ministry in the fruit of the Spirit

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Isaiah 60:1-17; 2 Timothy 2:14-26; Mark 10:17-31

the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness... (2 Tim. 2:24-25)

In this discussion that begins with Paul's appeal to Timothy to "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth" (v. 15), Paul is concerned about speech and conversation and teaching that is impure, destructive, and evil.

This morning I'm struck by this word regarding "the Lord's servant" who is to be "able to teach." In his description he uses some of the "fruit of the Spirit" to describe the Lord's servant teacher. Yes, he admits, you have opponents; and yes, you must endure evil; but do so in the Spirit. These indeed are evidences of a life empowered by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

And yes, the hoped for result in this "fruit of the Spirit" and not "works of the flesh" type of ministry is repentance and deliverance from evil and the evil one: "God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will." (v. 25-26)

But this morning, in preparation for service and the Lord's bondservant, the correction, the call to repentance, the "cleansing" oneself "from what is dishonorable" (v. 21), the fleeing from "youthful passions" and intentional pursuit of "righteousness, faith, love, and peace," (v. 22) must begin with the Lord's servant. It must begin with me.

There is no possibility of true, enduring, Spirit-rooted, Spirit-filled kindness, patience and gentleness without severely dealing with the impurity, the anger, the jealousy, the fear... that is close at hand in this planting, this garden, this vineyard, of the Lord. But God does promise to heal, deliver, and restore; he promises to indwell and give his life to who put their trust in him, who (with his help!) turn their hearts to him, and intend to follow and obey.

I will make your overseers peace
and your taskmasters righteousness.
(Isaiah 60:17)