2 Corinthians Ch13v1-14 - Body Building

2 Corinthians chapter 13 and Christine is going to come and read for us this morning.

2 Corinthians 13 · chapter mention

So that's 2 Corinthians chapter 13, beginning at verse 1 and that's on page 1167, whether

2 Corinthians 13 · chapter mention

you've got the blue or the red Bible.

This will be my third visit to you.

Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time.

I now repeat it while absent.

On my return, I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, since you are

demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me.

He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.

For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power.

Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power, we will live with him in our dealing with you.

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith.

Test yourselves.

Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you?

Unless, of course, you fail the test.

And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.

Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong.

Not so that people will see that we have stood the test, but so that you will do what is right,

even though we may seem to have failed.

For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

We are glad whenever we are weak, but you are strong, and our prayer is that you may be fully restored.

This is why I write these things when I am absent.

That when I come, I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority.

The authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice.

Strive for full restoration.

Encourage one another.

Be of one mind.

Live in peace.

And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Greet one another with a holy kiss.

All God's people here send their greetings.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Thanks, Chris, for reading.

Thank you.

We come to the end of our studies in 2 Corinthians.

And if you've missed any of the talks along the way, you'll find them on the website.

Most of them are there.

And I encourage you to go back and look through some of the passages in your time.

It's been a great encouragement and help to us as we lean upon God's strength in our weakness.

So let's pray and ask for God's help as we finish up in this letter this morning.

The Apostle Paul writes,

For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Father, you know our weaknesses.

You know our struggles.

And how we need to be strengthened and built up in our faith.

And so we trust that through your word and by your spirit, you will make us a strong church.

That together we would walk faithfully with you.

So help us now, we pray.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

So how strong are you?

I don't mean how many kgs can you lift or how many chin-ups you can do on the bar at the back there.

I mean, are you strong enough to stand against the blows and punches of false teachers?

Are you working out?

Are you building up those spiritual muscles so that you remain strong in the faith?

Because today we're going to see how we can be a strong church.

So this is going to be a workout session together as we look at God's word.

Look at chapter 13, verse 1.

Paul begins his conclusion with this by reminding us that he says,

This will be my third visit to you.

If you remember back during his first visit, he had arrived in Corinth.

He had preached the good news about Jesus, who had died, and how by trusting him we can have life.

And all those who had believed were gathered together into a church.

Then on his second visit, which was a lot more difficult,

in fact, as described in chapter 2, verse 1, as a painful visit,

Paul had to deal with some serious sin issues in the church.

Now he plans a third visit.

So look at verse 10 with me.

He says,

This is why I write these things.

So the whole letter.

This is why I write these things when I am absent.

That when I come,

that will be my third visit,

I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority.

The authority the Lord gave me for building you up.

Not for tearing you down.

So Paul's hope and desire is that when he visits the church,

they will be built up.

Because being strong is vital,

because there are those who will try to lead us away from Christ and the gospel.

We were warned about this in chapter 11.

If you have a look back in chapter 11, verse 13.

Remember the so-called super apostles had arrived in and were creating and causing havoc in the church.

And we're told about these people in chapter 11, verse 13.

For such people are false apostles,

deceitful workers,

masquerading as apostles of Christ.

And no wonder for Satan himself

masquerades as an angel of light.

They were teaching things like,

well, you've got God's word,

but your word in your heart is more trustworthy.

Listen to what you want,

what is best.

Let's get back to chapter 13.

So Paul is saying,

look, when I come to visit you,

when I come to you,

I want you to be in good shape.

I want you to be working out

so that you are built up.

In fact, it's even stronger than that.

He's saying,

if you're not in shape,

when I come,

I will knock you into shape.

That's how forceful he is.

Look again at verse 10.

I wonder if you picked it up.

In verse 10, he says,

this is why I write these things when I am absent,

that when I come,

I may not have to be harsh

in my use of authority.

He's saying,

get yourself fit,

or I'm going to get you fit.

Well,

who is Paul

to talk with such authority?

Why should we listen to his words?

Well, he has authority

because he is an apostle.

This is something he's been trying

to teach them through the letter.

So jump back to chapter 12,

verse 12.

He says,

I persevered in demonstrating among you

the marks of a true apostle,

including signs,

wonders,

and miracles.

So all the signs and wonders

that the apostle Paul had done

proved his authority.

It was a mark of authentication

that he was called by God

to this special task.

And he uses that authority

to build up the church.

So chapter 12,

at the end of verse 19,

he says,

and everything we do,

dear friends,

is for your strengthening.

You see,

Paul's words are not to be treated

lightly.

It's not just an opinion

he has.

They come with the very authority

of Christ.

So chapter 13,

verse 3,

he says,

you are demanding proof

that Christ

is speaking

through me.

Well,

that's a big thing

to claim,

isn't it?

To say that everything

that I say

and the words that I write

is Christ

speaking

through me.

But that's exactly

what he is saying.

Because the words

that we read here

in 2 Corinthians,

as we listen

to these words,

we are to listen

to them

as if they were

the very words

of Jesus Christ.

It's like Paul

is their spiritual

gym instructor.

He is using

his authority

to build

and strengthen

the church.

Now,

I hope we know

that physical exercise

is good for you

and that if we

don't exercise,

then physically

we get out of shape.

we become

unfit

and those

health issues

arise.

Well,

in the same way,

we need to be

fit spiritually.

We need to be

strengthened together

as a church

and built up.

Paul put it

like this

when he was

encouraging

a young pastor

called Timothy.

I don't have it.

You'll just have

to listen to it.

He says to Timothy,

he says,

train yourself

to be godly.

For physical

training is of

some value,

but godliness

has value

for all things.

In other words,

he's saying to them,

prioritize

strengthening

yourself

spiritually.

Prioritize

strengthening

the church.

Listen to

and submit to

the apostolic

authority

which is

God's word

which we are

looking at

right now

today.

This is

God's word

written down

so that we

can stand

strong

in the face

of opposition

of false

teachers

who may want

to lead us

astray.

So how are we

going to do

that?

We've set the

scene,

be fit,

be strong,

let us be

built up together.

How is that

going to happen?

Well, we're

going to go

through four

spiritual

exercises

to help us

be strong.

So get on

your sweatpants

and your

joggers

and let's

get into

the gym.

Here's the

first exercise.

Deal

with

sin.

Verse

two.

I already

gave you

a warning

when I

was with

you.

on that

second

visit.

I now

repeat it

while absent.

On my

return,

I will

not spare

those who

sinned

earlier

or any

of the

others.

Sounds

heavy-handed,

doesn't it?

But these

are words

of deep

loving

concern

for the

church.

Remember

what he

said in

chapter 12

verse 21?

he says,

I'm afraid

that when I

come again

on this

third visit,

my God

will humble

me before

you and

I will be

grieved over

many who

have sinned

earlier

and have

not

repented.

sinned.

He's

tackling

unrepentant

sin,

not dealing

with those

behaviours and

attitudes that

weaken us

spiritually and

can destroy

the church.

So he's

saying deal

with that

unrepentant

sin,

sort it

out.

well how

do we

do that?

Well we

can summarise

it like

this.

We can

summarise it

like this.

Christ is

at work

in his

church

to deal

with sin

by his

spirit

through his

word.

Christ is

at work

in his

church

to deal

with sin

by his

spirit

through his

word.

Look at

verse 3,

the end

of verse 3.

He,

that is

Christ,

is not

weak

in dealing

with you

but is

powerful

among you.

Christ

is present

and active

right now

amongst us

here as we

gather.

He is

powerful

amongst us.

How?

Well look at

verse 4.

For to be

sure,

Christ was

crucified

in weakness.

He was

beaten

and nailed

to a cross

with a

crown of

thorns

crushed in

his head.

Yet he

lives

by God's

power.

Christ's

death on

the cross

was the

means for

defeating

our sin

once and

for all

and now

the risen

Jesus is

present by

his spirit

amongst the

church and

the spirit

applies the

finished work

of Christ

to all

who will

turn in

repentance.

So Jesus

is saying

come to

me and

I will

forgive you

now.

Repent

and I will

remember your

sins no more.

I am

powerful

amongst

you.

My word

goes out

to you

and my

spirit will

enable you

to turn

and to

repent.

You see

Christ is

serious

about sin.

He's so

serious about

it that he

provided the

means for

defeating it.

So let's

start exercising

that truth

within the

church.

You see

when we

become a

Christian

we don't

live in

isolation

God places

us into

a community

of believers

the church

and God

does that

for our

very good

for our

best

because we

need people

around us

to remind

us of what

Christ has

done for us

on the cross

and people

who will

take us

back to

the cross

to deal

with issues

in our

life.

That's

exactly what

he's saying

here if you

look at the

second part

of verse

four.

So it's

not just

Christ

who is

powerful

amongst

the church.

Look at

the rest

of verse

four.

Likewise

we are

weak in

him

yet by

God's

power

we will

live

with him

in our

dealing

with you.

You see

by ourselves

we cannot

deal

with sin

but Christ

has given

us the

power of

his spirit

and the

authority of

his word

given to

his church

so that we

can help

one another

repent of

the sinful

behaviours and

attitudes

that are

weakening

our life

and weakening

the church.

you see

Christ

is at work

in his

church

right now

as we

gather

to deal

with sin

by his

spirit

through his

word.

it's a

serious

thing.

It's

crucial

that we

get this

spiritual

exercise

right.

It's not

our job

to defeat

sin.

Christ

has wonderfully

done that

on the

cross.

Our

role

the

exercise

we need

to do

is to

bring

God's

word

to one

another

and to

be

praying

for the

spirit

to be

at work

amongst

us.

And this

is what

all church

members

must do.

We can't

opt out

of this

exercise

and go

I don't

like the

idea of

this.

I don't

think I

want to

do it.

That's

like a

little bit

saying I

want a

six pack

but I

don't

want to

do any

sit-ups.

This is

the way

in which

the church

is built

up and

strengthened.

And as

he concludes

his letter

he says

deal with

the things

that need

dealt

with.

Otherwise

you will

spiral out

of control.

So let

us together

speak

God's

word

and pray

for the

spirit to

be at

work

and watch

the body

of the

church

grow.

So

exercise

one

deal

with

sin.

second

exercise

has to

do with

our

hearts.

Examine

your

heart.

We need

a healthy

heart,

don't we?

Verse

five.

Examine

yourselves

to see

whether you

are in

the face.

Test

yourself.

when I

go to

the gym

one of

the first

exercises I

try to

do is

on the

rowing

machine

and I

have a

target.

I click

in the

number of

meters,

2,300

meters I've

got to do

in 10

minutes.

That's the

aim at

least.

I don't

always get

there,

most of

the time I

don't,

but at

least it's

a target

to aim

for.

I need

to examine

my

fitness.

Well,

we are

to examine

and test

ourselves

to see

whether we

are in

the faith.

So how

do we go

about testing

ourselves?

Am I

in the

faith

today?

Look at

the second

part of

verse five.

Do you

not realise

that Christ

Jesus is

in you

unless,

of course,

you fail

the test?

Is

Christ

Jesus

in you

today?

You think,

well,

what would

that look

like?

What would

that look

like for

Christ

Jesus to

be in

me today?

Well,

it should

be two

things,

two related

things.

If Christ

Jesus is

in me

today,

there will

be repentance

of sin,

which we've

just looked

at,

and a

reliance

on God's

grace.

That's

the test.

Am I

in the

faith?

Is

Christ

Jesus

in me?

Am I

repenting

of my

sin,

and am I

relying on

God's

grace?

Am I

turning away

from the

behaviours

and attitudes

that weaken

my life,

or am I

trusting

wholeheartedly

in the

forgiveness

of the

grace

of God?

That's

the test.

So,

verse 5,

examine

yourselves

to see

whether you

are in

the faith.

Test

yourselves.

Do you

not realise

that Christ

Jesus is

in you

unless,

of course,

you fail

the test?

So,

here's

the

question

for us

now.

Have

you,

have I,

passed

the test,

or have

I failed

the test?

Am I

relying on

myself,

or am I

relying on

God's

grace?

Well,

there's

two good

news items

for us.

Good

news

if we

have just

failed the

test.

Good

news if

we've just

failed the

test.

There is

hope.

Go back

to chapter

six with

me.

Chapter

six.

The

good news

is,

if we

have failed,

there is

hope.

look at

verse one

of chapter

six.

As

God's

fellow

workers,

we

urge you

not to

receive

God's

grace

in vain.

Well,

what's

this

grace

he's

been

talking

about?

Well,

it's

in the

preceding

verse.

Chapter

five,

verse

twenty

one.

God

made

Christ,

who had

no sin,

to be

sin for

us,

so that

in

Christ

we

might

become

the

righteousness

of

God.

That

is

good

news.

That

is

great

news.

So,

we

urge you,

chapter

six,

verse

one,

not to

receive

this

grace

in

vain.

Verse

two,

for he

says,

in the

time of

my

grace

I

heard

you,

and in

the

day of

salvation

I

helped

you,

I

tell

you,

now

is

the

time

of

God's

grace.

Now

is

the

day

of

salvation.

You

see,

God's

grace

is

available

to

us

in

bucket

loads,

and

the

opportunity

is

there

for

us

to

turn

to

him

now.

Today

is

the

day

of

salvation.

Listen

to

this

wonderful

free

offer.

Don't

delay.

Don't

put it

off.

If

you

have

not

yet

passed

the

test,

and

you

are

not

in

the

faith,

ask

God

to

save

you

now.

Because

where we

fail,

Christ

has

won

and

succeeded

on

our

behalf.

But

maybe

you

are

a

Christian,

and

you're

struggling,

and

you're

thinking,

well,

am

I

in

the

faith?

Because

I

know I

haven't

been

walking

in

obedience.

Rather

than

dealing

with

sin,

I've

just

been

ignoring

it.

I

hear

the

call

to

turn

and

trust,

but

I

just

resist

it.

Well,

the

message

is the

same.

Don't

receive

God's

grace

in

vain.

Act

on it

now.

Being

able to

stand

before

God

and be

able to

explain

what

grace

actually

means,

but

never

having

experienced

it,

act

on it

now

so that

we

pass

the

test.

So

that's

good

news

if we

fail

the

test.

Here's

good

news

if we

do

pass

the

test.

We

have

assurance

and

confidence.

Look at

this

verse

with

me.

Chapter

1

verse

21.

2

2 Corinthians 1:21

Corinthians

chapter

1

verse

21.

Good

news

if we

have

passed

the

test.

Do you

see it

there?

Now it

is God

who makes

both

us

and

you

stand

firm.

So

God

who

called

you

will

hold

you.

He

anointed

us,

set

his

seal

of

ownership

on

us

and

put

his

spirit

in

our

hearts

as

a

deposit

guaranteeing

no

doubts

absolute

assurance

of

what

is

to

come.

Let's

go back

to

chapter

13.

So

we

should

examine

ourselves

to see

whether

we are

in the

faith

and

know

that

because

of

God's

grace

if

we

fail

we

can

pass

because

of

his

grace

and

if

we

do

pass

there

is

assurance

and

confidence

because

of what

Jesus

has

done.

We

would

do

well

to

pray

this

prayer

daily

in

our

life.

It

comes

from

Psalm

139

search

search

me

God

and

know

my

heart

test

me

and

know

my

anxious

thoughts

see

if

there

is

any

offensive

way

in

me

and

lead

me

in

the

way

everlasting.

So

exercise

two

examine

our

hearts.

Exercise

three

pray

for

restoration.

Look at

verse

seven.

Now

we

pray

to

God

that

you

will

not

do

anything

wrong.

Now

jump

down

to the

end

of

verse

nine.

And

our

prayer

is

that

you

may

be

fully

restored.

A

prayer

for

restoration.

You

see

drift

can

happen

in

the

life

of

the

church.

When

we

don't

deal

with

our

sin

and

when

we

stop

examining

our

hearts

that's

the

very

moment

we

become

weak

and

not

strong.

And

the

only

right

response

for

that

is

that

we

would

pray

for

full

restoration.

In

fact

in

verse

eleven

we're

encouraged

to

strive

for

full

restoration.

Now

when we

stop

our

physical

exercising

our

health

can

deteriorate

but

when we

get out

into the

walking

and do

some

running

or whatever

we do

for our

fitness

then

our

body

it

almost

restores

itself

doesn't

it?

We're

able to

do

things

that we

weren't

able to

do

before.

Our

body

is

made

useful

again.

Well

that's

exactly

what

the

prayer

is

here.

That

we

would

be

restored

to

full

spiritual

health.

That

we

would

be

made

useful

rather

than

drifting

we

would

be

in

the

service

of

God's

people.

Now

let's

be

very

clear

being

restored

doesn't

mean

we

reach

a

standard

of

perfection

that

we'll

never

ever

sin

again.

No

being

restored

is

that

we

will

do

the

exercises

God

words

gives

us

dealing

with

our

sin

examining

our

hearts

that

is

what

a

restored

Christian

life

is

like.

The

disciplines

that

God

gives

us

for

our

good.

You

see

this

prayer

is

powerful.

Look

at

verse

9.

We

are

glad

whenever

we

are

weak

but

you

are

strong

and

our

prayer

is

that

you

may

be

fully

restored.

As

we

pray

God's

power

is at

work

in

our

life.

So

let's

commit

ourselves

to the

exercise

of

praying

for

restoration

in

our

own

lives

and

in

the

lives

of

each

other.

So

that's

exercise

three.

Then

last

exercise

four.

Encourage

each

other.

Look

at

verse

11.

Finally

brothers

and

sisters

rejoice.

You

see

church

is

brothers

and

sisters.

It's

not

an

individual

lived

out

experience.

The

Christian

life is

never

to be

lived

alone.

We

need

one

another.

So

look what

it says

verse

11.

Finally

brothers

and

sisters

rejoice

strive

for

full

restoration

encourage

one

another.

Verse

12.

Greet

one

another

with a

holy

kiss

or a

fist

bump

or a

handshake

or a

hug

or whatever

is culturally

sensitive

to you.

Now I

don't know

about you

but

getting

to do

exercise

is hard.

There's

always

easier

things to

do

isn't

there?

Like

just

sitting

on the

couch.

It's

hard

to

motivate

yourself

to

keep

going

to

get

out

for

that

walk.

It's

much

easier

if you

have

people

around

you

to

encourage

you.

Well here

we are.

Look

around

you.

God

has

placed

you

into

a

community

of

people

to

encourage

you

and

support

us

in

our

building

up

of

the

faith.

So

what's

encouragement

of one

another

going to

look like?

Well

we're just

going to

focus in

on verse

14.

Look

at the

very

last

verse

of this

letter.

May

the

grace

of

our

Lord

Jesus

Christ

and

the

love

of

God

and

the

fellowship

of

the

Holy

Spirit

be

with

you

all.

You

see

it's

in

our

weaknesses

that

we

commit

to

one

another

to

pointing

each

other

back

to

verse

14

God

the

Son

God

the

Father

and

God

the

Spirit

it's

reminding

each

other

of

the

sufficient

grace

of

Christ

it's

teaching

one

another

of

the

steadfast

love

of

the

Father

and

it's

depending

together

on the

strengthening

fellowship

of the

Holy

Spirit

you