Living Letters of Recommendation

2 Corinthians 3:1-8
Introduction:
The colonel who served as inspector general in a particular base paid close attention to how personnel wore their uniforms. On one occasion he spotted a junior airman with a violation. "Airman," he bellowed, "what do you do when a shirt pocket is unbuttoned?"
The startled airman replied, "Button it, sir!"
The colonel looked him in the eye and said, "Well?"
At that, the airman nervously reached over and buttoned the colonel's shirt pocket.
That’s sort of the way that I feel. Who am I that I should serve as a pastor to any? And yet, God has called me and you have permitted me to serve as your pastor.

I. INFLUENCE-
I alluded to this in the message this morning
The Corinthians have challenged Paul’s authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ
"Who does he think he is to meddle in our business?"
He responds by telling them that they are his epistle or letter of recommendation
If I were going to claim a church as a letter of recommendation of my ministry, it would not be the Corinthian church. Philippi or Thessalonica would probably have been better choices, right?
Paul wrote under the guidance and direction of God’s Holy Spirit
How could he know at the time the circulation those letters would receive?
He couldn’t know that God would preserve those letters as Scripture to have lasting influence
Not all of those letters, for instance, the letter to the Laodiceans is lost to us
But God preserved those that should be preserved for the benefit of Scripture
In a sense, those believers that Paul taught and preached to were the same
They were walking billboards of the ministry of Paul and of Christianity
Some may not have been very good advertisements of Christianity
Illus drunken man who was one of Whitefield’s converts
But all bore the influence of Paul being guided by the Holy Spirit
Teaching and preaching God’s Word are very serious matters
It is one that cannot and should not be undertaken without God’s involvement
It requires the teacher or preacher to lay aside his own opinions and prejudices
What an awesome thing it is to have a part in God’s kingdom building work!
Every message, every lesson has to be important and demands our best effort
And we have no way of knowing which student God may choose to use
2 Timothy 2:2 "the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also."

II. INTEREST-
Paul speaks of that epistle or letter being written in his own heart
He truly cared for those people. He loved them and wanted the best for them
2 Corinthians 7:3 "...for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you."
2 Corinthians 12:15 "And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved."
Despite that it is not reciprocated or appreciated, Paul would devote himself to these people.
They may drive him bonkers, but he cared for their souls
I think of Moses and how frustrated he was with the Israelites, but how quick he was to intercede with God on their behalf
It was Paul’s desire that they should be effective for Christ and pleased to serve God
He wanted them to grow and flourish in the faith
It is one thing to teach a lesson, but another to teach people
Our school system has gotten very good at covering material but