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Probably because of it’s approach to problems that seems so relevant to today 1 Corinthians tends to get more attention but I heard Johnny Ramsey say 40 years ago that 2 Corinthians has more memorable verses than any other book in the New Testament. I was reading 2 Corinthians 5 today, it has so much for the minister in encouraging us in the significance and continuation of our work. Consider:
V 1 - “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” Our work is worthwhile because it will outlast any average work. It will last beyond this life.
V 6 - “So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord” There’s plenty to discourage but we are assured we will be with the Lord.
V 7 - “we walk by faith, not by sight.” Every church leader needs to have this verse tattooed on their heart. If there is no faith in our work, there is no need for God or our work.
V 11 - “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others.” Perhaps the greatest enemy of Christianity is “casual Christianity,” the Unitarian concept that all are saved. We must remember, we preach because people are lost without the Lord.
V 14 - “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died…” Yet our motivation is not fear, but the love of Christ. It must control each sermon, each ministry moment, each discussion. The love of Christ.
V 17 - “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” At the heart of work in the Kingdom is this truth, ANYONE in Christ is NOT the same as they were before, they are NEW.
V 17 - “The old has passed away; behold, the new has come…”
V 18 - “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” You and I are in the reconciling business, and only because God set this whole business up with Christ! Our goal is NOT condemnation, but reconciliation!
V 20 - “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God…” As you stand before an audience always remember, you are representing Jesus Christ, you are His ambassador. Make Him happy.
V 21 - “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God…” Hard to imagine much less remember, His purpose here is to make us His righteousness. Never our own.
What a blessed privilege is ours. Eternal houses, courageous ambassadors, 20/20 faith visionaries, persuasive presenters, new creations, reconcilers, bearers of righteousness!