“For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.” (2 Corinthians 4:11-12)
Now take everything we’ve been saying about the point of spiritual death-to-life and apply that to our continual effectiveness in the marketplace, and you have how God wants to use us. This death-to-life is not something that happens once or that even happens occasionally; it happens all the time. It is the spiritual reality of an effective believer. What does “always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake” mean, if it isn’t a continual reality?
It’s really simple folks. If people stop with us – if we are what impresses – we haven’t helped anyone. We’re not going to save anybody. But if people see through us to Christ, then we have truly helped someone because we have led them to God.
We are always operating from death to life. We are constantly coming to the end of ourselves and into Jesus. We are living there and showing off that reality.
Here is the essence of an effective ministry: A great God, our so-so lives, and whatever happens next.
If people are impressed with you, it better not be for long. Others need to see what makes you you – what makes you confident, what make you alive – and its going to be your weaknesses far more than your strengths that shows this off.
For more about this and other aspects of Transforming the Marketplace, join us tonight at 7pm PDT (10pm EDT) for our Catch On Teleconference Bible Study and Discussion by dialing 218-237-3840 and using #124393 as your access code. I know it’s late for you East Coasters, but it’s worth it.
Believe me, this is not what you hear every day, but it’s been in our Bibles all along, and when you put it up to life, you realize it’s really how the world works.
John Fischer The Catch 
This is SO counterintuitive to our society, which is all about SELF. When was the last time you saw or knew of someone that gave up something they WANTED so that someone else could get what they NEEDED? When was the last time YOU did that? When was the last time I did that? Yet, that is what Jesus did EVERY MOMENT OF HIS LIFE. The ONLY times I recall Jesus doing something for Himself was when he went up into the mountains to pray, or when He was sleeping in the back of the boat with his disciples and a storm came up, or something else related to recharging His battery. JESUS LED A SELF-LESS LIFE – ironically, even though He talked about Himself a lot. But it was always to help someone come into God’s Kingdom. We talk about OUR selves a lot; but it is always to get what WE want. “God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are His ways our ways.” (Isa. 55:8) O, how we need Him!
So, thank you, John, for these words of encouragement – that it is through our weaknesses that we find Him, that it is through our dying to self that we find life. Amen.
And totally counterintuitive in that I don’t see how the complete mess that is my life can be of any use whatsoever to God. I don’t see how anyone who would look at my life would see Christ thru the mess.
I’ll add a big Amen to this regarding the Bible Study: “…it’s late for you East Coasters, but it’s worth it.” It’s soooooooooo worthy it! Pastor John as a great gift in explaining God’s Word to where it is easly understood and made into praticial (sp) advice that’s easy to remember and apply.
PS Also his lovely, kind and intelligent (plus she’s gorgeous & a special blessing too) wife Marti ALWAYS adds great commenmts – I and others I know have come to look forward to these Wednesday evening Bible studies – they’re a high-light to my week and just love everyone on the calls…. 🙂