We are going to find examples of how to choose church leadership in today's passage. Paul is going to have words of praise for his good friend Titus and also for two unnamed men because these men are eager to help the needy. As the Lord said through the prophet Isaiah, He desires us to, "Share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter---when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?" (Isaiah 58:7) These friends of Paul are not only eager to help the needy, but in every way they have proven themselves to be trustworthy officers of the church.
"Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you." (2 Corinthians 8:16) What is Paul's concern for the Corinthian church? When we left off yesterday he was asking them to give as generously as they are able, so he is concerned whether they will make a good showing when the offering is collected. He told them this would be the proof of their sincerity; in other words, he's asking them to "put your money where your mouth is". Both he and Titus want to be able to say wonderful things about the generosity of the church at Corinth. Paul has already said wonderful things about the church at Macedonia, which is remarkable when you consider how poor the people were. So naturally he expects the citizens of the modern and wealthy city of Corinth to donate generously to the needy.
"For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help." (2 Corinthians 8:17-19) Who is this "brother" Paul mentions? Bible scholars have speculated about his identity for a long time, but no one actually knows. He could be one of the apostles or teachers mentioned by name in the Bible. He could be someone whose name isn't written on it's pages. Whoever he is, it seems clear that he is so well known to the believers at Corinth that Paul doesn't even have to say his name. I actually think it's quite beautiful that we don't know his name, for as Paul says in verse 19, the purpose of the collection is to "honor the Lord Himself". This unnamed man wants all the honor to go to the Lord; he isn't interested in making a name for himself. He's one of the unsung heroes of the Bible. He is one of the great soldiers of the Lord who says to Him, "Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts." (Isaiah 26:8b)
"We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man." (2 Corinthians 8:20-21) The men chosen to collect and deliver this offering are men whose reputations are above reproach. There is nothing in their past or in their character to cause anyone to suspect they might dip into the funds or that they might show partiality in distributing the funds. As ambassadors of the church and of Christ Himself, they must be the type of people no one can ever accuse of dishonesty. We should follow this rule in our churches today; those who hold positions in the church must be people who live in such a way that no one can accuse them of dishonesty or immorality.
"In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you." (2 Corinthians 8:22) The way this is worded indicates that Paul is speaking of yet another unnamed man. Whoever he is, he has proven his trustworthy character. This is another example we should follow in our churches. We can't just assume someone we place in a position of authority will be trustworthy. We must choose people who have proven they are trustworthy. As the Lord Jesus said, a person who can be trusted with small matters can be trusted with great matters. (Matthew 25:21)
"As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it." (2 Corinthians 8:23-24) It is so important that we choose wisely when selecting church leadership. The behavior of church members is judged by unbelievers, but those in authority will come under the most scrutiny. Paul has chosen men who bring honor to the church and to the name of Christ. We would be wise to do the same, whether we are choosing pastors and teachers or whether we are choosing janitors and office staff. Those who are employed by the church and those who volunteer at the church must be people whose lives can be said to bring honor to the church and to the name of the Lord Jesus. If we don't represent the Lord honorably, how will unbelievers be drawn to Him? And if unbelievers are not drawn to Him, they will remain in their unrepentant and unregenerated condition. The very idea of this ought to break our hearts.
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