True Apostolic Ministry & Burden.

Here are some scriptures I read and I get so burdened seeing that much of what is being practised by many today as christianity and christian ministry is completely strange & different from what the apostles & early church practised in the bible 👇🏽


2 Corinthians 12:14-21

Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?  I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps? Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. 


The apostle's concern is for the soul of the people, their spiritual state & condition, and it is such that he does not want in anyway to be burdensome to them in coming to them as many ministers today are. Many today are huge financial burdens even to their own congregation in different cities/regions, when they travel to minister to them; their logistics/ bills have to be covered, flight ticket, grand reception at the airport with motorcade, executive hotel lodging, honorarium, prophet's seed etc.

The apostle is clearly not after what they have, what they can give, their offering, seed etc. 

He clearly says I seek not yours but you, he even went ahead to say what many ministers today wouldn't want to ever hear or preach, which is this..."for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you"

Not even his co-workers like Titus whom he earlier sent to them, gained any material thing from the people, as taking offering or seeds from them on behalf of the apostle. They walked in the same spirit not seeking what to gain from the people but to edify and build them up spiritually.

This being what he was after, the great burden of the apostle's heart towards these saints, was their spiritual state, how they are faring in their relationship and walk with God, how they are faring in sanctification and holiness before the Lord. His fear in coming to them was thus to come and find them not walking as they ought to, to come and find them given to strife, envy backbiting, tumults etc. To come and to have much sorrow and agony of heart bewailing many who have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

Here indeed is a servant of the Lord, who like his master, loves righteousness and hates iniquity to the hilt. A servant of the Lord who gets so burdened and grieved in heart when iniquity is found thriving amongst God's people.

These words here i meditated on in 2nd Corinthians 12 are very similar to what the apostle said in Philippians 2:17-21 & 3:18-19👇🏽

Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me. But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.  For i have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Thanks for sharing. Have learnt something
26 January 2025 at 08:15
Paulchrisen Okey said…
Thanks for reading. Godbless!
27 January 2025 at 07:18
Anonymous said…
Surely the Lord we keep helping us. Thanks for sharing this sir. God bless you. -Godwin
1 February 2025 at 00:06
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