1 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:11,320 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 Tonight we'll move into chapter 2 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:15,920 2, just so that you know. So the slides will be up there 3 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,560 and they should just be kind of the main points that I will move 4 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,600 through. So that can just help you Orient 5 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:24,440 yourself. Where is he at? 6 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:25,920 What's he talking about right now? 7 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,680 And then second, you'll notice that we would ordinarily have 8 00:00:32,119 --> 00:00:34,720 the Scripture verses as I'm reading them up on the screen. 9 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:37,480 They're not going to be there anymore. 10 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:43,960 And that's to encourage you to read your own Bible in your lap, 11 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:49,480 whether it be an analogue, version, paper, or digital. 12 00:00:50,160 --> 00:00:53,400 But you need to be immersing yourself in your own Bible and 13 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:56,080 not sort of coming and sitting and just looking at the screen 14 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:58,040 and trusting that. Well, I hope that's the 15 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:01,160 Scripture, but it needs to be something that you're a student 16 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:03,800 and diligently working through yourself. 17 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:06,160 And I think that that many of you are. 18 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:11,120 That's why that you're here the second time on a Sunday to hear 19 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:13,720 God's word taught. And that's what we're here for. 20 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:19,120 We want to hear from the Lord God Almighty through His word as 21 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:23,720 a revelation to us that the Holy Spirit would guide us and teach 22 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:27,440 us through it so that we might live for the glory of God and 23 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:29,680 for the good and benefit of ourselves and others. 24 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,080 And that's really what we're looking at tonight. 25 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:36,840 The title of the message is integrity that reflects Jesus 26 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:40,640 Christ. John F Kennedy in his book 27 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:45,640 Profiles in Courage once wrote great crisis producers, great 28 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:53,160 men and great deeds of courage. And whilst that's true, and 29 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:58,360 whilst crisis does sort of mould us and shape us in many ways, 30 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:00,880 that does not just make a person. 31 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:05,520 Often crisis reveals what's already within a person, the 32 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:07,680 character that we do or don't possess. 33 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:11,520 It's like a cup that when it's agitated or when you shake it, 34 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:16,560 when you tip it, what's revealed is the contents that were inside 35 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:18,400 that cup. And you've probably seen it. 36 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:22,400 You've seen people who encounter crisis, some kind of difficulty 37 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:25,320 in their life and and they explode. 38 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:31,520 Anger comes out or pain and, and it's displayed in frustration, 39 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,400 in perhaps panic or blame of other people. 40 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:36,480 You know, why have you done this? 41 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:38,440 And why is this happening to me? And why now? 42 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:42,400 Whereas others, that same agitation, that same 43 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,680 disturbance, that same crisis can come to them. 44 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:49,560 And there's a response of seeming calmness, a response 45 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:54,800 that almost like a noble character is revealed in the 46 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,720 midst of the circumstance and what's going on and all sorts of 47 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:00,440 accusations maybe that are falsehoods that are levelled 48 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:02,480 against them. And what shines through is 49 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:07,280 integrity, integrity. And that's really before us as a 50 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:10,120 subject matter. You see, Paul the apostle, he is 51 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:12,960 writing here to the church in Corinth in the midst of a 52 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:18,280 personal crisis. He has written to the church 53 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:20,240 here. And there are some within the 54 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:26,440 church who have been attacking Paul's character, saying that 55 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:30,600 he's not dependable, he's fickle, he's unreliable at best, 56 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,560 he's duplicitous at worst. He says one thing and all 57 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,400 together does another. And, and they questioned his 58 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:42,160 integrity, namely the implications behind this were 59 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:46,840 that, well, if you can't trust Paul and his character and his 60 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,160 attributes, then can you trust his message? 61 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,080 That's why Paul goes into defence mode here. 62 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:58,680 And for some of us it might sound a little petty because 63 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:03,000 really it's a question of Paul had said he would make some 64 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,640 travel plans and come to visit them and they didn't quite 65 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:09,200 eventuate how he had said that they might. 66 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:11,760 And so people were levelling that. 67 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:14,040 Well, Paul said he was coming and he hasn't come. 68 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:18,279 And so then they were moving and beyond that attacking his 69 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:20,399 apostleship as a consequence. And we might say, well, it's a 70 00:04:20,399 --> 00:04:24,240 bit petty of them. Is that really they're taking an 71 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,720 issue over that with him. But it, it went to the heart of 72 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:30,640 this. You see, if, if Paul could not 73 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:35,760 be trusted to do what he said or what he would promise, how could 74 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:40,960 his message be trusted? It led to his apostleship being 75 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:44,160 in question. And then therefore the message 76 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:47,640 of the gospel. If people couldn't trust Paul 77 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:52,160 the messenger, they would reject Christ, the message. 78 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,280 That's what sits underneath all of this and why it's important. 79 00:04:55,280 --> 00:04:57,160 You see, it was a matter of, you know, if you don't trust the 80 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:00,400 personality, then you won't trust the preaching of the 81 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,560 fellow. And that's really why Paul goes 82 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:04,200 into this, as I say, defence mode. 83 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:08,040 It's not for ego's sake, but it's about the gospel. 84 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:13,720 Now just like Paul, if we were to put our hands up and say, 85 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:19,320 have you ever been misunderstood or attacked, especially while 86 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:23,200 serving the Lord, I think a lot of our hands would go on up. 87 00:05:24,280 --> 00:05:25,840 Don't you love to be misunderstood? 88 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:31,400 Now that's my favourite. Last time we talked about 89 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:34,280 suffering and we talked about how it is that we're comforted 90 00:05:34,280 --> 00:05:37,600 by God and in light of that we're to flow on out with the 91 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:40,440 comfort that we've been given by God on into others. 92 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:44,160 They had been attacking Paul's apostleship, suggesting that if 93 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:47,160 he truly was one, then he wouldn't be suffering like he 94 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:49,880 is, even to the point of death. And he addressed that for us as 95 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,640 we studied it. But another aspect of suffering 96 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:56,080 is what we look at tonight, and that is when we verbally suffer, 97 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,080 when we're maligned, when our character is attacked. 98 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:05,440 And haven't you found that often verbal wounds are more painful 99 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:09,640 than physical ones? The old adage, you know, that 100 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:13,320 kids would say or that well meaning adults towards kids say 101 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:18,200 sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt 102 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:20,640 me. But they do, don't they? 103 00:06:21,280 --> 00:06:27,040 In fact, those words cause internal bleeding of the kind 104 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:29,880 that goes on for years and years and years. 105 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:34,600 Ask the employee that gets daily berated by his or her boss in 106 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:38,880 front of their Co workers. Ask the wife or the husband that 107 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:43,520 deals with this daily. Ask the child who gets this 108 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:48,640 dished up with every meal. We've all, I think, experienced 109 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,640 attacks against maybe our actions, what we haven't done, 110 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:57,040 or our words, what we haven't said or our motives, what we 111 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,360 didn't mean. And this is what Paul now faces 112 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:06,080 with the Corinthian church. So how do you deal with false 113 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:10,200 accusations? Some might plant the flag of 114 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,240 passivity and just take it and, well, you know, that's my lot in 115 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:18,560 life and become a little virtual Eeyore moping around with the 116 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,840 cloud, you know, remember Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh and just a 117 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:25,200 little woe is me sort of despondent attitude and response 118 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,400 to everything. Whereas others plant the flag of 119 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:31,640 aggression and lash out. How dare you say that about me? 120 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:36,080 And it's on How do we respond when we're misunderstood, when 121 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:40,160 we're misrepresented, when our character is maligned? 122 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:44,760 What do we need to stand against malicious slander? 123 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:49,200 So what this passage, when we read it in a moment will reveal 124 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:54,400 is that integrity is not just about us, it's about you and I 125 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:59,080 accurately reflecting the faithful, trustworthy character 126 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:02,560 of Jesus. And again, that's what is at the 127 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:04,680 heart of Paul. His character is attacked, but 128 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:09,400 it goes beyond that to an attack against Jesus Christ in the 129 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,800 message of the gospel. And so the answer to how do you 130 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:14,320 deal with it? How do you cope with it? 131 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:18,560 There are some spiritual resources that Paul presents for 132 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:21,280 us that we'll pull out of our texts and the responses in three 133 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:23,600 parts. Three things that Paul had that 134 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,640 you and I can have when we are maligned. 135 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:29,600 And if you haven't been, it's just probably because you were 136 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:33,120 born yesterday and you haven't lived long enough on the planet, 137 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:36,840 you will be maligned. There will be things said and 138 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:40,240 accused against you that aren't true, and you'll need to know 139 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:43,280 how to deal with that. Three things Paul had was a 140 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:46,720 clear conscience, a loving concern, and a forgiving heart. 141 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:51,600 Let's read from verse 12 of chapter 1 again. 142 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:58,520 I'm reading from the New King James Version for our boasting. 143 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:02,880 Is this the testimony of our conscience that we conducted 144 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:07,160 ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, 145 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:12,000 not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God and more 146 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:16,160 abundantly toward you? For we are not writing any other 147 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:20,040 things to you than what you read or understand now I trust you 148 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:24,080 will understand even to the end, as also you have understood us 149 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:27,960 in part, that we are your boast, as you also are ours in the day 150 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:31,640 of the Lord Jesus. And in this confidence I 151 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:34,680 intended to come to you before that you might have a second 152 00:09:34,680 --> 00:09:38,880 benefit to pass by way of you to Macedonia, to come again from 153 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:42,720 Macedonia to you and be helped by you on my way to Judea. 154 00:09:43,680 --> 00:09:46,720 Therefore, verse 17, when I was planning this, did I do it 155 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:49,800 lightly? All the things I plan, do I plan 156 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:54,440 according to the flesh that with me there should be yes, yes and 157 00:09:54,440 --> 00:10:00,280 no, no, but as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and 158 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:02,880 no. For the Son of God, Jesus 159 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:05,720 Christ, who has preached among you by us, by me, Sylvanus and 160 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:08,920 Timothy was not yes and no, but in him was yes. 161 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:13,480 For all the promises of God in him are yes, and in him Amen to 162 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:16,080 the glory of God through US. Verse 21. 163 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:19,920 Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed 164 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:25,680 us is God who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our 165 00:10:25,680 --> 00:10:30,040 hearts as a guarantee. Now if you didn't understand any 166 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:33,160 of that, let's explain it, let's go through it. 167 00:10:34,560 --> 00:10:36,400 How should we respond to criticism? 168 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:40,120 You know, the verbal attacks that people bring against us, 169 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:45,280 the the verbal crisis. There's a saying, blessed is the 170 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:49,360 man or the woman who has nothing to hide. 171 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:55,080 Quite simply, it's easy to defend yourself when your 172 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:59,960 conscience is clear. This is Paul's first defence 173 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:04,480 Paul here begins his defence. Those accusations false that 174 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:07,920 were levelled against him by appealing not to popularity. 175 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:12,680 Now you guys know me, I'm Paul, you know, and and we're tired 176 00:11:12,680 --> 00:11:15,960 and and not to the results and you guys know and you've seen 177 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:18,200 the work that I've accomplished here and how the church has 178 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:20,480 grown. None of that but to conscience 179 00:11:20,560 --> 00:11:23,760 was his first appeal. Paul says for our boast is this 180 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:28,200 verse 12 the testimony, the witness of our conscience. 181 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:33,240 That's integrity, that's character and it's character 182 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,440 that is under the scrutiny of God Almighty. 183 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:40,120 That's that's who his conscience is clear before and it flows on 184 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:42,040 out to others. And there's three ways that he 185 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:45,280 presents that his conscience is clear in his character. 186 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:50,520 Verse 12, he says we're we're marked by simplicity and that 187 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:54,440 doesn't mean that he was absent of intellect, that he was a few 188 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:58,320 screws loose upstairs and, you know, a couple of slices short 189 00:11:58,320 --> 00:11:59,880 of a loaf. That's not what he means by 190 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:02,160 being simple in this regard here. 191 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:07,360 What it means is that I was singularly minded in my devotion 192 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:11,200 to glorify God. That's where my heart's at. 193 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:12,760 That's why I was doing what I was doing. 194 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,520 In other words, he says everything I did was simply 195 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:19,880 seeking to be done to and for the glory of God. 196 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:24,880 There's no hidden motives with me, nothing about what I did. 197 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:28,640 There was no hidden agenda, nothing duplicitous in the way 198 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:32,160 that I came before you. And then he builds on that and 199 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:35,760 says that my character was marked by godly sincerity. 200 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:40,360 Literally, that means this. Judged by the light of the sun, 201 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:45,120 Paul invites divine inspection here. 202 00:12:45,680 --> 00:12:48,560 There's no hidden agenda again in in what I did, in what I 203 00:12:48,560 --> 00:12:50,280 said, and how I presented myself. 204 00:12:50,680 --> 00:12:52,840 Godly sincerity is what I'm all about. 205 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:56,000 Literally. It's judged by the sun, SON. 206 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:59,760 And there's a play on words here that Paul is using in his 207 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:02,400 presentation of the word sincerity. 208 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:04,720 And with the preface, godly before that. 209 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:08,120 You see, I think we've explained it numerous times from the 210 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:12,680 pulpit here of what the word sincere was in Greek back then. 211 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:17,600 It was in reference to those that were artists or were 212 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:20,760 sculptors. And when they would craft a 213 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,600 statue or when they would build an implement, if they made a 214 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:27,360 mistake and it was just a a little one, then they would 215 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:30,560 often if it was made out of clay, they would utilise wax 216 00:13:30,560 --> 00:13:33,440 that had been melted down. And and like a putty they would 217 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:36,960 mark over that that Fisher or that area where they chiselled 218 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:38,600 something off that they shouldn't have. 219 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:42,880 And then that would be sold on. But it wouldn't be marked as 220 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:46,680 sincere as a consequence, because literally sincere means 221 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:49,680 without wax. And so if something was sold 222 00:13:49,680 --> 00:13:52,440 that was said to be sincere, it meant that it could be held up 223 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:57,080 to the light of the sun, SUN and be found to be without wax. 224 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:02,920 Nothing inferior within it, nothing duplicitous in nature, 225 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:06,320 but singular, all made of that same substance. 226 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:09,320 And, and this, you know, wonderful masterpiece of this 227 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:11,960 creation. So that was a common practise 228 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,200 back then. And so Paul says this and it's a 229 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:17,280 pretty bold claim and it's something that I would hesitate 230 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:21,400 to suggest about myself. And maybe you're of the same 231 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:27,120 that is this Paul said, you can hold my life, you can hold my 232 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:30,320 motives, you can hold my character up to the light of the 233 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:36,040 SON, the sun, and find that there's godly sincerity, nothing 234 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:39,600 duplicitous about me, what I did, what I said, how I 235 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:41,960 conducted myself, and how I continue to do so. 236 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:46,840 Can you make that statement? Can you make that claim? 237 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,440 Hey, you've levelled accusations or challenges against me. 238 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:54,680 You can hold my life up to the sun, Jesus Christ. 239 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:56,920 And my conscience is clear there. 240 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:00,200 There is a godly sincerity to the way that I've conducted 241 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:01,440 myself. That's integrity. 242 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:07,480 It's a strong statement. Paul lived in simplicity and 243 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:11,680 godly sincerity because his life was rooted in Christ, the one in 244 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:15,160 whom there is no duplicity. And he builds on this with his 245 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:17,480 conduct. He mentions that in verse 12 246 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:23,320 that the way that I lived was consistent both in the world and 247 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:27,560 in the church and and the way that I delivered was it was 248 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:30,360 grounded not in cleverness, but in the grace of God. 249 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:34,760 That's what's wrapped up when he says in verse 12 in the second 250 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:38,160 part that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and 251 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:41,640 godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace 252 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:43,400 of God and more abundantly towards you. 253 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:46,760 In fact, there was even more that was present and evident in 254 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:51,040 my interactions with you people. And then he builds and talks 255 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:54,000 about his words, his communication in verses 13 and 256 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:57,080 14. What I wrote, what I said, 257 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:02,400 there's no double meanings. There's no cryptic messages to 258 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,040 it. What I wrote is what I meant. 259 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:10,520 He said Paul's writings. He says here in verse 14 what 260 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:12,640 you read. And Paul's words acknowledge 261 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:16,760 they had no hidden meanings and it brought about a a mutual 262 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:18,760 rejoicing as a consequence of that. 263 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:22,120 You see, some were saying in light of what Paul had had 264 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,080 promised with the the journey and so on. 265 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:28,200 Oh, really, Paul, you say you've got a clear conscience, do you? 266 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:32,080 Well, what about your supposed plans to come and visit us? 267 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:37,200 You promised and yet. And yet it seems you broke it. 268 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:40,920 Where's your simplicity and sincerity now, Paul? 269 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:44,880 And again, if you can't trust a man to keep his promise, how can 270 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:48,760 you trust him to be an apostle? So let's look at how Paul 271 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:54,000 answers this. And if you turn left with me in 272 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:58,000 your Bible or just flick swipe in your digital Bible to 1 273 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:02,720 Corinthians chapter 16, verses 5 to 7, you'll see Paul's actual 274 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:04,960 promise that they're referring to. 275 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:11,440 In one Corinthians chapter 16, verse five, he says this. 276 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:17,599 Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia, for I am 277 00:17:17,599 --> 00:17:23,079 passing through Macedonia, and it may be that I will remain or 278 00:17:23,079 --> 00:17:26,839 even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my 279 00:17:26,839 --> 00:17:31,720 journey wherever I go. For I do not wish to see you now 280 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:35,800 on the way, but I hope to stay a while with you if the Lord 281 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:38,560 permits. Now notice something about what 282 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:40,080 he said there. You can turn back to 2nd 283 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:43,720 Corinthians. He uses certain phrases in his 284 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:45,720 declaration of what he intends to do. 285 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:53,400 He says it may be, he says, I hope, he says if the Lord 286 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:55,440 permits. Did you catch that in his 287 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:59,920 promise to them? So now his response is in what 288 00:17:59,920 --> 00:18:04,120 we read already from verses 15 to 22, he says I'm not a yes or 289 00:18:04,120 --> 00:18:07,880 no man. It's not that I said yes, I'm 290 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:10,440 going to do this and then no, I didn't deliver. 291 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:13,960 But what you need to understand, Paul, and I'm paraphrasing here 292 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:17,720 for you now, is Paul is saying you need to see my heart and you 293 00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:20,640 need to see God's hand at work in this matter. 294 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:25,360 He says I had intended to come and visit you just as I said in 295 00:18:25,360 --> 00:18:28,080 my letter, if I may, if God permits. 296 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:32,320 But know this, I am also guided by God. 297 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:36,200 I'm open to the sovereign direction and leading of the 298 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:38,840 Lord. And then he, he appeals to the 299 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:43,080 fact that he teaches about Jesus the Christ who is not a yes and 300 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:47,520 no God, and that he is yes, rather and Amen. 301 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,600 Or so be it. When Jesus says something, it's 302 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:53,280 as good as done. And so in other words, Paul's 303 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:57,880 argument in this is how can I teach the message of Jesus 304 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:02,360 Christ and I as the messenger, not be impacted by it to be 305 00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:07,640 accordingly, He says, even building on that verse 22, I, I 306 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:12,440 even have the Holy Spirit residing in me and verse 23, God 307 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:17,160 is my witness in all of this. And so here really what what 308 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:22,600 he's summation is this you can accuse me all that you want, but 309 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:27,800 my conscience is clear before God in my life. 310 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,800 Paul says there's no hidden motives in his words. 311 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,840 There's there's no hidden meanings in what I say. 312 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:40,160 And really it's such a a bold claim and statement by Paul 313 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:43,840 here, but is one that immediately presents as a 314 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:47,200 wonderful defence of that accusation as false as it was 315 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:51,360 against his integrity and his character and begs the question, 316 00:19:51,360 --> 00:19:54,640 how about you? How about how about I about us 317 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:58,360 as a church body corporately? Do we live lives of integrity? 318 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:02,280 The word integrity comes from the word integer. 319 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:05,840 Maybe you've heard of that. And for those of you that are 320 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:09,680 mathematically oriented, you know it to be as a whole number. 321 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:15,240 Undivided. Integrity means being the same 322 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:20,920 then undivided, whether it be in public or in private. 323 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:26,880 Who you are is who you are. There's a wonderful story about 324 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:28,960 Billy Graham. You know him, he's known 325 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:31,360 globally. And there's a famous simple 326 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,840 statement that he made when once he was asked about what it was 327 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:41,680 that he feared the most. His answer was this, that I 328 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:49,040 might do something to bring dishonour to the Lord. 2018 329 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:53,680 Barnard study found that 85% of Gen Z believe hypocrisy in 330 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:57,080 Christians is a major reason that they distrust Christianity. 331 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,480 Why? Because integrity matters. 332 00:21:02,120 --> 00:21:04,120 So how do we keep a a clear conscience? 333 00:21:04,120 --> 00:21:06,240 We've seen the importance of it in Paul's life. 334 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:09,280 We've seen the importance of it in in others estimation. 335 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:13,080 But how can we have that sink in to be a part and component and 336 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:16,480 aspect of our lives? Those with a clear conscience 337 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:18,560 live in light of Christ's return. 338 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:20,880 Verse 14. So the fact that Jesus is 339 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:24,760 returning soon and that the Lord's day is is is is is very 340 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:28,920 imminent is a reminder for you and I to function and act in in 341 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:32,520 accordance with that, that well, the the time is short. 342 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:36,920 My days need to be focused upon living life right before God 343 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:38,720 because he can return any moment. 344 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:42,280 Verse 14. Those with a clear conscience 345 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:44,560 live to glorify Jesus. Verse 20. 346 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:48,840 It's all about the glory of God. And then those with a clear 347 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:52,040 conscience live in step with the Holy Spirit, verse 22. 348 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:57,360 That's how we do it. So practically, what might that 349 00:21:57,360 --> 00:22:04,080 look like for you this week? Students, school age, You might 350 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:10,760 be at school, friends gossiping about others or some cheating, 351 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:13,840 going on an assessment, you know, the panic buttons hit and 352 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:16,560 they're freaking out about, Oh no, how am I going to pass this 353 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:19,440 and so on. You can be in that moment 354 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:25,200 choosing to be the same person when no one's watching, when 355 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:28,640 that that temptation to be something altogether different 356 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:32,320 is there. Integrity is about trust and 357 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:36,040 about character in the marriage relationship. 358 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:42,760 It's about being honest with our time, with our our money, with 359 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:46,160 our emotions. Secrets can kill trust, can't 360 00:22:46,160 --> 00:22:51,720 they? Whereas transparency strengthens 361 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:57,080 intimacy. Families, you can create a a 362 00:22:57,080 --> 00:23:01,520 culture of integrity in the home, in the household, by 363 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:04,680 praising truth telling and your children. 364 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:07,480 And it was difficult and it was hard for you to tell me the 365 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:12,960 truth in that moment, but it's it's good, it's right to say you 366 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:15,840 were wrong and to mean it and and to work together. 367 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:18,720 Now let's let's enhance it, let's improve that. 368 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:23,640 Paul knew he had a clear conscience before God and that 369 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:27,480 was his first offence when these accusations came may be true of 370 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:32,800 you and I secondly presents a loving concern. 371 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:37,400 Now we see that in verses 23 of chapter one through to verse 4 372 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:41,320 of chapter 2. But before I read it was a 373 00:23:41,320 --> 00:23:43,280 pretty long first point, wasn't it? 374 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:46,800 We'll move through these next two a little more quickly. 375 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:50,520 I promise. He says verse 23. 376 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:54,960 Moreover, I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare 377 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:58,760 you, I came no more to come. So here's the second reason why 378 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:01,480 he he didn't follow through with the promise to come and visit. 379 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:04,880 Verse 24. Not that we have dominion over 380 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:07,320 your faith, but our fellow workers for your joy. 381 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:12,040 For by faith you stand. But verse one, I determine this 382 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:17,040 within myself, that I would not come again to you in person in 383 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:20,440 sorrow. For if I make you sorrowful, 384 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:23,880 then who is he who makes me glad but the one who has made 385 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:26,360 sorrowful by me? In other words, I didn't want to 386 00:24:26,360 --> 00:24:29,240 come under the circumstances that I would have come if I'd 387 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:33,120 visited with you, because it would have been a very tearful, 388 00:24:33,120 --> 00:24:35,920 difficult experience. It goes on. 389 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:40,400 I wrote this very thing to you, lest when I came, I should have 390 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:43,600 sorrow over those from whom verse three, I ought to have 391 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:47,440 joy, having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of 392 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:50,080 you all. For out of much affliction and 393 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:52,560 anguish of heart, I wrote to you with many tears. 394 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:55,960 So I wrote what I wrote, and it was difficult for me to write. 395 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:58,840 There were tears pouring from me as as these hard words. 396 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:00,880 And when we started, studied it, weren't they hard? 397 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:04,880 And there was some serious topics and subject matter that 398 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:07,400 he had to deal with. And we'll look at a specific one 399 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:11,440 in a moment. But I didn't want to come to you 400 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:14,560 under those circumstances. Not that you should be grieved, 401 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:17,920 verse 4, but that you might know the love which I have so 402 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:23,640 abundantly for you. So remember this, Paul had 403 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:28,440 delayed his visit. And so Paul now wants to explain 404 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:33,320 with a bit more detail why he had delayed his coming and was 405 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:37,080 firstly because in verse 23 he wanted to spare them to spare 406 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:40,840 them, spare them the the tone and the spirit with which 407 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:43,680 physically he would have been present with them under. 408 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:48,120 You see, he'd written in First Corinthians chapter 4, verses 18 409 00:25:48,120 --> 00:25:51,800 to 21, about some in the congregation who were puffed up 410 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:53,920 with knowledge who thought they were the ants pans to 411 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:56,520 paraphrase. And they had been challenging 412 00:25:56,520 --> 00:26:00,720 and questioning again the authority of Paul's apostleship. 413 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:03,440 And he says this. Now some are puffed up as though 414 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:06,560 I would not come to you, but I will come to you shortly, if the 415 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:09,880 Lord will and will know not the speech of them which are puffed 416 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:12,000 up, but the power. We'll find out if there's any 417 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:15,000 substance to to who thereof. There's false bravado. 418 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,840 They're they're all saying these big things in my absence, but 419 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:19,600 let's see what they're like if I'm present. 420 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:22,800 For the Kingdom of God is not in Word, but in power. 421 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:28,080 What will you, shall I come unto you with a rod or in love and in 422 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:31,520 the spirit of meekness? So I don't want to come as a 423 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:34,000 heavy handed disciplinarian, but if I have to, I will. 424 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:36,520 But I'd rather not. I'd rather not. 425 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:40,600 He wasn't here shirking his responsibility as their 426 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:44,040 spiritual father, but he would prefer not to come to them all 427 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:45,640 the time. It seemed like Paul's 428 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:48,920 relationship with Corinth was one where he was coming in all 429 00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:51,560 guns blazing and having to sort out mess. 430 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:54,960 He says, I don't like doing that all of the time. 431 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:02,040 The delay was for them to change so that he could come with 432 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:07,160 joyous love and affection. Any parents here relate with 433 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:10,080 Paul's heart and that Why does it always seem like I'm having 434 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:13,640 to tell your kids off? We hate doing that. 435 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:19,720 And isn't that a point of conflict often between husband 436 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:21,200 and wife? Why am I always the one who's 437 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:28,000 made to look like the bad guy? That's Paul's heart here for 438 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:29,600 them. It's a loving concern. 439 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:34,560 And 2nd in that flying out from that, he wanted them to grow 440 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:38,040 spiritually. And so the delay and, and the 441 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:41,600 response to take Paul's words from his, his letter written in 442 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:46,040 First Corinthians and to then work through it and apply it and 443 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:48,720 correct. That's his heart in verse 24. 444 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:52,280 And then thirdly, he didn't want to come in in, in heaviness 445 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:54,120 verses one through to 4 of chapter 2. 446 00:27:54,120 --> 00:27:57,680 So what was all of this in reference to? 447 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:00,000 What's what's he on about? What's he talking about here? 448 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:04,040 And we'll explain as we get to our last point tonight. 449 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:08,000 But here in this Paul, he wasn't reactionary. 450 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:13,320 He was pastoral. He delayed his visit to spare 451 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:17,360 them, not because he was afraid, but because he was waiting, 452 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:21,840 hoping, desirous of praying for what? 453 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:28,480 Repentance in them, an opportunity for joy when he 454 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:31,920 would visit and for reconciliation, as Paul says in 455 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:36,800 verse 24 of chapter 1. Not that we Lord it over your 456 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:39,560 faith, but we work with you for your joy. 457 00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:44,880 And that's a striking statement about leadership and about 458 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:47,880 spiritual leadership. You know the heart for anyone 459 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:51,880 over a body of believers here. His heart was grieved to them, 460 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:55,760 not because of the personal offence, not because of what was 461 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:59,600 being said about the about him by by members in the group, but 462 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:03,080 that he loved them. And verse 4 shows that Paul 463 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:07,040 wrote with many tears in chapter 2 to call them back. 464 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:11,480 And so he delayed his visit not out of fear, but out of pastoral 465 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:13,880 care. He didn't want to cause more 466 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:17,040 pain, but rather create room for repentance and joy. 467 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:22,760 And in this way, what what Paul patents here for you and I is 468 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:26,720 the patience and kindness of Jesus Christ. 469 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:34,560 Jesus is told in John chapter 10 to be the Good Shepherd who 470 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:37,160 walks with his flock for their joy. 471 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:42,920 His delays. We read in John Chapter 11 the 472 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:48,280 very next chapter with Lazarus. Remember he'd he'd been dead for 473 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:52,560 four days before Jesus came. Wasn't out of neglect on Jesus 474 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:58,520 part, but out of a purposeful, loving desire for God's glory 475 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:04,520 and joy to be fulfilled. So in our lives we know it to be 476 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:05,880 true. This is how it works. 477 00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:12,600 Sometimes we might hold off as parents in an area of 478 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:15,480 discipline. We're in times past, we know, 479 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:19,160 no, I, I need to sort that out. I need to handle that directly 480 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:22,080 and deal with that. But then on another occasion, 481 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:25,160 it's not indifference, but it's a strategic point of love where 482 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:28,800 where we're, we're holding off correction in the hope that our 483 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:31,520 child will self correct having, you know, learnt from the last 484 00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:34,280 time, right. There's, there's different ways 485 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:37,680 that we handle that. Sometimes the most loving thing 486 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:40,720 to do is, is to give some space. And, and that's what Paul was 487 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:44,480 doing here. He wanted to use words to build 488 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:46,960 up. And sometimes we do that instead 489 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:48,800 of coming heavy handed all the time. 490 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:52,880 It's like, man, I feel like I'm constantly just being being 491 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:55,520 heavy in my tone, in my words. I'm going to try a different 492 00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:58,600 tack here and try and encourage and build up and direct them. 493 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:01,920 And so, you know, haven't you found that people of every age 494 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:05,840 need encouragement sometimes more than criticism? 495 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:08,120 Or it's, it's tactful in the way that we do that. 496 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:09,880 That's Paul here, that's his heart. 497 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:13,280 And that's that's a wonderful thing for us to glean and to 498 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:19,360 learn and to apply in our lives. So there's a loving concern. 499 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:24,080 And then lastly, A forgiving heart in verses 5 to 11. 500 00:31:27,280 --> 00:31:31,080 But if anyone has caused grief is not grieved me, but all of 501 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:34,560 you to some extent not to be too severe. 502 00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:38,280 This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is 503 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:42,520 sufficient for such a man, so that On the contrary, you ought 504 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:45,840 rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a 1 be 505 00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:47,560 swallowed up with too much sorrow. 506 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:51,680 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 507 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:56,480 But to this end I also wrote verse 9 that I might put you to 508 00:31:56,480 --> 00:31:59,720 the test whether you are obedient in all things. 509 00:32:00,560 --> 00:32:03,400 Now, whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. 510 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:06,840 For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that 511 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:10,240 one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan 512 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:13,400 should take advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his 513 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:16,240 devices. What's Paul on about here? 514 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:21,040 Paul moves now from confrontation to restoration. 515 00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:28,080 What he's addressing is likely the area, the matter of church 516 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:32,000 discipline that was brought up back in First Corinthians and it 517 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:34,720 was a pretty heavy issue and matter. 518 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:43,040 Remember in chapter 5, they had a situation where a man through 519 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:47,520 his conduct, Paul said you're tolerating his behaviour of a, a 520 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:50,720 sexual nature that's not even named amongst the pagans and 521 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:53,440 you're, you're almost celebrating it in the church and 522 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:55,920 you're boastful of how tolerant you are as a group. 523 00:32:56,240 --> 00:33:00,920 He he told them specifically in chapter 5, you need to get him 524 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:05,400 out of the church for his benefit and for the benefit of 525 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:08,640 the body that it not contaminate the church, but that that he 526 00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:13,720 learn the judgement and be given over to the enemy Satan, so that 527 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:19,880 he comes to his senses. And so it seems that Paul's 528 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:23,640 words back in One Corinthians chapter 5, that they'd actually 529 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:28,200 listened and obeyed, that they had kicked this fellow out of 530 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:30,320 the church. He'd actually been sleeping with 531 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:34,360 his stepmother. It kicked him out of the church, 532 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:41,840 and it led to him repenting, turning away from his sin. 533 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:46,120 But you know what They had done? Instead of welcomed him back 534 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:49,720 into the church with forgiveness, they continued to 535 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:53,040 excommunicate him, so to speak. And Paul says don't do that. 536 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:59,840 If he's repented, let forgiveness flow and allow him 537 00:33:59,840 --> 00:34:04,760 back, and allow him back so that verse 7, he's not swallowed up 538 00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:07,840 with sorrow to the point where the grief just overwhelms him, 539 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:12,120 where is just constantly a sense of guilt overwhelming and 540 00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:14,440 pressing heavy upon him in such a way. 541 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:19,639 And then forgive him and welcome him back so that it confirms 542 00:34:19,639 --> 00:34:24,920 your love for him verse 8. And so that then in verse 10, 543 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:28,400 you can represent Christ's forgiveness that you've received 544 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:33,360 out to him. And then in verse 11 that you 545 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:38,239 outsmart Satan as a consequence. For if we left him out, Satan 546 00:34:38,239 --> 00:34:40,920 would have his way and it would be a point where Satan would 547 00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:45,440 take advantage of not only him, but you and think of all of the 548 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:48,000 damage that could be done as a consequence of that. 549 00:34:49,760 --> 00:34:52,760 So he says, forgive, welcome him back. 550 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:57,000 Enough is enough. Paul essentially says in verse 551 00:34:57,000 --> 00:35:00,920 6, the punishment worked, it woke him up. 552 00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:05,760 Ecclesiastes 3, verse one to everything there's a season, a 553 00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:07,600 purpose. It served its purpose. 554 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:10,640 Now welcome him back, restore him under fellowship. 555 00:35:11,080 --> 00:35:13,880 It's time to forgive. It's time to let God's grace 556 00:35:13,880 --> 00:35:17,240 flow. It's time to see him grow and 557 00:35:17,240 --> 00:35:19,680 for that to be worked out in his life. 558 00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:25,960 Warren Weirsby says it clearly. He says this unforgiveness gives 559 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:31,520 Satan a foothold and Paul knew that the broken fellowship that 560 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:34,600 was going on here, if it wasn't going to be healed, could become 561 00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:37,240 like a spiritual quicksand for them in the church. 562 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:41,160 And so he says, forgive that forgiveness flow. 563 00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:45,360 And in that it's a reminder to you and I of, of what Christ 564 00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:48,520 taught and what Christ example that that forgiveness is very 565 00:35:48,520 --> 00:35:51,920 much to be a part of our interactions with one another. 566 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:57,200 When Jesus was talking about forgiveness, Peter said, Jesus, 567 00:35:57,200 --> 00:35:59,920 how many times should I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? 568 00:36:01,240 --> 00:36:04,600 The common level that the rabbi's were teaching was a good 569 00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:06,240 level of forgiveness was three times. 570 00:36:06,240 --> 00:36:09,920 And Paul said, and Peter said at that point in time, well, I'll 571 00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:11,720 give you another three and I'll raise it. 572 00:36:11,720 --> 00:36:14,760 How about 7 times? Lord thinking he was pretty 573 00:36:14,760 --> 00:36:18,280 good. And Jesus response back to Peter 574 00:36:18,280 --> 00:36:22,640 was what I tell you 70 * 7 Peter. 575 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:28,600 In other words, inexhaustibly let forgiveness flow, allow 576 00:36:28,800 --> 00:36:36,080 grace to come in. Now Paul's example here in in 577 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:39,400 light as we close of, of what he has been dealing with, what he's 578 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:41,800 been addressing with the church at Corinth. 579 00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:48,400 It offers a map for you and I for a life of integrity when 580 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:53,640 we're in crisis, when we're under fire, whether it be 581 00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:56,960 through false accusations, through verbal things said about 582 00:36:56,960 --> 00:37:01,720 us, whatever the case might be. And it really reinforces this 583 00:37:01,720 --> 00:37:05,560 simple truth about you and I as Christians, and that is this 584 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:10,800 expect criticism, expect difficulty in that way. 585 00:37:10,800 --> 00:37:17,080 Jesus faced it, Paul faced it, and so will you and I. 586 00:37:18,120 --> 00:37:23,080 And you can be serving the Lord with a right heart, with a, with 587 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:25,760 a good attitude and, and proper motives. 588 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:30,640 And you know, you can still be attacked by others who will say 589 00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:38,720 things that hurt, that are lacking in truth, unfounded. 590 00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:41,720 And they might attack your words. 591 00:37:41,720 --> 00:37:44,720 They might attack your, your works, they might attack your 592 00:37:44,720 --> 00:37:47,960 motives. Serving the Lord often brings 593 00:37:47,960 --> 00:37:52,560 hardship. Don't give up and throw in the 594 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:56,360 towel and that difficulty comes. Three things that Paul did here 595 00:37:56,360 --> 00:38:00,360 will help you keep going. Have a clear conscience. 596 00:38:01,080 --> 00:38:04,440 You can say what you will. You can level what accusations 597 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:08,000 you want, but I know that that before God, I've conducted 598 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:10,280 myself in simplicity and godly sincerity. 599 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:14,480 I've got a clear conscience. None of what you say holds true. 600 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:18,480 None of what you're thinking is real. 601 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:24,600 I know who and what I am before God Almighty. 602 00:38:25,480 --> 00:38:30,200 My conscience is clear. And secondly, have a loving 603 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:34,240 concern, a loving concern. And, and that can be difficult 604 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:38,520 in light of criticism, can't it? In light of how we're, we're 605 00:38:38,520 --> 00:38:41,840 feeling and, and how our heart and our minds and our emotions 606 00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:43,520 are going. And that's why we need to dig 607 00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:46,520 into God's word. That's why we need the Holy 608 00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:51,120 Spirit to help us. God man you, you know where my 609 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:52,800 heart's AT and I'm I'm full of hate. 610 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:55,560 I'm full of anger right now. It hurts what they've said and 611 00:38:55,560 --> 00:38:59,520 what they've done. I give you my heart, help my 612 00:38:59,520 --> 00:39:03,440 heart to be 1 of love and and may that love come from you and 613 00:39:06,720 --> 00:39:09,200 it flows on to the third having a forgiving heart. 614 00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:13,360 And so we need to wait on God in that. 615 00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:17,560 Don't seek revenge. The Bible says God, it says, 616 00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:19,920 vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord. 617 00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:22,520 I'll take care of it, trust me, I'll look after it. 618 00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:24,880 Seek his vindication, but trust him. 619 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:26,600 With that, let me finish with this story. 620 00:39:26,600 --> 00:39:31,840 The story is told of a judge in a town who had been frequently 621 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:37,360 ridiculed by a conceited lawyer. And when asked by a friend why 622 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:40,720 it was that the judge wouldn't rebuke this assailant when again 623 00:39:40,720 --> 00:39:43,320 and again these accusations would be levelled, he replied, 624 00:39:44,440 --> 00:39:48,920 In our town lives a widow who has a dog, and whenever the moon 625 00:39:48,920 --> 00:39:53,800 shines, it goes outside and barks all night at the moon. 626 00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:57,480 Having said that, the judge then moved on, shifting the 627 00:39:57,480 --> 00:39:59,560 conversation to another subject matter. 628 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:03,680 And finally someone frustrated by the lack of answer asked, But 629 00:40:03,680 --> 00:40:05,320 judge, what about the dog and the moon? 630 00:40:06,520 --> 00:40:10,600 Oh, he replied. The moon went on shining, that's 631 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:14,000 all. In other words, when you live 632 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:22,280 with integrity, no matter what people might bark at you shine 633 00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:28,360 like the moon. Psalm 139 verse 23 to 24 Search 634 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:34,000 me, oh God, and know my heart lead me in the everlasting way. 635 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:38,240 And so Paul, his character, his integrity, it mattered here 636 00:40:38,240 --> 00:40:41,720 because it mirrored Jesus trustworthiness. 637 00:40:42,680 --> 00:40:44,840 So what it was all about and that's why he he defends 638 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:47,120 himself. It's not that Paul really was 639 00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:49,640 worried about what they were saying about him, but how it 640 00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:54,160 impacted the gospel. His loving concern mattered 641 00:40:54,160 --> 00:40:56,280 because it mirrored Jesus shepherd heart. 642 00:40:57,360 --> 00:41:01,800 His forgiving spirit mattered because it mirrored Jesus mercy. 643 00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:07,760 It all flows out from verse 19 and 20 of chapter one for the 644 00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:11,160 Son of God. Jesus Christ was not yes and no, 645 00:41:12,280 --> 00:41:17,600 but in Him it is always yes. All the promises of God find 646 00:41:17,600 --> 00:41:26,760 their yes or their Amen in Him. And so when we live in and with 647 00:41:26,760 --> 00:41:29,440 integrity, you know what we're doing? 648 00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:32,440 We're in agreement. We're saying yes to God's truth. 649 00:41:33,760 --> 00:41:38,000 When we show loving concern, we're in agreement. 650 00:41:38,360 --> 00:41:44,080 We're saying yes to God's compassion, and when we forgive, 651 00:41:44,680 --> 00:41:48,640 we're in agreement. We're saying yes to God's mercy. 652 00:41:49,360 --> 00:41:53,600 And so, like the moon in the old judge's story, we shine not, not 653 00:41:53,600 --> 00:41:56,120 because of ourselves, not because of anything within us, 654 00:41:56,120 --> 00:42:01,760 but because listen to this. We reflect the light of the sun, 655 00:42:02,040 --> 00:42:04,640 SON. That's what the moon does. 656 00:42:04,640 --> 00:42:06,400 The moon has no light of its own. 657 00:42:07,120 --> 00:42:09,120 The moon is a reflection of the sun. 658 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:14,760 SUN you and I, our lives are to what reflect Jesus Christ. 659 00:42:15,840 --> 00:42:20,000 That's what Paul's addressing and writing and that's what his 660 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:22,240 reminder for you and you and I is. 661 00:42:22,240 --> 00:42:25,240 We're we're to live as Christians lives of integrity 662 00:42:25,240 --> 00:42:27,880 because we reflect Jesus Christ.