Serving Christ's church

Paul has a grace-soaked sense of his own identity. He is a Christ-like man, a working servant of Christ's gospel and church.

Verses 25 to 29 are a mini-manual of ministry, in which the messenger, his message, and his method are briefly laid out, together with the goal at which he aims. In this, Paul models for others what a faithful ministry is and involves.

In verse 25, we observe the servant of the church, noting his calling and office; the stewardship from God which governs the discharge of his ministerial office; the sense of purpose under which he labours, pouring himself out for the church of which Christ has made him a minister; and, the scope of the work, to fulfil the word of God, giving full development to its design extensively and intensively.

There are lessons here for the church, her ministers, and a powerful reason to heed the faithful ministry of the gospel.