Don’t Wait: Fully Accept The Gospel
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning everyone! My text today is 2 Corinthians 6:1-2. Before we start, let’s pray so I can ask God for help and bless you all with understanding.
Let’s begin. So the title of my message today is actually Don’t Wait: Fully Accept The Gospel. By God’s grace and by the power of the Holy Spirit, I will be able to help you understand how I got that out of today’s text.
First, let’s zoom out first so we can zoom in later. Interestingly, this is the 4th letter that Paul had written! I didn’t know this, and I thought it was interesting, so I thought I’d share that with all of you. Apparently, there was a letter before 1st Corinthians (which has been lost), then 1st Corinthians, a sorrowful letter (which has also been lost), and then 2nd Corinthians - written after Paul left Ephesus during his missionary journey.
Zooming in a little. 2 Corinthians is like a letter that a dad wrote to their moody young teenager. For example, Paul calls the Corinthians his children 2x in this letter. Once in 6:11-3 & once in 12:14-15. Paul is a spiritual father who is a beaten up (11:23-27), stressed out (11:28), and bordering on losing his mind (11:23). Sound like some of you? Yet, relying on the power of God, he hopes his spiritual children would fully accept the gospel and return from entertaining false teachers and practicing sin (11:4 & 12:21), and rather, do good (12:7), keep promises(9:5), and fully accept the gospel (6:1-2, 7:1, 13:9, 11).
Now, the Corinthians are like moody teenagers because they are yoking themselves with unbelievers (6:14-18), bearing with false teachers (that you could call influencers) that Paul definitely doesn’t approve of (11:4), and they keep doing things that Paul has told them not to do (practicing sin) (12:21). Yet, and here comes the moody part, they show they are good at things (1 Cor. 1:4-7), they recognize when they do wrong sometimes, and sometimes feel guilty and repent (7:9-10). Lastly, they do love Paul and do want to spend time with him (7:6-7). They just don’t want him to be pushy about it, like a moody teenager.
I couldn’t escape how well this analogy fits Paul’s relationship with the Corinthians and how it informs our verses today. Specifically, how Paul wants the Corinthians to fully accept the gospel he is teaching. That being said, let’s take a look at 2 Cor. 6:1-2
Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says,
“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Fellow Workers
Fellow Workers
Paul’s defence of his ministry
a. Right off that bat here in verse 6:1a, Paul is defending his ministry to his spiritual children. “Working together with him,” is a claim defining where Paul’s power in ministry comes from. The Corinthians doubted whether or not Christ was speaking through him, and they wanted proof (13:3)! Just like children, they tested Paul’s authority.
Paul saying “working together with Him” is him saying that yes, Christ is speaking through me. We get that from the preceding text. In your Bibles, look or scroll up to 2 Cor. 5:18-20
2 Corinthians 5:18–20 (ESV)
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
5:18-20 tells us, and the Corinthians, where Paul is getting his message from. God gave it to him, God entrusted it to him. Paul represents it and teaches it as an ambassador, and in all of this, it is God working through him, and he is not speaking from the flesh as they have accused him of (10:2). To drive this point home into the thick skulls of the Corinthians later he says in 2 Cor. 12:12
The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.
And then, near the end, to show that Christ is speaking through him and that he is a fellow worker with God, Paul says that when he comes on his 3rd visit to them, if they don’t shappen up, he will deal with them not by his own power, but by the power God (13:4). Essentially, like my grandma from Arkansas, he’s bringing the wooden spoon.
2. Appeal
We too are fellow workers with God. If we have been born again, God works in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Phil. 2:13). He has prepared good works for us before the foundation of the world so that we should walk in them (Eph.2:10). And God is a hard master, and expects a return on his investment (Matt. 25:24-30). Part of our work is to contribute toward the great commission found in Matthew 28:18-20. We are called to make disciples of all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God, he has supplied the Holy Spirit to help us witness to the name of Jesus (John 15:26).
Going into this new year, I would encourage you to be a fellow worker with God as the the Thessalonians were. To wait for God and serve him (1 Thess. 1:9). Serve him by sharing the gospel more or going and helping with the church plant. The Thessalonians shared the gospel so well that the apostle Paul pays them one of the highest honors found in the bible saying, “we need not say anything,” in the regions of Macedonia and Achaia because the word had gone forth from the Thessalonians everywhere (1 Thess. 1:8-9).
Likewise, you who are suffering. I know some of you are going through hard things and that sharing the gospel may be the last thing on your mind. Still, because of my love for you, I want to speak to you directly. Please go to 2 Cor. 4:13. It says:
Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak,
It was prophesied of Paul that he would suffer mightily for the name of Jesus Christ Acts 9:16. This world is broken because of sin so we suffer in the flesh and on apart of the name of Christ. Still, look at 2 Cor. 4:8-10. It says:
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
Even though Paul was serverly afflicted he say purpose in it. John MacArthur says about this text that, The apostle’s courageous, faithful, patient enduring of suffering manifested the power of the living Christ in his life.
My fellow workers who are suffering, your endurance manifest the power of Christ in your life! How you suffer as a Christian speaks volumes to the world! Not only that but look at 2 Cor. 4:15. It says,
For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
Through how you respond to suffering, grace can extent to more and more people and increase thanksgiving. So my encouragement to you beloved, is to trust that God is working all things for his glory and your good and that if you believe, I appeal to you, please speak! So that grace may extend to more and more people and increase thanksgiving to the glory of God!
Going forward to be a fellow worker with God, isn’t just about sharing the Gospel and the spirit of Christ speaking through you, it’s about making appeals and imploring people to fully accept the gospel. This idea of asking people and begging them to fully accept the gospel is found in and around our text. In 2 Cor. 1c, it says, “we appeal to you,” and 5:20d says “we implore you.” Being a fellow worker with God is like being a fisher of men. Yes, you have to cast the bait and share the gospel, but you also have to try to hook them. Paul says in 5:11 that he persuades others. You have to try to get them to bite and fully accept the gospel. - Give crappie and jig fishing analogy. Cast = sharing, jigging = appealing/persuading, reeling in = discipleship to submit and obey gospel, boat = full acceptance of the gospel
Now, if you are an observant Bible reader, you will notice that I skipped a 3rd time that appeal/implore are mentioned. Go back to 5:20 and look a verse c. It says, “God making his appeal through us!” Something I learned while prepping this message is that in all my gospel sharing, I was quenching the Spirit and the grace of God by not asking people if they would fully accept the gospel when I was sharing it with them. I was not making an appeal or imploring them! I would teach the gospel and share my testimony, but never ask, Will you believe this or persuade them by saying, Could believing this help you in any type of way? I was limiting the power of the gospel! The gospel is the power of salvation and people come to faith by hearing the gospel preached (Rom 1:16 & Rom. 10:17)! John Calvin says, “for it is not enough to teach, if you do not also urge.” He also says that ministers of the gospel “must add continual exhortations that their embassy may be efficacious.”
If you are going to be a fellow worker with God and share the gospel with your children as Paul is sharing it with the Corinthians, or in your circle of influence, or when you go with the church plant, you have to make an appeal for these people to believe and fully accept the gospel. The easiest way to do that is simply asking: Will you believe this today, or Will you think about believing this today and what your life would look like if you did? If you don’t make an appeal, we miss an opportunity for God to make his appeal through us. We miss the opportunity to see people repent and believe! We miss the opportunity to see people be in Christ, be made a new creation, and the old pass away (2 Cor. 5:17). Church, if Christ is in us, he will speak through us the words of eternal life! So I beg you, and appeal to you, don’t be afraid to ask someone if they would believe today, because today is the day of salvation, today is the favorable time to fully believe the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Before we get to the favorable time and the day of salvation, I’d like to take you on a detour to see the sights and explore the 2nd half of 6:1c and then arrive at our destination.
In Vain
In Vain
Why is the Apostle Paul making an appeal to the Corinthians?
First, looking at the 2nd half of 6:1c, in vain means empty-handed or without result. Paul is concerned that the Corinthians have received the gospel in vain and appeals to them to believe because of the reasons I mentioned earlier. His spiritual children are moody teenagers. They are being restricted in their own affections (7:12). Isn’t that the truth with any child or believer? That God has to compete with affections of the heart, instead of us obeying the first commandment to love him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength?
The Corinthians were also doubting Paul’s ministry of the word (13:3) and accusing him of taking advantage of them by being crafty and using deceit (12:16). Some were even continuing in sin (12:21). But Paul’s biggest concern is that they were starting to follow and believe false teachers (who were called super apostles) teaching false gospels (11:5 & 11:20).
Interesting sidebar, they were even cool with being punched in the face by these super apostles! Look at 2 Cor. 11:20-21
2 Corinthians 11:20–21 (ESV)
“For you bear it if someone makes slaves of you, or devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face. To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that!”
This would be like if we had Olympic boxer and 2x heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua here as an elder, and his solution to you needing spiritual help was cracking you in the face! And then, the congregation, approving and being like yeah we’re cool with that and shrugging it off.
I love Paul’s ironic sarcasm here. First, the Corinthians have an issue with him speaking strongly in his letters but being of weak stature. The irony is that he says we were too weak for that! Too weak to punch you in the face!
Nevertheless, with the following of false teachers, putting up with being punched in the face and extorted, doubting whether or not Paul’s ministry was from God, and practicing sin, Paul makes his appeal for them not to receive God’s grace in vain. He makes this appeal because of what he is seeing and hearing. The Corinthians need to fully accept the gospel because they are restricted in their affections (2 Cor. 6:11) by things not of God.
And why is Paul so concerned about this? Look at 2 Cor. 12:14-15
2 Corinthians 12:14–15 (ESV)
Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? -
Preaching to self and Asher story.
Paul loves his spiritual children. So much so that he is ready to be spent for their souls. This begs the question, why is he so concerned about their souls? Go to 2 Cor. 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Paul’s appeal comes from love for his spiritual children and from the reality that all people must appear before the judgement seat of Christ. He wants them to be ready for this judgement so that they will be found ready.
Favorable Time
Favorable Time
Favorable time
This is why he follows up 6:1 with a quote from the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 49:8
Thus says the Lord:
“In a time of favor I have answered you;
in a day of salvation I have helped you;
This passage is taken out of the 2nd of 4 servant songs in Isaiah. The servant songs are prophecies of the coming messiah. Isaiah was writing before the Babylonian exile to a people who had rejected God’s word and God (Is. 30:8-14). But, because of his great love and mercy, God still promises salvation to those who have rejected Him and his word.
This was Paul’s concern for the Corinthians! Since they were flirting with rejecting Paul’s ministry of reconciliation, they would then be rejecting God and His word since it was God who was making his appeal through Paul by the message of reconciliation (ie, the gospel of Jesus Christ crucified for sinners)!
By quoting Isaiah 49:8 Paul is warning them that they are falling into the same sin as the Israelites did in the time of Isaiah, since they are restricted in their own affections.
But, he is also begging them to repent and fully accept the gospel!
We get this from the last part of verse 2 in 2 Cor. 6:2. Where Paul says, 2 Cor. 6:2
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Behold is mentioned 2x. In Greek behold means ‘look!’ It is also used to emphasize an idea or liven up a Hebrew narrative. It’s drawing our attention to the phrases favorable time and the day of salvation. The day of salvation means the day to fully accept the gospel, become a new creation, and repent of your old ways and old self. The favorable time means we have time to repent and be reconciled to God by fully accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ before the coming judgment. Heb. 3:12-14 illustrates this well. It says:
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
Paul is being faithful to the word of God. He is exhorting the Corinthians to fully accept the gospel while they still can, before it is too late, since all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
2. Application
Church, we just finished up our Advent series, and we learned that we are still waiting for Christ to return. That means it is still the favorable time for us. It is the day of salvation for us, as long as it is still called “today.” Therefore, church, I beg you, please, repent and fully accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). The wages of our sin is eternal death in hell (Rom. 6:23 & Rev. 21:8) But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, sent his Son Jesus to die on the cross to pay the debt of sin for all who believe in Him (Eph. 2:4, John 3:16, 1 Cor. 15:3). Then, he was buried, and was raised on the third day and is coming back again to judge the nations (1 Cor. 15:4 & Matt. 25:41-46).
Again, I appeal to you, I implore you, I beg you to fully accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you have, I beg you not to be restricted in your affections like the Corinthians were, but rather, devote yourself fully to loving God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Don’t be carried away by false teachers who twist Paul’s words or teach a different gospel than that which was given by Christ and the Apostles. Rather, fully accept the teachings of scripture. For the apostle John says in 1 John 4:6,
We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
If you are from God, you will fully accept the gospel, which was laid down by Christ the cornerstone, built on by the apostles and prophets.
Again, I appeal to you, implore you, and beg you to repent of practicing any hidden sin.
If your affections for God and his word have run cold, I appeal to you, implore you, and beg you to renew your affections for God and his word and widen your hearts for him as Paul begged the Corinthians to do.
Lastly, if you are an unbeliever, I beg you to fully accept and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ today! Why wouldn’t you? Repent of your old ways of life and turn to live with fullness of heart for Jesus.
Benediction
Benediction
With that said, I’d like to leave you with this benediction: 2 Corinthians 6:2
2 Corinthians 6:2 (ESV)
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Let us pray.
You are dismissed.
