Attacking Spiritual Pride
Notes
Transcript
Last week:
Finished talking about giving, not to be confused with tithing
The Lord loves a cheerful giver, one who cheerfully gives of their time, talent, and/or treasure
What we sow, we will reap. If we expect to have a great harvest, then let what you give reflect that.
Illustration:
So my friend Jeff was putting on a conference, and he was trying to figure out who to invite to be a speaker at this event. He decided that he was going to call the guy who was more wise than anybody to come and share. So he gives the guy a call… and guess what, he is busy. So Jeff was thinking he needed to find someone with some humor, so he decided to call the funniest guy he knew. So he gives him a call… and guess what, he was busy too. So if he can’t get the wisest, can’t get the funniest, surely he could get someone people could actually enjoy looking at, so he decided he would call the best looking guy he knew for this event… and would you know, he was busy during that time also. So a bit bummed out and feeling defeated, he finally gave me a call to see if I could speak at this conference. So after talking for a while, I finally said to Jeff, “Brother, i’ll tell you what. I understand you are really in need, and since I have already turned you down 3 times, I now have to say yes.”
As you know I kid around, this is sometimes how we feel, like we are superior to others and the church can’t survive without us. This is the attitude that Paul was having to come against some of those in Corinth, as we will see, who were persuading the people to not listen nor adhere to Paul and his authority
Defending the Ministry (V.1-6)
V.1
O: Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ-
I: Paul is personally urging the Corinthians, in a controlled and gentle way.
A: Paul is defending against spiritual pride here, and it would just as easy to be stern and forceful Paul, but instead, it is meekness and gentleness of Christ.
meekness= true meekness is measured by Jesus’ example: a balanced perspective characterized by humility, patience, and total submission to God’s will
gentleness= leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person
We get to show this to others because this is what Jesus has done for us… Paul makes that clear
O: I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!
I: Paul saying that when he is with them, he is meek and gentle, but in his letters he is bold
A: Some find a contradiction that Paul is this way, but we grossly misunderstand the nature of Jesus when we think this way.
It is important that we know when to be bold, and when to be meek and gentle.
Boldness stirs up confrontation, many times, people need time to reflect and consider what is being said.
Paul would rather have gentleness face to face, which is a great choice
V.2
O: I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh.
I: Paul knows he is going to need to be bold with these guys who think he is operating in the flesh, so he doesn’t want to be bold with the Corinthians
A: We will always face critics and opposition
Paul wants to be gentle with the sheep, but bold with the wolves
We have to know how to be with different types of people, we need discernment.
V.3-4
O: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh (4) for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
I: Paul recognizes the real battle and where his true enemy lies. His battle is spiritual, and he knows that his fighting needs to be fought with the right weapons
A: This is similar to what Paul talks about in Ephesians 6:12
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
This is why Paul wants to be careful with the Corinthians, that they don’t become collateral damage of a spiritual feud.
When fighting these battles, remember what John tells us in 1 John 4:4
4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
It is the Lord who enables the strongholds to be torn down, to move in and through the hearts of the people.
No matter how hard Satan tries, God is greater.
Knowing this…
V.5
O: We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
I: All things being said against the gospel is being destroyed, and they aren’t holding any thought towards the attempts against the gospel
A: The opposition against the gospel is very real, and even within our midst.
The world has continuously made arguments and raised speculations against the truth of the gospel.
These are things Paul is fighting against, taking every thought captive in obedience.
Think of Romans 12:1-2
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
The Lord wants us to obey Him, to trust Him
We want to obey the Lord because we think our world view will be validated, or we will see results. But Paul destroys this. We obey and Trust God because
It is our spiritual service of worship
we may prove the will of God, which is good and acceptable and perfect
This is why we take every thought captive in obedience, not because it will prove everything we believe, but because of worship to Him and proving His will.
V.6
O: and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete
I: Anyone who is disobedient will be disciplined when you yourselves are obedient
A: The collective choice to obey will always have those who won’t.
Paul says they will face discipline.
Not because we are mad or we are better, but because discipline is rooted in love
11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord Or loathe His reproof,
12 For whom the Lord loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
Staying Within Ourselves (V.7-13)
V.7
O: You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is in Christ, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we
I: The Corinthians had a worldly perspective, not a spiritual one. Paul is making sure they know that we all belong to Christ, not just those who are arrogant
A: This is what I would call spiritual pride.
“We belong to Christ, we are the one true church”
The reality, thinking we are the only ones following Christ
The problem is in what Paul says about the Corinthians, they are looking at things outwardly.
We need to view things spiritually
V.8
O: For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame
I: Paul knew his authority was to build up and equip the church, not tear them down.
A: Paul teaches this in Ephesians 4:11-13
11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
This is why God has given men authority, their positions in the church… to build up, to equip.
Sad and disheartening when those don’t do this.
This is exactly what some are doing to Paul
V.9-10
O: for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters, (10) For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.”
I: The accusation against Paul was his strong hand in writing but being weak in person. Paul didn’t intend fear in his letters, but rather, correction.
V.11
O: Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present
I: Maybe Paul was unimpressive compared to his letters, but his confidence is that his character was consistent with what he wrote. His actions were the same as what he wrote.
A: What we do may seem little or unimpressive to others, but let our deeds match what we preach, what we say.
Again, don’t have an outward judgement
V.12
O: For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves;
I: Paul is saying he does not measure himself up to those who are self-approving themselves before the Corinthians.
A: We can never compare ourselves to others… we will always fail. We need to measure ourselves to the word of God
O: but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.
I: People who have no wisdom and no understanding are those whose standard is based on themselves.
A: Think of Proverbs 1:7
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
These men are fools
We can always make ourselves look better than we are when we compare ourselves to one another.
“I may not be the hardest worker out there, but at least I could hold a job”
“I may not be the best parent out there, but at least my kids have something to eat every day.”
“I may not be the most spiritual, but I try to read at least one verse of the Bible a day.”
When we compare ourselves, we can look good, but we have become fools.
V.13
O: 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
I: Paul was determined not to pretend that he was more than he was. He is just a man, being used by God to reach people for Christ, including the Corinthians
A: We need to learn to stay in our lane, doing what the Lord has called us to do.
We aren’t suppose to be bragging about church size or misled about influence.
Stay within the sphere the Lord has apportioned to you, no need to make yourself look or sound more spiritual than you really are.
Boasting Only in the Lord (V.14-18)
V.14
O: For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ.
I: Paul says he has not been doing too much and not so busy that they couldn’t minster to the Corinthians… in fact, Paul was the first to bring them the gospel
A: People will not only question your spirituality, they will sometimes accuse you of doing too much.
Sometimes this can be a real problem, over extending ourselves, then we become unproductive or just burnt out.
This was not Paul though, he was more than able to extend the gospel throughout their region.
V.15-16
O: Not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you, (16) so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another.
I: Paul isn’t stepping nor taking credit for any persons work, but wanting to see the Corinthians grow in their faith and see doors open more in their region and beyond.
A: We don’t want to tear down the work others have done.
Paul talks about this in 1 Corinthians 3:10-11
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.
11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Paul isn’t wanting to rebuild any foundation, but rather, but upon the foundation that has already been laid.
If you have received Jesus, then you don’t need to receive Jesus again at Calvary Chapel.
If you have been baptized, you don’t need to be baptized by the pastors and elders here
We aren’t laying again a foundation, but building upon the work that has already been started.
V.17-18
O: But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord. (18) For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.
I: Our work is unto the Lord, not ourselves. We are aiming to please Him, not man.
A: Our desire should be to be approved by the Lord, not men
The Lord will establish you and raise you up, but don’t do that yourself.
Consider Psalm 37:3-7
3 Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light And your judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; …
Conclusion:
Spiritual pride will always bring strife and contention within the body. Do’t think of yourselves more highly than you ought… don’t think of Calvary Chapel more highly than you ought. The Lord is doing a wonderful work, and we get to rejoice in the things He is doing, and not worry about living up to some man’s standards they have set for us. Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord!!
