Welcome!
Passage: Eph 3, Prov 24
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. (Eph 3, NIV 84)
Apostle Paul was minimizing himself while maximizing/magnifying the office of the Apostle. He says, it is a great office/position to be a herald/Apostle of this gospel; but Paul felt that he was the least worthy of that position!
Paul calls himself a servant of the gospel; he is not going to add or subtract to that gospel. He is just a messenger of the gospel
We are called to do what the Lord wants us to do; nothing more, nothing less!
Paul became a child of God, a member of God’s family. Jesus Christ was his role-model. He knew what Jesus did, forsaking all the glory of heaven
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Phil 2, NIV 84)
So, when Paul, inspired by God the Holy Spirit wrote “your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ”, he made sure that the transformation had happened in him first. The messenger/preacher preaches to him/her first!
When we prepare a message to write/preach, it has to sink in us first. If we got it in our head, it has to sink into our heart, and then brought out to preach
We need to “chew” upon it; we need to really “get it” in ourselves
“Preacher, preach to yourself first” was Paul’s rule, I believe!
If a preacher just prepare a message and somehow deliver it, it may not create any change in the recipient, unless the messenger had “received” it first. Paul himself says; “ 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:” (1 Cor 11, NIV 84)
Paul received the word into himself first, before passing it on. It worked in Paul first, before it worked in others!
Are we “receiving” the word that we read/ hear? If we do, pass it on
A scientist does not keep his discovery to himself; he/she publishes it because it will benefit so many people. When we don’t publish the gospel, people perish!
That is what Paul did; he preached all that he got- didn’t hide anything!
Let this mind of Paul, let the attitude of Christ be in us as well
Stay blessed; speak blessing (gospel)
BG
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for being my role model in life as well as ministry. Help me to consider others greater than me and to share the good news to others so that they won’t perish. Thank you. Amen
Proverbs for today: Prov 25 (verses below from NIV 84)
4 Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for[a] the silversmith;
5 remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness. 6 Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence, and do not claim a place among great men;
7 it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,” than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman.
What you have seen with your eyes 8 do not bring[b] hastily to court,
for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?