2nd Corinthians chapter 1 Tonight we'll move into chapter
2, just so that you know. So the slides will be up there
and they should just be kind of the main points that I will move
through. So that can just help you Orient
yourself. Where is he at?
What's he talking about right now?
And then second, you'll notice that we would ordinarily have
the Scripture verses as I'm reading them up on the screen.
They're not going to be there anymore.
And that's to encourage you to read your own Bible in your lap,
whether it be an analogue, version, paper, or digital.
But you need to be immersing yourself in your own Bible and
not sort of coming and sitting and just looking at the screen
and trusting that. Well, I hope that's the
Scripture, but it needs to be something that you're a student
and diligently working through yourself.
And I think that that many of you are.
That's why that you're here the second time on a Sunday to hear
God's word taught. And that's what we're here for.
We want to hear from the Lord God Almighty through His word as
a revelation to us that the Holy Spirit would guide us and teach
us through it so that we might live for the glory of God and
for the good and benefit of ourselves and others.
And that's really what we're looking at tonight.
The title of the message is integrity that reflects Jesus
Christ. John F Kennedy in his book
Profiles in Courage once wrote great crisis producers, great
men and great deeds of courage. And whilst that's true, and
whilst crisis does sort of mould us and shape us in many ways,
that does not just make a person.
Often crisis reveals what's already within a person, the
character that we do or don't possess.
It's like a cup that when it's agitated or when you shake it,
when you tip it, what's revealed is the contents that were inside
that cup. And you've probably seen it.
You've seen people who encounter crisis, some kind of difficulty
in their life and and they explode.
Anger comes out or pain and, and it's displayed in frustration,
in perhaps panic or blame of other people.
You know, why have you done this?
And why is this happening to me? And why now?
Whereas others, that same agitation, that same
disturbance, that same crisis can come to them.
And there's a response of seeming calmness, a response
that almost like a noble character is revealed in the
midst of the circumstance and what's going on and all sorts of
accusations maybe that are falsehoods that are levelled
against them. And what shines through is
integrity, integrity. And that's really before us as a
subject matter. You see, Paul the apostle, he is
writing here to the church in Corinth in the midst of a
personal crisis. He has written to the church
here. And there are some within the
church who have been attacking Paul's character, saying that
he's not dependable, he's fickle, he's unreliable at best,
he's duplicitous at worst. He says one thing and all
together does another. And, and they questioned his
integrity, namely the implications behind this were
that, well, if you can't trust Paul and his character and his
attributes, then can you trust his message?
That's why Paul goes into defence mode here.
And for some of us it might sound a little petty because
really it's a question of Paul had said he would make some
travel plans and come to visit them and they didn't quite
eventuate how he had said that they might.
And so people were levelling that.
Well, Paul said he was coming and he hasn't come.
And so then they were moving and beyond that attacking his
apostleship as a consequence. And we might say, well, it's a
bit petty of them. Is that really they're taking an
issue over that with him. But it, it went to the heart of
this. You see, if, if Paul could not
be trusted to do what he said or what he would promise, how could
his message be trusted? It led to his apostleship being
in question. And then therefore the message
of the gospel. If people couldn't trust Paul
the messenger, they would reject Christ, the message.
That's what sits underneath all of this and why it's important.
You see, it was a matter of, you know, if you don't trust the
personality, then you won't trust the preaching of the
fellow. And that's really why Paul goes
into this, as I say, defence mode.
It's not for ego's sake, but it's about the gospel.
Now just like Paul, if we were to put our hands up and say,
have you ever been misunderstood or attacked, especially while
serving the Lord, I think a lot of our hands would go on up.
Don't you love to be misunderstood?
Now that's my favourite. Last time we talked about
suffering and we talked about how it is that we're comforted
by God and in light of that we're to flow on out with the
comfort that we've been given by God on into others.
They had been attacking Paul's apostleship, suggesting that if
he truly was one, then he wouldn't be suffering like he
is, even to the point of death. And he addressed that for us as
we studied it. But another aspect of suffering
is what we look at tonight, and that is when we verbally suffer,
when we're maligned, when our character is attacked.
And haven't you found that often verbal wounds are more painful
than physical ones? The old adage, you know, that
kids would say or that well meaning adults towards kids say
sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt
me. But they do, don't they?
In fact, those words cause internal bleeding of the kind
that goes on for years and years and years.
Ask the employee that gets daily berated by his or her boss in
front of their Co workers. Ask the wife or the husband that
deals with this daily. Ask the child who gets this
dished up with every meal. We've all, I think, experienced
attacks against maybe our actions, what we haven't done,
or our words, what we haven't said or our motives, what we
didn't mean. And this is what Paul now faces
with the Corinthian church. So how do you deal with false
accusations? Some might plant the flag of
passivity and just take it and, well, you know, that's my lot in
life and become a little virtual Eeyore moping around with the
cloud, you know, remember Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh and just a
little woe is me sort of despondent attitude and response
to everything. Whereas others plant the flag of
aggression and lash out. How dare you say that about me?
And it's on How do we respond when we're misunderstood, when
we're misrepresented, when our character is maligned?
What do we need to stand against malicious slander?
So what this passage, when we read it in a moment will reveal
is that integrity is not just about us, it's about you and I
accurately reflecting the faithful, trustworthy character
of Jesus. And again, that's what is at the
heart of Paul. His character is attacked, but
it goes beyond that to an attack against Jesus Christ in the
message of the gospel. And so the answer to how do you
deal with it? How do you cope with it?
There are some spiritual resources that Paul presents for
us that we'll pull out of our texts and the responses in three
parts. Three things that Paul had that
you and I can have when we are maligned.
And if you haven't been, it's just probably because you were
born yesterday and you haven't lived long enough on the planet,
you will be maligned. There will be things said and
accused against you that aren't true, and you'll need to know
how to deal with that. Three things Paul had was a
clear conscience, a loving concern, and a forgiving heart.
Let's read from verse 12 of chapter 1 again.
I'm reading from the New King James Version for our boasting.
Is this the testimony of our conscience that we conducted
ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity,
not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God and more
abundantly toward you? For we are not writing any other
things to you than what you read or understand now I trust you
will understand even to the end, as also you have understood us
in part, that we are your boast, as you also are ours in the day
of the Lord Jesus. And in this confidence I
intended to come to you before that you might have a second
benefit to pass by way of you to Macedonia, to come again from
Macedonia to you and be helped by you on my way to Judea.
Therefore, verse 17, when I was planning this, did I do it
lightly? All the things I plan, do I plan
according to the flesh that with me there should be yes, yes and
no, no, but as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and
no. For the Son of God, Jesus
Christ, who has preached among you by us, by me, Sylvanus and
Timothy was not yes and no, but in him was yes.
For all the promises of God in him are yes, and in him Amen to
the glory of God through US. Verse 21.
Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed
us is God who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our
hearts as a guarantee. Now if you didn't understand any
of that, let's explain it, let's go through it.
How should we respond to criticism?
You know, the verbal attacks that people bring against us,
the the verbal crisis. There's a saying, blessed is the
man or the woman who has nothing to hide.
Quite simply, it's easy to defend yourself when your
conscience is clear. This is Paul's first defence
Paul here begins his defence. Those accusations false that
were levelled against him by appealing not to popularity.
Now you guys know me, I'm Paul, you know, and and we're tired
and and not to the results and you guys know and you've seen
the work that I've accomplished here and how the church has
grown. None of that but to conscience
was his first appeal. Paul says for our boast is this
verse 12 the testimony, the witness of our conscience.
That's integrity, that's character and it's character
that is under the scrutiny of God Almighty.
That's that's who his conscience is clear before and it flows on
out to others. And there's three ways that he
presents that his conscience is clear in his character.
Verse 12, he says we're we're marked by simplicity and that
doesn't mean that he was absent of intellect, that he was a few
screws loose upstairs and, you know, a couple of slices short
of a loaf. That's not what he means by
being simple in this regard here.
What it means is that I was singularly minded in my devotion
to glorify God. That's where my heart's at.
That's why I was doing what I was doing.
In other words, he says everything I did was simply
seeking to be done to and for the glory of God.
There's no hidden motives with me, nothing about what I did.
There was no hidden agenda, nothing duplicitous in the way
that I came before you. And then he builds on that and
says that my character was marked by godly sincerity.
Literally, that means this. Judged by the light of the sun,
Paul invites divine inspection here.
There's no hidden agenda again in in what I did, in what I
said, and how I presented myself.
Godly sincerity is what I'm all about.
Literally. It's judged by the sun, SON.
And there's a play on words here that Paul is using in his
presentation of the word sincerity.
And with the preface, godly before that.
You see, I think we've explained it numerous times from the
pulpit here of what the word sincere was in Greek back then.
It was in reference to those that were artists or were
sculptors. And when they would craft a
statue or when they would build an implement, if they made a
mistake and it was just a a little one, then they would
often if it was made out of clay, they would utilise wax
that had been melted down. And and like a putty they would
mark over that that Fisher or that area where they chiselled
something off that they shouldn't have.
And then that would be sold on. But it wouldn't be marked as
sincere as a consequence, because literally sincere means
without wax. And so if something was sold
that was said to be sincere, it meant that it could be held up
to the light of the sun, SUN and be found to be without wax.
Nothing inferior within it, nothing duplicitous in nature,
but singular, all made of that same substance.
And, and this, you know, wonderful masterpiece of this
creation. So that was a common practise
back then. And so Paul says this and it's a
pretty bold claim and it's something that I would hesitate
to suggest about myself. And maybe you're of the same
that is this Paul said, you can hold my life, you can hold my
motives, you can hold my character up to the light of the
SON, the sun, and find that there's godly sincerity, nothing
duplicitous about me, what I did, what I said, how I
conducted myself, and how I continue to do so.
Can you make that statement? Can you make that claim?
Hey, you've levelled accusations or challenges against me.
You can hold my life up to the sun, Jesus Christ.
And my conscience is clear there.
There is a godly sincerity to the way that I've conducted
myself. That's integrity.
It's a strong statement. Paul lived in simplicity and
godly sincerity because his life was rooted in Christ, the one in
whom there is no duplicity. And he builds on this with his
conduct. He mentions that in verse 12
that the way that I lived was consistent both in the world and
in the church and and the way that I delivered was it was
grounded not in cleverness, but in the grace of God.
That's what's wrapped up when he says in verse 12 in the second
part that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and
godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace
of God and more abundantly towards you.
In fact, there was even more that was present and evident in
my interactions with you people. And then he builds and talks
about his words, his communication in verses 13 and
14. What I wrote, what I said,
there's no double meanings. There's no cryptic messages to
it. What I wrote is what I meant.
He said Paul's writings. He says here in verse 14 what
you read. And Paul's words acknowledge
they had no hidden meanings and it brought about a a mutual
rejoicing as a consequence of that.
You see, some were saying in light of what Paul had had
promised with the the journey and so on.
Oh, really, Paul, you say you've got a clear conscience, do you?
Well, what about your supposed plans to come and visit us?
You promised and yet. And yet it seems you broke it.
Where's your simplicity and sincerity now, Paul?
And again, if you can't trust a man to keep his promise, how can
you trust him to be an apostle? So let's look at how Paul
answers this. And if you turn left with me in
your Bible or just flick swipe in your digital Bible to 1
Corinthians chapter 16, verses 5 to 7, you'll see Paul's actual
promise that they're referring to.
In one Corinthians chapter 16, verse five, he says this.
Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia, for I am
passing through Macedonia, and it may be that I will remain or
even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my
journey wherever I go. For I do not wish to see you now
on the way, but I hope to stay a while with you if the Lord
permits. Now notice something about what
he said there. You can turn back to 2nd
Corinthians. He uses certain phrases in his
declaration of what he intends to do.
He says it may be, he says, I hope, he says if the Lord
permits. Did you catch that in his
promise to them? So now his response is in what
we read already from verses 15 to 22, he says I'm not a yes or
no man. It's not that I said yes, I'm
going to do this and then no, I didn't deliver.
But what you need to understand, Paul, and I'm paraphrasing here
for you now, is Paul is saying you need to see my heart and you
need to see God's hand at work in this matter.
He says I had intended to come and visit you just as I said in
my letter, if I may, if God permits.
But know this, I am also guided by God.
I'm open to the sovereign direction and leading of the
Lord. And then he, he appeals to the
fact that he teaches about Jesus the Christ who is not a yes and
no God, and that he is yes, rather and Amen.
Or so be it. When Jesus says something, it's
as good as done. And so in other words, Paul's
argument in this is how can I teach the message of Jesus
Christ and I as the messenger, not be impacted by it to be
accordingly, He says, even building on that verse 22, I, I
even have the Holy Spirit residing in me and verse 23, God
is my witness in all of this. And so here really what what
he's summation is this you can accuse me all that you want, but
my conscience is clear before God in my life.
Paul says there's no hidden motives in his words.
There's there's no hidden meanings in what I say.
And really it's such a a bold claim and statement by Paul
here, but is one that immediately presents as a
wonderful defence of that accusation as false as it was
against his integrity and his character and begs the question,
how about you? How about how about I about us
as a church body corporately? Do we live lives of integrity?
The word integrity comes from the word integer.
Maybe you've heard of that. And for those of you that are
mathematically oriented, you know it to be as a whole number.
Undivided. Integrity means being the same
then undivided, whether it be in public or in private.
Who you are is who you are. There's a wonderful story about
Billy Graham. You know him, he's known
globally. And there's a famous simple
statement that he made when once he was asked about what it was
that he feared the most. His answer was this, that I
might do something to bring dishonour to the Lord. 2018
Barnard study found that 85% of Gen Z believe hypocrisy in
Christians is a major reason that they distrust Christianity.
Why? Because integrity matters.
So how do we keep a a clear conscience?
We've seen the importance of it in Paul's life.
We've seen the importance of it in in others estimation.
But how can we have that sink in to be a part and component and
aspect of our lives? Those with a clear conscience
live in light of Christ's return.
Verse 14. So the fact that Jesus is
returning soon and that the Lord's day is is is is is very
imminent is a reminder for you and I to function and act in in
accordance with that, that well, the the time is short.
My days need to be focused upon living life right before God
because he can return any moment.
Verse 14. Those with a clear conscience
live to glorify Jesus. Verse 20.
It's all about the glory of God. And then those with a clear
conscience live in step with the Holy Spirit, verse 22.
That's how we do it. So practically, what might that
look like for you this week? Students, school age, You might
be at school, friends gossiping about others or some cheating,
going on an assessment, you know, the panic buttons hit and
they're freaking out about, Oh no, how am I going to pass this
and so on. You can be in that moment
choosing to be the same person when no one's watching, when
that that temptation to be something altogether different
is there. Integrity is about trust and
about character in the marriage relationship.
It's about being honest with our time, with our our money, with
our emotions. Secrets can kill trust, can't
they? Whereas transparency strengthens
intimacy. Families, you can create a a
culture of integrity in the home, in the household, by
praising truth telling and your children.
And it was difficult and it was hard for you to tell me the
truth in that moment, but it's it's good, it's right to say you
were wrong and to mean it and and to work together.
Now let's let's enhance it, let's improve that.
Paul knew he had a clear conscience before God and that
was his first offence when these accusations came may be true of
you and I secondly presents a loving concern.
Now we see that in verses 23 of chapter one through to verse 4
of chapter 2. But before I read it was a
pretty long first point, wasn't it?
We'll move through these next two a little more quickly.
I promise. He says verse 23.
Moreover, I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare
you, I came no more to come. So here's the second reason why
he he didn't follow through with the promise to come and visit.
Verse 24. Not that we have dominion over
your faith, but our fellow workers for your joy.
For by faith you stand. But verse one, I determine this
within myself, that I would not come again to you in person in
sorrow. For if I make you sorrowful,
then who is he who makes me glad but the one who has made
sorrowful by me? In other words, I didn't want to
come under the circumstances that I would have come if I'd
visited with you, because it would have been a very tearful,
difficult experience. It goes on.
I wrote this very thing to you, lest when I came, I should have
sorrow over those from whom verse three, I ought to have
joy, having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of
you all. For out of much affliction and
anguish of heart, I wrote to you with many tears.
So I wrote what I wrote, and it was difficult for me to write.
There were tears pouring from me as as these hard words.
And when we started, studied it, weren't they hard?
And there was some serious topics and subject matter that
he had to deal with. And we'll look at a specific one
in a moment. But I didn't want to come to you
under those circumstances. Not that you should be grieved,
verse 4, but that you might know the love which I have so
abundantly for you. So remember this, Paul had
delayed his visit. And so Paul now wants to explain
with a bit more detail why he had delayed his coming and was
firstly because in verse 23 he wanted to spare them to spare
them, spare them the the tone and the spirit with which
physically he would have been present with them under.
You see, he'd written in First Corinthians chapter 4, verses 18
to 21, about some in the congregation who were puffed up
with knowledge who thought they were the ants pans to
paraphrase. And they had been challenging
and questioning again the authority of Paul's apostleship.
And he says this. Now some are puffed up as though
I would not come to you, but I will come to you shortly, if the
Lord will and will know not the speech of them which are puffed
up, but the power. We'll find out if there's any
substance to to who thereof. There's false bravado.
They're they're all saying these big things in my absence, but
let's see what they're like if I'm present.
For the Kingdom of God is not in Word, but in power.
What will you, shall I come unto you with a rod or in love and in
the spirit of meekness? So I don't want to come as a
heavy handed disciplinarian, but if I have to, I will.
But I'd rather not. I'd rather not.
He wasn't here shirking his responsibility as their
spiritual father, but he would prefer not to come to them all
the time. It seemed like Paul's
relationship with Corinth was one where he was coming in all
guns blazing and having to sort out mess.
He says, I don't like doing that all of the time.
The delay was for them to change so that he could come with
joyous love and affection. Any parents here relate with
Paul's heart and that Why does it always seem like I'm having
to tell your kids off? We hate doing that.
And isn't that a point of conflict often between husband
and wife? Why am I always the one who's
made to look like the bad guy? That's Paul's heart here for
them. It's a loving concern.
And 2nd in that flying out from that, he wanted them to grow
spiritually. And so the delay and, and the
response to take Paul's words from his, his letter written in
First Corinthians and to then work through it and apply it and
correct. That's his heart in verse 24.
And then thirdly, he didn't want to come in in, in heaviness
verses one through to 4 of chapter 2.
So what was all of this in reference to?
What's what's he on about? What's he talking about here?
And we'll explain as we get to our last point tonight.
But here in this Paul, he wasn't reactionary.
He was pastoral. He delayed his visit to spare
them, not because he was afraid, but because he was waiting,
hoping, desirous of praying for what?
Repentance in them, an opportunity for joy when he
would visit and for reconciliation, as Paul says in
verse 24 of chapter 1. Not that we Lord it over your
faith, but we work with you for your joy.
And that's a striking statement about leadership and about
spiritual leadership. You know the heart for anyone
over a body of believers here. His heart was grieved to them,
not because of the personal offence, not because of what was
being said about the about him by by members in the group, but
that he loved them. And verse 4 shows that Paul
wrote with many tears in chapter 2 to call them back.
And so he delayed his visit not out of fear, but out of pastoral
care. He didn't want to cause more
pain, but rather create room for repentance and joy.
And in this way, what what Paul patents here for you and I is
the patience and kindness of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is told in John chapter 10 to be the Good Shepherd who
walks with his flock for their joy.
His delays. We read in John Chapter 11 the
very next chapter with Lazarus. Remember he'd he'd been dead for
four days before Jesus came. Wasn't out of neglect on Jesus
part, but out of a purposeful, loving desire for God's glory
and joy to be fulfilled. So in our lives we know it to be
true. This is how it works.
Sometimes we might hold off as parents in an area of
discipline. We're in times past, we know,
no, I, I need to sort that out. I need to handle that directly
and deal with that. But then on another occasion,
it's not indifference, but it's a strategic point of love where
where we're, we're holding off correction in the hope that our
child will self correct having, you know, learnt from the last
time, right. There's, there's different ways
that we handle that. Sometimes the most loving thing
to do is, is to give some space. And, and that's what Paul was
doing here. He wanted to use words to build
up. And sometimes we do that instead
of coming heavy handed all the time.
It's like, man, I feel like I'm constantly just being being
heavy in my tone, in my words. I'm going to try a different
tack here and try and encourage and build up and direct them.
And so, you know, haven't you found that people of every age
need encouragement sometimes more than criticism?
Or it's, it's tactful in the way that we do that.
That's Paul here, that's his heart.
And that's that's a wonderful thing for us to glean and to
learn and to apply in our lives. So there's a loving concern.
And then lastly, A forgiving heart in verses 5 to 11.
But if anyone has caused grief is not grieved me, but all of
you to some extent not to be too severe.
This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is
sufficient for such a man, so that On the contrary, you ought
rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a 1 be
swallowed up with too much sorrow.
Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.
But to this end I also wrote verse 9 that I might put you to
the test whether you are obedient in all things.
Now, whom you forgive anything, I also forgive.
For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that
one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan
should take advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his
devices. What's Paul on about here?
Paul moves now from confrontation to restoration.
What he's addressing is likely the area, the matter of church
discipline that was brought up back in First Corinthians and it
was a pretty heavy issue and matter.
Remember in chapter 5, they had a situation where a man through
his conduct, Paul said you're tolerating his behaviour of a, a
sexual nature that's not even named amongst the pagans and
you're, you're almost celebrating it in the church and
you're boastful of how tolerant you are as a group.
He he told them specifically in chapter 5, you need to get him
out of the church for his benefit and for the benefit of
the body that it not contaminate the church, but that that he
learn the judgement and be given over to the enemy Satan, so that
he comes to his senses. And so it seems that Paul's
words back in One Corinthians chapter 5, that they'd actually
listened and obeyed, that they had kicked this fellow out of
the church. He'd actually been sleeping with
his stepmother. It kicked him out of the church,
and it led to him repenting, turning away from his sin.
But you know what They had done? Instead of welcomed him back
into the church with forgiveness, they continued to
excommunicate him, so to speak. And Paul says don't do that.
If he's repented, let forgiveness flow and allow him
back, and allow him back so that verse 7, he's not swallowed up
with sorrow to the point where the grief just overwhelms him,
where is just constantly a sense of guilt overwhelming and
pressing heavy upon him in such a way.
And then forgive him and welcome him back so that it confirms
your love for him verse 8. And so that then in verse 10,
you can represent Christ's forgiveness that you've received
out to him. And then in verse 11 that you
outsmart Satan as a consequence. For if we left him out, Satan
would have his way and it would be a point where Satan would
take advantage of not only him, but you and think of all of the
damage that could be done as a consequence of that.
So he says, forgive, welcome him back.
Enough is enough. Paul essentially says in verse
6, the punishment worked, it woke him up.
Ecclesiastes 3, verse one to everything there's a season, a
purpose. It served its purpose.
Now welcome him back, restore him under fellowship.
It's time to forgive. It's time to let God's grace
flow. It's time to see him grow and
for that to be worked out in his life.
Warren Weirsby says it clearly. He says this unforgiveness gives
Satan a foothold and Paul knew that the broken fellowship that
was going on here, if it wasn't going to be healed, could become
like a spiritual quicksand for them in the church.
And so he says, forgive that forgiveness flow.
And in that it's a reminder to you and I of, of what Christ
taught and what Christ example that that forgiveness is very
much to be a part of our interactions with one another.
When Jesus was talking about forgiveness, Peter said, Jesus,
how many times should I forgive my brother if he wrongs me?
The common level that the rabbi's were teaching was a good
level of forgiveness was three times.
And Paul said, and Peter said at that point in time, well, I'll
give you another three and I'll raise it.
How about 7 times? Lord thinking he was pretty
good. And Jesus response back to Peter
was what I tell you 70 * 7 Peter.
In other words, inexhaustibly let forgiveness flow, allow
grace to come in. Now Paul's example here in in
light as we close of, of what he has been dealing with, what he's
been addressing with the church at Corinth.
It offers a map for you and I for a life of integrity when
we're in crisis, when we're under fire, whether it be
through false accusations, through verbal things said about
us, whatever the case might be. And it really reinforces this
simple truth about you and I as Christians, and that is this
expect criticism, expect difficulty in that way.
Jesus faced it, Paul faced it, and so will you and I.
And you can be serving the Lord with a right heart, with a, with
a good attitude and, and proper motives.
And you know, you can still be attacked by others who will say
things that hurt, that are lacking in truth, unfounded.
And they might attack your words.
They might attack your, your works, they might attack your
motives. Serving the Lord often brings
hardship. Don't give up and throw in the
towel and that difficulty comes. Three things that Paul did here
will help you keep going. Have a clear conscience.
You can say what you will. You can level what accusations
you want, but I know that that before God, I've conducted
myself in simplicity and godly sincerity.
I've got a clear conscience. None of what you say holds true.
None of what you're thinking is real.
I know who and what I am before God Almighty.
My conscience is clear. And secondly, have a loving
concern, a loving concern. And, and that can be difficult
in light of criticism, can't it? In light of how we're, we're
feeling and, and how our heart and our minds and our emotions
are going. And that's why we need to dig
into God's word. That's why we need the Holy
Spirit to help us. God man you, you know where my
heart's AT and I'm I'm full of hate.
I'm full of anger right now. It hurts what they've said and
what they've done. I give you my heart, help my
heart to be 1 of love and and may that love come from you and
it flows on to the third having a forgiving heart.
And so we need to wait on God in that.
Don't seek revenge. The Bible says God, it says,
vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord.
I'll take care of it, trust me, I'll look after it.
Seek his vindication, but trust him.
With that, let me finish with this story.
The story is told of a judge in a town who had been frequently
ridiculed by a conceited lawyer. And when asked by a friend why
it was that the judge wouldn't rebuke this assailant when again
and again these accusations would be levelled, he replied,
In our town lives a widow who has a dog, and whenever the moon
shines, it goes outside and barks all night at the moon.
Having said that, the judge then moved on, shifting the
conversation to another subject matter.
And finally someone frustrated by the lack of answer asked, But
judge, what about the dog and the moon?
Oh, he replied. The moon went on shining, that's
all. In other words, when you live
with integrity, no matter what people might bark at you shine
like the moon. Psalm 139 verse 23 to 24 Search
me, oh God, and know my heart lead me in the everlasting way.
And so Paul, his character, his integrity, it mattered here
because it mirrored Jesus trustworthiness.
So what it was all about and that's why he he defends
himself. It's not that Paul really was
worried about what they were saying about him, but how it
impacted the gospel. His loving concern mattered
because it mirrored Jesus shepherd heart.
His forgiving spirit mattered because it mirrored Jesus mercy.
It all flows out from verse 19 and 20 of chapter one for the
Son of God. Jesus Christ was not yes and no,
but in Him it is always yes. All the promises of God find
their yes or their Amen in Him. And so when we live in and with
integrity, you know what we're doing?
We're in agreement. We're saying yes to God's truth.
When we show loving concern, we're in agreement.
We're saying yes to God's compassion, and when we forgive,
we're in agreement. We're saying yes to God's mercy.
And so, like the moon in the old judge's story, we shine not, not
because of ourselves, not because of anything within us,
but because listen to this. We reflect the light of the sun,
SON. That's what the moon does.
The moon has no light of its own.
The moon is a reflection of the sun.
SUN you and I, our lives are to what reflect Jesus Christ.
That's what Paul's addressing and writing and that's what his
reminder for you and you and I is.
We're we're to live as Christians lives of integrity
because we reflect Jesus Christ.