Motives for Ministry (preaching resource for 3/30/25, Lent #4)
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This post exegetes 2 Corinthians 5:9-21, offering context for the RCL Epistle reading on the fourth Sunday in Lent (3/30/25). Insights are drawn from Warren Wiersbe ("Bible Exposition Commentary"). "Jerusalem, Jerusalem" from Tissot (via Wkimedia Commons) Introduction Paul's epistles connect doctrine and duty, because what God has done for us (doctrine) should motivate us to participate actively in God's ongoing work in the world (duty). Another way to state this is that the indicatives of the Gospel give birth to (define, motivate) the imperatives of Gospel. We see the imperatives flowing from the indicatives in Paul's frequent use of the word “therefore” (sometimes translated "so," "since then", etc.). A case in point is 2 Corinthians 5:9, 11, 16–17 where Paul moves from explanation/declaration (indicatives) to application (imperatives). In the passage we are unpacking here (2 Corinthians 5:9-21), Paul's overall theme is moti...