feel daunting at times. I know I worry about rejection and failure and attacks. But let's not lose sight of the victory we share in Christ. Yes, there'll be challenges. There'll be those who find the gospel to be something that is just bad for them, that they'll hate. But there will also be those who find the gospel to be a fragrance of life. And there'll be those who through your ministry will be brought to salvation. That's the triumph of authentic ministry. It's not about our success or our perfection, but it's about Christ's victory working through us. And knowing this should stir us up to greater courage and greater love as we serve others. So let's be encouraged this morning to be engaged in authentic ministry. And let us use, let us let God use us to bring life to others. Now let's move on to the second part of our sermon where we see Paul describing the demands of authentic ministry. Paul asks a very profound question in verse 16. He says, who is sufficient for these things? Paul is saying here, the demands of authentic ministry are so great, the responsibility, so great, because at least in life or death, who can handle it? It's overwhelming. Now this is meant to be a rhetorical question, because the simple answer is when you consider the eternal consequences of ministry, when you consider the eternal consequences of the gospel, no one, no one is sufficient for these things. None of us are well equipped. And that's the whole point. Authentic ministry demands that we rely on God's strength and sufficiency, not our own strength and sufficiency. And this reliance is made possible because of the Holy Spirit who empowers us for ministry. We can't carry out God's work by our own abilities. It's the Holy Spirit who gives us wisdom and boldness and endurance. Paul reminds us that authentic ministry belongs to God. He says that his ministry is commissioned by God in the side of God. And because Paul was commissioned by God, he knows he's simply an ambassador, an instrument. His job is to carry out the king's instructions, use the king's resources, rely on the king's strength. And additionally, Paul was aware that he was always speaking in God's presence and that he would one day have to give an account. He says, we speak in Christ, in the sight of God. And because of this, Paul also recognises that authentic ministry demands sincerity. In verse 17, he says, we are not like so many others, peddlers of God's word, but we are men of sincerity. Now, in Paul's time, as in ours, there are many people who enter the ministry for all the wrong reasons. Think, for example, about Simon, the magician, in the book of Acts. He wanted the Holy Spirit to be on him so that he could perform miracles. Why? So that he could make some money. And these peddlers of God's word saw ministry as a way to gain something for themselves, not as a life and death mission to honour God and to save people from judgment. And they devised the best marketing schemes and business plans to help drive profits. And sadly, things haven't changed, have they? We still see a lot of charismatic preachers today who peddle self-help advice sprinkled with Christian values. And they've built an entire ministry around them with books and podcasts and television shows and social media posts. But their focus is not on gospel or on eternal matters. But Paul says he's not like that. He contrasts himself with those who peddle God's word for personal gain. He says that he is a man of sincerity, faithfully proclaiming the unfiltered gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul wasn't willing to compromise or water down the gospel. He spoke exactly what God had given him to say, even though it made his ministry divisive. Now this is an important reminder for us this morning because the gospel in many churches today is subtly shifting. There are many evangelical churches today that no longer practice sincerity. And it's important for you to know that because children, kids, teenagers, one day you'll grow up. You'll go off to college. You'll start visiting churches yourself. There are visitors here amongst our midst who need to know what is the gospel and what is authentic ministry. The focus of many of these churches have shifted from Christ to you. Let's take some examples that Great Gilbert highlights in his excellent book, What is the Gospel? Listen to this, the good news, the gospel is that God wants to show you his incredible favor. He wants to fill your life. He wants you to get rid of all those old negative mindsets that hold you back. Or the message of Jesus is revolutionary. The message is that God is here, advancing by reconciliation, by expanding faith and hope and love. Believing this good news is great so you can learn to live by it and be part of that revolution. Or the good news is that God's face will always be turned towards you. Regardless of what you've done, regardless of where you've been, how many mistakes you've made, He loves you and is turned in your direction. He's looking for you. Now, do you see the problem here? These messages make the gospel sound like self-help rather than salvation. If we turn to the Bible, we find a much straightforward message. Romans 6, 23. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 15. For I delivered to you as a first importance, what I also received, that Christ died for your sins, accordance with the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. We'll see in a couple of weeks. Second Corinthians chapter five. For our sake, He made Him to be sin, who knew no sin, so that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God. The gospel is about reconciliation with God, not self-improvement. It's good news only because it addresses the bad news that we are sinners under the judgment of a holy and righteous God. God is angry, not just at your sin, but at you, and unless and until you come to Him in repentance and faith, there can be no reconciliation. The Bible tells us that we were created to have a perfect relationship with God, but we broke that relationship by choosing to go our own way instead of this. We chose to be rebellious, and the Bible calls this sin, and it brought about awful consequences. It brought about death and separation, but God in His love provided a solution, and that is His Son, Jesus Christ. He lived a perfect life, died in our place for our sins, and He rose again on that third day to defeat death. And the Bible tells us that Jesus is the only way back to God. Through Him, we can be forgiven and restored. The gospel is about a relationship, about a relationship with a real person, a real God, not just morals and values, and feel good advice. Many churches skip over the hard parts of the gospel, sin and judgment and repentance, and they turn the message into a religion that's focused on self. But friends, we're called to share the true gospel, the authentic gospel with sincerity. And so authentic ministry demands sincerity. We're called to be men and women who speak the truth plainly in God's sight. Our role is to be ambassadors just to share the king's message. And so let me ask you this. Are you a person of sincerity? When it comes to the gospel, are you willing and able to share this pure and unadulterated message? First Peter three tells us that we can honor Christ as holy when we are always prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that is in us. If you find it hard or difficult to share the gospel or to articulate your testimony, know that you're not alone. If this is an area where you struggle, let me encourage you to take steps to grow. Start this afternoon by writing down your own testimony, how you came to know Christ, how he opened your eyes to sin, how you experienced his grace and salvation. This simple act of reflection can help you understand the gospel better and help you communicate it clearly. And then practice sharing it, share it with your spouse, a close friend, someone from the church, practice telling your testimony. And yes, I know it will feel awkward at first, but remember, it's not about being perfect, it's about obedience to Christ. Trust that the power is not in you, but in the message itself. Your role is to simply be faithful in sharing it. And as you step out in obedience, remember that God works through us. God will use these words because they're his words, not our words. Even when we feel inadequate, God is faithful to use our obedience for his glory. And so let's commit to being a people of sincerity here, trusting that God will work through our obedience and through his message, even when we feel inadequate. And finally, we come to the last part of our sermon, and that is the demonstration of authentic ministry. As Paul talks about his ministry, his conscious about not coming across as defensive, because he's had a lot of back and forth with the church in Corinth, right? And there's a reason for this. There were certain troublemakers in the Corinthian church who had made accusations against him, one of which was that he lacked the proper credentials. They questioned his authority and his legitimacy because he wasn't flaunting his five-star yelp review everywhere he went, like the false teachers were. But as we know, these accusations were completely false. We know from parts of the Bible that Paul had every reason to boast about his background. He was from the tribe of Benjamin. He called himself a Hebrew of Hebrews. He had been trained under the most famous Jewish teacher, Gamelio, one of the leading authorities in the Jewish council. He came from a place called Tarsus. It was a very enlightenment and intellectual city. He was fluent in Greek. He knew Greek culture really well. And he had the credentials of being a Roman citizen. But most importantly, most importantly, his credentials were rooted in his direct encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. And if anyone had a perfect resume for ministry, it was Paul. Yet despite all of this, Paul chooses not to engage in this tit-for-tat of credential comparison. He says simply in chapter three, verse one and two, are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Rhetorical question, no, I'm not going to do that. Or do we need to, as some do, or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts to be known and read by all. Paul did not feel the need to defend his credentials with letters of recommendations. He didn't rely on written endorsements or other human validation. Instead, he pointed to the people whom his ministry had touched. He says, in fact, look, look at a people who have been transformed by the gospel through my ministry. These are my letters of recommendation. The proof of Paul's authentic ministry wasn't in official documents or glowing reviews. It was in the lives of those people he ministered to. And Paul is pointing to the Corinthians themselves as the evidence of his authenticity. You see, authentic ministry produces genuine, transformative change. Not by human effort, but by the power of Jesus. Transformation is what differentiates authentic ministry from false ministry. And this change in the Corinthians lives is the ultimate demonstration that Paul's ministry was genuine and empowered by the Holy Spirit. And this change is not just a superficial one. It's a heart level transformation. Paul says in verse three, and you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts. And this verse should immediately make us think about what we read early in Ezekiel 36, where God promised to take away our hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh. He puts his spirit in us so that we can walk in his ways and live according to his will. Now, this isn't human effort. It's a divine miracle. Let's look at some other pictures in the Bible of how the Bible describes this miracle. Scripture tells us it's a change from slavery to freedom, from darkness to light, from death to life. It's a new creation. It's like a camel going through the eye of a needle. It's like a second birth. This clearly is not a self-help program. This is a radical overhaul of our very nature. And this transformation isn't just for the people that Paul ministered to. It's not just for the church and current. It's for every single one of us, as Christians, we should expect to see God working in our lives, changing our hearts, our attitudes, our behavior so that we more and more reflects Christ. If we're involved in authentic ministry, transformation will be evident in our own lives as well as the lives of those whom we serve. Now, notice also that when God changes a person's heart, it's evident to all, it's evident to everyone. Authentic ministry doesn't just produce this inner peace, this warm feeling inside. It's not just something that happens within and stays within. Paul writes, you are a letter written with a spirit of the living God to be known and read by all. Not just by Paul, not just by those within the church, but by everyone in that debauched city of Corinth. Paul's point is clear, when God changes a person's heart, it shows up in their lives. Authentic ministry produces fruit that is evident to everyone around them, visible in the behavior and in the relationships. Remember the context in which Paul was writing. The believers in Corinth lived in a society that was marked by extreme immorality. Even by the loose standards of those times, it was very, very bad. The culture around them was filled with idol worship, sexual immorality, indulgence of all kinds. They had temple prostitutes. But when the gospel took hold of their hearts, everything changed. They reputed their sinful lives and instead became living testimonies to the power of the gospel. Their lives became characterized by a slow, but sure desire to faith and to unity, and to a growing commitment to holiness. This kind of change is the ultimate evidence of what authentic ministry looks like. Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter six, such were some of you, such were some of you. There were people in the church that were addicted to sex, addicted to idols, addicted to all kinds of things, but their lives had been changed. And friends, I just wanna emphasize this morning that there are no carnal Christians in the Bible. I don't know if you're familiar with that saying, carnal Christians. Carnal Christians are people who claim to be Christians who intellectually may understand the gospel, but whose lives just remain unchanged. When someone encounters the gospel, their whole life is affected. It's as visible as someone who proudly belongs to their favorite sports team, who supports them. I know it's college football season right now, so I apologize, but you should be proud that this humble Australian has come so far to learn about college football. So let me use a college football analogy. Think about a passionate sports fan. I have a dear friend who is a diehard Texas A&M supporter. I don't need them to tell me about it, and they don't have to go about announcing it. I can see it. They proudly wear that big old Texas A&M ring. They dress their kids in Texas A&M clothing, that red crimson. One day I invited them over for a barbecue and they pulled along their cooler with a big Texas A&M logo on it. One time I asked them, how was your date night last week? And they said, well, we went to college stadium and we participated in this cheer squad until way past midnight. It was clear that their identity as an Aggie wasn't just something they thought about, it was something they lived out, visible in everything that they did. When someone encounters Christ, their life changes in ways that everyone can see. Their actions and their words and the relationships are transformed, just like a passionate fan of a sports team makes it obvious who they support. A Christian's life should clearly show who they follow. It should clearly show that they follow Jesus. And this is the outward transformation that we see as the demonstration of truth in the gospel. So let me ask you this this morning. If you call yourself a Christian, it's your life, a letter for the world to read. To the people around you, your friends, your family, your colleagues, see the transformation that Christ has worked in you, not through the symbols or words or the art decor that we may have in our homes, but through your actions and through your conduct. As one minister powerfully puts it, if you were put on trial today for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Think about the person who led you to Christ, or who's had the most spiritual impact and influence on you. If they met you today, would they be proud to say, just as the Corinthians were Paul's letter of recommendation, would they be able to say that you are their letter of recommendation, that you are a demonstration of their ministry? And if not, why not? Perhaps there is a specific area where you know God is working and pushing you in your life. Perhaps there's an area where you've been resistant to his change. Jesus says in Matthew 5, you are the salt of the earth. But if a salt loses its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It's no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do people light up a lamp and put it under a basket. But on a stand and it gives light to all in the house, in the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. If your life is not a letter from Christ to be known by all, then see what Jesus says. It's not good for anything. Your life should be a light before others so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. And friends, as you can consider this, I do wanna make one more point. If you're listening to this and you feel like your life isn't the open book, isn't the testimony it should be, and you're humble enough to acknowledge that and your desires and see a repentance, then please don't walk away this morning feeling discouraged. God's work in us is a continual process and God's grace is sufficient to change that. That's what the Bible calls sanctification. And the transformation begins with grace, but it also grows as we walk with Him. And as we have seen over the last few weeks, the church in Corinth was far from perfect. Through the many words of encouragement, there were many words of rebuke as well. There were a lot of issues, but one defining characteristic about the church in Corinth was that they were willing to repent when they were corrected. And so if you are willing to repent this morning to be corrected, then I encourage you to turn to God this morning and confess your sin and ask Him to forgive you. Ask Him to continue growing you in His grace and then take heart because God works in us, transforming us for His own glory. Now as we close this morning, let me summarize again quickly. We're seeing that authentic ministry is about making Jesus known, relying on God's strength, sharing the unadulterated gospel. It's about living lives that are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. As we leave this morning, may we strive to live out this kind of ministry where our actions speak clearer than our words and where God's love is evident in everything that we do. Let's pray together that God will continue shaping us through His Spirit so that we may be like those letters that Paul described, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God to be read by all. Let us pray. [ Silence ]