Minister from Your Wounds

by Grant Van Leuven

Alan T. Baker describes one pastor’s ministry transformation: “Whereas [he] once served out of his words and deeds, he now ministers from his wounds.”^[1]  Words and deeds matter, but this source of service offers a whole different “deep calleth unto deep.”

In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Paul tells Christians that we can comfort others through their troubles with how God has comforted us through our trials.  It reads:  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

The word “comfort” is used three times in these verses, with verse four adding “comforteth” and “comforted.”  The Greek for each regarding what we receive and offer resembles “paraclete.” Citing John 14:16-17, Barry Cooper explains, “The Holy Spirit—because He is, after all, Christ’s Spirit—is also a paraclete, a helper [Comforter]. Literally, the Greek word paraklētos means ‘someone who is called to come alongside someone else.’”^[2]

In verse three, the Greek for “mercies” is rendered in Portuguese and Spanish translations as “misericórdias,” a Latin based term having two root words: miseria, or misery, and cor, meaning heart.”^[3]  God lets our hearts be broken so we can bear them to others similarly wounded and minister to one another out of our shared past and present miseries and mercies from God.

This understanding offers a partial answer to our cry of “Why?”—among others is Romans 8:28.  But here verse four reveals another purpose: “that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”^[4]  Our specific difficult providences give us a special ministry with an immediate trust from which we can testify and touch; and this can include our own example for someone else to follow in graciously receiving help for healing—or our forgiving others certain sins and forgiving ourselves particular iniquities that all cause suffering.

In 1 Peter 4:19, Paul says, …let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.^[5]  Years ago, I preached on this text in the U.S.A. and different parts of Australia during one of my life’s weakest moments when I was bleeding the most.  To my own blessing, one husband “down under” shared that his wife really needed to hear it to help her with grieving a painful, longstanding loss.  This sermon shared the exegetical point of the text as teaching that by faith Christians can endure suffering for their faithful God by faithfully serving others for Him.  And it guided through these three movements: 1) Know that Christ does all things well with what He hands you to live with;  2) Have faith in Christ as you commit your lives into His hands; and 3) See that you do well with how you handle all things by lending a hand to the lives of others—all leading to its homiletical point: “Let Your Sadness Bring Others Gladness.”

Paul personally witnessed to the strength of his own wounded ministry near the end of this his same letter in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10:

… there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.  [Emphasis added, GVL.]

As well, Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:14-15).  And as our mediatorial priest, Christ ministers to us from His wounds; and by His comforting Spirit so you can Minister from Your Wounds.^[6]

Grant Van Leuven has been feeding the flock at the Puritan Reformed Presbyterian Church in San Diego, CA, since 2010.  He and his wife, Fernanda, have eight covenant children: Rachel (Lemmen), Olivia, Abraham, Isaac, Gabriel, Gideon, Giulianna, and Gaius.  He earned his M.Div. at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA.

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