A Shipwrecked Faith
2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:13
20We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
1As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 3We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 11We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 12We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also.
- Do we view God as an emergency contact or as a part of our very hearts?
- How might our walk with Christ express taking full advantage of God’s grace?
- How might our ministry be discredited by the action of any one of us who claim to be Christ followers?
- What do others see in us?
- Are we modeling what a journey looks like when our tanks stay filled up by the Holy Spirit? Or are we ‘running on empty’ and often running out of spiritual fuel?
- The 3 Simple Rules: Do no harm, do good, stay in love with God. (Rueben Job’s interpretation of John Wesley’s General Rules)
TODAY'S PREACHER
Debbie Reese is Co-Directing Pastor of Calvary UMC