Clarifying Motives for Ministry

Transcript

GR 1118
2/10/1985
Clarifying Motives for Ministry
I Thessalonians 2:1-6
Gil Rugh

The Book of I Thessalonians in your Bible. I Thessalonians and the second chapter. We're moving rather slowly through our study of I Thessalonians looking at the pieces in some detail as Paul unfolds his heart to these that he was privileged to be involved in bringing to Jesus Christ and establishing in the Word a church that he started and did not have an opportunity to spend a long period of time with them. But the period of time he did have was very effective.

Paul writes back to them to encourage them in their faith.. He shares with them the joy that has come to him as he has heard of their faithfulness to Christ through times of persecution. Always concerned for new believers. How will they stand under the pressure? It's a special concern when you see new believers who are undergoing special intense pressure they might turn from the Word and from the Lord.

Paul is rejoicing in the testimony of the Thessalonians that the word of their faith has spread around in various places. In verse 8 of chapter 1 he said, "For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth so that we don't have need to say anything. Paul says, in effect, every place I go. Every place I have contact where I have people come and visit me, they have heard about what happened at Thessalonica and your faith is a tremendous testimony to the work of God.

Interesting, in the midst of this situation, Paul finds it necessary to defend himself against those who are attempting to discredit his ministry. It's interesting and important to note how often in Paul' s letters he is driven to a personal defense of himself. One of the major ways that Satan works is in the attempt to discredit the messengers of the Word of God. That's the way he worked with the apostle Paul. Paul would go in and carry on a ministry, be used of God to lead many to faith in Jesus Christ, to get them started in the Word. To establish them in a church situation. He would leave and immediately the servants of Satan would come in and begin to undermine what Paul had accomplished and a major impact that they would have is by undermining the confidence in the messengers. Discrediting Paul—oh, you don't understand Paul's motives are not what they seem to be. He's really after money. He's really after personal glory. He is really an immoral person. These kinds of things were said about Paul—a very difficult situation because he had to respond from a distance. He has to send messengers back or write letters back and it became a real burden to the apostle Paul and so we find him spending a fair amount of time in his letters with a personal defense. Not because he wanted to exalt himself. But if his own life was discredited, then naturally it cast a shadow over the word that he had proclaimed. And that's what is going on in chapter 2. Paul is presenting his own ministry. How he carried out the ministry. The integrity that characterized that ministry which helped to show that the truth of the Word of God was indeed truth. And you know, Paul's line of argument is very simple. You know what he tells them? Remember the ministry I had with you. All you have to do is stop and think about my ministry. Remind yourself of the focal point of the ministry I had with you.

The emphasis that centered on the Word of God and what His Son Jesus Christ had done. Look at the impact of that ministry in your life. That's so easy to overlook that. I believe that's the strongest testimony that could be offered for Paul's ministry. I believe that's the strongest testimony that could be offered for my ministry. If someone would question my motives in ministry, my purposes in ministry. You are my testimony to what the thrust of my ministry has been and what God has accomplished, through the Word as it has been ministered in this place and that's what Paul says. You know, and that's so simple, but we go by it because when criticisms come, when attack comes, we are drawn to that focal point. Was Paul really motivated to glorify God? Was Paul really pure in his approach? Was Paul doing it for personal gain? And you begin to raise those questions and you begin to try to think—maybe there were these things. Paul says back up and look and see what God did in my life and in my ministry. First thing he talks about is the effectiveness of that ministry beginning in verse 1. "For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain." The immediate connection to this is with verse 9 of chapter 1. "For they themselves report about us what kind of reception we had with you, how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God." Then to verse 1 of chapter 2. "For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain." And he addresses them as brethren to remind them of a close bond that they have together in Jesus Christ. That we are brethren; we are related; we have been joined together in a family by God.

You know, and you note that emphasis, you yourselves know brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. And that word "in vain" means it was not hollow. It was not devoid of content and power. It was not a ministry to no purpose and no effectiveness. This is parallel to what we had back in chapter 1 verse 5. "For our gospel did not come to you in word only." It just wasn't words that Paul spoke. But there was power there. There was a conviction of the Spirit there. It wasn't on an empty hollow ministry. You know the apostle Paul was really burdened about this whole matter of having a ministry in vain. A ministry that did not count. A ministry that was of no effect and no impact. Down in chapter 3 and verse 5 he'll mention this again. "For this reason when I could endure it no longer I also sent to find out about your faith for fear that the tempter might have tempted you and our labor should be in vain." See the idea that Paul is consumed by this idea. Whatever else he did he did not want to have a futile, empty, ineffective ministry. And how the Thessalonians turn out will be the testimony to the effectiveness of his ministry. If Satan is effective in turning them away from Paul and the ministry of the Word, Paul says, what good will I have accomplished at Thessalonica? It would be in vain.

Look at just a couple of other passages. Back in I Corinthians 15 he encourages believers with the reminder that our work in the Lord is not in vain. In I Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 58 he says "Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Why? Knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord." When we are working and serving the Lord it is not to no purpose. It is not an empty ministry. It is not devoid of power and content. We need to be encouraged by that and Paul was concerned. In effect, I must say, Paul was concerned with the results. We sometimes say it doesn't matter. All we do is minister the Word and that's all that matters. The rest is in God's hands and I believe that. But I believe that within the overall framework of Scripture. We minister the Word so something will happen So lives will be changed. I don't feel satisfied that I just stand and teach or preach the Word in this place. I want to do that in such a way that the Spirit takes the Word and lives are transformed, that we are made new creatures in Christ and matured to be more like Him. Look over in Galatians chapter 2. Paul talks about how he conducted himself so that his ministry might not be in vain. In Galatians chapter 2 and verse 2. "And it was because of a revelation that I went up and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles. But note. But I did so in private to those who were of reputation for fear that I might be running or had run in vain. Feel this concept and thought of a futile empty ministry. A ministry that doesn't have an impact controls Paul. And he evaluates everything on how will this affect the impact of the gospel that I'm preaching. Just one other passage. Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2 verse 16. Paul encourages the Philippians to right conduct of life. Verse 16. "Holding fast the word of life so that in the day of Christ I might have cause to glory because I did not run in vain or toil in vain." Then he says I want you Philippians to turn out right. Why? Because when I stand before Jesus Christ I want you there as testimony to the faithfulness and effectiveness of my ministry. Not because Paul would get glory for it but because there was a testimony that God was working in and through him with the Word of God. We ought never lose sight of that. Our goal is not just to get the Word out every place we can. Our goal is to get the Ward out every place we can so that the Spirit can use it to transform and change lives and that is the testimony to the effectiveness and validity of a ministry. What is the Word of God doing in lives? Are people coming to know Christ? Are the people who know Christ growing and maturing in their walk and relationship to Him.

Come back to I Thessalonians chapter 2. Now Paul draws their attention back to the circumstances surrounding his coming to Thessalonica. You remember what it was like when he came to Thessalonica. Verse 2. "But after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amidst much opposition." Paul came to Thessalonica from Philippi. We don't have time to go back. You can read about it in Acts chapter 16. They had suffered at Philippi. I take it the reference there is to the fact that they were flogged at Philippi. Beaten. And that's a horrible punishment. Such a severe punishment that it was forbidden to publicly flog a Roman citizen and when Paul reveals after his flogging that he is a Roman citizen it causes great consternation in Philippi and fear among the rulers. So you get some idea. This wasn't just a paddling on the bottom. This was a beating that lacerated the back and laid it open. Then they were put in stocks in the inner prison and not only had they suffered—they had been mistreated and the emphasis on this mistreating is the public humiliation. So we had undergone physical suffering and public humiliation. They had been arrested unjustly. They had been stripped naked of their clothes. Treated like dangerous, vile criminals. Publicly humiliated. Physical suffering. Public humiliation.

And it was out of this context and environment now that he comes to Thessalonica. Now why is Paul telling them this? Well, the natural response would be to refrain from proclaiming the message that had caused such difficulty in the city they just left. If Paul was looking for personal glory and honor he should have learned something from his experience at Philippi but, in verse 2, when he came to Thessalonica you note he says in the middle of the verse. "We had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God." We had the boldness. Word here that relates to the freedom and the confidence to preach the gospel. It's a compound word that means all speech and it denotes that freedom that a person has to be confident and bold in a proclamation. They are without restraint, if you will, in their proclamation. So boldness or confidence gives you the idea of the word. So rather than as you would humanly expect them to come from Philippi with the suffering and humiliation they had undergone, to come rather timidly now to Thessalonica and be walking on eggshells, if you will. Paul says we came with complete liberty and confidence and boldness. This word incidentally is always used in the New Testament of the preaching of the gospel. Used repeatedly in the Book of Acts in the context of the proclamation of the gospel. And it's a supernatural work where the Spirit of God gives a liberty and a freedom and a boldness in that proclamation and you'll note here it's the boldness in our God. We sometimes forget.

I have to admit as I study the New Testament and Paul's writings, it's easy to slide over and think of Paul and other apostles as super-Christians, and you know, human, but not human. I mean they didn't have the same fears that I have. They didn't have the same personal problems that I have. They didn't have the same personal fears that I have although that's not the case. We have boldness, but we have boldness in our God. This is a supernatural provision. The unshakable confidence and boldness that comes from the assurance that God's in control, that it's His Word and His message and why should I fear what men might do to me. So we have the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God. Focal point of the Apostle Paul's ministry was the gospel that had been revealed to him. In Galatians chapter 1, verses 11 and 12, Paul said that the gospel was a supernatural revelation that he had received from God. That's the point here. It's the gospel that comes from God. And important to note here, that the single driving point, focal point, in the Apostle Paul's ministry was the gospel that God had revealed. Whatever else you note about the Apostle Paul. Whatever else Paul is noted for, he is noted as a preacher of the gospel that God had revealed and we don't find Paul in his ministry becoming sidetracked into other things. His life is riveted and focused on that ministry to proclaim the revelation that God has given. And that's what matters and that's what counts. I challenge you—that's the kind of singleness of purpose we need. Whatever else we are about as a church, we must be noted as a place where the truth of God, the revelation of God, is faithfully proclaimed and made known. There may be a lot of things we don't do, a lot of things we do, but in it all there must be one overriding purpose and goal—to proclaim the revelation that God has given.

Encouraging word at the end of verse 2. "To speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition. The Apostle Paul had amazing ministry. And I quite frankly don't have that same desire to be like Paul. In one sense I do and in another sense I don't. Because, you know, Paul went from one battle to another. When he left Philippi, having been beaten within an inch of his life, we might say.
Publicly humiliated. He came to Thessalonica and things got easier. That's not what he says here. He proclaimed the gospel but it was amid, in the midst of much opposition. You know that word "opposition". We carry it over into English. You know what the word is—agony. It's an athletic word. There noted the intense struggle and conflict that goes on. This is not token opposition or sparring, if you will. There's a word that denotes intense conflict and struggle. Paul left that kind of situation at Philippi and comes into the same situation at Thessalonica. And he expected it wherever the gospel was going to be proclaimed.

Look at two passages with me. Just after I Thessalonians, II Thessalonians. I Timothy. Look at I Timothy chapter 6. Look what he says to Timothy in verse 12. "Fight the good fight of faith." That's what he's talking about when he used the word "fight" there. Conflict. This intense struggle that we are called to be part of. You know, that's the fight of the faith and where the truth of God is being proclaimed there will be intense opposition and intense struggle. It is a fight. Paul was a realist. So as he challenges Timothy to be faithful in the proclamation of the Word he knows that's going to mean being involved in the struggle and in the battle and in the conflict. Look over in II Timothy chapter 4. Apostle Paul comes to the end of his life, his last letter, his closing remarks. In verse 7. "I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith." You know what Paul's life was from the time he came to trust Christ on the Damascus Road. It was one battle after another. One struggle after another. You know why? Everywhere Paul went he proclaimed the gospel of God. You know what that did? That aroused opposition. So here he is in a glorious city-wide ministry at Thessalonica. The impact of the gospel is tremendous. It's exciting as you read the letter to the Thessalonians. But if we had been there. You know what was going on. An intense struggle. It was amid great opposition. Look at one other passage. Back in I Corinthians chapter 16. I Corinthians chapter 16. Love the way Paul puts it here in verse 9. Verse 8 he says "I shall remain in Ephesus until Pentecost." Why? Verse 9. I Corinthians 16. "For a wide door for effective service has opened for me and there are many adversaries." Many adversaries. Many that stand against Paul and oppose him and oppose the truth of the Word of God. I love that combination. There is a wide door for effective service and there are many adversaries.

I don't know where somehow we've got this crazy idea in our minds that an open door for ministry means there are, there is, no opposition or there are no adversaries. I take it we can expect where God opens a door for effective ministry that that's where the great struggle and battle will be. There are many adversaries. Paul says I'm staying here because I've got such tremendous opportunity for the proclamation of the gospel and boy are there adversaries. Well, say, well Paul, maybe that means the door is closed. No, that doesn't mean the door is closed. I really believe that some of our greatest work for the Lord is done in the midst of our greatest battles and we need to be careful that we don't get so consumed and absorbed with the battle and the facts of the battle that/we lose sight of the great things that God is doing. I think that we're going through the most difficult struggles and battles in our lives and we fail to realize that perhaps God is using us in the greatest way He ever has. But if we're not careful we miss the blessing of God because we’re focused on the problems. And that's what's so exciting about Paul's ministry. He talks about the problem. He says it's there, but you know what I was doing in the midst of that opposition? I was proclaiming the gospel of God. That's what's exciting. So there was opposition, but I was proclaiming the gospel of God.

Come back to I Thessalonians 2. Now Paul is going to share the fact that his motive in ministry was proper. He had the propter motivation in his ministry. Verse 3. "For our exhortation does not come." Interesting how much Paul talks about the negative and it is his constant practice in the vast majority of the cases to stari out with the negative. Clear the air. Here's what I did not do. Here's what does not drive me or motivate me. Our exhortation and a word that has to do with focusing on the will. Doesn't exclude the intellect, but the emphasis in this exhortation is on moving people to decision. "Our exhortation does not come from error, impurity, or by way of deceit. Does not come out of error literally. Think the point is saying here is that my preaching does not originate in an error. I am not deceived. It does not come from a misconception or something wrong. Paul hadn't believed a lie. That's what he is saying, my preaching doesn't have its source or origin in an error or a lie nor out of impurity.

Now somewhat startling to see Paul accused of immorality. Now the word here can be, you can say it's impurity of motive. But the overwhelming majority of uses of this word are in a sexual context and we won't take time to look at some other passages like II Peter chapter 2 verse 18. Jude verse 4. Revelation chapter 2:20 where you have false teachers you'll find immorality running rampant. So it would be natural for those who want to discredit Paul's ministry to attack his morals and Paul denies that. We did not have impure motives or we were not doing this to have an opportunity for immorality. Or by way of deceit and the point in deceit here. It doesn't function in an atmosphere of deceit. The word translated "deceit" originally had reference to the bait used to catch a fish and so it came to mean something that was cunning or deceitful and Paul did not resort to crafty methods, to underhanded methods to get converts, although he is often accused of that. Here he is having to defend himself that I didn't do things just to get converts. I wasn't doing v/hat was ever necessary to get people to follow me.

Look back in II Corinthians chapter 4. II Corinthians chapter 4 verse 2. Paul had to deal with this kind of accusation. You know one of the most difficult things in the ministry is Wien people attack your motives and no one can see into your heart. No one could see into Paul's heart and so when they attacked his motives in ministry they were trying to raise questions that could not be seen. You say Paul .is functioning with impure motives. He is functioning in a realm of deceit. Who can see his heart and his mind and what s going through his mind? So you try to raise questions about a person and doubt that will then cause people to have less confidence.

So here in II Corinthians chapter 4 verse 2. "We have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the Word of God, making adjustments in the Word of God to make it more palatable to people and more acceptable. The way people twist the Word, soft pedal the Word, so that it will be more acceptable to more people. Those' are crafty deceitful methods to try to get more people to follow you. Don't say things that will be offensive even if the Word of God sends them. Paul says that's not the way I conduct my ministry but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. Paul says my ministry stands on the fact I proclaim the truth. You evaluate me in light-is my message true to God’s revelation?

That’s what I want the standard of my ministry to lie. Someone attacks my motives. You have to back up to something concrete you can measure. Does Gil honestly and truthfully and accurate teach and preach the Word of God? Do you have a question with the doctrine that he teaches or other teachers here? If not, then you better be very careful about the challenging and questioning of the motives behind the person. Paul says the evaluation is—am I preaching the pure truth of the Word of God? That upon what basis do you say I am motivated by improper things? That which you can measure is the Word of God as it is proclaimed and that’s what he wants to be evaluated on.

Come back. Oh, while you are in II Corinthians. Let’s see there was another verse I was going to get you to look at. Chapter 12:16. Chapter 12 verse 16. Paul here in sarcasm says, Oh, yes, you Corinthians. These false teachers. Verse 16. "Be that as it may, I did not burden myself, you myself. Nevertheless crafty fellow that I am, I took you in by deceit." The real reason I didn't take any material things for you. The real reason I functioned the way I was is I was trying to trick you so you wouldn't really see what my real motives were. Now that's what they were accusing him of. No matter what he did they could always question his motives and that’s what the false teachers did and the Corinthians were sucked in by that. They no longer evaluated him on the faithfulness of the proclamation of the Word, but, oh, he really had ulterior motives in what he was doing. Paul says, Boy, I sure am a crafty fellow. I really fooled you when I didn't take your money, didn't I? Because I really wanted your money but I didn't take your money. Therefore you didn't know I really wanted your money. But poor dumb Paul. He didn't get any money. So if he really wanted their money but he didn't take it because he was so crafty, he was dumb because he didn't get it anyway. You know what Paul says is. You Corinthians are so gullible. You'd believe anything.

Come back to I Thessalonians 2. Verse 4 is a tremendous verse. "For just, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. What a statement. We have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. That word "approved". The root meaning of it is to put to the test. It's used of putting coins to the test to evaluate their genuineness or metal to evaluate their genuineness. Or if they are of proper weight. Interesting, in this word for putting to the test, it implies that the test will be passed. This particular word, when you talk about putting something to the test and you use this word, it carries the implication that the test will be successfully met and passed. What Paul is in effect saying here is that God chooses His messengers and He puts them to the test before He commits the gospel to them. So Paul just wasn't the recipient of the revelation of God.

First, God chose Paul and put Paul to the test and determined that he would entrust, the verb, related to the word "believe". He entrusted. Committed the gospel to the apostle Paul. But that's a result of his approving him. A reminder that these Thessalonians better be very careful. God has tested Paul and chosen to entrust the gospel to him. Something is wrong if he passes God's test, but he doesn't pass the Thessalonians' test or these false teachers' test. A remarkable statement. Approved to be entrusted with the gospel and that causes Paul to have a very high view of his ministry. That God has approved me to be entrusted with the gospel. What a responsibility. You think about that. As one privileged to handle the Word of God. To be entrusted with the Word of God. Not direct revelation as Paul was. But we have the truth of the Word of God committed to us and entrusted to our care. God has approved me to be entrusted with the gospel. What a responsibility then to be faithful in the proclaiming of that truth in a way that will be pleasing to Him and that's Paul's point. We have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak not as pleasing men but God who examines our heart. Since I was approved by God and entrusted with the gospel as a result of God's decision, then the motivation of my ministry is to be pleasing to Him not to men because note what he says. "Pleasing not men but God who examines our heart." And same basic word as is translated "approved" at the first part of the verse. The word "examines" and the word "approved" are the same basic word. "He is the One who examines our hearts, who is constantly putting our hearts to the test, if you will. Who is constantly approving us? So even though God had approved Paul to be entrusted with the gospel, that constant process of examining Paul's heart That's something you cannot do. You are left to evaluate my ministry on the sole basis—am I true to the Word of God in my teaching and preaching?

You know I have been amazed in the years I have been a pastor here that by and large the criticisms that have come to me have not come on how faithful and true I am in preaching the Word. But they have come more, I really believe that Gil teaches the Word faithfully, but you know, you can't examine my heart. If I am doing the best job that I can in preparing and teaching the Word because I love the glory that comes from it, you don't know that but God does. He's examining my heart. You can't do that. I might be preaching a message and you're thinking, Boy, the Spirit is really using him and deep down I'm saying, Boy I can really get into the Word. There's nobody who preaches it like me. I'm something wonderful. But you know God knows that. But you can't. All you can do is look and say, is he being true to the Word? The doctrine he is presenting conformed to the Word of God? In effect, that's what Paul says. You measure me on that basis but you be sure God is examining my heart. And I'm driven by the recognition that he is the One who has entrusted the gospel to me. And I must be pleasing to Him and not men and the idea that I would try to please you with my ministry just shows how little you understand about what has been entrusted to me. That's what Paul's approach really is. You know God examines the heart. He's really looking in to see what I am like.

Kind of like Jeremiah says. The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked above all things. Who can know it? I mean, how can you really know what is in the heart? "I the Lord search the heart. I try the reins." So true for all of us. God is looking at our motivation. No matter what your area of ministry here is, that's where we had better be very careful in challenging and questioning one another's motives. That goes on so easily. Oh, he's a Sunday School teacher but I know he's not doing it with the right motive. How do you know? Whoever gave you the ability to see what's in his heart? Oh, I know they go to the hospital and make those calls but they just do it because people say what a wonderful person they are. How do you know that's their motivation? When you stop and think we do it all the time in little ways and what a tragedy. We have moved into an area that God says He has reserved for Himself—the evaluating of the motives of the heart.

Paul goes on in verse 5. "For we never came with flattering speech as you know nor with a pretext for greed. God is our witnesses." He denies his conduct, was motivated in these three areas. The manner he carried out his ministry. Never came with flattering speech and this term has the idea of using flattery not the way we sometimes use it in saying nice things about people but don't really mean them, but it's flattery—the idea of saying nice things with ulterior motives —-with selfish motives. I am saying this to get something from you. To gain influence over you. I am doing it for what I get out of it. So because beyond just insincerity as we often think of in flattery but as in sincerity with a selfish motive to get something. So Paul says I didn't cone with flattery and speech. I didn't come telling you what wonderful people you are and on and on and one. I came preaching the truth of the Word of God to you. Now he does tell them he thinks they are wonderful and God has done an amazing work in their life and he has complimented them on the fact that the testimony of their faith has spread everywhere. There's nothing wrong with saying nice things to people and about people. But Paul says my ministry is centered in the Word. I didn't come flattering you. The reason you have identified with me is not because I have flattered you. It's because I preached to you the Word of God. Not from flattery, nor with a pretext for greed. The word "pretext" indicates something that is put forward to cover up what the real motive is. So Paul is saying my evangelism wasn't a cover for my greed. That I came to Thessalonica preaching the gospel, but I came preaching the gospel because I wanted to get what you had. I was after your money and that was the cover, the pretext. You see here, the things he is denying are true of false teachers. These are the ways that false teachers do function. They use the Word of God. They adulterate the Word of God. They corrupt the Word of God. They are hucksters with the Word of God so that they can get things from people. So what Paul is denying here does go on. But he says that's not true of me. My preaching of the gospel was not a pretext for greed, not self-seeking. Nor, he says there, God is witness. Ultimately that's all—we come into another area. One way God can ultimately see. But God would testify. I call Him to look at my heart.

Third thing that he did not, that was not involved in Paul's ministry in verse 6. "We did not seek glory from men, either from you or from others. Even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority. Now you note Paul has a balance. It's not, well, I am, you know, just a little nobody. I am an apostle, one sent with the full authority of Jesus Christ Himself. When I came I didn't seek your glory. I didn't ask you to honor me because I was an apostle. I didn't seek glory from you even though I might have claimed my position as an apostle. I didn't come looking for glory from you. He's not motivated by them.

Now Paul received glory from men and we honor one another. I think there's a biblical place for honoring one another but there's no place for being motivated by that desire for glory from men. Paul says I wasn't motivated by a desire to have glory from you, to say how wonderful Paul was. To say how powerful Paul's ministry was. To say that Paul is the best teacher that we have ever been exposed to. So even though he has glory that comes from Thessalonians, he wasn't motivated by seeking that glory.

Encouraging to see the apostle Paul write, isn't it? You get insights into how he functioned. That his life revolved and centered around the proclamation of the revelation of God. And he wanted to be evaluated solely on the basis of how faithful was I in the proclamation of that word. And part of the evidence of that is the transformed lives—that our ministry to you was not in vain. It was not without content and impact and power. Now those who would challenge and question my motives, I would make clear to you that I did not function with improper motives and desires. God examines my heart. My desire is to be pleasing to Him. Paul acknowledges that to men but the standard of evaluation is how faithful we are to the Word.

Now a reminder to us. You know any time we are involved in a ministry there are going to be those who came to the attack and there's no room for a poor me. And they are saying unnice, unkind things about me and it's not fair they question my motives and what right do they have to do and on and on and on. They don't. But the fact is that's the way Satan is going to work. Praise God if God is suing you enough that people are saying those things about you. You know what it means? All the more we have to be careful that our ministry is carried on in integrity. That our lives indeed are a reflection of the character of Christ. That we are functioning with the proper motives and in the proper manner. We can expect opposition. Praise God for the opposition. Praise God if your testimony is strong enough and clear enough that you are functioning amidst opposition. If you're in quiet pool it's probably because there's no action there. Praise God that Paul stirred up opposition by the proclamation of the gospel. I don't want to develop a martyr's complex but I want to go into the battle with my eyes open. But I recognize that the more effective we become in the proclamation of the gospel, the conflict will be engaged. The opposition will be stirred by Satan. But, praise God, in the midst of that, the Spirit of God will use the Word in lives and we'll see lives changed, people come to know Christ and to be matured in Christ to be more like Him. We want to be careful that we don't focus on the opposition and miss the work of God that is being carried out in our lives both individually and as a local church.

Let's pray together