Paul defends his ministry

From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 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; 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; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. – 2 Corinthians 11.24-28

It’s a tough thing when we have to defend our ministries. The problem is that people can see it as us bragging or commending ourselves.

Paul faced the same dilemma. That much is obvious by his words to the Corinthians. Other were out there who were trying to destroy Paul’s work because they were jealous or because they really hated the fact that Gentiles were being saved, so they just condemned Paul.

Paul was compelled to defend the the ministry God had given him. He knew that the gospel had to spread to the Gentiles.

So Paul explained all that he had been through was in order to see Gentiles saved. His life and his comforts and social position and power as a Jewish leader meant nothing if he could not see the salvation of Gentiles. While others hated the fact that Gentiles got what I am sure they considered ‘cheap salvation’ Paul would do all he could to see God’s kingdom built.

All of the opposition was worth it. The arrests, the beatings, and all the perils of his life would be worth is all to see the gospel open to th he whole world.

The question I need to ask is if it is worth when I go through trials and difficulties to reach others with the gospel. His ministry was worth defending? Is mine?