Monday, November 28, 2011

2 Corinthians 11:8-15 Pure Motives

2 Corinthians 11:8-15 “I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you; and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so.  As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.  Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!  But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.  For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.  No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds”. (NASB)

As a leader, credibility is of paramount importance.  If one loses credibility, who will follow?  This is the underlying issue for Paul as he writes to the Corinthians in this his second letter we have in Scripture.  Paul knows that the message that he has for these people cannot be compromised by their questions about him personally.  At this stage in his relationship with the church at Corinth it is especially important and he goes to the trouble of telling us why.

He starts in a rather peculiar way saying, “I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you”.  So is Paul saying he was the early incarnation of Robin Hood?  No, he is using the dramatic “Robbed” to make the point that he was being supported by “Other churches” in order that he might “Support You”, the church at Corinth.  Paul in this sense was a missionary sent by these supporting churches to minister to the new church at Corinth.  Paul goes on to remind them that while he was there with them, “I was not a burden to anyone”.  In fact, when other believers from the Macedonia area came they, “Fully supplied my need” according to Paul.  The result was that, “Everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so”.

Why was this important?

Paul wanted to make it clear to those in Corinth when he was there ministering to them that he was not there for any reason other than that.  He had no personal gain or even the meeting of his immediate needs in mind while he was there.  The importance of this position for Paul was twofold.  First, by not taking any support much less profit from the church in Corinth Paul did establish his own credibility as one there to serve them.  No strings attached.  Second, Paul knew that others with less pure motives were in circulation and may well cross his path.  Paul wanted to be able to make the clear distinction between his motivation and theirs.

Paul is able to ask the rhetorical question about his motives, “Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!”  And Paul goes on to say that his activity will continue driving to that second purpose of drawing the distinction between his motives and others.  He says, “What I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting”.  Then he cuts to the chase, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ”.

Wow!

And he’s not done.  Paul goes on to identify their motivation or motivator, “No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light”.  Satan is behind the actions of these false prophets who present a counterfeit gospel.  So Paul says as Satan goes so go his followers, “Therefore it is not surprising if his (Satan’s) servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness”.  Before moving on we do need to see the victory statement Paul makes in completing this section.  He reminds us that their, “End will be according to their deeds”.

But what is the point of all of this for us?  Well, as leaders in the church we need to emulate Paul as best we can especially when developing new disciples.  Our motives must be pure and they must be transparently so to those with whom we seek to have credibility.  In Paul’s case his discussion centers on financial support or the meeting of his physical needs.  He took the measure of taking that out of the equation to gain credibility with the Corinthians.  For us, there may be other steps of integrity we need to take to transparently reveal our true motivation.

The second message here is for those attempting to discern the motivations of their would be leaders.  Whether this is at the time a church is being sought or when a decision to support a ministry is being made.  What is the motivation of those who are ministering or intending to lead?  One of the requirements of eldership is to be, “Not fond of sordid gain” (Titus 1:7).  If a leader is in it to line his own pockets – WATCH OUT!

So Paul helps us to understand how to be leaders with integrity and as disciples of Christ one way to discern true motives.  Whichever position you are in leader or disciple remember both his model and his warning.  AMEN!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

John 14:3-7 Jesus - The Only Way

John 14:3-"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.  "And you know the way where I am going."  Thomas *said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?"  Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.  "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." (NASB)

It’s been bugging me for awhile now and the thoughts have been rumbling in my head.  The verse too has been there and today I’m going to try to put it down on paper.  This will be offensive to some but I suppose that is OK.  The Gospel is offensive to the lies of Satan.

I hear it in the sit coms on television and on the various talk shows on television when I’m stuck in a hotel room somewhere, that “All roads lead to heaven” attitude oozing from the pseudo spiritual.  Wouldn’t that be a happy thought, it doesn’t matter which horse your ride, we all end up at the same finish line and we’re all happy and have punch and cookies.  Baloooneeey!

That is NOT the way it works folks!  

But don’t take my word for it.  For all of you that want it from Jesus himself, He did us the favor of spelling it out clearly in John’s gospel.  In context, the risen Christ had returned to appear to many of his disciples.  Thomas however was not there.  You remember, “Doubting Thomas”.  He essentially said unless I put my fingers in the holes in his hands and the wound in his side I’m not going to buy it.  Well, in his case Jesus was there and allowed “Doubting Thomas” to become “Believing Thomas” by sight not by faith.  We believe by faith through the Word given to us but that’s another topic.

All that leads up to this section of scripture when Jesus tells them He is going away again but this time to prepare a place for them in heaven.  “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.”  So He is leaving but not just to go away, He is leaving to do something.  He is leaving to prepare a place for them in heaven.  He also says He will come again and receive them to Himself so that they may be with Him.  This is referred to as the second coming of Christ.

Well, good old Thomas isn’t done with his silly remarks and still doesn’t get it so he says, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" In direct response to Thomas’ question Jesus answers with the key verse"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”   Jesus says it right here folks.  Jesus is THE way to heaven.  Jesus is THE truth.  Jesus is THE life.

Jesus is the one way to heaven.  By accepting His perfect life sacrificed on the cross as payment for my sins, I receive forgiveness of my sins and restoration of a right relationship with a Holy God.  Without Jesus, I would have no hope of purity and without it I could not come into the presence of Holiness.

Jesus is the truth.  John’s gospel begins this way, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.” (John 1:1-2 NASB)  This means that Jesus is eternally God.  He is equal to God and part of our triune God.  He is referred to as the Word and the Word is our truth which is shared with us as our bible.  How powerful is the Word?  “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12 )

Jesus is the life.  Jesus brings us eternal life but He also brings us a way to live out this live today differently.  Paul writes, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1 ) What he is saying here is that you don’t have to live in bondage to your old way of sinful behavior any more.  You are free from that. 

So – Jesus is THE way, THE truth and THE life.  Great news I would say.  It is great news for those who claim Christ as their Savior.  Well, what’s so darned offensive about that?  I hear all of the talk show folks say what a wonderful guy Jesus was.  Lots of false religions say Jesus was a prophet of god.  Really?

Well then … let’s let Jesus Himself do the offending, No one comes to the Father but through Me” is how he ends verse 6.  So what about those sit coms and talk shows and their all roads lead to heaven philosophy?  The one who was from the beginning with God and was God says they are wrong.  Don’t bring your argument to me, take it to the man who speaks in RED letters. 

There is, according to Jesus, just one way to heaven.  Jesus is THE way.  AMEN!