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CHRIST ENTRUSTS US WITH GOSPEL SERVICE (11)
- A massive message: “The gospel of the glory of the blessed God.”
- A massive trust: “With which I have been entrusted.”
Christ trusts the untrustworthy with his trustworthy Gospel.
How can I carry this massive trust?
CHRIST STRENGTHENS US FOR GOSPEL SERVICE (12A)
- A massive strengthening: Christ Jesus our Lord gave me strength for this
- A massive thanksgiving: I have constant gratitude to God for this strengthening
The best way to experience Christ’s strength is to experience our own weakness.
But will I keep going?
CHRIST KEEPS US IN GOSPEL SERVICE
“Because he judged me faithful.”
- Christ will keep me faithful: This cannot mean that God saved or called Paul because of his past or future faithfulness. The whole context is emphasizing Paul’s gratitude for God’s sovereign intervention in his life. This is about what God would make him become by his grace. God entrusted him with the Gospel and God made him trustworthy.
- Christ re-directs my single-mindedness: God saw some natural characteristics in Paul that he knew he could re-direct and refine for the sake of the Gospel – that fiery, intense, zeal that had been dedicated to the destruction of the Church could be used in the service of the church.
Natural gifts that we abuse can be turned to spiritual gifts God can use.
But what if people doubt my calling? But what If I doubt my calling?
CHRIST APPOINTS US TO GOSPEL SERVICE
“Christ appointed me to his service.”
When Paul or anyone else doubted Paul’s responsibility or abilities, this was where Paul would point to God’s appointment. When people point to our disappointments, let’s point ourselves to God’s appointment.
Christ’s appointment keep us going through disappointments.
LIVING THE BIBLE
When I’m feeling timid about serving Christ, I will use Christ’s trust, Christ’s strengthening, Christ’s keeping, and Christ’s appointment to encourage myself.
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