Paul's Press Release. Read 2 Corinthians 6:1-10

A few days ago we considered letters of commendation from 2 Cor. 3.  If Christ lives in me, as Paul said in Gal. 2:20, then my letter will commend Christ to those who see me.  In today’s passage Paul commends himself to the Corinthian believers and to us.  He is God’s servant/minister so like ours, so Paul’s letter will show the effect of Christ in Him.  What is fascinating is that Paul tells us what is in his letter.  I say fascinating because it is not like the letters of recommendation you might read of heads of many ministries in our day.

When is the last time you heard a guest preacher?  Before ascending to the pulpit someone introduced them, telling why you want to hear what they have to say.  What do you typically hear?  I don’t think I am out of line to say that the emphasis would be placed on how big, how many and how fast it is growing.  It may be how many degrees, how many best sellers, how large the church and so on.  Another way to think about this is: how many books have you read that were written by the pastor of a church of 50 in rural America?  I am guessing, not any.

All I am saying is, that’s the way it is in our world.  But I would also say that what I am describing are those books and speakers that are popular and whose ideas may not be important five years from now.  So if I ask you how many books you have read by people who are already dead, what would you say that recommends this persons writings to you?  It is possible that your reasons might sound like those of Paul in today’s passage.

So meditate on Paul’s letter.  He commended himself, not by how many churches he started or baptisms he recorded last year or anything like that.  He spoke of how many struggles he had.  In much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses (v4).  And this is a Reader’s Digest version of 2 Cor. 10-12 where he goes into much more detail.  

So again, think on this.  It is a letter of Christ.  When Jesus called the Twelve to follow Him the next thing He told them was where they were going: TO THE CROSS (Luke 9:23).  Paul was simply a follower of Christ; he took up his cross daily.  Can you say that about the famous servant of God who is your latest spiritual guru?  If not, you might be simply getting your ears tickled (2 Tim. 4:3).