Mark 14.53-72

Title: A Tale of Two Stories

Text: Mark 14.53-72

Introduction: Mark 14.53; Psalm 88; Daniel 7; I’d like to begin by looking at an outline of the overall story we’re following in Mark and where we’re headed over the next few weeks leading up to Easter:

His Arrest leads to the following events:

1. He is brought before Caiaphas, the High Priest
2. The Inquisition before The Sanhedrin
   1. Lack of Witnesses
   1. Lack of agreement between Witnesses
   1. Before the frustrated High Priest once again
   1. His testimony condemns him
3. The Trial before the Sanhedrin the next morning where he is found guilty and sentenced to death
4. Sent to Pilate
   1. Found not guilty
   1. Pilate brings him before the Crowd who find him guilty
5. He is Delivered to the Battalion to be Crucified
6. He is Crucified between two thieves
7. His Death
8. His Burial
9. His Resurrection

In our text this morning, two events are occurring simultaneously: Jesus remains silent while he is being falsely accused by the religious leaders and Peter is blatantly denying any connection to Christ while being accurately identified as one of his followers by a servant girl.

We see this in the form of writing Mark employs. His introduction is in v 53-54 – first Jesus, then Peter; then the two stories are told in 55-65 and 66-72. This is how we’ll divide up the message this morning, into these three parts: The Contrast between the Two Stories, The Integrity of Christ throughout his Inquisition, and the Failure of Peter during his.

You might remember that Mark likes his stories in threes. Here, in our simultaneous two stories, each has three parts. Jesus before the Religious leaders in some fashion three times. Peter was questioned three times and he denied Jesus three times.

Transition: Let’s begin with verses 53 and 54…

I. A Contrast of Two Responses (53-54)

exp.: rd v 53f; v 53 tells us two events; He is brought before the High Priest. The High Priest summons the Council. The events we’ll be looking at took place over many hours in the dark of night. In the time in between his trials, Jesus was probably held in a cell – something more like a dungeon. When I went to Israel in 2014, we went to the place where Jesus would have been held. He would have been brought out before the High Priest and then again, with the Council. And each time they wanted to deliberate, they would have sent him back to the dungeon. The group I was with went down into this dungeon, this holding pit, and we read Psalm 88.

I believe there is so much more that goes on between these sentences. I’m sure, the religious leaders are scrambling – but what to do with a prisoner waiting to stand before them. He would have been held here while the members of the Sanhedrin are summoned. According to their rules, they only need 23 of the 70 members to form a quorum. So, they don’t have to get every member – just the ones they want.

In the times between, Jesus would have been lowered into this holding pit. He would have been alone. It would have been absolute darkness. Maybe they hung a torch above, but why waste that resource? He might hear other prisoners crying out in agony. But, other than that, he would have only his own heartbeat and breathing. I wonder if Psalm 88 crossed his mind.

Take yourself there in your mind. It is damp, the silence is deafening. Read Psalm 88.

exp.: at the same time, Jesus was going through his struggles, Peter was outside waiting and watching. Rd v 54a; I’m having a moment here because I can picture this; Jesus is in the pit and Peter is right outside – waiting and watching. I’m guessing as Jesus is brought in and out and back and forth, Peter saw him. rd v 54b;

app.: So, Mark has set us up using a form of writing that indicates for us that these two stories are to be understood in light of each other: Two different responses to each situation – Jesus, before the religious leaders and Peter outside by the fire.

t.s.: Let’s look first, as Mark has outlined it for us, at Jesus …

II. The Integrity of Christ (55-65)

exp.: rd v 55; 1^st, I don’t think whole indicates all 70 were there; I think it indicates that there was enough to have a full quorum. Enough is there to conduct business as it were. Their business is focused – to fulfill the goal they’ve set way before – killing Jesus.

It’s interesting how they do this – how they skirt their own laws and rules. You see, it was against their own law to meet at night like this. This is why they repeat the whole thing in Chapter 15.1; rd 15.1; So, it is after they’ve done all this work that they ‘make it all legal’ as it were.

So, according to Scripture, the only way to do this is with enough witnesses who can verify that he is guilty. But they found none!

1. First of all, they were lying. Rd 56; So they found some other liars; rd 57-59;
2. 2^ndly, they couldn’t get their testimonies to agree. Remember this is all taking place during the night hours.

So it all ends in frustration. They are unable to find 3 witnesses who have the same story. So, the high priest stands up and takes over; rd v 60-61a; silence; rd 61b; Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” That’s a loaded question!

• Christ: the anointed one; the messiah; this is something only God can confer upon someone. We’ve seen it in the book of Mark already (this is my beloved son…);
• Son of the Blessed: The Blessed One is God. i.e.: are you God’s Son.

And Jesus answered quite simply: “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

The High Priest tore his garments; that means he probably isn’t wearing his priestly garments; these guys finally have what they’ve wanted; you see, Jesus says some pretty bold statements here:

I kind of picture the High Priest responding like Tom Cruise at Jack Nicholson’s confession to issuing the Code Red. But instead of stepping aside and saying; if it pleases the court, I suggest the members be dismissed so that we can move to an immediate Article 39a session. The witness has rights. This high priest tears his clothes and cries Blasphemy. Why? There are two verses of Scripture Jesus alludes to when he speaks. The 1^st is Psalm 110.1: The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” Which is a clear reference to the Messiah. Probably, the most quoted verse in the OT! I don’t know that for sure, but it has to be in the top 10. 2ndly, he quotes from Daniel 7. Turn there and let’s read that together.

Rd 7.9-14; Jesus isn’t claiming to be an earthly king – he’s claiming to be part of the Godhead. When he says, sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven, He’s making a definitive statement about who he is and, the High Priest gets it – as does everyone else in the room. Rd 63b: “What further witnesses do we need? Rd 64; ⁶⁴ You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death.

Now it gets ugly. It’s one thing to despise a man because you think him an idiot or you hate his politics or theology. It is another to physically abuse him because you don’t like him. Rd v 65: so these godly, humble men…spit on him! They cover his face and hit him! They deliver him over to the Temple guards and they beat on him, too.

t.s.: I’m guessing some of this is even seen by Peter. Remember he’s right there.

III. The Failure of Peter (66-72)

exp.: rd 66-68; Jesus is peppered with questions and accusations that are false. Peter is hit with questions and accusations that are totally true. But, Peter denies it. In v 70 the same girl speaks up.

1. The 1^st time it was to him alone.
2. The 2^nd time she speaks to the bystanders
3. The 3^rd time one of the bystanders speaks up – according to another Gospel, it is his accent that sticks out.

ill.: note the contrast between these two men:

• Peter is accused by a servant girl; Jesus, by a mob.
• Peter is faced with true accusations; The accusations against Jesus are all false
• Peter lies to his crowd but is left alone; Jesus tells the truth and is condemned for it

Rd v 72; Luke’s narrative has always intrigued me. If you’ll indulge me, I’d like to read what Luke writes:

⁶⁰ But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. ⁶¹ And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” ⁶² And he went out and wept bitterly.

This verse moves me because I can only imagine what the eyes of Jesus communicated to Peter. Were his eyes blackened? Swollen? Bloodied? Here is a man who has been more than a friend. The look; the rooster crows; the remembrance of the prediction – all of these culminate in a moment of realization for Peter. And in that moment and in those eyes were the compassion of a messiah whose heart is filled with forgiveness for those who reject and deny him, even this fallen apostle.

Conclusion: Oh, the countless times I’ve failed or denied my savior. And Oh, the gravity of his forgiveness that haunts my mind, as I understand I am so undeserving of his mercy.  

Application: Well, what do I want you to remember from this message? Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Son of God. He rules and reigns in power. He alone will stand as judge over the earth. In light of this, I want you to know:

1. The actions of his life demonstrate perfect faithfulness and truth.
2. The promises in his words are perfectly sure and trustworthy. ‘then Peter remembered how Jesus had said’…What he has said will come to pass.
3. Because of these two truths:
   1. Restoration is now our hope.

Oh sure, we can live in failure, but why would we want to? It is interesting that Mark records neither Peter’s restoration nor Judas’ suicide. If we were left with, ‘And he broke down and wept’ But never heard anything of Peter again, those would be sad words indeed. But we have been left with more… the hope of restoration!

How should we concern ourselves in light of the history of the Lycus Valley?

Introduction: This morning we’re in Colossians 4.13-16; Revelation 1.9-22; and 3.14-22; So, we’re done with Colossians. I thoroughly enjoyed going through Colossians. Pray for me and our church as I make plans for our next study. Sometimes, it can feel overwhelming.

Context: This is the 7^th and final letter to the 7  Churches in Asia Minor from the Apostle, John. Some folks view this letter in light of the other 7 letters as presented in dispensations. The term is Premillennial Dispensationalism. The idea is that each of these letters represents time periods in Church History. For example, the first letter represents the church from 30-100 AD. A time of struggle and growth. The 2^nd church represents the time period of 100-300 AD – a time of severe persecution. Etc.

Just FYI, I am not a dispensationalist. I see this letter written to a real church with real problems. That is how I will approach it this morning.

Read: Revelation 1.9-20; 3.14-22

Focus: Christ reproves this church (Laodicea) for relying on itself (17a) and thinking that it was doing so well because it was doing so well by worldly standards. His reproof was based on the reality that they were in bad shape (17b) and needed to rely on Him and not themselves and their ‘success’.

Need: We need to evaluate ourselves and insure that we’re not relying on ourselves in any way; but, rather relying totally on Christ. We need to observe the churches in the Lycus Valley when they started and how they ended up. Likewise, each church must not rely on its laurels, but rather continually seek to humble itself, totally relying on Christ.

History: of Laodicea; Hierapolis – 6 miles north; Colossae – 10 miles East/Southeast; looking from Laodicea Eastward and slightly south toward Colossae, the mountains rise in the distance to some 8,000 ft. These three cities were located in the Lycus Valley on the Lycus River in what is modern day Turkey. In those days, it was the region of Phrygia.

1. Hierapolis was famous for its hot springs – famous for medicinal purposes.
2. Colossae had cool springs to feed it’s city on the river.
3. Archeological evidence indicates that Laodicea received its water via a remarkable aqueduct system made of stone pipes. It was hot at the source, but would cool as it flowed some six miles to Laodicea, being lukewarm when it got to the city. The problem is that the water contained a “calcium carbonate content’ that resulted in the water being impure and emetic – thus it made them sick to their stomachs, and even caused vomiting.

We know very little to nothing of the church in Hierapolis; she is referenced in Col. 4.13, as is the church at Laodicea; we also know whose house they met in; & that they get another letter that Paul wrote. rd 4.13-16; A couple of interesting historical facts about Laodicea:

1. In Roman times, Laodicea was the wealthiest city in Phrygia. Their financial independence was renown; the region was hit by earthquakes from time to time; and in particular, there was an earthquake the decimated the city in 60 AD, when Nero was emperor; Nero had, what we would call “a stimulus package” that would help them rebuild their city, but according to Tacitus, they accepted none of it, choosing to take care of things themselves; And they were successful at rebuilding their city without Govt. Assistance.
2. This particular area in the Lycus Valley was fertile and with rich soil, producing a wonderful agricultural economy; they also had a type of ‘black sheep’ that grazed in the area and produced beautiful, black wool used in making garments.

Ill.: rd Bruce: pg 8; his relation to Bruce Demarest;

3. There was a banking system in Laodicea which was second to none. The Roman Statesman and Philosopher, Cicero, wrote of cashing his treasury bills there.
4. Laodicea was also famous for its Medical School. It boasted of famous teachers and produced special ointments for medicinal purposes. Most specifically, this school produced an ointment of spices for the ears and a salve for the eyes.

Some of this History is probably review for some of you. But, I wanted to give a brief history, and acknowledge some of their successes because, as you’ll see, it applies to our text in multiple ways. It also gives us an understanding of the pride these people had.

t.s.: For Convenience, I’ve divided my message up into two main points this morning. As we look at this letter, we see how Jesus confronts the Laodiceans for their Self-Reliance and then calls them to abandon that and begin to rely on their Savior.

I. Relying on One’s Self (3.15-17)

exp.: Rd v 14-16; I know your works; let me just say that ‘works’ in themselves will always be insufficient in and of themselves! They give a sense of satisfaction that is simply momentary. I hear Jesus saying to them: You’re just like the putrid water that comes to you through your fancy aqueduct, and so you sicken me. But what is it that sickens Him?

1. I grew up hearing that Christ was sickened by a ‘half-hearted’ commitment; Christ is demanding here an unwavering, or undying commitment (hot) or a complete turning away (cold).
2. A newer, more recent interpretation is also that the terms hot and cold and lukewarm represent the waters from the other towns – Hierapolis and Colossae. Whereas the cold referred to as totally abandoning Christ, here the cold is beneficial. I wish that you were beneficial to me, but you’re not!
3. So what is it? Jesus says in verse 15, I know your works. So, it must have something to do with the work they were doing as a congregation.

Ill.: GK Beale believes that all of the works listed in the previous churches’ letters deal with their witness. And so, that must be the ‘work’ Jesus is talking about (their witness). He says, here’s what you think: rd v 17a;

• You’re rich
• You have prospered
• You need nothing

But the reality is (rd 17b) that you’re:

• Wretched – appears one other time; Rom 7.24; who can save me?
• Pitiable – also appears one other time; 1 Cor 15.19;

Consider from WEBS: (Source unknown)

• If there is no Hell, then there is no punishment for sin, and
• if there is no punishment for sin, then God is not just and
• if God is not just, then we do not need a Savior, and
• if we don’t need a Savior, then Jesus died in vain and
• if Jesus died in vain then He was a fool and we of all men are to be pitied because we have placed our faith in someone who was not who He said He was and did not do what He said He could do and did not come for the reason He claimed to have come and cannot give us what He said He could give us.

I get the idea that someone who plays the game of Christianity is no better off than the fool who is to be pitied because he’s wasted his life.

• Poor – worthless; Gal 4.9; going back to slavery!
• Blind – No surprises here; τυφλὸς; I was blind, but now I see;
• Naked – nothing surprising here: exposed, open, nothing to cover with;

ill.: we see this ‘ultimate sign of being in sin’ back in Gen 3; I’m amazed that Gen 1-2 we see them ‘uncovered’ and yet it was all ok;

app.: Our minds struggle with how it was originally designed – in their purity; but in their sinful state, we see they needed to be covered; that’s the picture here of how we appear in reality before God when we chose our own self-reliance. We are like the emperor who had no clothes!

t.s.: But Christ calls them to no longer rely on their own self sufficiency and, instead, to

II. Relying on One’s Savior (3.18-20)

exp.: Look at his titles in v 14; These self-descriptions of Jesus are here to declare his faithfulness; you can trust him;

• Perfect Faithfulness; You can trust him! He offers:
  • Perfect Counsel (v 18)
    • Purchase:
      • Gold – so you can be rich; not relying on your own finances7
      • Clothes – so that you won’t be naked; white vs. black wool
      • Medicine – So that you can see! Not that ointment you produce, real healing!
  • Perfect Provision – ‘from me’; your provision is lacking, mine is perfect.
  • Perfect Love – (v 19) displayed in discipline & reproof; we understand this, as we teach our children, as we discipline (disciple) our children
  • Perfect Relationship (v 20);
    • He initiates
    • But you got to respond!

Conclusion: I want to give you a chance to respond today – as a church and as individuals. Invitation to come to Christ.

Take away:

• Self-Perception is critical in determining Self-Reliance. That is, How do you see yourself as an individual and as a church? Listen, I want to be proud of Tarpley. I want to have a sense of pride in my walk. I do! I want to hold my head high at the mention of this congregation. I want you to do the same. But, in that same breath, I want my pride to stem from our walk with Christ. these people saw themselves as perfectly sufficient to meet their own needs.

Humility is a difficult trait to master. False humility reaps its own rewards which neither satisfy the soul nor the Master. It is different than humiliation, which comes when pride is the trait behind the actions.

• Be careful when measuring success and blessing. Neither of these is truly visible with the naked eye. Don’t confuse beauty of facilities and numerical growth as blessings and success. And by all means, don’t measure your success by the earthly standards set when comparing yourself with other communities of faith. What you have in savings doesn’t mark your success or failure.

2 Corinthians 11.1-15

Title: Instinctual Leadership

Text: 2 Corinthians 11.1-15

CIT: Paul’s boasting is with good reason. He is led to it by

Introduction: Pastor Joe Wright had been invited to serve as the House’s guest chaplain by Rep. Anthony Powell, a Wichita Republican who was also a member of Wright’s church. Accordingly, Pastor Wright composed a prayer, read it at the opening of the legislature on January 23,and departed, unaware of the ruckus he had created until his church secretary called him on his car phone to ask him what he had done.

Reportedly, one Democrat walked out in protest, three others gave speeches critical of Wright’s prayer, and another blasted Wright’s “message of intolerance.” House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer (also a Democrat) asserted that the prayer “reflects the extreme, radical views that continue to dominate the House Republican agenda since right-wing extremists seized control of the House Republican caucus last year.” Rep. Jim Long, a Democrat from Kansas City, said that Wright “made everyone mad.” But Rep. Powell, who had invited Wright in the first place, claimed that House Democrats were only trying to make political points with their criticism and affirmed that he supported the theme of the prayer. What did he pray that was so bad?

Heavenly Father, we come before You today to ask Your forgiveness and seek Your direction and guidance. Lord, we know Your Word says, “Woe to those who call evil good,” but that’s exactly what we’ve done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values. 

We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it moral pluralism. 

We have worshipped other gods and called it multi-culturalism. 

We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle. 

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. 

We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation. 

We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. 

We have killed our unborn and called it choice. 

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. 

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building esteem. 

We have abused power and called it political savvy. 

We have coveted our neighbors’ possessions and called it ambition. 

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. 

We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our fore-fathers and called it enlightenment. 

Search us oh God and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. 

Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of Kansas, and who have been ordained by You, to govern this great state. Grant them Your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your will. I ask it in the name of Your Son, the Living Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Amen.

R Kent Hughes tells a similar story in his commentary on 2 Corinthians. He writes: Many years ago a number of government officials in The Hague, who were more fashionable than religious, invited Van Courtonne, the famous court preacher of Paris who was of Dutch descent, to preach in their State Church chapel. But because Van Courtonne considered their interest more social than spiritual, more a curiosity than a zeal for truth, he declined to come. When the invitation was repeated several times, he agreed to accept—on the condition that all the government officials would be present. They agreed.

The famous Van Courtonne appeared and preached on “The Ethiopian” from Acts 8. His sermon had four points:

1) A government official who read his Bible—something rare.

2) A government official who acknowledged his ignorance—something rarer still.

3) A government official who asked a lesser person for instruction—something extremely rare.

4) A government official who was converted—the rarest thing of all!

Van Courtonne never received a second invitiation.

What is it about the Truth that makes people so mad? … especially those in leadership? Are we really so righteous and holy that we have a right to be angry when confronted with the truth? that is not what ‘above reproach means?” If anyone here thinks that he has obtained perfection, let me say: Get over yourself! Good! Nobody got up and walked out!

Yes, it is true that being confronted with our sin is painful. But as it says in Proverbs 12.15: The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

Paul is hoping these Corinthians will listen to him. Look at 2 Corinthians. In chapter 10, He has just explained that boasting has limits – the limits of the work of God through the Apostle. After this passage that we’ll look at today, Paul will begin his boasting in v 22. But, only in his weaknesses! For today, he’ll explain where this boasting is coming from and just why he is driven to boasting. Namely, he describes three instincts:

1. The Paternal Instinct of an Apostle
2. The Pastoral Instinct of an Apostle
3. The Prophetic Instinct of an Apostle

Transition: Let’s begin with the 1^st instinct, the paternal instinct…

1.     Paternal Instincts (1-6)

exp.: it is interesting how many times we see the personal pronoun “I”; rd v 1-6 w/ emphasis; Parents don’t usually have to explain ourselves to our children; but, sometimes we do – especially if we think it’s going to help them; if we think it’s for their good; Paul is really hard on himself here;

• I wish
• I feel a divine jealousy is zealous;
• I betrothed
• I am afraid –
• Even if I am unskilled: idiot; I told you Paul was being hard on himself! It simply means, Untrained or unskilled – not professional;
• I am knowledgeable!

Paul’s use of parental terminology and illustrations is rather common; to make his point from time to time in the letters he compares his feelings and emotion to that of a parent;

• to the Corinthians themselves, in 1 Cor 4.15; ¹⁵ For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. ¹⁶ I urge you, then, be imitators of me. ¹⁷ That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church
• Phil 2.22 of his relationship to Timothy again; But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.
• Turn to 1 Thess. 2. He tells them of his parental instincts using both the father and the mother; Turn there:
  • Dare to share (2.1-7) – facing strong opposition
  • Care to share (2.8-9) – being affectionately desirous of you – to share our very selves. Like a mother
  • Go out there to share (2.9-12) – like a father; a hard worker; is not a burden to his children but is holy and righteous before them; exhorting and encouraging and charging his children to live in a manner worthy of the name we bear.

This is what our missionaries are enduring even now in Montenegro. This is what our missionaries will endure when they head out overseas.

• And likewise, in Philemon 10 of his relationship to Onesimus; I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.

ill.: I have two fathers in the ministry; One who was a part of my conversion and growth (And, has kept up with me through the years) and another who invested heavily in my ministry.

• 3 John 4 – John says: ⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. And often calls those he’s writing to my little children.

ill.: This is something we can relate to, as we consider what Paul is saying. We as fathers wish to present our daughters to their future husbands – pure and prepared. We have a divine jealousy for them. We want to protect them from those who would take advantage of them. I think of some dads who will do this sooner than later. You’re thinking, man I got years before that happens to me! Listen, the years pass so fast! David – to Ellie; Lee to Audry; Bob – to Abbey! And mothers feel no less toward their daughters: Dawn to Kristin; Melissa to Allie, Jennifer and her girls and the list goes on –

app.: you understand what he means – you get this illustration of a parent’s instinctual concern.

t.s.: Paul demonstrates his parental instincts through his concern for this church, his baby, if you will. Next, he shows us his…

2.     Pastoral Instincts (7-11)

exp.: rd v 7; a pastor knows he’s called to preach, at whatever expense he can; for Paul, he didn’t want the Corinthian church to be burdened; rd v 8;

ill.: Teen Mania has been in the news for the last few years because of their financial woes. In an article I read in World magazine, they were spending money in wasteful ways. One such report was that Ron Luce paid TD Jakes $100,000 to speak in New York at their BattleCry event in 2008. Jacob Morales (Luce’s executive assistant) says Teen Mania chartered a $21,000 private jet and spent more than $4,000 on a two-night stay at the Ritz Carlton for Jakes, whom Luce wanted as a Teen Mania partner. Morales says he had discretion over $10,000 in cash to buy imported flowers, chocolates, rare bread, candy, iPods, and other gifts for the Jakes family to find in their hotel suite, green room, and two Cadillac Escalade limousines.

app.: Now, I don’t want to disparage Jakes or Luce. I’m sure there are fans of these ministers here in this room. From what I understand, Jakes didn’t accept Luce’s offer to speak at first – it was only after much prodding and pressure to get him that he gave in to Luce’s advances. My point is that this isn’t anything new: the super apostles were an expense to the Corinthians. My guess is that Jakes had no idea of the financial struggles Teen Mania was experiencing.

What I do see is a man here who loves the people he’s trying to reach so much, that he took a hit financially to bring them the gospel. He even accepted gifts from others who saw his work as missionary and wanted to contribute so that he could forego making tents to spend time in ministry. And, that appears not to be the case with these so-called super-apostles.

exp.: and Paul declares this in the next verse: rd v 9; And the effect has been tremendous, rd v 10; But the Corinthians might not see this…they might see his refusal to accept payment as spite; rd v 11;

app.: a pastor loves his congregation. Just how to describe it? I’m not sure it can be put into words. Maybe love isn’t supposed to be expressed in words; maybe love is simply shown through the sacrifices made and the actions one takes to protect and care for others – like a father or mother, like a pastor and his church.

t.s.: finally, Paul displays his…

3.     Prophetic Instincts (12-15)

exp.: The role of a pastor is to wear many hats; gratefully, I’m blessed with many around me who help keep the ministry going. There is the pastoral role already mentioned, but there is also the prophetic role – the job of declaring thus saith the Lord. It involves the spiritual side of what we do. The prophetic instinct is to smell out unhealthy, unsound doctrine and those who lead the church astray.

rd v 12-15; he calls them false, lit.: pseudo apostles; he says they’re disguising themselves: is the word μετασχηματίζω; So you have this small schematic of a larger one; These false apostles are like the one they imulate, the one who disguises himself as a angel of light. Their end will correspond to their deeds. Like Satan, they’re fooled into thinking they’re something.

The prophet, using the Word of God as his standard, works to see that believers are being transformed into the image of Christ. There is a huge difference between the two. Note: There is a difference between a change that takes place with the believer vs. the non-believer. In Romans 12.2 Paul says: ² Do not be conformed (schematic) to this world, but be transformed (metamorphosis) by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

app.: Wow! Paul puts it so clearly: these super apostles were simply smaller diagrams, schematics, patterning themselves after the devil – and they probably didn’t even know it! Acting out of pride, selfishness and greed, they acted like the one they were following. That isn’t what we do as believers. It is God who works in us, transforming us, as we work out our salvation – with fear and trembling.

And isn’t that the goal of the parent, the goal of the pastor, the goal of the prophet who speaks the Word of God to you? – that you would be renewed, that you would discern the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Conclusion: Paul’s message has been much like Van Courtonne’s and Pastor Joe Wright’s prayer to the Senate. What would have happened if the leadership in Paris or in Kansas would have bowed their heads before God and asked for wisdom to see … what did he pray?… see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

Application:

1. A Heart of Humility: The church and its leadership must humble itself before the Lord. There is no place to stand before the Lord.
2. A Zeal for Honesty: The church and its leadership must deal honestly with God’s Word. What does God’s word say? What does it mean? And what does it mean for me? What is God calling me to do in light of what I’ve just heard?
3. A Spirit of Wisdom: The false apostles of today, who proclaim another Jesus and present a different gospel, must be identified. They are slick and smart. This calls for wisdom on the part of the believer.
4. A Physical Boldness: We must confront false doctrine. We must speak out against the sin that is becoming commonplace in our society and culture. The days of being quiet about sin are behind us.