1 00:00:07,780 --> 00:00:10,900 And let's open his word now to the book of Second Corinthians, 2 00:00:11,380 --> 00:00:15,020 Chapter 7, and we'll have a look all the way through to the end 3 00:00:15,020 --> 00:00:18,780 of the chapter tonight as we're continuing our look through this 4 00:00:18,780 --> 00:00:20,580 book. Second Corinthians teaching 5 00:00:20,580 --> 00:00:25,220 expositionally, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, as we're 6 00:00:25,220 --> 00:00:27,740 making our way through it. And the title of tonight's 7 00:00:27,740 --> 00:00:36,040 message is Godly Sorrow that Leads to Life to Corinthians 7. 8 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:41,760 I'm sure that you have at some point in time had to deliver a 9 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:43,880 message, and it's been a difficult message. 10 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,520 It's maybe words that you've laboured over how to put 11 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,040 together. Perhaps it might be a position 12 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:54,400 that you've got in a workplace, or it might just be a challenge 13 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:57,800 or a rebuke for a family member or for a friend. 14 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:00,600 And you're wondering, you're not knowing how they're going to 15 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,280 receive it. And there's a fear and anxiety 16 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,000 that comes upon you. And maybe it was a hard letter 17 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,720 that you had to write or a difficult email that you had to 18 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:12,600 type up or a conversation that you had one to one with somebody 19 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:15,840 speaking the truth in love. And, and you've, you've hit 20 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:18,680 send. You've maybe walked away from 21 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:23,480 the conversation and your heart pounds thinking, oh, how's this 22 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,520 going to go? Will this ruin this 23 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:29,200 relationship? What are they going to do? 24 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:31,640 How they're going to receive it? Will they misunderstand my 25 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:36,040 heart, my intention behind it? Will they ever forgive me? 26 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:37,560 Will they ever speak to me again? 27 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:41,480 Well, this was Paul's situation. It was his position with the 28 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:44,200 church in Corinth. He had written them a severe 29 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:46,360 letter. We read it in First Corinthians 30 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:49,360 and there were some very difficult, tricky situations and 31 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,680 scenarios that he had to call them out on, correct them, call 32 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:57,560 them to task on confronting their sin areas where they 33 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:00,280 thought that they were OK, that they're in liberty and they're 34 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:02,840 actually proud of themselves as a consequence. 35 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,240 And he knew that the letter that he had sent them had actually 36 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:09,600 grieved them again, He'd laboured over it. 37 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,920 He wasn't sure how it was that they were going to respond. 38 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:15,640 Would they reject him? Would they be dismissive of him 39 00:02:15,640 --> 00:02:18,400 altogether? Would they harden their hearts 40 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,880 and sink their feet in all the more determined and fixed in the 41 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:25,520 direction that they were going? Or would they actually respond 42 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:28,080 with the purpose, with the intent that he had in mind and 43 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:30,840 repent and there would be a greater sweetness of 44 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,080 relationship with him as as the apostle, as the founder of the 45 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:36,360 church, and ultimately with God Almighty. 46 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,040 Well, Second Corinthians Chapter 7 here, where we're looking at 47 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:44,240 tonight from verses 2 it, it kind of ends this parenthetical 48 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,520 section that that Paul had embarked on out of chapter 2. 49 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:51,480 And he returns back to the mention of Titus, a friend of 50 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,440 he's a companion of he's who he had sent to the church at 51 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,280 Corinth to just go and check up on them for me. 52 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:00,760 Would you go and find out how they've responded to the letter? 53 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:05,440 And now he returns to this. So all of chapter 3456 have been 54 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:09,480 him just branching out as Paul often does on a little tangent 55 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:11,240 side of things. And he was talking a lot about 56 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:14,160 the authenticity of ministry and and the heart of a servant. 57 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:17,880 And now he comes back to this fellow Titus and the letter that 58 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:20,360 he had written. And so this is quite a raw 59 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:27,320 revelation for you and I of Paul's heart, of his emotions in 60 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:29,800 this situation. He effectively reports in this 61 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,920 chapter how it all unfolded for him and for us. 62 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,080 He shares his anguish, initially having to try and write this 63 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:40,600 letter. He shares about their response 64 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:43,840 and his worry or his concern about that response. 65 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:47,680 And then he he writes of God's grace at work. 66 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:50,600 It's a wonderful, wonderful chapter, powerful passage here 67 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:55,840 about the difference between what we call worldly sorrow that 68 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,360 ends in death, he'll mention, and then godly sorrow, or we 69 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,280 could call it good grief. You ever wondered where that 70 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:03,320 that phrase good grief comes from? 71 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:05,480 It's actually biblical and comes out of this. 72 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:09,240 It's a sorrow that causes someone to draw near through 73 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:11,760 repentance under God. And the result of that is 74 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:15,880 goodness in their life, godly sorrow, and it leads to life. 75 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,560 And so it's also a window for you and I tonight as we look at 76 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:24,200 this passage of how relationships in the church 77 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:30,800 particularly can be tested, can be broken at sometimes, but how 78 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:33,520 they can be restored by the power of the gospel. 79 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:36,960 So as we read these verses, we're going to break it down and 80 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:40,360 look at it in in three ways. So the slides will be up there 81 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,160 for those of you taking notes so that you don't get lost. 82 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:46,400 But we're going to have a look from verse two to seven at the 83 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,840 heart of the apostle again. He'll reveal what he was 84 00:04:49,840 --> 00:04:52,840 thinking, what he was feeling and and how it is that he loved 85 00:04:52,840 --> 00:04:54,760 them. And and this whole event, this 86 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:58,400 whole situation was birthed out of his affection towards them. 87 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:02,440 And then we'll have a look at the hallmarks, the features of 88 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:06,640 of true repentance. What is when we talk about 89 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:11,160 repentance that look like what is entailed in it. 90 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:16,480 How can we know that somebody is truly sorrowful to the point 91 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:18,600 where they're going to change or they're just sorry they got 92 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:22,880 caught and they're they're sorry about the consequences of 93 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:26,120 judgement coming upon them. And then we'll look lastly, 94 00:05:26,280 --> 00:05:30,640 verses 13 to 16 at the harmony of reconciliation and, and the 95 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:34,040 joy and, and, and the sweetness of what, what it means when 96 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:38,360 fellowship is restored together. All right, before we read, let's 97 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:39,960 pray again. I know we've prayed a bit 98 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,040 tonight, but I really want God the Holy Spirit to guide our 99 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,120 study tonight and for us to hear what he has for us. 100 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:48,400 So let's close our eyes, bow heads. 101 00:05:48,840 --> 00:05:52,800 God in heaven, the Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, we 102 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:56,800 come before you as the Saviour of our souls, the lover of our 103 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,880 hearts, as our maker and as our Lord and God. 104 00:05:59,880 --> 00:06:06,080 And we ask your blessing over our study now upon each person 105 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:08,480 gathered here, upon each household represented here. 106 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:12,200 May we know your truth, may we live it out, and may we 107 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:15,000 experience and enjoy the blessing and the sweetness of 108 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:17,920 fellowship with you. This we pray in Jesus name, 109 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:20,600 Amen. Let's look at this first one, 110 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,000 the heart of the apostle, verses 2 through to seven. 111 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,400 I'll read the verses and then we'll break down a few little 112 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:28,840 bits and pieces along the way. I'm reading from the new King 113 00:06:28,840 --> 00:06:32,920 James Version. It says open your hearts to us. 114 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:36,960 We've heard that phrasing before about Paul and some of our 115 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:42,640 previous chapters where it's just after a lack of closure 116 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:46,080 that they were having. You know, again, these false 117 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:47,760 teachers had crept into the church. 118 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,000 They were trying to dismiss the message of the gospel and and 119 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,520 their means by doing so was to attack the character of Paul. 120 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:57,760 And it was causing some in the church to be closed off in their 121 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:00,080 reception of him. So he says, open your hearts 122 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:01,840 again. Open your hearts to us. 123 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,960 We have wronged no one. We have corrupted no one. 124 00:07:06,840 --> 00:07:11,400 We have cheated no one. I'm reminded of the words of 125 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:15,040 Samuel, the prophet in the Old Testament, who at the end of his 126 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:18,040 days, when addressing the entirety of the people of Israel 127 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:21,960 gathered, was able to declare with full confidence. 128 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:27,080 Tell me if I've wronged anyone of you by coveting any of your 129 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:29,400 cattle, coveting any of your donkeys. 130 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:33,440 And we kind of seem strange, but possessions in any of those. 131 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,920 And there was not one person who could speak out in that crowd in 132 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,280 that throng and say, actually, Samuel, you did. 133 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:42,440 And Paul is the same. We've wronged no one. 134 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:45,680 Our conscience is clean. Please open your hearts to us. 135 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:48,280 We've cheated no one. And I do not say this verse 3 to 136 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:52,160 condemn you, but I've said before that you are in our 137 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:55,560 hearts to die together and to live together. 138 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:59,280 Great is my boldness of speech towards you. 139 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:03,800 Great is my boasting on your behalf. 140 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,520 There are many things that Paul could have spoken about to other 141 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:10,000 people about man. Let me tell you about those 142 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,440 Corinthians. But instead Paul chose to brag, 143 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:15,960 to boast about them. Let me tell you about the church 144 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:20,440 in Corinth, man, wow, God is moving and God has done this and 145 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:23,080 he's transformed and saved so many out of this type of 146 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:26,160 lifestyle, out of this way of living out of this service of 147 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:29,120 that God and of of this honouring of this but man. 148 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:32,320 And and he was, he said, I'm actually boasting about you as a 149 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,520 church. I'm filled with comfort. 150 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:40,159 Verse four, I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation. 151 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:46,360 For indeed, verse 5, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies 152 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:48,760 had no rest. Physically. 153 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:50,440 He was distraught, he was suffering. 154 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:53,080 We've looked at that. And we were troubled on every 155 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:56,400 side. Outside were conflicts, inside 156 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,160 were fears. And what was he fearful of? 157 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:01,760 Not what was happening to his body, but he was fearful of what 158 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:05,400 could potentially happen to the church, namely in Corinth. 159 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:09,080 The danger of them being LED astray by the false teachers, of 160 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:12,000 the danger of them returning to their old lifestyles and ways of 161 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:16,120 living. Nevertheless, verse 6, God who 162 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:19,480 comforts the downcast. Now this is a declaration of how 163 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,440 he was feeling. And at this point in time, the 164 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:24,560 word downcast. There is actually where we get 165 00:09:24,560 --> 00:09:29,800 the English word depressed. Paul had been suffering to the 166 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,840 point here that the fear that the worry that the concern that 167 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:36,560 he had for the church was causing him almost to to enter 168 00:09:36,560 --> 00:09:40,760 into a bout of depression that had come and sat heavy upon him. 169 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:44,800 This is the stress, the anxiety, the pain that he's feeling and 170 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:48,960 then comfort us. God comforted us by the coming 171 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:51,760 of Titus, his friend. We'll talk a little bit more 172 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:53,960 about him a bit later in some verses. 173 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:58,200 And not only verse 7 by his coming, but also by the 174 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:00,760 consolation with which he was comforted in you. 175 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:04,480 So the news that he brought of, of what happened with you when 176 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:08,600 he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal 177 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:11,640 for me so that I rejoiced even more. 178 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:14,360 So I've explained a few little things. 179 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:17,560 But hopefully as we go back over these verses, our understanding 180 00:10:17,560 --> 00:10:20,600 will be all the more and, and importantly, we'll have great 181 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:22,400 application to it and understanding it. 182 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:25,640 But Paul begins with a heartfelt appeal. 183 00:10:25,680 --> 00:10:28,720 Verse 2, make room for US. Open your hearts. 184 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:32,840 We've wronged no one. We've corrupted no one, taken 185 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,720 advantage of no one. We see his integrity highlighted 186 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:39,440 in verse 2. See the affection that comes 187 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,520 through as he declares that in verses 3 and 4, and then the 188 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:46,280 concern, the worry, the fear that he had for the church in 189 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:50,440 Corinth, and the comfort that God, God brought to him through 190 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:55,640 news that Titus delivered. Now, how good is it as we read 191 00:10:55,640 --> 00:11:00,800 these verses, to hear Paul, the great apostle say that he was 192 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:05,320 troubled on every side? Ever feel that way? 193 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:11,040 Lord? I am troubled on every single 194 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:12,800 side. There's not an area that 195 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:15,560 surrounds me where I don't feel like there's pressure, where 196 00:11:15,560 --> 00:11:18,200 there's attack, where there's something coming at me. 197 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:22,840 I'm surrounded by intensity of a fear of anxiety, of worry, of 198 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,520 stress. And the result of all of that 199 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:27,320 can be pretty disheartening for us. 200 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:31,680 And as I say to you again, the word in verse 6, downcast is 201 00:11:31,680 --> 00:11:36,600 actually depressed. I don't know if you are aware of 202 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,800 this, but Christians can get depressed. 203 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:42,960 Think that's what I've been feeling. 204 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:45,920 And now I can give a label to it somewhat. 205 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:50,760 It's, it's a part of the battle that we are in as Christians, as 206 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:54,480 believers, especially for those in ministry. 207 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,360 You know, if you're serving the Lord, if you're devoted to the 208 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:02,400 call that he has upon you, then you can somewhat expect this. 209 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:07,840 One Sunday morning, way back in 1866, a famous preacher in the 210 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:13,040 Victorian era, a fellow called Charles Haddon Spurgeon, shocked 211 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:17,000 his 5000 large congregation, who were listening in attendance at 212 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:20,280 the time, went from the pulpit and the church was called the 213 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:24,000 London Metropolitan Tabernacle. He announced this. 214 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:29,080 I am the subject of depressions of spirits, so fearful that I 215 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:32,840 hope none of you ever gets to such extremes of wretchedness as 216 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:37,480 I go to many times. He would often have to take 217 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:41,240 what's called a furlough or a sabbatical and head into to 218 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,600 Europe, where the weather was warmer, so that he could recover 219 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:47,680 from these bouts of depression that he experienced being 220 00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:50,480 immersed in the ministry as he was. 221 00:12:50,560 --> 00:12:52,720 And he was one of the greatest pastors of all time. 222 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:55,360 I'm not sure if you've read any of his sermons or not. 223 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,840 Maybe you've heard of the name Martin Luther, the Great 224 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:03,280 Reformer. He was subject to such fits of 225 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:07,960 darkness that he would hide himself away for days, history 226 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:12,320 tells us, and his family would remove all dangerous implements 227 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:14,600 from the house for fear that he might harm himself. 228 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:20,280 That's how intense it was during one of these episodes in his 229 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:23,600 life. His wife, Catherina, she did 230 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:26,600 this. She entered into the room 231 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:33,160 dressed in morning clothes, black, and startled Luther. 232 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:36,800 Her husband, Martin, asked her who had died. 233 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:42,000 She replied no one had but that from the way he was acting, she 234 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:46,720 thought God had died and the message came through to him to 235 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:49,200 snap out of it. God's not dead. 236 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:51,200 He's on the throne. He's in control. 237 00:13:52,560 --> 00:13:57,120 So Paul is getting very real for us here in the passage. 238 00:13:57,120 --> 00:14:00,920 And again, this is the great apostle, the man of God. 239 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:03,480 He's stressed, he's he's depressed. 240 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,560 It tells us. And notice notice how again he 241 00:14:06,560 --> 00:14:10,480 describes it in verse 5. Outside were conflicts. 242 00:14:10,680 --> 00:14:15,640 This is opposition, persecution physically upon them. 243 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:17,960 And then inside he says we're fears. 244 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:21,320 And again, this isn't the fear of of getting hurt physically. 245 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:23,960 As we read through all that he encountered physically, there 246 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:28,200 was much that he experienced. We have too much evidence in the 247 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,040 Bible that he was Speaking of something different here. 248 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:36,320 It was inner fears here that we're concerning what might 249 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:41,200 happen to the work in the body of believers in Corinth, the 250 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:45,680 church that he had started in Galatians chapter 4, verse 11. 251 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:48,680 He often said this of the churches and specific 252 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:50,640 specifically of the church in Galatia. 253 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:56,280 He told them, I am afraid I may have laboured over you in vain. 254 00:14:57,240 --> 00:15:01,000 It was for nothing. He wrote to the church in 255 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:04,440 Thessalonica in Thessalonians 1, Thessalonians 3, verse 5. 256 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:07,920 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to 257 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:13,720 learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had 258 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:15,880 tempted you and our labour would be in vain. 259 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:19,520 So can you hear his heart and where these fears were coming 260 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:21,880 from? It was a concern for the church 261 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:25,800 and of them being LED astray. In one Corinthians 11 when we 262 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:30,360 studied in verse 29, he spoke of his daily anxiety that come upon 263 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:35,360 him as he would pray concerning all of the churches and what a 264 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:39,600 long list of prayer that would be for Paul praying for glacier 265 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:42,120 Lord, I pray for the believers. I pray for the church in 266 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:45,160 Thessalon like I pray for the church in Corinth and on I pray 267 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,280 for the church in Ephesus. All of these these churches that 268 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:51,560 he had founded in his missionary journeys and concerned very 269 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:55,480 worried over them and and this is in fact a common fear for 270 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:57,840 those in ministry. It's a prayer that many of us 271 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:01,480 pray over the congregation here when we hear of things going on 272 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:04,080 in people's lives and and the fear that comes upon us. 273 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:05,680 Our Lord, don't let them be LED astray. 274 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:10,200 Well, Lord, don't let them be coerced or manipulated into 275 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:13,280 this. But like any fear, here's what 276 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:16,680 needs to happen. Quite simply, you have to trust 277 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:20,560 in God. That was a message that Martin 278 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:22,360 Luther's wife Catherine has sent to him. 279 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:25,360 God's not dead. Trust in God. 280 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:29,120 And I find this point encouraging. 281 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:32,080 That's why I'm labouring it a little bit here, because it 282 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:36,520 reminds us that in his own faith, in his own walk with the 283 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:43,880 Lord, Paul was constantly being stretched on the outside, on the 284 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:47,520 inside. And it seemed that the Lord 285 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:50,760 continued to allow him to be put into places that were 286 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:57,360 uncomfortable, where his faith would be stretched, would be 287 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:01,600 exercised, would be taxed, would be put in the pressure cooker. 288 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:06,000 And, and, and just so Paul would often be moving through into new 289 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:08,680 territory where you'd think, man, if anybody doesn't need to 290 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:10,560 learn a new lesson in faith, it's Paul. 291 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:15,880 And yet somehow God would allow these situations, circumstances 292 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:20,599 and, and emotions and feelings to come upon him and to find 293 00:17:20,599 --> 00:17:23,560 himself in in deeper water than ever before where he'd have to 294 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:24,599 cry out. God help. 295 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:31,640 God help me. Many, many years ago, when my 296 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:37,560 eldest boy, Noah, who's 22 now, was 4 going on five, we'd 297 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:42,680 visited family in California. And often when we would visit, 298 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:46,080 it would be around that Christmas time and we'd do all 299 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:50,040 the theme parks and so on. And so we did a number of rides 300 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:54,240 at the different theme parks. And I remember, and upon 301 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:57,120 reflection, many of those rides that I took him on were probably 302 00:17:57,120 --> 00:17:59,360 too scary for a four year old, 5 year old. 303 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:02,120 So the intensity, the thrill of it and so on. 304 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:05,720 And afterwards though, he would often say, Noah, how was that? 305 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:07,240 And he would say that was awesome. 306 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:10,680 But he was just kind of telling me what he thought I wanted to 307 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:13,680 hear from it because I would say to him, do you want to do it 308 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:15,000 again? He'd flat out go, no. 309 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:19,960 He just said that was awesome, let's do it again. 310 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:24,760 No, I'm good. I'm done with that and Christian 311 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:30,720 life often for us as believers in the midst of it, it's scary, 312 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:35,600 it's hard, it's intense. Afterwards we're going awesome 313 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:38,920 order. I love what you did in my life 314 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:40,680 and and how you transform my heart. 315 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:43,680 You know, I feel deeper and more strongly connected to you. 316 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:47,480 And then he might whisper and ask, do you want to do that 317 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:51,880 again? We got no, no thanks, I'm done. 318 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:57,280 So Paul, Paul was surrounded by trouble. 319 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:02,040 Outside there was trouble, but even worse, inside were fears. 320 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:03,760 And this was a hard time for him. 321 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:08,720 And so that's what he goes into. And now having expressed that, 322 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:12,560 look at what God does. Nevertheless, verse 6, God who 323 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:15,640 comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus. 324 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:19,080 So let me set the stage here in these verses, 6:00 and 7:00. 325 00:19:21,120 --> 00:19:24,440 Paul, whilst he was away from Corinth on another long 326 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:28,560 missionary journey, as he would do, he'd received reports, 327 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:32,640 information, remember, from the House of Chloe about what was 328 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:36,240 going on in the church. That concerned Paul very deeply 329 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:39,120 as he heard these. And the people in Corinth had 330 00:19:39,120 --> 00:19:41,880 also asked questions of Paul, you know, what do we do in this 331 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:44,960 situation, this circumstance? But really what concerned him 332 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:49,680 the most was was the news that he was receiving about all the 333 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:53,160 trouble going on on there. And so much so he became 334 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:55,880 troubled that he couldn't even complete the ministry God had 335 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:58,720 opened for him in a place called Troas. 336 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,400 But what could he do about the situation in Corinth? 337 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:05,680 It's not like today where he can pick up the phone and ring. 338 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:08,960 The certain individuals or FaceTime or, or have that 339 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:12,920 connection, you know, we're talking days into weeks when 340 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:16,440 news would be received and information and and the 341 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:21,200 addressing of certain things. He had, in fact, made one return 342 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:26,960 trip to Corinth that had ended badly with at least one of the 343 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:31,120 the leaders in Corinth kind of publicly rebuking Paul and and 344 00:20:31,120 --> 00:20:34,720 very few supporting him. And so he decided to send a 345 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:39,280 letter with his friend and colleague Titus, whose name 346 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:42,400 we're reading of here. And he would go and effectively 347 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:46,400 be a representative and an emissary to Corinth from Paul, 348 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:49,200 as if Paul himself would come. He couldn't travel personally. 349 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:52,880 And so he sent Titus in his place to try and resolve the 350 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:55,880 situation, to come back with news and bring a report to him. 351 00:20:56,280 --> 00:21:01,360 And, and Titus did just that. And apparently Titus was very 352 00:21:01,360 --> 00:21:04,840 effective in convincing them of actually, here's what Paul's 353 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:07,880 heart is in these words. It might seem harsh what you've 354 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:11,200 read or received from him, but let me tell you, Paul's your 355 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:13,040 friend. He's not your enemy and he has 356 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:15,720 what's best for you and he has the heart of God towards you. 357 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:18,680 And, and you can imagine, you know, the words that Titus would 358 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:21,520 share and convince them with. And he was able to then come 359 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:25,760 back to Paul and report to the apostle that the situation in 360 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:30,520 Corinth was vastly improved. And here's a lesson. 361 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:34,160 There's many that we can learn out of this in, in these verses 362 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:38,000 we've mentioned to Titus. One lesson we can learn from 363 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:42,720 that is this, that that no pastor, no, no minister, no 364 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:45,280 servant of the Lord can do it all. 365 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:51,880 No pastor can connect with everybody or or can reach 366 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:55,480 everybody. So all of us have to know when 367 00:21:56,040 --> 00:22:01,760 another gifted believer like a a Titus can come and perhaps take 368 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:06,960 our place or or can minister on our behalf or even be a go 369 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:09,360 between in a in a conflict situation. 370 00:22:09,360 --> 00:22:12,400 And additionally think about this. 371 00:22:13,120 --> 00:22:20,520 Titus was Paul's student, and yet he is used, as we read these 372 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:25,080 verses by God to bring comfort to Paul. 373 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:32,680 I think of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and it tells us 374 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:37,560 that an Angel came and strengthened him, ministering 375 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:41,520 Angel that Jesus had actually created. 376 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:44,680 That's a that's an interesting thought, isn't it? 377 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:50,800 That the Creator who had created this Angel was now being 378 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:56,960 ministered to by this Creator being this Angel and I I wonder 379 00:22:56,960 --> 00:23:01,160 if sometimes we miss out on receiving the comfort from God 380 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:04,640 and of God because we don't receive it coming through what 381 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:11,120 we might perceive to be a lesser vessel right now in in your 382 00:23:11,120 --> 00:23:13,240 life. It might be you know, finances 383 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:18,400 are tough cupboard bare Christmas, oh man, it's around 384 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:20,560 the corner. It's going to be here again 385 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:22,760 before we know it. And the bank balance is looking 386 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:25,320 low. And Lord, I need some comfort 387 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:28,320 right now. About 40 grand worth of comfort 388 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:32,960 would be helpful. And then your little son or your 389 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:36,120 daughter sensing the stress in the home, the emotion, the 390 00:23:36,120 --> 00:23:40,200 worry, the depression, maybe even says, don't worry dad. 391 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:45,320 Don't worry mom. God's got it under control. 392 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:49,720 Hey, let's pray. That's your tightest. 393 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:54,720 They're bringing the tightest touch, not the Midas touch. 394 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:56,720 You've all heard of that in Greek mythology. 395 00:23:56,720 --> 00:24:00,040 But but Titus was one who came and he was able to bring comfort 396 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:04,440 from God, you know, instead of often receiving comfort in those 397 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:06,480 circumstances. We might say, you know, son, 398 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:09,480 daughter, you don't really understand, but thanks anyway. 399 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:14,640 And you know, they've had the the childlike faith to see God 400 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:17,520 as big in that moment in that situation. 401 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:21,880 And, and we've only seen the big problems that are before us 402 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:24,600 instead of saying, you know what, you're right, thanks, 403 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:25,800 Thanks, son. Thanks. 404 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:27,000 Thanks, daughter. Thanks. 405 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:29,160 You know, honey, or whatever terms you have for them. 406 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,240 You know, you're such a, a Titus right now and they look at you 407 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:36,240 funny. So back to Paul. 408 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:39,680 Paul was encouraged by the coming of Titus and the report 409 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:42,400 that he brought that the church had repented. 410 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:45,680 And there was a particular fellow that was the main 411 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:49,600 situation that we looked at in First Corinthians and then the 412 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:53,200 report come back via Titus that they're actually doing well in 413 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:56,920 in this situation and in those other situations that Paul, 414 00:24:56,920 --> 00:24:58,280 you'd written to correct them on. 415 00:24:59,360 --> 00:25:02,360 And that actually, Paul, there's many there that love you, that 416 00:25:02,360 --> 00:25:06,240 have great affection for you. And and Titus had blessed them 417 00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:09,840 and Titus was now blessing Paul and it encouraged their hearts 418 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:13,720 and it's now encouraging Paul's heart and here's why. 419 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:17,400 As we get into the second, the comfort comes through what was 420 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:21,120 happening in their hearts as though I'm moving towards godly 421 00:25:21,120 --> 00:25:23,960 sorrow that worked towards repentance and brought life into 422 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:27,560 them. In verses 8 to 12, and Paul 423 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:32,840 explains now the response that the Corinthians had to his 424 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:36,560 severe letter, how it had hurt them, yes, and had hurt him in 425 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:39,240 writing it, but it produced fruit that worked towards 426 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:41,520 repentance. As a consequence. 427 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:47,000 Verse 84, even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not 428 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:49,680 regret regret it, though I I did regret it. 429 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:53,720 For I perceived that the same epistle made you sorry, though 430 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:56,520 only for a while. So Paul's kind of playing on 431 00:25:56,520 --> 00:25:59,000 words here. I wasn't sorry to write it, 432 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:01,480 though I was sorry to write it. What does he mean there by that? 433 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:06,320 It was almost like I didn't want to write it, but I had to write 434 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:08,360 it. And I was sorry that it had to 435 00:26:08,360 --> 00:26:10,760 come to this, but it needed to happen. 436 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:14,520 And, and I'm sorry for, for how it made you feel and how it made 437 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:18,120 me feel in that. But I'm not sorry for the result 438 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:22,200 that it brought. Don't we know this as parents 439 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:26,480 with our kids where we know we have to bring discipline to them 440 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:30,120 for their willful disobedience of, of commands and of 441 00:26:30,120 --> 00:26:32,240 instructions that would cause them harm? 442 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:37,040 And we have to institute that if we love them and not leave them 443 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:40,120 to their own devices, to, you know, to continue in their way. 444 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:42,560 But, you know, our hearts still hurt for them. 445 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:45,960 And there's a sorrow that comes out of that, but we're not sorry 446 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:49,080 for the result of them benefiting from it. 447 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:52,320 So this is Paul here where he's talking in verse 8. 448 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:58,520 Now I rejoice, verse 9, that you were made sorry, but that your 449 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:03,080 sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a 450 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:07,360 godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 451 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:14,440 The godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation 452 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:19,200 not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces 453 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:22,920 death. For observed this very thing, 454 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:28,080 that you sorrowed in a godly manner, what diligence it 455 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:33,080 produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, 456 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:36,600 what fear, what the human desire, what zeal, what 457 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:42,320 vindication in all things you proved yourselves to be clear in 458 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:47,960 this matter. Therefore, verse 12, Although I 459 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,680 wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done 460 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:54,880 the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that 461 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:57,680 our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you. 462 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:05,080 So we see in verse 8 to 9 that the sorrow had a purpose, a goal 463 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:07,520 in mind. And then he highlights the 464 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:10,960 distinction verse 10 between something called godly sorrow 465 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:16,280 and worldly sorrow, and then identifies for us the marks, the 466 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:20,560 attributes in verse 11 of what true repentance looks like. 467 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:22,480 So let's let's dig into that a little bit more. 468 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:26,280 Going back to verse 8, you can turn there and and consider it. 469 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:31,760 Paul is again saying I I really second guessed myself in this 470 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:35,720 letter. Was it the right thing to do 471 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:40,240 again? Have you ever sent an email with 472 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:46,720 a touchy subject pointed afterwards thinking, should I 473 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:50,800 have sent that quick unsend? Where's the unsend function? 474 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:56,280 Second guessing yourself? Maybe you jump on and check for 475 00:28:56,280 --> 00:29:00,080 a response every 30 minutes, maybe even quicker. 476 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:03,200 Paul's in that place again. Should I have sent the letter? 477 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:07,040 He's prayed about it. He soaked it, no doubt in tears. 478 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:12,480 Remember again, as we read through First Corinthians that 479 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:16,600 the letter had some strong words of correction for them and some 480 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:20,240 discipline attached to them. They were told to remove a 481 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:24,920 particular fellow out of the church because of his lack of 482 00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:29,920 repentance, the situation of sin that he was living in and their 483 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:35,680 celebration of it and rebuke can many times feel like what what 484 00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:38,840 Paul has described for us. I think maybe perhaps like being 485 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:41,600 a surgeon. I don't have the brain capacity 486 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:44,000 for that. But I sometimes think of how 487 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:48,480 bittersweet that might be of taking a scalpel to somebody. 488 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:55,320 But you, you know that you need to operate to, to cause pain, to 489 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:59,960 take the cancer out, to remove that which is causing them to 490 00:29:59,960 --> 00:30:04,760 suffer. People who say this scare me. 491 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:13,840 I have the gift of rebuke. What Paul had no doubt he'd 492 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:18,520 prayed, laboured over his words and his aim in verse 8 was to 493 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:21,160 see them blessed and and the rebuke then was needed. 494 00:30:22,760 --> 00:30:25,800 And then as we move through verses 9 and into 10, now 495 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:27,920 there's this huge principle that comes out. 496 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:30,840 The difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow, 497 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:37,480 worldly sorrow is this. It says, I'm sorry that I got 498 00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:43,040 caught. I'm sorry maybe for the pain 499 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:47,720 that I caused. I'm sorry for the mess that I 500 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:50,760 made. I'm sorry that I disappointed 501 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:56,080 you, but then the problem is in that that the sorrow then 502 00:30:56,080 --> 00:31:01,360 expressed does not lead them enough to cause change, to 503 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:08,360 happen, to desire to make things right, not sorrow enough to 504 00:31:08,360 --> 00:31:13,600 humble themselves and to take ownership over actions. 505 00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:18,520 Worldly sorrow makes promises it doesn't really intend to keep. 506 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:22,120 You know I will never do that again to you. 507 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:26,200 And sure enough, the very same thing they said they were once 508 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:29,160 sorry for. They've done it again. 509 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:35,280 J Vernon McGee puts it this way. He tells the story of how his 510 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:38,320 dad would tell him of a boat on the Mississippi River. 511 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:43,880 It had a little, he described it, bitty boiler and a great big 512 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:46,520 whistle. And when it would blow its 513 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:49,280 whistle while going upstream, the boat would start to drift 514 00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:52,040 downstream because the boiler was so small that it couldn't 515 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:54,800 propel the boat and blow the whistle at the same time. 516 00:31:56,480 --> 00:31:58,600 He says. This makes a connection. 517 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:02,400 There are a lot of folk who have a great big whistle and a little 518 00:32:02,400 --> 00:32:06,360 bitty boiler. They cry a lot of tears, make a 519 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:09,000 big display and put on a great show, but there's no real 520 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:11,840 repentance. They blow the whistle, yes, but 521 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:14,080 they keep on going in the same direction. 522 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:19,880 That is worldly sorrow. All show no change. 523 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:24,440 But godly sorrow is different. And that's what they had 524 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:26,400 displayed, and that's what he expresses for us. 525 00:32:26,760 --> 00:32:33,560 And by the way, sorrow is good. Godly sorrow is better because 526 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:40,120 it leads and transforms that that sin that led to pain and 527 00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:43,360 the conscience then is affected by it and becomes now a gift of 528 00:32:43,360 --> 00:32:45,720 God that then transforms into repentance. 529 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:48,960 And repentance is the change, the transformation, the change 530 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:52,840 of mind to see it as sin for what it is and often no excuses. 531 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:56,760 A desire to change, an attitude to change direction is literally 532 00:32:56,760 --> 00:33:00,160 what repentance means. And to now do the right things 533 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:03,640 to let the heart follow in accordance. 534 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:09,040 You know, we can react with either worldly sorrow or godly 535 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:11,800 sorrow. It's important to note that both 536 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:16,080 start with sorrow. Both have an emotional reaction 537 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:19,680 to what has happened or been done, a remorse that's evident. 538 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:23,880 And then this sorrow can now lead in one of two directions. 539 00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:28,680 Worldly sorrow leads to guilt, to shame or to frustration of 540 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:31,880 being caught or it being told on. 541 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:36,520 Worldly sorrow is a sorrow being exposed and now having the mess 542 00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:39,000 to deal with as a consequence of that. 543 00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:42,480 Worldly sorrow is focused on how things turned out. 544 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:47,360 And there's plenty of people living with that kind of sorrow, 545 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:52,600 but they're not ready to change. And that's why many people keep 546 00:33:52,600 --> 00:33:56,120 going back to that which they're sorrow sorry about. 547 00:33:57,160 --> 00:33:59,400 And then I'll commit it and do it again and again and again, 548 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:02,000 that same behaviour. But Are you ready to repent? 549 00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:04,720 Are you ready to change? Are you ready to stop that and 550 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:06,960 and go in a completely different direction? 551 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:09,360 Because that's what godly sorrow is. 552 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:13,320 Godly sorrow is sorrow over ever having done it in the first 553 00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:17,360 place and a desire to move away from that and towards God. 554 00:34:18,520 --> 00:34:21,719 And I think in Scripture we see a real powerful example and 555 00:34:21,719 --> 00:34:26,520 contrast of how two people were remorseful, were sorrowful, and 556 00:34:26,520 --> 00:34:29,199 yet 1 was godly sorrow and 1 was worldly sorrow. 557 00:34:30,639 --> 00:34:35,840 It's two men, one who tried to deal with it in his own way, and 558 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:38,120 another who allowed God to deal with it. 559 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:46,480 It's Peter and Judas, both betrayed, denied Jesus on the 560 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:50,560 same day. Jesus had warned each of them 561 00:34:50,560 --> 00:34:52,960 specifically about what would happen. 562 00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:58,400 He gave each of them a way out. You know, when Judas showed up 563 00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:03,520 to betray Jesus, Jesus asked Matthew 26, verse 50, friend, 564 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:08,480 why have you come? And when Peter stood in the 565 00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:13,040 courtyard denying that he even knew Jesus, it tells us in Luke 566 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:15,040 22 verse 61. What? 567 00:35:15,240 --> 00:35:19,880 That Jesus looked right at him and Peter realised what was 568 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:23,480 going on, no doubt. And after betraying and after 569 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:29,680 denying Jesus, both felt sorry for what they'd done, didn't 570 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:32,720 they? But Judas took it out on 571 00:35:32,720 --> 00:35:35,120 himself. He tried to give back the money 572 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:37,320 and then he went out and took his own life. 573 00:35:37,320 --> 00:35:45,120 The Scripture tells us Peter, he eventually took his sorrow to 574 00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:50,960 God in repentance. Jesus, Peter, do you love me? 575 00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:53,800 Peter, do you love me, Peter, do you love me Peter? 576 00:35:55,040 --> 00:35:57,520 And he repented and he reversed his course. 577 00:35:57,520 --> 00:36:00,680 He, he changed direction. And as a result, Jesus forgave 578 00:36:00,680 --> 00:36:03,880 him, restored him, gave him an even greater ministry. 579 00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:07,920 The Bible tells us, you know, there's the difference And and 580 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:11,480 that's what I really wanted to unpack and explain all the more 581 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:14,360 you know, just because you've sinned does not mean that you're 582 00:36:14,360 --> 00:36:19,560 irreparably broken. It doesn't have to be the Judas 583 00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:23,560 ending. You're not left to deal with it 584 00:36:23,560 --> 00:36:29,400 on your own. If you invite and respond to the 585 00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:34,840 saving work of Jesus on the cross, repent and return to him, 586 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:41,720 he can and will forgive you, rebuild you, restore you and 587 00:36:41,720 --> 00:36:44,840 help you really change and be transformed. 588 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:48,760 I mean, look at what happened to the Corinthians in the church 589 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:53,760 when Paul says and such were some as you when he describes 590 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:57,160 the the litany, the list of of things and sins that that many 591 00:36:57,160 --> 00:37:01,640 of them were and Paul now proceeds to explain the actions 592 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:05,520 that manifested their true true godly sorrow and and produce 593 00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:07,360 this repentance. We see the marks of that in 594 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:11,320 verse 11 and and these were actions over time that were 595 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:14,680 demonstrated in their life. A new course had been set and 596 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:17,800 was evident in these things. Look at the words used, He says 597 00:37:17,800 --> 00:37:23,720 what diligence there is a a seriousness in them now about 598 00:37:23,720 --> 00:37:26,680 dealing with sin and there was a desire to deal with it 599 00:37:26,680 --> 00:37:30,760 immediately. Now what eagerness to clear 600 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:35,240 yourselves, He writes of you know, true repentance doesn't 601 00:37:35,240 --> 00:37:40,640 say maybe I'll I mean, I'll get to it, but but not now, not you 602 00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:43,040 know, next year is is good. We'll take care of it then. 603 00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:45,920 True repentance says this. No, it's wrong. 604 00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:50,440 I'm going to deal with it now and and there's a finality and a 605 00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:52,400 certainty, no matter the cost to it. 606 00:37:54,120 --> 00:37:58,320 What indignation he writes of of them that they've been angry at 607 00:37:58,320 --> 00:38:01,280 sin and and at themselves for giving into it. 608 00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:06,120 He says what fear and and this was a a healthy fear of of the 609 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:10,760 consequences of a fear of what could be lost, a fear of God and 610 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:13,080 of judgement to come. Should they not change and 611 00:38:13,080 --> 00:38:15,600 repent. What then? 612 00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:20,280 He says vehement desire. Now within them there was a 613 00:38:20,280 --> 00:38:25,640 longing that that drove, that motivated them to be right with 614 00:38:25,640 --> 00:38:31,040 God and to do the right thing and true repentance and worked 615 00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:34,480 out this, this strong longing for them to know God more and to 616 00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:36,440 be right with God as a consequence. 617 00:38:36,760 --> 00:38:41,280 And I brought out now what he says, what zeal, the Greek word 618 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:46,360 there actually speaks of heat. It was like they were on fire. 619 00:38:46,360 --> 00:38:52,440 Now for God to do the right thing, we might say that person 620 00:38:52,440 --> 00:38:57,160 is on fire. They had become zealous for 621 00:38:57,160 --> 00:38:59,480 righteousness and, you know, effectively running around 622 00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:02,320 telling their friends of how great God is and here's what 623 00:39:02,320 --> 00:39:04,720 he's done in our lives and here's what he's doing in our 624 00:39:04,720 --> 00:39:07,120 midst. And then he says, what 625 00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:12,120 vindication, a desire for them now to right the wrongs 626 00:39:12,120 --> 00:39:17,520 committed to recompense. Now I'm I'm glad that Paul lays 627 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:21,160 those things out for us in verse 11 because he really clears up 628 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:23,880 any confusion about did they or didn't they repent? 629 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:27,920 You know, many times we kind of wonder that about people. 630 00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:31,680 We've seen tears and is this like the the whistle of that, 631 00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:34,680 that boat going up the Mississippi River? 632 00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:36,400 You know, there seems to be a great show. 633 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:42,160 But what what will really be the determination of where the true 634 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:46,200 repentance is set in is the actions to follow, the lifestyle 635 00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:49,920 they're after. And for them, they had truly 636 00:39:49,920 --> 00:39:52,520 repented. So true repentance looks like 637 00:39:52,520 --> 00:39:53,920 this. There's a seriousness about 638 00:39:53,920 --> 00:39:57,040 dealing with sin, not procrastinating a desire to deal 639 00:39:57,040 --> 00:40:02,080 with it now, and anger and a brokenness not over being 640 00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:05,560 caught, but over the sin and, and the damage that it produced. 641 00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:12,480 And there's a healthy fear of that if it's not dealt with. 642 00:40:12,480 --> 00:40:15,440 And it could. Continue what might be the 643 00:40:15,440 --> 00:40:18,280 consequences of that as as judgement might come. 644 00:40:18,920 --> 00:40:22,280 And then a strong desire coupled with zeal to be right with God, 645 00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:26,120 to get close to, to God, and a desire to do the right thing and 646 00:40:26,120 --> 00:40:30,720 to right the wrong now. So that's the, the heart of the 647 00:40:30,720 --> 00:40:33,680 apostle number one, that we've looked at the hallmark of 648 00:40:33,680 --> 00:40:37,840 repentance #2 and let's finish now with the harmony of 649 00:40:37,840 --> 00:40:39,880 reconciliation. Again, verse 12. 650 00:40:39,880 --> 00:40:42,000 We've read it already, but back through to the end of the 651 00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:47,360 chapter. Therefore, although I wrote to 652 00:40:47,360 --> 00:40:49,800 you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the 653 00:40:49,800 --> 00:40:54,880 wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our 654 00:40:54,880 --> 00:40:57,200 care for you in the sight of God might appear to you. 655 00:40:58,560 --> 00:41:03,520 Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort, and we rejoice 656 00:41:03,520 --> 00:41:07,160 exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his Spirit has 657 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:11,360 been refreshed by you all. For if in anything I have 658 00:41:11,360 --> 00:41:13,480 boasted to him about you, I'm not ashamed. 659 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:18,440 But as we spoke all things to you in truth, Even so our 660 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:23,040 boasting to Titus was found true, and his affections are 661 00:41:23,040 --> 00:41:27,000 greater for you, as he remembers the obedience of you all. 662 00:41:29,680 --> 00:41:32,280 How with fear and trembling you received him. 663 00:41:32,840 --> 00:41:36,400 Therefore I rejoice. I have confidence in you in 664 00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:39,760 everything. The chapter ends in joy and it's 665 00:41:39,760 --> 00:41:44,280 been pretty intense. It threw a lot of First 666 00:41:44,280 --> 00:41:46,200 Corinthians into Second Corinthians. 667 00:41:47,480 --> 00:41:51,720 But Paul here, he writes by this we're encouraged verse 13. 668 00:41:52,440 --> 00:41:54,920 Now the purpose of the letter is declared in verse 12. 669 00:41:55,040 --> 00:41:58,480 The encouragement that Titus brought in verse 13 to 14 and 670 00:41:59,560 --> 00:42:03,040 and Paul's reassurance now that comes through the joy of 671 00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:05,160 reconciliation and connection with them. 672 00:42:06,480 --> 00:42:09,400 Titus had been refreshed by the Corinthians. 673 00:42:10,160 --> 00:42:15,400 Paul was glad that he hadn't exaggerated his confidence in 674 00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:18,000 them. And then now there's 675 00:42:18,000 --> 00:42:23,800 reconciliation restored joy to all parties concerned Paul he'd 676 00:42:23,880 --> 00:42:26,520 he'd been excited because the letter he wrote to them causing 677 00:42:26,520 --> 00:42:30,640 godly sorrow led to repentance and now he's ending paragraph in 678 00:42:30,640 --> 00:42:34,440 the verses we just read highlights for us I think 4 679 00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:38,520 important things about confrontation that we might have 680 00:42:38,520 --> 00:42:43,720 that leads to reconciliation. Verse 12, the motivation, the 681 00:42:43,720 --> 00:42:47,760 purpose of it was the spiritual well being of the people. 682 00:42:49,320 --> 00:42:55,480 And then there's a persistent secondly, verse 13, you get this 683 00:42:55,480 --> 00:43:00,760 sense that Paul never gave up on the Corinthian church. 684 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:04,560 Like man, I've tried this, I've tried that enough already. 685 00:43:04,560 --> 00:43:07,640 I'm done with them. Remember he had visited them in 686 00:43:07,640 --> 00:43:11,400 person. He'd written letters at least 687 00:43:11,400 --> 00:43:13,720 two. And then finally the 688 00:43:13,720 --> 00:43:17,680 breakthrough that Titus comes back with the news now and then 689 00:43:17,680 --> 00:43:20,960 therefore he's wrapped with the news that Titus brings back to 690 00:43:20,960 --> 00:43:23,840 him with the meeting that Titus had with the church in Corinth. 691 00:43:24,520 --> 00:43:28,400 And he's refreshed by the response that Titus brings and 692 00:43:28,600 --> 00:43:34,000 he's excited by this response. The third thing we see in verse 693 00:43:34,000 --> 00:43:38,440 14 is there's this kind of benevolence that a positivity 694 00:43:38,440 --> 00:43:40,480 that Paul has towards the Corinthians. 695 00:43:41,440 --> 00:43:47,160 And what I mean by that is this in public, Paul, it seemed 696 00:43:47,800 --> 00:43:52,200 focused on the positives about the Corinthians. 697 00:43:53,440 --> 00:43:59,760 Paul says, when I talked to Titus about you guys, here's 698 00:43:59,760 --> 00:44:02,680 what I did. I boasted about you guys. 699 00:44:03,480 --> 00:44:08,760 You see that in verse 14. It's like I talked you guys up, 700 00:44:10,080 --> 00:44:13,520 I celebrated you. I I told him how great you are. 701 00:44:13,520 --> 00:44:16,640 How about the love that you have for the Lord about the work that 702 00:44:16,640 --> 00:44:20,160 God's doing in in the midst. And Paul says, I, I wasn't 703 00:44:20,160 --> 00:44:24,200 lying, but I chose to focus on to dwell on the good stuff. 704 00:44:26,560 --> 00:44:29,520 You know, if you have to deal with someone, here's a good 705 00:44:29,520 --> 00:44:34,560 thing to learn from Paul in that don't make it everybody else's 706 00:44:34,560 --> 00:44:39,120 business, man. You don't believe what I'm 707 00:44:39,120 --> 00:44:41,280 having to sort out. And so and so right now. 708 00:44:41,280 --> 00:44:44,320 Oh, what did they do? Let me tell you. 709 00:44:45,760 --> 00:44:48,880 And we go through and just, you know, unveil everything in in 710 00:44:48,880 --> 00:44:52,560 all of its gory details, right? Paul didn't do that. 711 00:44:52,560 --> 00:44:56,480 He he boasted about them and and Titus was the deliverer of the 712 00:44:56,480 --> 00:45:00,760 message And and I wonder until it was open and read before them 713 00:45:01,240 --> 00:45:03,560 whether he even knew the contents of the letter. 714 00:45:05,680 --> 00:45:12,000 That's what Paul really then hopeful is the last in verses 15 715 00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:15,720 to 16, confidence in you and everything in giving them the 716 00:45:15,720 --> 00:45:18,680 benefit of the doubt that they would receive it and respond to 717 00:45:18,680 --> 00:45:22,400 it and repent and there would be a a sweetness of restoration 718 00:45:22,400 --> 00:45:24,720 again of fellowship. So the big picture is the 719 00:45:24,720 --> 00:45:27,360 pattern of the gospel here in these verses of, of 720 00:45:27,360 --> 00:45:30,760 relationships that we enjoy in that, that, yeah, confrontation 721 00:45:30,760 --> 00:45:36,240 might be a part of it, sorrow. But if there's repentance and 722 00:45:36,240 --> 00:45:39,520 godly repentance that's out of it, then reconciliation and joy 723 00:45:40,280 --> 00:45:43,360 as a part of that. And it actually mirrors the 724 00:45:43,360 --> 00:45:46,800 gospel itself in that the conviction of sin that we have 725 00:45:46,800 --> 00:45:50,720 before God of, of the repentance in, in turning towards him of 726 00:45:50,720 --> 00:45:53,560 the restoration and the fellowship that we experience 727 00:45:53,560 --> 00:45:56,600 now with the holy, righteous God because of who he is and what he 728 00:45:56,600 --> 00:45:59,880 has done. So Paul's story with the 729 00:45:59,880 --> 00:46:03,160 Corinthians here in this chapter is actually our story with God. 730 00:46:04,800 --> 00:46:09,280 We have sinned and he has confronted us through his Word, 731 00:46:11,000 --> 00:46:13,440 and that confrontation produces sorrow. 732 00:46:15,240 --> 00:46:21,040 But in Christ, sorrow leads to repentance, repentance leads to 733 00:46:21,040 --> 00:46:26,640 forgiveness, and forgiveness leads to reconciliation and joy. 734 00:46:28,920 --> 00:46:31,480 So the heart of the apostle, as we looked at it in those verses, 735 00:46:31,480 --> 00:46:34,560 shows that correction must flow from love and integrity. 736 00:46:35,920 --> 00:46:40,200 And the hallmarks of repentance remind us that true repentance 737 00:46:40,200 --> 00:46:43,880 is more than tears. It's change, it's 738 00:46:43,880 --> 00:46:47,800 transformation. Then that finally that the 739 00:46:47,800 --> 00:46:52,080 harmony of reconciliation displays the the joy and the 740 00:46:52,080 --> 00:46:54,720 confidence that follow godly sorrow. 741 00:46:56,240 --> 00:47:00,360 John Newton, he wrote Amazing Grace. 742 00:47:01,520 --> 00:47:06,320 He knew about godly sorrow that brought about repentance and 743 00:47:06,320 --> 00:47:08,400 reconciliation with the holy righteous God. 744 00:47:08,400 --> 00:47:10,840 He said I am not what I ought to be. 745 00:47:12,080 --> 00:47:16,160 I'm not what I wish to be. I'm not what I hope to be, but 746 00:47:16,160 --> 00:47:20,480 by the grace of God, I am not what I once was. 747 00:47:21,640 --> 00:47:23,560 That's the journey of repentance. 748 00:47:23,560 --> 00:47:25,960 That's the journey of grace at work in US. 749 00:47:27,320 --> 00:47:34,880 And so again, godly sorrow isn't the end, it's the pathway to 750 00:47:34,880 --> 00:47:38,000 joy. Don't stop at tears. 751 00:47:40,160 --> 00:47:43,200 Let sorrow lead you on to repentance. 752 00:47:44,400 --> 00:47:48,200 Let repentance lead you on to reconciliation, and 753 00:47:48,200 --> 00:47:53,200 reconciliation lead you on to life in Christ.