Transcript

Bragging Rights

2 Corinthians 10:12-18
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Pastor Randy Smith

Happy New Year!

And what's the start of the New Year without some sports? It's always an exciting time in the athletic world. Hockey has its "winter classic." The football post-season is underway. And what would New Year be without college football, especially with the new bowl playoff system that was inaugurated this year.

I played sports. I still enjoy watching sports, probably a little less after the Bear's horrific season. Just the concept of sports is exciting for me. Intense training to compete at your best level. Strategies on the most effective way to defeat your opponent. The drama of a close game until the final whistle. And of course, the thrill of victory.

Many athletes take winning way too far. As coach Vince Lombardi once said, "Winning isn't everything. It's the only thing!" So much emphasis today is placed on winning. And for many of those unchecked competitive freaks, in the events that lead up to a big game and definitely in the shadow of a big victory it's open season as it pertains to bragging. You've heard of the term, "Bragging Rights."

Here's how the "Urban Dictionary" defines it: "[Bragging rights] are the rights granted to a person that allow said person to boast on themselves to a certain extent without being looked down on for it. Bragging rights may be granted to a person for (but not limited to) the following reasons: An Amazing Achievement. Attaining something greatly desired by many people. An unfortunate event that can be viewed as positive for different reasons. However, using bragging rights after their expiration date may lead to extreme dislike of said person."

Bragging or boasting as it's commonly called doesn't end in the athletic world. It spills over to the academic world, the gym, the career, the house, the children, the grandchildren and any other domain where a sense of achievement can be accomplished. Sadly the church is no different.

So is boasting right or wrong?

This morning as the Lord permits us to finish up chapter 10 of 2 Corinthians, we'll see what God's word has to say about this common and often abused topic called boasting.

We've been learning throughout this letter that Paul has been defending himself against the attacks of the false teachers. Their strategy mirrored the young insecure bully on the school playground. Cut the opponent down while elevating yourself. It is as old as dirt.

So we've seen all the nasty and untrue things they said about Paul. And we've also seen the flatulent and impressive things they said about themselves. Paul is placed in a pickle. The converts were flocking to the false teachers so he has to say something, but to say anything exposes himself to the additional charge of self-commendation. The former was necessary, but the latter was dangerous. It was a well-set trap. What's the apostle to do?

Paul's strategy is simple. He won't go after the superficial issue of boasting in and of itself . Interestingly, he never criticizes them for their boasting. We'll learn that boasting is not the problem. He'll go after the content or we could say the criteria of their boasting. This takes us to the first point.

1. "He Ain't Got No Game" (verse 12)

The first point, and this one will sound like nails on a chalkboard to our English teachers and homeschool moms out there: "He Ain't Got No Game." Slang and double-negatives galore!

Look with me at the beginning of verse 12. "For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves."

With every trap there has to be some bait. The bait the false teachers set was their prompting Paul to compare himself with them. They laid out several boasts and expected Paul to play along with their game, a game that he would be sure to lose.

For example, we'll keep the illustrations within the sport's realm. Let's say you get into a friendly debate regarding who's a faster swimmer. A large crowd has gathered and your opponent is giving all the reasons why he's the best. He's pointing to the expensive exercise equipment that he uses, which you can't afford. He's pulling off the top of his dresser one trophy after another, which you don't possess. He's showing his new high tech suit built for the least resistance in the water, which you don't own. He's showing expensive vitamins and supplements to increase performance, which you don't take. He appears to have game with all the onlookers. He appears to be smoking you in this debate. You've been silent the whole time because you refuse to stoop to this level, like Paul in 2 Corinthians, because you are guaranteed to lose if you debate on his established terms. He appears to have won over the crowd until you say, "Is there a pool we can get into around here?"

You get the point?

Verse 12 tells us the criteria for the false teachers was to compare themselves with what they believed was impressive and able to achieve in the flesh. We learned how they boasted in their letters of commendation and polished rhetorical skills and number of followers and ecstatic experiences and speaking fees. You see, they simply set up their own standard and they met their own objectives.

As Paul says at the end of verse 12, "When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding." In other words, big deal if you can measure yourself by your own standards! That's not the way life works, we know that. Such thinking is "without understanding." It's utter foolishness.

For example, I'm horrible at basketball. I don't like the game. The only time I watched it was when I lived in Chicago in the 90's and a guy named Michael Jordan played for the Bulls. But it's like me saying, "Since I'm 6 feet 4 inches, under 50 years of age (can't still say that!), work at a place that has a full size gym, own a basketball net at my home and happen to be a white guy who can jump (all of which is true), that I could probably still make it in the NBA." If I spoke like that, measuring myself with myself, I'd be as Paul says, verse 12, completely "without understanding." It's self-deception.

Sam Storms said these false teachers were charter members of the own mutual admiration society."

So we'll see that Paul is not against boasting. Actually, we've seen his boasting throughout this letter. 7:4, "Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf." 7:14, "But as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before Titus proved to be the truth." 8:24, "show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you." 9:3, "But I have sent the brethren, in order that our boasting about you may not be made empty in this case." And we'll see his boasting as we move forward. 11:10, "As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia." 12:1, "Boasting is necessary." Boasting is not the problem per say. What Paul is against is the criteria in which the false teachers used to generate their boasting.

2. "Check This Out" (verses 13-16)

As we move to the second point, "Check This Out," Paul will do some comparisons himself, but we'll see him use a completely different standard to arrive at his material for boasting.

Look with me at verse 13. "But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you."

Again you can, Paul is not against boating. He's only against their measure of boasting. In other words, what should they be boasting in? What should really count? What's the "measurement?"

It's interesting to see the emphasis that Paul puts on this in verse 13. In the NASB we see the word "measure" used 3 times in one verse. The original Greek word Paul used is "metron." It means the standard by which something is to be measured. Think of the "metric system" in our English vocabulary - a form of measurement. Also in verse 13 is the word, "sphere." The Greek word is "kanon." When we speak of the canon of Scripture we talking about the standard by which what books should be included in the Bible.

Boasting in the stuff the false teachers boasted in was, verse 13 "beyond [this] measure." There was a measuring line for legitimate boasting and all their stuff was below it. Paul is not about to stoop to their level and go toe-to-toe with the lies and exaggerations of the false teachers. So what is the standard or measurement Paul works within? Again, verse 13, "Within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you." Their standard was the one established in their own imagination. Paul's standard was the one established by God.

We'll come back to Paul in a moment, but God's standard is the standard where we should all be looking. For example, it's easy to determine in your own mind what a mature Christian should look like. However the right standard is looking like Jesus Christ Himself. 1 John 2:6, "The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." 1 John 2:4, "The one who says, 'I have come to know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

You see, too often Christians are guilty of the same games played by these false teachers in Corinth. We compare ourselves with our human standards or along those lines compare ourselves with others in the church, or even worse, others in the world. And when we do so we can walk away looking pretty good. The result is a pharisaical self-righteousness. If true, we're like Paul sad in verse 12, "without understanding." Or as the NIV version puts it, "not wise." In other words, "were fools!"

However when we understand that none of us deserve heaven and a relationship with God is all His doing on the basis of grace and that apart from God we are nothing (Jn. 15:5) and anything good in us comes from God and the character expected of us is nothing less than the holiness of Jesus Christ, personal boasting in our own measurements will cease and utter humility will triumph.

So back to Paul. There's a battle for authority in Corinth. The congregation is wondering, "Who's got game?" Paul lays down the standard. God's opinion is all that matters. This is how we should measure ourselves. And then Paul says to the church, let's do some comparisons. Look at them and look at me based not on their standard, but God's standard.

So what is Paul's specific standard? In verse 13 he speaks of "reach[ing] as far as you." He says it again in the beginning of verse 14 and then adds "we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ."

What Paul is saying here is that the church owes its existence to his ministry. He brought them the Gospel (verse 13 and 14). He started the church. 1 Corinthians 3:10, he "laid the foundation." In 1 Corinthians 3:6 Paul does not deny that God caused the growth, but he does say initially, "I planted, Apollos watered." He labored personally with them for 18 months (Ac. 18:11). He suffered repeatedly for their "comfort and salvation" (2 Cor. 1:6). In 1 Corinthians 4:15 he boldly declares, "I became your father through the gospel." And as their "faith grows" as he says in verse 15 it will be more evidence of his impact in their lives. Paul built them up on truth. The false teachers with their false gospel contributed nothing. In other words, through God's hands this church owed their existence to Paul.

You see the measurement? You see why these false teachers were boasting beyond the measurement? What do you often hear in athletics? "Play your game!" You see how Paul refused to "play their game." They can't compete with God's standards. You see why Paul is going to win this one with the true believers?

Let me add a footnote along these lines of something that needs to generate more discussion. In the advent of the Internet, it's amazing how many would-be pastors out there are popping up all over the place and gaining a considerable following and foothold in the hearts of many believers.

My friends anybody can design a nice website and start blogging. Many of them can even have decent doctrine. But I encourage you to evaluate the people whom you allow to shepherd you to be the ones that meet God's criteria for ministry? What does their marriage look like? How are their kids behaving? How long have they persevered in one location? Do they even attend a church? How much have they suffered for God's people? How have they invested themselves personally in the lives of others? How have they understood their weakness and grown in humility? This was a battle in Corinth for God's true voice. When we talk about the war for the true voice in today's church, this is where the ever-increasing battleground is now being formed.

In verse 16, Paul's goal is to plant churches. And "not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another." Though unwittingly, the false teachers were in actuality boasting in Paul's work. Paul wants to point out what God did though him. Paul is boasting in his work not unlike what each of us should be able to do ourselves! Anybody can talk trash. Anybody can take credit for another's achievements. Very few can say, "Look at my life and see what God has done through me."

3. "I Want To Give All The Praise To My Lord And Savior, Jesus Christ" (verse 17-18)

Yet before Paul ends this chapter, Paul has to make something crystal clear lest he be misunderstood by the church and again taken advantage of by the false teachers. You see, the point number 2, "look at me" could be very dangerous if it ends with "look at me."

Very few people appreciate the athletes that do this. Richard Sherman is last year's NFC playoff game. The chest-bumping, playing for my statistics, I need more money, "I'm the greatest" narcissistic attitudes. Even the unbeliever admires the humble athlete. Giving the ball to the ref after scoring a touchdown. Waiting around to sign autographs for the kids. Thanking his teammates in the post-game conference. But what do we as believers enjoy the most? When a Christian athlete has a great game and all the spotlights are shining on him with a multitude of microphones in his face and he says, "I just want to give all the praise to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." That takes us to our third and final point.

If you play a great athletic game it's undeniable. Just as if the Lord is working mightily through you. Should you deny the observable spiritual accomplishments? Lukewarm believers want us to. Yet such a position goes against the clear teaching of our Lord. Didn't Jesus tell us to "let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works." But He doesn't end it there. He continues by saying, "[So they may] glorify your Father who is in heaven." Nothing wrong with boasting as long as God is receiving all the glory! Nothing wrong with boasting unless our boasting is in the Lord!

In the Bible we are not commanded to avoid anger. We are commanded to avoid unrighteous anger. We need more righteous anger in the church! In the Bible we are not commanded to avoid jealousy. We are commanded to avoid unrighteous jealousy. We need more righteous jealousy in the church! In the Bible we are not commanded to avoid boasting. We are commanded to avoid unrighteous boasting. We need more righteous boasting in the church! That's why Paul says in verse 17, quoting Jeremiah 9:23-24, "But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord."

We are wired by God to be angry and be jealous and yes, to boast, some of us more than others! From little kids to senior citizens, everybody is boasting. Some of it is vain-glory and some of it is noble. Yet legitimate boasting in God's eyes is the boasting that exalts the grace of God and what He has accomplished in our lives. We are created to be mirrors that reflect that image. When the world sees God's work in us, He receives great glory. And when out boasting is of this nature, if the heart is right, will actually lead in us to greater humility.

Because when it's all said and done, verse 18, "For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends." And the Lord commends His humble servants that submit to His measurement, observe His grace in their lives within that measurement and then boast of His goodness all for His praise and glory.

The great hymn writer, Charles Wesley reportedly said he would have given up all his other hymns to have written this classic by Isaac Watts.

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

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.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.