Spiritual Ministry

Thank you, worship team.

That is a fitting song.

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Lord, be my vision, O ruler of all.

!

It really is the key.

That's the answer for how we can do what we're going to talk about this morning.

That we see that Jesus is not only the ruler of life, not only the one who calls the shots

in our life, not only the one who has supreme authority in life, but he's the one who governs

all of life.

Meaning, whatever happens to me, whether I think they're right or wrong, whether they

lead to a sense of hurt or injustice, that I see that Jesus, as the absolute ruler of

all, has all these things in order.

And he's working all of these things, not only for my good and for his glory, but for my best.

That's the key.

It won't happen any other way.

So before we even begin to talk about spiritual ministry, we have to really understand and orient

our heart towards the real motivation for spiritual ministry and what helps to anchor our soul,

anchor our activity in the midst of spiritual activity.

Because as we're going to see this morning, true spiritual ministry doesn't always lead us to happy places.

As a matter of fact, true spiritual ministry will lead you to some of the most difficult,

one of the most agonizing places of suffering and adversity and opposition and antagonism and criticism

and fill in the blank with any other word you want to use.

It is not a happy human experience.

So how do you go the distance if it is not for the stabilizing confidence in a God who is able to superintend

and rule over all of these things?

That's what grounds us in spiritual ministry that we've been called to.

Wherever that spiritual ministry might be.

That is the starting place.

And it's just not going to be worth it if Christ is not your supreme affection.

It is not going to be worth it.

So as I open us up this morning in prayer,

let's plead with God for he to be the supreme affection for our ministry.

Oh God, we come to you this morning as broken and desperate people.

Weak and frail and fractured in so many ways.

God, we need you to put those pieces together and forgive us even this week for the ways that we have not only displeased you,

but we have been rebels.

We have absolutely opposed the true word that we know in our hearts.

We know what you've called us to,

and yet we have decided to find pleasure in other things

and to gratify ourselves in other ways.

To have it now instead of having it later and having it in the best way that you choose for us.

So as a starting point, Lord, this morning, we just come and we pray for your forgiveness.

We pray for your mercy.

We pray for your cleansing and for your help on our time today.

We cannot be people who are involved in spiritual ministry without the God who creates spiritual ministry in us.

Who leads us to spiritual ministry.

Who makes us fit for spiritual ministry.

And then, by your grace, gives us the opportunity to be involved in spiritual ministry wherever we might be.

So, Lord, as we come to this passage, I pray that you would connect it to our hearts and our situations

in the specific ways that each person who is here this morning needs it applied.

What a diverse group that we have here.

Older and younger.

Those who are in school and those who are not.

Those who are working and those who are retired.

And those with families and those who don't.

And you know each situation this morning.

And you know how to connect this word to each individual.

And so I pray, Lord, that you would do that work.

Forgive us for the arrogance that would say that we have arrived.

Help us to submit ourselves, Lord, to the teaching of your word this morning.

So we can walk out of this place being refreshed, being renewed, being encouraged, being exhorted and challenged.

Inspired to represent you well in this world.

As representatives, as ambassadors of the only one that matters.

Ambassadors for Christ.

Lord, there are so many people this morning in this service who are wrestling with real and tangible hurts.

We need you to overcome our hurts.

Our pains.

Those are real pains.

Real hurts.

We need the comfort of God to comfort us.

So that we can have the ministry of comfort.

So that we can comfort others with the same comfort with which we ourselves have been comforted by God.

That too is a ministry.

That you use our pain to encourage others around us.

And Lord, you use your word.

The word that you have spoken to us directly and you have connected to our hearts.

You have used that as an opportunity for us to then encourage and exhort others as well.

Help us to be faithful to the word we know.

Help us to be ready vessels.

Ready for the ministry that you have placed right in front of us.

We pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.

I had a friend text me this week and ask me this question.

He said, what is a disciple?

What is a disciple?

That's kind of an important question, wouldn't you say?

Because if we're called to discipleship and we're called to be disciples,

then we kind of need to know the destination.

We kind of need to know where we're going.

We need to know how we, whether or not we're on the right road.

We need to know what sort of characteristics would be true of that individual so that we can help that person be a disciple.

My response to him was, well, a disciple is a Christ follower.

It makes sense.

We look in the gospel of Luke in particular and we see that Jesus is constantly saying to the people that he's in connection with,

follow me.

It begins with being a Christ follower and the consistent testimony of a life that is following Christ is certainly indicative of a disciple.

His question back to me then was, okay, what is a Christ follower?

Because that is so broad and so general.

And I sarcastically said, well, it's a disciple.

Shoot.

I guess it wasn't a very good answer.

I said, well, obviously you know what a disciple and a Christ follower is,

so help me overcome some of the Sunday school answers that we tend to have.

But I don't think it's complex.

I don't think it needs to be sophisticated.

Because the message of Christ is a message of simplicity.

It's a message that he advocates that even a young child should be able to understand this, these truths,

and yet deep enough to inform the heart of the strongest believer.

And it really boils down to, yes, this person is a Christ follower.

And the more you follow after Christ, the more you realize how difficult it is to do.

To really not only embrace Christ, but to reflect the heart, the actions, the attitude, the motives, the priorities,

and the faith of Christ to the world.

That's what we've been called to.

To be a Christ follower.

But how does that look?

What form does that take?

And I think Paul helps to fill that out for us in our study this morning.

But maybe to kind of summarize it in an encapsulating statement,

we find in Colossians chapter 3, verse 23, this verse.

Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work heartily, ask for the Lord, and not for men.

Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as you, your reward.

You are serving the Lord Christ.

That really is the anthem of the message this morning.

Your spiritual ministry is first ministry to God.

Be thou my vision, ruler of all.

Anchor my soul in the understanding, in the truth,

that everything I do and everything I am is first oriented to you.

That's the only way true spiritual ministry can happen.

But we get some details.

This morning in our passage in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2.

1 Thessalonians 2 · chapter mention

I see this breaking down in three different ways.

First, Paul gives us a testimony of spiritual ministry.

He gives us his personal testimony of what this looks like.

How can you begin to see and differentiate between true spiritual ministry and that which is false?

Because there are certain indicators that help us recognize what true spiritual ministry is all about.

What does a ministry that is oriented first to God look like?

So Paul gives us several verses that begin to talk about what his testimony of spiritual ministry is.

And by the way, although Paul is speaking from his own experience,

he's talking about what spiritual ministry looks like.

I want us all to recognize this morning that you are a spiritual minister.

Regardless of your title, regardless of your occupation, regardless of your social standing,

you are a spiritual minister today.

And that there is a ministry that only you can accomplish.

There is a ministry that God has ordained for you to do.

We find that in Ephesians chapter 2.10.

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

You are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works.

There is a work, a ministry that only you can do this morning.

So wherever you find yourself, God has called you to spiritual ministry in that context.

Maybe even as a young person in a family, God has called you to ministry in your family,

to your siblings, to your parents, to your friends in your community,

to your friends at school, wherever you might be.

God has called you, if you are a child of his, to a spiritual ministry.

But as Paul begins to describe this ministry, we begin to see how distinctive this ministry is.

How different that ministry is than what we would expect spiritual ministry to look like.

Let me just read the first couple of verses,

because Paul begins by calling attention to the commitment that is required in true spiritual ministry.

That's our first point this morning.

The commitment of true spiritual ministry, serving at all costs.

Let me read verses 1 and 2 of chapter 2.

I don't know about you, but this is not a great way to call people to ministry.

This isn't a good way to say, hey, this is really attractive.

You should try it too.

If you're going to be involved in spiritual ministry, it's going to require a bit of commitment.

Commitment at all costs.

Now, Paul here refers to his suffering in Philippi, because that's what would have been fresh.

That's what would have been familiar to the church of Thessalonica,

given the fact that Paul had just left Philippi to then make his way there to Thessalonica to serve there.

But make no mistake, in his first and second and third missionary journey,

every place, I can't think of any, and maybe you can help me,

every place that Paul went, he was met with opposition.

Every single place.

In his first missionary journey, he goes to Cyprus first.

And he's opposed by Elimus, the magician.

And God works there through the heart of the Pearl Council.

Does some work, but he's opposed.

Then he sets sail to Paphos and come to the city of Perga,

and he's abandoned by John Mark.

John Mark leaves the team.

So then they go to Antioch and Pisidia.

And the Jews oppose him there and contradict them

and incite high-standing officials and the people

and stir up persecution among the town and drive them out.

So Paul goes to Iconium.

Iconium and Lystra, the region where Timothy grew up.

The unbelieving Jews there were stirred up,

and the Gentiles as well,

and they tried to stone Paul and Barnabas and his team.

So then they come to Lystra.

And that's where Paul was actually stoned.

They didn't just attempt it.

They dragged him out of the city

and threw stones at him until they thought he was dead.

They returned back to Antioch and Jerusalem,

and then they go on their second missionary journey,

and it doesn't go very well then either.

Paul tries to go to Asia,

but he's forbidden by the Holy Spirit.

He attempts to go to Bithynia,

but the door is closed.

Then he comes and he's told to go to Macedonia,

and the first town of Macedonia is the town of Philippi.

And we all know what happens in Philippi.

Things begin to go well,

but once Paul casts out a demon from a slave girl,

he's hauled before the marketplace,

he's attacked by the crowd,

he's beaten with rods,

and he's put in prison.

They move to Thessalonica,

and things don't go much better there.

You see, the same in Berea,

and the same in every other location

that Paul sets his mind to serve.

The point is this.

Serving at all costs

is what spiritual ministry looks like.

And Paul would say,

suffering is not a mark of failure.

Hear it.

Suffering is not a mark of failure.

And suffering is not a mark of God's displeasure.

And suffering is not a mark

of the adversary getting the upper hand.

Rather, suffering is a means of God's power.

In a way for God to authenticate

his messenger and his message.

It is the way to crystallize

in the minds of the people

who are being served.

Ah, this is one who means what he says.

This is one who has the fortitude by God

to press on in the midst of adversity.

And as Peter would say in chapter 4

of his little letter,

don't be surprised by the fiery trial

when it comes upon you

to test you as though

something strange were happening,

but rejoice insofar

as you share Christ's sufferings

that you may also be glad

when his glory is revealed.

If you are insulted for the name of Christ,

you are blessed because the spirit of glory

and of God rests on you.

That's what suffering does.

Do you want the spirit of God

to rest on your life and ministry?

Do you want the power of God

to make your ministry,

your spiritual ministry to others

in your home,

in your school,

in your workplace,

in your community?

Do you want to make it efficient

and effective?

Then don't run from persecution.

Press in.

Press in and allow the spirit of glory

and of God to rest on you.

That is the promise.

That's pretty remarkable,

wouldn't you say?

The problem is that we so often

push against persecution.

We push against adversity.

We push against injustice in our lives.

We push against those things

and by pushing against those things,

we push against God.

That's the danger.

Suffering marked Paul's ministry

time and time again.

And through suffering,

God showed himself faithful.

And God made his gospel

effective and fruitful.

Suffering is a means

of seeing God do his work

for you

and in you

and through you.

Second,

Paul points to the motive

of ministry.

Not only his commitment

to ministry,

serving at all costs,

but his motive for ministry,

which is serving

to please God.

Let me read for us

verses 3 to 6.

It says this,

For our appeal

does not spring

from error or impurity

or any attempt

to deceive,

but just as we have been

approved by God

to be entrusted

with the gospel,

so we speak.

Not to please men,

but God

who tests our hearts.

For we never came

with words of flattery,

as you know,

nor with a pretext

for greed.

God is witness.

Nor did we seek glory

from people,

whether from you

or from others,

though we could be made,

have made demands

as apostles of Christ,

but we were gentle

among you.

And we'll get to that piece

in a second.

Paul begins to describe

the purity

of the ministry

that he had

among the Thessalonian church.

He commends it

in particular

because at this point

in time,

even at the very

beginning stages

of the development

of this church,

Paul was facing

significant criticism.

False teachers

assailed him,

as they often do

other faithful shepherds,

by impugning his character

and challenging

his authority.

Thus,

the opening statements

we find in chapter 2

is this polemic

that Paul gives

in defense

of his ministry

to the church

of Thessalonica.

In spite of the purity

of Paul's life

and the transforming power

of his message,

the enemies

of the gospel

were having some success

in convincing

the Thessalonians

that Paul

and his companions

were wicked

in their intentions.

So Paul needs

to go about

demonstrating

the purity

of his message

in the gospel

ministry

to this church.

He pushes

against

the accusations

that are being levied

against him

as a missionary.

He says in verse 3,

there is no error.

There was no impurity.

There was no deception.

There was no flattery,

no greed

or desire

for personal glory.

There were no demands

that we made of you

as we could have

as apostles.

Just the pure,

untainted,

radiant message

of the word.

There were no

ulterior motives.

Paul walks through

this piece by piece.

He says,

you may essentially

feel that we had

ulterior motives

but we have been

approved

by God.

Notice the number

of times

that he points

their attention

to the fact

that God

is at the front

and center

of their ministry

and he is at

the end point

of their ministry.

He's the one

who got this all going.

He's the one

who initiated this

to begin with.

We have been

approved by him

and entrusted

by him

to do the work.

We wouldn't be here

if it wasn't for the fact

that God had told us

to come.

We wouldn't be here

unless God had given us

the strength

to overcome

the adversity

that we had experienced

in every single place

that we have been.

He's the one

who gave us boldness.

He's the one

who fanned the flames

of our hearts

to serve in this way.

He's the one

who gave us endurance

to overcome.

He's the one

whose message

we bring to you.

He's the one

who sustains us

in this work.

We have been approved

by God.

And you may feel

that we had ulterior motives

but our primary aim

is to please God

and not

to please men.

I've recognized

in my own life

how difficult

that is

and how subtle

how subtle

the indications are

that my heart

and my desire

for ministry

is really

man-centered

rather than God-centered.

Oh, it is subtle.

To be involved

in ministry

and to walk away

feeling

as though

you didn't perform

the way you wanted to.

There is

a sense

that you didn't meet

your own expectations.

Well,

why would you be

concerned about that

if you are

trusting

in a God

who is able

to make

your ministry

successful

and fruitful

regardless of how

terrible you communicate

that God's

ministry

in the heart

will be effective

in spite of you

because of the power

of his word.

Who are you trusting in?

your ability

to

convey the truth

or God's ability

to make that truth

grow

in a life.

The

desire to be

up front

or

the

jealousy

that we feel

when others

get certain positions

that we want

or the

idea that

there's no way

we're going to serve

in a certain ministry

because it's just

not up my alley.

It's not my passion.

It's just

it's

children's

ministry.

I can tell you

that God

by his grace

has given me

more refreshment

in areas

of ministry

I didn't feel

like I was

inclined to

because it gave him

the opportunity

to show up.

it gave him

the opportunity

to demonstrate

to me

in my arrogant

heart

that it is

he

who creates

the ministry

work

not me.

It's not built

on my

personal

giftedness

but it's

based upon

the power

of God

alone.

We'll never

get there

if our

orientation

is to please

men

and not to

please God.

in his

mind

it is

offensive.

Paul

points to this

in Galatians

1.10

when he says

for am I

now seeking

the approval

of men

or of God

or am I

trying to

please men

if I were

still trying

to please

men

I would

not

be a

servant

of Christ.

You can't

have it

both ways.

maybe Paul

was also

saying this

you may

feel that

we had

ulterior

motives

but it

is God

who tests

our hearts.

He says

that

there in

verse 4b

God is

the one

who approves

us for

ministry

and God

is the one

who tests

us

throughout

the ministry.

ministry

we are

accountable

to him

and by

the way

God knows

the very

depths of

our hearts

doesn't he?

There is no

masquerade

with God

he sees

to the very

heart

of the matter

and Paul

says

I am open

and laid

bare

to the

penetrating

gaze

of God

and he

is the

one

who is

testing

our

ministry.

He is

the one

who is

approving

us

for

ministry.

And there is

a sense

of refreshment

in Paul's

heart

that says

whatever may

happen

in this

place

happens

because

God is

in control.

I am

trusting

in him.

Finally

you may

feel that

we have

ulterior

motives

but God

is witness

we see

that in

verse 5.

God

testifies

to the

authenticity

of our

faith

by doing

his work

in

lives

and

you

have

personally

witnessed

it.

He has

been

talking

about

that

since

chapter

1.

The

fact

that

they have

responded

to the

word

and the

Holy

Spirit

has

done

a

work

in

their

life.

And it

is

refreshing

for the

apostle Paul

to see

that God

is giving

witness

to the

authenticity

of the

ministry

that Paul

had

by confirming

that in

the work

of the

people

that Paul

was in

touch

with.

God

is witness.

Nothing

is hidden

from his

sight.

There is

no secret

motive,

no hidden

agenda,

no interest

in profiting

from you

or taking

advantage

of you.

God

has approved

us,

tested

us,

and given

witness

to the

purity

of our

ministry.

I would

say,

the

greater

the

purity

of your

ministry,

the

greater

the

effectiveness

of the

work

that God

can accomplish

through you.

Now

moving on

to verses

7 and

8.

That was

the testimony

of spiritual

ministry.

Now we

get to

see a

little bit

of the

tenderness,

the

tenderness

of spiritual

ministry.

ministry.

The

tenderness

of spiritual

ministry.

Let me

read verses

7 and

8 to

you.

It says,

but we

were gentle

among you

like a

nursing

mother

taking care

of her

own

children.

So being

affectionately

desirous

of you,

we were

ready to

share with

you not

only the

gospel of

God,

but also

our own

selves,

because you

had become

very dear

to us.

Now,

I don't

know what

your

perception

of the

apostle

Paul is.

I think

of this

battle-weathered,

crusty,

bold guy

who's moving

from one

place to

the other,

and he's

got this,

I don't

know,

this courage,

this tenacity

that drives

him from

one city

to the

next.

And when

I think

of tenacity,

I think

of courage,

I think

of strength,

I don't

think of

tenderness.

And yet,

everywhere you

see the

apostle go,

there is

this great

affection for

the people

that he

serves.

There's no

wonder why

his ministry

was so

effective,

because he

didn't just

communicate the

truth to

them,

he gave

them his

very self.

There was

nothing that

was held

back from

you,

of me,

he says,

because I

wanted you

to have

it all.

I wanted

you to

have all

of me,

not just

my message,

but me

too.

I wanted

to invest

in your

life,

I wanted

to give

you what

you needed

most,

and that

is the

tenderness

and encouraging

ministry,

just like a

mother has

with a

child.

It's

interesting,

the play

on words

that Paul

uses here

in verse

7.

He says,

but we

were gentle

among you.

And there

are some

manuscripts

that would

use the

word

hapeoi,

which is

the word

gentleness,

or the

word

napioi,

which is

the word

infant.

And we

don't know

exactly which

one is

best here,

but they

both point

to the

same thing.

They both

point to

tenderness

and gentleness

and innocence

in ministry.

It's probably

actually best

to see this

as an

infant

among you,

because the

best manuscripts

use that

word,

and the

connotation

would be

we were

so innocent

and so

frail,

we came

without any

desire to

do anything

to you,

just to be

a blessing

to you.

And then to

move from

that metaphor

of being an

infant to now

talking about

being a

mom.

We're like

mothers to

you,

showing the

gentleness

and care

that only

comes from

a mom.

Any of you

who've had

kids,

and I'll

speak for

dads,

because that's

what I am.

You know,

the first couple

of days is

great,

you know,

so happy

to have this

little bundle

of joy

in your

house.

And the

couple of

sleepless

hours at night

is no

problem,

I can

handle it.

But then

after week

two,

it's like,

enough already.

But you

moms are

just amazing

because there

seems to be

this unending

affection and

gentleness for

your kids.

To the

extent that

the word

that Paul

uses here

of nursing

moms is

is the

word that

helps us

understand

the closeness

of a mom's

care for

her kids.

It's the

word that

is used

to describe

softness

and heat

to make

warm.

There is

this sense

of intimacy

and closeness

that can only

happen through

body heat.

It is the

sense that

Christ

communicates

when he

says,

follow me.

I don't

want there

to be

separation.

I want

there to

be

proximity.

It's the

same sense

we get

from John

John 15 · chapter mention

chapter 15

where he

says,

abide in

me and

I in

you.

I want

there to

be

nearness.

I want

there to

be

intimacy.

I look

forward to

the opportunity

to know

you

intimately

and to

love you

completely.

It was

also marked

by affection,

not only by

gentleness but

also by

affection.

He says

that here in

verse 8,

so affectionately

longing for

you, this

word is only

used in the

New Testament

right here in

1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2.

It is used of

grieving parents

whose child has

just died.

You can get a

sense of the

raw, emotional

grieving and

feeling of

Paul for this

church.

This emotional

outflow of

affection for

this group of

individuals, his

yearning for

them.

Paul would

say, this

affection led

us to give

you what was

essential for

spiritual life.

We gave you

everything we

had.

We gave you

what was best.

We gave you

what we knew

could lead to

ultimate joy.

Because that's

what spiritual

affection does.

Spiritual

affection understands

and discerns

between what is

good and what

is best.

What is

helpful and

what is

supreme.

Because we

understand as

parents that

sometimes our

kids ask for

things that

really aren't

very helpful in

the end.

But a truly

affectionate parent

will always give

their kids,

the people they

love, the very

best.

And that's what

Paul in his

ministry to this

church was

desiring to

do.

It was a

ministry that

pointed to

Christ because

it was a

ministry that

emulated the

love of Christ

to them.

I like what

one commentator

says when he

puts it this

way.

A gospel

messenger who

stands detached

from his

audience has

not yet been

touched by the

very gospel he

proclaims.

a gospel

messenger who

stands detached

from his

audience has

not yet been

touched by the

very gospel he

proclaims.

Maybe this

goes without

saying.

But you

cannot

communicate a

message effectively

without having

a heart that

truly loves the

audience that

you're speaking

to.

And so the

deeper the

relationships that

you have, the

deeper the

ministry that you

can participate

in with that

individual.

That's why we've

been talking about

the significance

of neighboring.

Having sincere

affection for the

people that God

has put in your

proximity, not only

in your community

but in your

workplace, wherever

you might be on a

regular basis

because the

ministry that you

have with them

will be dependent

upon a true

affection for

them that only

God can create

in your heart.

Paul uses these

endearing terms

throughout these

first three

chapters.

He says in

chapter 1,

verse 2,

we give thanks to

God for you.

In chapter 2,

verse 8,

so affectionately

desirous of you.

In chapter 2,

verse 20,

you are our

glory and our

joy.

In chapter 3,

verse 9,

for what

thanksgiving can

we return to

God for you,

for all the joy

that we feel for

your sake before

our God.

And there is no

other little

epistle that has

been written by

Paul that uses

the word brother

more than

first Thessalonians.

He had a heart

connection with

these people.

There's no wonder

why his ministry

to them was so

effective.

And finally,

we find in

verses 9 to 12,

we find a

ministry of

toil and

truth.

A spiritual

ministry of

toil and

truth.

It shows up in

three different

ways.

First, it shows

up through

personal sacrifice,

then through

personal holiness,

and finally,

through practical

teaching.

practical

teaching.

I got way

more than I

can say.

And so what I'll

probably do is

come back to this

portion later on,

because I think

this is really

significant.

But what I want

you to begin to

understand is what

makes this

ministry so

important,

is that it is a

ministry, not just

that emulates the

ministry of Paul,

but more importantly,

mimics the

ministry of the

Savior.

The Savior who

came in truth

and in grace

is the ministry

that we've been

called to emulate

in our own lives.

Maybe we can

close on just the

last chart that I

put together here.

It helps you see

the similarities.

authorities.

Maybe you can't

see that.

Shucks.

I want you to

know that verses

1 through 6,

or 1 through 8,

are parallel to

verses 9 to 12.

Okay?

The very things

you see in the

ministry of Paul,

like moms to the

church of Thessalonica,

are emulated by the

ministry that he has

just like dad to

the church.

So, he wants you

to understand that

they're inseparable.

That if you have the

one, that you're

going to have the

other.

If you have a

ministry of grace,

you're going to also

have a ministry of

truth.

If you're going to

look like moms in

your affection for

people that God has

put you in ministry

with, you're going

to look like dads

because that ministry

is going to be

bolstered and

strengthened by the

ministry of truth

and toil.

I mean, just for

your benefit, just

point some of these

things out.

Verse 1 says,

you yourselves

know.

Verse 9 begins

with, you

yourselves know.

In verse 2, it

says, we declare the

gospel of God.

In verse 9, we

proclaim the gospel

of God.

In verse 3, it's

our appeal, which

uses the word

periclesis.

In verse 12, it

says, we exhorted,

which uses the word

pericleo.

In verse 3, it

says, God tests

our hearts.

And in verse 5, it

says, God is our

witness.

And then in verse

10, you, our

witness, is in God

also.

In verse 3, we

didn't come with

impurity or

attempt to deceive.

In verse 5, we

never came with

flattery or with

greed.

And then in verse

10, we were

holy, righteous,

and blameless

towards you.

Verse 5, you

know how we

acted.

Verse 11, you

know how we

acted.

Verse 7, we

were like a

mother.

Verse 11 and

12, we were

like a father.

If you're going

to have true

spiritual ministry,

you need to be

like a mom.

You need to be

full of grace.

There needs to be

godly affection for

the people that God

has put you in touch

with.

But that can't be

lacking the spiritual

ministry like dad,

a ministry of toil

and truth.

The two go hand

in hand.

Because true

spiritual ministry

is a ministry

that emulates

our Savior,

a man of truth

and grace.

Oh, that we

would be like

our Savior.

Let's pray.

Thank you.