You can almost feel Paul’s frustration as he comes to the end of this letter. He’s done all he could to bring these people to maturity in Christ. He’s begged them, cajoled them, even threatened them and none of it seems to have made any difference. In fact in the end he’s had to resort to utter foolishness to make his point. You can tell how much he hates having to blow his own trumpet. That’s just not his style. But he’ll do whatever’s necessary to get them back on track.
But now he’s come to the end of his tether. He’s had enough. So he finishes his letter with a rebuke. He may be a fool for boasting about his achievements, but they’re even more foolish for accepting the things that his opponents were saying rather than realising just how much he’s done for them. Rather than him having to defend himself to them, they should have been commending him. So he finishes by pointing out to them once again, how his behaviour has been above reproach.
Paul’s Endurance
His opponents complained that Paul’s presentation didn’t show enough power or supernatural miracles, but he says, if you think back to when I was with you, I did perform those signs and wonders and mighty works that you’d expect of an apostle. But it wasn’t a flashy performance like these people are expecting. No the context in which he worked was one of the utmost patience. The word is actually perseverance. Paul has spent the last couple of chapters talking about the various trials and tribulations he’s put up with in order to preach the gospel to them. Have a quick look back at ch 11:23-29. "Are they ministers of Christ? I am talking like a madman -- I am a better one: with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless floggings, and often near death. 24Five times I have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers and sisters; 27in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, hungry and thirsty, often without food, cold and naked. 28And, besides other things, I am under daily pressure because of my anxiety for all the churches.
So Paul is answering his own question: "How am I inferior to these ’super-apostles’?" by saying, "in fact I’m superior to them, not because I did more spectacular miracles, but because I kept going in the face of great obstacles and opposition. Even when I was discouraged and under great stress and anxiety, I kept preaching the gospel. I kept bringing people to Christ. I kept on teaching you and encouraging you."
Far from his trials and tribulations being a problem for his claim to be an apostle, his perseverance in the face of those trials is a sure fire proof of the genuineness of his claim.
A few of us were at the cathedral last week for the ordination of Michael and 14 others and at one point in the service they were asked whether they believed that they were truly called to the ministry of priests. Now it was no great problem for each of them to say yes at that point. If they didn’t believe that they would hardly have been there. But the real test will be a few years down the track when they’ve been a Parish minister or a school chaplain for a few years, and they’ve encountered the sorts of problems that will inevitably arise; when they’ve had to face up to opposition from parishioners or school boards or disruptive students; when they’ve had to deal with families grieving over the premature death of a child, or someone dealing with a partner who abandons them for someone else, or someone who’s diagnosed with cancer; not to mention month after month of vestry meetings!
The question then will be, are you able to persevere in your ministry? Are you able to keep going despite your weakness? And the strength of their ministry may well be shown by that ability to persevere, not by the spectacular results that arise or don’t arise from it.
So Paul’s first reminder to them is that he showed his credentials as an apostle in the way he persevered.
Paul’s Integrity
He can’t stop himself from lapsing into sarcasm again, can he? "13How have you been worse off than the other churches, except that I myself did not burden you?" What a terrible apostle he must be, not to have made them support him! He obviously didn’t have much experience in the way of the world! Not to mention confidence in his own ministry. And then in v16 he says "Obviously I took you in by deceit. That’s how crafty I am." It’s so stupid to think that his failure to ask for support was a lack rather than a blessing.
But his opponents obviously had a view of strong leadership that expected that sort of leadership to exploit them. Well, that’s not Christian leadership at all. In fact he set out not to ask them for a thing to make sure that they’d have no reason to complain that he was preaching the gospel out of wrong motives.
But there was another reason for this decision: He saw himself as their spiritual father. And everyone knows that parenting is done free of charge. At least it should be. Imagine if your children had to pay their way. I don’t mean once they’re earning their own income. Then they should be paying board. But what about when they’re growing up. My son, Paul used to tutor high school students in maths while he was studying at Uni. Now I can’t remember what he charged, but it was a reasonable amount. Well, imagine if I’d charged him a similar amount for all the hours I spent helping him with his homework as he grew up. It’d make HECS look like chicken feed wouldn’t it? But that’s not how it works. We provide for our children, not the other way around. And so it was for Paul. He decided that as their spiritual parent he’d provide for them, not them for him.
Now before anyone jumps to the wrong conclusion here, he isn’t saying pastors shouldn’t be supported while they minister for the church. He deals with that question elsewhere. In 1 Cor 9 he reminds them that God commanded that even the ox grinding the grain should be allowed to eat the grain as it walked along. So too those who minister to the Church should be supported by that church.
But having said that, he decided that he wouldn’t burden them with that need. He’d work part time instead to support himself so the gospel came to them as a free gift.
Now it may be that he adopted this policy because he knew what they were like. Perhaps he knew that there’d be this attitude that a strong leader would naturally demand support. And he wanted to show that that isn’t how the gospel works. He wanted to present the gospel as a free gift so that, in response, they’d freely give him their love, not just their money.
He’s concerned, notice, that they recognise his integrity throughout their relationship. Look at v17: "17Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? 18I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves with the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps? 19Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves before you? We are speaking in Christ before God. Everything we do, beloved, is for the sake of building you up." There’s only one motive in Paul’s mind and actions. That’s the spiritual growth of the Christians at Corinth. Other leaders may have mixed motives, but Paul’s are clear and uncompromised.
Here’s another test of the true Christian leader. Are their motives pure? Do they have a clear focus that’s directed to people responding to the gospel and then growing in their faith? Or do they have one eye on the gospel and the other on their own material advancement?
Paul’s Authority
Finally Paul reminds them that not only does he have the qualifications of a true apostle, but he also acts with the authority of an apostle. The reason he’s written this last letter in fact, is out of his love for them, because he doesn’t want to come and find them continuing in their sinful lifestyles. Why? Because then he’ll have to deal harshly with them.
You may remember that back in ch2 he explains that the reason he’d delayed his visit was to avoid giving them any more pain. Why? Because then he’d have to do the disciplining of the offenders that the church had failed to do.
What’s more such a visit would also cause him pain. He says: "21I fear that when I come again, my God may humble me before you, and that I may have to mourn over many who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that they have practiced." In other words, he knows that the things that have been going on would bring him to tears; would embarrass him once again. Here again, he’s like a father who sees his children acting in a sinful way and weeps over their rebellion.
But he isn’t a weak father who turns a blind eye or who just shrugs his shoulders in resignation. Rather he’s a loving father who warns and cajoles his child, but in the end will discipline them for their own good. He says: "This is the third time I am coming to you. "Any charge must be sustained by the evidence of two or three witnesses." 2I warned those who sinned previously and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again, I will not be lenient." The 2 or 3 witnesses is a reference to the Old Testament law, but in this context I take him to mean the 2 or 3 times that Paul himself has warned them about their behaviour. So the third visit will be their final chance to repent. If not they’ll discover not his own power, but the power of Christ who works through him.
And so he makes one final plea: "Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?" Here is the ultimate test of the Christian’s behaviour. Is your behaviour consistent with the one who lives within you? Is the way you behave on Monday consistent with Christ’s life within you? Does the way you behave with your family fit with Christ dwelling with in you? Does the way you behave at work fit with Christ dwelling within you? Does what you do on Friday night, or Saturday night, fit with Christ dwelling within you? Better that we judge that for ourselves and do something about it if we need to, than to have Christ judge us or even to have someone else point out our inconsistencies.
And don’t think they won’t. It doesn’t take a Paul to come and show up our ungodly lifestyles. There are plenty of people around who will point to Christians and say "Why should I become a Christian when Christians act like that?"
So he says "Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith." His one desire is to see them grow in their faithfulness, to see them grow in strength even if he’s perceived to be weak. He wants them to aim for perfection. If they’re so worried about his weakness, fine, but he wants them to concentrate on their own behaviour, to be perfected in godliness. Then in the final few verses he expands on what that might mean. He says "Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you." How do we move towards perfection? We learn to love one another, to agree with one another, to live in peace with one another. None of those are easy but they’re the key to being perfected as a Church. Live in unity and godly love. Be at peace with one another.
And finally, he leaves us with the encouragement of the gospel. After all is said and done, our life as a Christian depends on just three things: "13The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit." Let’s finish today by repeating that prayer of Paul for the church wherever it is. "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen."
For more sermons from this source go to home.vicnet.net.au/~sttheos/
