NOT AS MANY
2 Corinthians 2:12-17 (KJV)
Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
The better portion of 2 Corinthians has had as an undercurrent theme, the credibility of Paul.
His concern was that the people understood that he was good for his word
· His yea meant yea
· His nay meant nay
But the reason it mattered to him was not so much for what the people thought about him as a person, but as it reflected upon the Person he preached, Jesus Christ.
It did matter to him that they understood all the promises of God in Christ are yea.[1]
His credibility is still a theme, but we find in this passage a turn in the road.
From this point, to the end of the epistle, we will find the Word of God contrasting Apostle Paul to other so-called ministers whose credibility the Word of God constantly calls into question.
I see in the passage three things the Word of God says characterizes the ministry of the Apostle Paul.
*I. A SURRENDER TO THE SPIRIT
2 Corinthians 2:12-13 (KJV)
Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
No one knows exactly when this passage took place.
Some say it may have been when Paul received the vision of the Macedonian call.[2]
· Paul was in Troas in both cases
· Paul did go to Macedonia in both cases and
· Paul was troubled in the spirit in both cases
But the timing just doesn’t work for the two to be the same incident.
In the Acts account, Paul’s desire was to go to Asia but the Holy Spirit suffered him not.
In this one, Paul had an open door of the Lord to preach, but his own spirit could not rest until he got to Macedonia.
Both times I think Paul demonstrated a surrender to the leading of the Holy Spirit of God.
Here was an open door.
· He could have stayed and preached
· It would have been profitable to do
· He could even say that God had opened the door
But he had to rest, no peace, that this was the place for him.
About the best illustration I have of that is moving from Oklahoma to here.
God had done an amazing thing in allowing me to be a part of Heartland Baptist Bible College. It was an opportunity I could never have dreamed of having opened to me.
In Oklahoma, the outreach of my ministry could have only gotten greater.
· The school was growing
· I had invitations to preach all over the country
· My influence upon the students would mean my ministry would be affecting churches all around the world
But I had no rest in my spirit there.
I knew that God’s call on my life was in the Northwest.
· Has there been a price for leaving Oklahoma to come here? Yes.
· Do I regret coming to Puyallup? Not one day.
You see, it can be of the Lord to accept a promotion, to step into a larger role.
But not necessarily.
To surrender to be where God calls you rather than where you believe you will have the greatest opportunities – this is, I believe, truly walking by faith – and the most needed quality of the servant of God.
Paul’s character was marked second by,
*II. A SWEET SAVOUR OF CHRIST
2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (KJV)
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
A surrendered Christian will always triumph in Christ.
· I didn’t say he will always have the biggest of things
· I didn’t say he will never suffer some things
· I didn’t say people will speak of his great triumphs
A surrendered Christian will, however, always manifest the savour of His knowledge, in everyplace God puts him.
Notice,
2 Corinthians 2:16 KJV
To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
Being in the ministry has been one of the most joyful and at the same time the difficult of occupations.[3]
· The responsibilities of the ministry,
· The responses of men and women to my ministry,
is overwhelming at times.
But I am in good company. This is exactly the sentiment that the Apostle expresses in this context. That there are those whose lives are so transformed and others whose lives are so offended by the message of the Gospel is above human ability to bear.
No man is sufficient for these things.
It must be Christ at work or we will surely fail in the work.
The third characteristic that marked the Apostle was
*III. A SINCERITY BEFORE GOD
2 Corinthians 2:17 (KJV)
For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
Here is a sobering thought and with it a very important principle. Many corrupt the Word of God as they speak. Not all mind you, but many.
It might be in our time,[6] that most corrupt the Word when they speak.
But not all do.
Paul said the difference between he and the corrupters was this; He spoke (or preached) in Christ and in the sight of God.
This was not his message, his opinions or for his favor. His preaching was:
• In the name of Christ
• For the sake of Christ and
• He was hidden in Christ
Further, he spoke in the sight of God.
He recognized that God,
• Saw every motion he made
• Knew every thought he had and
• Heard every word he said
He understood he would give an account to God and this understanding regulated and informed his preaching.
One might rightly argue that anyone, even the corrupters, could claim what Paul did.
It would be impossible to tell because we cannot know the heart. Yes, but God can and does.
Draw nigh to God.
Grow in a real and vital relationship with him and
He will bring you to that place where God’s Word is preached without corruption.
[1] 2 Corinthians 1:19-20 (KJV)
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
[2] Acts 16:7-9 (KJV)
After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
[3] Barnes wrote on this passage,
"And who is sufficient for these things? - For the arduous and responsible work of the ministry; for a work whose influence must be felt either in the eternal salvation, or the eternal ruin of the soul. Who is worthy of so important a charge? Who can undertake it without trembling? Who can engage in it without feeling that he is in himself unfit for it, and that he needs constant divine grace? This is an exclamation which anyone may well make in view of the responsibilities of the work of the ministry. And we may remark:
(1) If Paul felt this, assuredly others should feel it also. If, With all the divine assistance which he had; all the proofs of the unique presence of God, and all the mighty miraculous powers conferred on him, Paul had such a sense of unfitness for this great work, then a consciousness of unfitness, and a deep sense of responsibility, may well rest on all others.
(2) It was this sense of the responsibility of the ministry which contributed much to Paul’s success. It was a conviction that the results of his work must be seen in the joys of heaven, or the woes of hell, that led him to look to God for aid, and to devote himself so entirely to his great work. People will not feel much concern unless they have a deep sense of the magnitude and responsibility of their work. People who feel as they should about the ministry will look to God for aid, and will feel that he alone can sustain them in their arduous duties."
[4] Though I believe it is not me but Christ in me.
[5] Though I believe their opposition is not toward me but Christ in me.
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