Reading: 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 12 to chapter 2 verse 4.
Ill:
• A man working in a green-grocers shop;
• Was asked by a lady if she could buy half a head of lettuce.
• He replied, “Half a head? Are you serious?
• Why, the good Lord grows these in whole heads and lady, that’s how we sell them!”
• She persisted and said to him; “You mean that after all the years I’ve shopped here,
• You won’t sell me half-a-head of lettuce?”
• “Look,” he said, “If you like I’ll ask the manager.”
• She indicated that would be appreciated, so the young man marched to the front of the store.
• “You won’t believe this, but there’s a miserable, pernickety lady back there;
• Who wants to know if she can buy half-a-head of lettuce.”
• He noticed the manager gesturing,
• And turned around to see the lady standing right behind him,
• She had obviously having followed him to the front of the store.
• Without him realising it.
• Quick as a flash the shop assistant spoke;
• “And this nice lady was wondering if she could buy the other half”.
Later in the day the manager cornered the young man and said,
• “That was the finest example of thinking on your feet I’ve seen for a long time!
• Where did you learn that?”
The shop assistant said;
• “I grew up in South Wales, and if you know anything about South Wales,
• You know that it’s known for its great rugby teams and its ugly women.”
• The manager looking angry interrupted and said, “My wife is from South Wales!”
• Quick as a flash the shop assistant said; “And which rugby team did she play for?”
It’s one of the smallest muscles in the human body, but it is also the most destructive:
• Medically they say it's only a two-ounce slab of muscle,
• Mucous membrane, and nerves that enables us to chew, taste, swallow food & articulate words.
• Redefined it is a beast, a mighty midget!
• The Bible says concerning it, that it:
• Frames deceit (Psalm 50 verse 59).
• Devises destruction (Psalm 52 verse 2).
• Devours (Psalm 52 verse 4).
• Is a sharp sword (Psalm 57 verse 4).
• Breaks bones (Proverbs chapter 25 verse 15).
• Backbites (Proverbs chapter 25 verse 23).
• Flatters (Proverbs chapter 28 verse 23).
• Poisons (Romans chapter 3 verse 13).
• That’s quite destructive for a small piece of protein!
• Yet, the tongue can ruin a reputation, malign a motive, and destroy one's dignity.
Quote:
“The tongue is a lethal weapon which is often wielded publicly without shame.
But more often it is a dagger cloaked in secrecy, stabbing its victim in the back.
Surprisingly, the fingerprints on this dagger often do not point to a hardened criminal but to some haloed saint who only minutes before might have sung the sweetest song, uttered the most beautiful prayer, or spoken the most encouraging words.”
Quote:
• The problem of the tongue is nothing new.
• James in the third chapter of his book rebuked & warned the Christians about it (vs 8-10):
“But no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. 9Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. 10And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right”
ill:
Nadia (5) at kids club:
• “I know a rhyme to say when people say nasty things”:
• So I asked her to tell it to me and she quoted:
• "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."
• I would guess that we have all chanted it at some stage in our lives”.
• The trouble is words do hurt!
• Some verbal attacks inflict wounds as damaging as any bodily ones.
In 2 Corinthians chapter 1 the apostle Paul was experiencing ‘word’ problems:
• Some Christians were using their words to turn the Church at Corinth against him;
• They made statements against his conduct - that is the things he didn't do;
• Against his words – that is things he didn't say;
• And against his motives – that is the things he didn't mean.
• Paul’s conduct, words and motives are being openly questioned;
• And in our section tonight from 2 Corinthians chapter 1, we will see his rebuttal.
• I want to look at three accusations made against him.
• And three ways in which he refutes them.
(1). In Defence of True Character.
• One of the many reasons Paul wrote this letter;
• Was to answer his critics.
Quote:
When Oscar Wilde arrived for a visit to the U.S. in 1882,
• He was asked by customs officials if he had anything to declare.
• His reply is very well known (often attributed to others) he replied: “Only my genius.”
• Fifteen years later, alone and broken in prison,
• He reflected on his life of waste and excess.
• Quote: “I have been a spend thrift of my genius...
• I forgot that every little action of the common day makes or unmakes character.”
Quote:
• Reputation is what you are supposed to be;
• Character is what you are.
• Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community;
• Character is what you have when you go away.
• Reputation is made in a moment;
• Character is built in a lifetime.
• Reputation grows like a mushroom;
• Character grows like an oak.
• Your reputation is learned in an hour;
• Your character is does not come to light for a year.
• A single newspaper report gives your reputation;
• A life of toil gives you your character.
• Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor;
• Character makes you happy or makes you miserable.
• Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone;
• Character is what angels say about you before the throne of God.
• Your character is what God knows you to be.
• Your reputation is what men think you are.
Paul’s reputation and more importantly his character were being questioned:
• Most of us respond to false accusations in one of two ways.
• We either bite our tongues and hope the matter will blow over or we explode in outrage.
• Both are understandable,
• But neither is really productive.
• The first response leaves the lie unanswered;
• The second only compounds the problem.
• The apostle Paul showed us a better way;
• Respond calmly, but with the truth.
Question: Why was Paul’s conduct, words and motives being openly questioned?
Answer: Is simple:
• He had to change his travel plans!
• But the real issue for some was they saw this as ‘pay back’ time!
• It has been only a few months since they received his first letter (1 Corinthians);
• This letter was a scolding letter.
• And as Paul sorted out the openly sinful problems in the Church;
• He had acquired not only good friends but also a few enemies.
• I imagine that there were still some in the Church with hurt feelings,
• Some measure of resentment, and some who still harboured defiance or hard feelings.
In their human reaction to the correction they had received from Paul,
• Some members wanted to use his change of travel plans;
• To criticize Paul and thus have some measure of self-justification.
• What they latched onto;
• Or the apparent problem was this.
Paul had first told them he planned to leave Ephesus,
• Travel to Macedonia, then Corinth, and then on to Jerusalem,
• Taking with him the contributions from the churches to the Christians in Judea.
• After writing his first letter to the Corinthians, however,
• He changed his plan, telling them that he would come to Corinth first when he left Ephesus.
• He would then go from there to Macedonia,
• And then return for a second visit to Corinth before going on to Jerusalem.
• His actual itinerary, however, had him leaving Ephesus;
• And travelling to Corinth for a short visit (Paul calls this a painful visit; see 2 Cor 2:1),
• And then returning to Ephesus, proceeding to Troas (2:12), and then to Macedonia,
• From where he wrote 2 Corinthians (7:5). He did not plan to make a second visit to Corinth.
Ill:
• Remember that it could take weeks to communicate over distances in the first century.
• There was no government mail service, no telephones, no email.
• The Corinthian church had one expectation, and when Paul changed his plans,
• There was no way to quickly communicate the change to Corinth.
This change in Paul’s plans:
• Prompted the accusation from some of the people in the Corinthian church;
• That Paul had not been honest with them.
• They were relying on him to follow through with the itinerary he had given them,
• And they seemed to dislike and even resent the change.
• It doesn’t take too much imagination;
• To guess that some may have voiced the opinion;
• That Paul had intended all along not to do what he said he would do,
• And that he was therefore dishonest and deceptive with the church.
• Paul defended his decisions and his actions in the passage we are studying today,
• And in doing so, he gives us some principles for acting with integrity.
1st Accusation: Worldly Wisdom (verse 12-14).
• Verse 12 implies that Paul's conduct and sincerity had been called into question:
• Look at how Paul refutes the accusation with directness and certainty:
“Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace.”
N.L.T:
“We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have been honest and sincere in all our dealings. We have depended on God's grace, not on our own earthly wisdom. That is how we have acted toward everyone, and especially toward you.”
First Answer: is a clear conscience.
Ill:
Our English word conscience comes from two Latin words:
• ‘Com’ meaning ‘with’ and ‘Scire’ meaning ‘to know’.
• Conscience is that inner faculty that “Knows with” our spirit.
• It approves when we do right;
• But accuses when we do wrong.
• Conscience is not the Law of God.
• But it bears witness to that Law.
Ill:
Conscience is a window that let’s the light in;
• But if the window gets dirty because we disobey God’s word,
• Then the light becomes dimmer and dimmer.
Paul often used this word ‘conscience’:
• 23 times in his letters.
• He knew that when a person has a good conscience.
• That person is an individual of integrity.
• Not double sided, saying one thing but then acting the very opposite!
Ill:
• Throughout his administration, Abraham Lincoln was a president under fire,
• Especially during the scarring years of the Civil War.
• And though he knew he would make errors of office,
• He resolved never to compromise his integrity.
• So strong was this resolve that he once said,
• “I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end,
• When I come to lay down the reins of power,
• I have lost every other friend on earth,
• I shall at least have one friend left,
• And that friend shall be down inside of me.”
• I think Abraham Lincoln would have got on well with the apostle Paul;
• Both were men who valued integrity and slept with a clean conscience!
Tough Question:
• How’s your conscience?
• How’s your integrity?
• If we are honest, most of us would be reluctant to allow an in-depth probe of our lives.
• But Paul opened up his life and his writings for examination without fear:
Verses 13-14:
“My letters have been straightforward, and there is nothing written between the lines and nothing you can't understand. I hope someday you will fully understand us, 14even if you don't fully understand us now. Then on the day when our Lord Jesus comes back again, you will be proud of us in the same way we are proud of you.”
2nd Accusation: Fickle indecision (verses 15-22):
ill:
In K.F.C. – ‘Can’t find the chicken!’
• As a woman placed her order, a look of consternation swept across the employees face.
• Also a shocked buzz rustled through the line of customers.
• The employee cried out;
• “What! You want to know how much chicken you should order for three hundred people?”
• The woman waved her arms and shouted,
• “No, no Three HUNGRY people!”
• Well we’ve all been misunderstood at sometime:
• At times it cab be humorous; at other times it is much more serious.
AT first sight these verses in Chapter 1 are difficult verses to understand:
• Behind these words seem to lie another accusation and even more slander against Paul.
• Because Paul had previously said that he would try to visit the Corinthians,
• Some of the Corinthians had mistook Paul's good intentions of wanting to visit Corinth;
• For a firm promise.
• Paul had originally written in 1 Corinthians chapter 16 verse 7: "If the Lord permits".
• Obviously some of the Corinthians had not read his letter carefully enough!
• When we consider how difficult both transportation and communication were in that day,
• We can marvel that Paul did not have more problems with his busy schedule.
2nd Answer:
• Various answer:
• Noted one already 1 Corinthians chapter 16 verse 7: "If the Lord permits".
• Another would be unfavourable circumstances.
• Another would be Godly wisdom!
In verse 23: Paul after much thought had decided to postponed his visit.
• He wanted old wounds to heal before he returned back to Corinth.
• Big issues had been settled and some of the wounds were still raw and tender.
• As a result of this delay, his enemies had promptly accused him of being the kind of man;
• Who made frivolous promises.
• They said his intentions were fickle;
• And he could not be pinned down to a definite yes or no.
• That was bad enough,
• But they went on to argue,
• "If we cannot trust Paul's everyday promises,
• How can we trust the things he told us about God?”
• Quote: Well known saying:
• “The trustworthiness of the messenger; affects the trustworthiness of the message”.
Preaching is always "truth through personality":
• And if a person cannot trust the preacher,
• Then you are not likely to trust the preacher's message.
Note: Paul’s answer:
• Building on the principle laid down for us in verse 12;
• Paul reminds his readers that his actions came from pure motives.
• Yes, Paul had changed his plans,
• But his motivations for doing so were pure and honest.
• He concludes he had acted with integrity or holiness in making his decision.
• He asked himself the same question we should ask ourselves.
• When I am struggling in a relationship with another person,
• Or when there is a controversy of some kind,
• I should examine my motives.
• Are they selfish or dishonest? Or are my motives pure?
• And Paul changed his plans,
• But his motivations for doing so were pure and honest.
Ill:
I for one sympathize with him, in my own limited ministry;
• I have sometimes had to change plans an even cancel meetings;
• And that is without the benefit of apostolic authority!
• Quote: American humorist and performer Will Rogers:
• "Plans get you into things, but you have to work your way out."
• Sadly misunderstandings among God's people are often very difficult to untangle,
• Because one misunderstanding can so often lead to another.
• And once we start to question the integrity of others or distrust their words,
• The door is opened to all kinds of other problems to walk right through!
Now, no matter what his accusers might say:
• Paul stood firm because he had a clear conscience.
• What he wrote, what he said, and what he lived were all in agreement.
• Don’t forget that many of these Corinthians;
• Had personally known him, and they knew him well!
• When he had first arrived in Corinth to preach and establish a church there,
• He had stayed with them for 18 months (see Acts chapter 18 verses 1-18).
• He had lived with them, worshipped with them,
• And they knew him very well from observing him over those 18 months.
• People who know you best know your character.
• To them Paul makes his appeal!
Then in the midst of this discussion regarding his own behaviour:
• Paul reminds us that ultimately God himself is totally 100% reliable.
• Though men and woman at times fail us God never does.
verses 19-22:
“because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, never wavers between yes and no. He is the one whom Timothy, Silas, and I preached to you, and he is the divine Yes--God's affirmation. 20For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in him. That is why we say "Amen" when we give glory to God through Christ. 21It is God who gives us, along with you, the ability to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 22and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first instalment of everything he will give us”.
• Paul reminds us of this great truth: there is no yes and no about Jesus Christ.
• He is God's "eternal yes" to those who trust Him.
• All the promises of God are in Christ Jesus;
• Because only he existed when they were made!
• Jesus Christ reveals the promises, fulfils the promises,
• And enables us to claim the promises!
Verse 20b:
• And so it is through Jesus that we say "Amen" to the promises of God.
• Hebrew: ‘So let it be’.
• Often when we finish our prayers we say, "through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
• Sometimes when we read the Bible we conclude by saying, "Amen."
• Amen means ‘So let it be’,
• This is and should be more than just a formality or a bit of ritual;
• It is the word that expresses our confidence in God.
• We are confident that in Jesus our prayers will be heard;
• We are confident that what we read in his word;
• Is true and will therefore be fulfilled!
Verse 22: is one of those promises:
“And he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first instalment of everything he will give us”.
The phrase ‘first instalment’ is the Greek word is ‘arrabon’:
• And an arrabon was the first instalment of a payment,
• Paid as a guarantee that the rest was sure to follow.
• It is a common word in Greek legal documents.
• And it was used in everyday affairs.
• Ill: A woman selling a cow receives 1,000 drachmae as arrabon;
• Confident that the rest of the purchase price will be paid.
• Ill: Some dancing girls being engaged for a village festival receive so much as arrabon,
• A token that the rest of their money will be paid.
• Ill: A roofer is employed to fix your roof and requires so many coins as an arrabon,
• A token that the rest of their money will be paid.
An ‘arrabon’ was the first instalment and the guarantee that the rest would be paid.
• Everyone knew what this word meant.
• Because it was used often in daily living.
• Ill: Today in modern Greek the word is used for an engagement ring;
• Which retains the idea of a guarantee or pledge of some greater thing yet to come.
Here Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit as an ‘arrabon’ given us by God,
• He means that the kind of life we live by the help of the Holy Spirit.
• Is the first instalment of the life of heaven;
• The Holy Spirit enables us to enjoy the blessings of heaven in our hearts today!
• And the gift of the Holy Spirit is God's token and pledge of still greater things to come.
3rd Accusation: Dominating Dictator (1:24-2:4)
ill:
• Old Russian dictator joke:
• A man goes into the post office and complains:
• “These new Lenin stamps don’t stick properly.”
• The postmaster replies: “That, comrade, is because you are spitting on the wrong side.”
• From 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 24,
• We again have to read between the lines to realise that some of the Corinthians:
• Were charging Paul with wanting to throw his spiritual weight around,
• Trying to be some sort of guru for people to coweringly follow:
3rd Answer: I am a fellow worker (vs 27):
Paul answers by saying:
“Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy; because it is by faith that you stand firm.”
Paul’s motivation was not to tell others what to do:
• But to help others to grow!
• And there is a big difference!
• The false teachers who had invaded the Church at Corinth were guilty of being dictators;
• As you will see when you get to chapter 11 of this letter.
• Instead, Paul viewed himself as a fellow worker (chapter 1 verse 24)
• And a servant (chapter 4 verse 5).
Verses 1-4:
• Example of how he put others first.
• Listen to or rather sense the feelings in these words.
“So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. 2For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3I wrote as I did so that when I came I should not be distressed by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.”
Paul was anything but a dictator!
• Ill: He was a loving shepherd,
• Ill: A caring father watching over his spiritual children.
Ill:
• Anne Morrow Lindbergh, was a noted writer and aviation pioneer.
• Born in America in 1906.
• As a girl she tells the story of when her father held a dinner party;
• One of the invited guests was Calvin Coolidge.
• After Coolidge left, Anne’s father Dwight Morrow told the remaining guests;
• That Coolidge would make a good president.
• The others disagreed.
• They felt Coolidge was too quiet, that he lacked colour and personality.
• No one would like him, they said.
• Anne, then age six, spoke up:
• “I like him,” she said. Then she displayed a finger with a small bandage around it.
• “He was the only one at the party who asked about my sore finger.”
• “And that’s why he would make a good president,”
• Added Morrow.
• The other guests were taken up with their own importance,
• But one made time to speak with a little six year old girl.
• Paul was anything but a dictator!
• Ill: He was a loving shepherd. Ill: A caring father watching over his spiritual children.
