Transcript

The Smell of The Savior's Sacrifice-Part One

2 Corinthians 2:12-17
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Pastor Randy Smith

Frequently I find myself talking to others about this church. There is no doubt that people both believers and unbelievers have taken notice of the impact we have made in the community. They are curious. They want to know what makes us different than other churches. They want to know who we are and what we emphasize here at the Grace Tabernacle.

My patented repose is that the people in this church love Jesus Christ. Evidence of that is seen in their love for one another and their stability in their families and their desire for the Word of God and their passion to see other people embrace Christ. But what I almost always add, especially to fellow believers, is that we stress and the people apply the biblical metaphor that the church is a body.

I say we are relentless in expecting professing Christians to discover their spiritual gifts and use their spiritual gifts for the common good. Our church is strong because the people in the church as they are empowered by the Holy Spirit realize they each have the privilege to contribute to the body. They realize that every body part is equally important. They realize that the body can only function well when every body part is joyfully serving somewhere.

So you know this and you have heard this from me hundreds of times. But let's dig a little deeper with this sermon. From a theological perspective, why do some people never begin to serve in the church? Why do some people do as little as possible to get by? Why do some people begin serving and then quit? Or from another angle, theologically again, what motivates you to serve? Where is Christ in the midst of your serving? What attitudes should you have when serving? These are important questions to answer. Improper answers are the reason we don't serve or serve incorrectly. Proper answers transcend to joyful and privileged ministry that is fruitful and honoring to the Lord. We'll find the answers we are looking for in our passage this morning.

You see, serving in the church, in order for it to be honoring to the Lord and fulfilling to yourself, must transcend beyond the worldly-minded, guilt-driven, need-to-play-my-part, what's-in-it-for-me, I'm-not-appreciated, crank-it-out, just-do-it attitude. Theologically, everything goes much, much deeper. We'll see that this morning as we examine Paul's heart and the service entrusted him by the Lord as we extract several principles directly applicable to us in our spiritual service to others.

1. The Servant's Heart (verses 12-13)

We first begin with "The Servant's Heart."

As you know, the narrative thus far has been a thriller. The Corinthian church is in shambles. Paul hears from Timothy that things have even digressed from the awful state that was depicted in 1 Corinthians. There is a mutiny. The church is on the brink of imploding. Paul makes an emergency visit. When he arrives, he is rejected by the church congregation that bought the lies about his character and motives. Paul leaves heartbroken and depressed.

He returns to Ephesus and writes them a letter we commonly call the "severe letter." In chapter 2, verse 4 he says he wrote this letter "out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you." Paul knows this letter will either help to begin to remedy this situation or it will push the church possibly completely out of his life. It's killing him! Titus was commissioned to visit Corinth, observe the state of the church, and then meet Paul in Troas (a seaport city) with a report as to how the church responded to the letter. Paul arrives in Troas eager to hear the news and Titus is nowhere to be found.

That leads us into verse 12. "Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord."

So Paul goes to Troas to meet Titus for an update on the church (we'll see that in verse 14), but according to verse 12, Paul also goes to Troas "for the gospel of Christ" to see people saved and the church strengthened. Here is a serving principle for us right away. I know many of us have families and full-time careers that Paul did not have, but to what degree are our hearts filled with a love for the church and a passion to tell others about Christ? You see good service must first emanate within our hearts. And all good service starts with Christ giving our hearts a burden to passionately serve the local church and passionately tell others about our Savior. No doubt these were two priorities for Paul when he arrived at Troas. Based upon our actions in the past few months, can we affirm that they are two priorities that Christ has given us as well?

Verse 12 also informs us that when Paul came to Troas "a door was opened for [him] in the Lord." What this means is that opportunities for the gospel were made available to him by God. Another principle for service is that all our service needs to depend upon the Lord for His blessings and His empowerment. We must remember every time we serve that it's His work that He's choosing to work through us. And when we serve the Lord in the right way, it's always pleasing to Him. As far as the genuine spiritual results go, the ministry will only go as far as the Lord takes it. We need to knock around, but God needs to open doors for us.

God gave Paul an "open door." So what was this "open door" that Paul speaks about? Most likely it was what every minister longs for. People wanted to hear the gospel. People were listening. People were getting saved. There was conversion and excitement and dedication and transformation in the air of the church!

So Paul enjoyed months of fruitful preaching, right? Wrong! Look at verse 13. "I had no rest for my spirit, not finding Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I went on to Macedonia." Fairly self-explanatory. Despite the opportunity for the gospel, Paul can't find Titus with the news about the church in Corinth from whom he is dying to hear. He imagines the worst. His tormented heart is so overwhelmed with godly concern that he leaves! Wow! His passion for the well-being of this Corinthian church was so intense that he was unable to minister elsewhere despite being given the dream case scenario for any servant!

More service principles? Where do I start? Service is driven by a love for the local church (2 Cor. 11:28). Service is giving your heart in addition to your hands and feet. How about this one. Service is a challenge when our hearts are unsettled over other spiritual burdens.

It makes you really wonder how much the sin within a church decommissions servants as it did Paul? Does the selfish spouse or the backsliding brother or the constant criticizer or the divisive individual or the suck-the-life-out-of-people but I'm-unwilling to repent person drain the church's energy and sap our strength and desire from really loving and building up one another and winning the lost, even when open doors are presented right in our midst?

It's a challenge for all of us, knowing we need to deal with these folks, but also knowing how to deal with these folks so they don't completely debilitate us. Satan would love that because it makes us feel like we are doing ministry but we are left with no gas in the tank and thus drawn away from discipling believers and winning the lost. In this case, the spiritually hungry church in Troas lost out because the spiritually sinful church in Corinth drained their pastor.

I read a letter from one pastor this week that became so consumed with these issues that he lost all his joy in service and just totally gave up.

My dear Jim,

I'm through. Yesterday, I handed in my resignation, to take effect at once. This morning I began work for The Land Company. I'll not return to the pastorate.

I think I can see into your heart as you read these words and behold not a little disappointment, if not disgust. I don't blame you at all, for I'm somewhat disgusted with myself.

Do you recall the days in seminary when we talked of the future and painted pictures of what we were to do for the Kingdom of God? We saw the boundless need for unselfish Christian service, and longed to be out among men doing our part toward the world's redemption. I'll never forget that last talk on the night before graduation. You were off to the foreign field, and I was off to pastor my church. We had brave dreams of usefulness, and you have realized yours. As I look back across 25 years, I can see some lives that I have helped, and some things which I have been permitted to do that are worthwhile. But sitting here tonight, I am more than half convinced that God never intended me to be a minister. If He did, I'm not big enough and brave enough to pay the price. And even if it leads you to write me down a coward, I'm gonna tell you why I've quit.

In these years, I have found [only] a few earnest, unselfish, consecrated Christians. I do not believe that I am especially morbid or unfair in my estimate. So, as far as I know my own heart, I'm not bitter. But through all these years, a conviction has been growing within me, that the average church member cares precious little about the Kingdom of God and its advancement, or the welfare of his fellow man. He is a Christian in order that he may save his soul from hell, and for no other reason. He does as little as he can, lives as indifferently as he dares. If he thought he could gain Heaven without even lifting his finger for others, he would jump at the chance. Never have I known more than a small minority of any church which I have served to be really interested and unselfishly devoted to God's work. It took my whole time to pull and push and urge and persuade the reluctant members of my church to undertake a little something for the Kingdom. They took a covenant to be faithful in attendance on the services of the church, and not one out of ten ever thought of attending prayer meeting. A large percentage seldom attend church in the morning, and a pitifully small number in the evening. It didn't seem to mean anything to them that they had dedicated themselves to the service of Christ.

I'm tired - tired of being the only one in the church from whom real sacrifice is expected; tired of straining and tugging to get Christian people to live like Christians; tired of planning work for my people and then being compelled to do it myself, or see it left undone; tired of dodging my creditors, when I would not need to if I had been paid what is due me; tired of the affrighting vision of a penniless old age. I'm not leaving Christ - I love Him. I'll still try to serve Him. Judge me leniently, old friend - I can't bear to lose your friendship.

Yours as of old,

William

Paul was given an open door of great opportunities for ministry to work alongside a fruitful and thriving church in Troas. He walked away from it because his heart was so overwhelmed with the church in Corinth that was filled with sin and so disloyal to him. So off he goes to Macedonia. He's heading northwest in the direction of Corinth probably in hopes that he will rendezvous with Titus en route.

2. The Servant's Motivation (verses 14-16a)

As we move to the second point we'll see the servant's motivation. From the servant's heart we go to the servant's motivation.

How do you not lose heart in ministry? How do you deal with the problems in others when you can barely handle the problems you are experiencing in your own life? What keeps you going when the results are limited, the work is hard and the appreciation is infrequent? Why did that Pastor bail out? Did God let him down? What's going to turn this around for Paul to prevent him from bailing out himself?

In verse 14 we read about a remarkable shift in thought. Something amazingly happened in the white space between verses 13 and 14. Paul goes from depression (that's his word in 7:6), the spiritual burnout we read about in verse 13, to saying in the beginning of verse 14, "Thanks be to God." Specifically he went from anxiety to praise! If we can get this, it will revolutionize our lives for Christ with unceasing joy and unending service!

Look at verse 14. "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ." There's the answer! Regardless of the results we must always remember that with Christ we will triumph so long as we (something I repeatedly struggle with) keep our eyes on Him for our hope and not on our circumstances. And when I say our circumstances I am referring to the mockery from unbelievers, the lukewarmness from believers, the headlines in the news, the personal feelings and speculations, the wisdom from the world and the tendency to be self- pitied - at least those are some of the ones that get me. So it's simple. Discouraged in service? Another serving principle - realize you are ultimately serving King Jesus and regardless of the results, you are simply called to be faithful. Thanks to His work on the cross you will always ultimately triumph in Him. Simple enough? Well, not really. We need to dig even deeper into this complicated text.

The key phrase in the beginning of verse 14 is "leads us in triumph." Across the board all scholars believe Paul is making a reference here, and it will also be seen in the verses that follow, to the triumphal processions commonly conducted in the Roman culture after a significant military victory.

This would be the highest honor that any military leader could receive. The conditions to attain it were significant. He had to have been the actual commander-in-chief in the field. His campaign had to have been completely concluded. The victorious troops had to have been brought back home. At least five thousand of the enemy had to have been killed. A new territory for Rome had to have been seized. And this victory had to have been won over a foreign foe.

If granted this illustrious distinction, a triumphant parade was commenced. The people and the order of those who marched in the parade were significant. First were the politicians. Then the trumpeters. Then were the spoils taken from the enemy. Then came pictures of the conquered land. Then came the white bull for the sacrifice to their gods. Then came the high ranking leaders from the opposition bound with chains often soon to be executed. Then came the musicians. Then came the priests swinging their sensors giving off a sweet smelling incense. Then came the general himself, riding in a chariot drawn by four horses, decked out with a purple toga, an ivory scepter in his hand and a crown of Jupiter over his head. After the general came his family. And then finally came the army wearing all their decorations shouting "lo triumphe!"

This picture, common to all the citizens of the day is what Paul had in his mind when he wrote these verses in 2 Corinthians. Now there is also no doubt that Paul says we as Christians are triumphant. But the big question is, in which part of the parade are we to picture ourselves? There are several, at least five possible explanations, but if we rightly assume Christ is the conquering General in the procession, the best two interpretations have us being either the general's troops or the general's slaves. Both can be theologically correct, but which one is Paul speaking about in this passage? Remember, there is only one correct interpretation for every biblical passage.

I'll explain both options and you let me know which one you believe is the correct interpretation. Again, both are true theologically, but as I just said, a given passage can only have one interpretation. So which one, if either, best fits the context?

The first option: Jesus is the General and we are His conquering troops marching in the parade. There is a lot to like about this interpretation. We know the Bible teaches this elsewhere. Even Paul himself said in Romans that "we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us" (Rom. 8:37). In other words, Paul is defeated based upon his situation, but he immediately calls to mind that he is always victorious because of his union with King Jesus Christ. He's in the Lord's army which has already won the battle. Christ is sovereign. Christ will never give up on His church. The forces of evil can't prevail in His midst. All things are working together for his good. He will triumph with Christ now and it will be visible to all that he will triumph with Christ in the end when King Jesus comes back at the end riding His white horse and defeating His enemies. So with Jesus Christ we are always on the winning team!

So the serving principle says be encouraged to see beyond all that discourages us to see Christ reigning on His throne. Since our victory is secure in Him, our ministry in His name and conducted in His power is never in vain.

The second option: Jesus is the General and we are the conquered slaves marching in the parade. Let's keep this in the context. The theme of 2 Corinthians is Paul's suffering as an apostle of Christ. We covered it already in chapter 1. We'll see it throughout the letter. In chapter 4 he says he's "afflicted in every way…perplexed… persecuted…struck down…always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus…constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake…so death works in us" (2 Cor. 4:8-12). Chapter 6 he's "unknown…dying…punished" (2 Cor. 6:9). Why this fascination with the morbid? Could it be as we have seen already that Paul's opponents used his suffering against him because they believed God would never allow a choice servant of His to suffer? Once again, Paul took their critiques and turned them around. Suffering actually legitimized his ministry. In other words, suffering is the lot allotted for God's most prized servants (cf. 1 Cor. 4:9). Do we need to look further than Jesus Himself?

The only other time the Greek word for triumph (thriambeuo) is used in the New Testament we see it in reference to God disarming, subduing the demonic forces in Colossians 2:15.

So is Paul finding the opportunity to glory in his humble position yet honored status as a slave to Christ (an identification he loved to use for himself)? In other words, he is dead to himself (1 Cor. 15:31 - "I die daily") and fully alive to the lordship of Christ, fully intent on obeying the will of his Master. How can God reveal His glory through a proud heart? Yet God has fully captured Paul's heart and through Paul is manifesting the glory and power and majesty of His name.

So this serving principle says since God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble, those fully dependent to be emptied of self and led by King Jesus are the ones that will be most effective for His kingdom. This humility and brokenness often come through suffering. And when all this takes place we realize our greatest triumph in Christ is as Paul will say in chapter 12, power perfected in weakness.

Both options are true in a theological sense, but which option do you believe Paul is stressing here?

Lord willing, we'll conclude the sermon next week, but I leave you with several serving principles that were presented this morning:

• Christ empowers us with the love necessary to serve His church and win the lost.
• We knock, but Christ must open doors to be spiritually successful.
• Service is giving our hearts and not just our hands and feet.
• Service is a challenge when people elsewhere drain energy because of unrepentant sin.
• Regardless of the visible results, we are triumphant with Christ.
• Christ uses humble vessels that are prepared to be filled with His power.

I believe what this sermon is about is not so much about you doing more, but you realizing in greater ways what Christ has already done and is prepared to do for you. And when you realize that, how can the service not naturally follow?