This exposition of 2 Corinthians 10:7-18 by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, September 30, 2018.
Intro:
I don’t understand it. I don’t understand what people see in it. It's the same thing you can get in any theater in town or just about any public place. It’s not worship. It’s worldly entertainment. Church is supposed to be different.
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You go to church for something different. Something that takes you out of this world and places you squarely in the presence of God. I just don’t see how that happens with the circus type atmosphere. I don’t see what so many see in that preacher either. He’s flamboyant, he’s always talking about visions and super-spiritual experiences, he claims God speaks to him, like he has some direct line. As for what he says, it think the technical term would be “gobbled goop!” I bet you’re wondering which church I’m talking about. You’re trying to pin down which flamboyant teacher I have in mind. I’m going to tell you. I’m talking about first century Corinth and I don’t know the preacher’s name! It did sound familiar though, didn’t it? Ever since he deceived Eve in the Garden, Satan has assaulted God’s truth with lies. The leaders of God’s people have always been forced to remain vigilant in guarding those entrusted to their care. Throughout redemptive history God’s watchmen have sounded the alarm.
Moses cautioned God’s people: “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, Let us go after other gods, which you have not known, and let us serve them, you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul…”
(Deuteronomy 13:1-3)
Jeremiah cried out: Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading. (Lamentations 2:14)
Even the Lord Jesus warned: Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves…And Jesus answered them, See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray…And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray…For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 7:15; 24:4-5, 11, 24)
John the beloved warned that the spirit of antichrist was alive and well in his own day (1 John 2:18).
So, it has always fallen to the church to be vigilant for the truth and zealous for guarding the people of God. That is what is happening in 2 Corinthians. Yes, Paul is defending himself but not for his own sake. His concern is the gospel and the souls of those he feels responsible for. This evening we come to the second half of the 10th chapter.
Text: 2 Corinthians 10:7-18
As we quickly walk through this passage we will see that…
Thesis: In defending himself and confronting his critics the apostle Paul lays out for us two fundamental characteristics of a God-honoring ministry.
There is a time and place for calling others out.
There is a need to point out the wrong of others when the gospel is at stake.
That’s what Paul is doing in this text.
How do you avoid falling into the same error as these Corinthian troublemakers?
What is it that marks a God-honoring ministry?
There are two things I want to point out from this text.
- A godly ministry is character driven and gospel oriented. (10:7-11)
- A godly ministry is self-effacing and kingdom focused. (10:12-18)
Conclusion:
Thus we sing:
Forbid it Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
A God-honoring ministry is character driven and gospel oriented and it is self-effacing and kingdom focused.
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