Always Yes

Good to see you, and if you're visiting with us today, a special welcome to you. We're really glad you're here. We are ready to dig into God's Word today.

I'll give you a little heads up. As we said last week, we do have something unique coming in sort of the second half of the service here today.

So I am going to preach. I'm going to preach a little bit less, a little bit shorter, and then we're going to pray and take a little bit of a shift in gears, and we're going to talk about a really exciting update about a project that we would like to move forward with.

So for now, let me ask you if you could find the book of 2 Corinthians, or actually letter of 2 Corinthians, because that's what it is, a letter.

And we're in chapter 1, ready today to begin in verse 12, and we're going to take the maybe two paragraphs in your Bible or in your journal, verse 12 through verse 22.

And if you've got your app open or your Bible or your journal, you can follow along with me, and I will read this passage for us. The Apostle Paul, the words of Scripture.

For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom, but by the grace of God and supremely so toward you.

For we are not writing anything to you, anything other than what you read and understand, and I hope you will fully understand, just as you did partially understand us, that on the day of the Lord Jesus, you will boast of us as we will boast of you.

Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first so that you might have a second experience of grace. I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea.

Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say yes, yes, and no, no at the same time? As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been yes and no.

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus, Timothy, and I, was not yes and no, but in him it is always yes. For all the promises of God find their yes in him.

That is why it is through him that we utter our amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us and who has also put his seal on us and given us his spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Will you pray once more with me? Father, we do come before you this morning with just two simple things on our minds and hearts. Lord, for one, we recognize that some within our congregation are struggling.

Those who are struggling physically with illness, we think especially of the Sudlow family. We pray for Rich. We pray for Cindy. Father, support them in this difficult time.

Lord, we pray for those who have welcomed new life into their family. The demands, the toils of a baby or small children. We pray for them. Father, we pray for those who are struggling in marriages.

We pray that you would equip us, Lord, to build our marriages for your glory. And we pray that you will build us now by your word. We pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen. Amen. Well, we've been talking about this letter for a couple of weeks now, and we are understanding there are reasons behind why a person writes a letter, right?

I mean, does anybody ever just write a letter just for the sake of writing a letter? Is there a point to this one? Yes, there is. Here are the facts.

We've got the Apostle Paul. He planted this church about five years earlier. He spent about 18 months living in the city of Corinth with these believers.

The church has been growing. It's proliferated, we think, into maybe many house churches across the city. But more than just do ministry there, Paul wants to go on to other parts of the empire.

As we know, he's a missionary, and he does that. So he leaves them after 18 months. But when he did so, he promised that he would come back.

In fact, here's what he wrote at the end of 1 Corinthians. This is 1 Corinthians 16, verse 5. He wrote this. He said, I will visit you after passing through Macedonia.

1 Corinthians 16:5

For I intend to pass through Macedonia, and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter there, so that you may help me on my journey wherever I go.

For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you if the Lord permits. I think we can all relate to that, right?

Somebody you care about. Somebody that's maybe family to you. A quick visit's nice, but stop in for more than just dinner. We want you to stay the weekend, or we want you to stay some time with us.

That's what Paul wants to do here with the church. But apparently after Paul left, some real problems emerged here in this church. We've talked about them.

That's what the first letter to the Corinthians is essentially written to deal with. So Paul sends that first letter along with his young protege Timothy in about the year 54 AD.

Timothy comes back to Paul and unfortunately brings a bad report. He says, this church is still in disarray. They've responded poorly to your letter, Paul.

And it prompted Paul to change his plans. Paul decided that I better make an emergency visit, and he does just that. It's what's often called the painful visit.

It's painful for Paul. It's painful for the church. Apparently, a ringleader in the church refused to repent. And what was very painful for Paul was the fact that most of the church didn't really back Paul.

And so he left there discouraged. He was praying for change. And rather than make another trip again and possibly inflame the situation and make things worse, he decided instead to write another letter, sometimes called the severe letter.

This is not one that we have. And this time he sent the letter not with young Timothy, young timid Timothy. He sent it with the older Titus, who we think might have had a firmer constitution.

Titus goes, delivers the severe letter, and by the grace of God, he brings back a more encouraging report from Paul. So that now Paul is finally in a position to be able to begin making preparations to come and make good on that promise for an extended visit.

But even as Paul is doing this, making his preparations, another phenomenon emerged. The arrival of the so-called super apostles. Right away, these guys begin to attack Paul.

Paul, he's weak, they say. He's kind of a loser, really, guys. You know, this Paul is so tough in his letters when he writes, but when he's up close and personal, not that impressive.

He's not trained like we are in rhetoric, not nearly as eloquent as we are. But at the heart of their charge against Paul, we learned that they had really zeroed in.

The biggest attack on his apostleship was the bullseye they put on his change in travel plans. Basically, they said, this guy, you can't trust his word.

This man is hiding something. He's a fraud. He's a wishy-washy apostle, a people pleaser at best. This is what Paul's dealing with as he begins here in verse 12.

Check it out again. He says this. Now, this is a little bit of a strange way to open up things, for Paul to say, I'm boasting in this.

My boast is this. Because we know that this Corinthian culture was all about boasting, sinful forms of boasting. But we also know that not all boasting is sinful.

It's sinful when we boast in ourselves. Where it's not sinful is when we boast in the work of God. And that is what Paul is doing. He says, my conscience, that human faculty that God has given every one of us, by which we all do that self-evaluation, where we either approve of our actions and thoughts,

or disapprove, I want you guys to know, mine is clean. It is clear by the grace of God. And it confirms to me that we have behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity.

He's saying, our way of living, our pattern of life has been one of simplicity. You say, well, what does that mean? Does that mean he doesn't have much in the way of clothes?

He doesn't really style his hair very well? That's not what he means. The word simplicity that he uses here means transparency. It means out in the light, not hidden in the dark.

He's saying, I've been completely straightforward with you guys. I've been out in the open. There's nothing hidden or sinister in my motives.

I don't have double purposes. Just singleness of heart. He also uses the term godly sincerity. He says, my words and behavior, our words and behavior, they have been pure.

There is a wholeness. The word literally means unmixed. An unadulterated purity. There are no mixed motives with me. No duplicity with me. I don't tell you one thing and mean another.

I don't say things and let you interpret my words however you want. When there's really another meaning. A double meaning behind them. I'm not like that.

I have said and done what's right. I've been transparent and straightforward with you guys. And I did it even when it was unpopular. And I knew I was risking you getting upset at me.

Think about that. Is that not the test of real transparency? Right? When you know someone that you need to say something to is not going to like what you want to hear.

Paul says, I don't avoid controversy when it's for your good. Our behavior with you and with the world, our behavior with everyone, we come into contact with, is unambiguous and direct and sincere.

You don't have to read between the lines with me. I say what I mean. You're going to know what I mean. And I mean what I say. With me, it's not by earthly wisdom, he says.

And we know about this culture in Corinth that earthly, worldly wisdom was alive and well here. It was the kind of wisdom where people got special training in rhetoric and learned how to use their words and worked the political system of the city for their benefit.

Things like cunning and being clever were very popular. Use your words in a clever way with fancy rhetorical flourish. It's like a little flourish here, a little innuendo there, a twist.

Maybe. I don't know. Do you want it to be a twist? I can do that. What do you want to hear? What do I think my audience will respond favorably toward?

How can I get people to do what I want and maybe even think it's what they want? That's what he was dealing with in this culture. You see, duplicity, that word means that you're saying one thing, but you really intend something else.

It's when you let people be deceived. But then you back up and say, whoa, whoa, whoa. Technically, the words that I, what I said was this. When both you and the other person know full well what you meant.

And Paul's talking not just about a style of communicating. This is about more than just speech. It's about a way of life. A way of living. Where people will bend things and take advantage of situations for their own personal advantage.

Where you use people. Where you do it and even manage to appear sincere. Maybe even godly. Using questionable means. Twisting words. A little hypocrisy.

Whatever is expedient for the moment. And this is exactly what the super apostles were doing. I remember several years ago, I served on the credentialing team in the region.

This is where we were like a panel that would interview new candidates to become ministers. And let me tell you, there was a bright young candidate that came through.

And he was polished. He was as polished as he was eager. And he did a pretty decent job on his written paperwork, his doctrinal statement. But then we always would conduct like a personal interview.

Where we would sit down with the candidate. And we would talk things like life and family. And you know, your philosophy of doing ministry. And doctrine.

And it didn't take very long. For some of us to get the pretty clear impression of this guy. And what made him tick. It felt like, it felt like what was sitting across the desk from us was like, what do you want to hear?

What do you want me to say? And the thing was, I think he was very sincere about it. I think he meant it. We wanted to know, what do you really believe?

And it seemed like that was missing or getting lost on him. He didn't say anything wrong. But it was kind of evident that he was trying to work us a bit.

And Paul's telling the Corinthian believers here, it's not like that with me and my guys. As you'll put it even more directly in just a couple of chapters from now, chapter 4 of this letter, here's what he says in 2 Corinthians 4 verse 2.

2 Corinthians 4:2

Paul was shunning worldly means to win friends and influence people, right?

He was not a cunning and clever guy, or at least he didn't behave that way. I would imagine Paul was probably not really good with sermon illustrations.

Probably didn't have cute stories. I would imagine he would say, I don't have time for that. I need to teach you God's Word. Remember, he had spent 18 months living with these Corinthians and teaching and preaching.

And he knew their culture very well. And they knew him. They knew what he was like. He knew what these super apostles were doing. And he was telling the church, you know that it's not like that with me.

We were exemplary. We were straightforward with you guys. Our behavior was on the up and up. And by the grace of God, supremely so toward you.

He goes on in verse 13. Take a look. He says, It's like he's saying,

Guys, I've written you a couple of letters now. You know how I write. I don't cloak things. I'm not an indirect person. I commend what should be commended.

And I call out what needs to be called out. And we'll remember that Paul writes very uniquely in these letters. He writes as an apostle. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

He writes as a man carried along by the Holy Spirit. As Peter describes inspiration. So you partially understood us in what I've previously written.

And now with this letter right now, I hope that you're going to fully understand us. So that when the final day comes, when all of us stand before the Lord Jesus, we can have mutual pride and rejoice in what God has done in each of us respectively.

You see, Paul has a real bond with this church. He loves this church. And although that bond has been attacked and maybe stretched a bit lately, his hope and his confidence are strong.

I like how one commentator paraphrases this. It's as if Paul looks forward to being able to say one day to the Lord, Lord, Lord, here's my church.

And he expects that the church is going to say, Lord, here's our apostle. By verse 15, Paul finally begins to offer some explanation about the travel plans and the change.

Why have his plans changed? Well, first thing he does in verse 15, he reminds them of what he had written back in 1 Corinthians chapter 16. He says, I originally planned an extended visit.

1 Corinthians 16 · chapter mention

Yeah, I thought maybe I'd spend the whole winter with you. But in light of what had happened, no doubt at the Lord's leading, I had to revise my plans.

And instead, I was going to pay you a double visit. I, verse 16, he says, I was going to visit you on the way to Macedonia, pass through you guys in Corinth, and then I was going to return the same way.

There are different ways you can take a boat from Macedonia. If you look at the map, Macedonia down to Judea, you don't have to go through Corinth.

But Paul was saying, I planned to. I planned to do this before I went to Jerusalem. I wanted to do this, see you these two times so you could have a second experience of grace.

It comes to his point in verse 17. Verse 17, he says, Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Was I fickle? Am I, Paul, your apostle, someone who makes plans willy-nilly, tells you what you want to hear, but really I've got a hidden agenda

and something else in mind? Is that the kind of person you think that I am? Someone who makes plans according to the flesh, ready to say yes, yes, and no, no, at the same time or in the same breath.

Double talk. Saying yes and no, emphatically in the same breath. You do realize that today our culture has a little problem with this?

You know, a lot of times we hear things like, you know, oh, are you, hey, are you coming to my party? And it's like, oh, definitely, maybe, I think.

As far as I know, you can count on me being there. I mean, if nothing comes up, which it probably won't, but it might. So I don't think I can commit fully, but I'll probably be there, I think.

Do you know what I'm talking about? But behind this duplicitous talk, and that's kind of what it is, is really, can I say this, a self-centeredness?

What they call what? FOMO, fear of missing out? It's this, and I think that some of the younger generations, I mean, mine too, you know, we're maybe a little bit more susceptible.

We hesitate to commit to things, because honestly, something better might come along. We want to leave our options open indefinitely, and even when we do appear to commit, we might renege on that commitment.

The moment it no longer suits us. I mean, was it really a commitment that I made? Really? Paul's asking, are you guys really accusing me of being like that?

Being that kind of person? Someone that doesn't really care about you? Somebody that's motivated by self-interest? Someone who's not really fully committed to you, my church?

Well, verse 18, sounds like an oath. He says, as surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been yes and no. And as a matter of fact, if these Corinthians had been listening, or I guess reading Paul a little more closely, they would have heard how clear he was

when he originally stated his plans. Because back in that first letter, Paul did not say one thing and do something else. He always stated his plans in a way that were contingent upon one thing and one thing only.

And that one thing is the Lord's will. Here's what he said. 1 Corinthians 4, verse 19, But I will come to you if the Lord wills. At the end of the letter, chapter 16, verse 7, For I do not want to see you now just in passing.

1 Corinthians 4:19

I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. And listen, when Paul talks about his word, his word to them, please understand, this is more than just like, I gave you my word, his personal word, or even the words of a personal letter that just anybody would write.

These are inspired words that he's giving them, right? And our word, he says, is not a duplicitous or contradictory or wishy-washy yes and no.

You understand that the super apostles, by undermining Paul's credibility, they had to attack his word. And by attacking his word, what they were really doing is attacking the first letter to the Corinthians, God's word.

There was a direct connection between the apostle, the inspired apostle, and the developing word of God that we now have in complete form. So it was very much an attack on scripture.

Verse 19.

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, it was not yes and no, but in him it is always yes.

It's not duplicitous. It's not contradictory. It's not a wishy-washy yes and no. At the same time, it's always a definitive yes. And just like that, what Paul's done here is he has very successfully, I mean, for a guy not trained in rhetoric, he knows what he's doing.

He's shifted all the attention away from himself and his companions, and he's shifted it to the one that he proclaims, right? Jesus. The Son of God.

Jesus Christ. It's always yes in him. Jesus is a yes. He is a yes to the question of, can you be saved from the wrath of God? He's a yes to the question of, will atonement be able to cover our sins?

It's a yes. And we are true apostles in him. We are a yes too. God is faithful. Jesus is faithful. Paul is faithful as his commissioned apostle.

Verse 20, he goes on, for all the promises of God find their yes in him. That is why it is through him, Jesus, that we utter our amen to God for his glory.

All the promises, he says. Another translation, a couple of other ones say, every last one of God's promises, the sense is like, any promise God has ever made, finds its yes in Jesus.

And we don't have time to survey all the promises in the Old Testament. It would take a long time. But some of the bigger ones, what are they?

Well, it starts with the promise in Genesis 3 of the seed of the woman that would one day crush the serpent's head. And then there was the promise that God would raise up a prophet like Moses in Deuteronomy 18.

There's the promise of a Davidic son, 2 Samuel 7. The promise of a new covenant in Jeremiah 31. Paul saying, in Jesus, in Christ, all of God's promises, every last one, are perfectly fulfilled.

When God speaks a promise, it's yes. It's fulfilled. And we utter our amen to that. For the God who establishes us, for the God who anointed us, he closes out in verse 22.

The same God who puts his seal of ownership on us and gives us the Holy Spirit as a down payment, as a guarantee. It's a yes! And come, Lord Jesus.

Very quickly, let me leave this with something practical. What do we learn from Paul's defense of his ministry? We want to ask ourselves, how is this meant to be a teaching moment for us today?

Really, I'm going to offer you just a single takeaway, one takeaway this morning. And that takeaway is this. A believer's words and behavior are a reflection of the gospel.

A believer's words and behavior, they are a reflection of the gospel. This is what Paul shows us. The integrity of our words, our speech, what you and I commit to, what we promise, what we say we'll do,

the way we behave in our world. If it looks bad, the gospel looks bad. If we look like fakes, the gospel looks fake. If we appear duplicitous or unethical or earthly

or worldly in how we interact and make a habit of telling people what they want to hear and not the truth, Paul's saying that the gospel suffers.

Because we are its ambassadors. We are its agents. We are its representatives.

And how many ways and on how many fronts in our lives right now, our world right now, are you and I in the church faced with challenges here?

I don't have time to name all of them, but what about that friend that wants to leave their spouse and they want you to be okay with it? They want to hear you say that you understand.

Or what about that family member who decides to come out and announce a new lifestyle and they want your affirmation? Or your school when it maybe celebrates secular or even anti-biblical values and they want you to sign off on it as a parent and support it.

your boss, your co-worker, does something unethical, takes something, fudges something, lies about something, and they want you to look the other way or maybe even just go right along with them.

Remember this lesson from Paul. If you're a believer, your words and your behavior are a reflection of the gospel. So, let them reflect the gospel.

And don't sell out. Don't be a poor representation of it. Paul knew that he was not. And that's why he held up both his words and his actions before these Corinthians and said, you know me.

You know I do what I say. You know I am who I am. And in as much as God is a yes in Jesus and never a vacillating yes and no, a firm yes, you know that people who are saved by this gospel

and who let themselves be shaped by this gospel are going to be a firm and resounding yes to.

Let me ask you if you would just bow your heads with me. I'm going to say a prayer.

Heavenly Father, this morning as we look at these words from Paul, this book, this special inspired book that you've given us we call the Bible, as we look at this letter he's written in a specific time and situation, we want you Lord to shape us by the gospel.

We see what we see from Paul. We hear what we hear from him. We see a man of integrity. We see a person of commitments. We see someone, Lord, who is willing to say difficult things to people he loves.

And Lord, that is a challenge for us. We live in a society that has twisted up love and confused us about what is a loving thing to do. So help us, Lord, to truly embody a love that holds on to truth, a love that is for someone's good.

And Lord, for others of us at different times and different moments, we're the ones that need to have something difficult spoken to us. Will you help us to be humble?

Will you help us to realize that there but for your grace we are sinners and we struggle and sometimes we don't get it right. So Lord, our prayer this morning is that you would build every household here, every person here, according to your grace, so that we,

like Paul, could say our words and our lives are a yes in Christ Jesus because we know that Jesus is a yes from you, Heavenly Father. We thank you for his life, death, and resurrection.

We thank you that it's by his blood he has purchased and bought a church, that he has bought this church and we give you all the glory and all the praise in Jesus' name.

Amen.