Are you a Rad Dad?

2 Corinthians 5:11–15 ESV

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Are you a rad dad? Rad is a slang word I grew up using when something or someone was really cool, or awesome.

Biblically, a rad dad is a father who represents Jesus to his family, his friends, and neighbors. Notice, I didn’t say someone who is very involved in church. The reason is simple: representing Jesus is not limited to church activity, but all activities. Too many dads and Christians represent Jesus at church, but not anywhere else. They have a church-centered representation, but not a Christ-centered representation. We must take Christ outside the walls of our church meetings.

It is so easy to compartmentalize our Christian lives to a couple of hours on each week.  God calls us to represent Christ in all aspects of our lives.  Therefore, we must take Christ outside the walls of this building.  The church must leave the building.

We need rad dads and rad followers of Christ representing Jesus in all aspects of life.

The word “represent” can have different meanings.  In our Christian walk, it means “speak and act for someone else by delegated authority.” Paul speaks about this type of representation in 2 Cor 5:20 “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.” God has called Christians to represent him by allowing him to work through us in reaching an unreached world, and it begins within the family. We are called to represent.

Over the next few Sundays, we will learn about the why and how of radically representing Christ.  The “why” will give the motives for representing Christ, and the “how” will focus on the message and the method of representing Christ.

This morning, our text will focus on the why.  Why Radically Represent?  What should be our motivation for representing Christ?

We should be motivated to represent Christ because we are conscious of the fear of the Lord.

Conscious of the fear of the Lord (11a)

Paul says in 2 Cor 5:11a , “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.”  

The fear of the Lord that every believer should have is the result of the eschatological truth of 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.”

Every believer will be judged for what we did for Jesus.  For this reason, Paul said in verse nine he wanted to please God in everything he did. It was also the appearance before the judgment seat of Christ that produced a healthy fear of the Lord in Paul. 

This knowledge of the fear of God motivated Paul to represent Christ in his life. The knowledge of standing before Christ one day and giving account for what he did, for Jesus, o motivated him to persuade others with the gospel of Jesus Christ. What exactly does it mean to fear the Lord?

Paul was a Hebrew; therefore, he grew up learning the Proverbs, and how the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

He learned in the Psalms that the fear of the Lord was the beginning of wisdom. 

To fear God means you don’t want to displease the Lord.  To desire to please the Lord means to fear the Lord.  To fear the Lord means that you want to please the Lord with your attitudes and actions.

What does this fear look like? For some, they think the fear of the Lord means that God is a wicked taskmaster waiting to punish us when we step out of line.  Paul is not motivated by a fear of punishment, nor should we.  The fear of God doesn’t mean we stand terrified before the Lord, or that we run from the Lord like we would a snake.

Brannon Manning defined the biblical understanding of the fear of the Lord well: “The Biblical meaning of the fear of the Lord is silent wonder, radical amazement and affectionate awe at the goodness of God.” 

We should be wild and crazy about representing Christ because we have absolute awe and respect for the goodness of God.

Paul had such an awe and respect for God that it motivated him to persuade others.  Paul wanted to share Jesus with others. 

Let’s put this desire to persuade others in context.  If believers are going to be judged, how much more are unbelievers? 

We should be motivated to share Jesus with others because Jesus is the only way we can have peace with God.

If you don’t represent Christ by giving, serving, and sharing, then you don’t have a proper understanding of the fear of the Lord.  When you are conscious of the fear of the Lord, it won’t cause you to run from God, but it will motivate you to represent Jesus in every area of your life. 

We should be motivated to represent Christ because of our concern for the needs of others.

Concern for the needs of others (11b-13)

Notice the 2 Cor 5:11-13 “But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.”

Again, we find Paul having to defend his apostolic ministry to a church that he planted.  In his defense, he reveals a heartfelt concern for others, especially the Corinthian believers. He wanted them to know that his concern was not hypocritical, but genuine and sincere.

Paul first revealed his confidence concerning his integrity before God, “But what we are is known to God.”  God knows us better than we know ourselves, and Paul was confident about his motives and integrity before the Lord.

If the false teachers were calling Paul’s character into question, Paul wanted them to be able to give an answer. 

Verse twelve, “We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about the outward appearances and not what is in the heart.”

It’s not about the external, but the internal.  We humans have a terrible tendency to take pride in appearances, but God looks at the heart.  That is why Paul said in verse eleven, “But what we are is known before God.”  Paul wants the Corinthians to know that his love and concern for them is not just for show, it’s not hypocritical, but it’s genuine and heartfelt.

Verse thirteen explains what Paul is trying to say in verse twelve, “For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.” 

Paul reveals that his motives are God-centered.  He is concerned for their needs because he loves God.  He loves God; therefore, he loved his neighbors as himself.  Paul represented Christ by glorifying God and serving the needs of others.

If we love God, we should be concerned about the needs of others.  We love God; therefore we love our neighbors as ourselves.  If we love God and represent him by loving our neighbors as ourselves, then we will be concerned about their needs, especially their greatest need, which is salvation in Jesus Christ.

When we are truly concerned about the spiritual condition of others, we will see the potential their lives have in Christ, and not the problem. 

We will be like Jesus and build meaningful relationships with sinners, and not isolate ourselves from them. Does your awe and respect for God motivate you to share Jesus with others?

Does your concern for others motivate you to represent Christ among those who need Christ?

Third, we should be motivated to represent Christ because we are controlled by the love of Christ. Controlled by the love of Christ (14-15)

Controlled by the love of Christ (14-15)

Verse fourteen, “For the love of Christ controls us.” 

The reason that Paul represents Christ is the love of Christ that controls him.  Paul is explaining verse thirteen.  He loves God and others because Christ’s love controls him.

It is the love of Christ that motivates Christians to love God and others.  Some argue that Paul is speaking about Christ’s love for us; others argue it is our love for Christ that controls us.  Technically, it is both.  We love God because God first loved us. Even so, Paul is emphasizing Christ’s love for us in this statement.

The Greek word we translate “control” is “sunecho.” 

It literally means, “to hold together.”  In this context it has the meaning of “control,” “compels,” “completely dominates,” or “overwhelms.” I personally like the word “overwhelmed.” 

We are overwhelmed by the love that Christ has for us that we have no choice but to love him back.

Paul reveals how Christ has loved us, “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died, and he died for all that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

A good commentary for what Paul is trying to say in these two verses is Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and the life I live in the body I live by faith in him, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

In both passages, Paul is referring to believers and how we have died with Christ, and now we also live in Christ.  Because Christ has loved us, we should no longer live for self, but live for Jesus. Christ’s love for us should so overwhelm us that we no longer want to live for self, but for Christ.

How can we not be devoted to representing Christ when we realize how much he has loved us? How can we not be so overwhelmed by the love of Christ that we have no choice but to love God and people?

N.T. Wright tells a story that illustrates this truth well.  A lady from his hometown won 3-week trip around the world.  When the local television reporter interviewed her she said that she would not be accepting the prize.  Instead, she was going to stay home with her friend who was about to go through a serious surgery.

The television reporter was dumbfounded.  He could not understand how this lady would give up once in a lifetime opportunity.  Surely her friend would understand.  The reporter kept pressing her to give the reason, but she was tightlipped.  But the pressure was to great, and the lady gave in.

She burst out, “ All right, you really want to know why? 3 years ago I was on drugs and couldn’t stop, and it just got worse.  My family disowned me and would have nothing to do with me.  This dear lady was the only one who would help me and look after me.  She sat up with me night after night to talk me through it.  She cleaned me up when I threw up, changed my clothes, she took me to the hospital, she talked to the doctors, she made sure I was coming through it.  She helped me with my court case.  She even helped me get a job. She loved me! I had no choice.  Now that she is sick; it’s the least thing I can do to stay with her.  That’s far less than what she did for me.”

We should represent Jesus because it is the least we can do for our Lord and Savior.  Our love for him and others is far less than what he did for us.

Are you radically representing Jesus outside of these walls? Are you motivated to share Jesus with your deeds and words because you love God and others?  Have you been so overwhelmed by the love of Christ that you have no choice but to represent him? If you are not overwhelmed by the love of Christ, then why not?

Do you really know how much Christ loves you?  Have you experienced that love?