2nd Corinthians 6:4-5 | The Difficulty of the Ministry
In 2nd Corinthians 6:4-5, we see the theme of the difficulty of the ministry. 2nd Corinthians 6:4 “4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;”. There are these 10 difficulties that are mentioned in the ministry and it sets apart this list with the word “in” to show you that these are the things you will deal with. Then in 2nd Corinthians 6:6-7, we have a list that is set apart by the word “by”. 2nd Corinthians 6:6-7 “6 By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,”.
In verses 4-5 we have the difficulties of the ministry. In verses 6-7 we have the demands of the ministry. Then in verses 8-10 we have the dichotomy of the ministry. It is set apart not by a word but by contrasting thoughts. 2nd Corinthians 6:8-10 “8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”. What the Apostle Paul is explaining going back to verse 4, these are things that we approve ourselves as the ministers of God through these various things.
Tonight we are going to look at verses 4 & 5. We have 10 things that list to us the difficulty of ministry. Even if you are not in full time ordained ministry, we are still in the ministry. We should all be trying to reach people with the gospel and bring people to Church. God has given all of us the ministry of reconciliation. 2nd Corinthians 6:4 ““4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience,…”. The first thing mentioned is patience.
What is patience? Patience is the ability to deal with something without getting angry or upset. Patience is the ability to control yourself when people are causing you problems or distress or when they aren’t where you want them to be. Lord willing, there will be some men from this Church who will one day sent out to be Pastors. When we work with people, we must develop patience.
2nd Timothy 4 is a famous chapter for preachers. 2nd Timothy along with 1st Timothy and Titus are known as “The Pastor Epistles” or epistles to those who are young Pastors being trained. 2nd Timothy 4:2 “2 Preach the word;…”. By the way, this is the reason why we preach how we do at Verity Baptist Church. We don’t tell a lot of jokes or stories during sermons because my job is to preach the word. “2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;…”. This means preach it when it’s popular and when it’s not popular. “2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.”. We have 2 negative (reprove, rebuke) & 1 positive (exhort). The goal in each sermon is to do all 3 of those things. Then at the end of the verse it says with all longsuffering and doctrine. Longsuffering is used synonymously with the word patience. When we preach and reprove and rebuke and exhort and teach doctrine, it should be done with longsuffering or patience.
Whenever you are in a position of leadership, you need to be longsuffering or have patience. It could be as a husband or father leading your family, leading a Church ministry here or any position of leadership. Often times as Preachers, we like to think that everyone is hanging on to our every word and everything we say. What I’ve learned through the ministry is that we are lucky if you get 50% of it. For example, we go through announcements several weeks ahead of time and then the day of the event people are asking me about something we announced for several weeks ahead of time. Sometimes we deal with situations and we are surprised seeing our followers struggling with something. I’m just here to tell you that if you are going to encourage people and love them and rebuke and reprove and exhort, you better do it with longsuffering. Sometimes people need time or they aren’t ready for something. If you are going to approve yourself as a minister, it will be with much patience.
2nd Corinthians 6:4 “2nd Corinthians 6:4 “4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions,…”. The first thing mentioned was patience. The 2nd thing mentioned is afflictions. Affliction is something that causes pain or suffering. Working with people will bring affliction. Sometimes people will cause you much pain and stress and suffering and affliction.
This has been brought up earlier in the Book of 2nd Corinthians. 2nd Corinthians 2:3 “3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.”. Paul is stating that he doesn’t want to come with sorrow. He is saying that the source of this sorrow is from the people. I’m here to tell you that when you start investing in people, you start realizing that you are getting sorrow from those that you should be rejoicing in. Notice verse 4 “4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. 5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.”. He is saying that there are some of the people of the Church of Corinth are causing him grief and sorrow and suffering.
In our 11 years of ministry, we have strived to be a Church where my wife and I are involved with the people. We love you people. However, many Pastors end up disconnecting from their Church people. I’m referring to Pastors who show up right before Church and leave right after Church. I’m not criticizing them. I understand why they do that. They have been hurt. You can’t love people without having those same people hurt you sometimes. If you are going to be involved in ministry, there is affliction and suffering that will occur. Sometimes the people you care about the most and invest the most time in are the ones who stab you in the back.
2nd Corinthians 6:4 “4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities,…”. The Bible says “in necessities”. This means something that is wanted or required. When my wife and I started Verity Baptist Church, we did not have the system of satellite Churches where you walk alongside and under that Pastor. We didn’t have a weekly phone call to discuss issues and problems. I’m not complaining to you but I’m just letting you know. I think the satellite system is a good system and we’ve had much success with it. However, we didn’t have this. Some of these things we had to learn on our own and honestly kind of learn the hard way.
When my wife and I went into ministry, I didn’t know the types of necessities that the ministry required. I knew my job was to preach the word of God and reach people with the gospel and baptize and perform the Lord’s Supper and help people grow. We understood that. We didn’t know that when we started reaching people with the gospel and bring them to Church that we were going to be even coordinators, legal experts, accountants, marriage coordinators, building contractors, financial advisors, maintenance men, fathers, mothers, best friends, referees, shrinks, etc….We didn’t know the ministry was going to require all of these things. I’m not complaining but I’m just letting you know that the ministry has necessities. Sometimes people need a counselor or referee or guide. Sometimes they need a friend or someone to talk to.
1st Corinthians 9:20 is a verse directly applying to reaching people with the gospel. However, the same principle applies to reaching people after they have already gotten saved and helping them grow. 1st Corinthians 9:20 “20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. 22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.”. The Apostle Paul refers to the necessities of ministry. You are going to have to learn to become all things to all people in order to save some and then after salvation help them grow.
A lot of people want to get into the ministry and have a big YouTube following but don’t want to deal with these necessities. However, a true man of God will do these necessary things to be approved as a minister of the Lord.
2nd Corinthians 6:4 “4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,”. The 4th thing is distresses. The word distress means to cause someone anxiety or peril or stress. I remember when I was a young man and working a secular job and I remember the first time where I couldn’t sleep because I was burdened with the decisions people were making. It was the first time where I couldn’t sleep because my mind was concerned with this. Over the years I have now had many sleepless nights for similar reasons. Sometimes people get upset at us because when we see people going the wrong direction, we try to warn them. Maybe sometimes we don’t have the perfect attitude or have the wrong spirit. However, you can’t invest in people and care about them and see them ruin their lives without being stress upon yourself.
Let us see the 5th thing in verse 5. 2nd Corinthians 6:5 “5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;”. He mentions stripes. This is not something that we have dealt with in the United States of America in 2022. We have some freedoms here. Stripes are referring to a beating. We have had persecution but none of us have been beaten for our faith. Hebrews 12:4 “4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”. We have resisted sin but not to the point where we have been beaten. There are people in the world today though that have been beaten and shed blood for their faith.
Let us see the 6th thing in 2nd Corinthians 6:5 “5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;”. It says imprisonments. We have not yet been thrown in jail for our faith but we could one day. Are you ready for that? Hebrews 11:36 “36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:”. Paul was thrown in prison for his faith. That has never happened to me and I hope it never does. However, if I do or if you do, I hope that instead of complaining we will sing hymns to God and rejoice.
Let us see the 7th thing in 2nd Corinthians 6:5 “5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;”. It says tumults. The word “tumult” is an older word that is defined as a loud, confused noise especially one caused by a loud mass of people. I have never had stripes or imprisonments. However, our Church has had tumults. Let me show you a tumult in the Bible in Acts 19.
Acts 19:33 “33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people. 34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.”. Sometimes people start coming to our Church and they like it until they learn of the protest we went through in 2016. They think that it isn’t New Testament Christianity to have tumults. However, if people read the Bible then they would realize that you don’t see Mayors or Governors coming and speaking at your Church. What you find is the Apostle Paul preaching and people are offended and there are tumults.
Why don’t preachers have this happen today? They aren’t preaching anything that offends them. However, when you preach the word of God like you are called to, there might be tumults. I don’t get offended by likeminded Churches that get criticized and are in the news and people speak against them. I look at that as New Testament Christianity. Paul said that if you get in ministry, you might have stripes, imprisonments and tumults.
Let us see the 8th thing in 2nd Corinthians 6:5. “5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;”. He says “labours”. The word labour is defined as hard work. The Bible says about the ministry, “the work of the ministry”. Why have Verity Baptist Church? Why deal with all of the protests and persecution. One reason only. For the work of the ministry. The ministry is labor. We are to be a working people and a working Church. What is the purpose of the Church? The Church is an assembly of called out believers for the performance of the Great Commission. That will require work.
1st Timothy 3:1 “This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”. Often jokes are made about Pastors golfing or going to coffee shops all day. However, the Bible says the ministry is work. Standing up and preaching the word of God requires work. Preaching 3 times a week requires work. Meeting with people requires work. Counseling requires work. Taking phone calls requires work. I wish you knew how many phone calls my wife takes every day and how many conversations she has. This is from within the Church and also outside of the Church. I’m not complaining. I am just letting you know that the ministry requires work. For those of you that have a desire to go into the ministry, stop loving your days off. Stop loving your hobbies. Stop loving your relax time. My wife and I make sure that we get time to rest but I don’t take days off from work. There is always some need that requires filling.
We have all kinds of systems around here to keep track of people and make sure that we don’t lose them. We try to be organized and we make many lists. This is not paper work but people work. When someone starts missing Church, we have to start asking where they are and if there is anything that we can do to help.
Let us look at number 9 in 2nd Corinthians 6:5 “5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;”. It says watchings. The word “watching” is defined as remaining awake for a specific religious purpose. As a Pastor, you don’t have the privilege of turning your phone off. You have to be ready in the middle of the night in case someone needs something. Sometimes the ministry requires watchings or staying awake in case somebody needs you.
However, there is not just the physical application of going to someone’s house and staying awake. There is the spiritual application of watching. 1st Timothy 3:2 “2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”. The Bible says the Bishop must be “vigilant”. The word vigilant means that you are watching. By the way, sometimes that is what brings the distress. You are watching. I’ve had times where people told me that they needed to talk to me about something. Then they mention it to me and I tell them that I am already aware. How am I aware? We are vigilant. We are paying attention. Let me say this. If you are parents, you need to be watching. If you are going to work with people, you need to watch. You need to be vigilant and pay attention. The ministry requires “watchings” sometimes.
Let me give you the 10th one in 2nd Corinthians 6:5. “5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;”. Fastings is the 10th one. The word fast means to abstain from all or some kind of food or drink especially as some kind of religious observance. The Bible says that as New Testament Christians we should fast. However, the vast majority of Christians in today’s world have never fasted. Please understand that if you have a medical condition or you are nursing children then you might not be able to fast. I understand that.
The Apostle Paul stated that the ministry and working with people can drive you to fast. Mark 2:18 “18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? 19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.”. Jesus is being asked why they don’t fast. Jesus says that they aren’t fasting while he is here.
Mark 2:20 “20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.”. These days have come and the Bible says that there is a time to fast. When you invest in people and love people and you see them make bad decisions or problems in their life, sometimes you feel so helpless that all you can do is be driven to fast. There are even people in situations now that my wife and I have spent time in prayer and fasting for. I’m not trying to pick on you but maybe you need to invest yourself more. The ministry and the care of others will require much patience.
2nd Corinthians 6:4 “4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;”. Why would we do this? We love people. We want to help people and see them grow and fulfill the biblical purpose in their life. Just realize that when you decide to go down the road of investing in others and not making your life about you, these 10 things will come up.
Let’s pray.