事奉的特權
哥林多後書四章1至7節
1我們既然蒙憐憫，受了這職分，就不喪膽，
2乃將那些暗昧可恥的事棄絕了；不行詭詐，不謬講神的道理，只將真理表明出來，好在神面前把自己薦與各人的良心。
3如果我們的福音蒙蔽，就是蒙蔽在滅亡的人身上。
4此等不信之人被這世界的神弄瞎了心眼，不叫基督榮耀福音的光照著他們。基督本是神的像。
5我們原不是傳自己，乃是傳基督耶穌為主，並且自己因耶穌作你們的僕人。
6那吩咐光從黑暗裡照出來的神，已經照在我們心裡，叫我們得知神榮耀的光顯在耶穌基督的面上。
7我們有這寶貝放在瓦器裡，要顯明這莫大的能力是出於神，不是出於我們。
信息分享
使徒保羅喜歡用「職份」一詞來形容他的事奉，這詞在他的書信中出現不下十數次。他所指的「職份」並不是站在講台上事奉的一兩個小時，而是涵蓋了他的一生。
我們很容易會說，神在保羅身上有獨特的計劃，要將特別的職份交給保羅，因此，我們有藉口說：「我們不是保羅，不能夠承擔那樣的重任！」我們必須再讀第1節一遍：「我們……受了這職份。」──那當然包括我們每一個基督徒！
我們是這職份的擁有者，這職份是我們共有的，是屬於你和我的。保羅提醒我們，我們並非單是得著救恩的罪人，更是神的僕人。我們的工作就是代表基督。這是隨著身份而來的職份。
保羅在好幾卷書信中都提過「聖靈的恩賜」，這恩賜就是聖靈賜給每位信徒用於事奉的能力。每位信徒都有恩賜，恩賜各有不同，但只要有恩賜，我們就可以完成某項事奉，藉此服事基督。
保羅接著提醒我們，每個信徒都必須事奉。他在第3節指出，不認耶穌基督的人，都是蒙蔽和失喪的人，他們離棄了神，以致無法與祂相交。除非他們聽信福音，否則將永遠與神隔絕。撒但當然不想他們聽聞福音；但我們卻有責任把基督的福音告訴他們。
我們的職份──傳揚福音--滿足世人。
THE PRIVILEGE OF MINISTRY
2 Corinthians 4:1-7
1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
Message
If it were right to say that Paul was proud, there was one privilege he was proud of - that Christ had allowed Paul to serve Him. But actually he was humbled by this fact and saw the responsibility of it besides the privilege.
'Ministry' was a favourite word of the apostle. He used it dozens of times in his epistles. He spoke as if it covered his whole life, not just an hour or so in some pulpit.
It is very easy for us to say that God had special plans for Paul and we therefore tend to excuse ourselves by saying, "We're not Paul. We can't do much." We need to read that first verse again:
We have this ministry. That includes every one of us.
We could call it a "Possessed Ministry". It is ours. It is yours. It is mine. Paul reminds us that not only are we saved, but we are servants also. We have a work to do - representing Jesus Christ.
In several epistles Paul talks about the gifts of the Spirit. A gift is a capacity given to each of us by the Holy Spirit, to be used in the service of Christ. Every believer has a gift. They may vary as to their nature, but having a gift, we have some kind of a ministry we can fulfil for Christ.
Then Paul reminds us how much this ministry is needed. In verse 3 he states that outside of Jesus Christ, men and women are lost. They are lost from God and lost from His fellowship. They are separated from Him, and will be forever, unless they hear and accept the gospel we possess. Satan wants to keep them from hearing it. Our responsibility is to tell them .the Good News in Christ.
OUR MINISTRY - POSSESSED BY US - NEEDED BY THEM.