1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:05,100 bachman.com You’re listening to a sermon from pastor 2 00:00:05,100 –> 00:00:12,700 Collin Smith of Open The Bible to contact us call us at 1-877-OPEN-365 3 00:00:12,700 –> 00:00:18,340 Or visit our website OpenTheBible.org let’s get to the message here is Pastor 4 00:00:18,340 –> 00:00:22,639 Collin first Would you please open your debt at Toronto 5 00:00:22,639 –> 00:00:28,180 Rongeschmijl Chapter 5 We read from the psalms in preparation for 6 00:00:28,219 –> 00:00:32,259 Second Corinthians we’re looking at just three verses I’d like to read these now 7 00:00:32,259 –> 00:00:41,320 Second Corinthians chapter 5 and verses 11 to 13 and the first sentence of verse 8 00:00:41,320 –> 00:00:50,419 14 therefore knowing the fear of the Lord we persuade others but what we are 9 00:00:50,779 –> 00:00:57,720 is known to God and I hope it is known also to your conscience we are not 10 00:00:57,720 –> 00:01:02,720 commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us so 11 00:01:02,720 –> 00:01:09,459 that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not 12 00:01:09,459 –> 00:01:17,019 about what is in the heart for if we are beside ourselves it is for God if we are 13 00:01:17,260 –> 00:01:24,019 in our right mind it is for you for the love of Christ 14 00:01:24,019 –> 00:01:32,500 controls us now our series is called don’t lose heart and we have already 15 00:01:32,500 –> 00:01:37,580 found reason for encouragement first in the great future that lies ahead of 16 00:01:37,580 –> 00:01:43,000 every Christian believer as life in the tent becomes harder the hope that we 17 00:01:43,320 –> 00:01:49,599 in Jesus Christ shines brighter and then we don’t lose heart second because as 18 00:01:49,599 –> 00:01:55,339 life here gets harder we have unique opportunities to honor Christ and to 19 00:01:55,339 –> 00:02:00,199 walk with him by faith in anticipation of the great day when we shall stand 20 00:02:00,199 –> 00:02:05,239 before the judgment seat of Christ there are opportunities to honor Christ now in 21 00:02:05,239 –> 00:02:09,679 this life that we will not have in the presence of the Lord Jesus we’re 22 00:02:09,679 –> 00:02:15,160 sickness and sin and and all of the many pressures of life and the body are gone 23 00:02:15,160 –> 00:02:20,759 and we are in an entirely new and very very wonderful situation therefore to 24 00:02:20,759 –> 00:02:25,020 seize all the opportunities that arise precisely because of the difficulties 25 00:02:25,020 –> 00:02:30,679 of this life is something that is given to us therefore we do not lose heart now 26 00:02:30,679 –> 00:02:35,360 today we’re going to look at another pressure that causes many to lose heart 27 00:02:36,360 –> 00:02:41,440 the message today with the application because that way we will as we go 28 00:02:41,440 –> 00:02:46,479 through be able to connect what is being said from the scripture to the immediate 29 00:02:46,479 –> 00:02:52,740 and practical circumstances of our own lives so I want to speak today to all of 30 00:02:52,740 –> 00:02:58,839 the parents who endured the pain of a son or a daughter who has nothing good 31 00:02:58,839 –> 00:03:04,039 to say about you you have done your best to love your children to provide for 32 00:03:04,399 –> 00:03:08,160 them but for some reason a son or a daughter has turned against you set 33 00:03:08,160 –> 00:03:14,000 themselves against you and nothing you do or say ever is right there’s an 34 00:03:14,000 –> 00:03:19,240 antagonism even a hostility I want to speak to all the people today who have 35 00:03:19,240 –> 00:03:27,160 been loyal to a difficult task or loyal to a difficult spouse or loyal to a 36 00:03:27,160 –> 00:03:31,000 difficult friend and you have been taken for granted 37 00:03:31,000 –> 00:03:36,399 you have been presumed upon the good you have done has not been recognized and 38 00:03:36,399 –> 00:03:41,119 the sacrifices you have made seem to count for nothing sometimes you feel 39 00:03:41,119 –> 00:03:47,360 that you have been treated with contempt I want to speak to the person today who 40 00:03:47,360 –> 00:03:53,119 feels that you live under the constant pressure of unrealistic expectations 41 00:03:53,119 –> 00:03:59,639 you’re held to an impossible standard and nothing you do is ever good enough 42 00:03:59,740 –> 00:04:05,899 some folks experience that in employment others experience it in family circles 43 00:04:05,899 –> 00:04:11,960 perhaps you feel that you live under the shadow of another person and nothing you 44 00:04:11,960 –> 00:04:18,079 ever do can ever quite match up to the imposition of that shadow that remains 45 00:04:18,079 –> 00:04:25,839 over your life and so the weight of criticism critique that is spoken and 46 00:04:25,959 –> 00:04:30,239 even more the stuff that is not spoken that’s just in you know the role of the 47 00:04:30,239 –> 00:04:35,239 eyes and and the body language and all of that all of this critique that you 48 00:04:35,239 –> 00:04:40,760 feel you live under becomes crushing to you over time and you know what it is to 49 00:04:40,760 –> 00:04:46,559 lose heart so together this little piece together if you have ever been harshly 50 00:04:46,559 –> 00:04:54,480 judged if you have ever been unfairly criticized if your motives have ever 51 00:04:54,480 –> 00:04:59,700 been questioned this message today is the Word of God for you now don’t do I 52 00:04:59,700 –> 00:05:05,320 have an audience for this message today I want us to be able to connect how the 53 00:05:05,320 –> 00:05:13,040 Word of God speaks to hundreds of situations in real life where there is 54 00:05:13,040 –> 00:05:20,040 genuine hurt and the difficulty that comes with it that so easily can cause 55 00:05:20,040 –> 00:05:27,579 us to lose heart now second Corinthians is the most personal of all of the 56 00:05:27,579 –> 00:05:31,640 letters of Paul he speaks here more about himself opens his heart more here 57 00:05:31,640 –> 00:05:38,799 than in any other letter and clearly he is uncomfortable about doing so why did 58 00:05:38,799 –> 00:05:43,279 he then do this well to understand the story behind two Corinthians you need to 59 00:05:43,279 –> 00:05:49,880 know simply two things the first is that Paul loved these believers at Corinth 60 00:05:49,880 –> 00:05:57,079 very deeply he really loved these people act 18 you can check it out later gives 61 00:05:57,079 –> 00:06:03,179 us the back story of how Paul came to Corinth and gave himself to a ministry 62 00:06:03,179 –> 00:06:08,320 of pioneer evangelism and discipleship and church planting it was not easy 63 00:06:08,320 –> 00:06:13,440 there was lots of hostility he was thrown out of the synagogue he set up a 64 00:06:13,440 –> 00:06:18,760 kind of house church in the home of a man by the name of titius justice and he 65 00:06:18,760 –> 00:06:24,760 stayed there and gave himself to this ministry for 18 months a year and a 66 00:06:24,760 –> 00:06:29,980 half a long time given the itinerant nature of the work of the Apostle Paul 67 00:06:29,980 –> 00:06:35,739 and acts 18 verse 11 specifically tells us that he stayed in Corinth for a year 68 00:06:35,739 –> 00:06:43,679 and a half and he taught the Word of God so the bonds that developed between Paul 69 00:06:43,679 –> 00:06:48,619 and these particular believers with whom he served for an extended period 70 00:06:48,839 –> 00:06:53,739 of time these bonds ran very deep and I want just to give you four scriptures to 71 00:06:53,739 –> 00:06:58,119 kind of emphasize that and seal it in our minds we’ll go through them very 72 00:06:58,119 –> 00:07:02,220 quickly so if you’re taking notes just take down the reference you may not have 73 00:07:02,220 –> 00:07:06,500 time to write out all of the words you can check it out later but I do want you 74 00:07:06,500 –> 00:07:12,140 to see that he risks his life to bring the gospel to them second Corinthians 10 75 00:07:12,140 –> 00:07:18,380 in verse 14 we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel 76 00:07:19,220 –> 00:07:24,679 gospel of Christ in redacted teen you realize how hostile it was the risk 77 00:07:24,679 –> 00:07:28,899 that Paul took proclaiming the gospel there it was not easy no one else had 78 00:07:28,899 –> 00:07:35,579 done it but Paul was prepared to extend himself to take the gospel there as a 79 00:07:35,579 –> 00:07:39,859 result of him being the first there he had therefore personally as an 80 00:07:39,859 –> 00:07:44,820 evangelist and as a church planter personally led many of these people to 81 00:07:44,820 –> 00:07:48,320 the Lord he’d actually led them to the Lord and that’s why he says in one 82 00:07:49,079 –> 00:07:55,959 1415 I became your father in Jesus Christ through the gospel what he means 83 00:07:55,959 –> 00:07:59,359 is although there are plenty of other people who arrived in Corinth later and 84 00:07:59,359 –> 00:08:03,640 were teachers and group leaders and all the rest of it no doubt but he says I 85 00:08:03,640 –> 00:08:08,399 was the one who led many of you to Christ sharing the gospel as an 86 00:08:08,399 –> 00:08:14,239 evangelist and as a church planter third he extended himself for these people in 87 00:08:14,279 –> 00:08:20,299 tireless effort I love second Corinthians 12 and verse 15 which by 88 00:08:20,299 –> 00:08:26,220 the way is a great motto for anyone who really wants to give themselves in 89 00:08:26,220 –> 00:08:36,719 ministry I would most gladly spend and be spent for your souls do you see the 90 00:08:36,719 –> 00:08:43,299 love in that he says to these people I’d be glad just to spend myself and just 91 00:08:43,479 –> 00:08:49,219 be spent for my life to be spent for the good of your souls that’s what he says 92 00:08:49,219 –> 00:08:54,739 in relation to these people at Corinth he loved them he had ought their good 93 00:08:54,739 –> 00:08:59,539 and he knew what it was therefore to weep over them when they came to a 94 00:08:59,539 –> 00:09:03,739 difficult situation he wrote 2nd Corinthians to forward out of much 95 00:09:03,739 –> 00:09:07,760 affliction and anguish of heart and many tears 96 00:09:07,760 –> 00:09:14,640 I did this not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I 97 00:09:14,640 –> 00:09:21,059 have for you so just these four snapshots to settle us in our mines 98 00:09:21,059 –> 00:09:29,479 could give many more Paul really loved these people second thing you need to 99 00:09:29,479 –> 00:09:35,960 know is that some of these believers at Corinth had become very critical of Paul 100 00:09:36,020 –> 00:09:43,940 now some for sure had made too much of him and it’s interesting that that may 101 00:09:43,940 –> 00:09:46,780 have been one of the reasons why others went the other way 102 00:09:46,780 –> 00:09:52,179 we know from first Corinthians chapter 1 in verse 12 that some actually said I 103 00:09:52,179 –> 00:09:58,960 follow Paul well Paul hated that and he responded to that in 1 Corinthians 113 104 00:09:58,960 –> 00:10:03,679 by saying what was Paul crucified for you I mean why would you follow Paul what 105 00:10:04,440 –> 00:10:10,739 says in 1 Corinthians 3 5 only a servant through whom you believed so there were 106 00:10:10,739 –> 00:10:15,500 certainly some people who made too much of Paul and very clearly and perhaps it 107 00:10:15,500 –> 00:10:21,219 was related there were others who clearly went the other way so that by 108 00:10:21,219 –> 00:10:26,280 1st Corinthians in chapter 4 you have Paul speaking about how he is a servant 109 00:10:26,280 –> 00:10:31,340 of God but then he makes reference to being judged by you 110 00:10:31,400 –> 00:10:34,900 so quite early on it seems that there were people who were becoming very 111 00:10:34,900 –> 00:10:40,400 critical about Paul were setting themselves against him and we’re making 112 00:10:40,400 –> 00:10:47,760 unkind judgments about him so here are people to whom he has brought the 113 00:10:47,760 –> 00:10:53,260 gospel many of them he’s actually led to the Lord he’s very happy to spend 114 00:10:53,260 –> 00:10:57,200 himself and be spent for the good of their souls but they’re making 115 00:10:57,280 –> 00:11:01,719 judgments about him many of them and their judgments are not kind 116 00:11:01,719 –> 00:11:06,780 whatever Paul did there were some people in Corinth who thought the worst about 117 00:11:06,799 –> 00:11:13,159 him now let me give to you just to seal this in your mind a catalog off the 118 00:11:13,159 –> 00:11:19,400 criticism that Paul was facing from at least some of these Christians that he 119 00:11:19,400 –> 00:11:23,799 had loved and that he had served I picked just five examples I could have 120 00:11:24,080 –> 00:11:28,520 a number of others but these will do for this morning number one people said 121 00:11:28,520 –> 00:11:33,679 about him he’s unreliable I picked that up from 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 verse 122 00:11:33,679 –> 00:11:39,679 16 to 18 where Paul is explaining a change in his travel plans going through 123 00:11:39,679 –> 00:11:43,559 Macedonia he was going to come to Corinth but then in the end he did not 124 00:11:43,559 –> 00:11:49,039 the very simple thing he changed his travel plans but you know what it’s like 125 00:11:49,359 –> 00:11:55,320 that when someone really sets themselves against you almost anything however 126 00:11:55,320 –> 00:12:02,260 small becomes something that gets seized on and gets twisted in some way in a 127 00:12:02,260 –> 00:12:07,900 harsh judgement and so it seems quite clear then from verse 17 where he says 128 00:12:07,900 –> 00:12:14,700 was I vacillating when I wanted to do this clearly some people were accusing 129 00:12:14,900 –> 00:12:20,020 of that do I make my plans according to the flesh ready to say yes yes and no no 130 00:12:20,020 –> 00:12:25,000 at the same time no as surely as God is faithful our word to you has not been 131 00:12:25,000 –> 00:12:30,559 yes and no so very simply here Paul makes a change of travel plans he had 132 00:12:30,559 –> 00:12:34,020 intended at one point to come to Corinth then there’s a change of plans and he’s 133 00:12:34,020 –> 00:12:39,000 not able to do that or chooses not to do that he actually explains the reasoning 134 00:12:39,000 –> 00:12:43,919 for this at the beginning of Chapter 2 but the people who’ve got it in for him 135 00:12:44,179 –> 00:12:50,679 sees on that and they say well there you are see you can’t rely on him he says 136 00:12:50,679 –> 00:12:55,659 one thing and he does another and you know the mud gets thrown and 137 00:12:55,659 –> 00:13:01,440 some of it sticks well he’s unreliable second he’s 138 00:13:01,440 –> 00:13:06,179 unimpressive here’s an extraordinary verse from 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 139 00:13:07,059 –> 00:13:14,799 10 for they say so here’s a specific criticisms they say his letters are 140 00:13:14,799 –> 00:13:23,719 weighty and strong but his bodily presence is weak so here’s what the 141 00:13:23,719 –> 00:13:27,460 critics are saying you know you read his letters and they’re weighty and strong 142 00:13:27,460 –> 00:13:30,640 well of course because they’re written under the direct inspiration of the Holy 143 00:13:30,640 –> 00:13:35,739 Spirit but when Paul’s actually there in the room with you he’s not actually that 144 00:13:35,739 –> 00:13:39,659 impressive and very interesting isn’t it that that was said I don’t know what 145 00:13:39,659 –> 00:13:45,500 your mental picture of the Apostle Paul is but evidently he was not the kind of 146 00:13:45,500 –> 00:13:50,719 big personality who immediately sucked the air out of the room so to speak and 147 00:13:50,719 –> 00:13:56,520 that actually fits if you remember what he says in first Corinthians and chapter 148 00:13:56,520 –> 00:14:04,359 2 he says when I was with you I was it with you in weakness and fear and much 149 00:14:04,479 –> 00:14:12,919 trembling so this is not some super confident mega personality just wasn’t 150 00:14:12,919 –> 00:14:18,520 like that and because there seems to have been along with his relentless 151 00:14:18,520 –> 00:14:24,619 passion for gospel advance and his amazing courage against all odds there 152 00:14:24,619 –> 00:14:30,219 does seem to have been after his conversion something within him that 153 00:14:30,760 –> 00:14:38,640 reflected a feeling of his own need and and the critic sees on this and they 154 00:14:38,640 –> 00:14:43,520 turn it back against him well he’s not very impressive third he’s ineffective 155 00:14:43,520 –> 00:14:53,440 against inverse they see his bodily presence is weak and his speech is of no 156 00:14:53,440 –> 00:14:57,799 account can you imagine that that was said about the Apostle Paul he’s not a 157 00:14:57,960 –> 00:15:02,760 very good speaker they said now of course the background here 158 00:15:02,760 –> 00:15:09,599 is that rhetoric was an art form especially among the Greeks in the early 159 00:15:09,599 –> 00:15:14,820 world people would go I mean they didn’t have television don’t have Netflix so 160 00:15:14,820 –> 00:15:17,539 what are you going to do for an evening’s entertainment well they would 161 00:15:17,539 –> 00:15:22,479 go out and they would hear one of these great rhetoricians speaking to a crowd 162 00:15:22,760 –> 00:15:28,700 and putting on a marvelous performance and this was great entertainment and 163 00:15:28,700 –> 00:15:34,020 people would talk about which was the best rhetorician and so forth and so on 164 00:15:34,020 –> 00:15:41,419 now Paul quite clearly didn’t do that he spoke plainly 165 00:15:41,419 –> 00:15:48,280 Acts 18 11 he taught the word of God he specifically says in first Corinthians 166 00:15:48,679 –> 00:15:53,659 chapter 2 in verse 1 I did not come to you proclaiming the testimony about God 167 00:15:53,659 –> 00:16:00,359 with lofty speech I didn’t do that I wasn’t trying to be a rhetorician his 168 00:16:00,359 –> 00:16:07,059 speaking was an open statement of the truth that’s his own description of his 169 00:16:07,059 –> 00:16:11,900 speaking in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 2 170 00:16:11,900 –> 00:16:18,200 an open statement of the truth but you see the fault finders picked up on this and so 171 00:16:18,200 –> 00:16:23,400 you can see how this goes well you know he’s easy he’s not a big personality and 172 00:16:23,400 –> 00:16:27,700 is is speaking I mean these rhetoricians they can tell stories have people 173 00:16:27,700 –> 00:16:32,739 laughing in the aisles they’re just moving the whole crowd and and when Paul 174 00:16:32,739 –> 00:16:37,940 comes only does is he teaches the Bible he’s not really that impressive is he 175 00:16:37,940 –> 00:16:45,340 his speech is of no account number four I’m just listing out some of the critique 176 00:16:45,380 –> 00:16:51,419 that was coming on on Paul from people he had loved and served he’s proud I’m 177 00:16:51,419 –> 00:16:56,500 back now to 2nd Corinthians chapter five and verse 12 where we’re going to remain 178 00:16:56,500 –> 00:17:02,859 he says we are not commending ourselves to you again if you want to do a word 179 00:17:02,859 –> 00:17:06,540 search in the Corinthian letters you’ll find this whole business of commending 180 00:17:06,540 –> 00:17:12,359 keeps coming up and it does seem that the critics accused Paul of making too 181 00:17:12,560 –> 00:17:18,280 much of himself the truth of course was that other people were making too much 182 00:17:18,280 –> 00:17:23,540 about Paul it was not Paul who was doing that but what they did placed him in a 183 00:17:23,540 –> 00:17:29,119 difficult position he felt that he had to say something in response to all this 184 00:17:29,119 –> 00:17:33,920 criticism that was being thrown out so that good people would know how to 185 00:17:33,920 –> 00:17:39,199 answer this criticism that’s what he refers to in verse twelve but on the 186 00:17:39,199 –> 00:17:44,040 other hand he knew that anything he said would be taken and it would be twisted 187 00:17:44,040 –> 00:17:47,920 and it would be used against him whatever he said by those who had set 188 00:17:47,920 –> 00:17:54,739 themselves against him and then fifthly the last of these five second 189 00:17:54,739 –> 00:17:59,260 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 13 do you notice how it says here if we are 190 00:17:59,260 –> 00:18:09,079 beside ourselves it is for God if we are in our right mind it is for you now he 191 00:18:09,079 –> 00:18:15,339 would only have said that given that others in Corinth we’re saying you know 192 00:18:15,339 –> 00:18:20,400 what I think there’s actually something wrong with the Apostle Paul there’s 193 00:18:20,400 –> 00:18:25,739 something wrong with him you know out of his mind you imagine they were actually 194 00:18:26,000 –> 00:18:33,199 saying that about the Apostle Paul this is something wrong with him so the fault 195 00:18:33,199 –> 00:18:38,079 Finders have run up a catalog of criticism that can be clearly discerned 196 00:18:38,079 –> 00:18:42,819 from this letter he’s unreliable he’s unimpressive he’s 197 00:18:42,819 –> 00:18:49,579 ineffective he’s proud he’s probably out of his mind and Paul remember feels like 198 00:18:49,579 –> 00:18:54,780 a father towards these very people they are his children but they have turned 199 00:18:54,780 –> 00:19:03,459 out to be difficult children most of them are ungrateful many of them are 200 00:19:03,459 –> 00:19:14,300 unkind and some of them are downright cruel now that’s the scene and I want 201 00:19:14,300 –> 00:19:19,520 now to ask two questions the first is how in the world did this happen? how can 202 00:19:19,520 –> 00:19:26,199 that happen in a church? We want to avoid that at all costs and I therefore want 203 00:19:26,199 –> 00:19:32,640 to give a warning against the sin of slander and then the second question very 204 00:19:32,640 –> 00:19:38,359 obviously is how did Paul respond? and he responded wonderfully and I want 205 00:19:38,359 –> 00:19:46,699 therefore to give an encouragement to grace under fire. So keep in mind those 206 00:19:46,900 –> 00:19:52,119 things that come by way of critique so that we can land the application into 207 00:19:52,119 –> 00:19:57,040 the realities of our own lives and our own situations. First then how did this 208 00:19:57,040 –> 00:20:05,400 happen a warning against the sin of slander? Very simply a powerful force had 209 00:20:05,400 –> 00:20:10,839 laid hold of the hearts and minds of many of these people. Paul refers in 210 00:20:10,900 –> 00:20:17,060 second Corinthians 11.5, he refers to some who are labeled super apostles and 211 00:20:17,060 –> 00:20:21,040 without going into that it’s a whole other story. Evidently there were some 212 00:20:21,040 –> 00:20:24,479 people who came into Corinth and they were full of themselves and they were 213 00:20:24,479 –> 00:20:30,520 full of confidence and they basically by their influence steadily turned these 214 00:20:30,520 –> 00:20:36,099 folks who Paul had led to the Lord and nourished through his ministry they 215 00:20:36,500 –> 00:20:41,260 turned these folks gradually and increasingly against the apostle Paul 216 00:20:41,260 –> 00:20:45,579 and without going into all of that story I just want to make one observation from 217 00:20:45,579 –> 00:20:52,020 it that people who have a critical spirit usually pick it up from others 218 00:20:52,020 –> 00:20:59,939 people who have a critical spirit usually pick it up from others and that 219 00:21:00,780 –> 00:21:06,660 the Bible says bad company ruins good character you pick this up 220 00:21:06,660 –> 00:21:13,359 that is why in the first psalm someone in verse one it says blessed is the man 221 00:21:13,359 –> 00:21:21,660 who does not sit in the seat of scoffers the word sit is important because it 222 00:21:21,660 –> 00:21:26,819 literally means hang around with hang out with if you hang out with people who 223 00:21:26,819 –> 00:21:30,979 are scoffers that is people who are cynical or people who are critical and 224 00:21:30,979 –> 00:21:36,099 habitually pull other people down if you hang around with them it will in some 225 00:21:36,099 –> 00:21:41,500 degree rub off on you and you will find yourself losing a blessing from God that 226 00:21:41,500 –> 00:21:45,660 you would have otherwise blessed is the man who doesn’t hang out 227 00:21:45,660 –> 00:21:51,219 with the critics the sync the cynics and those who habitually are 228 00:21:51,219 –> 00:21:58,500 pulling other people down young people if you hang out with youngsters who 229 00:21:58,500 –> 00:22:02,939 habitually bad-mouthed their parents just always going on about that and 230 00:22:02,939 –> 00:22:08,640 they’re always bad-mouthing other people it will rub off on your on you it’ll 231 00:22:08,640 –> 00:22:12,079 infect your heart eventually it will start coming out of your own mouth and 232 00:22:12,079 –> 00:22:15,180 you will end up sitting against the Fifth Commandment to honor your father 233 00:22:15,180 –> 00:22:21,180 and your mother who you hang out with is really really important if that’s the 234 00:22:21,180 –> 00:22:26,660 character of conversation don’t that’s not the friends for you don’t hang out 235 00:22:26,660 –> 00:22:34,099 with people who habitually tear others down don’t hang out with people who are 236 00:22:34,099 –> 00:22:39,680 habitually critical of the church or of its leaders if you do it will rub off on 237 00:22:39,680 –> 00:22:45,819 you you will lose the blessing of God don’t sit in the seat of scoffers sit in 238 00:22:45,819 –> 00:22:49,359 the seat I was thinking about imagine having breakfast with someone who’s 239 00:22:50,119 –> 00:22:55,880 flu and you move into the booth and this guy who you’ve been looking forward to 240 00:22:55,880 –> 00:23:00,219 having breakfast with and a good old conversion and he sits down in the booth 241 00:23:00,219 –> 00:23:07,560 and out comes the handkerchief and I’m sorry excuse me and uh and then he does 242 00:23:07,560 –> 00:23:11,859 it again he’s I’m so sorry I’m going down with a flu and and you think to 243 00:23:11,859 –> 00:23:15,780 yourself if I sit here for five minutes I’m gonna be going down with a flu as 244 00:23:15,900 –> 00:23:21,699 well because he’s spluttering this stuff all over the table right at me now you 245 00:23:21,699 –> 00:23:27,339 keep that picture in your mind though it’s not a very pleasant one that is 246 00:23:27,339 –> 00:23:31,560 what you are what it is like when you are in the company of a person with a 247 00:23:31,560 –> 00:23:38,260 critical spirit the person who thinks the worst of others the person who wants 248 00:23:38,260 –> 00:23:43,400 to pull other people down Augustine the great African leader of the church in 249 00:23:43,400 –> 00:23:50,560 the 5th century felt so strongly about this that he had some words carved into 250 00:23:50,560 –> 00:23:56,040 his dining room table into the wood of his own table where he sat and he ate 251 00:23:56,040 –> 00:24:00,599 and this is so good I’m thinking I think I might get this curved inter my table 252 00:24:00,599 –> 00:24:05,160 so see what you think this is what was on Augustine’s table whoever loves 253 00:24:05,359 –> 00:24:16,920 another’s name to blast this table’s not for him so let him fast is that good if 254 00:24:16,920 –> 00:24:23,520 you want to tear other people down you are not welcome at my table I don’t want 255 00:24:23,520 –> 00:24:27,040 to be part of it and if your conversation is about tearing other 256 00:24:27,040 –> 00:24:33,000 people down I don’t want to be at your table either because a conversation that 257 00:24:33,000 –> 00:24:37,739 makes people think less of others as a result is not a conversation that you or 258 00:24:37,739 –> 00:24:46,800 I want to be part of friends we owe it to others always to make the kindest 259 00:24:46,800 –> 00:24:55,640 judgments that we possibly can always to think the best of others to make more of 260 00:24:55,880 –> 00:25:02,719 a person’s virtues than of their faults to make more of a person’s strengths 261 00:25:02,719 –> 00:25:12,640 than off their weakness don’t be a fault-finder never assume the worst 262 00:25:12,640 –> 00:25:21,219 because love always hopes so when you hear something unkind about another 263 00:25:21,859 –> 00:25:27,719 a good reaction to form the habit of is for your first thought to be I really 264 00:25:27,719 –> 00:25:34,680 hope that that’s not true I really hope that’s not true and not only does love 265 00:25:34,680 –> 00:25:41,579 always hope love is patient and love is kind so even if it is true even where a 266 00:25:41,579 –> 00:25:49,780 person is at fault love remembers that our faults are many and since Jesus has 267 00:25:49,939 –> 00:25:56,180 been so patient and so kind towards me in my many and continuing faults and 268 00:25:56,180 –> 00:26:03,180 weaknesses the least that I can do is to seek to be patient and kind towards the 269 00:26:03,180 –> 00:26:11,540 faults and the failings of others if you’re a visitor to the church today 270 00:26:11,540 –> 00:26:14,479 you’re probably thinking why in the world is he talking about all this is 271 00:26:14,479 –> 00:26:19,339 there’s some real problem in this church no I tell you this is a very happy and 272 00:26:19,579 –> 00:26:22,760 blessed church and I’m so grateful for that why am I speaking on this because 273 00:26:22,760 –> 00:26:28,619 it’s into Corinthians 5 but what I want us to take hold of as a congregation 274 00:26:28,619 –> 00:26:34,459 here today is how important it is to maintain the unity of the spirit in the 275 00:26:34,459 –> 00:26:40,540 bond of peace because it’s so easy for it to get lost it only takes a few to 276 00:26:40,540 –> 00:26:46,359 get going and others to take a great interest you can see how it happens and 277 00:26:46,520 –> 00:26:53,500 so let us take from the scripture a warning against the sin of slander and 278 00:26:53,500 –> 00:27:01,699 seeing the preciousness of the blessing of God and how easily it can be lost for 279 00:27:01,699 –> 00:27:08,199 us to be all the more urgent about doing our part in maintaining the unity of the 280 00:27:09,079 –> 00:27:16,619 in the bond of peace? And the second question is how did Paul respond and 281 00:27:16,619 –> 00:27:22,260 here I want to give an encouragement to grace under fire so you’re thinking now 282 00:27:22,260 –> 00:27:26,800 about the situations in which you’ve extended yourself in love it really 283 00:27:26,800 –> 00:27:31,219 feels like you’ve been slapped in the face taken for granted and so forth and 284 00:27:31,219 –> 00:27:36,359 so on you put yourself as you think of these situations into the apostle’s 285 00:27:36,359 –> 00:27:40,859 shoes let’s try and stand in the Apostles skin as it were just for a 286 00:27:40,859 –> 00:27:44,880 moment okay so here you are and you have 287 00:27:44,880 –> 00:27:49,800 risked your life to bring the gospel to these people you have personally led 288 00:27:49,800 –> 00:27:55,920 many of them to the Lord you’ve extended yourself night and day in unrelenting 289 00:27:55,920 –> 00:28:01,000 effort on their behalf you love them you have often wept over them you’ve prayed 290 00:28:01,160 –> 00:28:06,140 for them you have always sought their good but now many of them are ungrateful 291 00:28:06,140 –> 00:28:13,579 most of them are critical and some of them are downright cruel and they say 292 00:28:13,579 –> 00:28:17,540 that you are unreliable that you are unimpressive that you were ineffective 293 00:28:17,540 –> 00:28:20,959 that you’re generally proud and you’re probably out of your mind how does that 294 00:28:20,959 –> 00:28:27,479 make you feel and this is really hurtful stuff I mean if you have felt wounded 295 00:28:27,520 –> 00:28:35,839 and hurt you’re surely going to say the Word of God speaks to me right here so 296 00:28:35,839 –> 00:28:40,459 here’s the question how would you respond standing in the Apostles skin I 297 00:28:40,459 –> 00:28:47,060 mean one way to respond is to fight fire with fire isn’t it but Paul doesn’t do 298 00:28:47,060 –> 00:28:56,660 that another way and this is a an Americanism that I love another way is 299 00:28:56,780 –> 00:29:03,739 to go with I am so out of here you know yeah I’ve nothing more to do with you I 300 00:29:03,739 –> 00:29:07,680 am out of here I’m off to Thessalonica Colossian all 301 00:29:07,680 –> 00:29:10,880 these other good churches when I’m appreciated I’m never gonna set foot in 302 00:29:10,880 –> 00:29:17,939 Corinth again you know a plague on all your houses doesn’t do that another 303 00:29:17,939 –> 00:29:25,060 response is simply to lose heart you know I’ve extended myself I couldn’t 304 00:29:25,099 –> 00:29:31,420 done more so get thrown back in my face I mean what’s the point and you can 305 00:29:31,420 –> 00:29:35,420 almost feel a darkness coming over the soul and a bitterness beginning to 306 00:29:35,420 –> 00:29:42,400 settle in and Paul doesn’t do that either what does he do and what can you 307 00:29:42,400 –> 00:29:49,199 and I do and what must we do three things in these last moments number one 308 00:29:49,800 –> 00:29:55,219 he maintains a clear conscience and that’s really important he mentions 309 00:29:55,219 –> 00:30:00,119 conscience in verse 11 here and speaks about their conscience 310 00:30:00,119 –> 00:30:04,479 but he’s only able to do that because first if you go back a couple of pages 311 00:30:04,479 –> 00:30:09,420 to 2nd Corinthians 1 and verse 12 he speaks about his own conscience the 312 00:30:09,420 –> 00:30:14,540 testimony of our conscience is that we behaved in this world with simplicity 313 00:30:14,819 –> 00:30:19,839 and godly sincerity not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God and 314 00:30:19,839 –> 00:30:25,099 supremely so towards you he says something very similar in 1st 315 00:30:25,099 –> 00:30:28,640 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 3 he says I’m not 316 00:30:28,640 –> 00:30:36,199 aware of anything against myself a clear conscience friends very simply means 317 00:30:36,199 –> 00:30:43,400 that you are not aware of any controversy between you and God the sin 318 00:30:43,739 –> 00:30:47,640 that you have been aware of has been confessed it has been placed under the 319 00:30:47,640 –> 00:30:52,099 blood of the Lord Jesus it has been forgiven and you are at peace with God 320 00:30:52,099 –> 00:30:56,920 you are not aware of anything that God is currently calling you to do that you 321 00:30:56,920 –> 00:31:00,939 are actively resisting and you are not aware of anything that God has forbidden 322 00:31:00,939 –> 00:31:06,680 you to do that you are actively pursuing a clear conscience of course does not 323 00:31:06,680 –> 00:31:12,199 mean that you are without sin there may be actual sin in your life of which you 324 00:31:12,199 –> 00:31:18,000 aware and certainly for all of us there is always the latent sin that remains 325 00:31:18,000 –> 00:31:22,920 within our flesh that can break out into our life at any time and that is why 326 00:31:22,920 –> 00:31:27,920 Paul says in first Corinthians 4 I am NOT aware of anything against myself I 327 00:31:27,920 –> 00:31:32,780 am NOT there by acquitted it is the Lord that judges me in other words he says it 328 00:31:32,780 –> 00:31:36,959 may be that there are things in me that I just haven’t seen yet but I can 329 00:31:36,959 –> 00:31:41,760 honestly say before the Lord I searched my heart and I am NOT aware of anything 330 00:31:42,000 –> 00:31:50,119 against myself now the aim of a Christian in this life is to hold the 331 00:31:50,119 –> 00:31:56,839 faith and a good conscience that’s first timothy chapter 1 and verse 19 that’s 332 00:31:56,839 –> 00:32:02,079 what we’re to do and that is why the prayer that’s at the end of psalm 139 is 333 00:32:02,079 –> 00:32:10,180 so important search me oh god and know my heart and see if there’s any way in 334 00:32:10,400 –> 00:32:12,459 me that’s grieving to you so 335 00:32:12,459 –> 00:32:18,300 that you can lead me in the way everlasting that’s why asking God to 336 00:32:18,300 –> 00:32:22,660 shine the light into your own heart and confessing whatever you see there and 337 00:32:22,660 –> 00:32:26,099 coming to him in repentance is so important so that you can live 338 00:32:26,099 –> 00:32:30,660 with a clear conscience and where you’ve said or done something that is wrong 339 00:32:30,660 –> 00:32:34,719 towards another person go to them say sorry learn to say the 340 00:32:34,719 –> 00:32:40,079 word sorry learn to own the things that you have done wrong and so that you can 341 00:32:40,079 –> 00:32:44,260 can have a clear conscience I’ve brought where I have been at fault 342 00:32:44,260 –> 00:32:48,819 before the Lord and and and where I have offended against another person I have 343 00:32:48,819 –> 00:32:55,380 at least sought in as far as my part is concerned to do what I can to put that 344 00:32:55,380 –> 00:33:04,319 right. So Paul says I maintain a good conscience and when you do that the 345 00:33:04,319 –> 00:33:11,619 other two things really come into play number two is Find Peace because God 346 00:33:11,619 –> 00:33:17,260 knows your heart. This marvelous statement in verse 11, 347 00:33:17,260 –> 00:33:27,300 what we are is known to God. Wonderful that’s where Paul finds peace that’s 348 00:33:27,300 –> 00:33:32,699 where he finds rest under this barrage of unfair criticism that has been landed 349 00:33:32,939 –> 00:33:38,979 on him. Now the order is important here because if you have a bad conscience if 350 00:33:38,979 –> 00:33:42,300 you’re harboring sin in your heart the fact that God knows you is not going to 351 00:33:42,300 –> 00:33:46,339 give you peace it’s going to give you the opposite. I do say to you, if you 352 00:33:46,339 –> 00:33:52,180 are holding out on God in something you know he’s calling you to do today or if 353 00:33:52,180 –> 00:33:57,319 you are actively pursuing something that God forbids today then what you must do 354 00:33:57,319 –> 00:34:02,140 today is you must come before him in confession and in repentance and place 355 00:34:02,219 –> 00:34:06,380 that under the blood of Christ and depart from that way and to follow hard 356 00:34:06,380 –> 00:34:13,199 after him. No one who fights against God ever wins but when you have a clear 357 00:34:13,199 –> 00:34:20,199 conscience the fact that God knows you is the most wonderful gift and it will 358 00:34:20,199 –> 00:34:28,719 bring you peace. What we are is known to God. And you notice he says after that 359 00:34:28,919 –> 00:34:34,159 and I hope that it is also known to your conscience. In other words he’s appealing 360 00:34:34,159 –> 00:34:38,820 to these people who do know him and he’s saying look I hope that you know in your 361 00:34:38,820 –> 00:34:45,780 heart that these things that people are saying are not true but whatever you 362 00:34:45,780 –> 00:34:55,320 think what we are is known to God. Now friends that will really help you when 363 00:34:55,320 –> 00:35:01,320 you find yourself facing criticism when others look dow on you and say all 364 00:35:01,320 –> 00:35:07,199 kinds of things against you you can say with the Apostle Paul well you know what 365 00:35:07,199 –> 00:35:11,840 others may think that I am unreliable and unimpressive and ineffective and 366 00:35:11,840 –> 00:35:21,320 proud and even out of my mind but what I am is known to God. God knows me and you 367 00:35:21,320 –> 00:35:28,439 will find great peace there you’ll be greatly helped because man looks on the 368 00:35:28,439 –> 00:35:36,179 outward appearance help me finish it but God looks on the heart and that’s why He 369 00:35:36,179 –> 00:35:40,600 goes in the next verse to say it’s not about the outward appearance it’s not 370 00:35:40,600 –> 00:35:45,479 about who’s the most impressive biggest person now God knows my heart God knows 371 00:35:45,479 –> 00:35:50,340 the heart and that leads to the third thing maintain a good conscience how do 372 00:35:50,399 –> 00:35:55,260 you stand up when when kindness and love are thrown back in your face and you 373 00:35:55,260 –> 00:35:59,100 struggle with this hurt you’ve got to maintain a clear conscience you’ve got 374 00:35:59,100 –> 00:36:04,139 to find peace because God knows your heart and here’s the third thing draw 375 00:36:04,139 –> 00:36:13,199 strength from the love of Christ for the love of Christ verse 14 controls us 376 00:36:13,199 –> 00:36:18,659 we’ll come back to this of course next week but just to end here today think 377 00:36:18,659 –> 00:36:25,600 about what Christ endured from those who were so hostile towards him I mean he 378 00:36:25,600 –> 00:36:31,699 comes and he gives of himself coming into the world he ministers to others he 379 00:36:31,699 –> 00:36:38,939 does all kinds of good and as early as mark and chapter 3 in verse 22 you find 380 00:36:38,939 –> 00:36:43,879 that people are saying you know what he’s the devil he’s Beelzebub you 381 00:36:43,939 –> 00:36:49,040 you imagine that they said that about Jesus and his own brothers said you 382 00:36:49,040 –> 00:37:01,780 know what he’s out of his mind they said that about Jesus now whatever Jesus said 383 00:37:01,780 –> 00:37:08,419 those who set themselves against him wanted to take it and simply to to 384 00:37:08,419 –> 00:37:13,580 twist it against him and so Jesus says in Matthew in chapter 11 he picked up a 385 00:37:14,100 –> 00:37:18,939 proverb from the day and you know John the Baptist had come and there was all 386 00:37:18,939 –> 00:37:23,020 this you know locusts and camels here and fasting and all this kind of thing 387 00:37:23,020 –> 00:37:28,159 all his austerity a call to repentance Jesus comes there’s all this joy and he 388 00:37:28,159 –> 00:37:33,979 is eating in many people’s homes and you know they criticized John for the one 389 00:37:33,979 –> 00:37:37,639 they criticized Jesus for the other I mean where are you to go Jesus picked up 390 00:37:37,639 –> 00:37:42,060 this proverb he said to what shall I compare this generation it’s like 391 00:37:42,320 –> 00:37:47,639 children in the marketplace and they’re singing we played the flute for you and 392 00:37:47,639 –> 00:37:52,639 you did not dance so we sang a dirge for you and you didn’t mourn you see nothing 393 00:37:52,639 –> 00:37:59,659 we ever did was ever right friends nothing God does is ever right in 394 00:37:59,659 –> 00:38:09,860 the eyes of sinners god is always blamed and never thanked by those who set 395 00:38:09,860 –> 00:38:17,360 themselves against him and it’s a dreadful condition of heart and Jesus 396 00:38:17,360 –> 00:38:21,659 experienced that right from the beginning of his ministry Luke chapter 397 00:38:21,659 –> 00:38:26,719 for he speaks in Nazareth and they want to throw him over the edge of the cliff 398 00:38:26,719 –> 00:38:33,580 before the service is done and so against that you understand the 399 00:38:33,580 –> 00:38:37,179 disciples think well we know how to sort this out you’ve got to fight fire with 400 00:38:37,260 –> 00:38:43,479 James and John the sons of Boanerges they say let us call down fire from 401 00:38:43,479 –> 00:38:48,020 heaven Jesus and Jesus said no no no we’re not going to do that and then they 402 00:38:48,020 –> 00:38:51,060 get into the Garden of Gethsemane and Peter says I’ve got the answer right 403 00:38:51,060 –> 00:38:55,780 here he pulls out his sword and Jesus says you put that away. My kingdoms not 404 00:38:55,780 –> 00:39:01,760 of this world we’re not going to fight that way No that’s not us. You would 405 00:39:02,360 –> 00:39:08,919 You would think that since in year one of Jesus three year ministry public 406 00:39:08,919 –> 00:39:12,860 ministry it’s since in year one they’re calling him the devil and saying that 407 00:39:12,860 –> 00:39:17,300 he’s out of his mind and since there’s all this hostility towards Jesus you 408 00:39:17,300 –> 00:39:21,199 might think that in year one he would lift up his holy hands towards the 409 00:39:21,199 –> 00:39:29,479 Father in heaven and he would say it’s time for the ascension now I am out of 410 00:39:29,639 –> 00:39:37,040 here but he doesn’t do that he stays he endures it he gets it even more and he 411 00:39:37,040 –> 00:39:44,320 goes all the way to the cross and that is why Paul says it’s while we were 412 00:39:44,320 –> 00:39:52,159 still sinners blaming God for everything and thanking him for nothing while we 413 00:39:52,159 –> 00:39:58,679 were still sinners Christ died for us always remember that if you complain 414 00:39:58,760 –> 00:40:03,939 against God or find fault with God you are finding fault with the one who 415 00:40:03,939 –> 00:40:11,679 loved you and gave himself for you that is why in the book of Hebrews we read 416 00:40:11,679 –> 00:40:19,199 these extraordinary words consider him Jesus who endured from sinners such 417 00:40:19,199 –> 00:40:26,719 hostility against himself and why are we to consider Jesus who endured all this 418 00:40:26,719 –> 00:40:30,840 hostility against himself it says specifically so that you will 419 00:40:30,840 –> 00:40:38,419 not grow weary and so that you will not lose heart and then the writer to 420 00:40:38,419 –> 00:40:44,219 Hebrews adds this in your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to 421 00:40:44,219 –> 00:40:50,860 the point of shedding your blood. you see the point here? so people are saying 422 00:40:50,860 –> 00:40:56,120 you’re unreliable, you’re unimpressive, you’re ineffective, you’re proud and 423 00:40:56,340 –> 00:41:01,340 you’re out of your mind. is that it? is that all? you’ve been 424 00:41:01,340 –> 00:41:05,260 criticized, your kindness has been thrown back in your face and it’s very very 425 00:41:05,260 –> 00:41:10,139 hurtful to you. is that the extent to which it has gone with you? think about 426 00:41:10,139 –> 00:41:21,699 Jesus. He is shedding His blood, they drove spikes into his hands and into his feet 427 00:41:21,939 –> 00:41:28,600 consider him and what he endured and all the hostility that was poured out upon 428 00:41:28,600 –> 00:41:42,179 him and you will not grow weary and you will not lose heart. father for such a 429 00:41:42,219 –> 00:41:51,739 Savior we bow and worship and adore please settle your word into our hearts 430 00:41:51,739 –> 00:41:59,739 that it may keep us from sin and that it may strengthen us in the battle for 431 00:41:59,739 –> 00:42:03,699 these things we ask in Jesus name 432 00:42:05,679 –> 00:42:10,340 you’ve been listening to a sermon with pastor Colin Smith of Open the Bible to 433 00:42:10,340 –> 00:42:17,979 Contact us call us at 1-877-open-365 or visit our website OpenTheBible.org