Unacceptable Worship

Amos 5:18-24

Have you ever heard of someone who wished that their enemy would get into some trouble, but didn’t realize that they also were going to get the same thing?  Perhaps someone rejoiced when they heard that the fellow in the neighborhood that they intensely disliked was getting some violation notice from the city, but they didn’t realize that at that moment the city was writing them one, as well.  Or maybe a child is gleeful that his classmate is being punished for some mischief, but overlooks that they will be next.  This is the message that the prophet Amos is bringing to the people in the Northern Kingdom of Israel.  Let’s see what God’s Word has to say.

The prophet Amos was a citizen of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, however the Lord sent him to the Northern Kingdom of Israel to minister during the mid-8th century BC.  This was a time of great material wealth for Israel.  The country was also seemingly quite religious, but was not faithful in their worship of Yahweh, as they mixed their worship of Him with a myriad of other pagan gods and goddesses, or completely abandoned Him for these false idols.  The country had become corrupt and unjust, yet they believed they were secure because they maintained religious ceremonies, as their hearts were far from faithfulness to God.  Amos came to tell them that God was not impressed by outward worship when it is disconnected from obedience and righteous living.

Many prophets spoke of a coming Day of the Lord.  The Day of the Lord is the time when God will show Himself the Victor over the world.  Israel thought that God would judge their enemies at that time, but would bless them.  They felt that at the Day of the Lord, their enemies would really get clobbered, but not them, and thus they rejoiced over that coming time.  One thing that the prophet Amos warned the people of Israel of was that the Day of the Lord was not always a cause for rejoicing (vs. 18-20). They failed to realize that God’s judgment would begin with His own covenant people who were living in sin.  For sinners it will be a day of judgment and punishment.  The Israelites thought that would only be for other nations, not them. Amos was calling for everyone to repent before that day.

Centuries later the Apostle Peter warned this, as well (II Peter 3:9-13).  Many professing believers assume that because they identify with God’s people, they are automatically safe from His chastening.  Yet Scripture consistently teaches that God judges sin wherever He finds it (I Peter 4:17).

Amos then used a very vivid image to illustrate this inescapable judgment (vs. 19).  He pictured a man being chased by a lion, and somehow he manages to escape.  He then encounters a bear.  When he escapes that dangerous animal, he finally reaches home, only to be bitten by a serpent.  Israel believed they could escape accountability through religious observance, but God’s judgment would find them.  No amount of religious activity can shield a person from God’s holiness when there is unrepented sin.

The prophet proceeded with God’s message of how He hates hypocritical worship (vs. 21-23).  God had originally instituted many feast days, or holy days under the Law of Moses, yet now He said how He hated the people’s celebrations.  Though they celebrated the holy days, their hearts were far from God.  Religious traditions alone do not please God.  External compliance without inward devotion is offensive to God (Isaiah 29:13).  The Lord rejected their offerings because obedience is more important than sacrifice (I Samuel 15:22).  The Lord called their worship music noise.  Worship is not judged by musical excellence or emotional excitement.  God evaluates worship according to truth and the condition of the heart.  No matter how wonderful our worship services may seem, they still grieve God if holiness, humility, and obedience are absent.

So what does God want?  He desires justice and righteousness (vs. 24).  Israel’s society at this time was characterized by oppression of the poor, corrupt courts, bribery, and exploitation.  God was not interested in religious ceremonies if there was no righteous conduct.  He did not want occasional acts of righteousness, but instead a continual pattern of godly living.

As Christians in the 21st century, Amos’ message is still appropriate.  Biblical Christianity is not merely attending church, singing hymns or worship songs, giving offerings, and knowing doctrine.  True Christianity should produce honest dealings, moral purity, compassion, integrity, and obedience to God’s Word.  While good works never save a person, genuine faith will produce a transformed life.

In conclusion, Amos’ warning against empty religion is still important.  God rejected the Israelites worship services because their hearts were not right and their lives were marked by injustice.  God still desires more than outward conformity. He seeks sincere worship, genuine holiness, obedience to His Word, and lives characterized by righteousness.  Religious activity apart from a transformed heart is unacceptable to God.  True worship flows from a right relationship with Him, and demonstrates itself through consistent godly living.  Let’s let our worship be genuine, our walk be holy, and our lives reflect the righteousness of the God we claim to serve.

Hypocrites

Matthew 23:1-12

One thing that non-Christians tend to criticize the Church about is the hypocrisy of those who attend.  They may have visited a local church once or twice, but they say that everyone there are hypocrites.  Now we know that not everyone in church is a hypocrite, but there are certainly one or two in many congregations, along with some who are filled with spiritual pride.  It’s not just our non-Christian neighbors who dislike hypocrisy.  Today’s Gospel passage records the Lord Jesus’ denunciation of the hypocrisy and spiritual pride that He saw.  Let’s see what He had to say.

The events in chapter 23 occurred during the week prior to the Lord’s crucifixion.  Jesus had just answered His critics, and now He turned to openly rebuke the scribes and Pharisees.  The scribes were experts in the Mosaic Law, while the Pharisees emphasized external obedience to rituals and traditions.  Jesus exposed the corruption that existed beneath their outward appearance of righteousness.

As our Scripture opens, Jesus spoke to the crowds around Him (vs. 1-3).  He acknowledged that the scribes and Pharisees occupied an official position of authority concerning the Scriptures, and should be respected when they accurately taught God’s Word.  However, as Jesus pointed out, though they might teach righteous principles, they failed to practice them themselves.  Their lives contradicted their words.  Despite their outward show of piety, the Pharisees were not truly devoted to God’s will.  Their piety was just for show.  They liked to appear righteous and receive preferential treatment, yet they neglected the more important matters of the Law.  God is not tricked by that deception.  He expects His people not only to know truth, but also to obey it (James 1:22).  Doctrinal correctness must be accompanied by godly living.  As followers of Jesus, we must live consistently with what we profess.

The Pharisees had added many man-made traditions and regulations to God’s Law (vs. 4).  These burdens made religion oppressive rather than liberating.  They demanded strict compliance from others while giving themselves exceptions.  As Christians, we should not be adding our own personal rules and convictions to what Scripture says.  No one should ever add to, nor take away from God’s Word.

The majority of the scribes and Pharisees performed their religious rituals so that others would see them (vs. 5-7).  They wanted public recognition more than God’s approval.  They wore extra-large phylacteries (small leather boxes containing Scripture verses worn on arms and/or head during prayers), and also extra-long tassels on their prayer shawls.  They did this in order to appear more spiritual.  They also wanted the best seats in the synagogues and banquets, again in order to be seen and lauded for their spirituality.  Today, if we look around, we might see people who also seek for others to see their spirituality, in order to seem godly.  However, God judges our motives as well as our actions.  A deed that appears spiritual can become sinful if motivated by pride and self-exaltation.

Next, Jesus spoke of the Pharisee’s practice of wanting to be addressed by exalted titles (vs. 8-10).  He was not forbidding every legitimate title or office.  The issue that Jesus was speaking of was their craving for exalted status and spiritual superiority.  Jesus reminds us here that God alone deserves ultimate honor.  He alone is the supreme Teacher and Lord.  No human leader should occupy the place that belongs to God.  Jesus taught that to be a genuine leader is to be a servant.

Jesus then taught us of God’s principle of greatness (vs. 11-12).  The world measures greatness by power, wealth, and influence.  Jesus measures it by humility, service, and submission to God.  He is the perfect example to follow.  Philippians 2:5-8 describe how Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient unto death.  God opposes pride.  Those who elevate themselves invite His discipline and eventual humiliation.  God honors genuine humility in His time and according to His purposes.  This is a principle that appears throughout Scripture (James 4:10; I Peter 5:6).

In closing, this Scripture passage calls for our honest self-examination.  The question is not merely do we know the truth, but also are we living the truth?  Our faith should  produce both sound doctrine and godly character in our lives.  As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to reject the pride of the Pharisees and embrace the humility of our Savior, remembering that “he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

A Faithful Servant's Heart

I Thessalonians 2:9-20

What makes for a good pastor or priest?  Is it his ability to preach a good sermon?  His friendly personality?  Perhaps his ability to raise money for the church, or administrative skills?  Maybe his ability to attract a large crowd every Sunday.  In our Scripture today, as we continue on in I Thessalonians, we will take a look at the heart of a faithful servant of God, St. Paul, in his letter to one of his beloved churches, as he encourages them to remain faithful during persecution.

After Paul had to flee the city of Thessalonica for his life, and many of the new believers there began to suffer persecution for their faith, some accusations which were leveled against the apostle were that he was in the ministry to try and get money for himself.  Though that is the case with some preachers today, especially with many televangelists, that was not the case with Paul.  He reminded the Thessalonians that he and his companions worked diligently while ministering to them (vs. 9).  Paul was not seeking financial gain.  He worked with his own hands, likely as a tent maker (Acts 18:3), so that no one could accuse him of preaching for money.  A true servant of God is motivated by love for Jesus, not for personal profit.  While Scripture teaches that ministers may be supported financially (I Corinthians 9:14), Paul willingly sacrificed that right in order to remove any obstacle to the Gospel.

We see three characteristics of Paul’s conduct here (vs. 10-12).  He acted in a devout manner towards God.  He was just towards others, and his overall testimony was blameless.  Paul compared his ministry to the Thessalonians to that of a father towards his children.  He exhorted or encouraged them in their new faith.  He also comforted them, as a father does.  He also instructed them in the faith.  Paul wanted them to walk worthy of God, and so he modeled godly living before them.

When Paul arrived in Thessalonica, having just left Philippi where he and Silas had suffered physical persecution for the faith, he immediately began witnessing and preaching the Gospel.  Many people there, when they heard his message, recognized that it was the Word of God, not just Paul’s human opinion (vs. 13).  This verse here supports the doctrine of the divine inspiration and authority of Scripture.  Paul’s preaching was not merely his own thoughts.  It carried God’s authority.  This Epistle, and all of the Bible is God’s inspired Word (II Timothy 3:16).  God’s Word, given through Paul, worked in their lives, just as it continues to do so today.  It changes lives, convicting sinners, strengthening and instructing believers, and produces spiritual growth.

The Thessalonian believers experienced persecution similar to that suffered by the churches in Judea (vs. 14-16).  They both faced attack from their neighbors, community, and countrymen because of their faith.  Those in Judea were persecuted by unbelieving Jews.  Those in Thessalonica by unbelieving Greeks and other unbelievers in their synagogues. Paul reminded them that the Old Testament prophets had been persecuted and sometimes killed, as was the Lord Jesus.  Rejecting God’s truth will bring divine judgment.

As Paul continued, he shared how though he was physically separated from them, he continued to love and care for these new believers (vs. 17).  This showed the love of a true shepherd’s heart, which is a strong mark of any good pastor or priest.

Paul desired to return and visit them, but was opposed by Satan, showing the reality of spiritual warfare (vs. 18).  There was a spiritual battle taking place.  The Bible teaches us that Satan is real, as is spiritual warfare.  Satan opposes the work of God, and prayer is essential in overcoming the enemy’s attacks.  We can take hope in knowing that God’s purposes will ultimately prevail.

What was Paul’s greatest joy?  It wasn’t anything that he owned, or even anything that he had accomplished.  His greatest joy was the believers he had led to the Lord (vs. 19-20).  The souls that he had won were evidence that the work he had done for the Lord was not in vain. And Paul looked forward to presenting these believers before Jesus at His coming.  Winning souls has eternal significance, and the faithful disciple will receive lasting rewards.

In closing, we see here in this passage the Apostle Paul’s genuine pastoral heart.  Even throughout persecution, opposition, and satanic hindrance, his focus remained on God’s people and their spiritual growth.  The truest measure of a ministry’s success is not personal achievement, but lives transformed by the Gospel, and faithfully following Jesus Christ.

A Pathway for Hope

Psalm 43

The problems and troubles are mounting.  You’ve prayed and prayed, but there is still no relief, there are no answers.  Is God even there?  You don’t see any signs of His care or concern, or of His presence.  Has He just cast you off and walked away from you?  Sometimes we might feel like that.  The unknown author of Psalm 43 felt the same way.  He was a struggling, but faithful believer who was battling discouragement, but learned to place his hope in God.  This is a companion psalm with Psalm 42, as they repeat the same refrain of a cry on the verge of despair.  Let’s see what he has to say, and what God can teach us through this psalm.

Our psalm begins with a prayer for God’s righteous judgment (vs. 1).  The psalmist was being attacked by wicked people and falsely accused.  Many of us can relate to this.  Rather than take matters into his own hands, he called upon God to judge his case.  Our psalmist did not seek personal vengeance.  Instead he placed the situation into God’s hands, trusting Him to defend what was right.  St. Paul taught us the same thing in Romans 12:19.  When criticized, misunderstood, or mistreated, we should bring our case before God and trust Him to vindicate us in His time, seeking His justice rather than resorting to our own vengeance.

Our psalmist spoke of the emotional pain he had as he felt abandoned by God (vs. 2).  He knew that God was his strength, yet the circumstances he was going through made him feel abandoned.  He knew the truth, but he did not feel the truth.  However, one thing we need to remember is that faith is not based upon our feelings.  Our feelings often fluctuate, but God’s character never changes (Hebrews 13:8).  Even when God seems distant, He remains present and faithful.  We need to learn to trust God’s promises more than our emotions.

Continuing on, the psalmist prayed for God’s light and truth (vs. 3).  He didn’t ask for better circumstances, for more money, or revenge on his enemies.  He wished for God’s light, His guidance, direction, and understanding.  As we navigate through our days there are times when life gets so overwhelming, and we feel disoriented.  The psalmist was overwhelmed, and felt lost because of wickedness.  He prayed to God for guidance to help him navigate through the situation.

He also prayed for God’s truth which is found in His Word, the Bible.  God’s truth will guide us safely through the dark circumstances we go through (Psalm 119:105).  When we face confusion, disappointment, or depression, we should seek the light and truth of Scripture rather than relying upon human wisdom alone.

The psalmist longed to return to the place where he could worship God (vs. 3-4).  His greatest desire was not relief from the troubles he was going through, but rather in fellowship with God.  He sought God’s light and truth to lead him into God’s presence where he could worship, and his joy be restored.  We see here, and throughout Scripture, that joy is not found in circumstance, nor in possessions.  Joy is found in God Himself.  Many seek solutions to problems while neglecting the One who is the true source of joy.

Our psalm closes with the psalmist preaching to himself (vs. 5).  He gives himself a spiritual self-examination.  He isn’t going to listen just to his feelings, but instead speaks truth to himself.  He had asked why he was discouraged and troubled, and why he was forgetting God’s faithfulness.  Then he tells himself to hope in God.  Biblical hope is not wishful thinking.  It is a confident expectation based on God’s character and promises.  The psalmist knew that his trials would not last forever.  When discouraged, we need to remind ourselves of God’s promises rather than allowing emotions to dictate our outlook.

When going through the problems and trials that we all experience, Christians need to remember that God is our defender.  When feeling abandoned, we must trust in God’s unchanging character.  His light and truth will guide us through life’s darkest valleys.  Putting our hope and trust in the Lord will lift up our downcast soul.

Our psalm ends where victory begins - not with changed circumstances, but with renewed confidence that “I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”  The psalmist’s situation had not yet changed, yet his focus had.  He moved from dwelling on his troubles to seeking God’s light and truth, and from questioning to confident expectation.  That is the pathway from despair to hope for every child of God.

Prophets for Profit

Micah 3:5-12

If you had a message that you needed to give to a group of people, and you gave that to a messenger to deliver on your behalf because you could not be there yourself, you would naturally want that message delivered, and delivered accurately.  A good messenger won’t distort the message to his own liking, or twist it around to mean something else.  Similarly, if you have something that you want taught to others, you expect that the teacher will bring the proper lesson to the students.  In our Scripture for today, the Prophet Micah had a message from God to the spiritual leaders of his day, who were distorting God’s truth for their own gain and popularity.  Let’s take a look at this often overlooked book in the Bible.

Micah was a prophet to the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and ministered during the latter half of the 8th century B.C. during the reigns of kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.  This was a time of great spiritual decline, as the people strayed away from faithfully worshiping Yahweh, including mixing His worship with that of pagan false gods and idols, and their growing lax in their obedience to the Mosaic Law.

Our Scripture begins with God, through the Prophet Micah, condemning the false prophets and religious leaders of the day (vs. 5).  These prophets were guilty of leading God’s people astray.  The phrase “chew with their teeth” suggests that these prophets spoke a favorable message when they were well compensated.  If someone rewarded them, they proclaimed a message of peace and blessing.  But if not, they pronounced judgment and hostility.  Their message was determined by their personal benefit rather than on the truth of the Lord God.

We see something similar today with a lot of preachers.  Those who preach the prosperity gospel speak of personal wealth for the congregation if they only put more money into the offerings and donations to the preacher.  Others preach only messages that the audience wants to hear, only sin-tolerant preaching.  They preach messages centered on self-esteem rather than repentance.  A true preacher must proclaim God’s Word whether it is popular or unpopular (II Timothy 4:2).  God’s messengers are to be stewards of truth, not salesmen of religious comfort.

Because these prophets abused their office, God proclaimed that He would remove His revelation from them (vs. 6-7).  In the Bible, light often symbolizes God’s truth and guidance.  Darkness represents judgment and spiritual blindness.  These false prophets were claiming that they had special insight, but God was going to expose them as frauds, with shame, humiliation, and silence.  They claimed to be spiritual leaders from God, but would come up empty.  God teaches us here that false doctrine may flourish temporarily, but His truth will ultimately prevail.

Next we see the example of a faithful prophet (vs. 8).  The words and ministry of Micah is contrasted with the false prophets.  Micah’s authority came from God.  A true servant of God depends on the Holy Spirit and power of the Lord rather than on personality, popularity, or human wisdom.  Micah could proclaim God’s judgment because he clearly understood the difference between truth and error.  God gave him courage to proclaim difficult truths that others refused to preach for fear of offending their audience.  We see that all too often today when preachers refuse to speak out against sin for fear of offending or getting “canceled”.  It takes spiritual strength to stand against public opinion.  A true Biblical ministry is measured by faithfulness to God’s Word.  We are called to stand for truth despite opposition.

Micah continued by bringing God’s charge against corrupt leadership and the nation’s rulers (vs. 9-11).  Instead of administering justice, they despised it.  They enriched themselves through oppression and corruption.  A society cannot remain strong when its foundations are morally corrupt.  Judah was corrupt on every level - their civil leaders accepted bribes, their priests and prophets performed their duty for personal profit rather than obeying God, yet they all felt God was on their side and they had His blessing.

Many people today assume they are spiritually secure because of their church attendance, their religious traditions, or their denominational affiliation.  Yet God looks beyond appearances and examines the heart.  The religious leaders of Micah’s day had ceremonies but lacked obedience, and because of persistent sin, God proclaimed that judgment was coming (vs. 12).  They wrongly assumed that their religious rituals guaranteed protection regardless of their behavior, just like many today assume, as well.  However, God is holy and will discipline sin.

In closing, this Scripture passage from the Prophet Micah is God’s indictment of the religious leaders who brought false teachings and spiritual manipulations to the people.  We must remember that a preacher’s responsibility is not to entertain or please the crowd, or to follow cultural trends.  His responsibility is to declare God’s truth from His Word, the Bible.  God demands truthful preaching.  He is not impressed by outward religiosity that lacks obedience.  Whether it is individuals, churches, or nations, sin carries consequences.  God is loving and merciful, but He is also holy and just.

Two Foundational Truths

Matthew 22:34-46

Most of us at one time or another have been asked a trick question, that no matter what we answered, we would be wrong or get into some type of trouble.  Throughout His ministry, Jesus had faced opposition, and now, just days before His betrayal and crucifixion, His enemies were desperately trying to trap Him in His words so that they could bring charges of treason or blasphemy against Him. The Pharisees had joined up with the Herodians to try and get Jesus to say words that would bring the Roman officials against Him, or the opposite, by getting nationalistic Jews against Him.  Then the Sadducees tried arguing with Jesus about the resurrection.  Now, once again the Pharisees were trying to trap Him.  Let’s take a look at their disingenuous questions.

As our Scripture opens, the Pharisees sent one of their group, a lawyer who was an expert in the Mosaic Law, to test Jesus (vs. 34-36).  In Jesus’ day, and even today, many Orthodox Jewish men like to discuss and even get into friendly debates about various topics from the Pentateuch and the Talmud.  One thing that was sometimes debated was which of the hundreds of commands found in the Law was the most important.  The lawyer decided to ask Jesus this question, and was likely hoping that His answer would create controversy or provide grounds for accusation.

These Pharisees had a lot of knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures, particularly the five Books of Moses.  However, it was all book-knowledge.  It had never reached their heart.  They knew the Scriptures intellectually, but rejected the One to whom the Scriptures pointed.

Jesus responded by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5, that loving God with all of the heart, soul, and mind was the first and great commandment (vs. 37-38).  The heart is our affections and desires.  Loving with the soul is our whole inner being.  And the mind is our thoughts and understanding.  God does not merely desire outward conformity.  He requires wholehearted devotion.  The believer’s first responsibility is not service, ministry, or activity, but loving God supremely.

Jesus then followed this up by giving the second greatest commandment (vs. 39).  He quoted Leviticus 19:18.  When we truly love God, we will treat others according to His standards.  We are to seek another person’s good according to God’s truth.  Modern culture often elevates love while ignoring truth.  Jesus never separated the two.  Biblical love speaks truth, seeks holiness, warns against sin, and points people to Christ.  If we truly care about and love someone, we will be concerned about their eternal welfare.

The Ten Commandments illustrate this (vs. 40).  The first four commandments concern our love towards God.  The last six commandments concern our love towards others.  If a person perfectly loves God and others, he will perfectly fulfill God’s moral law.

Following this, Jesus became the questioner.  He asked them about the Messiah (the Christ), and whose Son was He (vs. 41-42).  Their answer, the son of David, was partially correct.  The Old Testament taught that the Messiah would come from David’s line, and sit upon the throne of David.  Jesus proceeded then to quote Psalm 110:1, where David called the Messiah “Lord” (vs. 43-45).  If the Messiah is merely David’s descendant, why would David call Him “Lord”?  The only answer is that the Messiah is more than David’s son.  He is also David’s divine Lord.

Jesus said that David spoke “in the Spirit”, meaning he was guided by the Holy Spirit when he wrote Scripture.  This supports the doctrine of verbal inspiration of the Bible (II Timothy 3:16).  These verses also show the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus is both fully man (David’s Son), and also fully God (David’s Lord).  Jesus was not merely a prophet and a teacher.  He is also God manifested in the flesh (John 1:14; I Timothy 3:16.  Psalm 110 depicts the Messiah seated at God’s right hand, pointing to His resurrection, ascension, and future victorious reign.

Following this exchange the religious leaders were completely silenced (vs. 46).  Every attack against Jesus collapsed because He is truth itself.  Many critics have challenged Christianity throughout history, but Jesus Christ remains undefeated.

Today’s Scripture presented two foundational truths.  The first is that man’s greatest duty is to love God wholly and love his neighbor as himself.  The second foundational truth is that Jesus Christ is both David’s Son and David’s Lord, proving that He is the divine Messiah.  The first truth reveals our failure and need for salvation.  The second reveals the identity of the Savior who alone can provide that salvation.

God's Approval or Man's Applause?

I Thessalonians 2:1-8

Are you a people-pleaser?  When we first hear that phrase we might think that is a good thing to be, as we should all want to please others and make other people happy.  However, that phrase also tends to imply someone who can never say no when asked to do something, even when it is very inconvenient.  People-pleasers often avoid a conflict at all costs, or they shift their opinions, tastes, or behavior to match whoever they are with.  Unfortunately that last characteristic is something that we sometimes see from the pulpit, where the sermon is crafted to please the congregation, rather than presenting the truth of the Gospel.  That was never the case with the Apostle Paul, as he testified in our Scripture for today.  Let’s see what we can learn as we continue in St. Paul’s letter to the Christians in Thessalonica.

When Paul and his companion Silas arrived in Thessalonica to bring the Gospel message to them, they had just recently been run out of town in Philippi.  Their stay in Thessalonica was quite brief, only a few weeks, as his enemies followed him putting his life in danger again, so they fled once more.  However, despite Paul’s short stay, his stop there was not in vain as he bore much fruit in that city (vs. 1).  Souls were saved and lives were transformed.  Today many people judge a ministry’s success by how long it lasts and how profitable it is.  Three weeks and then being run out of town would look like a failure to them, but Paul’s time there produced real fruit.

Past persecution did not silence Paul’s witness (vs. 2).  Preaching the true Gospel will often bring opposition, but God will supply courage for this ministry.  Paul’s confidence came from the Lord rather than his own personal bravery.  No one wants to be beaten and otherwise attacked, and Paul was no exception, however he remained faithful to God’s call in spite of all hardship.

Paul’s enemies leveled several accusations against him and his ministry, but the Apostle denied them (vs. 3).  They claimed that Paul’s message was filled with error, but he did not preach false doctrine.  They leveled charges of uncleanness or impropriety against him, but Paul’s motives were morally pure.  There was no immorality attached to his ministry.  They also claimed he was deceitful, but Paul used no trickery, manipulation, or dishonest methods.  Today’s preachers need to be the same.  The church should never adopt worldly techniques, deceptive tactics, or entertainment-centered methods that obscure the truth of the Gospel.

The Apostle viewed the Gospel as a sacred trust committed to him by God (vs. 4). His goal was God’s approval, not man’s applause.  Many preachers and believers compromise Biblical truth for acceptance.  Paul’s example should remind us that truth must never be sacrificed to gain popularity.  Jesus was not a “people-pleaser”.  He only cared about what one “Person” thought, and that was His Heavenly Father.  We should be more concerned about pleasing God rather than pleasing anyone else.

False teachers will often use flattery or other manipulations to gain followers and large donations (vs. 5-6).  Paul’s ministry was not motivated by money, greed, fame, or popularity, but instead was for God’s glory.  The faithful preacher will seek to exalt Jesus rather than build a personal following, sell more books, or seek more donations to purchase another private jet for themselves.

Instead of being like those false teachers, Paul was like a loving mother to her newborn baby (vs. 7-8).  He was gracious, compassionate, thoughtful, and tactful to his new converts.  He was not abrasive or judgmental, just like a loving parent.  He spoke the truth firmly, but also with genuine love and concern.  This reflected the model of Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for His people.  Christian service should not merely transmit information.  Effective ministry requires investing one’s life in others.

Looking over our Scripture, we see that opposition is not a sign that God is absent.  Often it is evidence that the Gospel is advancing.  We must always be sure that our ministry is pure in God’s sight.  In addition, we must also be careful to seek God’s approval rather than human praise.

As we take a look at ourselves, are we seeking God’s approval or man’s applause?  Are we willing to stand for truth when it is unpopular?  Do we genuinely love others enough to invest our lives in helping them grow spiritually?  Let us strive to follow Paul’s example by faithfully proclaiming the Gospel, maintaining pure motives, standing boldly for Biblical truth, and serving others with Christlike tenderness and sacrificial love.