Sabbath School Lesson 10 Summary – Authentic Christian Ministry | Q3 2026

SPEAKER A 00:00:01 - 00:01:06 Hello, I'm Rod Butler. Welcome to Let God Speak. Is authentic Christian ministry measured by credentials, popularity, eloquence, or success? In 2 Corinthians chapters 3 through 7, Paul reveals that genuine ministry is not about promoting ourselves, but about revealing Christ. It's a ministry measured by transformed lives, endurance through suffering, reconciliation with God and others, and a commitment to holiness. In our Sabbath School lesson today, we will discover how God works through weak human vessels to display His strength and glory. Joining me on the panel today, we have Rosanna Laredo and Corinne Knopper. Welcome. SPEAKER B 00:01:06 - 00:01:07 Hello. SPEAKER A 00:01:07 - 00:01:30 Well, before we commence our discussion, let's bow for prayer. Gracious Father, we thank you for the opportunity of this discussion today on this important topic. We ask, Lord, for the Holy Spirit to give us guidance, and we know, Lord, that authentic Christian ministry is dependent upon the Holy Spirit leading us. And we pray that you'll lead us now. Please bless our viewers too, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. SPEAKER C 00:01:30 - 00:01:31 Amen. Amen. SPEAKER A 00:01:31 - 00:02:31 Well, the Apostle Paul faced criticism, opposition, suffering, and misunderstanding. Yet through every challenge, his focus remained firmly fixed on Jesus Christ. Rather than defending himself through letters of recommendation, Paul pointed to transformed lives as the evidence of his ministry. He knew that God delights in using weak and fragile people to accomplish His purposes. So let's start our discussion. And the first question is to you, Rosanna. And I'm going to read 2 Corinthians 3:2-3. It says, you are an epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men. You are manifestly an epistle of Christ ministered by us, Written not with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tables of— tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. So in what sense can believers be epistles of Christ, Rosanna? SPEAKER B 00:02:31 - 00:03:13 Well, Paul is saying that transformed lives are the strongest evidence of God's work. The Corinthians themselves were proof that the gospel had changed hearts. So people may never get a chance to read the Bible, but they will see Christians in their everyday life and see Christ working in them. So in Matthew 5:16, Jesus says, let your light so shine before men. And that word light in the Greek, it means truth, knowledge, spiritual purity exposed to public view. So let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Glorifying him, not us. Yeah, glorify God for our good works. SPEAKER A 00:03:13 - 00:03:39 Right, so the good works are coming through God. That's right. Well, let's keep reading. I'm going to read verse 5 now. That's 2 Corinthians 3:5. And it says, not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God. So Corinne, it says our sufficiency is from God. Why is that important for Christian ministry? SPEAKER C 00:03:39 - 00:04:03 Well, Paul understood that the success in ministry doesn't come from human ability and wisdom. It has to come from God alone because he makes us competent to serve him the best way. And this keeps us humble and very dependent on God's powers, not ours as humans. SPEAKER A 00:04:03 - 00:04:06 And we have to be dependent, don't we? Yes, we do. SPEAKER C 00:04:06 - 00:04:06 All the time. SPEAKER A 00:04:06 - 00:04:07 Otherwise our own self takes over. SPEAKER C 00:04:09 - 00:04:09 Too weak. SPEAKER A 00:04:09 - 00:04:19 Well, Paul contrasts the ministry of the letter with the ministry of the Spirit. What do you see as the difference between the letter and the Spirit, Rosanna? SPEAKER B 00:04:19 - 00:04:56 Well, the law reveals sin and our need of a Savior, whereas the Spirit brings life through Christ. So, the Spirit writes God's principles upon the heart and produces genuine obedience. So, authentic Christianity is not merely outward compliance but inward transformation. So in Jeremiah, God says this, Jeremiah 31:33, but this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God and they shall be my people. Very relationship-focused. Yeah. SPEAKER A 00:04:56 - 00:04:56 Okay. SPEAKER C 00:04:56 - 00:04:57 Yeah, yeah. SPEAKER A 00:04:57 - 00:05:06 So if we're this epistle for, for the gospel, for Christ, what evidence should we expect to see? when the Holy Spirit is working in us? Corinne? SPEAKER C 00:05:06 - 00:06:05 The evidence to me is that the character of the person does change. Increasingly, it will reflect what and who Jesus is. And this Spirit produces the— our attitudes and actions that the human cannot achieve on their own, in their own efforts. It's impossible. And that transformation is the fruit of God's presence being in my heart, in your heart. And Galatians 5:22 helps us understand that a little bit more. And I'm also going to add a little bit of 23, verse 23 too, because it says, But the fruit of the Spirit is love and joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. And 23 says, gentleness, And self-control, that's what we get from the Holy Spirit God gives to us. SPEAKER A 00:06:05 - 00:06:34 Okay, well, I want to keep, um, I'll keep reading now because if we look at 2 Corinthians, we're going to go to chapter 4 and read verse 7, and it says, but we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. So, Rosanna, why does God place His treasure in fragile human beings? SPEAKER B 00:06:34 - 00:07:09 Yes, well, in 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul writes, and He, Jesus, said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. So God uses weak people so that the glory belongs to Him and not to us. So our limitations become opportunities for Him to show His power to be displayed, His power to be displayed. The gospel succeeds because of God's strength and not ours. SPEAKER A 00:07:09 - 00:07:27 And when you see someone who is doing God's work and they're actually doing amazing things, but you also know that they're, I guess, not educated or they're not sort of well-trained, but they've got this great ability to communicate and you see the power of God. But it's very impressive, isn't it? SPEAKER C 00:07:27 - 00:07:28 It is, yes. SPEAKER A 00:07:28 - 00:07:35 Very impressive. Well, Paul endured many hardships, Corinne. How did he avoid becoming discouraged? SPEAKER C 00:07:35 - 00:08:27 I think he kept his eyes fixed on the eternal realities rather than the temporary things that are here on this earth. The difficulties that he went through were only just temporary, and he viewed the present suffering just in the light of what the future glories would be in heaven. And his faith allowed him to see beyond all those circumstances. And he does write about that in Romans chapter 8. And I'm going to go to verse 18. And he said here, For I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. So it's going to come into us how God reveals all that beautiful, precious thing for us. SPEAKER A 00:08:27 - 00:08:29 That's an amazing thought, isn't it? SPEAKER C 00:08:29 - 00:08:30 It is, yes. SPEAKER A 00:08:30 - 00:08:43 Quite deep. So Rosanna, what lessons can we learn from Paul's willingness to suffer for Christ? I mean, no one wants to suffer, but Paul was willing to do that because he loved his Lord. What lessons can we learn there? SPEAKER B 00:08:43 - 00:09:07 Well, in Luke 9:23, It says, then Jesus said to them all, if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. So Paul understood that following Jesus does sometimes require sacrifice, and he was willing to endure that hardship because Christ had done everything for him, and love for Christ gave him that strength to persevere. SPEAKER A 00:09:07 - 00:09:48 Yes, there's no guarantees that we're going to have plain sailing. We'll always have suffering and some hardship, and we've got to claim God's promises, don't we? Paul had that love for Christ that he claimed the promises. Let's now turn to 2 Corinthians. I'm going to read 2 Corinthians 4:17, and I've got a question for you, Corinne, on this one. It says, for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Now in this text, Paul is saying light affliction, and he's saying It's momentary. How could, how could he say that after all he'd been through? SPEAKER C 00:09:48 - 00:10:46 I believe that he's looking at comparing this temporary suffering of this earth and looking to it with what's going to happen with eternal glory, the difference between the two. The hardships of the life here on this earth are brief when you measure those with eternity. It's totally different. And then the resurrection gave so much hope and it changed his perspective completely. And it can change ours, too, because there's a wonderful verse in Revelation. And I'm going to turn over there. Revelation, Chapter 21. And we're going to read verse 4. And it says, and God will wipe away every There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. They've gone. SPEAKER A 00:10:46 - 00:10:59 So, so the key point here is that we could be suffering things like Paul. He's what, shipwrecked 3 times? He was stoned and he was 39 lashes 5 times, etc. He went through a lot. SPEAKER C 00:10:59 - 00:11:00 Yes. SPEAKER A 00:11:00 - 00:11:07 But you're saying that because he had the hope of the resurrection in mind, of eternal glory, It didn't matter what happened in this life. SPEAKER C 00:11:07 - 00:11:11 He just did not seem to worry about it because of that. SPEAKER A 00:11:11 - 00:11:16 Yeah, he had his, his heart was in heaven, his mind was on better things, and he could endure. SPEAKER C 00:11:16 - 00:11:16 Yes. SPEAKER A 00:11:16 - 00:11:22 What an inspiration for us today to endure when we have things which we think are bad for us. SPEAKER C 00:11:22 - 00:11:23 Yes, absolutely. SPEAKER A 00:11:23 - 00:11:31 Now you mentioned hope of the resurrection. Rosanna, you know, why is the hope of the resurrection just so important for believers? SPEAKER B 00:11:32 - 00:11:45 Well, without, without the resurrection, death and suffering have the final word. I mean, the resurrection assures us that Christ has conquered the grave and that believers will live again. It fills the Christian life with hope. SPEAKER C 00:11:45 - 00:11:46 Yes. SPEAKER A 00:11:46 - 00:11:49 And that's where we need— that's going back to what we're just saying. SPEAKER C 00:11:49 - 00:11:49 Yes. SPEAKER A 00:11:49 - 00:12:13 That we have troubles on this world. Every day we encounter difficulties and things. There's no guarantees we're going to have— just being a Christian doesn't mean that there will be nothing going wrong. But when they do go wrong, and even if there's no Outcome. I mean, some people can have very difficult circumstances for a long period. If their mind's in heaven and their relationship's with Christ, they can endure because they know what's waiting for them. SPEAKER C 00:12:13 - 00:12:14 They do. SPEAKER A 00:12:14 - 00:12:16 They have that hope of the resurrection. SPEAKER C 00:12:16 - 00:12:16 Yes. SPEAKER A 00:12:16 - 00:12:25 It's marvelous. Well, what does it mean to walk by faith and not by sight then, Corinne? Because that's what they're doing, aren't they? SPEAKER C 00:12:25 - 00:12:25 That's what they are. SPEAKER A 00:12:25 - 00:12:33 If you're suffering but you're still content because you've got that relationship with Christ, you are walking Yes. And not by sight. SPEAKER C 00:12:33 - 00:13:33 Yes. And Hebrews gives us a very good indicator of this and helps encourage us and learn a little bit more. And if I go to chapter 11 of Hebrews and verse 1, it says, now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things that are not seen. And I mean, this really means we are trusting God's promises even when there's horrors going on in the world. And then our old habits and values and the priorities that we have had, they begin to give way for us. And God's promises for these circumstances just seem to lift us up. And the faith that we have and we believe in God's Word, our eyes are opened and then we can see all of this beauty from our God. Faith is so important to us and that was the secret. Of Paul's endurance right back then, and it can help us endure today. SPEAKER A 00:13:33 - 00:13:39 And look, we all need that faith because we all have endurance to, to go through. SPEAKER C 00:13:39 - 00:13:40 We do. SPEAKER A 00:13:40 - 00:14:07 I'm going to read now 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 11, and it says, knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are well known to God. And I also trust are well known in your consciences. Now, the question I have here, what does that expression actually mean, the fear of the Lord, in this particular context? Rosanna, what's your thoughts on that? SPEAKER B 00:14:07 - 00:14:32 Well, the fear of the Lord is a reverent respect and awe for God. It's not terror, but a deep appreciation for His holiness and authority. And this then leads us, this reverence leads us to love and obey Him. So Solomon says in Proverbs 9:10, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. SPEAKER A 00:14:32 - 00:15:23 Yeah, the fear of the Lord. What an important thing. As you say, it's reverence for authority, for rank. That's what we all need when we think of God, that we need that fear, that reverence. I'm going to keep reading. I'm going to go read now, still in chapter 5, But I'm going down to verses 17 and 18, and it says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. All things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. Now Paul is saying that We, you know, we're a new creation. What does he mean by we're a new creation? How do you unpack that one for us? SPEAKER C 00:15:23 - 00:16:05 I think it's because God has started working in us to transform us if we're letting him do that, and he will work through us. And it's like, as I said with my other question before, that our old habits and our values and priorities are just going to totally change, and they will give new life to us that's centered around Jesus. Because if we are going to be Christlike, we're going to be like Jesus. And then our conversion is like a reformation inside us. That to me is a spiritual rebirth, something that we've never had before. We're going to be reborn. SPEAKER A 00:16:05 - 00:16:14 Now we're talking today about authentic Christian ministry. And we've already sort of said that our lives have to reflect Christ. SPEAKER C 00:16:14 - 00:16:15 They do. SPEAKER A 00:16:15 - 00:16:47 We'll be enduring hardship. It is impressive when you see people who are going through terrible times and yet they've got a happy, contented disposition. They've got their faith in the Lord. It says here, I read verses 17 and 18, and Rosanna, just a question to you. In verse 18 it says, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. Now, what does Paul mean by a ministry of reconciliation? Why is a ministry of reconciliation important for authentic Christian ministry? SPEAKER B 00:16:47 - 00:17:20 Well, it's very good news on God's part to want this. This ministry of reconciliation is the work of bringing people back into a right relationship with God through Christ. So having been reconciled ourselves, we then become messengers of his grace to other people. So the gospel becomes an invitation to be restored to Christ, to that relationship with him. So Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:5, for there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. SPEAKER A 00:17:20 - 00:17:53 Yeah, and you know, we're reconciled to God. That translates in our— because we have a relationship with God, the first 4 commandments are our reverence to God and the the next 6-hour relationship with our fellow man. If we have that reconciliation with God and we see people who aren't sort of reconciled in our families, we want to reconcile those people as well. That spirit of reconciliation transforms us and helps us to transform others too, which is important. SPEAKER C 00:17:53 - 00:17:54 Yes, yes. SPEAKER A 00:17:54 - 00:18:09 So that's the spirit of reconciliation. Going back to how should a new creation, how should that transform our lives as well? How should being a new creation affect us on a daily basis? SPEAKER C 00:18:09 - 00:18:44 If it affects any of us, it's going to change how we think, how we speak, how we act and react to others, how we treat other people. Are we treating them how we want to be treated? And I think the gospel does touch in every area of our lives like this because Christ becomes the Lord of our hearts then. And our conduct will reflect and it should reflect this new life that the good Lord has tried to put into each of us from this new life that we are given. SPEAKER A 00:18:44 - 00:18:53 Yeah, that's very powerful, isn't it? We are given new life. And that new life should reflect in our behavior and our attitudes to everything. SPEAKER C 00:18:53 - 00:18:54 Yes. SPEAKER A 00:18:54 - 00:19:01 Now Paul calls believers ambassadors. What does that really mean? What is an ambassador, Rosanna? SPEAKER B 00:19:01 - 00:19:22 I like that he uses that term. It's very purposeful. It's a nice strong word. An ambassador represents the government that has sent someone. So likewise, Christians represent Christ before the world, and our words and our actions, as you were saying, Corinne, our words, our actions reflect then God's kingdom and his values and his character as well. SPEAKER C 00:19:22 - 00:19:24 Yeah, yeah. SPEAKER B 00:19:24 - 00:19:25 We are his ambassadors. SPEAKER A 00:19:25 - 00:19:31 So if we're an ambassador, we need to know what his kingdom is for a start to reflect it. SPEAKER B 00:19:31 - 00:19:31 We do, yes. SPEAKER A 00:19:31 - 00:19:45 So we've got to be a citizen of that particular country as well because we're representing it. Very powerful. Now why is holiness such an important part of authentic ministry as well? Because again, we're talking about authentic ministry here. SPEAKER C 00:19:45 - 00:19:45 Yes. SPEAKER A 00:19:45 - 00:19:55 And we know that authentic ministry comes from people who are transformed by the Holy Spirit. How does holiness play a part? Where does that come into all this? SPEAKER C 00:19:55 - 00:20:58 I think it is God's message that has come to us and we reflect that special message that God has given to us. And that holiness means that we're going to live a life that is separated from the sin and the, the whole horrors of the world, and then we are dedicated to our gracious God in heaven. And it gives us some credibility to be a witness for our God and to honor him as well. And I think that's been written in the Bible in quite a number of places, but one verse that I particularly find interesting is 1 Peter 1: And verse 16, because it gives it in very short, precise answer here. Because it is written, be holy, for I am holy. Our Lord God is holy. So He asks us to be holy. SPEAKER A 00:20:58 - 00:21:04 And the key point there is that we can only be holy, we aren't holy in ourselves. SPEAKER C 00:21:04 - 00:21:05 No. SPEAKER A 00:21:05 - 00:21:14 We're sinful humans. So we need Christ and the Holy Spirit in our lives to be holy. It's actually God in our lives which makes us holy. SPEAKER B 00:21:14 - 00:21:14 It is. SPEAKER A 00:21:14 - 00:22:00 It's nothing in ourselves, it's God in our lives, which is the point we have to have. It's us in cooperation with the Holy Spirit that can enable us to be changed to live that holy life. Now I want to read 2 Corinthians 7:1, and I've got a question for you, Rosanna. It says, therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Now Paul's urging believers to perfect holiness in the fear of God. How does that happen? How do we perfect holiness? What's, what's that mean? That can be confusing for people. What does it actually mean? SPEAKER B 00:22:00 - 00:22:06 It could be a bit of pressure if we think that it's entirely our responsibility, isn't it? I mean, fortunately not. SPEAKER C 00:22:06 - 00:22:06 Yeah. SPEAKER B 00:22:06 - 00:22:44 So as you said, holiness is that work of God in cooperation with the believer. So the Holy Spirit transforms us and our character as we surrender our lives to Him daily, and then we respond by rejecting sin and choosing obedience instead. So, yeah, like Paul says in Philippians 2:13, For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure. So he changes both our will and our actions as well. It's, yeah, he does the full job and we can work with him. That's good news. SPEAKER A 00:22:44 - 00:23:22 So in that sense, it's God doing the work, isn't it? We just have to be willing to let God do the work. If we try to do anything on our own merits, it's going to be a disaster. We have to let God do the work in us and be open to it. So we have to what? We have to be obedient. We have to follow His Word. When we read His Word, there'll be things that might sort of, oh, that's too hard, but we have to be obedient regardless and let God work in us to do that work. Okay. Now Paul experienced great joy when he heard of the Corinthians' repentance. Why did that bring such great joy and happiness to Paul? SPEAKER C 00:23:22 - 00:24:56 I believe it was because it was a genuine repentance to, and it was evidence that God's Spirit was working in the people right then. And Paul cared so deeply for those Corinthian people and he wanted them to have salvation and a really beautiful spiritual growth. And that's what he was starting to see for them. Their repentance also showed that his ministry had borne fruit. Without that, it would have been a little bit more difficult for Paul, I think. He worked so hard, ready to give his life just like Jesus did. And I think nothing will bring greater joy and happiness than for any minister or anybody working with people to see these lives that are being transformed by God's wonderful grace. And I think He let that— it's written in the Bible in a number of places all about this as well. And I'd like to turn over to Luke chapter 15, and I'm going to go to verse 10. It'll help open our eyes just a little bit more. Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. And we feel beautiful, beautifully blessed when we see somebody who totally changes their lives when they come to Jesus. And it's just so beautiful to see. SPEAKER A 00:24:56 - 00:25:08 It's awesome when you see the power of God change someone's life that you wouldn't have thought possible, humanly speaking, impossible. And people have done a complete— they're a new creature. SPEAKER C 00:25:08 - 00:25:08 New person. SPEAKER A 00:25:08 - 00:25:09 Basically a new creature. SPEAKER C 00:25:09 - 00:25:10 Yeah, new creature. Yes. SPEAKER A 00:25:10 - 00:25:37 Well, I've got the last question for you today, Rosanna, and I want to go to 2 Corinthians 7:10, and it says, for godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces death. So there's a difference between godly sorrow And worldly sorrow. Can you explain to us the difference? Because we need sorrow for sin, what's the true sorrow? SPEAKER B 00:25:37 - 00:26:46 Well, godly sorrow recognizes sin as an offense against God and leads to repentance and a change. It draws a person closer to Christ and produces spiritual growth. It focuses on restoration rather than regret alone, whereas worldly sorrow focuses mainly on the consequences of sin, and it might bring regret, but without that change of heart and that genuine change. Godly sorrow, though, results in forgiveness, renewal, and a transformed life. David says in Psalm 51:10, Create in me a clean heart, O God. That word for heart in the Hebrew, it means mind, your will, inclination, appetite, emotions, passions, intellect. That's a really rich word in the Hebrew. Create in me a clean heart, O God, all of those things, and renew a steadfast spirit. And that word spirit in the Hebrew means your mind, your disposition, courage, impulse, moral character. Now this is a big transformation. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. SPEAKER A 00:26:46 - 00:26:50 What a beautiful place to end our discussion today. SPEAKER C 00:26:50 - 00:26:50 Hallelujah. SPEAKER A 00:26:50 - 00:26:54 It's our prayer for all of us. Create in us, create in me a clean heart, O God. SPEAKER C 00:26:54 - 00:26:54 Please. SPEAKER A 00:26:55 - 00:27:57 Thank you, Rosanna. Thank you, Corinne, for your input today. Well, authentic ministry is not built upon human credentials, talent, or status. It's built upon transformed lives, as we've been discussing. Dependence upon the Holy Spirit, faithfulness through suffering, commitment to holiness, and a passion for reconciliation is what it's all about. Paul reminds us that we are merely jars of clay, carrying the priceless treasure of the gospel. As we surrender ourselves to Christ, his strength shines through our weakness and his character becomes visible in our lives. May God help each of us to be living letters of Christ, known and read by all people. Now thank you for joining us on Let God Speak. All past programs plus teacher's notes are available on our website, 3abnaustralia.org.au. email us on [email protected]. Tell your friends about the program, and until next time, let God speak to your heart, and God bless. SPEAKER B 00:27:57 - 00:28:31 You have been listening to Let God Speak, a production of 3ABN Australia Television. To catch up on past programs, please visit 3abnaustralia.org.au. Call us in Australia on 02 4973 3456 or email [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you.