1 Corinthians 1.1-9

Title: The Focus of a Healthy Church: Our Blessings!

Text: 1 Cor 1.1-9

Introduction: Most days, I love serving as a Chaplain. I’m chaplain of our Volunteer Fire Department. I serve as a chaplain for the employees of Bandera Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Bandera. And I serve also at Covenant Services in San Antonio. Because of this position, I get to visit with hundreds of people. My calling has opened the door to ministry in so many ways – not to mention being your pastor.

Recently, I got to visit with an employee who grew up in the church, but alas, is no longer active in a local church. This employee spoke my language – a language you know, too. If you were raised in a local evangelical church, you speak the language, too. At first, I was so excited to meet this person; however, after a few minutes of conversation, I realized this person is no longer in a local church. Added to this concern of mine, was a statement made in reference to that employee’s children. They had chosen to not raise their kids in church, but rather for them to find their own religion and way in the world – whatever ‘faith’ that might be.

Now, you should know that as a Chaplain, my job is a little bit different than of a pastor. Being your pastor affords me rights and responsibilities to speak into your life in a manner that simply being a chaplain doesn’t. While operating in the world, I don’t have the same authority. So, I must be careful. I don’t want to ever alienate someone by having a debate over an issue. I think the conversation went well. Still, I have to say this millennial is very much like the generation of millennials who have abandoned the church. They say, “I love Jesus, but hate the church.”

Let that sink in because it is a misnomer. The reality is that they are very much one and the same. The Church is the Body of Christ. And our purpose is to image Him to the World. We are His hands, his feet. When it comes to the mass exodus of the generation that has followed us, that is a huge indictment on us as believers. We have failed to be the Church Christ has called us to be.

I feel confident that you feel as I do when I say, I don’t want to get this wrong anymore! Too much is at stake! Over the next 10-12 weeks, I’d like to study 1 Corinthians from the standpoint of how blessed they were and how in like manner, we have been blessed by God. This will not be easy, because Corinth was a dysfunctional church! Dysfunction in their relationships, Dysfunction in their polity and organization, Dysfunction in their theology, Dysfunction, Dysfunction, Dysfunction!

But Paul begins his letter by reminding them of how blessed they were! The 1^st area of focus for the church is found in the very beginning of 1 Cor. Rdv 1-9; this introduction is packed with blessings that each believer has received. There is one truth that stands out in this passage – that permeates the entire teaching: God is at work here! Everything begins, is sustained, and ends with God. Note the references to Christ, Lord, Jesus, God, Father; 23x’s; Paul starts with his place – called to be an apostle – by God’s will; and 2ndly, their place: they are called, as well, the church of God; both called to their positions.

Let’s take a moment to review these blessings from God…cont rd v2;

I. They were made Holy

exp.: Sanctified and saints are the same word in the Gk; lit.: Holy; pft, pass, ptc, having been made holy – a current state based upon a past action; Saints is lit.: holy ones; Now these two statements identify who they are and where they are in Christ – 1^st,

• Position: these believers have had their sins washed away and they stand before God Holy!
• Practice: called to be holy – lit.: called to be holy ones; this is what they’re supposed to do now as believers! They’re supposed to live out who they are! The outside reflects the inside!

exp.: and we know that this isn’t just for the Corinthians, but for us also, that is, for those of us who claim Christ today! 2c; rd v 3;

app.: What we have in this opening is a typical greeting, but – look deeper. What we also see is just what characterizes each believer – holiness; Don’t miss this: we’ve been called into relationships. God has made us holy, not because we’re really awesome, cool people and he wants to be with us. No, God has made us holy because He is … fill in the superlative… and we cannot have a relationship with him in our sin. He has called us into fellowship with Him and with each other. And take it one step further, rd v2; associations and conventions and missions; pray about going to a people somewhere in the world who don’t know Christ.

Paul was called to plant churches, not just be an evangelist. He entered into relationships with people in the communities he worked. He poured himself into people through his relationship with them. And, furthermore, he encouraged relationships within this community of grace, called the church.

t.s.: just as holiness appears in a repeated fashion, so does ‘grace’ and that is the next blessing he mentions in v 4-6;

II. They were given God’s Grace (4-6)

exp.: Look what Paul says about God’s Grace rd v4-5:

1. It is Given: it’s a gift. It’s poured out on them. Interesting, the word ‘gift’ and the word ‘grace’ are from the same derivative; χαρίς and χáρισματα; 2^nd, down in v 6 he says…
2. It is Confirmed: evidenced in their lives; a testimony of Christ!

*Don’t miss these two important items concerning Grace: repeat

JM: Three Items that Cannot exist w/ Grace:

1. Guilt
2. Human Obligation – we can’t pay it back by earning it
3. Human Merit – we won’t ever deserve it – never

Another great message out there is by Matt Chandler; He says that people don’t stumble into godliness; and he quotes Paul: “training ourselves in righteousness” (1 Tim. 4:7), “laboring in prayer,” “running to win,” “counting it all as loss” (Philippians 3) and “beating his body” (1 Corinthian 9:26-27).

Check out the balance here. This is a quote from Jared Wilson, a pastor: My disobedience is good grounds for doubt, but my obedience is terrible grounds for assurance.

ill.: I love that Paul starts out with his usual greeting, thanking God. But this is unusual when you consider whom he’s talking about. This is the one church that gave Paul the most grief: the Corinthian Church! And yet he says he is thankful to God for them.

exp.: look at what he was thankful for again; rd v 4; the grace;

app.: can we just apply that to us for a moment? Here is our history, but we do not stand today because of our history! We stand in the grace of God. Don’t forget that blessing, Church! We stand holy, sanctified, and grace-filled because of the effectual work of Christ on the Cross of Calvary.

t.s.: which is where Paul is going in the next verse and offers us our 3^rd blessing…he says they were

III. They were Enriched

exp.: rd v 5; how? In every way; lit.: in every ‘thing’; and then he narrows down the focus: 1^st, in speech and 2^nd, in knowledge;

• In speech; logos; 2 Cor 8.7 – ⁷ But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.; 1 Tim 4.12; But Paul says that these folks have been enriched with this gift, too; rd v 5b;
• In knowledge; 2 Cor 8.7, let me pause and say that this is great, but there are those who speak w/out knowledge! and look at the result; rd v 6-7a;
• So that you’re not lacking in any spiritual gift

app.: here’s what Paul is saying “God has gifted you with everything spiritual (gifts) that you need as a body to function, which, by the way, you are, as has been confirmed in you! You’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing! Wow! He says this despite their arguing, fighting, division, sinful disobedience, adultery, fornication, disorganization, etc., etc., etc.

t.s.: And then Paul moves to another blessing in v 7b; rd 7b;

IV. Their Future was secure

exp.: What a blessing, knowing one’s future is secure; Paul lists 4 attributes of those who know their future is secure; 

• Waiting
• Watching; the revealing; this is the Gk word from which we get our English word ‘apocalypse’; that sounds even more like us, doesn’t it? This is living in grace; then, rd v 8;
• Enduring; because he sustains them; They’re not fulfilling their calling in their own strength and wisdom! (BTW: this is a major topic for Paul over the next few chapters) We don’t do this in our strength! He sustains us, and it’s easier to do when you know that this momentary set of problems is nothing compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us!
• They are presented before him – blameless, guiltless; ‘sustained’ is the same word as v 6 ‘confirmed’;  “establish, verify, increase in inner strength”; Fee says this is their guarantee; we see this idea also in Eph 1.11-14;

t.s.: and this final blessing, just caps it all off beautifully!

V. God will Complete His Work in Them

exp.: rd v 9a; that’s really all you need! He says to them! Rd v 9b; called out “ecclesia”; and called into a relationship w/ Christ!

Conclusion: Do you see these 5 Blessings are ours, too?

We’ve been made holy if we’ve committed ourselves to Christ! We’re not holy because of our actions; we’re not gifted because of ourselves; we’re not enriched by our works and our future isn’t secure because we are able to keep up with all that is before us! No, we enjoy these blessings because of one reason! v 9a; God is faithful! And he who called you will carry you through and sustain you until his appearing!

Observations and Implications:

1. A Church that is healthy has her focus Her Lord: Christ and God appear some 23x’s in these 9 verses.
2. The top and the tail of this short passage remind us of our calling. Both Paul and the church are who they are and where they are and do what they do because of their calling.
   1. As you look for balance in your life, how does God’s grace compare with your obedience? As a believer, you’re holy! Does your life reflect that holiness?
   2. As a church, do we realize that God has given us everything we need? If we were lacking, he’d give us more.
3. Do you understand your future is secure, and that is what matters the most? You can now live your life in Grace and Peace, fearing nothing, because of the beautiful future already secured for you!
4. The Top and the Tail of 1 Corinthians calls us to Stand! It summons us to work! ⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
   1. Too often, we get down because we don’t have what we used to have, or we don’t see what we used to see. We must realize that God is at work – and he isn’t finished with us yet! In this, if our focus is where it should be, then we’ll see that we are truly blessed!

1 Timothy 3.14-16

Title: Church Matters

Text: 1 Timothy 3.14-16

Intro: What is the church? Why does she exist? And why should you care? I mean, why all of this organization? Do you really want deacons or elders? Does a statement of faith really mean a whole lot? Why should you be a member here? Does “church” even really matter?

 

There was a period in my life when I did not like the church of God. I loved God. I still do! But the church, it just turned me off. I decided I did not want to go to another church as Pastor. If I left the First Baptist Church of Worland, Wyoming, then I would go and plant a church. I didn’t want to deal with people and their traditions. I wanted to start fresh.

Well, I didn’t. I went to Calvary in Tyler. And once again, I said to myself, if ever I leave here, I’m not going to an established church.

There have been many times the church has left me frustrated and disillusioned. I tell you this today because I want you to know that if you’ve ever felt that frustration toward church – I get it. But that isn’t the way it is supposed to be.

I don’t feel that way anymore. I’m not so much ashamed of the church anymore. I think the church is a beautiful place to be. Sure, she isn’t perfect. But she is God’s design. Now, I have a special place in my heart for her. That’s why I’m here with you guys – I hope to help us be the church God has designed.

Do you remember KAL-007? I’m guessing you won’t from those numbers and letters. KAL (Korean Airlines) Flt 007; it was a New York City to Seoul, Korea flight that had a stop in Anchorage. Back in 1983, GPS was in existence, but not everyone had that capability. The Pilots had made a technical error in charting the flight path and ended up way off course – actually, over Russian air space. The airliner was shot down by the Russians and ended up in the Sea of Japan.

Today’s message is all about the church: Who we are. What we believe. How we ought to behave. My message is about the course that has been charted out for us – by one who knows the way. My hope is that you’ll have a greater affection and a deeper appreciation for the church when we’re finished this morning. And, what’s more, you’ll desire to be a strong part of her existence – because she matters!

God has given us a map to follow, but too often, we don’t follow it. We want to chart our own path. He has charted our course, but too often, we think we can do a better job. The results can be disastrous.

This text is Paul’s Purpose Statement for the letter. Let’s read this together (rd 14-16): His purpose in writing is so that they would know how they ought to behave, who they are in Christ, and what they ought to believe. Those are the three points for today, by the way.

This is near and dear to me because I’ve been working on the Church’s Constitution and Bylaws with the Trustees. These documents declare who Tarpley Baptist Church is and why Tarpley Baptist Church exists. These documents present your statement of faith and the polity by which you function and are organized. These documents answer the questions: What is the church? Why does she exist? And why you should care?

For the previous two weeks, we’ve covered the two separate offices of a church: Elder & Deacon. We pick up in v 14-15 where we see the answer to this question:

1. What is the Church?

exp.:

• The Household of God: God’s family; I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God. Last week in Bible Study the Men looked at Romans 8 – I was so grateful to be reminded of the fact that we’re heirs with Christ because we’ve been adopted into the family of God. In Romans 8, from verse 12-17, you’ll find so many references to us being in this new family: brothers, sons of God, adoption as sons, we cry, “Abba, Father”; ¹⁶ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. I think it’s interesting that Paul adds that 2^nd We love the “children of God” part, but don’t like the “provided we suffer” part. 1^st, we’re members of the household of God. 2^nd,
• The Church of the Living God: The Word church in the original language is a compound word that means, “called out”. We’re the “called out” ones. God has called us out of the world and invited us to become his own people. But there is more here! The Church of the … Living God! If you go back to Paul’s first experience at Ephesus, he was harshly treated. I’m guessing many of these people would have been in the crowd of thousands upon thousands of people who were screaming for Paul’s head. Do you remember reading of the story in Acts 19, where Paul was accused of turning people from worshiping the idol, Artemis of the Ephesians? This phrase here, in this letter to them, would have caused many of them to remember Paul’s teaching that Artemis was a fabricated god of stone and wood. The man who started the riot at Ephesus was a Silversmith who created silver shrines of Artemis. He was losing business. So, he got the people all riled up and they rioted. Paul is declaring: Our God, he is the living God! His presence is with us! Where 2 or more are gathered in my name…rd 15c;
• Guardians of the Truth – God’s Word; You and I have something absolutely incredible that has been preserved for us for 1,000’s of years. It’s truly amazing. We have the Truth of God in the Word of God! Jesus, when praying in John 17 said, “Your Word is Truth”. Paul, as he wrote to these same people in his letter to Ephesus wrote: ¹³ In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

app.: You are the Household of God, you are the church of the living God, and you are the guardians of the Truth. That’s why the way you live is so very important for the rest of the world to see.

t.s.: which is point # 2; Point # 1, the Church, Point # 2…

2. Her Conduct: How she ought to behave

exp.: This has been each of my sermons to this point; that is what this letter has been about: 1^st, pray for:

1. Kings and all who are in high positions (2.1-2)
2. Toward their pastor (4.12; 2.11-15; 5.17)
3. Toward the elderly in their congregation (5.1-3)
4. Slaves toward their Masters (6.1-2)
5. The Rich toward others (6.17)

refuting false teaching and false doctrine; respecting and honoring those in positions of authority; respecting and honoring those who are older; organizing the church’s leadership; recognizing and fulfilling roles and responsibilities within the church;

app.: there is no need to spend more time on this here, but for now, just note the call for them to act like the Christians they claim to be!

t.s.: 1^st, the church and who she is; 2^nd, how she should behave; 3^rd, Her Confession

3. Her Confession: What she believes

exp.: Gk a compound word that means ‘to say the same thing”.

ill.: A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God: Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow.

app.: So it is when 100 believers are tuned to the one same confession. Tozer says: So one hundred worshipers met together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become “unity” conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.

Paul, then mentions the tenets of this faith – the same faith we all possess. The tenets of this confession:

• Manifested: Christ, though he was in nature God, chose to let go of his position in heaven and ‘emptied’ himself and came to earth to live as a man – and not just any man, he became the lowest form of a man – a servant. He humbled himself. And, as Philippians says, he became obedient, even unto death. He was buried in a borrowed tomb.
• Vindicated: or justified, or declared righteous by the Spirit. The Bible teaches that although Jesus was dead, he didn’t stay that way. The Holy Spirit vindicated him and brought life to his dead body, displaying for all of us that Jesus is God’s Son. Jesus was raised from the Dead! More than just dying for our sins, he was raised to life again. Paul opens his letter to the Romans with this: 1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, ² which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, ³ concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh ⁴ and 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…
• Seen by angels: at his birth, at his resurrection, at his ascension. All of heaven offered praises to Him testifying to who he is – the Risen Son of God! But it could have another meaning: messenger. The word ‘angel’ a transliteration of ἄγγελος is Messenger. The Hebrew word is Malachi; So, could the Confession, then, be a statement of the apostles who witnessed the resurrection and testified about it? They are the messengers mentioned here. Scholars disagree.

Manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit who raised him from the dead, seen by angels, or by messengers – and this fits well with the next part of the confession – proclaimed among the nations…

• Proclaimed among the Nations: this is what the apostles did starting in Jerusalem, then to Judea and Samaria and even to the uttermost parts of the world. And what is their message? Just this: Jesus Christ, God with us, God who became flesh, who lived and died for our sin. Buried and raised to life again. This was their commission as given by Christ himself: “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.” Mt 28.18-20
• Believed on in the World: This is the message of the book of Acts: They start with 120 persons in the upper room and expand to thousands as the Gospel is proclaimed to the World. Acts 1.15; 2.47 – and the Lord added day by day to their number those who were being saved.
• Taken up in glory: This, of course, refers to the ascension of Christ, but I think hints at the future. I say this because everything seems to flow in progression until you come to this phrase. It seems out of place unless of course, it is referring to the future. Ryken says this denotes, in particular, the glory, majesty, and sublimity of God. By virtue of his resurrection, Jesus is exalted and enthroned. He radiates the glory of God. What better way to end a hymn than with the glorious praise of the glorious Christ? He continues: Epiphanius had this glory in clearly in mind when he composed his “Second Creed” – a confession of praise that strikes a joyous chord in every believer’s soul: “The Word became flesh; the same suffered in the flesh; rose again; went up to heaven in the same body, sat down gloriously at the right hand of the Father; is coming in the same body in glory to judge the quick and the dead.

t.s.: Let me close this section with: The mystery of godliness. We spent some time last week talking about the mystery, so I don’t want to belabor the point this week. But the mystery is this faith we possess – hidden for ages, revealed in Christ. And, as individuals, we come together with this same faith – One Faith, One Lord, One Spirit – There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Conclusion: Most of you are old enough to remember the South Korean Airliner being shot down by the Russians in 1983. I remember it for a couple of reasons. The main reason is that my mother is from South Korea and so it was bigger than just news to my family. My mom was scheduled to fly to Korea just a few weeks after this happened. Tensions in the Cold War were high and pessimism toward Russia and the USSR was higher than it had been in some time.

I remember watching the news over the next couple of days as so many of those people were in anguish: falling on the ground, flailing about, screaming and crying at the same time. I had never witnessed anything like that before. It really made me sad because people who have no hope see death as the end. I’m telling you, watching the news and seeing their hopeless response just broke my heart. Sometime later I read where Paul wrote that we don’t respond like people do who have no hope (1 Thess 4.13: ¹³ But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.)

That’s when I understood what I had seen.

C.S. Lewis: “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

Takeaway’s: Why are these important? That is: Our Conduct and Our Confession

1. They give us hope. They constantly remind us of our Hope in Christ. His Resurrection means our Resurrection. That these struggles are not the end for us. The Corona Virus could kill millions of people. But our hope isn’t in the surgeon general or in the president. Our Hope is in Christ and our eternal destiny. And when the rest of the world panics – we don’t.
2. They give others hope. When the lost and confused in this world struggle with a world-wide crisis and they see us living differently, they want to know why!
   1. Aren’t you afraid of the stock market crashing? No, we’re not. These possessions aren’t the totality of our lives.
   2. Aren’t you afraid of getting sick? No, we’re not. This health isn’t the totality of our lives.
   3. Aren’t you afraid of dying? No, we’re not! We understand life differently and we understand death differently.
   4. Aren’t you afraid that things are out of control? Well, no, we’re not. Because while things may appear out of control, we know the One who is in control. And when you think you’re in control, it is only an illusion.

I can’t promise any of you that you or I won’t die from this dreaded Virus that has the World in such a panic. If we’re honest, the statistics are not in our favor here at Tarpley. Most of our congregation is in the ‘high risk’ segment of society. But, as we view this situation, as those who don’t really belong here, we gain a proper perspective.

Mark 4.21-34

Title: Expect Great Things from God; Attempt Great Things for God

Text: Mark 4.21-34

Introduction: Farmers have always amazed me. I must say Farmers and Ranchers. My grandpa was a farmer – a share cropper. Mr. Wade owned the property and my grandpa would farm his land. The produce paid his rent, helped him make a living. As far as I know, my grandpa worked the land until he died at the age of 75 in 1978. Farmers are hard working people. They rise early and work all day. I suppose there might be lazy farmers out there, but I’m guessing they don’t remain farmers.

I think it is the work ethic that amazes me. Usually there is always something to be done. When that work is done, attention is put somewhere else. Something needs tending. Something else needs repair. There are errands to run, equipment to maintain, etc. etc. etc.

The life of a farmer is hard. He must work like all of the everything depends on him, but in the end, he must pray like everything depends on God. The farmer has no power or control over the weather. He can’t make it rain; He can’t cool off the hot summer days; he can’t stop a freeze from hitting. He works, He prays, He waits.

I think often times the Christian life compares to the life of a farmer. For sure, the life of a pastor does. We works the soil of the soul, but we cannot produce a single convert. There are so many adversities we face – and we have no power or control over them. We simply work like it all depends on us, and pray like it all depends on God.

It is William Carey who said: Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God. He was an amazing man, the father of the modern missionary movement. He did just what he preached: He expected God to do great things and he attempted to do great things for God.

You have a survey in your bulletin today. I’m asking you to fill that out. Circle three areas of passion or giftedness that you’d like to serve. It fits well with the message today. God has brought you here and placed you here in this body to function. The deacons are tasked with the responsibility of service in the church and they’re always looking for people to help them on their committees and teams. You don’t have to be a member to work. You can wipe tables and vacuum floors and mow and sweep and paint and not have to be a member. There are so many areas of service and we need workers to expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.

We’re in Mark 4 this morning. Mark 4 contains three parables concerning the Kingdom of God. I call them: the soils, the seed, and the size. The three parables deal with seed in some context. This seed is the Word of God as brought by Jesus, the sower. More specifically, the 1^st parable is about the responses to the Kingdom of God as seen in the soils. The hard heart never receives it. The rocky ground and the thorny plants never allow it to take root and it easily gets chocked out. The 4^th type of soil is receptive and fertile. It produces fruit some 30, 60 and 100 fold. These next two parables deal with the nature of the Kingdom of God. Having covered the 1^st parable already, we’ll cover the next two in this section.

A Note about triplets: Mark seems to like them. There are three types of soil that are non-receptive and non-productive; and, there are the three results of the fertile soil. There are three parables concerning the seed. In chapter five, there are three miraculous healings. And the list goes on…

Our focal passage (4.21-34) is broken down into three parts: Part one has two sayings by Jesus, analogies, if you will (21-25) and parts two and three contain two parables concerning the seed (4.26-34). The two parables are a continuation of what he started up in 4.1. The three parables are the seed being sown, the seed being grown and the results being shown.

There are two different audiences being addressed in chapter 4. The chapter moves between the public speaking by the sea to a huge crowd and the small, more intimate conversations of Christ with his disciples (cf.: 4.1a, 10; 21-25 is still in this small group; v 26 and following are back to the larger crowd by the sea. Note v 11, 13, 21, 24 – And he said to them. However, in v 26, it changes.

What we have when we break this passage down is a word of encouragement – an exhortation. The Light of Christ isn’t to be hidden. God himself, will bring the growth and that growth will be exponential in degree. Let’s look first at the analogies he offers his disciples in v 21 and v 24 and find encouragement as we work toward building God’s Kingdom. #1:

I.     The Light of Christ is not to be hidden. (21-25)

Exp. Jesus is continuing his private teaching with his disciples. Their work will be to carry on what he has begun. In chapters 1-3 we see Christ is the sower, sowing the seed, the word of God. Some receive it and some reject it. He makes that clear for us in the 1^st parable. However, when Christ is gone, these disciples will be given the same task and they will see similar results. They’re watching their master be rejected by the religious leaders – they will receive much of the same treatment.

Now, in this analogy, he’s telling them that his message isn’t to be hidden. That’s not the purpose. It isn’t the purpose of this message to remain hidden anymore than a light is to be hidden when it comes into a darkened room.

The beauty of this passage is seen in its original language. V 21 literally reads: The lamp does not come in order that it might be set under the bushel. That is odd, isn’t it? The English has been changed in order to work, but it isn’t so in the Gk. A lamp doesn’t come into a room; it is brought into a room. A lamp is simply passive to the will of another. But, in our case, the Lamp is a person. The lamp is Jesus. Note:

• The lamp isn’t passive.
• The lamp has a definite article.

Remember, and be encouraged: The Light of Christ is not to be hidden.

A word of caution: if you’re hiding the light of Christ, you’re not using it the right way. A lamp isn’t hidden under a basket, or under a bed. No, it is to be set upon a stand.

Notice what the lamp does in the next verse: it reveals. Rd v 22; fut. Tense: there may be a brief time where this light is concealed by some; however, in the future, all will see.

Now, if you don’t understand the analogy, Christ offers a 2^nd analogy to heighten and strengthen his teaching. And he links them with this call to hear. He ends with it in v 23 and begins with it in v 24; If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” And v 24, lit.: Watch out to what you hear! Lets keep reading: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. The word measure is used three times in the Gk; the measure with which you measure will be measured to you. Rd v 25;

Ill.: When I was a Youth pastor our kids had a skit they would do for whatever activity we were involved in…i.e.: youth camp, revivals, retreats, choir tour, etc.

Application – Moral: love isn’t love unless you give it away. And, if you don’t give it away, you don’t really have it. And these two analogies are teaching us that this message of light is something that isn’t to be hidden, but rather to be shared. If it isn’t shared, it isn’t really light. And, it must be shared in abundance. It matches the 1^st parable. Where it isn’t sown, it isn’t grown; however, we’re commanded to go and sow, in order that we might reap 30, 60, even 100 fold!

Transition: So this 1^st word of encouragement Jesus shares with his disciples is The Light of Christ is not to be hidden. Now Jesus moves back to the parables and to the larger crowd or audience. Here, Jesus offers us a 2^nd word of encouragement:

II.   God Brings Growth to His Kingdom (26-29)

exp.: I’ll never forget traveling to the Shepherd’s Conference in California some years ago and hearing Dr. John MacArthur preach this text (v26-29). Did you know that this parable is contained in no other gospels? You’ll find it only here in Mark. In the first parable, Jesus spoke of the different types of soil the seed is sown in, among, or upon. That parable taught of the different types of soils and their receptivity to the seed. Here, Christ teaches of the seed and its innate ability to germinate and develop on its own.

The teaching is straightforward and simple: The Word of God (seed) has the ability all on its own to bring about growth and success. The Word of God is powerful and effective. It can accomplish so much on its own. It is the Word that is heard and it, all on it’s own, brings about the change, the growth, and the fruit. Two Truths we learn about the Kingdom’s growth.

Truth #1: There is a mystery to this growth. Only God knows what he is doing.

app.: We’re told a man scatters seed. Then, he works; night and day, he sleeps, he rises, he works, he sleeps, he rises – he goes about his life. The seed sprouts and grows – and the man knows not how. The man sows, he works – but what we learn here is that the results are not up to the man. There is a mystery surrounding the process. The results belong to God. And here we learn a 2^nd Truth.

Truth #2: There is a certainty to this growth.

The 1^st word in v 28 is the Gk word for which we get our English word automatic: αὐτομάτη. Lit.: Automatically the earth bears fruit. It isn’t up to you to make the seed germinate. It isn’t up to you to make it sprout. It isn’t up to you to produce a blade, a stalk, a stem, the grain. Your job is simply to sow the Word and let it do its work in the soil of another’s soul. And v 29 tells us that there will be a harvest: that sown seed will grow and bring about a tremendous harvest.

I think there is an apocalyptic feel to this verse. V 29 sounds very much like the book of Revelation. Revelation 14.15f: ¹⁵ And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” ¹⁶ So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.

I must stop here and say I believe this day is close. I also believe that many who are here will experience this in our lifetime. I know, I know, I must sound foolish to many. Thousands of years have past and it hasn’t happened. This past week, Israel celebrated it 68^th birthday! It was in May of 1948 that Israel became a nation…again. After nearly 2000 years of non-existence, Israel came home and declared her independence. If I understand the Word correctly, within that generation, these things will come to fruition. If a generation is 70 years, then things will take place within the next two years. If a generation is 100 years – which I get from Genesis 15, then these things will take place in the next 32 years.

In one sense, yes, this sounds singular. You sow the seed of God into a person’s heart. They hear and all on it’s own, by its own work, the person is saved. The seed reaps fruit. But in another sense, the kingdom of God is sown among a people – and all on it’s own it grows. It starts with a man from Nazareth. He is homeless and simple. He picks a few followers – a rag tag group of men: a zealot, a tax collector, a traitor, a kid, and some fishermen. It grows – and we don’t know how, but it will grow into something tremendous and huge.

t.s.: And that really is the lesson of this last parable in v 30-33; Our 1^st Word of encouragement is: To let the Light of Christ Shine. The 2^nd word of encouragement is to know w/ certainty that God will bring the growth. #3…

III.   Growth of the Kingdom will be Exponentially Incomparable (30-33)

exp.: rd v 30; rd v 31-32; now, there are those who have said the Bible can be disclaimed at this point, the mustard seed, is not the smallest seed in the world. Let me note for you that Christ’s goal here isn’t botany. It isn’t to teach agricultural principles. Christ’s purpose here is to teach on the Kingdom and to illustrate these truths from what the people already know. Here, Christ takes a proverb that was very common to them. He takes them from where they are and what they know to where he wants them to be. That’s what every good teacher does. In their ancient sayings, in one of their own proverbs, they knew of this mustard seed and how small it was compared to the tree it would become. It was in many common gardens. It looks like shaking pepper into your hand. And yet it becomes this tree. Amazing! But don’t miss the point: a very little becomes tremendously huge.

We see that for the individual. We see that for the Kingdom.

When Christ came the 1^st time, he taught and preached and healed. It was small at first, but his 2^nd coming will be different by far. He will come in power and glory. One day, people from every tribe, tongue, nation, people group will be gathered around the throne. Myriads upon myriads of people will be worshipping around the throne of God. How small it once was. How magnificent it will be.

Conclusion: What a great word for us today. You may be struggling today in your walk, in your faith. You’ve worked long and hard and it feels like you’re not getting anywhere. It may feel like you’ve failed even. Listen, don’t give up and don’t give in. I’m reminded of how Paul encouraged the Galatian believers:

⁷ Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. ⁸ For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. ⁹ And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Therefore, let your light shine before men. Don’t hide it! God will use it to bring growth and an eventual magnificent harvest. Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.

Jude 1-2

Title: Jude: An Introduction

Text: Jude 1-2

Introduction: Start recording; Let’s pray:

1. We as human beings have fears that shape us and sometimes lead us. They shouldn’t, but we let them. You have fears. I have fears. You know some of my But just in case you didn’t know about this one, it’s the fear that someone might sneak in and lead others astray through their deceptive leadership or power. Another fear is that I should fail in protecting the church against unhealthy doctrine. A healthy church is so hard to achieve and it is so easy to be led astray. I have to say that it is the most wonderful feeling laying my head down on my pillow at night with the knowledge that our church isn’t perfect, but she is healthy. As I read the NT, I see that it was a constant battle for Paul and the writer of Hebrews and Timothy and Barnabas and Jude and Peter. That battle was against false doctrines and false teachers.
2. That battle still rages today. I see churches rejoicing over the SCOTUS recent decision to redefine marriage and the family. They’re having wedding celebrations and embracing what the Word of God has clearly rejected. We were reminded this past Wednesday in the Truth Project that God has given us His design in who He is. From marriage to family to all areas of the social order, God has placed his divine imprint on them all. Satan’s goal is to destroy that image – distort that image and replace it with disorder and dysfunction.
3. And so we must guard against the things that can destroy us and we must work to protect it – like a marriage. A couple will set up boundaries to protect their marriage. And so, we act in like manner. We must set up boundaries to protect the bride of Christ.

To lighten this heavy message, Jude ‘bookends’ his letter with this focus upon their safety in Christ. : v1 and v24; to those who are kept at this moment – and are being kept until the day we are presented blameless to the Father. Ladies and Gentlemen, that is a sermon all to itself! Baptists call this the perseverance of the saints. And we take no credit for it, as Jude says, it is Christ who does the keeping. He keeps us safe.

This safety, this security, this assurance we have, comes with a better understanding of just what it means to be a Christian. The phrase “in Christ” doesn’t appear until after the gospels. It appears for the 1^st time in Acts 24.24: ²⁴ After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. Then, ‘in Christ’ appears 90 more times. It is a term used to define the believers: to all who are in Christ Jesus; What does this mean for us? Who are we in Christ? What is ours because we are in Christ? These are questions Jude answers for us this morning.

Well, let’s begin with who he was:

Who was Jude?

exp.: rd v 1a; Jude (lit.: Judas);

1. Now, there are 6 men who have this name in the NT. It was such a popular name because some 200 years before, Judas was a mighty warrior and leader for the Jewish people. So many people chose that name for their little boy:
   1. Judas Iscariot: One of the 12 (Mt. 10.4)
   2. Judas, the younger: Also, one of the 12; the son of James; (Lk 6.16; Jn 14.22: Judas, not Iscariot)
   3. Judas, the Galilean: a leader whose rebellion was quickly squelched. (Acts 5.37)
   4. Judas, the owner of the home in Damascus on Straight St. where Paul was taken after his encounter with Jesus. (Acts 9.11)
   5. Judas, called Barsabbas: One of the men who traveled with Paul and Barnabas to send the Church’s decision concerning the Gentiles. (Acts 15.22, 27, 32)
   6. Judas, the little brother of Jesus: this is the writer of this letter. Amazing! Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? (Mt 13.55); Jn 7.5 tells us that he was an unbeliever in the time of Christ’s earthly ministry; that he was probably embarrassed by his older brother, Jesus; and, was probably a part of ridiculing him to go up to the feast. ²¹ And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” (Mk 3.21); But, something incredible happened – the crucifixion, the burial, the resurrection. And somewhere in all of that… Judas gave his life to Christ. He could deny it no longer and was saved! You see it here in his first description of who he is. He could have said: Jude, the little brother of Jesus. But he didn’t; Rd 1b; This brings us to our 2^nd question:

Who are we in Christ? Look at these words Jude uses to describe himself and his readers. They tell us who we are in Christ: his statement a slave of Jesus Christ tells us we’re…

1. Bought: You have been bought with a price. A slave of Jesus Christ; your text probably says ‘servant or bondservant’; the Gk is δοῦλος; J. MacArthur @ the shepherd’s conf.: those who translate the Bible didn’t want to offend anyone; What a shame; HCSB gets it right in the modern translations; The strong Greek word δοῦλος cannot be accurately translated in English as servant or bond servant; the HCSB translates this word as slave, not out of insensitivity to the legitimate concerns of modern English speakers, but out of a commitment to accurately convey the brutal reality of the Roman empire’s inhumane institution as well as the ownership called for by Christ. It is vital that we get this: don’t soften this for a moment. If you are in Christ, then you are not your own. You belong to Him and what he says for your life goes.

This really means so much more because of his next statement (1c): a brother of James. This statement accomplishes for us, a couple of major points:

• He is the little brother of Jesus. 1^st we’re positive this Judas is not any of the other Judas’ mentioned above. 2^nd, we know that the only other Judas mentioned was the son of James, not the brother. So, with relative confidence, we can say He is the brother of Jesus. This is also the attestation of the early church, and their confirmation of Jude’s family line.
• He refuses to say that he is the brother of Jesus. That would give him some status! But he instead, identifies with his brother, James, the pastor and leader in Jerusalem. What he’s saying in all of this is that his relationship to Jesus isn’t brother to brother – familial; but, rather, slave to master. He has been bought by the blood of Christ.

2. Called: Gk word is κλητός; According to Tom Schreiner, N.T. scholar from Southern Seminary, there are two general meanings for the word ‘call’:
   1. There is a general call (Matt 11:28-30): an invitation; ²⁸ Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
   2. There is an effectual call (Rom 8:30): ³⁰ And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Now, normally we don’t like to talk about these ‘hard to understand’ words; Let me just make this easy and say we cannot fully comprehend this concept of predestination – how God could predestine us. He who knows all things and is the agent by which all things (to quote Paul) live and breath and move – and find their being – How could God predestine? Where does our free will end and His divine sovereignty begin? And visa-versa? Answer: I don’t know. I really don’t. I only know that both are real and both are true.

ill.: It’s like the doctrine of God in the flesh: Was Jesus fully God? Yes – 100%. Was Jesus fully man? Did he sweat and thirst and hunger and get tired? Yes – 100%. How can he be 200%? My answer: Dunno! I only know the Bible teaches us this. So, I accept it by faith.

app.: It’s the same here. God, in and through his infinite mercy, called me. I was undeserving, unworthy and unfit for this grace. And yet, His Holy Spirit wooed me. My heart was softened and I fell to my face and trusted what he said: I confessed my sins and he forgave me.

ill.: Listen to Daniel Akin, president of SEBTS: There is a mysterious wonder in this truth that the sovereign God effectually brings persons to salvation in perfect harmony with their free will and response to the gospel. There is a marvelous complementarity to these twin truths that, if you push them beyond their biblical parameters, you will find yourself lying in your closet, drooling out of one side of your mouth, attempting to do Hebrew and Greek verb conjugations in tantum!

He continues: Timothy George has well said, “God created human beings with free moral agency, and He does not violate this even in the supernatural work of regeneration. Christ does not rudely bludgeon His way into the human heart. He does not abrogate our creaturely freedom. No, He beckons and woos, He pleads and pursues, He waits and wins.” (Amazing Grace, p74)

t.s.: let’s move on: We are bought, we are called, we are loved.

3. Loved: rd 1d; Beloved in God the Father; lit.: in God the father, being loved; no where else does this phrase occur just like this. It’s a pft pass ptc;

pft: a present state, because of a past action;

pass: meaning we’re the one’s being loved.

part: describing those who have been called.

It’s a great declaration of the Father’s love. There is in one sense a love of the Father for all people; John 3.16; And there is this – a wonderful sense of deep, abiding love that the Father has for His children. I think it might be something akin to my love for kids. I love the children at Calvary, but I have a deeper love for my little girls: Elizabeth, Caroline and Annie.

We are loved!

4. Kept: rd 1d; and kept for Jesus Christ. τηρέω: appears 5x’s in Jude (1, 6 (2x), 13, 21); Each time it is used in to describe guarding, protecting; Acts 12.5-6 – ⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. ⁶ Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. This is the word that is used to command us to ‘keep’ God’s commands. We don’t just observe them – we protect them, we guard them, we keep them close to us.

app.: this is what is being said of you, believer. You are kept, protected, guarded in Christ Jesus. You are kept by an incredible power! By His death on the cross, purchasing your pardon; by his resurrection and ascension to the Father’s right hand – he keeps you now! He who is powerful enough to save you is powerful enough to keep you.

t.s.: Ladies and Gentleman, this should cause you to stand and applaud! Nothing will happen on this day that God isn’t already aware of! Nothing will touch your life that doesn’t 1^st pass through His hands. And if he allows or causes any activity in your life, you can be sure that you are kept and protected and are being preserved.

Transition: Jude says this of himself and of his readers. Blessed assurance Jesus is mine. Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine; Heir of salvation – purchase of God; Born of his Spirit, washed in his blood. This is my story, this is my song: praising my savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song: praising my savior all the day long. Security comes in knowing who you are in Christ Jesus. 2ndly, Security comes in knowing what you have in Christ Jesus.

What is ours because we are in Christ? (2)

exp.: rd v 2; Jude has a love of triads:

• Jude, a slave, a brother
• To the called, the loved, the kept
• Be multiplied to you mercy, peace and love.

1. Mercy: the word ‘multiplied’ gives us a greater understanding of what he is saying here: it’s in the optative mood – which I know means nothing to you, but bare with me: 1^st, it is rarely used in the N.T.; 2^nd, it is used to express a wish. Paul uses it when he says: μὴ γένοιτο; May it not be; God forbid! Here is Jude’s wish for these people – God’s mercy abounding in the believer’s life. The Hebrew equivalent is hesed; Psalm 23: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. The younger generation learned: Surely goodnes and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life. Akin says: It is a characteristic in God that moves Him to seek a relationship with persons who have no right to be in relationship with Him. The word speaks of compassion, lovingkindness (hesed). It is gracious, undeserved and unmerited; yet it is not blind, dumb or ignorant. It is something in God that moves Him to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

Mercy is a characteristic of God. It is something he pours out on us. Likewise, we’re called to be like him – to show mercy. In v 2 Jude wishes this mercy upon us increasing measure – “multiplied” and

• in v. 22, he commands the reader to show mercy to others.
• In Mt 5.7: ⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
• Jesus teaches us that this is an O.T. concept when he quotes from Hosea 6.6 (Mt 9.13): ¹³ Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’
• Paul calls us ‘vessels of mercy’ in Romans;

app.: in Christ you now have mercy – freely given to you and freely given by you to those in need. 2^nd, Peace.

2. Peace: Another word that finds its meaning in the Hebrew: shalom. It makes me wonder if the recipients of this letter were Jewish believers. My guess is yes – they were.

Shalom has so many meanings. Akin says: Ideas such as wholeness, completeness, prosperity and success are just a few of the concepts that emanate from this word. Douglas Moo writes: By ‘peace,’ Jude may mean the inner contentment that comes from a restored relationship to God in Christ – the ‘peace of God.’ But it more likely means our ‘peace with God.’ that is, the new status of reconciliation that God provides in his Son for us.

In Judges we learn it is God’s name: Jehovah Shalom (6.23). In Isaiah (9.6-7) we learn that it is God the Son’s name, too: Prince of Peace. In the OT they search for peace, but it can’t be found. In the NT Jesus says: ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. Paul affirms this for us when in Romans 5.1 he writes: ¹Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ² Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

app.: No wonder there is peace for the believer. He is saved from his sins now, he walks in peace because God is his life and when he dies, he has the promise of heaven!

You ask how? You say: “Sure, our sins are forgiven – Sure we have the promise of heaven, but right now is so hard”: ⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4.4-7) ⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

app.: yes, this life is hard – but for those of us in Christ Jesus – we have the peace of God. 3^rd,

3. Love: This word appears more than any other in Jude (7x’s; 1,2,3,12,17,20,21); more than any other word of consequence (meaning – if you don’t count the pronouns and conjunctions); Equal to this number is Christ, Jesus and Lord. Next is love – 7 times. And then, kept – 5x’s; really, the focus on this letter is a warning of false teachers and false doctrine, but an argument could be made for focusing upon these words: that in Christ Jesus, you are kept and loved. Just how kept and loved are you?

Romans 8.28-39

²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

God’s Everlasting Love

³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? ³³ Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Application:

1. Know who you are in Christ: bought, called, loved and kept.
2. Know what is yours in Christ Jesus: mercy, peace and love.
3. Know also, that you are a conduit of these virtues, traits to a lost world.
   1. So in your struggle, hang in there: God is doing a work in and through you – that you might not even know he is doing. It’s easy to focus on yourself and your suffering when in it. But remember, God is using it for his glory.
   2. So in your celebrating this glorious truth, don’t forget that there is a lost world out there – on their way to hell.

In New Orleans, the summer of 1985, the city threw a big part for the lifeguards who worked that summer. The New Orleans Recreation Department wanted to recognize their workers for a safe summer. Combining all of the pools in the New Orleans Community Pool system, it had been a drown-free summer. Hundreds of guest gathered and celebrated together. Four life-guards were hired to sit and guard the pool, while over 100 lifeguards were recognized and celebrated. When the evening was over and the guests had left, one of the lifeguards cleaning up and putting things away noticed something dark in the deep end of the pool. Jerome Moody, age 31, was found drowned in the deep end. This man drowned, with over 100 trained lifeguards were gathered all around.

It makes me wonder about the church: do we miss those ‘drowning’ near us because we’re so busy celebrating our successes?

2 Corinthians 13.1-14

Title: Closing Words

Text: 2 Corinthians 13.1-14

Introduction: (Turn on Recording) I ended my message last week with a challenge to keep the church pure. With all that is happening in America today, there is an even greater challenge before us. The once highly thought of church was influential in effecting its culture. Having napped away much of the last 50 years, it is time for us to get busy – and that busy-ness had better be the business of the Kingdom.

Paul concluded last week’s passage with the warning that he was coming soon. He will re-iterate that today. He says in 12.20f he has fears…rd 20-21; Now he says in 13.1a: This is the third time I am coming to you. There is this anticipation of his return.

Ill.: Pause for a moment and think about that. Do you know what it is like to anticipate someone coming to your house? What about family that hasn’t been in a couple of years? This year the Christmas party is at your house? Do you clean up a little? Decorate? I know of a lady who would change out pictures when she had family from another state come to visit. She took those family members and put them in strategic picture frames. After the family left, she put the pictures she wanted back in!

Paul says he’s coming – giving them fair warning; however, he does more than announce his coming –

1. He makes a promise to them that when he gets there he is going to exercise some church discipline against those who are in sin and/or condoning such worldly behavior.
2. He applies some pressure to the church membership to do some examination – a testing of itself to see if it is indeed in the faith.
3. He tells them of his prayers for their restoration

Transition: let’s begin with this section – His promise.

1.     Paul’s Promise: to bring church discipline by Christ’s power to those who are still in sin (1-4)

exp.: rd v 1b; Deut. 19.15; here Paul quotes from the LXX; every word must be established by two or even three witnesses. He says simply here: I plan on doing just that! rd v 2; I’ve warned you before that when I come again – well, I’m coming again. Now know, when I get there – I will spare no one. Every charge laid against you will be done properly and in order. We’re going to exercise some church discipline, and for those who live like they don’t know Jesus, will be treated like that. rd v 3-4; You want some proof – I’m bringing it!

app.: sounds like a threat – uh-uh; it’s a promise!

t.s.: Now Paul plays off of a word he’s just used to apply some pressure… Let me show you what I mean…

2.     Paul’s Pressure: to the church to test and examine itself, to see if it is indeed in the faith (5-7)

exp.: rd v 5a; Two words – Examine & Test; I like Test for the first word; the NASB puts it this way. For the 2^nd word, test here in our text, we see this same word in the verse above, verse 3; I like prove; Prove yourselves! Read the rest of v 5-6; he uses this word a 3^rd time, with the negative alpha as a prefix; 6 lit.: I expect (8.5) you will know (γινώσκω) that we have not disproved; i.e.: failed the test; And as you take this test, It is my deepest desire that you’ll see we have passed that test! How is this? Actions prove you’re a believer and actions prove you’re not a believer. Paul is saying that love isn’t what you say, it’s what you do. This lines up with his preaching in Acts 26. 19-20: ¹⁹ “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, ²⁰ but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.

Jesus taught the same message in Matthew 3.8 and Luke 3.8: ⁸ Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Paul’s saying the same thing here: you should be able to identify followers of Christ by the fruit of their lives.

ill.: Now, here is where you put part 1 and part 2 together. And the practice of these two is called Church Discipline: someone becomes a member of the church (any local congregation); they say they believe like we do; they get baptized and they begin serving in our local church. But then one day, they begin acting like the world: rd 12.20-21; Well, when you notice a Christian acting in a non-Christian way, then you approach them privately, so as not to embarrass them. This gives them a chance to repent. If they do, you set it aside and forgive them. Everything moves along, as it should. No one has to know.

Can I point something out to you? At this point, if you see a brother or sister living in sin and you don’t go to them, but rather go to other believers to seek advice – you are now in sin – you are the one acting like a non-believer. Rd 12.20; if you’re right about the brother in sin – you are now gossiping. Cf. 12.20; if you’re wrong – that’s called slander! Cf. 12.20;

Ill.: I broke down between Casper and Shoshone: a bar in the middle of nowhere. My transmission went out – only worked in 1^st gear! My truck go me 10 miles to the next stop – a bar. True story.

Now, let’s say you do this right and the brother or sister likes their sin and doesn’t want to repent. Now we have a problem. Here is where Paul’s statement comes into play. You now go to the elders. Really that is where it should go. The elders then can confront the person with you. At this point, if they refuse to repent – that is, if they fail the test of faith, then the matter should be brought before the church.

app.: Jesus said in Mt 18.15: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. ¹⁶ But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. ¹⁷ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

t.s.: So, 12.19-13.6, give us a manual for church discipline. Paul moves now to his prayers for them.

3.     Paul’s Prayers: for the church is it’s full restoration. (7-10)

exp.: rd v 7-9; for their restoration; no matter how things appear, in weakness or in strength, Paul prays that they get this and are “restored”; in the literal sense, this word means training or When it’s used as a medical term in classical Gk literature, it means to set a broken bone; it’s a hard word to translate into English because of what it means;

ill.: When you read Matthew 4.21, you get a little idea of the meaning of this word: ²¹ And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Mending; the NIV – preparing; In Eph 4.12 we read: to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ; When you consider a broken bone being reset, restoration works; the same with mending nets – they’re restoring them, so to speak. It can mean completion or even perfection;

app.: Here’s the thing – they’re not where they need to be, like an axe that isn’t sharp, or a knife that has become dull, like nets that have been torn – someone has to work on these tools to make them useful again. That’s what Paul is praying for – their restoration.

t.s.: Finally, Paul winds down his letter with 6 commands…

Conclusion (11-14)

exp.: rd v 11-14; 6 commands – imperative verbs;

1. Rejoice – (pres act imp)
2. Be restored; perfected (pft pass imp) – complete; you remember, this is his prayer for them.
3. Comfort (encourage) one another; one word in the Gk – παρακαλέω; (pres pass imp) – so it’s not so much that you are the catalyst for encouragement and comfort, but rather you’re comforted and encouraged by others. Footnote #2: listen to my appeal. Implies that the passivity on the part of the Corinthians is their encouragement from Paul.
4. Agree with one another: Lit.: Have the same mind.
5. Live in peace (be at peace);
6. Greet one another with a holy kiss. Do you guys know Johnny Beard. I wish he was here today! (mid voice, imp) do this for yourself; How does greeting someone with a holy kiss, help you? This really helps you and your attitude toward one another. So, what would be the equivalent today? Praying for someone – daily.

Application:

1. Nothing is more important than relationships. Relationships are the core foundation for the body. Worship (leave your gift at the altar – go and be reconciled to your brother); Evangelism (by this all men will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another); discipleship is relationships;
2. Church purity is vital. No church membership means no accountability.
3. Church discipline is necessary. None of us is perfect and we all need each other to help us along.
4. Jesus is coming soon. Paul has given them ample warning – he’s coming and he’s cleaning house. I think that is so apropos with regard to this present topic – Jesus is coming again, too. Are we ready?
   1. As a body?

As individuals?