There is one theme that is sticking in my mind from 2 Corinthians 6 as we reach the halfway point of the week... and it is something that we did not discuss on Sunday.
But first...
What we DID do on Sunday was to put verses 1-7 under the microscope. We talked about this "great endurance" Paul mentioned, and how it remains intact through all of Paul's challenges. We took the words in 4-7 and visited each one briefly. These are words that describe the forces at work against Paul and his ministry. Words like troubles, hardships, distresses, beatings, riots, imprisonments, sleepless nights, riots, hunger... quite a list. But then there are also the words that tell the story about how Paul is able to endure all of these things. Words like purity, understanding, patience, kindness, Holy Spirit, sincere love, truthful speech, power of God, and weapons of righteousness. It is easy to read right through those and speed on by without much thought. On Sunday, we tried to take a bit of a look at the deeper meaning of each of those and think for a moment about just what Paul did for the sake of the ministry of reconciliation, and how he was able to keep going.
What we DID do on Sunday was to put verses 1-7 under the microscope. We talked about this "great endurance" Paul mentioned, and how it remains intact through all of Paul's challenges. We took the words in 4-7 and visited each one briefly. These are words that describe the forces at work against Paul and his ministry. Words like troubles, hardships, distresses, beatings, riots, imprisonments, sleepless nights, riots, hunger... quite a list. But then there are also the words that tell the story about how Paul is able to endure all of these things. Words like purity, understanding, patience, kindness, Holy Spirit, sincere love, truthful speech, power of God, and weapons of righteousness. It is easy to read right through those and speed on by without much thought. On Sunday, we tried to take a bit of a look at the deeper meaning of each of those and think for a moment about just what Paul did for the sake of the ministry of reconciliation, and how he was able to keep going.
But the thing that is on my mind this morning involves some verses we did not really talk about on Sunday, verses 8-10. To help this post along, here are the verses:
8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
You see, verses 4-10 make up one of Paul's classic "run-on" sentences. He was notorious for that. In 4-7 he has spelled out all of these challenges to his ministry and the qualities that made him able to endure. But now in verses 8-10, all a part of the same sentence, he launches into another one of his "contrast" segments.
He has done this contrast thing before- and not very long ago at that! Remember chapter 4?
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10
It has occurred to me this morning that what Paul is really describing in chapter 4 and again here in chapter 6 is the "in the world but not of the world" concept that we hear about fairly often in Christian teaching circles. It is his way of saying that when the world works against him, it will not have any lasting effect. The world can take away what the world has to give, but it cannot take away that which belongs to God.
Here, in these verses, Paul lays out this whole series of things that sound "bad" to us- "dishonor", "bad report", "impostors", "unknown", "dying", "beaten"... those all sound pretty bad! But none of those things have any effect on Paul's "real" status. And the same is true for us.
I know that I get so frustrated when things don't go the way I am expecting or the way I think they should. Sometimes my frustration builds to the point where it influences my energy level, my attitude, and even how I receive other people. (Hard to believe, I know.) But Paul's words here do a great deal to give me the perspective needed to "start over"- to continue- to remember my dual citizenship and that I am valuable to God.
I hope that Paul's words do the same for you. I know these thoughts are nothing really new. I have not uncovered some spiritual truth that previous generations have missed. It is just the idea that even when the world does its worst to you, there is peace in knowing that the world cannot take what belongs to God- the world cannot take away the fact that we are known to God. The world cannot take away the treasures we have stored up in heaven. The world cannot take away our real life. Those things do not belong to the world, and so the world has no jurisdiction here.
At any rate, perhaps this quick look the scripture will provide some encouragement and strength. That is my hope and prayer.
Just Keep Swimming...
Jon
