An Apostle’s Resume
In the Bible, we find that Jesus called a former Pharisee of Pharisees to follow Him. That man's name was once Saul, but it was later changed to Paul.
Paul, as an Apostle of Jesus, was sent to the Gentiles to preach the gospel and establish the church in the nations.
Paul's heart ached for the churches due to the great desire the Holy Spirit had placed within his heart for their strengthening, stability, growth, and maturity in the gospel.
There were times when Paul had to contend with the rise of what he referred to as super-apostles. These so-called super-apostles appeared to be good on the outside, but they lacked the purity and sincerity they should have possessed. They would come in behind Paul and seek to captivate and draw the churches he had labored to establish in the gospel to themselves.
It was really at work in Corinth as the church was being mesmerized by these others who came to them. It led to Paul's concern for them regarding the simplicity that is in Christ and his concern that they would give their ears to another gospel.
As a result, it led Paul to speak of the traits of a true apostle and the things he had suffered as one who not only cared for them, but also for all the churches. I call it an apostle's resume.
2 Corinthians 11:22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? 30 If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my weakness. 31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.
The situations Paul endured were no match for the daily concerns he carried with him for all the churches. This language compares to that of a parent regarding their children.
Paul was not in the ministry for popularity. He did not show up on the scene like a superhero. He was able to identify with the ones he ministered to. He was in it because he was called, and that calling led him to suffer in order to bring the good news to the nations. Paul was fellowshipping in the sufferings of Christ so that others might discover the love of Christ and the sacrifice Jesus made to bring them into a relationship with the Father.
A five-fold calling is not meant to be cold and calloused about the churches, merely caring about a message and the possibility of an offering. It will, at its own expense, seek to bless and care for the churches it is called to minister to. After all, these ministry expressions are expressions of the heart of Jesus for His bride. That type of heart does not come without deep affection and a desire to be a true blessing. It is important to know the heart of those who seek to minister the seed of the word and the heart of Christ to you.
