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2 Corinthians 10:2-6; The Spiritual Battle for the Mind
03/08_2 Corinthians 10:2-6; The Spiritual Battle for the Mind; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20200308_2cor10_2-6.mp3
For two years, John Calvin preached regularly throughout the week in the church in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1538 the city council, resisting his ideas of reformation, kicked him out of the city. Three years later, they begged him to return, about which he wrote to a friend "There is no place under heaven of which I can have a greater dread." After several busy years of ministry in Geneva, in 1546 he wrote this in his commentary on 2 Corinthians:
"The life of the Christian, it is true, is a perpetual warfare, for whoever gives himself to the service of God will have no truce from Satan at any time, but will be harassed with incessant disquietude."
The life of the Christian is a perpetual warfare. He goes on:
"It becomes, however, ministers of the word and pastors to be standard-bearers, going before the others; and, certainly, there are none that Satan harasses more, that are more severely assaulted, or that sustain more numerous or more dreadful onsets. That man, therefore, is mistaken, who girds himself for the discharge of this office, and is not at the same time furnished with courage and bravery for contending; for he is not exercised otherwise than in fighting. For we must take this into account, that the gospel is like a fire, by which the fury of Satan is enkindled. Hence it cannot but be that he will arm himself for a contest, whenever he sees that it is advanced." [Calvin, p.321-322]
The life of the Christian, especially the Christian involved in ministry (and we are all called to minister) is war. Paul describes this warfare in 2 Corinthians 10.
2 Corinthians 10:1 I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— 2 I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
Walking In the Flesh not According to the Flesh
Paul is being accused 'walking according to the flesh.' Back in chapter 1, when he was faulted for changing his travel plans he asks:
2 Corinthians 1:17 Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say "Yes, yes" and "No, no" at the same time? 18 As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No.
Paul concedes, he does walk 'in the flesh.' Paul is human. He is not superhuman; he has a normal human existence. Galatians 2:20 he says:
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
He lives life in the flesh. He walks in the flesh. But he does not walk or make plans according to the flesh. He is using 'flesh' in two different ways here. He does lead a normal fleshly human existence with all the frailties and hardships of life in a fallen physical body, but he does not live according to the flesh; he does not follow his sinful fallen human thinking to make decisions. We do not walk according to the flesh; we do we walk in the flesh, but 'we are not waging war according to the flesh.'
Waging War
Here he switches metaphors from walking to waging war. Paul is not walking, he is not running, he is on the warpath, he is on the offensive. He is in a battle. He is waging war. But he is clear; he does not wage war according to the flesh.
Supernatural Weapons in Both Hands
The weapons he uses in his warfare are not of the flesh. They have divine power to destroy strongholds. He doesn't here tell us what those weapons are. We could look to the gospel armor in Ephesians 6; the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of gospel peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, the word of God; together with all-prayer. We need to have on the full gospel armor to stand against our supernatural enemy. But we don't have to leave 2 Corinthians. We could look back to 6:7 where he mentions the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left. Paul uses both right-handed and left-handed spiritual weapons. On the one hand:
2 Corinthians 6:4 …by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;
On the other hand:
2 Corinthians 6:6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;
There are two sides to his weaponry:
2 Corinthians 6:8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
This kind of warfare doesn't make human sense. That's what he means when he says that he does not wage war according to the flesh.
Have you ever seen a physical battle that is won by meekness and gentleness? But that is exactly how Paul wages war. By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, he tears down strongholds. He battles by dying, and behold we live.
In chapter 4 he says
2 Corinthians 4:4 …the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
He battles (4:2) 'by the open statement of truth' . God opens blind minds through the proclamation of (4:5) 'Jesus Christ as Lord.'
2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.
You see the kind of weapons he uses? They are not what we would expect, according to the flesh. He wins the war like Jesus did, by laying down his life, to show us life that is life indeed.
Tearing Down Strongholds
2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
The weapons we use have the divine power to destroy strongholds.
A stronghold is a defensible place stocked with supplies where people could retreat from an attacking army. A stronghold at best would serve to delay the inevitable conquest. An attacking army with siege weapons, given enough time would be able to conquer the stronghold and take captives. In Judges 9, Abimelech ambushed many of the people of Shechem, captured the gate of the city, and when he was told that the leaders of the tower of Shechem had fled to the stronghold, he and his men set fire to it and killed them. But when he captured Thebez and attempted to do the same thing to their strong tower, a woman threw down an upper millstone and crushed Abimelech's skull.
Battling Proud Arguments
What are the strongholds Paul refers to? He tells us in the next verse.
2 Corinthians 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
Paul is in a war against arguments, ideas, opinions. He is in a battle for the minds of people. His objective is to take the minds of people captive to obey Christ. What he tears down is anything that is raised up against the knowledge of God.
2 Corinthians 4:4 …the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing.. 5 For what we proclaim is …Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
He wants the Corinthians to know God, to know and experience the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. He wants them to see the light of the good news of the glory of Christ, who is the very image of God. He wants them not to regard anyone according to the flesh (5:16), no longer to boast in outward appearances (5:12). This is a spiritual battle that requires spiritual weapons.
Forsaking Pride to Know Him
He tears down every exalted thing. We tend to lift up so many things. We lift up wisdom and power and position and status and appearance. We lift up ourselves. We don't think we're really that bad. We think we are enough, that we are OK, that we can do it, maybe with God's help, but we can do it. Our opinion of ourselves is often lifted up against the knowledge of God. We can't even believe in God without the gift of his grace! Paul says that he is not sufficient in himself to claim anything as coming from himself (3:5).
You see, to believe in God, to really trust him alone, we have to come to the end of ourselves. As long as we think we can contribute something, we won't trust. Not completely. And God requires us to turn. Turn away from whatever you were holding on to, to throw down as worthless whatever you were clinging to and cling only to him. This is biblical repentance.
Paul describes his own experience in Philippians 3. He said 'if anyone thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more (3:4) and then he lists his credentials. And when he gets to the end he says:
Philippians 3:7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
Paul took everything that lifted him up, all his own accomplishments that were lifted up against the knowledge of Christ, and counted them all as loss, filth, refuse. He turned to Jesus empty handed, open handed, ready to receive a gift he didn't deserve. He emptied his hands so that he could know Christ.
Philippians 3:10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
I Must Die
Paul wants to build up the Corinthians, but first he must tear down everything that is lifted up against the knowledge of God. Paul wants them to truly know Christ, but first the demonic wisdom that lifts itself up against knowing God must be destroyed.
Mark Seifrid writes "this violent conquest is achieved by means of weakness. It …is contained within the paradox of the cross, where God's weakness is manifest as more powerful than human beings (1Cor.1:25)." [PNTC, 381]
"His authority as an apostle is for the edification of the Corinthians, not for their destruction. He must, however, first destroy the Corinthians in their false imaginations (every exalted thing) in order to take captive every mind (including the Corinthians) in obedience to Christ. The Spirit gives life only to that which has been put to death (3:6). Paul's calling as apostle is not to effect merely a change of minds, but a change of persons. The cross of Christ does not merely do away with the world's wisdom, strength, and boasting. It does away with the wise, the things that are strong, and the exalted (1Cor.1:26-31)." [PNTC, 382]
Paul wars against this, and we must war against it in our own hearts and minds. I must reckon myself dead, dead in trespasses and sins, if I am ever to experience the resurrection life that Jesus gives (Rom.6:8; Eph.2:5). I need to embrace – to really believe – the gospel. I must be crucified with Christ so that it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me (Gal.2:20). I must abandon my pride and own my need so that I can truly know Christ. The gospel is good news for sinners.
Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
2020 Vision; Healthy Church – Colossians 3
01/12 Vision – healthy individuals make a healthy church (Colossians 3); Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20200112_healthy-church.mp3
Last time we looked at Jesus' vision for the church; seeing clearly who we are, who we are meant to be will shape what we do. We saw from Matthew 16 that the church is a gathering of Jesus followers. The church belongs to Jesus. The church is built on the identity of Jesus as the only Son of God. The church is created by the Holy Spirit through the miracle of new birth. The church carries Jesus' own unstoppable authority and is meant to be on the offensive, moving forward to take ground from the enemy. But the church is built on the offense of the cross; we follow a crucified King; Jesus came to lay down his life for others. So the way we advance is by that same love which works itself out in self-sacrificial service toward one another and toward a hurting world. This is Jesus' own vision for his church.
We can embrace and affirm Jesus' vision for his church. We can read Matthew 16 and agree, 'yes, this is what the church is, I agree,' but how do we move from saying to doing? How do we move from merely affirming to actually being, living it out?
Not a Building
Today I'd like to look at what it means to be the church by looking at what the church is composed of. Remember, the church is a gathering of Jesus followers. We tend to think in terms of place and structure. How do I get to the church? Where is it on the map? What does the building look like?
Across the world, church buildings have been burned or bombed. On 15 April 2019, the 850 year old Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was significantly damaged from a fire, and for the first time in 200 years did not hold Christmas services. January 9 of 2018 the Golden Lampstand church in the Shanxi Province of China, where 50,000 Christians worshiped, was demolished by Chinese police using heavy machinery and dynamite.
But if the church is really a gathering of Jesus followers, then the destruction of a church building does not destroy the church. If the church is a local gathering of Jesus followers, It doesn't really matter where we meet. It's not about the building.
Healthy Believers Healthy Church
Today I want to ask the question 'What makes a healthy church?' If a church is composed of Jesus followers, then a healthy church is made up of healthy Jesus followers. That means that if I am concerned about the health of this church, then the biggest thing I can do is to make sure that I am a healthy Christian. And a healthy Christian is one who lives a life characterized by following Jesus. And a life characterized by following Jesus is the composite of individual days and moments of following Jesus. What does that look like?
There's a lot of places in God's word we could go to answer this question, but today I want to look at Paul's letter to the Colossians. This is a church that Paul didn't directly start. It seems that when he was in Ephesus (Acts 19:10), Ephaphras, a Colossian, was visiting Ephesus, heard the preaching of Paul and believed, and brought the good news back to his own city and a church was birthed. Now a few years later, visiting Paul in prison in Rome, he shares concerns over threats to this church, and brings Paul's letter back to them.
The Miracle of New Birth
Paul starts (1:3-14) by thanking God for their faith, that when they heard the gospel, God's grace had been poured out on them and they believed; remember, the new birth is a supernatural work of the Spirit of God. Paul reminds them of God's rescue, God's forgiveness, and that is is God who ultimately makes them fruitful.
The Bedrock Identity of Jesus and the Offense of the Cross
Then (1:15-23) Paul points them to the priority, the preeminence, the first place of Jesus in everything. Remember, the church is built on the bedrock foundation of the identity of Jesus. The eternal Son of God, the very image of God, the one who created and sustains all things, is the head of the church. It is the offense of the death of Jesus, the blood of Jesus, the cross of Jesus that secures our peace with God.
Paul preaches Jesus (1:24-2:5) and struggles and strives for their maturity in Christ. He exhorts them to stay firm in their faith in Christ, and warns them against being led astray.
He tells them (2:6-7) that as they received Christ Jesus the Lord in simple faith, entrusting themselves to him, depending on him alone, with thanksgiving that they should continue to live their lives by that same simple faith with thanksgiving.
He warns them (2:6-15) not to get taken captive by philosophies or traditions apart from Christ. Christ is everything. Jesus is God in the flesh. We died with Christ and have been raised up and given new life.
He warns them not to get tangled up in legalistic observance of days or dietary restrictions (2:16-23), We must hold fast to Christ the head, who nourishes and connects his body and causes its growth.
The church is established on the identity of Christ, is given new life in Christ, and lives in communion with Christ. Paul lays this foundation of truth that we must hold on to in the first two chapters, and then in the last two chapters, he gives practical instructions for how to live in light of this truth. That's what I want to focus on for the rest of our time. If then. If this is true, if we are the church, built on the foundation of Christ, transformed by the good news of Christ crucified, following in the footsteps of Christ, living in communion with Christ, what should this look like?
Mind Set on Things Above
The first thing we are told, because we have been raised with Christ, we are to make a habit of seeking things above, and setting our minds on things above, not on earthly things. Jesus invited us to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness (Mt.6:33). This doesn't come naturally.
Paul in 1 Corinthians 7, talking about marriage and singleness says:
1 Corinthians 7:32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. … 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
Paul holds up the main benefit of singleness as single-mindedness. The single person is free to focus solely on things above, on pleasing the Lord. So many single people waste their singleness with their minds set on earthly things. We are to seek in all things above all to please the Lord. Because we have been raised with Christ, we can seek the things above, we can seek to be satisfied in God. Martha was 'anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary' (Lk.10:41-42). To sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to him.
Are you fixing your thinking on things above?
Colossians 3:1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
The Crucified Life
The next thing Paul tells us is to live the crucified life. He moves from resurrection to crucifixion. As soon as we try to fix our minds on things above, all the things of the world elbow their way in and compete for our attention. Paul is not gentle with these competing affections.
Colossians 3:5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices
The follower of Jesus is to embrace the offense of the cross and walk in the way of the crucified life. Some things can't be coddled. They need to be crucified. We tend to deal gently, even affectionately with our sins. We need to take hammer and drive the nail straight through.
The Peace of Christ
Paul goes on to describe in practical rubber meets the road terms life in the body of Christ.
Colossians 3:10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Our new self is not perfect. It is being renewed, day by day. And that means others in the body of Christ are being renewed; they are not yet perfect either. But in Christ there is unity in spite of deep differences. We are being renewed whenever someone is difficult to be around, whenever someone disappoints us or wrongs us or sins against us. We are to be characterized by compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness, and love. We are to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts in the one body of the church family. Oh, and by the way, be thankful. When you have an opportunity to forgive, be thankful. When you have an opportunity to bear with one another, be thankful. When you have a complaint against another, be thankful.
The Word of Christ
We might ask 'how in the world do you expect me to set my mind on things above, to crucify my competing affections, to let the peace of Christ rule in my relationships with irritating, annoying, disappointing, difficult people?
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. What is in you will come out. What are you primarily feeding on? What is the main substance of your diet? There are a lot of different diet plans out there, and on occasion we have filled our fridge and our pantry with all kinds of odd things and measured and calculated and read the ingredients with the utmost care. How much attention do we give to what we feed on mentally and spiritually? What we feed on will inevitably shape our attitudes, our emotions, our thinking, how we see the world. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us, the Word made flesh come to dwell among us (Jn.1). Jesus' words are spirit and life (Jn.6:63), and he means for his words are to take up residence in us. We are to be washed in the water of the word (Eph.5:26).
Not just feed on the word, but let it dwell in you. Not just dwell in you, but dwell in you richly. Don't be sparing or stingy. Don't measure it carefully. Glut yourself on God's word.
What goes in must come out, and if we are consistently feeding on the word of Christ, then we can 'teach and admonish one another with all wisdom.' Without a stable diet of God's word, we will be spewing earthly human so called wisdom.
Notice the one another here. There is to be one another teaching and admonishing. Disciples are to make disciples, teaching them to obey all that Jesus commanded us. 'And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also' (2Tim.2:2). If you are feeding on the word, you have something to say that is worth saying.
One another ministry is essential for a healthy church. First we are to forgive one another, and then we are to teach and admonish one another. Don't attempt to admonish without first forgiving. Don't attempt to admonish without the word of Christ dwelling in you richly.
And notice, when the word of Christ dwells in you richly, you sing. With thankfulness in your hearts to God. The word dwelling in you richly overflows in worship. Churches sing together. There is something unique about singing together the mighty truths of the gospel, expressing our praise and thanksgiving out loud together in song. Healthy Christians sing with thankfulness in their hearts to God.
Continue Steadfastly in Prayer
Paul gives some specific instruction to wives, husbands, children, fathers, slaves, and then he gives us these instructions:
Colossians 4:2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.
Prayer. Steadfast continued prayer. Watchful prayer. Prayer with thanksgiving. Prayer for the advance of the word, for the proclamation of the gospel. Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Healthy Christians pray.
A healthy church is made up of healthy followers of Jesus, who pray and sing together with an overwhelming sense of gratitude, who teach and exhort one another, who are saturated in the word of Christ, who allow the peace of Christ to rule in relationships permeated with forgiveness and love, who put to death earthly affections and fix their thinking on the things of God.
Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
2020 Vision – The Church – Matthew 16:18
01/05 2020 Vision – The Church; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20200105_vision-church.mp3
I recently got my eyes checked. I was way overdue for an eye exam, and I've been noticing that my vision isn't as keen as it once was. I've been having some trouble reading, especially with my contacts in. Vision is so important, and affects so many things.
One of my kids has glasses that she doesn't wear very often, because her eyesight really isn't that bad. But while we were traveling, she was looking out the window and said 'Whoa, look at that buffalo!' Of course everyone looked, but nobody saw any buffalo. Finally one of my other girls said, 'Do you mean that big rock over there?' If you can't see clearly, you might fail to interpret accurately what is really there. That's a problem.
Another time we were driving and the windshield was a bit dirty, but when we came around a bend so that we were heading directly into the sun, the glare made it impossible to see the road. It's extremely dangerous both to yourself and to others around you when you can't see the road. You have to be able to see the lines so that you can stay between them. Clear vision is essential to see the way ahead.
Vision and Vision Casting
It's worthwhile to periodically check your vision. It's worth stopping to clean your windshield before you find yourself facing directly into the sun. As a pastor, I am occasionally asked 'What is your vision for the church?' I understand that the question is meant in the sense of vision casting, what are your goals, your objectives, your strategic plans for the future. Dictionary.com defines vision in two distinct ways: 1. the act or power of sensing with the eyes; sight. 2. the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be: prophetic vision; the vision of an entrepreneur.
I'm not a visionary, and while I don't want to disparage those who are, I would rather focus on making sure we are seeing clearly and accurately.
Vision and Absolutes
In visiting the eye doctor, I discovered that they believe in absolutes. They have an objective standard. They put letters on the wall, and they ask you to tell them what letters you see. When your vision is fuzzy, the capital G is easily confused with the C or even the Q. But it's not enough to answer confidently. If I said that the F was a P, they adjusted my prescription. Telling them that it was a P to me just confirmed their suspicion that I wasn't seeing accurately or clearly.
We have an absolute standard, and it is the word of God. I want to be sure that my hopes and dreams for the church stay between the lines God has established for his church, and that we are moving together in the right direction.
Matthew 16:18
What is the church? What is God's vision for his church? In the coming weeks I want to refresh and clarify our vision for the church, what we are meant to be. Today I want to look at Jesus, his promise to built his church; I just want to walk through the text in Matthew 16 together and make some observations about the church.
Matthew 16:15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The first thing that Jesus says about the church that I want us to pay attention to is an issue of ownership. Sometimes when pastors talk with other pastors, I hear things like 'how are things going at your church?' or 'this is what we do in my church'. Now I don't want to be the word police and I'm sure I've said things like that myself; that's easier to say than 'this is what's happening in the church that I serve'. But I want to be clear. Jesus said 'I will build my church.' The church belongs to Jesus. Sometimes people refer to 'my church' not in the sense of ownership, but in the sense of belonging. When someone says 'this is my restaurant' we know they don't mean that they actually own the restaurant; it's the one they always eat at. 'My church' can mean the church I belong to, the church where I serve. But if we are talking about ownership, Jesus holds exclusive right. It is his church that he bought with his own blood (Acts 20:28). The church belongs to Jesus.
Built on the Identity of Jesus
The second thing to note is that Jesus started this conversation off with a question about his identity. Who do people say that the Son of Man is? Who do you say that I am? The church is built on the rock of the identity of Jesus. Peter's great confession was 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." There are lots of opinions about Jesus floating around, but it is essential that we see clearly who he really is, who he claims himself to be. The Christ, the promised Messiah, the long awaited anointed one. Prophet, Priest and King. The Son of the living God. "He was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God." (Jn.5:18). The identity of Jesus is the foundation of his church. You are:
Ephesians 2:19 …members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,
1 Corinthians 3:11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
'On this rock I will build my church.' The identity of Jesus is the foundation of the church.
Spirit Wrought Faith
There's a third thing we need to see in this passage. This great confession was not a clever conclusion drawn from evaluating the evidence. Jesus makes a point of pointing this out.
Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
Peter, you are blessed. You have been given a great treasure. You didn't come up with this on your own. It wasn't your keen insight or brilliant logic. It was revealed to you. My Father revealed it to you. It was given to you from above.
There was a Pharisee who came to Jesus at night with his own perception of who Jesus was. He called him 'Rabbi' and identified him as a teacher who came from God doing signs. He acknowledged that God must be with him. Jesus challenged him on his need for a spiritual transformation so that he could see Jesus for who he really is:
John 3:3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 …'You must be born again.'
…or born from above. Jesus went on to describe the work of the Spirit of God in bringing about this new birth.
John 3:8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
The Spirit brings about the new birth when and where and in whom he wishes. Jesus went on to reveal his identity as the only Son given by God the Father to bring eternal life and salvation to a world condemned by sin.
The new birth is necessary to see Jesus for who he is, and that seeing is a work of the Spirit of God. There is a spiritual blindness that keeps us from seeing.
2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
God through the supernatural work of his Spirit and through his omnipotent word reveals Jesus to us.
The church belongs to Jesus, it is built on the identity of Jesus, and that identity is perceived and believed by those who have been born again by his Spirit.
Un-opposable Authority
Let's look at some other things we can glean about the church from this passage.
Matthew 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
The church is not depicted here as a fortress immune from attack. Instead it is an organism on the move, advancing and taking ground. The gates of hell can't hold up against the advance of Christ's church.
And there is unopposable authority. Keys unlock doors and grant access.
Peter, on the day of Pentecost, proclaimed the forgiveness of sins in Jesus, and opened the kingdom to three thousand Jews. (Acts 2:38-41)
Later, in Acts chapter 10, Peter went to a Gentile's house proclaimed the good news:
Acts 10:43 ..that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
And the door was unlocked to the Gentile nations. This was not unique to Peter.
When Paul and Barnabas returned from their first missionary journey
Acts 14:27 … they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
If we jump ahead from this great confession to the great commission at the end of Matthew's gospel, we read of this unstoppable authority.
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Jesus holds all authority. And he invites us to make disciples of all nations. The church is made up of disciples, followers of Jesus from every diverse people group. We operate under the authority of Jesus, who is with us always.
The Offense of the Cross
But if we read on, there is something else we can learn about the church.
Matthew 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you." 23 But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."
There is an offensive element to the church. It is the offense of the cross. In fact the church is built on the offense of the cross. There is a warning here. We have a tendency to want to avoid the cross. We have a tendency to set our minds on the things of man, not the things of God. We tend to look to human means, to strategies for success to grow the church. This is not God's way. Jesus builds his church through the offense of the cross. Jesus triumphed over sin and death by bearing our sin and dying. We want the church to look presentable to the world, but the cross is not presentable. It's not politically correct to talk about sin and judgment, but the good news is that Jesus took my sin and carried my shame and died the death that I deserved. The church advances when the message of the cross is unapologetically proclaimed.
Community of Self-Sacrificial Service
Jesus goes on in the next verses to define his followers.
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
The offense of the cross extends to Jesus' followers. A disciple is one who patterns his life after the one he follows. Following Jesus means a life of self-sacrificial service to others. Jesus laid down his life in love for us. We are to lay down our lives in loving service to others. The church is made up of people who follow their Master and pattern their lives after his self-sacrificial service to others.
Let's keep a clear vision of who we are as the church; who we are meant to be. The church is a community of Jesus followers united in one family by new birth. The church belongs to Jesus, it is built on the identity of Jesus, and that identity is perceived and believed by those who have been born again by his Spirit. The church embraces the offense of the cross both in belief and practice. The church is a community of Jesus followers who gladly surrender and sacrifice for the good of others. Let us see clearly who we are, and let our identity shape our actions.
Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
2 Corinthians 9:6-7; Sowing and Planning
10/20_2 Corinthians 9:6-7; Sowing and Planning; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20191020_2cor9_6-7.mp3
Paul takes two chapters in this letter to encourage generosity in the collection for the saints in Jerusalem that he is overseeing. He wants them to know about he grace of God given in Macedonia, where the believers joyfully gave beyond their ability, eager to participate in this act of grace. He encourages them that as they excel in so many areas, they ought to excel in this grace also. He refuses to command them, but rather gives them an opportunity to prove that their love is genuine. He holds up Jesus as the ultimate source of grace and generosity. He exhorts them to do what they wanted to do, to use their own abundance to make up for the lack others are experiencing; this is the very reason why God supplied them with an abundance. He commends the delegates from the other churches, sent to ensure the integrity of the mission, who are eager to serve and have great confidence in them. This is an opportunity for connection and accountability between the churches. Paul had boasted about them to the Macedonians, and the Corinthians' previous zeal stirred them up to generosity. Paul is now sending the brothers ahead to avoid embarrassment, to ensure they are ready as they promised when he arrives.
2 Corinthians 9:4 Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.
This last phrase can be literally translated 'your before promised blessing, that this be ready thus as a blessing and not as greed.' Paul is after their hearts. Motives matter. Why are they giving? Are their hearts overflowing with blessing? Or will it be an expression of their greed, their stinginess?
2 Corinthians 9:6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Paul uses an agricultural analogy to encourage generosity. This word 'sparingly' means 'to refrain, to spare, to save from loss of some kind' [BDAG 1051]. The idea is that a farmer goes out to sow seed in his field and he looks in his bag of seed and thinks 'This grain could feed my family. This grain is valuable. I could sell it. If I just throw it on the ground I might not have enough. To throw good seed in the dirt seems such a waste. It's just going to fall into the ground and die.'
Anyone at all familiar with farming understands how ridiculous this kind of thinking is. If a farmer is stingy with his seed, worried about the waste of throwing seed into the ground, he doesn't understand farming.
Jesus and Sowing
Jesus talked a lot about farming. In Matthew 13 he said:
Matthew 13:3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear."
Here we see what the stingy farmer is afraid of. Birds might devour all the seed. The sun will scorch the young plants. Weeds will choke them out. What waste! But in Jesus' parable, the sower sowed anyway. He scattered seed widely, we might say even recklessly, wastefully. But when harvest time came, the seed that fell on good soil produced bountifully. The more seed he scattered, the more landed on good soil, and his harvest would be exponentially greater.
Jesus went on in Matthew 13 to describe another hazard to farming.
Matthew 13:24 He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.
The crop is ruined! Weeds are growing with the wheat! What should we do? The Master said:
Matthew 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"
Jesus is confident in the power of the seed to produce fruit in spite of obstacles. There was still ample harvest, regardless of the enemy's efforts. Peter says:
1 Peter 1:23 …you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 …The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
God sows with imperishable seed. His word will stand. The power of the gospel, the power of his grace will overcome.
Jesus said in Mark 4
Mark 4:26 And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
Notice what this farmer did. He scattered seed on the ground, and he went to sleep. You can lose a lot of sleep worrying about tomorrow. But this farmer believed. He trusted that something bigger than him was at work. He scattered the seed and he slept soundly.
The Way Of The Cross
Jesus said in John 12:
John 12:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
It seems that throwing seed into the ground is a waste. It is just going to die. It is a loss. But that is the way of fruitfulness. That is the way of growth.
Mark 8:34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.
This is the way of the cross. This is the way of death that leads to resurrection and new life. This is the way that seems foolish and yet reveals the power of God.
Giving and Blessing
Proverbs 11 shows this way that seems contrary to wisdom.
Proverbs 11:24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. 25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. …28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
Giving does not seem to our wisdom to be the way to security. You may be familiar with the proverbial sounding wisdom of an older generation: 'waste not, want not' and 'a penny saved is a penny earned'. There is of course some truth to that, but we must understand that giving is not wasting. We must be on our guard against greed.
Jesus said:
Luke 12:15 And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness [πλεονεξίας], for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
This word 'covetousness' is the same word at the end of 2 Corinthians 9:5 ' your before promised blessing, that this be ready thus as a blessing and not as greed'
Luke 12:16 And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' 18 And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry."' 20 But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."
God says it is the fool who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.
Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.
Proverbs 28:27 Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
Not Prosperity Gospel
I want to give a caution here. Many people today use some of these passages to preach a prosperity gospel. 'Give to our ministry so that God will bless you financially. Send us your seed faith offering. Send $10 and it will become $100. Send $100 and it will become $1,000.' This is nothing more than thinly veiled greed in church clothes. It is a get rich quick scheme that gives false hope and preys on the poor. Paul is talking about motives here, and if your motive in giving is to get back from God with compounded interest, then your motive is dead wrong. If you are trying to manipulate God by his promises to amass financial wealth for yourself, then money is the god you are really worshiping. That kind of thinking ignores the context and twists these passages to say something they do not say. The Macedonian Christians gave out of the depth of their poverty beyond what they could afford, not at all expecting anything in return. Paul wants to be sure the Corinthians are not stingy or motivated by greed.
Burden, Grief, Necessity
What Paul said in chapter 8 demonstrates what he perceives as one of the things holding them back from extravagant generosity:
2 Corinthians 8:12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.
The Corinthians are looking at this as a burden, not a blessing. They are concerned that if they bring relief to the pressure of others, then it will put them in a position of need themselves. Paul re-frames their thinking, showing them that they have a current spiritual lack that will be met by the joy of giving to those who are materially lacking. This ought not to be viewed as a burden, but as a God given grace. It is a gift of God, it is grace to be stirred to give, as the Macedonians teach us, begging earnestly for the grace and communion or fellowship of service to the saints.
2 Corinthians 9:6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Paul here emphasizes the importance of motive. He gives two more descriptions of wrong motives to be avoided. Not reluctantly, not out of grief or sadness, not grudgingly. It is an occasion of sadness for someone who loves his money too much to be parted from it. 'No, no, I do want you to have it, just let me say goodbye one last time.' it ought not to cause us grief to be parted from that which has been freely given to us.
And not under compulsion; not out of distress, constraint, or necessity. Giving is not to be out of guilt or high pressure. Paul makes it clear he is not commanding them. He is urging and encouraging and exhorting them, but it must be of their own accord, what they want to do.
Giving and Planning
So he says "each one as he has in advance decided or chosen in his heart'. It is to be from the heart. Paul gives us a principle here. He says it is to be what was chosen or decided in advance, ahead of time. We tend to value spontaneity. Paul valued clear headed advanced planning and intentionality. This word is a compound with the 'pro' prefix, meaning before or in advance, and the word for to choose, decide, determine or intend. We saw this 'pro' prefix three times in verse 5. Paul encouraged the brothers to go in advance, to arrange in advance your promised in advance blessing. Paul is not now pleading with them to do something new, spontaneous, spur of the moment. He is exhorting them to follow through on what they had desired to do and determined to do and promised to do. He is honoring their advance planning.
He had instructed them in 1 Corinthians concerning the collection for the saints:
1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.
Paul doesn't want them to feel the pressure when he is present and in the moment go beyond what they really wanted to do. Get it ready ahead of time. Plan. Pray. Purpose.
We've looked at some unhealthy motives for giving; greed, grief, pressure, burden. Not stingy or sparingly, as if to give will entail great personal loss. Examine your own heart before the Lord. Confess those negative attitudes to God as sin. Ask him to change your heart. We are going to look more closely next week at the right motives for giving; cheerfully, upon blessings.
I have left you some homework. I am not going to tell you specifically how you ought to apply what this passage teaches us. I want you to ask God to show you what he wants you to do with this. Go home, get out your budget, look at where your money goes, remembering that:
Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
And make a plan. Make sure your budget, what you do with your money, reflects your heart, what you love, what you treasure most.
A farmer plans. He looks at how big the fields in front of him are, how much seed he will need to plant those fields. He may see that he has to make some present sacrifices, tighten the belt, so he will have enough seed to fully take advantage of the opportunity in front of him.
Prayerfully, in the presence of God, make those decisions.
Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
2 Corinthians 8:9; The Grace of Our Lord Jesus
09/01_2 Corinthians 8:9; The Grace of our Lord Jesus; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20190901_2cor8_9.mp3
Paul in 2 Corinthians 8 is talking about grace. Grace, God's lavishly generous giving, his bestowing favor and kindness to those who did nothing to earn or deserve it. Grace, favor freely given. He uses the word for 'grace' 10 times in these two chapters on giving.
The heart of this passage about grace giving is verse 9. It is the root of grace from which all fruitful grace giving grows. It is the ultimate motive and source of all our giving. It is Jesus. It is the gospel. Paul can't talk about grace and giving without centering on the cross. Look at verse 9 with me.
2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
This verse is concise, it is clear, it is memorizable, and it is packed with profound theology and gospel beauty. I am eager to unpack it together today, and I hope we can all hide it in our hearts and live it out in our lives.
For You Know
It starts with a connection. It is a great verse to memorize, but it is a verse with a context. It starts with 'for' connecting it to the flow of thought in the section. This chapter is about grace, and our response of simplicity of affection. We have been given grace by God, and we respond with an overflow of love, giving ourselves first to the Lord, and then to what he is doing in the world. His grace creates an eagerness in us to extend the grace we have received to others. Paul is giving this opportunity to demonstrate that their love is genuine. This grace extended is a response to grace received.
He says 'for you know'. What he is about to say in this verse is something he expects them to already know, to already have experienced. This is something essential to know, and because you know it, it should impact how you live; what you do. We will come back to this again at the end.
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, …
What you know is Jesus. The Lord of us, Jesus Christ. This is his full title; Our Lord, our Master, King, Sovereign, YHWH of the Scriptures. Jesus, the name given him at his birth, because 'he will save his people from their sins' (Mt.1:21); YHWH is salvation. Christ, Messiah, the Anointed Prophet, Priest, and King, the long expected promised one, the fulfillment of all our hopes. Our Lord Jesus Christ.
You know his grace. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. As John said,
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. …16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
Jesus, the eternal Word, God from all eternity, became flesh, pitched his tent among us. And we saw that he is full; full of grace and truth. He is full of every grace, every beauty, every perfection, everything attractive and desirable and deserving of praise. Not outwardly, physically, in his appearance (he had no form or majesty, …no beauty that we should desire him, Is.53:2), but his character, his inner nature, who he is. He is full of every grace, and he is full to overflowing of freely giving generous undeserved grace. Every interaction with every sinner was saturated with grace and truth.
From his fullness we have received, grace upon grace. Have you received? Do you know his grace? Not just know about, not merely aware of the fact of who he is and how generous he is, but do you know him? Have you experienced his grace? Can you say that you know, from personal experience? This is the essential thing, that we know him, that we know his grace, that we have tasted his grace.
That on Account of You He Became Poor
2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, …
You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; who on account of you became poor. It was on your account, for your sake. It was your brokenness that brought him low. It was your sin, your rebellion, your depravity, your poverty of spirit, your desperate need and lack, which caused him to leave the untold riches of glory to enter in to our humiliation. Jesus did not have to come, did not have to become human, did not have to endure humility, except for you, to bring you hope. It was on your account, for your sake that he became poor.
Being Rich
This is his grace. That on your account he became poor, being rich. Our Lord Jesus is rich beyond comprehension. Let's look for a moment at the riches of his person. The fact that here we are told that Jesus became poor points us back to who he was before he came, points us back to his eternal identity as the only Son of the Father. John, at the beginning of his gospel said that the Word was in existence at the beginning; he was with God, and is himself God. Jesus, the only Son from the Father, very God of very God, by his very nature existing as God is rich beyond compare. This is the riches of his person, his nature. Existing as God, he is the most glorious, most blessed being, most worthy to be treasured above all others.
Then John tells us that
John 1:3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Jesus, as Creator of all things, has right and ownership over all things. As Albert Barnes (1872) put it "as Creator he had a right to all things, and had the disposal of all things. The most absolute right which can exist is that acquired by the act of creation, and this right the Son of God possessed over all gold, and silver, and diamonds, and pearls; over all seas, and islands, and continents; over all the treasures of the ocean, and over all worlds" (p.163). Jesus made everything that exists, and it all belongs to him.
Colossians 1:16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
In Order That You by That Poverty
Him for whom it was not robbery, not a grasping to claim equality with his Father, because he was from all eternity equal, emptied himself, became poor.
Philippians 2:5 …Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
He who eternally exists in his very being as God, rich beyond compare, took on a human nature. He entered into our poverty. Remaining what he was, he became what he was not. Being rich he became poor. Continuing to be what he forever is, he became poor by taking our nature, being born as a human, experiencing the humiliation of the cross.
Isaiah 53:4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53. O the height of glory! O the depth of humiliation.
1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
2 Corinthians 5:21;
2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
It was on our account, for our sake, he became poor. This is what he did for us. And by his voluntarily embracing our poverty he accomplished something for us.
That You …Might Become Rich
2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
He made us rich. What does that mean? In what way do we become rich through the poverty of Christ? Ephesians picks up this theme.
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
The riches of his grace purchases our forgiveness, our redemption. Forgiveness cancels our debt and in effect brings us out of debt, out of a negative, to zero. But that is only the beginning.
Ephesians 1:18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
We have been called into the riches of his glorious inheritance. His inheritance! What Jesus, the one and only Son of the Father, the possessor of all that is, has for his inheritance! We are included in his glorious inheritance! The Spirit must enlighten our eyes to enable us to comprehend the riches of this glorious inheritance.
Ephesians 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Saved by his grace. Made alive with Christ. Raised with Christ. Enthroned with Christ. God intends for eternity to show off the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us. Let that soak in for a moment. God's purpose, the infinite eternal God who created all things, his intention is to put on display the magnificent bounty of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. God intends to display the extravagance of his generosity, and he intends us as the recipients of that overflow of his gracious kindness.
By God's grace, it was given to Paul, he says in chapter 3, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. Unsearchable riches. Riches so vast that we will never through the endless ages of eternity ever get to the bottom of them.
So Paul prays for us. He prays that we would be given strength, power, strength to comprehend.
Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
We need supernatural help to comprehend, to know the immeasurable riches of Christ, to know that which surpasses knowledge. Now you may be able to recite some of the riches of Christ toward you. We have just scratched the surface of some of them today; forgiveness, redemption, we have been made alive, raised to new life, we have been made co-heirs with Christ in his inheritance. We might be able to name some of the marvelous riches that belong to us in Christ, but do we know them? Do we treasure them properly?
2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Do you know his grace? If you do, if you have truly tasted his grace, it will overflow in simplicity of devotion to Christ. You will give yourself completely to him. Nothing he could ask would be too much.
This puts in a clearer light what Jesus did in John 13. Listen.
John 13:3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Jesus, assured of his own identity, knowing who he was, was freed to set aside his rights and stoop low to serve others.
John 13:12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. You have experienced his grace. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. Enter in to the poverty of others. Give yourself completely to him who gave himself up for you, and give yourself by the will of God to others.
Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
2 Corinthians 7:2-3; To Die Together and Live Together
05/26_2 Corinthians 7:2-3; To Die Together and Live Together Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20190526_2cor7_2-3.mp3
Authentic Ministry
Paul has written to the Corinthians to address a problem in their understanding. They were questioning his qualifications as an apostle. He wasn't what they expected. They expected someone who had it together, who was impressive, who commanded attention, who didn't struggle, who didn't, well, who didn't suffer so much.
They were measuring success by the metrics of power, influence, position, possessions, progress, popularity, wealth, health, strength. They were measuring successful ministry according to the world's standards; they were not measuring according to the gospel.
Paul redefines for them what authentic ministry looks like, smells like. He teaches them to measure by a different standard. He teaches to measure according to Jesus, measure by the gospel, by the cross. There success looks like suffering, weakness, dependence, selfless sacrifice in service to others. He's taken 5 chapters to lay this foundation reshaping for them what authentic Christian ministry is.
Make Room!
In 6:11 he comes to the point; he applies what he has been teaching to them directly.
2 Corinthians 6:11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 13 In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.
They were listening to other voices; they had become enamored with false apostles, and had begun to doubt Paul. As a means of enlarging their affections for their apostle, he exhorts them to cut off all inappropriate affections. Do not be yoked together in service with those who don't hold the same beliefs.
Although this is a personal issue, rather than take it personally, Paul uses it as an opportunity to teach truth. He points them to the promises of God as a foundation for holy affections; because of who you are in Christ, because God has promised to live in you and to adopt you as his own, don't live like those who don't know God; don't love the things that displease him. Pursue a life that pleases him.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
And here in 7:2 he comes back around to their affections;
2 Corinthians 7:2 Make room in your hearts for us.
Having cut off unholy alliances, make much room for the apostle and authentic apostolic teaching. This word is the opposite of that in 6:12 'restricted or constricted, squeezed out'; you had no room for us in your affections; now make room for us.
Paul's Integrity
Paul again affirms his integrity. We have seen him defend his character multiple times in this letter. Here he puts it staccato; no-one wronged; no-one corrupted; no-one exploited.
2 Corinthians 7:2 …We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one.
These are things Paul is likely being accused of. No one wronged. Some may have objected that he was overly harsh and unjustified in his demand in 1 Corinthians 5 to turn the unrepentant brother over to Satan. He was not wronged; it was for his good, ultimately for his salvation. It is possible that his firm stand against idolatry and immorality had cost some of the business owners in Corinth and they resented the loss. Paul would say 'any profit made that way will not profit you.' No one corrupted. Then and still today Paul is accused of corrupting or leading astray by his teaching, as if grace was a license to sin. No one exploited. Some were accusing him that his collection for the poor was a pretense for lining his own pockets and taking advantage of them. Paul flatly denies any of this. None of these are legitimate reasons to squeeze us out of your affections.
In fact, it is the false teachers who are peddling God's word for profit, who are leading astray to a different Jesus and corroding the relationship between this church and their apostle, who threaten to cost them great spiritual loss.
Paul's Affection
Paul is terse in his rejection of these false accusations, but he does not want them to misread his heart.
2 Corinthians 7:3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.
He goes out of his way to reiterate his affections for them. Referring to his previous painful letter in chapter 2 he said:
2 Corinthians 2:4 For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.
In chapter 3 he said that Corinthians are written on his heart. In 6:11 he said his heart is wide open to them. In 7:1 he addresses them as 'beloved'. Here he says 'you are in our hearts.' Paul is not reluctant to express his affections. He loves them. His heart is open to them, and that leaves him open to the real potential of being hurt by them.
To Die and Live Together
He affirms his affection by a common expression that he is willing to live or die with them. We see 'to live together and to die together' in classic literature as an expression of loyalty and friendship. Think of Peter's exclamation "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!" (Mt.26:35). David sings in his lament over Saul and Jonathan "In life and in death they were not divided" (2Sam.1:23).
Paul makes use of this common expression, but he doesn't use it unaltered. He adjusts it. He tweaks it to suit his purposes. Whenever we see Paul taking a common expression and changing it, it should alert us to pay attention and ask what he means by changing it.
The first thing he does is he makes this into a purpose statement. 'You are in our hearts, in order to die together and to live together; you are in our hearts so that we die together and live together.' His grammatical structure [εἰς τὸ + inf.] indicates purpose. Why? Normally we would expect a phrase like this to be conditional: 'if we live or if we die; whether we live or die; come what may, we are sticking together, we are in it to the end.' This is not what Paul says. Paul's aim is to die together and live together with this church, and so he keeps them in his heart.
The order here is also unusual; we would expect 'to live and die together.' But Paul reverses this intentionally, and puts death first.
When we see things like this, we should ask why? Why does he say it differently than we might expect? He is not sloppy or haphazard with his words. He is intentional. Every word is breathed out by God and profitable.
We think of the normal sequence, life and then death. But in the Christian experience, death comes before life. Romans 6 paints this picture.
Romans 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
You see, death must come before new life. "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal.2:20). He says in Romans 6:8
Romans 6:8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
He says the same thing in 2 Timothy 2:11
2 Timothy 2:11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
Peter says it this way:
1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Death comes before life. This comes directly from Jesus' teaching.
Mark 8:34 …"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
This teaching shows up in all four gospels more than once. Here in Mark it comes right after Peter rebuked Jesus for talking about his coming death. Death must come before life. We must die with Christ, die to ourselves if we would truly live. Jesus established this pattern himself. He says in John 10:
John 10:17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.
He says in John 12
John 12:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
Fruitful life comes after death, not before. Paul restates this teaching of Jesus in Romans 8:13
Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
This is really what the letter of 2 Corinthians is about. Authentic ministry is sacrifice, suffering in service to others. Ministry, really the entire Christian experience is death before life, suffering before glory, the cross before the crown. We are:
2 Corinthians 4:10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
Union and Communion in Community
Paul puts death before life, and he says that he has them in his heart so that he will die with them and live with them. Paul's life is wrapped up in the lives of his spiritual children. For Paul the Christian life is a life in community, a life together with. We died with Christ. We are united to him in his death, and in his resurrection. And if each of us individually is united with Christ, there is a sense in which we are united with one another in death and in life. There is a union with others in the body of Christ. None of us are solo Christians. We are connected.
On an objective theological level, we died with Christ and so we are united together in his death and resurrection life. That is true. But it seems Paul is looking at something more. He is looking to bring this theological reality out into practical experience. He wants to experience death together with them and life together with them. You are in our hearts in order to die together and to live together. There is an aspect of union and communion that is only experienced when we suffer together. He said back in chapter 1
2 Corinthians 1:5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.
Do you hear that? Suffering comes before comfort; death before life. We share in Christ's sufferings, and then we share in his comfort. And there is a together with aspect; we are afflicted for your comfort and salvation. And you experience comfort when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. There is a fellowship, a union and communion in suffering.
We know this to be true. When we suffer together there is a knitting together that happens. Soldiers on the battlefield together experience this. Hostages or captives that experience suffering together experience this. Unbelievers who suffer together can experience a union because of shared suffering.
But when this knitting together in suffering is combined with the theological reality of our union with Christ, this is the union and communion that Paul is after. We are not suffering together merely because of circumstances; we are suffering together because of Christ. The Corinthians can be experiencing affliction because of Jesus in Achaia, and Paul in Asia or Macedonia, but they are suffering together as Christians. They are experiencing a dying together and living together in affectionate relationship. You are in our hearts.
Paul longs for this relationship, for this connection. For this theological union to be played out in real communion. The connection is open on his end. He urges them to open the connection on their end.
2 Corinthians 6:11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 13 In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.
2 Corinthians 7:2 Make room in your hearts for us. … 3 …you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.
Are we experiencing this battlefield unity with other believers? Are we united in death and in life? Do we have each other in our hearts in order to die together and live together?
Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
Psalm 22; The Innocent Sufferer and Exalted Savior
04/21_Resurrection Sunday; Psalm 22 – The Innocent Sufferer and Exalted Savior; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20190421_psalm-22.mp3
The Innocent Sufferer
Good Friday night we looked at Psalm 22, the Psalm of the Cross, because it gives us insight into the heart of Jesus, what he experienced on the cross, what he went through for us. Jesus pointed us to this Psalm by quoting its opening words from the cross.
Today I want to look quickly back over the first 21 verses of this Psalm, which focus on the innocent sufferer who cries out to the Lord, and then we will look at verses 22-31, which jump ahead into the experience of the hoped for deliverance, and give us a glimpse of glory.
The Cry of Abandonment
Verse 1 begins with the cry of abandonment that Jesus uttered from the cross:
Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.
Jesus experienced no rest, no answer from his Father, no salvation, a dark and desperate distance from his Father; he was abandoned and forsaken so that we could be received, reconciled.
Hope in the Character of God and the History of Deliverance
Verses 3-5 express unwavering hope in the character of God and the history of deliverance in spite of the current circumstances.
Psalm 22:3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. 5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
I love that phrase; 'enthroned on the praises of Israel' – the Holy one sits enthroned on the praises of his people. Today, your dependence on him, your cries to him and his rescue, your worship forms the glorious throne he is seated on.
De-humanizing Mocking
Verses 6-8 describe the de-humanizing mocking of the crowds, the leaders of Israel, even one who was crucified alongside him.
Psalm 22:6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 8 "He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!"
He was despised and rejected so that we could be forever embraced, accepted.
Personal Dependence on the Lord
In verses 9-11 he recounts his own personal history of helpless dependence on the Lord
Psalm 22:9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts. 10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God. 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.
'None to help.' Jesus was abandoned even by his closes friends, so that we could enjoy sweet fellowship with our brothers and sisters both now and forever.
Physical Trauma of Crucifixion
Verses 12-18 liken the ungodly attacks of persecutors to wild and dangerous beasts; [oxen, a lion, dogs]
Psalm 22:12 Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— 17 I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
These verses are a vivid description of the physical trauma of crucifixion; hands and feet pierced, bones dislocated (but not broken), the agonizing thirst, the broken heart. The one who is the source of living water experienced unquenchable thirst so that we forever could be satisfied in his presence. He hung naked, exposed, vulnerable, so that we forever would be clothed in his perfect righteousness. He was broken and poured out so that we could be filled to overflowing. Jesus was laid in the dust of death so that we could experience abundant life in relationship with him.
Desperate Cry for Nearness and Rescue
Verses 19-21 repeat the desperate cry for nearness and rescue
Psalm 22:19 But you, O LORD, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! 21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!
Where verses 12-18 list his enemies as oxen, a lion, and dogs, these verses mirror that in a cry for rescue from the power of the dog, the mouth of the lion, the horns of the wild oxen.
He experienced distance so that we could be brought near by the blood of Christ
Jesus Exalted
The last phrase in verse 21 is a hinge, a turning point in this Psalm. He moves from 'deliver me, save me' to 'you have rescued me.' The remainder of the Psalm moves from the present suffering to the future glory and speaks from the point of view that God has answered and the asked for salvation has come.
Welcomed as Brothers
Psalm 22:22 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
This verse is quoted in Hebrews 2, where
Hebrews 2:9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying, "I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise."
Jesus, eternal God, humbled himself and became human to suffer and die for us. Because he took our nature and suffered in our stead, in his humanity he is not ashamed to call us his brothers. Do you see what this is saying? I (that's Jesus) will tell of your name (that's the Father) to my brothers (that's us!); in the midst of the congregation (that's us) I (Jesus) will praise you (the Father). Jesus, crowned with glory and honor, exalted back to the glory he had with his Father before the world existed; Jesus looks forward to the day when he will have brought us into his own glory, and together with us sing his Father's praise. Jesus, existing in very nature as God, does not cling to his equality with the Father, but gladly takes his place in the congregation he redeemed, singing with us his Father's praise!
The Affliction of the Afflicted Accepted
Verse 23 begins a call to worship.
Psalm 22:23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.
Jesus is calling us, his brothers, to worship. God has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted. The Father has accepted the suffering of Jesus in our place.
Acts 17:31 …of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."
Romans 1:4 …was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
The Father heard the prayers of Jesus. "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." (Mt.26:39). There was no other way, and it was through his being forsaken that the Father's face is now toward us. The one who was rejected is now accepted, the one put to shame is now honored, the one abandoned and alone now stands with a great company of blood-bought brothers in the congregation.
God the Source of All Praise
Psalm 22:25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. 26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live forever!
'From you comes my praise.' The source of the praise is ultimately God himself; "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." (Rom.11:36).
'The afflicted' or 'the humble, the poor shall eat and be satisfied.' Because the Father has accepted the suffering of the Son in our place, we, the poor and humble can eat. Because of his thirst, we can be satisfied. We who deserve death will live forever with him!
The Global Scope of Worship
Verse 27 shows us the scope of this future glory:
Psalm 22:27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
Where verse 23 names the offspring of Jacob and Israel, here the call to worship is global; 'All the ends of the earth, all the families of the nations.' Pilate had the inscription hung above his head 'the king of the Jews'; but Jesus said "My kingdom is not of this world" (Jn.18:36).
Philippians 2:5 …Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. To him every knee will bow. All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord. Do you remember what he did for you? Do you remember what it cost? Have you turned to Jesus as Lord?
Both Poor and Prosperous Satisfied in Jesus
Verse 29 takes this even further.
Psalm 22:29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive.
Where verse 26 says those afflicted or poor and humble, those who seek him shall eat and be satisfied, here even the prosperous are included. 1 Corinthians 1 tells us that God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; not many wise, not many, powerful, not many noble were called. It does not say 'not any'; it says 'not many'. God can humble even the proud and prosperous so that we recognize our need and bow before him to receive his grace.
In Ephesians 1, Paul prays that God would give us hearts to see,
Ephesians 1:18 …that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
This is our hope, that because Christ was forsaken, we are accepted. Because Jesus thirsted, we can drink and be satisfied. Because he was pierced, we can be made whole. Because he experienced distance and separation, we are brought near by the blood of Christ. This is our gloriously rich inheritance.
It is God's immeasurably great power, resurrection power that is at work in us who believe. The same power at work in Christ to raise him from the dead is at work in us to raise us who were dead in trespasses and sins to new life in Christ.
Jesus is exalted over all, he rules all nations, and we are connected to him, we are his body! The Father gave Jesus to us! All things are under his feet; he is head over all and he is God's gift to us, the church!
Are you enjoying Jesus today as God's gift to you? Are you experiencing his immeasurably great resurrection power at work in you today?
His Righteousness Proclaimed; He Has Done It!
Psalm 22:30 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.
The great congregation will include both Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, and it will include both past and future. We tend to look at the coming generation and ask 'what is this world coming to?' (Remember, that's what your parents said about you!) God guarantees that there will be some from every generation around his throne singing his praises. Because of Jesus there is hope for every people group, for every socioeconomic strata, for every generation, even those yet unborn. The good news about Jesus will be told to the coming generation. That his righteousness, his perfect righteousness, is credited to the account of every person who depends on him. The sinless one died for sinners to make us righteous in God's sight.
They will be told that 'he has done it.' God has done it. There is nothing we can add. Salvation is accomplished. It is finished!
Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
2 Corinthians 6:4-5; Paul's Resume of Afflictions
03/17_2 Corinthians 6:4-5; Paul's Résumé of Afflictions; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20190317_2cor6_4-5.mp3
Paul's Resume
Last time we looked at the cover letter to Paul's résumé:
2 Corinthians 6:3 We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:
He is commending his ministry as a ministry of integrity, a blameless ministry. He removed obstacles from the gospel so that it would have maximum effect. God alone saves, but he did everything in his power to eliminate stumbling blocks to clear the runway for the gospel. The only offense he allowed was the offense of the gospel itself, the message of the cross.
Paul gives his resume in verses 4-10. Don't open your Bibles, and let me read to you Paul's resume:
'I've successfully planted over 20 churches all around the Mediterranean, I've brought the gospel to every important city, preached to huge crowds, made an impact everywhere I've traveled, packed out every venue. I'm a skilled communicator to both large and small groups. I'm a gifted writer; I've authored at least 11 best sellers. I'm driven and tenaciously faithful; I had to part ways with a co-worker who just couldn't keep up with my pace. I was even instrumental in correcting one of the Lord's own original twelve when he got off track. I've mentored countless people in successful ministry techniques and developed leaders. I've seen the risen Lord face to face, he speaks to me in dreams and visions. I have an abundance of spiritual gifts, not to mention my charitable work collecting and distributing funds to the poor and oppressed.'
Although most of that is true, and these are the things we would expect anyone to highlight in a resume, that is not what Paul says. This is not the kind of resume anyone would expect. If you haven't already, please open your Bibles to 2 Corinthians 6 and look at what Paul lists as his credentials that commend him as an authentic minister.
2 Corinthians 6:4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
As I said last week, this passage is lyrical, poetic, it has a rhythm and cadence to it, it is memorable, and as worthy of memorization as 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter. This passage is structured in a way that does not come through in many translations; there are three different prepositions; in (ἐν) 18 times in verses 4-7; through (διὰ) 3 times in verse 7-8; and as (ὡς) 7 times in verses 8-10. After the introductory statement in verses 3 and 4, he lists ten hardships in verses 4-5 that he faced in ministry, beginning with the way he faced them (in much endurance) followed by three general hardships (in afflictions, in hardships, in calamities), three specific types of persecution (in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots), and three voluntary hardships (in labors, in sleeplessnesses, in hungers). In verses 6-7 he lists eight characteristics of ministry; four fruit of the Spirit (in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness) and four means of grace (in Holy Spirit, in love unhypocritical, in word of truth, in power of God). In verse 7 he gives us a picture of how he fought the battle of ministry (through the weapons of righteousness for the right and the left), introducing nine paradoxes of ministry (through glory and shame, through slander and praise, as deceivers yet true, as unknown yet well known, as dying yet behold we live, as punished yet not killed, as sorrowful but always rejoicing, as poor but making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing everything).
This is not what the Corinthians expected ministry to look like They were being led astray from the way of Jesus by false impostors who painted a worldly picture of ministry as glamorous, prestigious with plenty of fame and fortune. For them the sign of God's blessing was outward and material. For Paul, the evidence of authentic ministry was ministry that followed in the footsteps of the Master.
The authenticity of a ministry is not demonstrated so much in God's external blessings, but rather in how one responds to adversity.
In Much Endurance [ἐν ὑπομονῇ πολλῇ]
Paul starts his list with 'in much endurance'. The word endurance literally means to remain under.
Paul lists endurance or patience in chapter 12 where he says
2 Corinthians 12:12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience (ἐν πάσῃ ὑπομονῇ), with signs and wonders and mighty works.
Here we get insight into what he means by the signs of a true apostle. In Mark 13 Jesus warns:
Mark 13:22 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.
It is not merely supernatural signs and wonders that evidence authenticity; it is primarily character, especially under adversity. Just a few verses earlier in 2 Corinthians 12, Paul says:
2 Corinthians 12:10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships (ἀνάγκαις), persecutions, and calamities (στενοχωρίαις). For when I am weak, then I am strong. 11 …I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing.
Paul repeats in the context of the signs of a true apostle two of the terms he lists on his resume here in chapter 6; hardships and calamities, with much endurance or patience.
As we will see later in this list, this endurance in the face of adversity is not a mere stoic resolve to tough it out, but a gift of the Spirit of God. It is divinely enabled endurance, the ability to remain under adverse circumstances with joy that demonstrates authenticity.
General Adversity; In Afflictions, In Hardships, In Calamities
[ἐν θλίψεσιν] [ἐν ἀνάγκαις] [ἐν στενοχωρίαις,]
Afflictions, hardships, and calamities are broad general categories of circumstances that call for endurance. Affliction means to be hard pressed or squeezed. Hardship means necessity or distress. Calamity means anguish, or literally narrowness. The verb form of this word in 2 Corinthians 4:8 is translated 'crushed'. Afflictions, hardships, calamities; under heavy pressure, in distresses, experiencing anguish. Together these words paint a picture of hardship, the trials and stresses of ministry.
Jesus promised his followers affliction or tribulation.
John 16:33 …In the world you will have tribulation (θλῖψιν). But take heart; I have overcome the world."
In his parable about the sower and the soils, Jesus warned that affliction would cause false believers to fall away (Mt.13:21; Mk.4:17). Jesus said in Matthew 24
Matthew 24:9 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation (θλῖψιν) and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. …13 But the one who endures (ὑπομείνας) to the end will be saved.
In Acts 14, Jews from Antioch and Iconium pursued Paul to Lystra and persuaded the crowds to stone him. He was dragged out of city, assumed to be dead. But he rose up and went back in to the city, the next day continuing on with Barnabas to Derbe.
Acts 14:21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue (ἐμμένειν) in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations (διὰ πολλῶν θλίψεων) we must enter the kingdom of God.
I can imagine what Paul looked like after being stoned and left for dead, and I'm sure hearing from his lips was a vivid picture of what kinds of afflictions they may have to endure in following Christ.
At the opening of 2 Corinthians, Paul speaks of God's comfort that he has experienced in the midst of his afflictions, and he invites them to join him in patiently enduring suffering so that they too might experience God's comfort in affliction.
Paul wrote to the Thessalonians:
1 Thessalonians 3:3 that no one be moved by these afflictions (θλίψεσιν). For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction (θλίβεσθαι), just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain. …7 for this reason, brothers, in all our distress (ἀνάγκῃ) and affliction (θλίψει) we have been comforted about you through your faith.
There is that word distress or hardship. Paul experienced distress and affliction out of concern for the faith of the young believers who were experiencing affliction.
Paul is painting a picture that affliction, hardship, even calamities are all part of normal ministry, part of following Jesus.
Specific Persecutions: In Beatings, In Imprisonments, In Riots
[ἐν πληγαῖς] [ἐν φυλακαῖς] [ἐν ἀκαταστασίαις]
Beatings, imprisonments, and riots are more specific forms of adversity that require endurance; while the others can be purely circumstantial, these three forms of persecution are carried out by people.
Up to the time of writing of 2 Corinthians in the narrative of the book of Acts (20:2-3), Luke only records one imprisonment and beating (Philippi – Acts 16:22-33), and one riot (Ephesus – Acts 19:23-20:1). We learn from this and other statements in Acts that Luke did not record every event that happened everywhere; he was selective. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul mentions 'countless beatings' specifically listing five lashings, three beatings with rods, and one stoning.
Acts 16 records one beating and imprisonment in Philippi:
Acts 16:22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Acts 19 records a riot in Ephesus:
Acts 19:23 About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. …26 And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. …28 …they were enraged and were crying out, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 29 So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's companions in travel. 30 But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. 31 And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. 32 Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"
Notice that this riot was a response to what Paul preached, and the fact that people had believed his message. His preaching was a threat. It challenged their culture and beliefs.
Several months later, Paul gathered the elders from Ephesus:
Acts 20:18 And when they came to him, he said to them: "You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
Here we see Paul embracing afflictions and even imprisonment as an expected part of gospel ministry.
Voluntary Hardships: In Labors, In Sleeplessnesses, In Hungers
[ἐν κόποις] [ἐν ἀγρυπνίαις] [ἐν νηστείαις]
Labors, sleeplessness, and hunger are things voluntarily endured in the service of Christ and the advance of his gospel. They are not necessarily unavoidable, but they are embraced by the genuine servant of God.
Labor can mean trouble, toil, wearisome work. It could refer to manual labor, that Paul worked with his own hands to support himself in ministry. It can also refer to the labor involved in preaching, teaching, and making disciples.
Sleeplessness could refer to times Paul went without enough sleep because he was working night and day to support himself (1Thess.2:9; 2Thess.3:8). It could also refer to the long hours of ministry (Acts 20:31). Often it refers to being vigilant or watchful in prayer. Paul mentions praying earnestly night and day (1Thess.3:10; 2Tim.1:3). It is not that Paul had trouble sleeping; it was that the demands of ministry often required him to serve well into the night.
Hunger can mean fasting, voluntarily abstaining from food to focus on prayer; or Paul could mean that he simply went without enough food. As he says in Philippians 4
Philippians 4:12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
Cross-Shaped Ministry
All this points to circumstances that are both physically and emotionally draining; weariness, fatigue, exhaustion that comes through serving others. Paul understood what it was to be brought to the end of himself so that he would rely not on himself 'but on God who raises the dead' (2Cor.1:9).
Last time we saw that Paul seeks to give no offense but the cross, and this is exactly what the Corinthians are offended by; that his life and ministry is characterized by the cross. He endures suffering in service to others, because his Master is the Suffering Servant. He took up his cross to follow Jesus.
He said back in chapter 4 as a description of his ministry 'we are:
2 Corinthians 4:10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Paul endured, not by sheer strength of will, but by divine enablement, by the resurrection power of Jesus at work in him.
And he invites us to share with him in the sufferings of Christ.
Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
2 Corinthians 6:3-4; No Obstacle But The Cross
03/10_2 Corinthians 6:3-4; No Obstacle But The Cross Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20190310_2cor6_3-4.mp3
Paul has just laid out the riches of gospel truth; that we are reconciled to God through the finished work of Christ; that the sinless Christ was counted as a sinner when he took my sin, and now I am counted righteous because I am found in Christ. He has called the church in Corinth to respond rightly to this message; he begs them as God's ambassador 'be reconciled to God' and he appeals to them not to receive the grace of God in vain; in a meaningless, worthless, empty way, in a way that does not save. He quotes from the suffering servant section of Isaiah (49:8) to impress them with the urgency of responding to his message now, while God's grace is being extended.
Here in verses 3-10 he presents his résumé as God's minister, Christ's ambassador, God's fellow-worker. This is a memorable, lyrical, eloquent passage, on par with 1 Corinthians 13, and just as worthy of memorization.
The content of this highly structured résumé will have to wait until next week, but we will look at his cover letter in verses 3-4 today.
2 Corinthians 6:3 We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:
First, a note about how this sentence fits with the context. The main verb is all the way back in verse 1, 'we appeal.' "We appeal to you not in vain to receive the grace of God." This is modified by the participle that begins the sentence 'working together'. Then after the quotation in verse 2, he modifies this verb with two more participles:
1. ——–working together with God
We appeal to you
3. ——–giving no obstacle
4. ——–commending ourselves
Paul's appeal to the church is his working together with God; his appeal comes with both negative and positive force. Negative in verse 3, which could literally be translated 'to no one in nothing giving an obstacle'; and positive in verse 4, literally 'but in all things commending ourselves.'
The Offense of the Cross
2 Corinthians 6:3 We put no obstacle [προσκοπήν] in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:
What does Paul mean when he says 'to no one in nothing giving an obstacle'?
Let's start by clarifying what he does not mean. Back in 1 Corinthians, he said
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block [σκάνδαλον] to Jews and folly to Gentiles,
Paul is fully aware that the word of the cross, the gospel of Christ crucified for sinners is foolishness and a stumbling block, literally a scandal to many. When he says that 'we put no obstacle in anyone's way' he does not mean that he ceases to preach the gospel for fear of tripping up or offending anyone. In Galatians 5:11 he refers to the 'offense' or 'stumbling block' or 'scandal' of the cross. He refuses to compromise or water down the simple gospel message of Jesus Christ crucified for sinners and raised on the third day. That will be an obstacle to many; however to attempt to remove that obstacle empties the gospel of any power to save. To tell people that they have sinned and offended a holy God, and that the wages of sin is death is offensive. To say that your only hope is that God had to become human in order to take your sin and die in your place is hard to swallow, but it is the gospel. We must not, we dare not tamper with the gospel. Paul refused to tamper with the offense of the cross.
Removing Obstacles
So what does Paul mean, when he says 'to no one in nothing giving an obstacle'? Paul did talk at length in 1 Corinthians 8-10 about Christian rights, Christian liberties, and avoiding unnecessary offenses or obstacles. In that section (and in Romans 14) he discusses what you should or shouldn't eat, specifically concerning meat that may have been sacrificed to idols. His conclusion is: flee idolatry (1Cor.10:14), but eat whatever is sold to you or set before you without raising question of where it came from (1Cor.10:25-27).
1 Corinthians 8:9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block [πρόσκομμα] to the weak.
1 Corinthians 8:13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble [σκανδαλίζει], I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble [σκανδαλίσω].
In chapter 9 he uses himself as an illustration of letting go of legitimate rights for the good of others. He has the right as a minister of the gospel to make his living by the gospel (1Cor.9:4,14).
1 Corinthians 9:12 …Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle [ἐγκοπή] in the way of the gospel of Christ.
This is the passage where he says "I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. …I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel" (1Cor.9:19,22-23). He removed any unnecessary obstacles to the gospel, any unnecessary offenses; he was always conscious of his surroundings and intentional about how he conducted himself. He was aware of contrasting cultures and careful not to unnecessarily offend.
His conclusion in 1 Corinthians 10:
1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense [ἀπρόσκοπος] to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
When Offense is Fruitful
But it's more complex than just seeking never to offend anyone. Many people attempt to live that way today and are utterly useless for Christ. Paul offended plenty of people; that got him beat up, run out of town, thrown in jail on multiple occasions. He said some really offensive things. His first time in Corinth, in Acts 18, he was testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus,
Acts 18:6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."
That's offensive! That's the kind of thing that started riots in other cities. That's not very culturally sensitive. But we learn from Romans 11:11-14 that his goal was "in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them." This was a fruitful offense; a gospel driven offense.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:12 that he refused to receive compensation from the Corinthians in order to avoid putting obstacles in the way of the gospel. But that was contrary to their culture and offensive to them. In their culture, the better the teacher, the higher the price, and the more you paid for your instruction, the more bragging rights you had. He took that away from them. He took a job and worked with his own hands in menial labor to support himself, which tripped them up. But he claimed that this was to avoid 'putting an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.' He was more concerned with the integrity of the gospel than he was in simply avoiding offense. If he accepted pay from them, it would send a message that the gospel was out of reach of the poor, that it was not all of grace, that it was only for those who could pay top dollar.
Another way he offended the Corinthians was in his manner of speech. Although fully capable of eloquence, as this passage so clearly demonstrates, he says "I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1Cor.2:2), and this was contrary to their expectations. Paul made a conscious decision when he came to Corinth to not fit the mold, to fly in the face of their culture and not use oratorical skill or eloquent words of wisdom, because if he did it would imply that the gospel was only for the wise, the literate, the well educated.
Here's an illustration of this principle of 'becoming all things to all people' tragically misapplied. Paul records in Galatians 2 that Peter in Antioch 'was eating with the Gentiles;' but when a Jewish delegation came from James in Jerusalem, 'he drew back and separated himself.' Isn't this a case of 'To those outside the law I became as one outside the law' and 'To those under the law I became as one under the law'? Paul says No! 'I opposed him to his face'; he 'acted hypocritically'; his 'conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel'. By withdrawing from eating with the Gentiles, he was saying that Christ had not successfully broken down the dividing wall of hostility between Jews and Greeks. He was actually contradicting the gospel.
This calls for discernment. How can I be culturally sensitive without compromising the gospel? What unnecessary obstacles do we put in the way of the gospel? How do I unnecessarily offend? Am I content with my own friend group, not open to others? Am I unwelcoming, unfriendly, sometimes irritable? Am I unwilling to get out of my comfort zone or risk being inconvenienced? These would be evidences of pride, selfishness, and would be potential obstacles to the gospel.
What are things in our church body that are stumbling blocks to the gospel? Our heart's desire above all else should be to see God glorified as people come into a reconciled relationship with God through our Lord Jesus. And this reconciliation is from God. All this is from God. God alone can save. We cannot. But we can remove obstacles from the gospel. We can clear the way for the gospel to have full impact in someone's life. What things are we doing – or not doing that are obstructing the gospel?
Purpose: A No Fault Ministry
Paul says 'to no one in nothing giving an obstacle'
2 Corinthians 6:3 We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault [μωμηθῇ] may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:
His purpose for avoiding unnecessary obstacles is 'in order that no fault may be found with the ministry.' This word for 'finding fault' shows up again in chapter 8, illustrating what he means here. There he is talking about the collection of money from the churches that he intends to bring to the poor saints in Jerusalem. He makes it clear that he will not be doing this alone; he will be taking others with, people known by them.
2 Corinthians 8:20 We take this course so that no one should blame [μωμήσηται] us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, 21 for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man.
He seeks to be honorable, above reproach in the way he handles other people's money. He wants accountability. He aims for integrity that is unassailable.
There are a hundred ways to discredit your ministry. Sadly, you have seen enough examples of this in the news, and you know the immense hindrance it is to the gospel.
Commending Ourselves
Paul says:
2 Corinthians 6:3 We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:
'To no one in nothing giving an obstacle… but in all things commending ourselves.' This commending his ministry is a thread woven through this letter. He said in 3:1 in exasperation 'we are beginning to commend ourselves again!' We've already been through the introductions; you know me. I spent 18 months with you, and then another visit and wrote at least two letters. You ought to know my character by now. You yourselves are evidence of my authenticity.
He says in chapter 4
2 Corinthians 4:2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.
The way we handle God's word demonstrates our integrity. He says in chapter 5:
2 Corinthians 5:12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.
You ought to be able to defend us to those who are attempting to undermine our character. This thread appears again in chapter 10, where he points out that some commend themselves by comparing themselves with others, but only those whom the Lord commends are approved (10:12,18). In chapter 12 he says that he ought to have been commended by them (12:11).
Ministers of God with Faultless Ministry
2 Corinthians 6:3 We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:
In all things we commend ourselves as servants, ministers of God. We remove unnecessary obstacles, so that no fault can be found with the ministry. Ministers of God with faultless ministry.
How does Paul commend himself? What is the content of his résumé? It may not be what you expect. This is his cover letter. Next week we will review his resume.
What can we take away from this? As followers of Jesus, each of us is a minister, called to serve others for their good.
-Is your ministry blameless or blameworthy?
-Does your character and conduct discredit your message or commend it to others?
-Are you holding fast to the offense of the cross, or are you willing to manipulate the message to make it seem less offensive?
-What stumbling blocks are you putting in front of others?
*Ask God to open your eyes to see the obstacles you place in front of others.
*Ask him to give you a tenacious grip on the gospel
*Ask him to create integrity of character that displays his grace
Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
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