2 Timothy 1:7-8

⁷ For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. ⁸ So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.

Reflection:

Of all that Paul can share with Timothy in his final letter to his son in the faith, Paul exhorts Timothy to live in and minister out of the power that has been given to him by God through his Spirit.  The focus is not about method or technique or anything else because Paul understands that true life giving ministry is accomplished only by the power that is given by the Spirit. It’s in this power, wrapped in love, that is an absolute necessity to live out the gospel.

Responding to the Transmission:

Let’s pray that our churches would receive this power that can only come from the Spirit.  Let’s pray that as we receive this power, that we would respond in living out the gospel filled with much boldness, love and self-discipline that comes from the Spirit of God.

Hebrews 13:17

¹⁷ Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

Reflection:

The encouragement we read from Paul in this passage stands in stark contrast to the bumper sticker, “question authority.”  Paul encourages us to have confidence in our leaders and submit to their authority.  The biblical position is not one of blind obedience though; it’s actually quite aware of where true authority comes from and what it’s based on.  It’s not an authority that simply has the “right” to tell people what to do, but one that has the power to heal, to make whole, to save, and to transform, which comes only from the Lord.  It’s an authority based upon God’s passionate, unfailing love for His people and one that is fully aware of the accountability that exists before the Lord.   Because of this, there is a sense of security in our relationships in the church and it prompts even greater confidence in the authority God has set.

Responding to the Transmission:

Let’s thank God for his passionate and unfailing love for us as His people and for the authority that He has given his church.  Let’s pray that God could would heal and correct any false notions of God-given authority that there would be greater confidence and genuine peace about the teaching, encouragement, and correction we receive from our leaders.  Let’s pray that our churches would be blessed with hearts and lives that welcome and obey the voice of God in every way as we read it in Scripture, as it is received in prayer, and as it is taught and preached to us.

1 Thessalonians 2:10-12

¹⁰ You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. ¹¹ For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, ¹² encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

Reflection:

For many of us who don’t have children, the thought of possibly raising them can be daunting, especially since there isn’t a handbook available that teaches us what to do.  But even though Paul wasn’t married with his own children, Paul encouraged, comforted and urged his churches as a father to his children.  How did Paul know how to minister to his churches?  Because he really cared about and loved them with Christ’s love.

Responding to the Transmission:

Let’s pray for ourselves and for the ministry that goes on in all the Agape churches, that we would receive Christ’s love in greater measure for those that we are ministering to.  Let’s ask for and receive the wisdom and power that we need to be spiritual mothers and fathers to those whom God has called us to love in our cities and campuses.  Let’s pray that as we receive this love, that God would make it clear how we are to love those we are ministering to.

2 Thessalonians 3:7-8

⁷ For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, ⁸ nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. ⁹ We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.

Reflection:

It’s clear from this passage that Paul was a hard worker.  He not only lived among and preached the Word of God to the Thessalonian church, but He also worked for his living and was not a burden to anyone.  He urges the Thessalonian church to follow his example and live a disciplined and hard-working life.   In essence, it’s a command not to be idle.  But with this admonishment was a reminder of their ability through the power of the Spirit, to work hard.  God has given us His Spirit, which enables us in every way to follow the example of Christ, as Paul did.  We have the ability to work hard in all areas of our lives, as we live out and preach the gospel at our jobs, schools, in our families, and all the places God has put us and entrusted us with.

Responding to the Transmission:

God is incredibly generous to us.  He not only shows us how to live through his Word and through examples that we can emulate, like Paul was for the Thessalonian church, but gives us His Spirit who enables us to live out His Word.  Let’s be encouraged by this truth and thank God for all these things.  Let’s also pray for an increase of the Spirit’s work in each of our campuses, missional groups, and churches.  Let’s pray that we would truly work hard for the Lord, and by the Spirit and grace He gives, that we would follow Jesus as Paul did.

John 10:11-13

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

Reflection:

In most workplaces, there are standards that govern the work that is done.  New hires usually go through training about expected behavior and required duties.  Some places even go so far as to reward those exceeding the standards by giving bonuses or making them “employees of the month”.  However, if the work seems too difficult, the hire can just leave and look for different work.

But when it comes to ministry, the standard is not found in a handbook of expected behaviors or duties and success is not measured by how well a task is performed.  Rather, the standard is found in the person of Jesus Christ, the one who gave up his life for his people.  In the end, the hired hand is limited because when there is no life, no life is born.  Jesus, the shepherd who gives his life, sets the standard of life giving ministry.

Responding to the Transmission:

Spend some time thanking the Lord for laying down his life for us in his love that gives us life.  Let’s pray for our missional groups and campus fellowships that more and more, we would understand that the Lord himself and the giving of his life as the standard for our ministry and let’s receive his power through the Holy Spirit to love by giving our lives for others.