2 CORINTHIANS Chpt 5; THAT LIVING MINISTRY: V1 A KNOWING AND A BELIEVING MINISTRY: In verses one to eight Paul talks about

his confidence in Jesus Christ. May we be keen to do the same as the opportunity comes our way. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so . It is very hard to convince others if you have little knowledge or faith in that which you are trying to convince them. So as we meditate on this chapter, let us remember that Christ died to wash away our sins and rose from the dead to give us new eternal life. 2 TIMOTHY 1 vI2 ; For which cause I also suffer these things , neverthe less I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed against that day. V 2 ; A SEEKING MINISTRY: As Christ came to this earth to seek us out, He finally left us with His ministry. We are His hands, feet and voice and we have been given the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, being now fully equipped to complete His work. MATTHEW 28 v 19-20; Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all which whatsoever I have commanded you, And lo, I am with You alway even unto the end of the world. V 3 ; A COVERING MINISTRY: Covered now by the precious blood of Jesus Christ whereby God does not now see our confessed sin, or wait to cast us into hell. We are covered with a robe of righteousness provided by Jesus Christ. This should thrill our hearts and give us something to talk about. ROMANS 4 v 7-8; Saying, blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. ROMANS 3 v 25; Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood. V 4 ; AN EXCHANGING MINISTRY ; We have changed from the old life style of sin and transgression and exchanged all that for membership in the family of God, by faith and acceptance in the shed blood of Jesus. Sins are forgiven and now we worship God instead of satanic things. ROMANS 6 v 17-18; But God be thanked that you were the servants of sin but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you, being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness. V 5 ; A COVENANTING MINISTRY: Having repented of our sins and accepted Jesus as Redeemer and Sinbearer, God then seals us as His with the Holy Spirit sent to abide within each believer. This is to help the Christian as He or she meditates on the word of God. PSALM 116 v 17-18 ; I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows now in the presence of all His people. V 6 ; A WAITING MINISTRY : We are in our temporary body house and waiting with hope, joy in our hearts for the coming of our Lord to take us home to our new resurrection bodies and heaven. Can you rejoice If you knew that today the Lord was going to call you home to be with Him ? Are you living and witnessing for Him today as if this was really your last day 2 I THESSALONIANS 4 V 16-17; For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. The we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds and so shall we ever be wlth the Lord. V 7 ; A PROGRESSIVE MINISTRY: It is a moving minlstry, not standing still waiting-for something to happen. It is a daily walk with Jesus and a seeking out of His will for you. Follow up work with the new converts, Bible study groups, responsibility in the church and a continual growing in the word of God from whence comes our wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 6 v 18 ; Praying always with all prayer and supplication, in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

V 8 ; A WILLING MINISTRY : You were willing to repent of your sins and accept Jesus Christ as Saviour, but are you now willing for the Holy Spirit to stir up your heart to a state of surrendering to God all that He wants from you ? Are you willing to live each day as if Christ does mean everything to you ? Can your friends see a change in your life as you profess to be a Christian and then progress to Christian maturity. COLOSSIANS 3 v 23-24 ; And whatsoever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord and not unto men. Knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. V 9 ; A LABOURING MINISTRY : To be a front line disciple or commando for Jesus means a lot of hard work, time and money. much prayer and meditation on the word of God. There is no place for apathy here. It is not just a question of a working bee somewhere, but a steady, reliable, consciencious person with a desire to win lost souls for Jesus and to build up the new converts. 2 TIMOTHY 2 v2l ; If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work. V 10 ; A RECEIVING MINISTRY : This is also a very sobering thought. While the Scriptures assure us of blessings and rewards for that which is done on earth, for our Lord, so are we also remlnded of lost rewards for the sins of omission and commission. This should stir us up even more to desire to do that which God asks of us. HEBREWS 12 v 25 ; See that you refuse not Him that speaks or if they escaped not who refused Him, that spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from Him that speaks from heaven. V 11 ; A MANIFESTING MINISTRY. Knowing that God is a just God we warn people of the consequences of rebelling against God. Paul, because of his love for these Corinthians desires that the true and Christlike life may be evidenced or made manifest in him that the conscience of those to whom he is trying to reach might be stirred up. By our faithful witnes for Christ, and dally example in living for Him, the love of God should be seen by others in us. 1 CORINTHIANS 3 v 11-13 ; For other foundations can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones. wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. .V 12 ; A GLORIFYING MINISTRY: Paul sought no glory or praise for himself and he certainly was not a man who appeared boastful. In his ministry he freely acknowledged the mighty power of the Godhead upon his life's work. He was true worshipper of His Redeemer, He could tell of his beatings, Imprisonment and show the scars of the battle to prove his statements, yet all the while he gave the glory to God and his Saviour. This is a ministry of praise, not from men to men, but of mankind to God. Let us glorify God will all our mind and strength each day. PSALM 100 v 4-5 ; Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise; be thankful unto Him and bless His name. For the Lord is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. V 13 ; A SOUL STIRRING AND SATISFYING MINISTRY ; Paul at times was so overjoyed at the blessings God poured out upon Him that people thought him a fool. This Christianity is a satisfying way of life. It is truly the way, the truth and the life made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. May we truly worship and glorify God for what he allowed to happen at Calvary to redeem us. PSALM 103 v 1-4 ; Bless the Lord, 0 my soul and al1 that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord 0 my soul and forget not all His benefits, who forgives all our iniquities, who heals all your diseases. Who redeems your life from dest ructlon , who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies.

V 14 ; A LOVING MINISTRY : This wondereful love of Christ for us should make us love Him and our fellowman as He directs. Jesus has given to each of us a loving nature to use daily. May we show this Christlike nature to the unsaved about us and to each other. We should be dead to sin and alive and wide awake to show the love of Jesus to those downcast and needy people we meet so often. PSALM 126 v 5-6 ; They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing bringing his sheaves with him. V 15 ; A CONSECRATING MINISTRY : Christ died for us to redeem us from the power of satan and rose from the dead to give us a new and eternal life. That we might be forgiven confessed sin, washed white as snow and sanctified as His disciples to go forth and preach and teach the gospel. There is only one kind of effective life for Jesus and that is one of dedication to Him. It produces results that people can see. PSALM 116 v 1-2; I love the Lord because He has heard my voice and my supplications, because He has inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live. V 16 ; A SEPARATNG MINISTRY : Paul had completely separated himself from his original friends and henceforth he wanted only Christ operating within him..Let us get right back to the word of God and see what He wants us to do and how to do It. Trust Him, rely on Him and let the Holy Spirit work out the purposes of God through you. ROMANS 1 v 1; Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an Apostle, separated unto the gospel of God. V 17 ; A ' TRANSFORMED MINISTRY : Do you really want a changed Life ? If your life has not changed much since you became a Christian then your unsaved friend or members of your family are not likely to be impressed when you talk to them about Jesus and the Christian way of life. PSALM 138 v 1 -2 ; I wi11 praise you with my whoIe heart, before the gods will I sing praise unto You. I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise your name for your loving kindness and for your truth, for you have magnified your word above all your name. V 18 ; A RECONCILING MINISTRY ; How important this is. Jesus Christ Is the only One who can bring the sinner back into the family of God. And He expects the Christians to keep a loving caring attitude towards each other. MATTHEW 5 v 23 ; Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has aught against you, leave there your gift before the altar and go your way, first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. V 19 ; A FORGIVING MINISTRY: God is always ready to hear our request for forgiveness through Jesus who is ever interceding at the right hand of the Father. This forgiveness also applies to the Christians. A forgiving church will be blessed by God and be a happy place to worship in. MATTHEW 5 v 44 ; But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, -do good to them that hate you.Pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you. V 20 ; A SERVING MINISTRY ; Christ came to earth to serve mankind. Paul, despite his high position in Israel before he became a Christian, prefered to call himself a bondservant a slave to his fellowmen. May we be willing to serve Jesus because of what He has done for us. JOHN 12 v 26; If any man serve Me let him follow Me and .where I am there shall also My servant, if any man serve me, him will My father honour. V 21 ; A REDEEMING MINISTRY : We are not our own, we are bought with a price. Christ redeemed us at Calvary, washed our sins away, and covered us with that robe ofrighteousness. will at a later date take us Into the presence of God.Christ said 'come unto Me ' and we came and were born

again. Now He says 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel but do we go ? HEBREWS 10 v 19-20, 23; Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He has consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, through His fIesh. Let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering. For He is faithful that promised.