FRIDAY October 20, 2017
God’s Ministers
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? - 1 Corinthians 3:5
Paul must have been grieved with the Corinthians. He wrote
1 Corinthians, an Epistle which had 16 chapters, to deal with their spiritual problems. Even though Paul was not in Corinth physically, he was pouring out his heart to these believers. He must have been very hurt over their lack of spiritual maturity.
The reason for their carnality was because they were immature; they had not matured spiritually. Therefore, Paul could not go very far with them.
The marks of carnality––strife, envy and divisions––were the things that divided the church. Paul reasoned with the Corinthians that they should not be divided over different teachers. Paul and Apollos were one––unified. They were just men––ministers, servants of the Lord––whom he used for His glory. In fact, God can use a donkey to speak to people!
Chuck Smith was approached by a pastor from another church who had taken his CDs and preached his sermons to his congregation. He asked Chuck if that was alright. He responded to him and explained that there was no problem. Why? Chuck told him whatever ministered to him through the study was God speaking to him––it was not Chuck. So there was nothing wrong with him using Chuck’s sermons, because it is the Holy Spirit who brings conviction to the heart of a person––it is not man’s doing.
God uses a man and through His Holy Spirit that man preaches a message to the hearts of people. The Holy Spirit speaks to the people. Pastors are just God’s instruments to get the Word of God out to them.
The minister is a servant.
~Chuck Smith~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit Somebodylovesyouradio.org!
