"Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. 12 We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer."
II Corinthians 5:11-16
Good Morning Beloved,
Welcome to worship!
We're so glad you're here.
How do Christians judge the motives of a person? Do we do it by natural means, a man made standard or is there a spiritual, supernatural way to comprehend
the motives of men? How can we as Christians be sure that our motives
are right? If our motives are not right, what will bring about a change
to correct them? We can be certain of our motives? And, if we are, because of
our love for Him, living life for God by the power of Christ's death and
resurrection.
When Christ returns, Christians will be judged on the basis of the life we live after coming to
Christ. Jesus Christ is returning to call His bride to be with Him in
fulfillment of the promise that He made in John 14:2-3
when He said, "In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." When Christ returns He will return
as our Lord and our Redeemer. But when Christ returns, He also will
being returning as our Judge. You and I need to understand the reality,
the reason, and the result of standing before Christ and His judgment
seat.
Let's bow our heads in prayer.
Heavenly Father,
Father, we are so blessed to have this great truth given to us; and the promise that it will be applied to us. We thank You Lord, for setting us on a heavenly course, and that we are blessed to be on this side of the cross, allowing us to leave our burdens at the
cross. Lord, this world holds nothing for us, and we
do need to confess our sins, the sins of settling for things that are fading, all evidence of our coldness toward Christ, and the reality that we aren’t weary of sin; we've been disloyal to You. Grant us O Lord, full understanding of these truths, an eagerness and a
passion to boldly proclaim them for the sake of others in the
world who desperately need to hear the message of reconciliation.
Thank You for this great gift of salvation. May we live our lives tirelessly, relentlessly and eagerly for the ministry of
reconciliation, that we might live to tell others they can be reconciled to the One true loving,
forgiving, living God that is made possible through faith in Christ. May their lives become enriched with the truth, fill their hearts with joy, that they might come to knowledge, what a privilege it is to worship You.
Father, it is beyond the comprehension of our finite minds, how You could desire us, who are so unworthy and impute the righteousness of Christ upon us. We are so thankful.
This we pray in the precious name of Christ
Amen
Today's Message: What's Your Why"
Open your Bibles with me to the fifth chapter of II Corinthians. today we'll be looking at verse 11 through 16 of this wonderfully glorious essential portion of Scripture, given to us by the apostle Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
This is a glorious gospel. A substitutionary gospel. It is a reconciling gospel, the gospel that reconciles the lost sinner to God. It is the blessed gospel of Jesus Christ. And, the gospel that the apostle Paul calls my gospel, and ours.
Allow me to read to you, as you follow along to get this settled in our minds. II Corinthians 5:11-16
"Therefore, knowing
the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God;
and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and
He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for
themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer."
The judgment seat of Christ, referenced in verse 10, motivates holy men
to persuade others to follow Christ in verse 11. "Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest—revealed by— to God; and I hope that we are made manifest—revealed— also in your consciences.
The word "therefore" attaches this verse to the
preceding. It was in contemplating the judgment seat of Christ before
which Paul and all believers will be revealed, that moved Paul to fear the
Lord and impelled him on in God's service. Paul knowing, had a deep
consciousness, or eidotes, in the Greek, of the realization that he will be revealed and
give an account of His stewardship to the Lord. The fear of this moment
motivated Paul to persuade men to be reconciled to God. And, if God's
judgment so motivated Paul, should it not also motivate us to share?
Matthew 10:28 Jesus said, "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
I Peter 4:18, "And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?" Recalling his coming
judgment filled Paul with a wholesome fear and caused him to treat the
ministry which had been entrusted to him with the utmost seriousness.
Our motivation makes a difference in almost everything we do. In fact, it
determines the way we as believers serve the Lord. There are some, who serve Him
halfheartedly, because they feel obligated out of a sense of duty. However, there are others who
serve with a sense of urgency and zeal, because they recognize the terrible plight
of those who are yet lost in sin. They are deeply, deeply grateful for God's saving grace
in their lives, so they go all out, full force for the Lord. That is the kind
of zealous motivation the apostle Paul had. He wrote, "Knowing,
therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." Paul meant
business. For him, there was much at stake.
To aid in this persuasion, Paul and his fellow ministers had been
revealed or manifested before the Corinthians by God. God had enabled
the Corinthians to witness their authenticity and righteousness. Paul
hopes that the Corinthians allowed this revelation by God, of their
character and integrity to be disclosed also in the Corinthians
consciousness. He hopes that in their moral judgment faculty, they have
the ability to understand his truthfulness and genuineness.
Not
only when you rebel against truth and sin does your conscious convict
you but when God's man speaks truth it is also revealed in your
consciousness. God made man capable to confirm a man and his message. He
also made Heaven attractive and hell credible, so that people are moved
to long for one and shun the other. He also motivates Christians to be
on fire for God so that they will attract sinners to the light.
Verse
12 insists that the reason Paul seems to be commending himself, is so
that they will have answers for those who are attacking his reputation. "We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart."
Paul realizes that what he has just said will be seized upon by these false teachers as arrogant and boastful. However, he was providing his supporters
reason to speak up boldly. The false charges were harmful to his
character as well as to the unity and the growth of the church. The church needed to regard Paul as a servant of Christ, in order that his
message would be received as the message of God.
So Paul gave them this way of validating and affirming his testimony
so that they will have something for facing his
opponents who put stock in externals. It was not the external law but the internal of the
Spirit that authenticated his ministry. Paul wanted
them to be pleased or be proud of him and stand against those who look
on the outward appearance-what is seen, rather than in the heart.
"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." - I Samuel 16:7
In Romans 2:28-29 says, "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God."
In verse 13 Paul states that the motivation for any of
his action is for God’s glory. “For if we are beside ourselves, or exestēmen, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
Paul
is stating that he can appear to be beside himself, as founded in an
ecstatic condition - stand out-not be like everyone else, it
is for God. Festus made this charge later concerning Paul in Acts 26:24.
"While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad."
But he is in good company for similar charge was made against Jesus in Mark 3:21, which says, "When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses." His family thought He lost His mind and the Jews thought He was
demon possessed. People frequently accuse those who bring them under sharp
conviction of being a "bit off."
Paul was so true to the Spirit, living so fully for the next
life, rather than this one, living so for God instead of self that he was
radically different. Paul went to extremes. He was fanatical. He courted
life and death hardships and hazards, that a man of
natural reasoning would not place himself. He fought wild beast, was
whipped, stoned, and beaten all for preaching the Gospel. Paul was a
zealous fanatic for Christ.
Yet at the same time Paul was of sound mind. His teaching was absolutely brilliant and his caring was like that of a loving father. In I Corinthians 4:14-16, he says, "I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me."
When
He ministered to them he was of sound mind however, when He ministered for
God, he let the spirit control. Yes, beloved, Paul's self-less ministry made him
radically different. He loved the Lord his God with all his heart, mind,
soul and strength and his neighbor as himself. That would make anyone
stand out.
When D. L. Moody was ministering at his large Sunday School and
church in Chicago, people often called him "Crazy Moody." In the eyes of
the unsaved, Moody was "crazy" to have given up a successful
business career to become a Sunday School worker and evangelist; but
time has proved his decision to be a wise one. Ironically, today, we do not know the
names of the people who laughed at him, however, we do know and honor the
name of D.L. Moody.
It behooves every Christian, to examine his
own life regularly, to see if he is ready for the Judgment Seat of
Christ. Though it may cause your life to appear different before men,
wanting to give a good account before Christ, is a worthy motive for
Christian service. I believe that verse 14 provides the greatest motivation possible for reaching others
for Christ, His transforming love. "For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;"
Why was a self-pleasing life impossible for Paul? Because of the
supreme example and motivation of his Lord dying for all. God’s only beloved
Son, Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice, so that we could have eternal
life with God. I believe there could be no greater motivation than that to reach
people for Christ!
The love Christ has shown for us compels us to
love and serve Him, because when He died sin’s penalty was paid. For us
who live in His death, we have died to self and through the
power of His resurrection we live to please Him.
Oh yes beloved, that "the love
of Christ" would "control us!" Not the standards of this world or the
opinion of men, not the philosophies of mankind, but that unfailing love of Christ, that
would control us! It is not my love for Him that could control me, but
His love for me! Yes, Christ's love streams through my life and
directs it where He wills!
So how did this controlling love of Christ occur? Paul had become
captivated by encountering a love that would carry Jesus to the cross of
calvary. He experiences and is bound by Christ's love in His atoning
sacrifice for mankind. What brings such love to bear is believing and
experiencing it, then we will responded to it with our life. In order
for Christ's love to constrain us we must view Christ’s crucifixion like
the faithful apostle did.
Such great love that melts men's hearts is
the greatest proof that Jesus loves me, He died for me and I died with
Him. When Christ died, we died in Him and therefore the old life should
have no hold on us today.
Galatians 2:20 says "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."
Christ died for you and also for me! He
experienced the agony of hell on behalf of us so that we will not have to
experience the agony of Hell. He died the death, that was to be ours, bore the penalty of our sins and took them in our place and took the
doom that should have been ours. And now by our identification with Him
we too can die and live by His constraining love. Yes, beloved Christ dies for all
because He died for each of us, but why did He die for me? A love so
great He laid down His life.
The understanding of Christ's love, held Paul together, constrained him and kept him on task whatever men may say or do. The
great compelling motivating power, the force and drive in his life since his
conversion is that of love. Not the love that originates in himself but
the love which originates in Christ. "We love because He first loved us" - I John 4:19
When we believer in Christ and are born again, we see people differently. We look at them through new eyes because we have become a new creation.
II Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."
Prior to the road to Damascus, Paul saw Jesus Christ as a threat and His followers as enemies. Paul
spearheaded the fierce persecution of Christians. However, after his
conversion, Paul saw Christ as the Son of God and Savior of all
who believe. Once, he had evaluated Jesus through the eyes of flesh; now, he sees Him through the eyes of one who had been spiritually
restored.
How do you see others? Do you look at them through the
eyes of the world? Do you think about how you could use them, or get them to serve you? If so, it's time to stop regarding them
"according the flesh' and begin to see them through new eyes. When you
open your heart to the Lord, He will open your heart to the lost!
In verse
15, Paul tells us why Christ died for us. "and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."
Jesus died that we might live in Him, by Him and for Him. He went
into the darkness that we might walk in the light. Yes Christ died so
that we might have forgiveness of sin, but He also died and rose again
that we might life for Him, and not for ourselves. It has been said
that Christ died our death for us that we might live His life for Him.
Verse 16 reveals a consequence of knowing Christ by and through His
Spirit. "Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer."
The world of fleshly evaluation
rejected the Christ and as a result of our new life which is no longer
lived after the manner of the flesh, after the manner of this world, therefore, we
are not to assess people by worldly standards and distinctions.
In Closing...
Have you come to know Him because of His life living through your
life by the Holy Spirit? Do you know and experience the love of Christ?? Have you responded to His love with yours?
Is the love of Christ the motivation which drives you to the good and restrains you from doing bad? Is Christs' love
the magnet that draws, the anchor that steadies, the fortress that
defends, the light that illumines, the treasure that enriches? Is His
love the law that commands, and the power the enables?
Then you
are blessed, no matter what people may say about you, your life is well
pleasing to God, to the Christ who is the One who will ultimately judge
you and them.
Once you been to the cross and have been saved, how can you spend
the rest of this life in selfishness?
Only a risen Savior has the power to bestow His redemption.
By His death He put an end to the law which barred our way and by His
resurrection He made a new beginning, a new life for us. Therefore, this new
life is not to be lived like the old life, it is not to be lived for
ourselves. Our new life is to transform us into the image of Christ.
Did
Christ live for Himself? No, He lived for us! He made our concerns His
and asks us to make His concerns ours. We not only have a responsibility because
of His death for us, we have the power to do so because of His resurrection! You may serve without loving, but you cannot love without serving.
We do not serve the Lord simply because He
commands us to, but because God so loved the sinful world that He
devised a means to redeem it. We go and share it because the plan of
salvation is indeed Good News. The love of God, poured into our hearts, compels us to share that transforming love with those who remain lost.
May God's love for the world move us to share His love with
the world. May we reach out to those in
need with the Word of God, in a world which desperately it needs.
May it be so...
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen