Podcasts about Veerman

In de allerlaatste aflevering van 2025 blikken we vooruit op de winterse transferperiode. Wat gaan de traditionele topclubs doen? Wie moet zich versterken in de strijd om Europees voetbal of juist om degradatie te ontlopen? En welke speler verdient een stap hogerop? We bespreken het met Marciano Vink, Anco Jansen en natuurlijk Yordi Yamali.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gaat er dan alsnog een streep door de transfer van Joey Veerman naar Fenerbahçe? De voorzitter van de Turkse topclub moet verklaringen afgeven bij justitie in Turkije inzake drugshandel. Ondertussen bespreken ze in Engeland de overtreding van Micky van de Ven op Liverpool-spits Alexander Isak, die daarbij een kuitbeenbreuk opliep. Was dat nou zo'n harde overtreding? In de AD Voetbalpodcast nemen Etienne Verhoeff en Johan Inan het door. Net als de status van technisch directeur bij Ajax en Minne Groenstege heeft het voetbalspoorboekje voor de kerstdagen voor je. Beluister de hele AD Voetbalpodcast nu via AD.nl, de AD App of jouw favoriete podcastplatform. Bestel het boek De vraag van Vandaag hier: https://webwinkel.ad.nl/product/de-vraag-van-vandaagSupport the show: https://krant.nl/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prijzenpakker Bosz breekt nieuw record, John van den Brom vond Feyenoord - FC Twente geen topwedstrijd en 90 minuten Tetris in Nijmegen levert geen winnaar op. Verder lijkt Heracles veel geld te verdienen aan Jizz, gooit Sierhuis weer eens een dubbel en draagt NAC de komende weken de gloeiend hete rode lantaarn. Op naar een nieuwe aflevering van De Derde Helft, deze week met YUKI KEMPEES!✉️ Op vrijdag kunnen jullie met ons via Substack vooruitblikken op het aankomende Eredivisie-weekend. Gijs, Tim, Snijboon, Pepijn en RogierPablo zullen hier allemaal één ding delen waar ze naar uitkijken in de aankomende speelronde. https://substack.com/@dederdehelft

Het voetbaljaar 2025 is op zijn einde gekomen. Valentijn Driessen, Mike Verweij en Pim Sedee blikken nog een keer terug op het afgelopen Eredivisie-weekend. Feyenoord werd in eigen huis overrompeld door FC Twente, het was volgens de heren van Kick-off een wonder dat de ploeg van Robin van Persie een punt overhield aan de confrontatie. Welke aankopen moet Feyenoord doen om de tweede seizoenshelft beter voor de dag te komen? PSV lijkt Joey Veerman kwijt te raken in de winterstop, is Sano van NEC een ideale opvolger? En: veel scheidsrechterlijke beslissingen onder de loep in deze laatste aflevering van 2025. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vertrekt Joey Veerman naar Fenerbahce? En zo ja, wie kan hem bij PSV vervangen? Maakt de middenvelder een verstandige keuze als hij naar de club uit Turkije gaat? Deze en andere vragen worden besproken in de nieuwe aflevering van Heet van de Herdgang, de ED-podcast over PSV. De podcastpresentatoren Mascha Prins, Rik Elfrink en Frank van den Muijsenberg spreken uitgebreid over een mogelijke transfer van Joey Veerman. Een grote meerderheid van de stemmers op de wekelijkse poll van de podcast zou een vertrek betreuren. Dertien procent vindt een transfer zelfs onacceptabel. Volgens Rik Elfrink, PSV-watcher van het ED, moeten er nog wat plooien worden gladgestreken, eer het licht op groen gaat voor Veerman en de club uit Istanboel. Als mogelijke opvolger van de middenvelder is Kodai Sano van NEC in beeld. In de podcast verder een terugblik op de zege van PSV bij FC Utrecht, de passie van matchwinner Ivan Perisic en het record van veertien opeenvolgende uitzeges in de eredivisie. PSV is bezig aan een ongekend goede reeks en de fans zouden ‘even een minuutje voor zichzelf moeten nemen om dit goed te beseffen’, aldus Elfrink. Ook aandacht voor de thuiswedstrijden in het kalenderjaar 2025. De houders van een all-in seizoenkaart kunnen terugblikken op een prima jaar, is een van de conclusies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matthew 2:1-12 Wise Men, a Con Man, and a King Please turn to Matthew chapter 2. This is a very well-known advent passage about the wise men from the east bringing gifts to Jesus. There's a lot of mystery and wonder in this text. Part of that is because we're not given many details about the wise men. However, we are clearly given their goal. And so, as I read, listen for why they were seeking Jesus and what they did when they found him. Reading of Matthew 2:1-12. Prayer In our house, you'll find several nativity scenes at this time of year. They're festive and add to the aura of the season. But you know, they don't really accurately depict the manger scene. And one of the inaccuracies is with the three wise men. Most nativity scenes have them. They're usually tall, wearing middle-eastern attire, and bearing gifts as they stand next to the animals. Well, first of all, we're never told how many there were. Yes, they had three gifts, but that does not mean there were only three of them. And second, they did not arrive when Jesus was born. No, actually, they arrived likely when he was 1 year old. They weren't there to see Jesus in the manger. I'm not trying to be the grinch and steal your Christmas joy. Rather, I just want to be sure we distinguish what we actually know versus what tradition has come up with over the centuries. There's a big difference. So, then, what do we know? Who were these wise men led by a star to Jerusalem and then to Jesus? Well, we are told they were from the east and we are given a clue of there origin base on their name. The name “wise men” comes from the Greek word magoi. Some translations give them the title of Magi. It's a word derived from the Persian word for wise men. And because of that, some believe that the Magi came from where the Medo-Persian empire was centered (which is where modern day Iran is). Others believe that the Magi came from the region where the Babylonian empire used to be centered. That's where modern day Iraq is. There are good reasons for both possibilities. If we go back to the book of Daniel, it uses a very similar word for the wise men of the land. Daniel, as you may know, lived in Babylon in exile. Similarly, the book of Esther, which takes place in the Persian capital, also uses a similar word for wise men. In both cases, the Greek translation of the Old Testament uses the word magoi. And honestly, I don't think it makes much of a difference whether the Magi came from Medo-Persian roots or Babylonian roots. Even though these empires were centered in adjacent regions in the middle east, they overlapped as each kingdom took control. A few decades after Babylon conquered the whole region, they were then overthrown by the Medes and then the Persians. After that it was the Greeks under Alexander the Great who conquered the land, and then Roman Empire, which was in control when Jesus was born. And when these empires overthrew one another, it's not like they killed all the people. No, the people just were under the control of another kingdom. Yes, some of them moved out or were exiled. Others moved in to govern, but overall, the culture and history were preserved or intermixed with the new empire in power. Furthermore, when we consider the Babylonians and the Medes and the Persians, they each had their wise men. We know this from the Old Testament text as well as from historical writings from the time. The Magi were the highest educated men of the land. They were given utmost respect and they had major influence in the culture. In fact, extra Biblical writings about the Medes particularly emphasize this. Someone could not become a king in that empire without first the same rigorous study as the wise men. Even more, in the Median Empire, it was the wise men who anointed the king. Think about the significance of tht if the Matthew 2 wise men came from that region. The bottom line is that the Magi who were led to Jerusalem were held in the highest esteem and had significant cultural prominence. Now, let me mention something else important. These Magi knew some of the Hebrew Scriptures. Let me make that case. First, let's go back to Babylon. When Babylon overthrew Judah in the early 5th century BC, thousands and thousands of Jews were relocated to Babylon. They brought their culture with them. They brought their history and they brought their writings. Even when they were later permitted to return to Jerusalem, most of them remained in Babylon and some even intermarried with the Babylonians. Not only that, think of the testimony of Daniel and of Shadrach, Meshach and Abendego. Their wisdom and faithfulness earned them great status in the Babylonian Kingdom. King Nebuchadnezzar found them 10 time wiser than the wise men and enchanters of the region. That's mentioned in Daniel chapter 1. And when they were put to the test, God delivered each of them - you know, the three thrown in the fiery furnace, and Daniel from the Lion's den. After each incident, it was the Babylonian king who decreed that the one true God should be worshipped and served. These men were furthermore elevated to a high standing in the land. Daniel himself ended up being promoted to the third highest position in the entire Babylonian kingdom. You see, their wisdom, wisdom from God, became part of the wisdom of the land. A very similar thing happened in the Medo-Persian empire. Esther in the Old Testament was Jewish, but she was chosen to be queen by the Persian King. Some of you know the history. A plot was made against all the Jewish people in the land. They were to be slaughtered, but through the wisdom of Esther and her uncle, that plot was turned against the perpetrators. In the end, it was the Jewish people who prospered in all 127 provinces of the kingdom. It mentions from India to Ethiopia. Here is my point. Whether the wise men from the east came from a Babylonian heritage or from a Medo-Persian heritage, the wisdom of the land included wisdom from God almighty. Their education would have included testimonies of God's people and their teaching, which God had spread all throughout the east. So, these Magi, who were the highest learned men in the near Eastern culture, would have studied and known the God of Israel, and his prophecies, and the wisdom given his people. Perhaps they knew Balaam's prophecy from Numbers 24 that “a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel.” So, yes, they came from the east, but they were not unfamiliar with what God had revealed and the prophecies of the Messiah. Now, we are not told what prompted them to leave their country and follow a star to Jerusalem. They may have been given a vision given by God in a dream (you know, similar to the dream they were given in verse 12); or it may have been an angel appearing to them similar to how angels appeared to Mary and Joseph and the shepherds. Or, as some have suggested, it may have been their studies of the Jewish Scriptures and the timing of the Messiah. We don't know, but whatever means God used, they knew that they were to seek the promised king who had come… and that he was worthy to be worshiped. Notice what they said when they arrived in Jerusalem. Verse 2. They asked: “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Now, given the prominence and status of these Magi, their arrival in Jerusalem came with great acknowledgment. We know that because word of their arrival and their question.. filtered all the way up to King Herod. By the way, this Herod was Herod the Great. That is how he was known. Multiple Herods are mentioned in the New Testament. All of them are descendants of this Herod, Herod the Great. And none of them reached the prominence and power of their father or grandfather. This Herod was even given the title “king of the Jews” by the Roman senate. He wasn't even Jewish. This Herod is the one who built the great city Caesarea by the sea. He similarly constructed the mountaintop fortress of Masada in the south. This is the same Herod who ordered the massive renovation of the temple. He did this to try to please the Jews and solidify his title. If you remember, the temple had been rebuilt some 500 years earlier by some of the exiles who had returned. However, Herod transformed and refined it. He doubled the size of the temple mount. And he had the temple adorned with gold plates, and had it covered in white marble. The Jews appreciated this, of course, but it didn't change their opinion of him. In fact, in 2007 (you know, less than 20 years ago) archaeologists actually found Herod's tomb. It was inside the massive fortress that he built near Bethlehem called the Herodium. When they found it, they also found that Herod's sarcophagus had been smashed to pieces. You see, the Jews hated Herod the Great. It's likely, back in the first century, a group made their way into the chamber and destroyed his coffin and did something with his bones. That is because Herod was not a just ruler. He had his first wife executed, including his mother-in-law. He also executed three of his sons. And he had dozen of opponents killed, including high priests and pharisees. Now, look at verse 3. When Herod heard about the wise men and that they were seeking the newborn king of the Jews, it says Herod was troubled. This larger-than-life ruler of the land, who had political and military power, was troubled. Of course he was. These renowned Magi from the east had arrived and they were seeking a new king of the Jews. But that was Herod's title. Do you see why he asked the Magi in verse 8 to find the child born a King? It was not, as Herod had said, so that he could also worship him. No, not at all. Herod was a con man and a tyrant. He wanted to put to death yet another potential threat to his power. Herod did not know where to find this newborn king, so he did two things. First, he asked the priests and scribes. They mentioned Isaiah's prophecy about Bethlehem. Well, that wasn't narrow enough, so second, Herod met with the Magi. He asked them to return to him after finding the newborn king. Well, as the text mentions later, the Magi were warned about Herod in a dream. And so, Herod would never get his wish. So, the Magi were in Jerusalem. Herod had met with them. They knew they needed to travel further, but exactly where, they did not know. But just like before, a star rose to guide them. This star is mentioned four times in Matthew 2. It had brought them west from their country to Jerusalem. The star then turned them south towards Bethlehem. And it led them to the very house where Mary and Josph and baby Jesus were staying. But you ask, how can a star, high in the heavens above lead to a specific home? This is why I believe that it was more of a supernatural star-like object in the sky. Afterall, it moved. It turned them from heading west to south, and then it was able to bring them to a specific place. As verse 9 says, it came to rest over the place where the child was. So, the Magi arrived. Now, in a minute, I want to come back to what they did at that moment. But first, let's consider their gifts. They had brought gifts with them from the east. We sing about them and hear them often at this time of year. The Magi brought gold, and frankincense (not Frankenstein), and they brought myrrh. Now, different scholars have postulated different meanings for the gifts. Some have simply said the gifts were merely a royal tribute. In other words, the Magi brought expensive gifts as they would for any king. Others have suggested that each gift signified something. I think that's likely the case. Let me work that out. First, the gift of gold. Just like today, it was the most precious of metals. It was hard to find and hard to mine. Gold had many uses, but one prominent use of gold was for a king. You know, crowns were made mainly of gold. Kings drank from vessels of gold and they wore golden rings. They carried golden scepters. All those uses are highlighted in various passages in the Scriptures. Of course, gold was not exclusively used for kings, but it's reasonable to conclude that in the giving of gold by the wise men, they were acknowledging Jesus as a king. Second, they also brought him frankincense. It's a strange word. At its core is the word incense. And that is what it was. It came from a rare tree that grew in East Africa. Frankincense is referenced many times in the Old Testament as a fragrant perfume. Most often it was used in the temple by the priests including the high priest. Now, here's the important part. In it's temple use, Frankincense was reserved for incense and sacrificial anointing for Yahweh – for God. It's even referred to as Yahweh's incense. So, it's reasonable to conclude that the Frankincense signified Jesus' divine nature and his priestly role. Which brings us to the last gift. Myrrh. It was a perfume. It was used as a beautiful fragrance for women. You can find it referenced multiple times in the Song of Solomon. Elsewhere in the Scriptures, it's mentioned as a fragrance for clothing. But also, it was used as one of the burial spices. The bottom line is that Myrrh was a fragrance for man – you know, mankind. So, it was different from Frankincense which was reserved in the temple use for Yahweh. Myrrh was instead used for the people. As one commentator put it, “it was a perfume used by and in the interest of… man to make his life more pleasant… and his burial less repulsive.” So, as a gift from the Magi, Myrrh likely signified Jesus' humanity and perhaps his atoning death. In sum, the gifts brought by the Magi testified to who this child was. In the very least, the gifts testified to his kingship. But likely they furthermore testified to the fulness of Jesus divine nature and the fulness of his humanity. In his humanity he was, at that time, a young child born a king, but in his deity, he had existed from eternity past as God the Son. And he had come. The Magi knew and they testified to the wonder and awe of who this child was. He was worthy for them to worship. And I want you to notice something significant. Before the Magi even entered the house, look what verse 10 says. They rejoiced with exceedingly great joy! They gave praise to God for leading them to Jesus. They recognized the significance of that moment in history and that God had brought them to this place, to this child king. And after that, the Magi entered and it says they fell-down before him and worshiped. These revered men, who were not Israelites, who were known for their decades of study and known for their cultural prominence fell down before a one-year old child and worshiped him. Is that not tremendous? I think it is in a couple of different ways. Number 1 - God used non-Israelites to acknowledge his Son, the true king. These Gentile Magi affirmed what many Jews would reject. As the Gospel of John points out, Jesus came to his own, but his own did not receive him. The worship by the Magi is a tremendous thing. It affirmed what the Scriptures in the Old Testament had been saying all along. That through the offspring of Abraham, through the seed of David, all nations would be blessed. It is truly an amazing affirmation of the Gospel call to all tribes, tongues, and nations. Number 2 – the second thing that is tremendous is that they were led by God. God had turned the hearts of these men to him and they followed him. They followed his star. Even with all the temptations for pride that comes with knowledge and wisdom, these men humbled themselves to worship the true king. Go back to verse 10, again. They rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. Again, this was before they fell down and worshiped. In other words, they gave glory to God for leading them to Jesus. And then they worshiped him. Believer in Christ, you and I were not led by a star to Jesus. But it is no less supernatural how God turned your heart and mine and led us to him. Yes, let's worship the newborn king in this advent season. Yes, let's give praise to God in Christ who is Lord and Savior. Yes, let's declare the reason that Jesus came. He was born to die in our place and then resurrected so to overcome sin and death and the devil for us. So, yes, let's worship Jesus for all these reasons. But let's also rejoice like the Magi for God bring us to him. Were it not for God leading in our lives, we would still be in darkness. But God has led us to his Son, the King. Perhaps you've come today or you've been coming, but you have yet to fall down and worship. God has been leading you. After all, you are here. He's led you to Jesus. He's led you to hear his Word. But there's something preventing you from falling down in worship. Maybe skepticism. Maybe you say that you cannot intellectually get to a place of belief. But if there was any group back then who could argue against belief, it would have been the Magi. Wouldn't it not? The Magi were the intellectuals of the time. Yet, they submitted themselves to God and they humbled themselves before him. They both praised him for leading them to Jesus and then fell down and worshiped the true king. God has led you to this point. Let him now lead you into the house before the humble king. It takes faith, doesn't it? Was it not by faith that the Magi followed the star. It was. It also requires setting aside your unbelief and forsaking your own way. It takes humility to recognize all that you don't know compared to the wisdom and glory and power of God. And it takes falling down before him and submitting your whole life to him, just as the Magi. Will you let God lead you into his house and will you fall down as the Magi did to worship Christ? He is, as 1 Corinthians says, the power of God and the wisdom and of God. He is worthy to be worshiped. What an amazing testimony in these verses… of God at work leading and affirming that he himself has come to us. May we each praise God for leading us as he did the Magi. And as they also did, may we each humbly fall down before the king of kings, for who he is… and for what he has done for us so that we may worship him. Amen

Even nakletsen over de sof tegen Atletico. Goed gespeeld (een half uur), maar niet gewonnen. En we kijken uiteraard weer vooruit! 

Ajax verrast ons in Baku, door met een B-team de volle buit mee te nemen naar Amsterdam. We hebben het over het sterke optreden van Dolberg, hoopvolle basisdebuut van Steur en goede tweede helft van Gloukh en Gaaei, maar bespreken ook de tobbende Moro. Uiteraard blikken we ook terug op PSV - Atlético Madrid, dat duidelijk van andere orde dan Qarabag - Ajax was. Met aandacht voor de grillige Driouech, uitblinkende Veerman en opbouwpatronen van PSV. Ook kijken we vooruit naar de donderdagavond en het aanstaande voetbalweekend, met De Klassieker op het programma. Bomvolle show! In de podcast verwijzen we naar deze aflevering van Dutch Dragons met Dennis te Kloese.

Malachi 4:1-6 A Day of Deliverance Please turn to Malachi 4. This is the last chapter in Malachi and our last sermon. Last week we considered the distinction that God would make between the righteous and the wicked. On the one hand are the righteous who reverently fear the Lord and who demonstrate their fear by serving and honoring him. On the other hand are the wicked, who do not fear nor honor the Lord. That distinction comes down to whether you know and follow Christ. And also last week, we touched upon the day of the Lord. That phrase is introduced in chapter 3. It's described as the day of the Lord's coming. It's the day, as chapter 3 says, when God will make up his treasured possession. Well, this morning's text continues and expands on that day. It answers the question of what that day is like and how we should prepare for it. As I read, be thinking about Malachi's audience. They were in a dicey and unsettling situation in Jerusalem. Despite their situation, some of them feared the Lord… but others rejected him. So, as you hear these words, think about how each group would receive this prophecy. Reading of Malachi 4:1-6 Prayer In the summer after graduating high school, I worked at a summer camp. One of my responsibilities involved leading a group of teenagers on a long multi-day canoe trip. We were in northern Wisconsin. One day, after a long journey through the various lakes we decided to set up camp on a small island. We thought it would be fun. And it was until the middle of the night when a massive storm rolled in. We woke up to thunder and lightning and then heavy winds followed by a downpour. On top of that, when the front rolled in, the temperatures dropped about 20 degrees. We were cold and wet and since we were on an island, there was no place to go. Well, the rain stopped just before dawn. As soon as it started to get light out, we scrambled to get a fire going. But that was difficult given all the rain. Some of the kids were literally shaking because they were so cold. The fire helped some, but it was still breezy and we had limited wood. But then it happened. The clouds parted, the sun came up, the wind died down. We all just stopped and soaked in the rays. It was like instant warmth. Physically and emotionally… and spiritually. We had been praying for help and within minutes the sun warmed us. In Malachi 4, the people had been enduring a period of life storms in different ways. They had been enduring a period of darkness. They couldn't see how the future promises of God would be fulfilled. Yet, they are told that when the day of the Lord comes, the sun of righteousness will rise. That's spelled s-u-n. He will come. The promised Messiah will come. And his coming will be like the rising of the sun after a long cold night. As I mentioned, these verses are centered around the day of the Lord. That day is spoken of multiple times here. ·      Look at the first sentence there in verse 1. “For behold, the day is coming.” ·      Then the very next sentence in the same verse says the same thing: “the day that is coming…” and it goes on. ·      Now jump down to the end of verse 3. It says, “on the day when I act, says the Lord of Hosts.” ·      And the last one is there in verse 5. “I will send Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.” …or as some translations say, the great and awful day of the Lord. I mentioned last week that the day described is a day of judgement. Well, that same idea is mentioned in chapter 4 verses 1 and 3. That final judgment will happen when Christ returns. So, there's definitely a sense in which this day will be fulfilled in our future. However, the returned exiles are told that Elijah the prophet will come before that great day. That prophecy has been fulfilled in John the Baptist. We considered a similar prophecy earlier in chapter 3. In other words, there's also a sense that Jesus first coming (you know, his first advent) fulfilled this prophecy about the day of the Lord. John Calvin held that view, and it makes sense considering the reference to Elijah. I think the best understanding is to consider that the “day of the Lord” began at Jesus first advent and will come to completion at his second advent. In other words, for us, there's both a “now” and “not yet” to this “day of the Lord.” In the apostle Peter's sermon at Pentecost, he quotes the prophet Joel's prophecy about the day of the Lord. And he indicates that it is being fulfilled. Other New Testament texts speak of the last days that we are in, which will come to a final completion when Christ returns. So, the day has come, and it will come. However, from the perspective of the people in the Old Testament, it appeared to them be one event. Think about it this way. It's kind of like driving through a mountain range. This last May we were driving through the Rocky Mountains. If you've ever been there, you'll know that the mountains are massive. Sometimes, though, you'll see an especially large mountain, but as you drive past it, you realize that, oh no, that was not one mountain, it was actually two mountains. It just looked like one mountain from a distance. The “Day of the Lord” prophecy is like that. To God's people in the Old Testament, it looked like one event. Yet for us, who live after Jesus first coming (and who have the New Testament) we realize that the prophecy both has been fulfilled and it will be fulfilled. We are living in that day now with all the benefits and blessings of Jesus first coming, but with anticipation of his second coming. And when he comes again, the full judgment and mercy of God will be fulfilled. But the people in Jerusalem just needed to know that the Messiah was coming. And when he came, it would be the day of the Lord. And the Lord tells them through Malachi, what that day will be like and how to prepare for it. It's the same application for us. The difference is that for them it was entirely a future reality that they needed to prepare for. For us it's both a present and future reality, but with the same call to prepare. So, let's dive in answer those two questions. What is the day of the Lord like? And, how should we live in it and prepare for it? By the way, you'll see an outline there in the bulletin. 2 points going along with those two questions. 1. The Day of the Lord: Beholding its Light 2. The Day of the Lord: Living in its Light So, beholding and living in the day of the Lord. 1. The Day of the Lord: Beholding its Light By the way, I'm using the word “beholding” because twice in this text, they are told to “behold!” Verses 1 and 5. We saw the same word back in chapter 3 verse 1. Behold! The day is coming. Wake up. Be ready! God will fulfill his promise. It's like what the angels said to the shepherds in Luke 2. “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Behold. And what will that day be like? Well, we're given a picture. By the way, did you notice all the imagery in these verses? Oven, fire, stubble, branch, root, sun, wings, a calf, ashes, and feet. It is a picture of what the day will be like. They needed to know. And the first thing they needed to know, which is a continuation from chapter 3, is that it will be a day of judgment. It will be like an oven. The wicked will be like stubble burned in a fire. Have you ever taken pine straw or wood shavings and thrown them into a fire? It sparks up and bursts into a flame. The wicked are described as being set ablaze. Their branches AND roots will be burned. And in verse 3, they will be trampled underfoot. And remember, the Lord had been speaking to Israel. Malachi was prophesying to the people who had returned from Babylon to Judah and Jerusalem. Many of them fell into the category of wickedness. They didn't fear the Lord. Their words and actions displayed a lack of faith. Even though they were counted among God's people, they didn't return to him. What I am saying is that as much as these verses are an encouragement to the people who feared the Lord, they are also a graphic warning to those who do not know nor fear him. Return to me or on that day, you shall be ashes trod underfoot by the righteous. It will be a day when the Lord “acts.” Verse 3. From their perspective, there had been a lot of in-action by the Lord. But that will all change when the day of the Lord comes. But beware, because that action will in part be action against the wicked. So that's the warning… but there are also some very encouraging aspects to the coming day. As I already mentioned, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. For us, that feels like a strange mixing of metaphors. The sun and wings. But the best understanding of this is how the sun would be painted.  Picture the sun like a yellow platter with squiggly lines radiating from the platter. Well, those squiggly lines that someone would draw were called the sun's wings. It's the rays of the sun beaming down on the people. And those rays heal. The people back then knew this by experience.  And we know this by the sun's healing properties. We don't just receive warmth, but our bodies produce vitamin D from the sun light. That boosts our immune system. Being in the sun also lifts our mood.  And when we are in the sun for a little bit every day, we even sleep better at night. What this is saying is that God's righteousness will be like the sun! God will shine his holiness and his goodness and his truth upon us on the day of the Lord. And all of that has been and will be fulfilled in Jesus. We have seen the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. His righteousness has been and is being displayed for all the world to see. And Jesus' ministry is a ministry of healing, is it not? Let me highlight three ways. ·      Number 1, Jesus' heals our relationship with God. Through the cross and in the resurrection, we've been given peace and reconciliation with him. ·      Number 2. He ministers his healing in all the sorrows and grief in life. God in Christ ministers to us in our weakness and our burdens and our trials. Jesus said, “come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest for your soul… for my yoke is easy and my burden is light” ·      And number 3. Christ will ultimately heal all of creation. He will restore all things. This is definitely part of the future promises of the day. When Christ returns in glory, all things will be made new. The groaning of all creation will be no more. The old will be burned up and the new will come. Creation will no longer be fractured and marred by sin, but rather it will be perfect and unblemished... and the light of Christ's righteousness will shine forever. There will be no need for the sun because Christ's glory will be the light. The sun of Righteousness has and will come with healing in his wings! Some of those things have come true and some will come true at the end of the age. And… what a joy it is to know the healing ministry of Christ. And speaking of joy, that is the other description we're given. On that day, the righteous in Christ will leap like a calf full of energy as it leaps for joy! I've never actually seen a calf in such a state, but I've read that it is quite the scene. After a calf has been in a stall all night, and it is then let out… apparently it bursts forth in uncontained exuberance. It leaps and twists and bucks and it runs in circles. It's like a ball of uninhibited joy as it bounds around. Our dog, Toby, was like this when he was a puppy. Sometimes we would have to leave him in his crate for a while, otherwise he would eat our socks. When we got home, we would let him outside in the backyard… and he would race around in circles as fast as he could. And then he would want to play. That is the kind of joy that we will experience to the fullest extent… when the Lord returns. Nothing will be able to contain our excitement on that day. So, the day will be a day of judgment, but it will also be a day of righteousness and healing, and a day of great joy. 2. The Day of the Lord: Living in its Light Which brings us to the concluding verses of Malachi and point #2. Living in its Light. The next question is, how should we live in the day of the Lord now? And related to that, how should we prepare for his future coming? First, look at verse 4. the Lord commands them… “remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules, that I commanded him at Mount Horeb…” It's referring to the 10 commandments. Mount Horeb and Mount Saini are the same place. All throughout Malachi, God has been revealing to the people how they had forgotten his law and commands. They had wandered from him by breaking his law. They were doing things that God commanded them not to do, and not doing things that God commanded to do. And so he commands them to remember his law. But in order to return to God's law and to him, they needed to repent. They needed to turn from their faithlessness and sin and back to God. That is what verses 5 and 6 are alluding to – turning back to God and to one another. What I mean is that in verse 5, Elijah is mentioned. Elijah is THE representative prophet. His message, which was the message of all prophets, was a message of repentance. Malachi's prophecy is likewise a message of repentance. Return to me, the Lord has said through Malachi. And in verse 6, this new Elijah that is coming will also turn the hearts of fathers to their children and children to their fathers. It's the same message of repentance but focused on our relationships with one another. In fact, in Luke chapter 1. The angel of the Lord tells John the Baptist's father, Zechariah, three things about his son related to this. #1, “he will turn many of the children of Israel back to the Lord their God.” #2. John “will go before the [Lord] in the spirit and power of Elijah.” And #3. The angel quotes Malachi 4:6. John will turn “the hearts of fathers to their children.” You see, this turning people to the Lord and to one another is the message of repentance. That is exactly what John the Baptist preached. He said, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” So, Moses and Elijah. The Law and the prophets. God's commands for us and his call for us to repent. Really, it summarizes both Malachi and the entire Old Testament. Think about our study of Malachi. Here's how it's gone: The Lord said: 1. I have loved you. 2. But your words and actions have betrayed that love. 3. You have therefore been faithless. 4. Return to me for the day of the Lord is coming. 5. If you do return, you will be counted among the righteous on that day. If you do not return, you will be counted among the wicked. And 6. The concluding words here: So, remember my law and repent. And notice the very last words, “lest I strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” The Lord opened up his prophecy through Malachi with the words, “I have loved you” and he concludes with this warning. It is one last appeal that they examine their hearts, or they will reap the consequences of their unbelief. Are you following how these last verses summarize Malachi? And, as I mentioned, this conclusion also summarizes the entire Old Testament. Again, Moses and Elijah - the law and the prophets. At one point in Jesus's ministry, he went up on a mountain with three of his disciples, Peter, James, and John. And when Jesus was on the mountain, he shone with the glory of his divine nature as sovereign King. The Gospel writers say that he was transfigured. Now, listen to what Matthew said. He said that Jesus' face “shone like the sun.” s-u-n. And guess who appeared from heaven with Jesus? Moses and Elijah. God the Son, the sun of righteousness, revealed his glory as the one who fulfilled all the words of the law and the message of prophets. In him, the day of the Lord has come. For Malachi's original audience, the day was coming soon. For us, it has and it will come. Well, I would be remiss if I didn't end with the call for you and me. It's really the same call now as it was then. We are to remember the law of Moses. The 10 commandments are not something from a bygone era that has no relevance today. No, rather, we are called to pursue the Lord and his commands. We're to love him with all our heart and soul and mind and strength. And we're to love our neighbors as ourself. And when we fail, we are to repent and return to him in faithfulness. None of that is works salvation. Rather, it is responding to the love of God in Christ Jesus, who gave himself up for us. Just like Malachi's audience, God loves us. We are his people, whom he elected from before the foundation of the world. In love, he gave us his commands that we would know him and walk in his ways. And just like them, we often fail, but God does not treat us as our sin deserves. No, he calls us to repent and return to him. And he will lovingly receive us again. All because the sun of righteousness has come with healing in his wings. So may we do just that. May we heed the warning of judgment. And may we rejoice this advent, with exuberant joy, basking in all the rays of the righteousness of Jesus – our Savior and our Lord. For his day has come and he will come again.

Aan tafel deze week: oud-minister van Landbouw CDA Cees Veerman, oud-minister voor Grote Stedenbeleid D66 Roger van Boxtel, directeur Atlantische Commissie Anna van Zoest, hoogleraar virologie Erasmus MC Marion Koopmans, schrijver Haroon Ali Presentatie: Joost Vullings Wil je meer weten over de gasten in Buitenhof? Op onze website vind je meer informatie. Daar kan je deze aflevering ook terugkijken en je vindt er natuurlijk nog veel meer gesprekken: https://bit.ly/buitenhof-7-dec-25 Na een optimistische start zit de formatie sinds donderdagmiddag muurvast. In welke fase van de formatie zitten we eigenlijk nu? Aan tafel twee gelouterde bestuurders: Roger van Boxtel van D66 en Cees Veerman van het CDA. Na een optimistische start zit de formatie sinds donderdagmiddag muurvast. In welke fase van de formatie zitten we eigenlijk nu? Aan tafel twee gelouterde bestuurders: Roger van Boxtel van D66 en Cees Veerman van het CDA. Dode vogels, besmette runderen, zeeleeuwen, steenmarters en knaagdieren. We leken bijna gewend aan de aanwezigheid van de besmettelijke vogelgriep. Maar nu is ook een kitten bezweken aan deze ziekte. Waarom maken virologen zich zorgen om deze dierenziekte? En is er een oplossing in zicht? Marion Koopmans, hoogleraar virologie in Rotterdam, is bij ons te gast.  In het boek Het blijft toch je familie? ontleedt schrijver Haroon Ali de diepere lagen van gezinsbreuken. Met de feestdagen voor de deur moeten veel mensen dealen met families die niet meer compleet zijn door een conflict. Hoe ga je daarmee om? En kunnen we ook anders kijken naar de heilige bloedband? 

Aan tafel deze week: oud-minister van Landbouw CDA Cees Veerman, oud-minister voor Grote Stedenbeleid D66 Roger van Boxtel, directeur Atlantische Commissie Anna van Zoest, hoogleraar virologie Erasmus MC Marion Koopmans, schrijver Haroon Ali Presentatie: Joost Vullings Wil je meer weten over de gasten in Buitenhof? Op onze website vind je meer informatie. Daar kan je deze aflevering ook terugkijken en je vindt er natuurlijk nog veel meer gesprekken: https://bit.ly/buitenhof-7-dec-25 Na een optimistische start zit de formatie sinds donderdagmiddag muurvast. In welke fase van de formatie zitten we eigenlijk nu? Aan tafel twee gelouterde bestuurders: Roger van Boxtel van D66 en Cees Veerman van het CDA. Na een optimistische start zit de formatie sinds donderdagmiddag muurvast. In welke fase van de formatie zitten we eigenlijk nu? Aan tafel twee gelouterde bestuurders: Roger van Boxtel van D66 en Cees Veerman van het CDA. Dode vogels, besmette runderen, zeeleeuwen, steenmarters en knaagdieren. We leken bijna gewend aan de aanwezigheid van de besmettelijke vogelgriep. Maar nu is ook een kitten bezweken aan deze ziekte. Waarom maken virologen zich zorgen om deze dierenziekte? En is er een oplossing in zicht? Marion Koopmans, hoogleraar virologie in Rotterdam, is bij ons te gast.  In het boek Het blijft toch je familie? ontleedt schrijver Haroon Ali de diepere lagen van gezinsbreuken. Met de feestdagen voor de deur moeten veel mensen dealen met families die niet meer compleet zijn door een conflict. Hoe ga je daarmee om? En kunnen we ook anders kijken naar de heilige bloedband? 

PSV wint de Veerman-derby, Robin van Persie heeft 25 zoons en Ajax blijft ongeslagen door buiten het veld te verliezen. Verder probeerde Troy Ihattaren na-te-papegaaien, trekken de Eagles deze keer een sportieve lange neus en blijft Krüzen als enige Heracles-trainer ooit ongeslagen. Het is maandagavond op naar een nieuwe aflevering van De Derde Helft, deze week met SJOERD MOSSOU! ✉️ Op vrijdag kunnen jullie met ons via Substack vooruitblikken op het aankomende Eredivisie-weekend. Gijs, Tim, Snijboon, Pepijn en RogierPablo zullen hier allemaal één ding delen waar ze naar uitkijken in de aankomende speelronde. https://substack.com/@dederdehelft

Vandaag in de studio: Suse van Kleef, Frans Thomése, Ivo Victoria en Martijn Simons. De eerste degradant is bekend, Til of Veerman in Oranje en Frans en Henk nemen woorden terug. Deze podcast wordt mogelijk gemaakt door Staatsloterij. Bekijk de podcast ook op ons YouTube-kanaal. Probeer het zelf of geef Hard gras cadeau! https://www.hardgras.nl/#ABONNEMENTSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Day of Distinction Please turn to Malachi 3:13-18. That is on page 955 in the Pew Bibles. We are in the home stretch of Malachi. Next week will be our last sermon. By the way, Malachi has often been used for an Advent series. It is the last book of the Old Testament, and, as we saw 2 weeks ago, it promises that the Messiah will come soon. Next week will be another advent prophecy. Our sermon this morning concludes the pattern of (1) God's accusation, (2) the people questioning God, and (3) the Lord explaining. After that, we will we hear a surprising turn. There were some who did fear the Lord and responded to him. Listen for the contrasts between those who questioned the Lord, and those who feared him. Reading of Malachi 3:13-18 Prayer How do you justify sin in your life? I know that question presupposes an understanding of sin. I'm simply referring to breaking God's commands as he has revealed in his Word. ·      Do you find yourself saying, “well, this is a small thing. It doesn't really matter.” ·      Or, “everyone else does it, so what's the big deal.” ·      Or “At least I'm not as bad as he or she is.” ·      Are you tempted to make the ends justify the means? You think, “well, the results will be good, so it doesn't matter how I get there.” ·      Or maybe you are angry with God or wonder if he is even there? You think, “why does it even matter?” ·      Maybe you have been sinned against and therefore are tempted to respond likewise. ·      Or do you think that nobody will know. ·      Or do you tell yourself, “It feels right, how can it be wrong?” How do you justify sin? Really, the more important question is, will you respond to God's Word? These verses give us a contrast between two responses. 1. Those who justify and continue in their sin and 2, those who repent and respond. All throughout Malachi, we've seen different ways that the priests and the people have justified their sin. Often it was about their situation. They were poor and didn't want to bring their unblemished male animal to offer at the temple or bring their required tithe. Or they didn't love their spouse anymore, so why not get a divorce. Why not marry someone who didn't know Yahweh if they could get ahead economically. Based on their experience, they didn't even believe that God was just, so why did it matter what they did or didn't do. Verses 13-15 are the climax to their dismissal of God and how they justified their sin. The Lord said, “your words have been hard against me.” And they asked once again, “how” “How have we spoken against you?” And the Lord responds… you have said, , “it is vain to serve God. What is the profit of keeping his charge?” They didn't see any value in continuing to honor God. Why bother? It was so bad they didn't even want to mourn before the Lord because of their situation. They had gotten to the place where they weren't even sure God existed. In verse 15, we learn they'd been saying that “the arrogant were blessed.” “Evildoers not only prosper, …but they put God to the test and they escaped.” In other words, good things were happening to bad people. Why would God allow that and leave them to flail in their situation? You see, the people were feeling despondent. They didn't think God cared about them. In fact, to them, God seemed to care more about their enemies. And so, they responded by not caring themselves. They didn't care about God, and they didn't care about his commands. They felt defeated and wondered if God was even paying attention. Do you ever feel that way? You see other people seemingly doing well or prospering. Many of whom you don't believe should be prospering. And you are struggling with health or with finances or in relationships or in a career. And it brings you to a place of despondency - hopelessness and asking why. I've found that in those moments, I have been very susceptible to temptation. You know, you get down about something and feel discouraged and disconnected from the Lord. And then, you wonder if trying to honor God is even worth it. Just like the people were saying, it is vain… you know, it seems worthless to pursue the Lord. You then ask yourself, why not just do what I want? Why not just take matters into my own hands? And then, you do. That's exactly what the exiles who were back in Jerusalem were doing. They justified their sin. More and more, they rejected God. It was like a downward spiral of complacency and disillusionment that was leading them away from God. Instead of drawing closer to God, they were pulling away from him. Instead of seeking to honor him, they were dishonoring him. And then along came Malachi, the prophet. And he spoke God's very words to them. You have done this, and this, and this. You have questioned my justice. In your hearts and in your actions, you have walked away in defiance from my commands. You have been faithless. I think of all the accusations that the Lord has leveled against them, calling them faithless was perhaps the worst. They no longer trusted in the God who loved them, as he had just reminded them. What would they do? Really, they were at an inflection point. They were at a fork in the road. God had just called them to return to him. The question is, would they return? Would they renounce their ways and their thoughts against the Lord and return? The Lord's arms were open for them to come back to him. The question was, would they before it was too late? You know, I love our church family. I love you. We love each other and we love our neighbors. And I believe that each of us honestly want to honor the Lord in our lives. I know my glasses are a little rosy. But I know that there are secret sins in this room. There are dark closets. There's heart adultery, for sure, but statistically speaking, there's likely actual adultery happening, too. Other sexual sin as well. There's also a range of anger and prejudice and heart idols that turn our attention away from the Lord. Some sin we are blind to, but other sin we simply justify. It may be hidden from one another, but it is not hidden from God. Let me ask, How have you been responding to God's word in Malachi? It's been pretty intense. Have you felt convicted and have you been responding to the Lord in repentance and faith? …Have you renewed yourself to pursue the Lord and his commands? Will you forsake them and turn your heart back to the Lord? What would they do and what will you do? And that brings us to verse 16. This is the first time, in the entire book of Malachi, that we are given a glimmer of hope.. in regard to their hearts. Verse 16 – “then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another.” It's talking about people who with reverent awe and faith submitted themselves to the Lord. They were there. One question that people disagree about is whether this is a totally separate group from the Israelites who had been questioning God. Or whether some of those who had been questioning God repented and returned to him. Most think that it is one or the other. But I think what is more likely is that it's both. God has always had his remnant from among the people. But God also draws people away from their sin and back to him. Malachi was prophesying God's very Word. Of the thousands who had returned to Jerusalem, certainly there were some who upon hearing God's word, repented and returned as he had called them. We don't know for sure, but whatever the makeup of this group, the point is that there were some who by faith reverently trusted God… and as it says, sought to serve him. We don't even know what their conversation was about, but we are told that whatever it was God was pleased. They had in some way affirmed God's word and encouraged each other in that affirmation. And, they esteemed God's name. Rather than questioning God, they exalted the Lord God. This is God's very Word. Will you hear and respond to it by faith? Or will you react in defiance against it? What will you do? I want to take a brief tangent. Some of you will know this. The Protestant Reformers were very concerned NOT to bind someone's conscience. You know, someone's internal sense of right and wrong and truth and error. Martin Luther in his famous speech at the diet of Worms said that to go against one conscience is neither right nor safe. When we hear that, it's easy, I think, to mistakenly apply our culture's understanding of conscience. We might think Luther meant that we should never tell someone that what they believe or do is right or wrong. But that is not what Luther nor John Calvin nor the other Reformers meant. They meant that only the Word of God should bind someone conscience. Luther even said in that same speech, “my conscience is bound by the Word of God.” The Roman Catholic church was trying to bind the conscience of people to believe things that were contrary to Scripture. That is what they were opposed to. The Reformers believed that our consciences are marred by sin. Even as redeemed people, we need to submit our minds and hearts to God's word so that our inner sense of moral right and wrong will be transformed to God's standard. We absolutely can and should challenge one another. When we see a brother or sister do something or believing something contrary to God's Word, we should call it out in love. That is not wrongly binding someone's conscience; rather, it is directing someone's conscience to God's Word. Some churches and Christians today will justify lifestyles and beliefs so as not to constrain someone elses conscience. Some will say, “my conscience is clear,” as if their conscience is the final moral authority rather than Scripture. No, rather, as we each mature in our faith and in our knowledge of God's Word, our conscience will become more and more aligned with God's standard and THUS sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Our conscience should never replace what God has revealed in his Word. I bring this up because it is a common way to justify sin today – to appeal to a “clear conscience” even when it contradicts Scripture. Ok, back to Malachi 3 – the conscience of these people who feared the Lord were captivated by God through his Word. God had either convicted them of their sin and they repented and returned… or they has been in the minority, as a remnant, faithful to God and his Word all along. Likely, as I mentioned, both. And because they feared the Lord, God wrote their names and their faithful works in his book. It's called here the book of remembrance. A common practice at that time was for kings to write down significant events and significant people. It was their history. In fact, Persian kings were meticulous at this task. They preserved their records in the royal archive. Remember, it was the Medo Persians who, at this time, ruled over the region. So, this reference to the Lord keeping a book would have been understood even beyond the Israelites. The point is that God would not forget them. He would not forget his remnant who fixed their hearts and minds on him. Who esteemed his name. They shall be mine, he says. By the way, there is a little tiny phrase there in verse 17 that has huge significance. It's the phrase “in the day.” Do you see it? “In the day,” it says, “when I make up my treasured possession, I will spare them.” It is looking forward to the judgment day. It's looking forward to that day when God, in Christ, will fulfill his just judgment. That day will happen when Christ comes to judge. For us, we know that the final judgment will come when Jesus returns. In his first coming, Jesus came to save – he came to bring salvation. In his second coming, he will come for the final judgment. And on the day when Christ comes to judge, God will make his people his treasured possessions. I love that description. They had feared the Lord and honored him… and God wrote their names down in his book of life. We all have treasured possessions. If your house or apartment is on fire, what are the things that you would want to risk your life and run back in to save? Certainly, family members. Maybe a pet. Maybe your great great grandmother's pendant. Or maybe that jersey signed by your favorite athlete or coach. I'm not telling you to run back into your house for things. Let the firemen do that. But on that day, those who fear God and keep his commandments will be God's treasured possession. He will save them. That phrase “treasured possession” is a reference back to Mount Saini. God had rescued his people from slavery in Egypt. He had brought them across the Red Sea. He was about to give them his commandments, and he says, and listen to this… “if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, I will make you my treasured possession among all people of the earth.” In Malachi, at the end of verse 17, Lord says that he will “spare them as a man spares a son who serves him.” Back when I was about 14, my sister and I wanted to surprise our parents and clean the garage. Isn't that very nice.  However, there was still a car in the garage. So, I told my sister, ok, you get in the car. I'll push it back, and as soon as it gets out of the garage, put it into gear. It was a manual transmission. Every time my parents parked the car, they would put it in gear, so I thought it was like a parking brake.  So, I pushed the car out of the garage, but when my sister tried to put it in gear, it wouldn't go. Neither of us thought about the brake pedal. Well, our driveway was sloped, so the car started to pick up speed, and I was running alongside of it, but my sister couldn't stop it. Then the steering wheel locked up. We were both panicking. Then the car smashed into the stone wall next to our driveway. We both thought, oh no, we're going to get in big trouble with our dad. But when he got home, he wasn't angry at all. No, he was just glad we weren't hurt. We were spared. But I can tell you, if we had been one of his employees, the story would have ended differently. You see, a father spares a son. A father loves his children. They are his treasured possession. God the Father has done the most amazing thing for those who fear and honor him. He has spared them from his judgment. And he's done that by not sparing his only Son. God has rescued us from the fire of his wrath by sending his only son who endured his wrath on our behalf. And because of it, on that day, on that judgment day, God will spare his children. To put it in terms of Jesus first and second coming. God sent his son, Jesus Christ, into the world, to be judged so that when he comes again as judge, those who fear and serve him will not be judged. All of this has all been leading up to verse 18. On that day, there will be a distinction, it say, between the righteous and the wicked. By the way, let me mention, this is like a two-part sermon. Malachi 4 continues explaining what will happen on that day. I've titled today's sermon A Day of Distinction. Next week will be A Day of Deliverance. So, we won't spend any more time on that coming day. But come back next week to hear about the “sun of righteousness.” Rather, we'll spend the rest of our time today on the distinction spoken of in verse 18. At the heart of the distinction is whether someone fears and serves God. The first words at the beginning of 18 are pretty telling. It says, “Then once more… you will see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked” Malachi's entire prophecy has focused on (1) how God's people had walked away from him in disobedience. And (2) how he calls them to return to him in faithfulness in their words and actions. Those who did not return are included in verse 18 with the wicked. Those who did return are included with the righteous. The two words used to describe the righteous are those who fear and serve the Lord. Fear in verse 16, which we already discussed, and the word serve, here in verse 18. Let me put it this way: At the heart of serving the Lord is a heart that fears the Lord with reverence and awe. Those two distinguishing marks cannot be separated. There is no fearing the Lord without serving him. …AND, no one truly serves the Lord without fearing him. When someone comes to fear the Lord, they will desire to honor him in their lives. Let me put this in some New Testament terms. ·      True faith in Christ will result in the fruits of righteousness. ·      Or as James put it, faith without works is dead. Our works, meaning our obedience to God's Word, testifies to our faith in him. Works do not lead to faith, faith leads to works.·      Or as the Apostle Paul put it in Romans 6 “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” To use theological terms. We are justified in Christ. We receive Jesus' righteousness by faith in him which leads to sanctification in our lives. More and more through God's Spirit, we die to sin and live to righteousness. So, fearing and serving the Lord IS faith and works which IS trusting and obeying God. It describes the righteous. The wicked do not fear the Lord nor honor him. They do not hear his Word. They do not return to him. Rather, they have rejected the Lord by dishonoring him in all his ways… including, of course, they ways that Malachi had prophesied. They questioned God… and to bring this back around, they justified their sin. As they said up in verse 14, “it is vain to serve God.” In closing, we all struggle with sin, but let me ask: As you search your heart, do you fear the Lord by faith in Christ? Are you seeking, by God's Spirit, to hear God's Word, see your sin, and respond by serving and honoring him? If you are, then on that day, God in Christ will spare you as a father spares a son. If that does not describe your life, then God is saying to you, “return to me.” No longer justify your sin but fear me and honor me. Come to me by faith in Christ. And when you do, the Lord says, you will be my treasured possession. On that day, may we all be described as the righteous. Not because of our righteousness, but because of the righteousness of Christ. A righteousness that we receive by faith AND which we demonstrate by serving and honoring him.

Robbing God and Ourselves Please turn in your Bibles to Malachi chapter 3, verses 6-12. In the Pew Bibles, you can find that on page 954 As we have gone through Malachi, we've seen a recurring pattern. First, the Lord makes an accusation. Second, he quotes the people of Israel questioning him – they ask “how?” and third, the Lord explains. ·      In chapter 1. “I have loved you” “How have you loved us?” “Because I chose you” ·      Next “You have despised my name” “How have we despised you?” “You have brought polluted offerings. ·      Chapter 2 – “you have been faithless.” “how have we been faithless?” “You have been unfaithful in your marriages” ·      And last week… “you have wearied me with your words” “How have we wearied you? “you have said ‘where is the God of justice?” This pattern has revealed two things. First, they had not been acting in faith before the Lord. And second, they were not aware of their faithless actions. They were blind to their own sin. Our text this morning continues this pattern. But it is also unique. It opens up with a call to respond. So, listen for that call and listen for the next example of their faithless actions. Reading of Malachi 3:6-12 Prayer One day over in Scotland, a poor man had been attending church… accidentally dropped a silver coin into the offering plate. It was very valuable to him. He had meant to offer a penny. When he asked for it back, the deacon refused, “sorry, in once, in forever.” Frustrated, the man responded, “at least I'll get credit in heaven.” To which, the deacon replied, “oh no, you'll get credit for what you meant to give.” Just trying to break the ice here. This is our fourth sermon this year on giving. We had three of them in our 2 Corinthians study and now this one. If you have been visiting, I don't want you to think that every couple of months you're going to hear a sermon on giving. No, in fact, before this year I don't think we had a single sermon on financial stewardship. Our philosophy of preaching involves working through books of the Bible. By doing so, we are allowing God's Word to direct our focus. That means as we go chapter by chapter, we'll come across matters that are sensitive. Matters that we need to hear. And that includes, of course, finances and money. It just so happens that both 2 Corinthians and here in Malachi touch upon giving (and that is not why I chose them) As you know, these are matters close to our hearts. Really, money in general is a personal topic. I can tell you that in the marriage counselling I've done over the years, financial conflicts have often been the thing that puts the most stress on marriages. Money can be a control mechanism. Money is often an idol. To be sure, money is not the problem. Jesus never said that money is the root of all kinds of evil. No, he said that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. What we're going to learn this morning is that your financial stewardship in regards to God's kingdom is an important matter. It is a window into your relationship with the Lord. We'll consider these verses in 3 points. Repent; renew; receive. 1. Repent – verses 6 and 7, return to me. 2. Renew – verse 8 to the middle of 10. God calls them to renew their obedience to the Lord… by bringing in the full tithe. 3. Receive – the end of verse 10 through 12. When they do, God will pour down the blessings of heaven. 1. Repent #1 – Repent. Notice that Malachi's prophecy in this section does not begin with a focus on their tithes. Rather, it begins with a focus on their relationship with the Lord. You see, it wasn't that the Lord walked away from them. No. Rather, they walked away from their relationship with him. They thought that God had abandoned them. They thought he didn't care. That's why the Lord begins in verse 6 with a reminder that he hasn't changed. And notice what he emphasizes. I do not change, that is why “you… are not consumed.” God is emphasizing his lovingkindness to them. He's reminding them of his patience and mercy toward them. The issue was their rejection of God and his ways. And it's not new. That is why in verse 7 God reminds them that their forefathers also turned aside from him. The returned exiles in Judah had been doing the same thing. In the previous chapters, God pointed out the various ways they had turned aside from his statues. And so, the Lord says to them: “Return to me, and I will return to you.” “But… but… Lord, we are back in Jerusalem. We have returned, haven't we? After all, we are back in the city where King David reigned… we are back where the temple is, where your very presence dwells. Why are you telling us to return to you? Is it not you who have departed us?” They didn't understand that it had never been about being in Jerusalem. Just like their forefathers before them, it was about their relationship with God. They had walked away from God's commands and his promises which was tantamount to walking away from him. But the Lord is gracious and bids them return to him. At the heart of this appeal to “return” is repentance. That is what repentance is. It's turning away from something that is not honoring to God and returning back to him and to what honors him. Honestly, these verses can apply to any pattern of sin in your life or my life. Yes, in a minute we're going to get into their failure to honor the Lord with their tithes and contributions. But the pattern we are given here is THE pattern for life - repentance and renewal. And so we should ask, what are the ways in which we have wandered from you, Lord? We ask him to reveal our sin… our pride our  lust or anger or coveting or dishonoring his name or steeling or lying or worse. And we then come to the Lord with contrite hearts. We grieve the ways in which we have broken God's commands, all of which have damaged our relationship with him… and with those we've sinned against. We repent, and we then we renew ourselves to walk again in God's ways. And when we repent, God is merciful and loving. He will receive us when we return to him. Did you notice that second part? “Return to me, and I will return to you.” Which brings us to the people's first question, “But you say, ‘how shall we return?'” They didn't know how. 2. Renew This is the renewal part, by the way. point #2. You see, renewal is the way we return to God. Renewal of our faith. Renewal of our obedience. But just like before, God's people didn't know what God was talking about. And so, in verse 8, the Lord asks, “will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me.” I've been robbed twice. One time, my car window was smashed in and some things were taken. Another time, I was out of the country. I was in a crowded market, and someone bumped into me. That sort of turned me around. Someone else then bumped into me. At first, I thought it was just because of the large crowds. But a few minutes later, I looked down and the pullover windbreaker I was wearing had been cut. Someone had sliced open the front of my jacket, where there was a zippered pouch. My wallet was gone. It happened without me even knowing it. I'm sure some of you have experienced worse. When it happens, you feel violated and unsettled. You think, what could I have done to prevent it? Here's the thing. Can man rob God? I mean, he knows and sees all things. He is furthermore all powerful. In his sovereignty, nothing is unknown and nothing is out of his control. In other words, robbing God is not really possible in the sense of God being taken by surprise. So, this is a shocking accusation. The people had been robbing him, so to speak. But just like the other patterns of sin, they didn't realize it. And so they ask. “How have we robbed you?” The Lord responds, “in your tithes and contributions.” They had not been fulfilling their obligations. They had been holding back. By the way, this is very similar to their polluted sacrificial offerings back at the end of chapter 1. But this accusation is broader. Notice in verse 9. “…you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.” Let's talk about this tithe thing. The word “tithe” comes from the Hebrew word for tenth. They were to give 10% of the fruit of their labors. That tithe was often paid in grain or other crops. And just like the sacrificial animals, they were to tithe their very best. Tithing was part of the Levitical law – those were laws related to the sacrificial system and the priest. Their tithe supported the priestly work. It was not an option, it was an obligation for them. In a minute, we'll come back to the question of whether tithing applies to us today. So, stay tuned. But first, why weren't they doing this? Why didn't they tithe? Well, besides the drought that they were in, which we've discussed, their crops had been infested by some sort of “devourer.” Verse 11 mentions that. …perhaps locusts had damaged their crops.  They didn't have much to begin with and now they were experiencing both a drought and an infestation. They didn't tithe because they didn't think they could afford the tithe. It's convicting to think about that… Is that not often our excuse? They justified not tithing but by doing so, they were in fact robbing God. It's like when you buy a house. You know, you go to the bank, you get a mortgage. You call it “your house,” but the bank really owns it. You pay the bank every month interest and principal. But if you don't make the payments, you are in a sense robbing the bank. They can take your house back. Not tithing was robbing God because it was all God's in the first place. They had been entrusted with it. But they thought it was theirs to give or not. And because of all the stress of the situation, they withheld from God what was truly his. So, here's the big question for us: Is giving 10% something that applies to God's people today? To ask it in another way, since tithe was part of the Levitical law, does it still apply to us? And I believe the answer to that question is “no” and “yes.” ·      “No” in the sense that we no longer have that explicit obligation. The tithe mentioned in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy was to maintain the ceremonial law and to support the Levites who didn't have a land inheritance, unlike the other tribes. The sacrificial system is no longer in effect. That is because Christ has come and has fulfilled it. Tithe was a part of that. ·      But the answer is also “yes.” The principle of tithing is still very much a part of the New Testament teaching. Jesus affirmed giving proportional to someone's income. Also, in 1 Corinthians 16, each person is directed to set aside a portion for the collection of the saints. As we studied in 2 Corinthians earlier this year, there's a call to give generously.  Furthermore, even though there are no more priests, we do learn that some elders in the church are to labor in teaching. In other words, supporting the work of the church and God's kingdom is a New Testament principle. It's just that it's not the formal “tithe” obligation from the ceremonial law. But, you ask, does that mean that 10% is not prescribed? Let me answer that by saying this. In the Old Testament, the tithe for the priests was not the only requirement to give. There was the Festival tithe. There was a poor tithe every third year. They were to give a first fruits offering at the earliest part of the harvest. There were others as well. Some estimate that their contributions added up to over 25% of their income. Here's how pastor Kevin DeYoung puts it. He said, “Whether the Old Testament requirement is a binding prescription or not, I find it hard to imagine that Western Christians who have seen the glory of God in the face of Christ and enjoy great prosperity, would want to give less than was required of the poorest Israelite.” He furthermore says this: “Statistics consistently show that Protestants give less than 3% of their income to their churches. A tithe, for most churchgoers, would be a huge step in the right direction.” I think that is well said. Tithe is no longer mandated, but 10% is a good starting place to pray about and consider. More importantly, though… and please hear me on this… we should give joyfully and sacrificially out of hearts that love the Lord and love his kingdom. Alright, going back to the peoples' question. “How shall we return?” God answers in verse 10 “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.” He is referring to the storage rooms in the temple where the offering of crops was stored. They were to faithfully resume their tithing despite their poverty. You know, repentance and renewal go together. We can't separate them. As the Scriptures say, we are to “bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” Your repentance from sin is validated by a renewed commitment to the Lord and his commands. This is not about earning salvation at all. It's about responding to the salvation that God has given you in Christ by renewing your faith in him and your obedience to him. 3. Receive Which brings us to number 3. Receive. We will experience God's blessings when our lives are aligned with his commands. I'm being very intentional how I say that. The second half of verse 10 talks about the windows of heaven being opened. It's talking about rain. And then in verse 11, we learn that the devourer will be destroyed. You know, the plague of locusts will end. And then the soil will once again be fruitful. The harvest will be plentiful. And then in verse 12, all the nations will call them blessed. Remember, God's people in Malachi's day were still under the Levitical framework. For them, there was a direct correlation between their tithing and the abundant blessing that God would give them. God was promising them that if they repented and renewed their commitment to him in their tithes, that yes, they would receive an abundance of God's blessings. But there's something else here. Did you notice that the language in verses 10-12 is the language of God's promise to Abraham? In God's covenant with Abraham, God promised to give Abraham's descendants an abundant land. And God promised that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through them. In other words, the promise here was a renewal of God's covenant promises with his people. The blessings they were promised were tied to their repentance and the renewal of their relationship with the Lord. For us, what's really important to understand is that the Levitical system and the covenant with Abraham have both been fulfilled in Christ. We cannot interpret these verses without understanding them through a Gospel lens. We can't say that if we are faithful in our gifts and offerings that God will materially bless us. No, rather, the blessings alluded to here are ultimately the blessings that we receive in Jesus Christ. He is the mediator of a new covenant. The priestly role and sacrifice itself have been fulfilled in him. Furthermore, the promise to Abraham about his seed and about all the nations of the earth being blessed are likewise fulfilled in Christ. Abraham's true seed, Jesus, bore the curse that our unfaithfulness deserves so that the blessings promised to Abraham might come to people from all nations. And speaking of curse, go back to verse 9. At the beginning of 9, the people were reminded of the curse of sin. Their failure to tithe and our failure to give, indeed condemn, as does any sin. But Jesus has satisfied our failure to meet these obligations and has likewise fulfilled the promise of blessing. What I am saying is that we dare not interpret Malachi 3's blessings to be material blessings. If we do so, we have failed to see the fulfillment of God's promises in Christ. The blessings spoken of here, like the “land of delight” ultimately point us beyond the material things of this world. They point to a new creation – one where the curse, mentioned here, is no more… and people from all nations will worship the Lord in his very presence forever. There are so-called preachers today who abuse this passage and who falsely promise material reward. For example, Joel Osteen said this about Malachi 3:10. He said, “Tithing is the key to financial blessings.” God wants us to have the overflowing part, he said, “but…we have to be faithful and obedient with the first part, giving.” There are so many things wrong about that. It misapplies the Levitical obligations and blessings. It completely misses the reference in these verses to God's covenant with Abraham. Rather than focus on repentance and renewal and our relationship with the Lord, which is what this passage is about, it instead focuses on us. It is worldly and man-centered and turns money into an idol, rather than turning us from our idolatry and back to the Lord. It misses the true Gospel, the grace of God in Christ Jesus. The message of Malachi 3 is not “give so that God will give more back to you.” No, rather it is, “give because God has already given you abundantly in Christ.” To bring this all together, yes, we are promised blessings in verses 10 through 12. But those blessings are spiritual blessings in Christ. When we repent and renew ourselves to the Lord in obedience to him, God blesses us in abundant ways. For one, he renews our relationship with him. To use the words here… When we return to him, he will return to us. When we seek by God's Spirit, to live in obedience to his Word, we will spiritually flourish with assurance and peace in our hearts, and perseverance in trials, and hope for the future. And all of it comes from and through the ministry of Christ, through which we have already received abundant blessings. We do not give in order to receive Christ; we give because in Christ we have already received far more than we could ever repay. Conclusion So, may we not rob God. Because in doing so, we are robbing ourselves. Rather, may we renew our hearts toward him in faith and obedience. May we generously and joyfully contribute to the work of the saints. And through that repentance and renewal, may we experience the abundant blessings that God has given us in Christ Jesus.

Zijn we weer! Veel over Guus Til, veel over Veerman en (net iets te) veel over Ronald Koeman. En natuurlijk over AZ en NAC. 

In Dit Was Het Weekend bespreken Milan van Dongen, Bram van Polen en Kenneth Perez de twaalfde speelronde van de VriendenLoterij Eredivisie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Savage Race reportedly had their best turn out to a race in the past 5 years!  The elite side had a pretty great turn out with an increased payout at the event and when I saw that Tyler Veerman won, I knew that I wanted to have him on the show again! We first met and interviewed him after he won the 15K at OCRWC, had dinner with him in Palmerton after the 3K, and have crossed paths with him at WTM a few times and he has always seemed like a nice guy. We talk about him living in Colorado, how his Savage race win went, what he thinks went wrong at the recent Spartan Super World Championships where he DNFed, progress made across consecutive Pike's Peak races, and much more! Be sure to follow him on Instagram and check out his website! Start – 3:18 – Intro 3:18 – 8:28 – Quick News 8:28 – 9:06 – Content Preface 9:06 – 54:40 - Tyler Veerman Interview 54:40 – End – Outro Next weekend we will hopefully be hearing about a very DEEP event! ____ News Stories: Ryan Brizzolara Married Spartan Doubles Spartan Shirts Back at Finish Joe DeSena AI Responses Joe Response Stats and Answers Biggest Savage in 5 Years Betsy Knapp Fall Spartan Virginia Sprint Podiums Spartan Sesimbra Beast Podiums Black Cat Secret Link Japanese Ad Secret Link Bad Powers Secret Link Facial Recognition Secret Link High Pot Secret Link ____ Related Episodes: 300. OCR World Championships 15K with Elites and Vendors! (Oh and Episode 300 with Live Intro/Outro and Shoutout Compilation!) 307. World's Toughest Mudder with Tyler Veerman and New Champion DJ Fox! 412. World's Toughest Mudder 2024! (Part 3: Brunch Interviews and Audio) ____ The OCR Report Patreon Supporters: Jason Dupree, Kim DeVoss, Samantha Thompson, Matt Puntin, Brad Kiehl, Charlotte Engelman, Erin Grindstaff, Hank Stefano, Arlene Stefano, Laura Ritter, Steven Ritter, Sofia Harnedy, Kenny West, Cheryl Miller, Jessica Johnson, Scott "The Fayne" Knowles, Nick Ryker, Christopher Hoover, Kevin Gregory Jr., Evan Eirich, Ashley Reis, Brent George, Justin Manning, Wendell Lagosh, Logan Nagle, Angela Bowers, Asa Coddington, Thomas Petersen, Seth Rinderknecht, Bonnie Wilson, Steve Bacon from The New England OCR Expo, Robert Landman, Shell Luccketta and Jules Estes. Sponsored Athletes: Javier Escobar, Kelly Sullivan, Ryan Brizzolara, Joshua Reid, and Kevin Gregory! Support us on Patreon for exclusive content and access to our Facebook group Check out our Threadless Shop Use coupon code "adventure" for 15% off MudGear products Use coupon code "ocrreport20" for 20% off Caterpy products Use coupon code "OCRREPORT20" for 20% off Spartan, Tough Mudder, and DEKA events  Like us on Facebook: Obstacle Running Adventures Follow our podcast on Instagram: @ObstacleRunningAdventures Write us an email: obstaclerunningadventures@gmail.com Subscribe on Youtube: Obstacle Running Adventures Intro music - "Streaker" by: Straight Up Outro music - "Iron Paw" by: Dubbest

Malachi 2:10-16 We are continuing in the book of Malachi. This morning we'll be covering chapter 2 verses10-16. Please turn there. You can find it on page 954 in the pew Bible. This is our fourth of eight sermons in Malachi. It's a short book. It only has 4 chapters, but as you have seen already, it packs a punch. Malachi's prophecy began with a reminder of God's electing love for Israel. But then God turns to the ways in which they have been unfaithful in response. The overall theme of the book is God's faithfulness and Israel's unfaithfulness. And we will see that clearly in our text this morning. The people were demonstrating a lack of faith in God because of unfaithfulness in their marriages. Reading of Malachi 2:10-16 Prayer There is one relationship in life that is more important than any other. This relationship requires dedication. It's a relationship built on forgiveness. It's one where if you are not seeking to honor the one with whom you are in this relationship with, then you will struggle. Your path will be filled with difficulty. This relationship is that important. I'm talking about your relationship with the Lord. Some of you probably thought that I was going to say, “your relationship with your spouse.” Right? After all, a marriage relationship is critically important. But your relationship with the Lord is more important. It's tempting to see our text this morning as only applying to marriage. After all, it has plenty to say about marriage, and we're going to get there. However, this passage is ultimately about your faith in the creator God. So, whether you are married or not, you are directed to draw near to the Lord by faith. I don't know if you noticed it, but the word “faithless” is used here 5 times. Look at verse 10. After asking a couple of rhetorical questions, which we'll get to, it says, “why then are we faithless to one another.” Then immediately in verse 11. “Judah has been faithless.” Judah was the southern kingdom which was exiled, some of whom had returned. So in other words, God was calling them faithless. Now go down to verse 14. In the middle there it says, “…the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless.” That is repeated at the end of 15. “Let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.” In those instances, it is faithless to their spouse. And finally, this passage ends with this, “so guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.” So, faithless. Their faithless actions and faithlessness in their marriages, displayed a faithlessness before God. To give a little structure this morning, we'll consider this in 4 points. 1. Faithless before a Faithful God (2:10–11a) 2. Faithless with a Faithless Bride (2:11b–12) 3. Faithless to a Faithful Bride (2:13–16) 4. Faithful despite a Faithless Bride Those may be hard to remember, but they are printed there on page 4. 1. Faithless before a Faithful God (2:10–11a) So again, #1, Faithless before a faithful God. Verse 10 and the first half of verse 11 begin by emphasizing their covenant relationship with God and therefore with one another. The two questions there in 10 direct them to God. Malachi asks “Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us?” They already know the answer. Yes, he is God their Father. Yes, they are his children. And yes, he is their creator. Those questions are to remind them of who God is;  who they are; and the centrality of his relationship with them. You see, before God speaks into the tangled mess of their marriage relationships, he first directs them to himself. He also directs them to one another. That is because their faithless actions not only reflected their faithlessness before God. But it also reflected on their faithlessness with one another. In other words, because they were in a covenant relationship with God together, anyone who broke that covenant with God, was being faithlessness toward one another. And anyone breaking the covenant with one another, was being faithless before God. By the way, we are going to get very practical in just a couple of minutes. But before we get there, it's critical to first understand why breaking the covenant was an act of faithlessness. It says that by their actions, they were “profaning the covenant.” That's  a strong statement Let me say a couple things about it: ·      The reference to covenant here includes the promises that God made to Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. God established a relationship with them as his people. He called them to be his. He gave them his law. He promised them a kingdom and that they would be a people as numerous as the sands of the sea. They were set apart by the God of all creation. It was a beautiful thing. ·      But they “profaned” the covenant relationship. They profaned it because they were dishonoring God by violating the relationship that he had established with them. They had been breaking his commands. Rather than acting in faith, some had been rejecting the covenant promises that God had given them. So, it was serious. That's why it says in 11 that they had been faithless. They had been faithless to God and faithless to one another. Now, I want to say one more thing before we get to the heart of this passage about marriage. In the middle of verse 11 it says that they profaned the “sanctuary of the Lord.” At the heart of the word translated “sanctuary” is the word set apart. Some believe this is a reference to God's covenant people. They were profaning one another. And I think that's right. It goes along with two things. First, verse 10 had just said that they were faithless to one another. And second, immediately after saying they had profaned the sanctuary, it says, “which he loves.” Remember from the opening verses of chapter 1. God loves his people. In summary, their sin broke faith with God and with one another. Sometimes we don't think about that. Our sin is not only a sin against God it is sin against the covenant community. No matter our sin, it affects the community, sometimes in a more direct way, which we will see here, or sometimes indirectly. Either way, it was breaking fellowship with God and with one another. Ok, then, but what was it? What sin had they committed which was an abomination to God and which was faithless to one another? Well, they had been violating God's sacred establishment of covenant marriage. They were violating it in two ways: First, many had been marrying people outside of the covenant. And second, many had been unlawfully divorcing their spouses. 2. Faithless with a Faithless Bride (2:11b–12) Which brings us to points 2 and 3 about those two things. About unholy marriage and unlawful divorce. Point 2 is this: Faithless with a Faithless Bride. They were being covenantally unfaithful because they were marrying outside of the faith. Right there at the end of 11. They had “married the daughter of a foreign God.” Verse 12 points the finger at some men who were doing this When the exiles were in Babylon, all around them were not just Babylonians but also other nations that Babylon had conquered and brought to Babylon. The temptation was to intermarry with those outside of God's covenant people. But even when they were back in Jerusalem, there were now people from other kingdoms. Part of the temptation was marrying into the people group who was in control in order to improve their plight. Now, whether it was just an attraction to someone outside of the covenant community or whether it was for economic gain, either way, it was an abomination, as God says. And let me be very clear. This is not about race. There is nothing in the Bible that prohibits marriage between people from different ethnic backgrounds or people groups. Rather, this is about marrying outside of God's covenant community. That is very clear at the end of verse 11, “the daughter of a foreign God.” Plus, we have several examples of women who were originally outside of God's covenant community, but who became part of the covenant, and then married an Israelite. Think of Ruth. Ruth was a Moabite woman who was joined the covenant community and then married Boaz. Rahab is another example. She was a Cannanite, whom God spared from the destruction of Jericho because of her faith. She married Salmon. The admonition for us is to only marry someone who shares our faith in Christ. Let me take a moment to speak to those of you who are not married – young and old. Not everyone is called to be married. The apostle Paul wasn't married, and he makes it clear that there are blessings to being single. But many of you have the desire to be married. Younger kids, I want to make sure you are listening as well. Marriage may be far from your mind right now. You may be thinking “eww, marriage.”  But that will likely change. So, listen as well. If you decide to get married, the most important thing is to marry someone who shares your faith in Christ. It's God's command to marry in the Lord. The world says that love is not a choice. It says that when love finds you, no matter with whom, you cannot say “no.” But don't buy the lie. Don't mix up attraction with love. Love is a choice. Yes, you should be attracted to someone you want to marry, but that person needs to share your faith and commitment to your Lord and Savior. There is no such thing as missionary dating. Do you hear me? You are playing with fire if you are dating someone who you think you can win over to Christ. It's the Holy Spirit job to change someone's heart. Don't go there. The most important relationship you have is with the Lord and if you can't share that with your spouse, it is difficult and comes with consequences. I know several godly people who are married to unbelievers, and they would confirm that struggle. Sometimes that happens because one spouse comes to faith in Christ after getting married. Praise the Lord. If that happens, the struggle is still there. If you are in that situation, stay married. As the Scriptures say, so that you may win over your spouse. But sometimes someone young in his or her faith marries an unbeliever. It's only later that the person realizes the sin of it and how difficult it is. God forgives and he helps. If that is you, stay married and continue to pray for your unbelieving spouse to believe. And we will pray along with you. But for those of you who are not married, I plead with you, if you marry, marry a Godly man or woman who loves the Lord and his Word. Not just someone who says they are a Christian, but someone who demonstrates their faith and Love for the Lord. These verses are saying that marrying outside of God's covenant community demonstrates faithlessness. The consequences are difficult. 3. Faithless to a Faithful Bride (2:13–16) Which brings us to the other thing that they were doing. Many were unlawfully divorcing their spouses. This is point 3. Faithless to a Faithful Bride. As we already saw, twice it mentions unfaithfulness to the wife of their youth. These men had made a covenant commitment to these women, yet they were walking away from their marriages. We're not told, but perhaps some of them were the ones who then married outside of the covenant community. Before I go on, I want to be sensitive to the burdens and pain in this room from past marriages. Some of you have endured difficult marriages that have failed. Perhaps your marriage failed because of your own sin or perhaps your spouse's or perhaps both of you. Whatever the situation, it's hard and there's often relational fallout beyond the breaking of that marriage covenant. But I want you to know that God is merciful and forgiving. As you look back and either recognize your own complicity or you feel the hurt of being sinned against, know that God forgives and ministers his grace. To be sure, God's mercy and forgiveness is never to be a justification for an unbiblical divorce. The Scriptures are clear about divorce. Jesus spoke of divorce being permissible when sexual infidelity has occurred. Elsewhere abandonment is included. I would include abuse as a form of abandonment. These grievous sins are the only grounds for divorce. What was happening in Jerusalem is that marriages were being annulled because a spouse no longer cared to be married. And because of it, God no longer heard them or received their offerings, verse 13. They were weeping because of God not receiving them. It was not a godly grief that led to repentance, but rather just a groaning because of the consequences. In verse 14, they ask, “why has he not?” Why does God no longer accept us? By the way, this is the Malachi pattern, remember. They were reaping the consequences of their sin but didn't acknowledge their sin. And so the hammer drops again. Two weeks ago the hammer dropped on their polluted offerings. Last week it dropped on the corrupt priests. And here, it's back to the people, some of whom were faithless by divorcing their spouses without warrant. But they had made a covenant with their spouse. The Lord was a witness to that covenant commitment. And look at verse 15. “Did he [that is, God] not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union?” They were united to one another in marriage. It's a reference back to Genesis 1. God was actively present in bringing about that oneness. So by abandoning their marriage, they were abandoning God. And not only that, they were abandoning God's call for them to raise their children to know the Lord. As the middle of 15 says, God desires “Godly offspring.” It would be a downward spiral of faithless future generations. Now, not every husband or wife was walking away from their marriage. But even some who were still married were considering divorce. We know that because it says, “guard yourself in your spirit and let none of you BE faithless.” The verse before said some of them “have been faithless.” In other words, for the ones who were still in their covenant marriage, they were to guard their hearts and minds against going down the path of divorce. And, actually, did you notice that the phrase, “guard yourself in your spirit” is used twice. Once in verse 15 and second in verse 16. Ok, let me now speak to those who are married. Some of your marriages are struggling. And I probably only know the half of it. Every marriage has its ups and downs, but some marriages have acute struggles for a variety of reasons. And it is hard. What is supposed to be the most intimate relationship on earth, is sometimes fraught with tension and mistrust and heartache because of current sin or past sin... which can lead to more sin and cause more tension and more mistrust and more heartache. If that is you, I want to say two things: 1. As it says here, “guard yourself in your spirit.” Do not let yourself wander to thoughts of divorce. Don't let go of the covenant that you made to your spouse. Pursue your spouse again. Recommit yourself to your marriage. There's a warning here of faithlessness if you pursue unbiblical divorce. So, guard your thoughts and your heart. 2. Number 2. There is help and there is hope. There is not a single elder here unwilling to help if your marriage is struggling. Please reach out. I will meet with you and pray with you, multiple times if necessary. We can also find help outside of our church if you would be more comfortable with that. But please reach out. If you do not think your marriage needs help, but your spouse does, let me encourage you to honor and listen to your spouse. Set aside whatever is preventing you from getting help. And do not lose hope. We serve a God who is in the business of forgiving and reconciling. The forgiveness and reconciliation that he gives you, individually, is the basis for forgiveness and reconciliation in you marriage. 4. Faithful despite a Faithless Bride Which is a nice transition to point 4. Faithful despite a Faithless Bride I'm not talking about a marriage between a man and a woman here. I am talking about the marriage between Christ and his church. Despite the unfaithfulness of God's people, his bride, God has remained faithful. The marriage paradigm is the pattern that God uses all throughout Scripture to convey his faithfulness despite our unfaithfulness. And this goes all the way back to the garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned against God, when they ate of the forbidden fruit, their sin was spiritual adultery. They had been in a covenant relationship with God. He promised them life, but they turned against his promise of blessing and instead ate that which was forbidden. That spiritual adultery theme continues throughout the Scriptures. God's people were betrothed to God, but they forsook his name and committed spiritual adultery against him by going after other so-called gods from the surrounding nations. But as we read in Hosea 2 earlier in the service, despite the people's unfaithfulness, God promised that he would be faithful. He promised to be their husband who would protect and lead them in righteousness and justice. They would once again be called his people and they would call him their God. This is the pattern over and over in the Old Testament. The people forgot the Lord. They acted in adulterous ways like the people here in Jerusalem. Yet God was merciful… and just like here, he called them back to himself. And the climax of this marriage paradigm in Scripture… is found in Christ. He not only sought his bride, the church, but as we read earlier in Ephesians 5, he died for her. There is no greater love. He sanctifies and cleanses her. By giving his church his righteousness, Christ presents her pure and spotless. SO not only is he faithful despite her unfaithfulness, he makes her faithful. And he nourishes and cherishes her and leads her. And all of that will come to full fruition when he returns for the consummation of the great spiritual wedding. He will usher his people, his bride, into the wedding supper of the Lamb forever. Beloved, this is the reason that marriage is sacred. Marriage on earth is patterned after the union between God and his people. It is why a Christian should only marry a Christian. It is why God hates divorce. It is why those who are married should fight for their marriage and not against it. It is why in a marriage relationship you should love and forgive just as Christ loved you and forgave you. It is why a husband has been called to be the spiritual leader in his marriage and home. It is a sacrificial leading. Again, as Ephesians 5 said, husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and died for her. The people in Jerusalem didn't have this full picture, yet. They didn't yet know of what was to come. But as we will find out in these next 2 chapters, God is going to lift the curtain and give them a glimpse of what was soon to come for them. In the meantime, they were to return in faith to God by returning in faithfulness to their covenant marriages. For those who desire one day to be married, seek Godly spouses by faith in Christ. And for those who are married, pursue and love our spouses because God has pursued and loved you. For all of us, may we see the beauty and wonder of our bridegroom, Christ. And because of his love and faithfulness to us, may we seek to be faithful in return to him.  

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Please turn in your Bibles to Malachi chapter 2. Our sermon text is verses 1-9. That can be found on page 953 in the pew Bible. Last week, we learned that the people had been bringing polluted offerings to the temple. They were supposed to bring unblemished offerings for the sacrifices. Instead, they brought lame and sick and blind animals. By doing so, they were dishonoring the Lord. I usually don't spend a lot of time on sermon titles. But last week's title and this week's title are connected. Last week's title was The Polluted Offerings and the Pure Offering. This week, it's The Polluted Priests and the Perfect Priest. That is because last week's passage and this week's passage are connected. The problem was not only that the people were bringing impure offerings. The problem was also that the priests were allowing it. And not just allowing it, supporting it and failing to lead the people in God's way and will. Let's now come to God's Word Reading of Malachi 2:1-9 Prayer In 1794, a young man was ordained to pastoral ministry in Berlin. He was brilliant and eloquent. This man had studied theology and philosophy at a Protestant university named after the great Martin Luther. As a young pastor, he witnessed the younger generation in Germany walking away from the church. That greatly grieved him, as it should. But, to win them back, he developed a new kind of theology which he hoped would make Christianity more attractive to modern minds. He began to teach that the essence of faith was not trusting in God's revealed truth, but feeling God's presence within. The Bible, he said, was not divine revelation itself, but a record of human experiences with the divine. Repentance gave way to sentiment, and the cross of Christ became a symbol rather than a saving act. His name was Frederich Schliermacher. Sadly, his sermons and teaching spread across Germany. Even worse, after he became a professor at the University of Berlin, his influence spread to all of Europe and into America. In the last two centuries, Schleiermacher's beliefs have led thousands of churches and millions of Christians astray. Few men in modern history have done more to undermine the Gospel while claiming to defend it. I bring this up as an example of what Malachi 2:1-9 warns against. The priests were supposed to lead the people. They were the ones who were to direct the people to the Lord and were to faithfully teach his truth. But they failed. Look down at verse 7. I know we are jumping ahead. But this is an important verse about the role of priests. It says, “For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.” The priests were not only to oversee the temple and sacrificial system, but they were to faithfully teach God's truth. By the way, that is different from a prophet. A prophet was given new revelation from God. A priest was to teach what God had already reveled. Does that make sense? Well, as you know, we do not have priests today. No, the priestly function in the Old Testament has been fulfilled in Christ. That is why there are no priests in the New Testament. There are no more animal offerings, because, as a reminder from last week, Jesus offered himself for us as the ultimate offering for sin. However, there are some parallels between priests and pastors… or priests and teachers of God's Word. Both are to direct people to God, and both are to faithfully teach his Word and live out his ways. So, a big part of the application of these verses today is about preachers and teachers. And as you will see, the stakes are high. Now, you may be tempted at this point to check out. Maybe you are thinking, “I'm not called to teach the Bible, so this doesn't really apply to me.” Well, I want to say a couple things. ·      First, one of the passages we read earlier in the service was from 1 Peter 2. In 1 Peter 2:9, God's people are called a royal priesthood. Maybe you've heard the phrase, “priesthood of all believers.” In some ways, we are all to teach and model God's Word. You may not have a formal teaching role in the church, but you may be called to disciple others at some point in your life. Or if you are married, you have a responsibility to lead or participate in leading your family. ·      Second, this passage teaches us to know what to look for in a Godly leader in the church. In the Old Testament times, the priests were descendants of Levi, one of Jacob's 12 sons. However, in the New Testament, elders and pastors in the church are appointed by the church. So, we have a responsibility to seek Godly men to lead. I'm just saying that these verses apply to everyone in the church. Which brings us to Malachi 2. We're going to look at three things: #1. The Curse. #2. The Corruption. And #3. The Covenant. 1. The Curse So, number 1. The Curse. Briefly look at verse 1. It says, “And now, O priests, this command is for you.” It's referring to the command in chapter 1 to bring pure offerings. Last week, our focus was on the people bringing their offerings. But the bigger problem was that the priests were letting them. The priests were not rejecting the offerings that the people were bringing. They were not reminding the people of God's command to bring unblemished offerings. Furthermore, the priests were taking the people's polluted offering, and they were the ones sacrificing them on God's altar – polluting God's altar. Also from last week, we saw that the end of chapter 1 was all about honoring the Lord. The people were dishonoring him by bringing inappropriate offerings. But it was the priests who were leading the people to dishonor God. That is why, in chapter 2, verse 2, God warns them. He says, “If you will not listen, if you will not… give honor to my name… then I will send the curse upon you.” That word “curse” is used three times here. God is warning of their damnation if they do not repent. “IF you will not listen or… honor me, THEN I will send the curse upon you.” Well, what was the curse? Three things would happen. ·      Number 1 – God would curse their blessing. In fact, verse 2 says that he has already cursed their blessing. The priests blessing was their blessing on God's people. Quite often at the end of our worship, Coleman or I will use the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6. You probably know it well, “may the Lord bless you and keep you, may the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.” Aaron was the first High Priest – he was from the tribe of Levi. And he and the priests were to bless the people. Well, God had taken away their blessing. In fact, he had turned their blessing into a curse. Instead of blessing the people… through their words and actions, they were cursing the people. That's very sad. ·      Number 2 – The Lord also says that he would “rebuke their offspring” – their seed. This is about the Levitical line. You see, these priests were priests because their fathers were priests. Their fathers were priests because their father's fathers were priests. The priests in Malachi 2 were part of the priestly succession going all the way back to Levi. God was saying that their particular branch of the Levitical line would end with each of them. It was a devastating warning for them. ·      And Number 3 – this one was the worst… and most graphic. Middle of verse 3.  “I will spread dung on your faces.” It's referring to the contents of the entrails of the offerings. When the people brought the offerings, the priests prepared the offering. They would remove the inner digestive system. You know, intestines and such. Those things were to be carried off and burned outside the temple area. It was all unclean. God was saying that the priest's acts were so shameful that God metaphorically would spread the unclean intestinal dung on their faces. They were to be carried off like the innards to be burned. It's a stinging warning they would be cursed like the dung. Add those three things together and it is a pretty condemning curse upon them. #2. The Corruption Which brings us to point #2, The Corruption. We're going to move down to the second half of our passage next. We'll come back to the middle section in a minute. We've already looked at verse 7 which is about their responsibility to teach. But now look at verse 8. It begins, “you have turned aside from the way.” The priests own lives did not display the godliness and wisdom of God. They were not living out God's commands. And that makes sense, doesn't it. It stands to reason that if they were not directing the people to fulfill God's commands then they themselves were not doing it. Not in every case, but often a pastor who begins to teach false doctrine or who does not direct his people in righteousness, has himself fallen from the way. And the result of turning aside is found in the second half of verse 8. “You have caused many to stumble by your instruction.” I want you to think of the gravity of what they were doing. The priests were leading people to destruction. That is why the curse, as we just considered, was so condemning! Their sin not only impacted them, it impacted many. A friend once said to me, “you know, all sin is the same before God.” He was trying to argue that his sexual sin was the same as telling a white lie. But that is not true. Yes, each and every sin deserves God's judgment. Our sin, no matter what it is, condemns us before our holy God. No matter our sin, we need Christ. That is all true. However, there are degrees of severity with sin. It is not the same to think of murdering someone in your heart as it is to actually murder someone. Some sin, like actual murder, is more heinous. Some sin is more grievous in God's eyes. All sin deserves God's judgment, but some sin is more severe. And one of the worst sins in all of Scripture is when the leaders of God's people abuse the sheep or lead them astray. Malachi 2 here is just one of several Old Testament judgements against godless and morally corrupt leaders. Ezekiel 34, Isaiah 56, Jeremiah 23, and Zechariah 10 all speak of God's condemnation of the “corrupt” and “worthless” so-called “shepherds” and “watchmen” of Israel. Think of Jesus anger against the Pharisees. Or in James chapter 3, verse 1, it says “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” Now, if you're a math or science or English teacher, the Lord is not necessarily talking about you. Rather, his greater judgment will be upon teachers in the church. That is why the hammer is so heavy here in Malachi 2. They, themselves, had fallen from the way and they were leading people astray. You need to fire me… the moment I begin to teach false doctrine. If I ever start teaching things contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ or in direct contradiction to the Word of God, I should no longer be allowed to be a minster. I think you know this, I'm talking about tier one things that are very clear in Scripture. Things that we share with the Bible-believing Protestant world. For example, that salvation is found in Christ alone. There is no other way. Jesus death on the cross satisfied the wrath of God, for those who believe in him. We receive Jesus' righteous when we come to him by faith and in repentance. And furthermore, that the Bible is the very Word of God. It testifies to its own authority. You should boot me out if I ever undermine essential doctrines like those. You also need to fire me… the moment I commit a sin that undermines my responsibilities… like abuse or infidelity or a pattern of ongoing sin that is not being delt with or of which I will not repent. Obviously, like any elder, I sin and need the grace of God. However, just like the priests of old, a leader in the church should model faith and repentance. 3. The Covenant Which brings us to that very point. #3 The Covenant In the middle verses here, verses 4-6, we are given the picture of what a priest should be like! By the way, you'll see the word “Covenant” used several times in these verse. When I first saw that, I thought it was referring to the Covenant of Grace. You know the covenant that God had established with his people. The Covenant of Grace includes the covenant with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. They all, in different ways, are part of the Covenant promises fulfilled in Christ. After all, verse 7 speaks of life and peace and reverent fear. Those are all benefits of God's Covenant with his people. However, I realized that the word Covenant here is actually referring to the specific responsibility that God had given to Levi and his descendants. Verses 4, 5, and 8, specifically refer to God's “covenant with Levi.” To be sure, the priestly order and responsibilities given to Levi directed God's people to the Messiah, so it's not unrelated. But it's different. By the way, there's not a single passage in the Old Testament which describes the covenant with Levi. However, we are given their priestly responsibilities in the book of Leviticus. That is why it is named Leviticus, of course. Also, we read from Deuteronomy 33 this morning which speaks of God's blessing upon Levi and his descendants. They were to keep the covenant; they were to observe and teach the word. The Levites were also to administer the offerings on the altar, and they were to protect the people from false teachers. And now look at the end of verse 5 into verse 6. “…he feared me.” As we talked about before, that's a reverent worship-filled fear of the Lord. “He stood in awe of my name. [verse 6] True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.” That description is the opposite of the priests of Malachi 2. It's the model. The priests were to give honor to God's name. They were to teach the truth of God's Word. Furthermore, walk with God in uprightness. And instead of leading people astray, they were to turn many people from sin. This is God's call for teachers and pastors in the church. I read a really good book last year. It's titled, Pastor as Leader. The author, John Currie, is a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary. He teaches and trains future pastors. The whole book is about the character and responsibilities of a pastor. The book is very rich and it's full of Scripture. Currie summarizes a pastor's role this way: “for the glory of God, a man of God, appointed by the Son of God and empowered by the Spirit of God, proclaims the word of God so that the people of God are equipped to move forward into the purposes of God together.” That's helpful, isn't it? Let me read that again… [repeat] That really captures the heart of Malachi 2:5-6. This is the kind of pastor that each and every church needs. A man who seeks God's glory and not his own. A man who leads his sheep in God's Word through his Spirit, and who cares for and loves them in Christ. I'll say, it's both sobering and inspiring to me. It's sobering because I know my own weaknesses and propensity for sin. I know I've failed at these responsibilities many times and perhaps even at times have hurt you without even knowing. I feel inadequate. But it's also inspiring because God doesn't call without equipping. He doesn't leave pastors to their own strength. No, God gives clear guidance to the role and responsibilities of a shepherd. His Word clearly reveals his salvation and clearly reveals his truth and his way. God furthermore gives his Holy Spirit to lead in righteousness and truth. And God provides earthly accountability in the process. And there's one more related thing. Look again at verse 6. “True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.” Who is this referring to? Is it referring to Levi? Well, Levi failed in many ways – he was vengeful and a murderer. What about Aaron, one of Levi's descendants? He was Moses's brother and the first High Priest. Is verse 6 referring to him? Well, don't forget that it was Aaron who led the people to melt their gold and create the idolatrous golden calf. He, at first, led many people astray. Verse 6 certainly doesn't describe Aaron's sons, who brought unauthorized fire and experienced God's immediate judgment. In Numbers 25 we are given the example of Aaron's grandson, Phinehas. He was identified as a faithful Levite who fought against unrighteousness. Perhaps verse 6 alludes to him. But in the end, there is only one who meets this description. He is the one in whom all the Levitical requirements are fulfilled. He is the perfect High Priest. Every single word he spoke was true instruction. Absolutely no wrong was found on his lips. He followed the way of God, keeping all the commandments of God. He not only walked in peace, as verse 6 describes, he bought and brought peace with God - peace beyond measure. And last, he turned many from iniquity. And the word “many” is a vast understatements. He had led billions in the way of truth and righteousness. Beloved, this is your Savior Jesus. In him is truth and righteousness, and through him is the only way to God. May each and every one of us as a priesthood of believers look to him for he is the way, the truth, and the life.  And may every single pastor and teacher point to him as the great shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep… and may they point to his Word. And may we each follow his lead and model for he is the perfect priest.

Malachi 1:6-14 The Polluted Offerings and the Pure Offering We are in the second week of a new sermon series. We're studying Malachi. It's the last book in the Old Testament. Malachi was prophesying to the returned exiles in Jerusalem…. at some point in the mid-400's BC. However, even though many had returned, the situation was pretty dire. That is why the Lord reminded the people in verses 1-5 that he loved them. He had chosen them to be his people. They had been questioning God's love and thy needed that reaffirmation. Which brings us to verses 6-14 of chapter 1. You can find that on page 953. As you are turning there, let me note that at this point in history, the temple had already been rebuilt – likely a few decades earlier. That meant that the sacrificial system had resumed. People would bring their offerings to the temple, you know, different kinds of animal offerings, and the priests would take them and sacrifice them, presenting them to the Lord. As we come to our text this morning, you will hear that all was not right with the offerings. Stand Reading of Malachi 1:6-14 Prayer – revealed your righteousness. Truth. Like the people of old, failed. HS. Conviction. Ways in which we do not glorify you in our lives and worship. A few years ago, a woman found a Butterball turkey at the bottom of her freezer. She had forgotten about it and after checking the date on it, realized it had been there for 26 years. She wondered if it was still good to use, so she called the Butterball support line. They said that as long as her freezer had stayed below freezing for the entire time, the turkey would be fine to eat. However, the support agent said, it likely has lost all its flavor. To which the woman responded, “if that's the case, I'll just give it to my church.” I know that's just an anecdotal story, but it does illustrate how we often today de-prioritize the things of the Lord including his church and worship and our personal and family Scripture reading and prayer. But as God has called us to in his Word, we're to honor him with our first fruits, or like Mary Magdelene, to anoint Jesus' feet with the finest of perfumes, or like in the sacrificial system, to present to him our unblemished offering, not our leftovers. But what does it mean to offer to the Lord our finest and why does it matter? I hope to answer those questions this morning. Introduction Before we get into our text, I do want to note that the book of Malachi is pretty intense. We are going to see in every section how God confronts the people and the priests with their sin - their corruption, their idolatry, their immorality, their faithlessness, their selfishness, and their lawlessness. God hates it. He hates our sin. His judgment is real, which we will also see over and over. Which brings up a question you may be asking, “ok, well, how does that fit with last week's message that God loves them? That his love for them and us is unconditional? Yet he is angry at their sin?” Let me answer that this way: God's unconditional love does not give us license to live unconditionally. 2x. In other words, we are not free to do whatever we want just because God love us. God's standard and law do not go away when you receive God's love in Christ. To be sure, pursuing God and his commandments are not a prerequisite to receive his love. No, God's love is unmerited meaning we do not earn it by our works or keeping his law in any way. No, we receive it on the basis of Christ's work. But that does not mean that after receiving his love in Christ, we are free to pursue our own desires and will. No, God calls us to submit to him, to pursue his righteousness, to honor him in our lives. That is very important as we study Malachi. God continually calls out their sin because he loves his people. He wants them (and us) to reflect that love by honoring him. Honoring and Fearing the Lord Which brings us to our text. In fact, this whole passage is about honoring the Lord. It is about our hearts reverently fearing him. Honestly, I didn't see that initially. The first couple of times I read it, I only saw the failure of the people to do the thing. You know, they were failing to follow the law. They did not offer the best sacrifices, as they were required. Therefore, I thought that the primary reason the Lord was angry was because their offerings were polluted. Now, it's true that their offerings were unacceptable. But the Lord was angry because they were not honoring him. Their polluted offerings were just a symptom of hearts that did not fear or honor God. That's the thrust of this passage. It's right there in the beginning, the middle, and the end. ·      First, look at verse 6. God questioned why they had not been honoring him and fearing him? He said to them, “where is my honor? … where is my fear?” He was asking, “why have you not been giving me the reverent awe and worship that I deserve as the God of the universe?” Instead, they were despising his name. That's what it says. They were dishonoring him. ·      Next, jump now to verse 11, in the middle. It says, “For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations.” Even if you do not honor me, my name will be honored throughout all the earth. ·      Now look at verse 14. Our passage ends with that same reaffirmation. It begins, “Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished.” Why? Listen to the reason. “For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.” You see, their polluted offerings revealed hearts that did not honor and fear the Lord. God is the great king over all the earth, over all of creation. Yet they were despising and dishonoring his name. And do you know what? They did not even realize it. Or, they denied it. Look at the end of verse 6. “But you say, How have we despised your name?” Side comment here - I've read Malachi several times now, and there's something I've been convicted about. The people did not realize their sin nor the depth of their sin. In every section, like this one, God tells them their sin and every single time, he quotes them question him. Like here “How have we despised your name?” And verse 7 “How have we polluted you?” They didn't see it. I've been asking myself, what sin am I blind to in my life? Is there pride or selfishness or some heart idolatry or some area where I am dishonoring God? Every single one of us in this room is blind to some sin. Now, there are many sins in our lives which we know about and struggle with. But there's also sin that we do not recognize, or we suppress. Will you pray that the Lord reveals that sin, that unconfessed sin? And will you listen to him when he does? May the Lord reveal our sin and refine us. Ok, back to our passage, the returned exiles did not know they were dishonoring God. But it was bad. They were polluting God's altar. Their relationship with the Lord revolved around the temple sacrifices. God had commanded them to bring animal offerings of different kinds for different sin on different occasions. The priests were to take the people's offerings and then sacrifice them to the Lord on the large altar just outside of the temple. Those offerings symbolized the need for atonement for their sin. That is why, as we read earlier in Leviticus 22, they were to bring an unblemished male… the very best and purest of their flock. But, as we read in Malachi 1, they failed to do that and they therefore despised the Lord's name. By the way, the priests were especially guilty here. More on that next week. Now, let's enter back into their situation for a moment. Remember from last week, even though they were in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas, they were subjected to a foreign kingdom. That came with heavy taxation. It came with some opposition at the local leve. Much of their forefather's land had been taken over by this godless people. On top of it all, they were enduring a famine. Every day, they struggled to survive. Now, imagine that you lived there and that you had 5 goats. You had to care for and feed them. There wasn't, you know, kudzu everywhere for them to eat. The younger females would produce milk, and you could use and sell the milk. The healthy males were especially valuable – and they could be sold if needed. Your goats were important for your daily sustenance. Well, the time has come for one of the annual sacrifices. You are to bring one of your 5 goats to offer to the Lord. And out of the five, three of them are female. You couldn't offer them. Of the two left, one is a healthy male and the other male has a bad rash and is sterile – it's unable to reproduce. So, which goat would you bring? I know it's hypothetical, but put yourself in their shoes. Their unblemished male goat was their prized possession. Offering it would put themselves at risk. So, what did they do? Well, they brought their weakest or sickliest animal to the temple to be offered. As very 8 tells us, they brought their blind, or lame, or sick animal to present to God Almighty. But it gets even worse. Look at verse 13. It's the parallel verse in the second half. We learn that they didn't even want to bring any sacrifice! The people were saying, “what a weariness this is” and as it says, they snorted at it, you know, like a horse unwilling to move. It furthermore says some even took animals by force for the offering. In other words, they stole and offered what was not even theirs to the Lord. IN all these ways they profaned God's altar. I think we can certainly understand their temptation. But they were dishonoring the creator God of the universe who had commanded them to offer their best…. He's the one who breathed life into them, who called them to be his people, who rules and reigns over all things, who promised them eternity with him. He is the great God who saved Noah and his family, who covenanted with Abraham their forefather, who revealed himself to Moses, and promised through David a kingdom that would never end. And look at the second half of verse 8. God points out that they would never bring such a gift to an earthly governor. The Lord asks, “will he accept you or show you favor?” Of course they would not bring a sickly goat to an earthly ruler as a gift – it would greatly dishonor him. Yet that was the very thing that they were doing to the “Lord of Hosts.” Did you notice that description of the Lord multiple times here – seven times. The Lord of hosts. The Lord of the heavenly armies, king of kings, who has and will subject all earthly rulers under his sovereign reign. Yet they had defamed his great and awesome name. Their worship… because that's what this is – their offering to the Lord… their worship was complacent. They were simply going through the motions. They didn't care about God. After all, as we learned in verses 2-5, they weren't even sure he loved them. Friends, in difficult times, it is easy to slip into a similar pattern. God can become just an afterthought. Instead of giving him our whole heart and mind and body and strength, he's often at the bottom of our list. Instead of giving back to him the first fruits of the talents he's given us, or the first fruits of the resources which we steward; or our most precious resource – our time; instead of honoring him with those things, we direct them to ourselves. We keep our unblemished offering and we offer him our polluted offering. What about Sunday morning worship? Are you bodily present here but your mind is wandering to things of work, or yesterday's football game, or your upcoming vacation? Do you let your mind wander to those things including your difficult situations and struggles? Are you going through the motions, but your heart is far from the Lord? If you were in the presence of the governor of Georgia, would not your attention be fully on him? I think it would. Yet, when you come into the presence of the Lord of the universe, is your attention on other things and not worship directed to the one who created you and who loves you and who invited you into his very presence? And what about those Sundays that you are not here? Are you travelling because flights are the cheapest on Sunday mornings? Are you at the beach and make excuses that because you are in God's beautiful creation that you don't need to worship with God's people? I'm not saying that we shouldn't enjoy travel, but God desires us to be worshipping together with his people. If you are out of town, find a Bible preaching church where you can worship the Lord with other believers in the splendor of his holiness. Find a church where you can exalt his name and where his Word is declared, where you can give him glory in your hearts and praise him with others lifting your voices together to the one who is worthy. You see, in all of these ways, and many more, we are complacent in our worship of God. I'm talking about both our gathered worship and also how we are to worship God in all of life. And then there is verse 10. It's like the nail in the coffin. “Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain!” In other words, it would be better if someone barred you from bringing your sacrifice to the temple. It would be better not to bring any sacrifice than the vain polluted offering that reveals your wayward heart and which despises my name. Or as the Lord put it in Revelation 3, writing to the church in Laodicea, “Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” The Lord is not mincing his words here. They had profaned God's mercy and holiness. God would have been just to consume them with the fire of his eternal judgment. Yet, he didn't. These verses called them to forsake their vain, polluted, and heartless worship. God desired his name to be honored. He was calling them to return to him… to repent… to once again come to him in reverent holy fear. Instead of bringing their polluted offering, they were to once again bring a pure, unblemished offering. There was an even deeper reason why their polluted offerings were profaning the name of Lord. Yes, they were breaking God's commandments. And yes, their offerings revealed hearts that were complacent. But even more so, they were disregarding the Messiah. They were defaming Christ, who had yet come. You see, all of the sacrificial offerings were set in place in anticipation of a Messiah, of a deliverer, who would come and who would be the perfect sacrifice. He would be the unblemished perfect offering. The sacrificial offerings in the old covenant demonstrated the need for a pure offering to once and for all atone for their sins. And so, by offering their sick and blind and stolen offerings, they were rejecting God's promise that he would send a pure, righteous Savior who would be offered in their place for their sin. It was a matter of faith. Their difficult situation did not relieve them from trusting in the future promise that a Messiah would come and would be the pure offering. This is what verse 11 is alluding to. God's name will be great in all nations. As it says, “in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering.” To translate that, incense was the sweet aroma which signified the prayers of God's people. Psalm 141 speaks of our prayer being an incense before God. And in both Revelation 5 and 8, the incense in the golden bowls were the prayers of the saints which would rise to the very throne room of God. The Lord was saying to them, a time will come when throughout all nations, prayers would be offered to the Lord, and a pure offering would be made. And that time has come. Jesus has come and he has offered up himself as the pure offering. His sacrifice has fulfilled all the sacrificial offerings of old. But more importantly, he has satisfied the debt of our sin before our holy God. And so why do we seek to honor God in our hearts when we worship? Why do we seek to be obedient to his commands to worship him well? Why do we set aside this particular day to gather together and praise the Lord? Two answers: ·      First, because when we do, with hearts tuned to him and his mercy, we honor our Lord. We bring great fame to Jesus our Savior. Our prayers are received in his name as a holy aroma to our God. God is both honored in our lives and his glory and name is displayed for all to see. ·      Second, we seek to worship him well because he is the pure offering. As John the Baptist said, Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. We worship him with grateful hearts because of his mercy and forgiveness. Our worship is a testimony of true faith in him. He enables our worship. He is the center of our worship. And we will be worshiping in his presence forever. Even in those days of trials and pain and temptations and grief (especially those days), come before your great God and your Savior, honoring and fearing his great name. So, leave your 26 year-old Butterball turkeys at home. Give him the first fruits of your time, your talents, your resources. They are all from him, anyway. Furthermore, plan your trips around the Lord's day and worship with God's people, in person together. And when you come to worship, focus your hearts and minds on him. And do all of this because of God's great name and because Christ, our Savior, has offered himself, for you. Amen.

Björn van der Doelen en Marco Timmer zijn te gast bij Kaffee Peijnenburg in Geldrop en worden uitstekend verzorgd door de gastheer. De mannen hebben het onder meer over Jerdy Schouten, Joey Veerman, Peter Bosz en de wedstrijden die achter en voor PSV liggen. De mannen bellen ook met financieel expert Tom Knipping, hij nam de jaarcijfers van PSV eens goed onder de loep.

PSV presenteerde maandagavond de jaarcijfers over het seizoen 2024-2025. PSV-watcher Rik Elfrink bespreekt de financiële resultaten van de club uitgebreid in de podcast Heet van de Herdgang. PSV staat er goed voor, luidt de conclusie. De club verdiende miljoenen en het vermogen stijgt naar 48 miljoen euro. Rik Elfrink bespreekt samen met mede-presentator Frank van den Muijsenberg de jaarcijfers. Uiteraard is er ook aandacht voor de prestaties op het veld. Het duo blikt terug op de wedstrijd tegen PEC Zwolle, waarin de Eindhovenaren oppermachtig waren (0-4). PSV zoals coach Peter Bosz dat graag ziet: aanvallend, met goed positiespel en veel beweging. Joey Veerman was de beste PSV’er. De middenvelder is bezig aan een goed seizoen, maar ontbreekt desalniettemin in de Oranje-selectie. Nederland speelt deze week WK-kwalificatieduels met Malta en Finland. Uit een poll op de website van het ED blijkt dat 61 procent van de stemmers vindt dat Veerman in de Oranje-selectie thuishoort. De presentatoren bespreken onder andere het spel van Veerman en de rol van Jerdy Schouten. De aanvoerder speelde weer eens centraal in de verdediging. Verder blikken de podcastmakers terug op het Champions League-duel met Bayer Leverkusen, waarin PSV met 1-1 gelijkspeelde. Hoe belangrijk kan dit ene punt zijn voor het vervolg van het toernooi?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vanaf moment 1 gaan we in dit gesprek met voormalig minister van Landbouw, professor en derde generatie boer Cees Veerman de historische diepte in. Hoe zijn we met de landbouw in deze impasse terecht gekomen? Hoe is de enorme verwijdering tussen stad en platteland ontstaan? Hoe denken boeren hierover? Is er wel zoiets als 'de' boer? Wie zijn de grote belanghebbenden? Wat denkt hij dat de oplossing gaat zijn? Dat alles, en nog veel meer komt aan bod in dit ontzettend interessante gesprek over landbouw, voedsel, macht en politiek.Meer informatie:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cees_Veerman

Malachi 1:1-5 - From Doubting God's Love to Declaring God's Love We're beginning a new sermon series this morning. We'll be in the Book of Malachi for the next couple of months. You can find Malachi chapter 1 on page 953 in the Pew Bibles. Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament, so if you can find the book of Matthew, turn left a couple of pages. We'll begin with verses 1-5. One note before I read. In these verses, you will hear of a reference to Edom. The Edomites were the descendants of Esau. That will be some helpful context. Reading of Malachi 1:1-5 Prayer When I was in high school and college, I spent a few summers working at a Christian camp. Well, one particular summer, one of my fellow counsellors had a very difficult camper. This kid was, I think, only in 1st grade. And he was rambunctious. He was mean to the other campers. He struggled to follow rules. He didn't want to participate in activities. In those moments, his counsellor would get down on one knee to his level, and try gently instruct him. During dangerous activities, like archery, his counsellor would often have to hold his hand, to keep him safe. Of course, the other boys in his cabin would get angry at him. Their counsellor would always intervene and remind them all to speak kind words to one another. Well, one afternoon, things escalated. The counsellor tried to calm his camper down, but the boy lost it and started screaming. Literally, the whole camp could hear it. They were in the middle of a big group activity, so his counsellor had to gently carry him away. As this young boy was being carried away, he kept screaming over and over, “I hate you.” “I hate you.” To which his counsellor calmly responded over and over, “I love you.” “I love you.” Their back and forth slowly faded as they passed out of sight. The camper, of course, didn't understand that his counsellor did love him. He didn't know what love really looked like in that situation. To this boy, it didn't appear to be love at all. Maybe some of you who are parents have experienced something similar. Well, as we get to Malachi chapter 1, God's people, likewise, were questioning God's love. It didn't feel like God loved them. But he did. And in response, God mercifully reminds them of his love. Most of us here today have at one point or another cried out to God. We've questioned whether he was even there or if he was loving. Maybe that is what you are feeling today. My hope and prayer that you will leave here with a renewed or new sense of God's love for you. Introduction As we get into the book of Malachi, let me first mention some background things. Malachi is one of 12 books called minor prophets. They are called “minor” not because they are less important but because they are shorter. We don't actually know much about the prophet Malachi other than that his name means “messenger.” He was a messenger from God. As we will find out next week, he lived in Jerusalem. And based on the themes in the book and its position in the Old Testament cannon, Malachi prophesied sometime during the middle of the 400s BC. He very likely overlapped with Ezra and Nehemiah. At that time, some of the exiles had returned from Babylon to Jerusalem, and the temple had been rebuilt. The last thing to point out is the word “oracle” right there in verse 1. It's used throughout the Old Testament when a prophets were given a particularly burdensome word from God. Oracle, in fact, means burden – you know, like a heavy load that an animal would carry on its back and the weariness or distress that it would bring. When the word “oracle” is used to describe a prophetic utterance, it is conveying the weight of that prophecy. As we work our way through Malachi, we are going to see the weight of this prophecy. Over and over, God very clearly calls for repentance from grievous sin, and God warns them if they do not return to him. However, before all of that, God begins with a reminder of his love. And that is what verses 2-5 are about. If you turn to page 4 of your bulletin, you can see where we are headed. ·      First, God's Love Doubted. Verse 2. ·      Second, God's Love Defended, the end of verse 2 through verse 4 ·      And third, God's Love Declared, 5 So, God's love doubted, defended, and declared. 1. God's Love Doubted We see right there in verse 2 that the people doubted God's love for them.  “I have loved you,” says the Lord, but you say, “how have you loved us?” By the way, this is the pattern throughout Malachi. God quotes the people questioning him, and then he answers. It's the organizing framework for the book. How have you loved us, Lord? It sure doesn't feel like you do. This was a difficult time in Jerusalem. We don't often think of it that way because, after all, the people were back in Jerusalem. The temple had been rebuilt. However, socially and economically, it was a very unstable time. Yes, the Persian kings had supported the return and rebuild, but that did not mean prosperity. No, the people experienced a lot of trouble and opposition. Taxes were high. Jobs were scarce. They were in the middle of a famine. The people had to mortgage their fields and vineyards and houses just to survive. Some even forced their sons and daughter into slavery. We know those things from Nehemiah 5. All of it weighed heavily on them. And think about their expectations. God had promised through Isaiah and Jeremiah a return from exile back to Jerusalem. The people had in their minds the glory of the former unified kingdom – you know, prosperity and peace. They pictured Solomon's temple restored to its original beauty and splendor. I'm sure some even pictured a return of the national power that Judah and Israel had once had. But their expectations came crashing down with the reality of their situation. They couldn't lift their eyes to see beyond each day… because of the difficulty that each day brought. It was not peace and prosperity, it was survival mode. And in their minds, who was at fault? God. And so, they were asking, how have you loved us, Lord? Where have you been? Have you or are you asking that? Lord, do you love me? It sure doesn't feel like it. I can't find a job or it's hard to financially survive each day. Or I've lost a parent or a spouse or a sibling or a child. Or even harder at times, my relationship with my son or daughter is estranged, or I've endured the pain of divorce. Or my health is deteriorating more each day, Or I struggle with chronic pain or a debilitating disease. Or my loved one is.  I feel all alone. Or I've been a victim of abuse or false accusations. Lord, where are you? Do you really love me? Maybe someone told you this well-known phrases once: “God has a wonderful plan for your life.” Have you heard that before? It is one of the most unhelpful statements in evangelicalism. I'm not saying that it is not partially true. Stay tuned for that. But becoming a Christian does not mean that you will experience peace and prosperity in this life. To be sure, being a Christian does come with many blessings on earth. Blessings in relationship and community with one another in the church. Blessings of worship and prayer, and many others things. But if we expect that our days on earth will be filled with temporal success or health or relational flourishing, we will become deeply disappointed. And it may cause us to question God's love. I want you to note something in verse 2. Before the Lord quotes their questioning of his love, he begins by affirming that he does love them. “I have loved you.” By the way, that word “love” is not the word “hesed.” You know, God covenant lovingkindness. Rather, that word for “love” is the word “ahab.” It is a word for love that focuses on a loving relationship. It's God's love for them as his people whom he chose to be his people. In fact, the verb form indicates that God's love for them has been accomplished and it is definitive. It's like saying, I *did, I do, and I will * love you. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. God has, does, and will love his people. What I want to say to wrap up this first point is that in those times of doubting God's love... in those times when you are burdened by your suffering… or when you are wondering where the Lord is, God calls you to first remember that the Lord does love you. But rather than just leave it there, the Lord goes on to defend his love. He explains the source of his love. 2. God's Love Defended That brings us to #2. God's Love Defended. In the second half of verse 2, the Lord returns their question with a question himself. He asks, “Is not Esau Jacob's brother?” And then reminds them of his love for Jacob and his hatred for Esau. The Israelites are Jacob's descendants. Now, the reason that God reminds them about Jacob and Esau is because Jacob and Esau demonstrated both God's unmerited love as well as his just anger. Back in Genesis 25 and following, we learn about Jacob and Esau. They were both sons of Isaac. Twins, in fact. Esau was born first, so Esau was to have the privileges of being the firstborn, authority in the family, the blessing of Isaac, and a large share of the inheritance. But if you remember, Jacob took advantage of Esau. When Esau was famished, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. And then Jacob lied to and tricked their father into blessing him instead of Esau. Even though Jacob did not deserve it, God chose him and chose his descendants to be his people. Esau and his descendants, on the other hand, were rejected. You see, neither deserved God's love, yet God chose Jacob. Jacob and his descendants were the ones who received God's promise. But, back to Malachi, there was the problem. To the people in Jerusalem (you know, the returned exiles), it sure felt like God loved Esau's descendants and not Jacob's. As I mentioned earlier, the Edomites were the descendants of Esau. In fact, in some way, they partnered with or supported Babylon in the destruction of Jerusalem a hundred years earlier. We're not told how, but we're told elsewhere that Edom rejoiced in Jerusalem's destruction. The prophet Ezekiel even mentions that Edom took vengeance against Judah. So, it's possible Esau's descendants even participated in Babylon's destruction of Jerusalem. Let me make a side note here. There is some evidence that after the Babylonian exile, another nation overthrew Edom and the Edomites were forced to move. There is also evidence that at this time Edom began rebuilding just south of Judah. If that is true, it certainly explains verses 3 and 4. They were displaced by jackals, as it says, but they began to rebuild. I'm telling you all this because in these verses, God is both affirming his love for his people… and he is letting them know that even though Edom appears to be prospering again, it will be short-lived and their destruction would be eternal. In contrast, the suffering that God people were experiencing would be short-lived but their prosperity would be eternal. Why? Because God chose them to be his people. He loved them with an undeserved and unconditional love. Beloved in Christ. There are or will be times in your life when it seems like the enemies of faith are overcoming you. I'm talking about sin, death, and the devil. You will have moments when you are questioning God's love because you don't see a path forward. Your pain, suffering, grief, loneliness, or disappointments may overwhelm you at times. But if God has given you the gift of faith in Christ, you are one of God's chosen descendants of Jacob – his spiritual descendant. And God loves you. Does God have a wonderful plan for your life? Yes, because all his and your enemies will be defeated and one day, you will be rejoicing for eternity in his presence. Do you see what I am saying. This passage, for them and for us, is ultimately fulfilled in the unmerited love of God in Jesus Christ. God chose all his people to be his people, not because of any self-worthiness. No. Just like with Jacob, despite our sin, God chose us to be his people. He called us in him before the foundation of the world. And God's judgment against Edom is the judgment that Jesus bore on the cross for his people. What I am saying, is that in those moments of despair and doubt. Remember not only that God loves you, but remember that he has called you to be his through Christ. And one day, God will defeat once and for all the very burdens that are weighing you down. Just a week and a half ago, I was at an event where a missionary shared about a very difficult time. He and his wife were serving in Rwanda back during the difficult civil war there. It was tragic. Neighbors turned on neighbors. In a single day, a million people were killed. In one incident, a group or Christians fled to their church building. Their pursuers broke in and slaughtered every single one of them. As you can imagine, seeing all of it overwhelmed this missionary and his wife. But then it became more difficult. Because, soon after that, his wife went into premature labor while there. Their son was delivered but the hospital didn't have the expertise or medical equipment to save him. He died after only 5 days of life. This missionary described the deep struggle that he and his wife went through. They questioned God's love and goodness in all of it. They searched for answers. He then recounted how Job demanded God for answers. And how God answered Job back and asked, “where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” And then this missionary said this: “Job never got answers, but he got presence. And in that presence, he worshipped.” That really struck me. God does not promise that we will not suffer in this life. But he does promise that he loves us and will be with us… and one day he will defeat his and our enemies forever. This missionary closed by sharing how they were drawn back to Jesus and God's love for them in him. 3. God's Love Declared Which brings us to point number 3. God's love declared. For the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem, both their worldview and their perception of God was small. Remember, God had promised them many things. He had promised a Messianic king. He had promised a restoration of a kingdom beyond what could be imagined. He promised to defeat their enemies. And that was part of their struggle. None of it seemed to be coming to pass. In fact, for them, it seemed to be getting worse rather than better. They forgot God's love and his promises, and they lost hope. What they needed was not only a reminder that they were God's chosen people whom he loved. They needed a reminder of his future promises. Verse 5 says “Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, ‘Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!'” Most prophecies in the Bible have a more immediate fulfillment but also a future redemptive fulfillment. For the immediate, there is some historical record that the Edomites were soon overcome by both Greek and then Roman conquests. But I think verse 5 is really meant to draw their attention to the future. To point them to a coming king who will be victorious, not only in Israel, but as verse 5 says, beyond its borders. It's like God was saying to them through Malachi, “Yes, I love you, but I also want you to lift your eyes up from your suffering to see what I will do! It will be far greater than you can imagine. Not only will the enemies of faith be destroyed, but you will see the greatness of my salvation to the world” As you may have figured out, it was still about 450 years before Jesus' birth. God was not saying that those particular people in Jerusalem would see the ultimate fulfillment of this verse. Perhaps they would see Edom overcome. But remember, the Lord was speaking to Israel. It is through them that that Savior would come. This is the last period in their history before Jesus came. And when he came, he would bring salvation not only to Israel, but his electing love would greatly expand beyond the border of Israel to the world. Beloved in Christ, you and I are part of this promise. We are here today worshiping our God who has saved us because God has and is fulfilling this promise to Israel. Christ has come and His Gospel is going forth in mighty ways throughout the earth. This is part of God's reminder to us when we are doubting his love. Yes, we can rest in the fact that we are God's people. We have his love in Christ. But in times of suffering and disappointment and grief and despair, we can lift our eyes up to see what God is doing all around us and around the word. It is truly amazing. And by seeing what God is doing, believing what he will do, we can and should then declare his love to the world. As verse 5 puts it, “you shall say, ‘Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!'” From doubting God's love to declaring God's love. Conclusion As we close, let me briefly say that these opening verses are the foundation to the rest of Malachi. We're going to see over and over the sin of the people, the sin of the priests, and the Lord's call for them to repent and return to him. Malachi begins where they needed to begin… it begins where we need to begin. Knowing and believing in God's saving and electing love in Christ. So, in our doubt and discouragement and pain, may we know and believe in God's undeserved love for us in Christ – he has chosen us in him. May we lift our eyes to see what he is doing, and may we declare the greatness of our God in all of it. Amen.

Over the last 6 weeks, we've been talking through our vision, mission, and philosophy as a church. We started with 4 sermons on the pillars to our ministry. ·      First, being a faithful church, which begins with God's faithfulness to us in the Gospel. ·      Second, the means through which God applies his grace in us – which are his Word, prayer, and the sacraments. ·      Third, the overarching theme of the entire Bible, God's covenant promises and their fulfillment in Christ. ·      And forth, God's appointed leaders for his church – elders. And now we are applying those pillars to our worship, our discipleship, and our missions. Last week we focused on worship – that is, corporate worship. This week's focus is on discipleship, and then next week, we will conclude with missions and outreach. Please turn to Matthew 28 in your Bibles. Our first of two sermon texts is what we call the great commission. Matthew 28:18-20. That is on page 993 in the Pew Bible. You may be wondering why our sermon text is the great commission, yet our focus is on discipleship. Well, that is because this passage is about discipleship. You can't really separate missions and discipleship. In fact, worship is in the mix as well. Discipleship begins in worship and includes missions. They all overlap. Reading of Matthew 28:18-20 Our second sermon text is from 2 Peter chapter 3. That is on page 1209 in the Pew Bible. 2 Peter 3 verses 14-18. This is one of the more traditional passages related to discipleship. The apostle Peter has just written about the second coming of Christ. And then Peter writes these very important words as far as our godliness and our knowledge of Jesus Christ, as we wait for the new heavens and hearth. Reading of 2 Peter 3:14-18 Prayer If you were to survey 1000 pastors and you were to ask each one for a definition of discipleship, you would get 1000 different answers. Some would focus on relationships. Others would focus on Bible study. Some would center their answer on serving. Others would say it's about being real. Others would make the case that discipleship is all about missions. Some would say that it is about God's kingdom – kingdom discipleship. For others, it's life-on-life ministry. Others talk about sonship – being sons of God. Yet others describe it as head, heart, and hands. For some, families are the most important thing. For others, the church is key. Some say discipleship is about self-denial and taking up your cross. And we ask why? Why are there a gazillion definitions of discipleship? Well, I think the main part of the answer is quite simple. The word “discipleship” is not in the Bible. It is therefore difficult to come up with a Biblical definition for that reason. To be sure, the word “disciple” singular and “disciples” plural are in the Bible. It's just that the word discipleship is not. It's is a word that we've come up with to capture the task of making disciples. The word discipleship seeks to answer the “how” questions. How do we make disciples of Jesus? Discipleship is about implementation. That is why there are so many definitions. And so, I think it's better not to come up with a single approach to discipleship. Rather, I think it's best to first understand what a disciple is, then second, consider the foundations to making disciples. And only after we do that, can we evaluate discipleship approaches and start identifying our own principles. Here's what I am saying…  rather than trying to come up with a definition of discipleship, it's better to consider the broader Biblical framework for the task of making disciples. That framework can then be used to evaluate discipleship approaches. By the way, this is an impossible task. I'm not talking about identifying the Biblical principles for making disciples, I'm talking about trying to preach on it in one sermon. I realized this on Friday afternoon. I thought, what have I got myself into? There is no way to fit this into a 30+ minute sermon. I also thought, I'm looking forward to getting back to our regular expository sermons in a couple of weeks. But we are here now. And many of you have mentioned that this series has been helpful. So, I'm going to press on and try. 1. What is a disciple and what is the call? As I mentioned, let's begin with the question, what is a disciple? Let's start by looking at Matthew 28. These verses give us a good foundation on what a disciple is and what a disciple should pursue. And we know these verses well. Matthew 28 verse 19 – “Go therefore and make disciples.” By the way, much debate has been had about the underlying Greek words, especially the word “go.” We're not going to “go” there today. Let me simply say that the imperative here is to “make disciples.” The call is to bring people from not following Jesus to following Jesus. That is what the word disciple means - a follower. Being a follower includes, of course, believing in Jesus, but it implies a lot more. It includes a commitment to Jesus' teaching, and his ways, and pursuing his commands… just like Jesus' 12 disciples did. So the call in Matthew 28 is to “make disciples” and that involves two things here. First, it's bringing them into the covenant community. That's what Baptism is. It includes either being part of a household, like circumcision in the Old Testament – that's one reason why we disciple our children. Or it includes those coming into the covenant community for the first time as believers in Christ. So that's the first task. Second, making disciples also includes teaching the commandments of God. That is captured in verse 20. After the call to baptize, Jesus adds, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Being a disciple requires learning God's commands and pursuing them. I think that all makes sense because that is what a disciple is and what he does. He believes and follows Jesus. And the message to make disciples is simple. Faith, repentance, and obedience. Matthew 28 does not speak to the message. But Jesus has been clear. The Bible is clear. The core message is repentance from sin and faith in Christ. That is what we call our children to, and it is the call for all humanity. Obedience is part of that call. It comes after faith and repentance, as a response to God's grace. Again, Jesus said, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” However, let me say this. The call to faith and repentance does not end when we come to Christ. No, actually, faith, repentance, and obedience is the ongoing call for a disciple. Ongoing repentance from sin; an ongoing renewal of our faith; and an ongoing commitment to observe the commandments of God. Now, just to be sure, when you come to faith in Christ, you are secure in him. You are forgiven of your sin. That does not go away. Rather, renewing your faith in Christ, repentance from ongoing sin, and new obedience are in response to God's saving grace. I just want to be clear about that. Now, you may be thinking, “well, yeah, isn't that obvious? Of course, a disciple should believe that Jesus died for his or her sin and should believe that we need to pursue holiness despite our ongoing sin.” Well, the reason you may think those two points are obvious is because we teach them. We teach the heinousness of our sin before our holy God. We teach that the only path to God is by faith, repenting to God of our sin and trusting in Christ as our Savior. We teach that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is necessary to atone for our sin. And we teach that in our redeemed state, we are still sinners. We are redeemed sinners who struggle with sin but are empowered by God's Spirit to pursue holiness – and God calls us to pursue him. That is the Gospel. But let me say, that message is not emphasized in many parts of Christianity. Often sin is minimized. The word “sin” is not seen as culturally sensitive today. And so, some circles replace it with words like “brokenness” or “struggle” or “woundedness.” I am not saying that we are not broken nor struggle nor have wounds. But when those ideas are used in place of sin and not in connection to it, then the underlying problem of our separation from God because of sin is suppressed. What I am saying is that the task of making disciples of Jesus begins and ends with faith, repentance and the call to observe Jesus' commands. 2. How do we mature as disciples? Ok, let's move on to a second helpful question. Let me ask you, how do you mature as a disciple of Jesus? It's important to ask that question because the Bible calls us to mature in our faith. We call that maturity sanctification. It is the ongoing work of God's Spirit where more and more we die to our sin and live to righteousness. The task of making disciples needs to include that lifelong pursuit. All throughout the Bible we are called to grow in our faith. We're called to be conformed to the image of Christ. We are called to be filled with the knowledge of his will. Hebrews 5 calls us to mature from milk to solid food like children. Ephesians 4 calls us to mature into manhood, growing up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. In 2 Timothy 3, we're to know the Word that the man of God may be equipped for every good work. Romans 12, we're to renew our minds. We would be here all day if we were to go through every single passage that speaks of being conformed more and more to Christ. Rather than doing that, I picked one example that I find to be very helpful as a representative passage. 2 Peter 3:14-18 – it was our second sermon text. If you'll turn there. This is one of my favorite passages about our sanctification. We're going to focus on verse 18, but I don't want to overlook the context. The apostle Peter had just written about Christ's second coming when he will make all things new. While we are waiting, we're called in verse 14 to “be diligent” that we may be “found by him without spot or blemish…” And then a couple of verses later in verse 17, there is a warning against sin. It says, “…take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people...” Then we get to verse 18 which is my favorite. If you only remember one thing about this sermon on discipleship, I want you to remember this verse. 2 Peter 3:18. It says, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” I love it. Let me read it again. “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Look first at the titles given to Jesus. Lord and Savior. He is to be both. He is to be Lord over us as we live. We look to him, as Lord. He is to lead us in what is true and right and good. But Jesus is not only our Lord. Jesus is not just a model for living. His teaching includes more than just commands about how to live. He is also our Savior. He has redeemed us. He calls us, as I mentioned earlier, to faith and repentance. And the command in verse 18 is to grow in two things: grace and knowledge of him. ·      First, we are to grow in grace. That is, more and more we need to see our sin and the depths of his mercy and love. We are to grow in our understanding of the cross and the hope of the resurrection in our suffering, and grief, and pain. That is all growing in grace. ·      And second, we are to grow in our knowledge of him. We need to know his Word, not for the sake of head knowledge but for the sake of knowing him, knowing God, in his fullness, and living out his commands. You see, when it comes to discipleship, verse 18 is so very helpful. It directs us to the core things that discipleship needs to be about. It direct us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And that is very consistent with the rest of Scripture. A few weeks ago do you remember that I sang you a song during my sermon? Remember it? “Read your Bible, pray every day, and you'll grow, grow, grow.” That was probably the first and last time that I'll do that. Remember that we talked about the ordinary means through which God changes us. And what are those ordinary means? God's Word, Prayer, and the sacraments. We considered Acts 2:42, about the early church, and we looked at Hebrews 4 as well as 1 Corinthians 10. Our sanctification, that is, our growth in grace, comes through the Holy Spirit's work in us as we engage in these appointed means – (1) reading and studying God's word, (2) praying to the one true God of heaven and earth, and (3) participating in the visible signs through which he shows us the Gospel and strengthens our faith, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. And to tie that back to what I mentioned earlier, through those means, we are called again and again to repentance, to a renewal of our faith, and to further observance of and obedience to God's word and will. Here's what I am saying. Any discipleship approach needs to include some aspect of those foundations. I'm not saying every discipleship approach needs to include all of it. But every discipleship approach needs to direct us toward maturing in Christ by… revealing our sin and his grace and commands… or directing us to God Word, prayer, and the sacraments. It is through those avenues, that God conforms us more and more to his image. ·      So, if a discipleship approach is only about loving as Jesus loved but mentions nothing about sin nor Jesus' call to repentance and faith, then it falls short. ·      If a discipleship approach is all about being a better husband or wife, or a better doctor or electrician, or a better neighbor, but there's nothing about the grace of God in Christ and being conformed to him and his commands, then it falls short. ·      If a discipleship approach is about the disciplines of the Christian life, but does not focus on knowing God's Word and being in prayer, then it falls short. I could go on with more examples. My point is that the Scriptures do give us a framework for making disciples. And that framework needs to be at the heart of our discipleship approach. Discipleship at Tucker Presbyterian Which brings us to our church – Tucker Presbyterian. Given what I've said already, how are we seeking to make disciples? By the way, it's entirely impossible for me to answer that question over the next 10 minutes. But I do want to let you know that on the welcome table is a draft of our new philosophy of discipleship. We, as your elders, have been working on this for the last 2-3 months. It includes the foundations to discipleship, which I've just mentioned, but also includes our priorities in discipleship and how we desire to work those out… in worship, in our children and youth ministry, and our adult ministries, which includes our men's and women's ministries. I can't cover it all, but I do want to highlight 8 priorities or principles of our discipleship. 1. We believe discipleship begins in worship. This is really important. Corporate worship is where the means of grace converge, as I mentioned last week. God works through our worship, including our family or private worship. Through worship, he conform us to him as we declare salvation in Jesus Christ and praise God for his grace and mercy. 2. In our discipleship, we desire to foster a heart for missions – a heart for our neighbor and a heart for the nations. In other words, disciple making involves disciple making, which is calling people to faith in Christ. More on this one next week. 3. Discipleship needs to direct people to the local church. Local congregations, where God's covenant people gather, are God's ordained avenues for worship, discipleship, and missions. The sign of baptism is the sign of our ingrafting into Christ and therefore ingrafting into one another as a body of believers. 4. We seek to disciple one another across generations. God's call for the church is to be a people of God together. We want our members, old and young alike, to know and care for and support one other in the task of discipleship. To be sure, we do not believe this should be the exclusive pattern. As Proverbs teaches, a brother is born for adversity, and as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. There is value in peer discipleship, but often times, churches overprioritize that and not intergenerational discipleship. 5. Every single one of us is called in one way or another to the task of making disciples. You may be a parent, you may be an ordained leader in the church, you may have been given one of several Holy Spirit given gifts mentioned in the Bible such as teaching or knowledge or wisdom. Even if none of that applies to you, you are still called to be a witness to your neighbor or co-worker or family member. We are all to be disciple makers. 6. This next one is about children and parents. Parents are ordinarily to be the primary disciplers of their children. However, not all children have believing parents or parent, nor are all parents available for different reasons. The church needs to support parents and children in the discipleship endeavor.o 7. Church discipline is a matter of discipleship. Two months ago, when we were in 2 Corinthians chapter 13, we considered the responsibility that the church has to disciple those whose sin is destroying the family of God or whose sin is unrepentant and grievous. We can't unpack all of that here, but that sermon is out on our website and podcast. And let me remind you that the goal of church disciple is always repentance, renewed faith, and restoration.   8. Finally, number 8. Discipleship needs to happen in the context of fellowship. In Acts 2:42 intentional fellowship, or koinonia fellowship, is included with the means of grace. Fellowship is important. We believe discipleship happens in relationships with one another because we are brothers and sisters united together in Christ. So, those are our priorities in discipleship: the priority of worship, a heart for missions, the centrality of the local church, discipleship across generations and in support of peers, assisting parents, church discipline, and all in the context of deep fellowship. Conclusion In summary, we do not believe there's a one-size-fits-all pattern for implementing discipleship. However, that does not mean that all discipleship approaches are good. We need to evaluate each according to God's pattern for making disciples which he has given in his Word. And at its core, that pattern for making disciples involves (1) calling each other to faith and repentance and obedience in Christ, and (2) directing one another to the Word, prayer, and the sacraments. It is through those means that God will grow us in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Over the last 6 weeks, we've been talking through our vision, mission, and philosophy as a church. We started with 4 sermons on the pillars to our ministry.·   First, being a faithful church, which begins with God's faithfulness to us in the Gospel.·   Second, the means through which God applies his grace in us – which are his Word, prayer, and the sacraments.·   Third, the overarching theme of the entire Bible, God's covenant promises and their fulfillment in Christ.·   And forth, God's appointed leaders for his church – elders.And now we are applying those pillars to our worship, our discipleship, and our missions. Last week we focused on worship – that is, corporate worship. This week's focus is on discipleship, and then next week, we will conclude with missions and outreach.Please turn to Matthew 28 in your Bibles. Our first of two sermon texts is what we call the great commission. Matthew 28:18-20. That is on page 993 in the Pew Bible.You may be wondering why our sermon text is the great commission, yet our focus is on discipleship. Well, that is because this passage is about discipleship. You can't really separate missions and discipleship. In fact, worship is in the mix as well. Discipleship begins in worship and includes missions. They all overlap.Reading of Matthew 28:18-20Our second sermon text is from 2 Peter chapter 3. That is on page 1209 in the Pew Bible. 2 Peter 3 verses 14-18.This is one of the more traditional passages related to discipleship. The apostle Peter has just written about the second coming of Christ. And then Peter writes these very important words as far as our godliness and our knowledge of Jesus Christ, as we wait for the new heavens and hearth.Reading of 2 Peter 3:14-18PrayerIf you were to survey 1000 pastors and you were to ask each one for a definition of discipleship, you would get 1000 different answers.Some would focus on relationships. Others would focus on Bible study. Some would center their answer on serving. Others would say it's about being real. Others would make the case that discipleship is all about missions. Some would say that it is about God's kingdom – kingdom discipleship. For others, it's life-on-life ministry. Others talk about sonship – being sons of God. Yet others describe it as head, heart, and hands. For some, families are the most important thing. For others, the church is key. Some say discipleship is about self-denial and taking up your cross.And we ask why? Why are there a gazillion definitions of discipleship?Well, I think the main part of the answer is quite simple.The word “discipleship” is not in the Bible. It is therefore difficult to come up with a Biblical definition for that reason. To be sure, the word “disciple” singular and “disciples” plural are in the Bible. It's just that the word discipleship is not. It's is a word that we've come up with to capture the task of making disciples. The word discipleship seeks to answer the “how” questions. How do we make disciples of Jesus? Discipleship is about implementation. That is why there are so many definitions.And so, I think it's better not to come up with a single approach to discipleship. Rather, I think it's best to first understand what a disciple is, then second, consider the foundations to making disciples. And only after we do that, can we evaluate discipleship approaches and start identifying our own principles.Here's what I am saying… rather than trying to come up with a definition of discipleship, it's better to consider the broader Biblical framework for the task of making disciples. That framework can then be used to evaluate discipleship approaches.By the way, this is an impossible task. I'm not talking about identifying the Biblical principles for making disciples, I'm talking about trying to preach on it in one sermon. I realized this on Friday afternoon. I thought, what have I got myself into? There is no way to fit this into a 30+ minute sermon. I also thought, I'm looking forward to getting back to our regular expository sermons in a couple of weeks.But we are here now. And many of you have mentioned that this series has been helpful. So, I'm going to press on and try.1. What is a disciple and what is the call?As I mentioned, let's begin with the question, what is a disciple?Let's start by looking at Matthew 28. These verses give us a good foundation on what a disciple is and what a disciple should pursue. And we know these verses well. Matthew 28 verse 19 – “Go therefore and make disciples.” By the way, much debate has been had about the underlying Greek words, especially the word “go.” We're not going to “go” there today. Let me simply say that the imperative here is to “make disciples.”The call is to bring people from not following Jesus to following Jesus. That is what the word disciple means - a follower. Being a follower includes, of course, believing in Jesus, but it implies a lot more. It includes a commitment to Jesus' teaching, and his ways, and pursuing his commands… just like Jesus' 12 disciples did.So the call in Matthew 28 is to “make disciples” and that involves two things here. First, it's bringing them into the covenant community. That's what Baptism is. It includes either being part of a household, like circumcision in the Old Testament – that's one reason why we disciple our children. Or it includes those coming into the covenant community for the first time as believers in Christ. So that's the first task.Second, making disciples also includes teaching the commandments of God. That is captured in verse 20. After the call to baptize, Jesus adds, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Being a disciple requires learning God's commands and pursuing them.I think that all makes sense because that is what a disciple is and what he does. He believes and follows Jesus.And the message to make disciples is simple. Faith, repentance, and obedience.Matthew 28 does not speak to the message. But Jesus has been clear. The Bible is clear. The core message is repentance from sin and faith in Christ. That is what we call our children to, and it is the call for all humanity. Obedience is part of that call. It comes after faith and repentance, as a response to God's grace. Again, Jesus said, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”However, let me say this. The call to faith and repentance does not end when we come to Christ. No, actually, faith, repentance, and obedience is the ongoing call for a disciple. Ongoing repentance from sin; an ongoing renewal of our faith; and an ongoing commitment to observe the commandments of God.Now, just to be sure, when you come to faith in Christ, you are secure in him. You are forgiven of your sin. That does not go away. Rather, renewing your faith in Christ, repentance from ongoing sin, and new obedience are in response to God's saving grace. I just want to be clear about that.Now, you may be thinking, “well, yeah, isn't that obvious? Of course, a disciple should believe that Jesus died for his or her sin and should believe that we need to pursue holiness despite our ongoing sin.”Well, the reason you may think those two points are obvious is because we teach them. We teach the heinousness of our sin before our holy God. We teach that the only path to God is by faith, repenting to God of our sin and trusting in Christ as our Savior. We teach that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is necessary to atone for our sin. And we teach that in our redeemed state, we are still sinners. We are redeemed sinners who struggle with sin but are empowered by God's Spirit to pursue holiness – and God calls us to pursue him. That is the Gospel.But let me say, that message is not emphasized in many parts of Christianity. Often sin is minimized. The word “sin” is not seen as culturally sensitive today. And so, some circles replace it with words like “brokenness” or “struggle” or “woundedness.” I am not saying that we are not broken nor struggle nor have wounds. But when those ideas are used in place of sin and not in connection to it, then the underlying problem of our separation from God because of sin is suppressed.What I am saying is that the task of making disciples of Jesus begins and ends with faith, repentance and the call to observe Jesus' commands.2. How do we mature as disciples?Ok, let's move on to a second helpful question. Let me ask you, how do you mature as a disciple of Jesus?It's important to ask that question because the Bible calls us to mature in our faith. We call that maturity sanctification. It is the ongoing work of God's Spirit where more and more we die to our sin and live to righteousness. The task of making disciples needs to include that lifelong pursuit. All throughout the Bible we are called to grow in our faith. We're called to be conformed to the image of Christ. We are called to be filled with the knowledge of his will. Hebrews 5 calls us to mature from milk to solid food like children. Ephesians 4 calls us to mature into manhood, growing up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. In 2 Timothy 3, we're to know the Word that the man of God may be equipped for every good work. Romans 12, we're to renew our minds.We would be here all day if we were to go through every single passage that speaks of being conformed more and more to Christ. Rather than doing that, I picked one example that I find to be very helpful as a representative passage. 2 Peter 3:14-18 – it was our second sermon text. If you'll turn there.This is one of my favorite passages about our sanctification.We're going to focus on verse 18, but I don't want to overlook the context.The apostle Peter had just written about Christ's second coming when he will make all things new. While we are waiting, we're called in verse 14 to “be diligent” that we may be “found by him without spot or blemish…” And then a couple of verses later in verse 17, there is a warning against sin. It says, “…take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people...”Then we get to verse 18 which is my favorite. If you only remember one thing about this sermon on discipleship, I want you to remember this verse. 2 Peter 3:18. It says, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” I love it. Let me read it again. “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”Look first at the titles given to Jesus. Lord and Savior. He is to be both. He is to be Lord over us as we live. We look to him, as Lord. He is to lead us in what is true and right and good. But Jesus is not only our Lord. Jesus is not just a model for living. His teaching includes more than just commands about how to live. He is also our Savior. He has redeemed us. He calls us, as I mentioned earlier, to faith and repentance.And the command in verse 18 is to grow in two things: grace and knowledge of him.·   First, we are to grow in grace. That is, more and more we need to see our sin and the depths of his mercy and love. We are to grow in our understanding of the cross and the hope of the resurrection in our suffering, and grief, and pain. That is all growing in grace.·   And second, we are to grow in our knowledge of him. We need to know his Word, not for the sake of head knowledge but for the sake of knowing him, knowing God, in his fullness, and living out his commands.You see, when it comes to discipleship, verse 18 is so very helpful. It directs us to the core things that discipleship needs to be about. It direct us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And that is very consistent with the rest of Scripture.A few weeks ago do you remember that I sang you a song during my sermon? Remember it? “Read your Bible, pray every day, and you'll grow, grow, grow.”That was probably the first and last time that I'll do that. Remember that we talked about the ordinary means through which God changes us. And what are those ordinary means? God's Word, Prayer, and the sacraments. We considered Acts 2:42, about the early church, and we looked at Hebrews 4 as well as 1 Corinthians 10.Our sanctification, that is, our growth in grace, comes through the Holy Spirit's work in us as we engage in these appointed means – (1) reading and studying God's word, (2) praying to the one true God of heaven and earth, and (3) participating in the visible signs through which he shows us the Gospel and strengthens our faith, Baptism and the Lord's Supper.And to tie that back to what I mentioned earlier, through those means, we are called again and again to repentance, to a renewal of our faith, and to further observance of and obedience to God's word and will.Here's what I am saying. Any discipleship approach needs to include some aspect of those foundations. I'm not saying every discipleship approach needs to include all of it. But every discipleship approach needs to direct us toward maturing in Christ by… revealing our sin and his grace and commands… or directing us to God Word, prayer, and the sacraments. It is through those avenues, that God conforms us more and more to his image.·   So, if a discipleship approach is only about loving as Jesus loved but mentions nothing about sin nor Jesus' call to repentance and faith, then it falls short.·   If a discipleship approach is all about being a better husband or wife, or a better doctor or electrician, or a better neighbor, but there's nothing about the grace of God in Christ and being conformed to him and his commands, then it falls short.·   If a discipleship approach is about the disciplines of the Christian life, but does not focus on knowing God's Word and being in prayer, then it falls short.I could go on with more examples. My point is that the Scriptures do give us a framework for making disciples. And that framework needs to be at the heart of our discipleship approach.Discipleship at Tucker PresbyterianWhich brings us to our church – Tucker Presbyterian. Given what I've said already, how are we seeking to make disciples?By the way, it's entirely impossible for me to answer that question over the next 10 minutes.But I do want to let you know that on the welcome table is a draft of our new philosophy of discipleship. We, as your elders, have been working on this for the last 2-3 months. It includes the foundations to discipleship, which I've just mentioned, but also includes our priorities in discipleship and how we desire to work those out… in worship, in our children and youth ministry, and our adult ministries, which includes our men's and women's ministries.I can't cover it all, but I do want to highlight 8 priorities or principles of our discipleship.1. We believe discipleship begins in worship. This is really important. Corporate worship is where the means of grace converge, as I mentioned last week. God works through our worship, including our family or private worship. Through worship, he conform us to him as we declare salvation in Jesus Christ and praise God for his grace and mercy.2. In our discipleship, we desire to foster a heart for missions – a heart for our neighbor and a heart for the nations. In other words, disciple making involves disciple making, which is calling people to faith in Christ. More on this one next week.3. Discipleship needs to direct people to the local church. Local congregations, where God's covenant people gather, are God's ordained avenues for worship, discipleship, and missions. The sign of baptism is the sign of our ingrafting into Christ and therefore ingrafting into one another as a body of believers.4. We seek to disciple one another across generations. God's call for the church is to be a people of God together. We want our members, old and young alike, to know and care for and support one other in the task of discipleship. To be sure, we do not believe this should be the exclusive pattern. As Proverbs teaches, a brother is born for adversity, and as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. There is value in peer discipleship, but often times, churches overprioritize that and not intergenerational discipleship.5. Every single one of us is called in one way or another to the task of making disciples. You may be a parent, you may be an ordained leader in the church, you may have been given one of several Holy Spirit given gifts mentioned in the Bible such as teaching or knowledge or wisdom. Even if none of that applies to you, you are still called to be a witness to your neighbor or co-worker or family member. We are all to be disciple makers.6. This next one is about children and parents. Parents are ordinarily to be the primary disciplers of their children. However, not all children have believing parents or parent, nor are all parents available for different reasons. The church needs to support parents and children in the discipleship endeavor.o7. Church discipline is a matter of discipleship. Two months ago, when we were in 2 Corinthians chapter 13, we considered the responsibility that the church has to disciple those whose sin is destroying the family of God or whose sin is unrepentant and grievous. We can't unpack all of that here, but that sermon is out on our website and podcast. And let me remind you that the goal of church disciple is always repentance, renewed faith, and restoration. 8. Finally, number 8. Discipleship needs to happen in the context of fellowship. In Acts 2:42 intentional fellowship, or koinonia fellowship, is included with the means of grace. Fellowship is important. We believe discipleship happens in relationships with one another because we are brothers and sisters united together in Christ.So, those are our priorities in discipleship: the priority of worship, a heart for missions, the centrality of the local church, discipleship across generations and in support of peers, assisting parents, church discipline, and all in the context of deep fellowship.ConclusionIn summary, we do not believe there's a one-size-fits-all pattern for implementing discipleship. However, that does not mean that all discipleship approaches are good. We need to evaluate each according to God's pattern for making disciples which he has given in his Word.And at its core, that pattern for making disciples involves (1) calling each other to faith and repentance and obedience in Christ, and (2) directing one another to the Word, prayer, and the sacraments. It is through those means that God will grow us in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The transfer window has slammed shut – but did Brentford come out on top, or were we left short?In this episode, we break down the moves, the near-misses, and the deals that got away. Did we pull Newcastle's pants down over the Wissa fee? Were we too late chasing Joey Veerman from PSV and Max Beier? And can Reiss Nelson hit the ground running at Griffin Park?Join Billy The Bee Grant and Dave Laney Lane as they unpack the calm after the storm and assess what it all means for the Bees live and direct from The Steam Packet Pub in Kew Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

De wonderbaarlijke wending in het Vitesse verhaal is een van de onderwerpen in deze AD Voetbalpodcast. De Arnhemse club won een turbo spoedzaak tegen de KNVB en moet weer toegelaten worden tot de competitie. Maar hoe nu verder? In de AD Voetbalpodcast nemen Etienne Verhoeff en Maarten Wijffels het door. Daarnaast bespreken ze de woorden van Alex Kroes, de teleurstelling van Veerman en het Nederlands elftal tegen Polen. Beluister de hele AD Voetbalpodcast nu via AD.nl, de AD App of jouw favoriete podcastplatform.Support the show: https://krant.nl/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Een opmerkelijke voetbalzaterdag in de Eredivisie waarbij de promovendi punten pakten tegen niet de minste tegenstanders. Feyenoord won makkelijk bij stadgenoot Sparta. NEC is even van de roze wolk en gaan Timber en Veerman nog naar Engeland verkassen? Etienne Verhoeff neemt het door met Mikos Gouka en ze bespreken ook Liverpool-Arsenal en de positie een Ten Hag bij Leverkussen. Beluister de hele AD Voetbalpodcast nu via AD.nl, de AD App of jouw favoriete podcastplatform.Support the show: https://krant.nl/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In een bomvolle Kick-off bespreken Valentijn Driessen, Mike Verweij, Pim Sedee en Hein Keijser het allerlaatste voetbalnieuws. De lotingen voor de zes Nederlandse ploegen in Europa zijn bekend. Vooral PSV en Go Ahead gaan het zwaar krijgen, maar voor de rest van de ploegen liggen er zeker kansen. Ajax grijpt mis met Myron Boadu, de spits maakt voor een prikkie de overstap naar PSV. Verder: Joey Veerman wordt in verband gebracht met Brentford en de visie van Ajax is volgens Valentijn ver te zoeken. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In de FCA Daily van vrijdag 8 augustus bespreken Lars van Velsum, Bart Obbink en Alex Mazereeuw het laatste voetbalnieuws! Met onder meer de start van het Eredivisie én KKD seizoen, de Europese overwinningen van AZ en FC Utrecht, transfers met Veerman, Itakura en Vlap én de Ballon d'Or nominatie van Denzel Dumfries!(00:00) Intro(01:30) AZ Alkmaar doet wat het moet doen(09:06) Utrecht draait het om(13:58) Coach van het jaar(17:10) Ajax heeft Itakura binnen(19:50) Veerman op de lijst bij Brentford(21:29) Geen Rusland maar Qatar voor Vlap(23:40) HET EREDIVISIESEIZOEN GAAT VAN START!!!(26:30) WEER EEN SCHAKELKANAALTJE VANAVOND!(28:28) Ballon d'or nominatiesIn de podcast verwijzen Lars, Bart en Alex naar:Onze XXL Previewshow: https://youtu.be/WK1TCljbC3A?si=17i7mM6iNbTNwwY_ of https://open.spotify.com/episode/0hprLuRPQQSPeR3Vx2IDv3?si=f2946b8183cd481bInschrijven voor onze FC Afkicken subleague bij Coach van het Jaar?Dat kan via: https://www.coachvanhetjaar.nl/app/join/33921/a93a2cZie het privacybeleid op https://art19.com/privacy en de privacyverklaring van Californië op https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2 Corinthians 13:11-14 - Rejoice, Live in Peace, and Receive God's Grace Please turn to 2 Corinthians 13 verses 11-14. That is on page 1153 in the pew Bibles. It's always bittersweet to finish a sermon series. On the one hand, I wish it wasn't coming to an end because 2 Corinthians has been such a blessing. On the other hand, it's good to move on to other books of the Bible and be blessed and challenged in different ways. So, this will be our last sermon in this series. Next week, we are going to have a missions focused Sunday. And then after that, stay tuned. Let's now come to these concluding words of 2 Corinthians. This is inspired, inerrant God's Word, given through the apostle Paul. Reading of 2 Corinthians 13:11-14 Prayer Every book of the Bible, in different ways, relates to our culture and the church, today. Sometimes, the connection is more direct. Other times it is more indirect. Well, in 2 Corinthians we've seen many direct parallels. I think the reason is that the city of Corinth is like our culture today. It was a confluence of many backgrounds, beliefs, and idols. If you remember, it was a Roman city in Greece. The city had been resettled about 100 years earlier by Julius Ceasar. It therefore boasted of Roman authority and power but being on the Achaia peninsula in Greece, it was still influence by Greek philosophy and gods. The temple of Aphrodite – the goddess of love – overlooked the city. That unholy influence increased the city's sexual promiscuity and prostitution. Furthermore, it was also a major port city. People and goods travelling east and west would travel through Corinth. That made it a desirable place to live for many people from many cultures. You had sea merchants and other traders capitalizing on its primary industry. Other entrepreneurs set up shop to profit off of the all travelers. Since it was a rather new city, Roman and Greek nobles came to fill in the vacuums of political power. Put this all together, Corinth was very cosmopolitan. It was a melting pot of people groups with diverse religious, political, and commercial interests and backgrounds. Sound familiar? I don't think there's any major international city today that doesn't share some of the same characteristics, at least to one extent or another… the Atlanta area included. Think about the effect on the church. The world's philosophies and priorities were pressing in on the church in Corinth. And it wasn't just a single cultural influence; it was a combination of all those influences. That made it even more difficult for the church to filter out truth from error and righteousness from sinfulness. And it's the same thing today. Yes, there are different influences, but they are surprisingly similar. And like every generation in the past, those influences affect the church. Someone asked me the other day whether there was a particular teaching in the church today that 2 Corinthians directly confronts. And the answer is yes. 2 Corinthians directly confronts the Prosperity Gospel. As you know, the prosperity gospel has come up several times over these last few months. It teaches a false theology of suffering, an idolatrous view of money, and a perverted Gospel – a gospel not based on faith in what Christ has done on the cross and in his resurrection, but a false gospel that is socially conceived; focusing on earthly health and wealth and not faith in Christ alone. And, of course, it lines the pockets of the prosperity preachers. So, the false apostles in Corinth, which Paul called “super apostles” are in many ways analogous to prosperity Gospel preachers today. They not only perverted the truth, but arrogantly exalted themselves, their social status, and their worldly credentials. Now, to be sure, it's not a perfect parallel. The church in Corinth had its unique challenges, but the parallels to Prosperity preaching are there. And you can see some of those parallels in the various things that Paul has been addressing in the book. We've come across several of them. In summary, there have been five streams of teaching that have dealt with the issues in Corinth. They include: 1. Number 1, Authentic ministry. Not only has the apostle Paul over and over defended his apostleship, but in doing so, he has laid the foundation to true and authentic ministry. A faithful church and a faithful minister is humble and seeks to reflect Christ. Faithful churches and pastors pursue integrity and sincerity and point to Christ, not themselves. As Paul put it just a couple verses earlier, they build up and don't tear down. Those are the signs of faithful ministries. 2. A second stream that has come up multiple times is strength through weakness. That is, the strength of Christ in the weakness of our human flesh. 2 Corinthians has given us rich truths that we can hold on to in our weaknesses and suffering. Rather than try to summarize it here, let me just remind you of those verses. ·      Chapter 1: “[God] comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." ·      Chapter 4: “…we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” It's speaking about the treasure of the Gospel given to us which we have in our frail bodies. ·      How about this one: “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen, which are eternal…” ·      And one more, chapter 12… “But he said to me [that is, the Lord said to Paul], 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” There are others. What God has done in 2 Corinthians is reorient our doctrine of suffering. God uses our suffering to remind us of his strength that we may rely on him, because when we are weak, then we are strong. 3. Ok, the third stream – God's Covenant promises of old have been fulfilled in Christ – in his Gospel. Through Jesus, the old covenant has been fulfilled. Remember, “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.” This one has particular relevance to Corinth given some of the Jewish influences. The false apostles were trying to drag the people back into the forms and practices of the old covenant. But remember, those old forms and practices (like the sacrifices and festivals) were shadows of what was to come. Remember, the moon and planets reflect the sun, which is the source. It's a similar idea. Chapter 3 was all about this correction. The 10 commandments condemn us, but Christ has redeemed us. Chapter 5 gave us amazing truths. Verse 17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” And you've heard me say that 5:21 is in my mind, the clearest single verse that articulates the Gospel. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” God made him, that is Jesus, to be sin for us, that we may receive his righteousness. 4. Number 4 – the fourth category. Giving and wealth. The middle chapters, 7-9, spoke of the grace of giving. Paul testified to Corinth that the Macedonians, though they were poor from a worldly standpoint, gave generously out of their poverty. The church has a responsibility to support the church. However, giving is not a means to salvation or a means to a better life, as today's false prosperity teachers say. No, rather, giving is a response to the grace of God in Christ. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” It's not talking about earthly riches but the riches of grace in Christ Jesus. Salvation and hope in him. The ultimate motivation for our giving is the grace of God in Christ. 5. And then the last thing – the last stream, number 5. Repentance and restoration. The whole letter, in a sense, is a call to repentance. Repentance and restoration have been key themes throughout. That's because the church in Corinth's beliefs and practices and lifestyle looked more like the Roman and Greek culture around them rather than the beliefs and practices and lifestyle that God had revealed to them in his Word and through his true apostles. That message is a message for every church and every believer in every generation. We are all tempted to trust in the things of this world and conform our beliefs to the philosophy of this world, rather than putting our trust in God and seeking to be conformed to him by faith. Chapter 10, we should “take every thought captive to obey Christ” and last week, chapter 13, we should therefore “examine ourselves.” So 5 emphases, 5 streams of correction which broadly speaking, the church in Corinth needed to hear. Not every individual, but the church as a whole, which is why at the beginning of this chapter the apostle warned of judgment if they did not to repent. Paul prayed for and entreated them to repent. The big question is, did the church in Corinth actually repent? Did they return to God in Christ in faithfulness? And I have an answer for you. But you'll have to wait a couple more minutes. First, let's actually get into our text this morning. I know we're more than halfway through our usual time, but I think that review was helpful both as a conclusion to our series as well as context for these final verses. So let's look at them. First look at verse 11. Paul calls them “brothers.” Last week, remember, he had just dropped the hammer of judgment - the warning of judgment. And now he reminds them that they are brothers and sisters in Christ. And I want you to think back on our study of 2 Corinthians. Really, Paul had been writing to two groups in the church. One, the faithful believers. He is thankful that their godly grief has produced repentance. He wrote that in chapter 7. In chapter 8, he called on them to also excel in the grace of giving, just like in other areas. But Paul has also been very direct at times with those who were not walking in godliness and truth. Some in the church were following the false apostles. Remember from chapter 11, some were “putting up with them readily enough.” And in chapter 12, Paul fears that they will not repent. Nonetheless, they are all in the church and they are therefore brothers and sisters. He says, “finally brothers” In other words, listen to me for you are my church family. And then notice that he gives them 5 imperatives in verses 11. That's a lot! Five commands in one verse. And each of them connects in different ways to the rest of the letter. Let's briefly consider these commands. He begins with “rejoice!” That specific Greek word for “rejoice” includes a sense that is not captured in our English word rejoice. It's rejoicing in sadness or suffering. That is how it is used in chapter 6, “though sorrowful, we are rejoicing.” And that particular emphasis of rejoicing in suffering, directly relates to the second command in verse 11. Look at it. “Comfort one another.” That brings us all the way back to chapter 1. Comfort one another in your affliction because you share in both the affliction and comfort of Christ. The next one is also very connected to the rest of the book. “aim for restoration.” It's a recognition that restoration is not always possible. But as much as it depends on you, aim for restoration. Do what you can to restore those who have wandered from God's truth and word. Remember from last week, Paul desired their restoration. Even if one of the so-called super apostles repented, he should be restored to the family of faith. Aim for restoration. The last two imperatives in verse 11 are related. “agree with one another” and “live in peace.” That's one of the things that the church in Corinth struggled with. Unity. Remember, the city had people from all over… people from different cultural backgrounds. Scattered throughout 1st and 2nd Corinthians, we are given glimpses of the makeup of the church. The church had Jewish background believers in Christ. It had gentile believers from both lower classes in society and from wealthy families. It had Greeks, Romans, some from northern Africa (that's where Apollos was from) and likely some people from Asia. Given the diversity, they struggled to get along. They often sinned against one another by quarrelling or slandering or gossip. That struggle has been well documented. And God calls them, through Paul, to agree with one another and to live in peace. Do you see how verse 11 is like a summary? Then after those 5 imperatives, he says, “and the God of love and peace will be with you.” Living in harmony in Christ with one another will bring to bear the love and peace of God. In other words, with all their troubles, the Corinthians were not experiencing God's love and peace. It's not that they didn't have the love of God or peace from God, but all their troubles suppressed that love and peace. It's very difficult to live in a community or family where people are always at odds with one another. I've never experienced that, but I've known plenty who have. It fosters relational sin that at times can spiral out of control if the forgiveness and grace of Christ does not prevail. That forgiveness and grace needed to prevail in Corinth. It needs to prevail in every church. That's a good word for us. And then Paul says, “greet one another with a holy kiss!” This refers to a brotherly or sisterly kind of kiss. Most believe it refers to kissing someone on the cheek – Kind of like in Italy or France today. The point is to show some kind of affection to each other. It's a sign of commitment. Paul desired them to be with one another in person and display love and devotion because they were united together in Christ. You can't do that if you remain in your little tribes and only talk to your people. There's something about being together and displaying your brotherly or sisterly affection to one another that disarms conflict. A parallel today could be communicating in the digital world. You know, we send emails and texts. And sometimes, we inadvertently imply something that we didn't intend. Or someone assumes something based on how we worded something. But when you are in person, many of those opportunities for miscommunication go away. I am not saying that we should only communicate in person. In fact, that's what this letter was, a written word. But Paul was on his way there to be with them in person. And he wanted them to be with present with one another. And he adds, “All the saints greet you.” It was a reminder that all the believers from all the churches are bound together in Christ. We greet one another knowing that we share the amazing promises of God in him. The Corinthians were not alone. No, they shared their faith in Christ with the poor Jewish believers in Jerusalem. And with the churches of north Africa. And with the Macedonians and those in Asia minor. The were all brothers and sisters in Christ. Ok, before we get to this great benediction in verse 14, let's return to the question. Did the church in Corinth repent? Were the false apostles kicked out or even better come to know the truth and grace of Christ? Did those causing division and those living unholy lives return to faithful living in Chist? Did they follow through on their commitment to give to the poor saints in Jerusalem? And the answer is, yes. Or I should probably say all indications are yes, they did. In the beginning of Acts 20 we're told that Paul spent 3 months in southern Greece. There is no mention of conflict in the church. Furthermore, at the end of Romans in chapter 15, Paul confirms that yes, the church in Achaia, where Corinth was, contributed to the saints in Jerusalem. And that is all consistent with the report that Titus brought to Paul earlier in chapter 7 – repentant hearts. The work of the Holy Spirit, through Paul as a true apostle appears to have unified the church in Corinth. As he's writing these final words, Paul doesn't know what will happen… But he nonetheless concludes his letter with a great benediction. It's one of the two most used benedictions in Scripture. The other being the Aaronic benediction from Numbers 6. In fact, 2 Corinthians 13:14 is one of the main trinitarian verses in Scripture. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ… that is, the grace that saves and the grace that sustains us. It is that grace which has been the central emphasis of every single chapter in this book - the grace found in the cross of Christ, which restores and reconciles. May that grace be the center of our ministry and lives. And may the love of God… that is, the love of God the Father who gave his son for us. A love greater than any love anywhere at any time. It is a love that we did not deserve, but a love which God nonetheless poured out on us. And may the fellowship of the Holy Spirit… that is the unifying work of God through his Spirit who has brought us together in Christ. It is the only thing that can break down the walls of hostility and make us one body, because he has broken down the walls in our hearts and made us one people in Christ. May God who is three in one, in all these ways, bless and keep us, just as he did for the Corinthians. Amen? I want to encourage you to re-read 2 Corinthians this week. I think you'll be blessed to be reminded about all that we've studied.

Please turn to the last chapter of 2 Corinthians. Chapter 13. Our sermon text is verses 1-10. You can find that on page 1153. Last week, the apostle Paul reminded the church of his fatherly love for them. Paul was their earthly spiritual father. And as their spiritual father, he warned them about their sin. Those who had wandered from the truth and godly living needed to return to the Lord. And they needed to do that before Paul's third visit. In the last paragraph in chapter 12, Paul expressed his fear that the Corinthians would not repent. That brings us to chapter 13. In our verses this morning, Paul warns them about what will happen if his fears come true. He will need to discipline them. Reading of 2 Corinthians 13:1-10. Prayer Just last month, Lifeway research published a study on church discipline. They found that many churches have discipline policies but rarely are their policies put into practice. Four out of five churches have discipline policies, but only one in seven have recently put those policies into practice. It's not surprising. Discipline is not fun. Parents know that. Children know that. And when something difficult happens in the church as a result of someone's behavior or belief our natural tendency is to avoid the issue, or we hope that the person who committed the offense will move on. Hard conversation and actions are difficult. However, those difficult church discipline conversations and actions are the most loving thing that can be done. It's loving for the sake of their souls, for the sake of any victim of their sin, and for the peace and purity of the church. In short, church discipline matters. Now you may have two questions in your mind. #1 – what exactly is church discipline. And #2 – how does it relate to this text in 2 Corinthians 13. Those are excellent questions. My goal today is to answer them. In fact, the sermon outline lists several questions. Not just the what, but also the why and the how and the who. We'll spend our time going through them, and I hope by the end you will not only have a picture of church discipline's importance, but will also see its loving purpose in your life and our church. 1: What is church discipline and what is it not? Question #1: What is church discipline and what is it not? That's a great place to start and I found a good definition from another pastor. He put it this way:  “Church discipline is the process by which the church confronts sin in the life of a believer and seeks to bring about repentance, restoration, and reconciliation.” Let me say that again. “Church discipline is the process by which the church confronts sin in the life of a believer and seeks to bring about repentance, restoration, and reconciliation.” We're going to see that worked out in these verses. In fact, I believe, these verses, 2 Corinthians 13:1-10 are the most helpful passage in the Bible on church discipline. That's a bold statement. We read another helpful passage earlier from Matthew 18. It's considered by most to be the foremost directive for church discipline. In that passages, Jesus talks about when a brother in Christ sins against you, that you should first go to him. If he doesn't listen, bring someone with you. And if he still doesn't listen, Jesus says, bring the matter to the church. It's very helpful. We're told how to deal with sin when we are sinned against. And the church has some level of responsibility to adjudicate. But the question is this, what does it look like for the church to handle such situations? And this is where 2 Corinthians 13 helps. It gives us an example which includes the warning of discipline, the lead up to discipline, the basis of discipline, and its purpose. The reason that this text is about church discipline is found right there in the middle of verse 1. Take a look at it. Paul writes, “Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.” Remember again from last week, Paul had just warned them about the consequences of unrepentance, and here he used the language of judgment. That requirement of 2-3 witnesses goes back to the Old Testament laws regarding crimes and offenses. So, in other words, the warning in chapter 12 could lead to the legal action described in chapter 13, depending on whether the sin is proven. So, even though the word “discipline” is not used, these are matters involving the judgement of sin. And that is the heart of church discipline. It's judging and confronting serious sin in a believer's life in order to bring peace and purity to the church. Alright, let's consider some examples. That's always helpful. First, let's go to Corinth. As you know, we've spent the last 7 months working through this letter. And one of the things we've seen over and over is how the false apostles taught a false Gospel and were making false accusations against Paul. Those were serious matters. And add to that, at the end of chapter 12, Paul lists two other categories of sin that continued to infect the church. One category dealt with the peace of the church – he includes “quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.”  Those things will tear the church apart. He then listed sins that affected the purity of the church – he mentions “impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality.” So, false doctrine was being taught, an innocent party was being accused, the unity of the church body was being damaged, and the lifestyle of some in the church was contrary to God's design. Those are serious things. Let me expand that with some concrete examples today. If a pastor constantly berates church staff members or volunteers with a harsh and derogatory tone, and is unrepentant about it or does not change, that pastor needs to be discipline. If a wife or husband breaks the one-flesh union they have with their spouse by committing adultery, that wife or husband has committed a grave sin and needs discipline. If there's case of domestic abuse involving members of a church, the abuser needs discipline and the one being abused needs care. Just to be sure, there are civil laws and civil punishments related to some of these situations. Those need to be worked out through the legal system. In other words, when it comes to church discipline, there are no physical punishments. Again, the civil courts handle that. Rather, when we talk about church discipline, we are specifically talking about spiritual discipline. That means formally confronting sin and seeking repentance and restoration. That may involve requiring someone to abstain from the Lord's Table, or it may involve removal from membership. For the younger children here. Last week, I asked you if you had ever been warned by your parents about consequences. You said or did something that was hurtful to someone else. Maybe you lied about something, and your mom or dad sat you down and warned you. I saw many of you nodding your head, that yes, that happens. Well, have you ever ignored their warning? Did you say or do something you parents warned you not to do? I see some nodding. Maybe you disrespected your mom or you continued to lie about something. Well, what happened? You were punished. Right? Maybe you lost a privilege like screen time or playing with friends, or maybe a spanking, or maybe you had to write an apology letter. All of those different consequences are forms of discipline. You were being disciplined by your parents. And what was the goal of that discipline? Was it to make you mad at your parents? No. It was to help you learn what is good and right and true. It's so that you would learn how to love others and how to be truthful and honest and hardworking. Well, it's a similar thing in this chapter. Turns out, adults need disciple, too. The truth is, we are all selfish. We desire things that are not ours. We commit acts that dishonor God and break the trust and unity in the church. Even though the power and penalty of sin has been removed by Christ, those in him still have the presence of sin, and we all are still on the path of sanctification and renewal. 2. What is the basis of church discipline? So that is generally what church discipline is about. Which brings us to a second question.  Actually, this question is not on the outline – it's a late addition, but it is crucial. What is the basis of church discipline? Church discipline needs to be based on the truth. It needs to pursue truth. This is absolutely critical. It's why these verses begin with the need for 2-3 credible witnesses. It's why Paul sent multiple brothers to Corinth to assess the situation. And look at verse 8. “For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.” There has to be truthful and credible testimony and evidence. It's really easy to make assumptions and it's really easy for someone to twist or pervert the truth in defense of sin or out of retribution or revenge. The truth is not always clear and that makes it difficult, but credible testimony and witnesses need to be pursued. In other words, church discipline needs to stand for what is true and right and good and it needs to be based on what is true and right and good. Those given charge to care for your souls and care for the church need to pursue the truth with diligence and care. That is really important, so I wanted to include that question. 3. What are its goals? Ok, the next question is also very important. Actually, all of these are very important, but I think this one needs to be front and center. What is the goal of discipline? In a word the goal of spiritual discipline is “restoration.”  Look at verse 9. Second half of the verse. “Your restoration is what we pray for.” Paul desired that those in Corinth who were committing these grievous acts or who held to these unorthodox beliefs be restored. He wanted those who were gossiping and slandering other believers to put an end to the destruction that they were causing. He desired that the church forgive one another and be unified. In fact, he talked about repentance and forgiveness back in chapters 2 and 7. One of Paul's critics had repented from undermining Paul, and the apostle urged the church to restore him. He forgave this man, and so should the church. Verse 10 expands on the goal of restoration. Paul said that his use of authority is for “building up and not tearing down” That's at the end of verse 10. Church discipline is to build up the body of Christ. It's just like how the discipline of a child is for their maturity. The goal of church discipline is always repentance and restoration, which builds up the body of Christ. Now, to be sure, the destruction that some sin causes may not be reparable in this life. Some marriages broken by adultery are not reparable. Or worse, think about murder. It's also devastating. But let me say this, there is no sinful act that God will not forgive for those who come to him with a true repentance…. That is, who come to him with a heart grief for one's sin not just feeling sorry, and seek to turn from it. 4. What precedes discipline? Next question. What should precede discipline? In other words, at what point should a formal church discipline process begin? Part of the answer is found all throughout 1 and 2 Corinthians. Over and over Paul conveyed his love for the church. Over and over he identified sin in their midst that needed to be dealt with. He's been very specific about it. Over and over he has called them to return to faithful living and belief. And over and over Paul warned the church of the consequences. All of that is part of spiritual discipline, but in 2 Corinthians 13, the apostle warns of a formal process involving witnesses and authority and judgment. What I am saying is that that step needs to be the very last step after ample displays of love, ample warnings, and ample opportunities to be restored. Just to be sure, there are situations like abuse where for the sake of the victim, church discipline needs to be accelerated. But even then, it needs to be done carefully, with firm resolve, with a clear warning about the gravity of that sin, and a call to repentance and change. Look at verse 2. “ I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them.” Multiple warnings. In fact, this chapter is not the implementation of discipline. Rather it is a final warning. This is the discipline they will experience if they didn't repent. To sum up this answer: discipline needs to be preceded by patient, loving, clear, and firm warnings about the consequences of sin and the judgment of God. 5. What is the message of discipline? Next, what is the message of discipline? The message of church discipline is a plea for self-examination. Look at verse 5: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” Church discipline should implore the offender to search his heart. The severity of the unrepentant sin may indicate that he not a believer in Christ. In other words, the message of spiritual discipline is the message of the Gospel. It needs to be. The message is that Jesus' death and resurrection defeated sin and death. As Romans 6 asks, “How can we who died to sin still live in it?” If you have been redeemed by Christ, then by the ministry of the Holy Spirit in you, God enables you to repent of that sin and to pursue righteousness. That does not mean that dealing with the vestiges of sin in our lives is easy. No. But it does mean that God gives believers a heart grief of their sin and a desire to turn from it. And we have the help of the church to come along side of us as we seek to walk in the newness of life in Christ. Church discipline is about unrepentant sin and therefore its message is the Gospel. That is why Paul called the Corinthians to examine themselves. The test is whether they are in the faith, as verse 5 puts it. Discipline is a call not just for repentance from a specific sin but it is a call for repentance unto life - true Gospel repentance that sees our utter need for the mercy of God and turns to Jesus by faith as our Savior. This is the message of spiritual discipline. Furthermore, it is why, if the discipline is not heeded, that the one being disciplined should be removed from membership. We call that excommunication. Jesus said, “if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” In other words, treat him as an unbeliever. And let me ask, how do you treat an unbeliever? By loving them and witnessing to them the love of God in Christ… and calling them to faith and repentance. 6. What is the perception? Next, what is the perception of church discipline? Well, the perception is often negative. Sometimes its perceived negatively because it was handled poorly, perhaps by leaders who have no history or understanding of loving servant leadership. However, oftentimes spiritual discipline is handled lovingly and carefully but still considered harsh or as I heard recently, legalistic. In particular, the ones receiving the discipline often react against it. That's what was happening in Corinth. Some turned the tables on Paul. They claimed that he failed the test of faith. That's found twice in here. First in verse 3, they wanted proof that Christ was speaking through Paul because according to the false-apostles, Paul was not an apostle. They questioned his authority. Then in verse 7, Paul says that he prays to God “that you may do right, though we may seem to have failed.” Some had been calling him a failure. In both cases, the call to repentance was met with a counter-attack against Paul. But notice that he received it with grace. He says in verse 9, “For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong.” And that is when he says, “your restoration is what we seek.” In other words, Paul would rather appear weak if it meant that they would be strong in the faith and return to the Lord and to faithfulness in him. Even though the perception of discipline is often negative and often responded to with criticism, it should not deter the church from a loving, thoughtful, and diligent call to faith and repentance. 7. Where does the authority come from? One more question and it's related. Where does the authority for discipline come from? And the answer is that the authority has been given by the Lord, himself. Paul makes that clear in verse 10. To be sure, Paul was specifically speaking about his apostleship. In the establishment of the early church, the apostles were given the initial authority. But the ongoing authority has been given to the shepherds of God's flock. Those are the elders which the Lord establishes in his church. So, the authority comes from the Lord and is given to the church through her elders. And those elders are themselves accountable to the Lord and subject to the same discipline that they oversee. So, the ultimate authority is Christ. But he uses his church to protect his church and to maintain its purity and peace. Conclusion To summarize: 1. What is church discipline? It is the loving and careful process that confronts unrepentant sin, calls for repentance and restoration of the sinners and seeks peace and purity in the church. 2. What should discipline be based on? Discipline cases need to be based on truth and credible witnesses. 3. What are its goals? The restoration of the believer, the building up in maturity unto Christ, and the peace and purity of the church. 4. What should precede discipline? Formal discipline should be undertaken only after many loving and thoughtful attempts to confront sin, except in special cases involving egregious sin. 5. What is the message of discipline? Its message is the message of the Gospel – repent and believe for as verse 4 says, “he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God.” The death and resurrection of Christ are at the center of discipline's call and its power to overcome sin. 6. What is the perception of discipline? Even though discipline is often perceived negatively or countered with baseless accusations, it should still be undertaken with humility and care. And 7. Where does the authority come from? The authority for discipline comes from Christ. He is Lord and King of the church and he entrusts that authority to the elders of his church who are called to fulfill that discipline, faithfully. I want to say that if you would like to talk through any of these points in more detail, please reach out to me. I recognize there's a lot here and these are difficult things. Let me leave you with this. May we be a church that seeks purity and peace. And may our elders lovingly and earnestly pursue us if we go astray… and if necessary, with spiritual discipline that points us to the Gospel. And may we as members receive the discipline, return to Christ, and be restored to his body, the church, all under the authority of Christ, our Lord.

2 Corinthians 12:14-21 Love that Longs for Repentance Our sermon text this morning is 2 Corinthians 12:14-21. That is on page 1152 in the provided Bibles. The apostle Paul is wrapping up his defense of his apostleship. And in these verses, he lets the Corinthians know that he will be visiting them again, soon. This will be his third visit. Paul's first visit was when he established the church in Corinth. He was there for 18 months. Paul's second visit was the painful visit he made a few months prior to writing this letter. And this third trip would be to check in on them and if necessary, deal firmly with their ongoing sin. As you will hear, Paul hopes they will repent, but fears they won't. Reading of 2 Corinthians 12:14-21 Prayer In 1962, Dick and Judy Hoyt gave birth to a son, Rick. Rick was born with a severe case of Cerebral Palsey. He was unable to move his legs, had limited use of his arms, and he was unable to speak. The Hoyts loved their son. They worked with him, and he learned to communicate through gestures and a rudimentary keyboard and screen. When Rick was 15, he communicated to his dad he wanted to race in a 5 mile road race. It was to raise money for a high schooler who had become paralyzed in an accident. So, they did it! Rick's dad pushed Rick in his wheelchair for 5 miles, and Rick loved it. It made him feel like he could walk and run. Dick Hoyt would end up not only pushing his son in road races, but he made a special seat to carry him on a bicycle. He would also row a boat and tow Rick behind him, as if he were swimming. They competed in over 1,100 races including triathlons and marathons. In fact, both Rick and his dad are in the Ironman hall of fame. They have inspired many many others. Rick's dad would do anything for his son. In the same way, the apostle Paul would do anything for the church in Corinth. He considered himself their spiritual father. Not their Heavenly Father, but their spiritual father on earth. And it's true. Paul brought the Gospel to Corinth. He labored for months and months to teach them about Jesus and God's promises fulfilled in him. Paul discipled them in their daily walk with Christ. He organized the church in Corinth. He brought the new believers together and taught them how to worship the Lord well. He modelled for them how to witness. He, in a sense, carried them. He loved them like a father would love a child. And that is why he wrote multiple letters. It's why he visited them twice up to this point. And it's why he sent Titus and Timothy, to minister on his behalf when he couldn't be there. Paul loved them. Let me ask, what would a loving father do in such a situation? Some of his spiritual children were not living the life that he taught them. Some of them had been believing in false doctrine – worldly philosophy. Others were even questioning his motives. What would a loving father do? Even if you never knew your father, or even if your father was abusive or overbearing or didn't seem to care or was mostly absent, even if one of those things, I think you can still probably imagine what a loving father would do. Maybe you saw it in someone else. Here's what I think. A loving father would #1 express his unconditional love to them in no uncertain terms. #2 a loving father would need to correct them. If people had been accusing him of things that were not true (like what was happening in Corinth) a loving father would make it clear what was true and why. If they believed in something that was not true, he would seek to instruct them in what is right. So, love and correction. Then 3rd. A loving father would be firm. A loving father disciplines his children. That discipline may include warnings of consequences if their behavior persists. And lastly, and not least, #4 a loving father would grieve. All these things would weigh heavily on him. These verses display all of those things. Paul was acting as a loving father for his spiritual children in Corinth. There are three progressions in his fatherly communication. You'll see them in the outline. 1. Seeking and sacrificing (12:14-15) – Paul displays a fatherly love that pursues no matter the cost 2. Dispelling deceit (12:16-19) – He speaks the truth in love to build them up 3. Fearing the fallout (12:20-21) – Paul warns them and grieves the devastation of unrepentant sin. 1. Seeking and sacrificing So, let's work through those. Number 1, seeking and sacrificing. That's what the apostle was doing. He was pursuing them no matter the cost. We see that right there in verse 14. He was saying to them, I'm ready to come to you a third time and there's nothing about my visit that will materially burden you. You don't need to financially support me. No, rather, I'm coming soon to help you. And then, he makes this beautiful declaration to them. “I seek not what is yours, but you.” I want you. I love you. I care about you. Isn't that what we all want to hear? It moving. I want you to know here that your spiritual fathers and brothers love you. I'm talking about our elders. We love you. I love you. We pray for you. We seek to spiritually care for you. Yes, our love for you is imperfect. We'll get to the perfect love of our heavenly Father in a moment. But we desire to care for and minister to your souls as your earthly spiritual fathers. Paul loved the Corinthians and he wanted their hearts. And this is where he uses the parent/child analogy. He says, “For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.” All parents should care for and provided for their young children's needs – you know, a place to sleep, a roof over their head, clothing, education, guidance. Parents should save and sacrifice. Now, when a child becomes an adult, that child typically should take on many of the responsibilities for themselves. There are, of course, special situations.  If that adult child comes to have a family of his own or her own, they should then sacrifice for their own children. This is what Paul is alluding to in a general sense. Essentially, he was saying that as their spiritual father, he was pouring out his life for them. Another beautiful phrase is right there in verse 15, “I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls.” He has given himself. As we've gone through 2 Corinthians, you've heard over and over about his love for them and his desire for them to mature in Christ. He would spend whatever it took for them - his time, his emotional energy, his own resources. He would endure all the risks and suffering to minister to their souls. That is the level of sacrifice that Paul was making for them He wants them to know of his sacrificial love. And he ends verse 15 with a question. “if I love you more, am I to be loved less?” He did love them, that's very true. And so, it was a gentle appeal to them that they return his love. I've poured out my life for you. Will you love me in return. He's sought them and sacrificed for them, and he desired that they respond to the love he's displayed. 2. Dispelling deceit (12:16-19) Which brings us to verses 16-19. Dispelling deceit. There were a lot of issues in the church in Corinth. We know from the letter of 1 Corinthians that the church struggled with sexual sin. The church also struggled with disunity. We'll see that spelled out in verses 20 and 21. In this letter, 2 Corinthains, we've seen how the false apostles perverted the teaching of Christ. Paul had to correct that. They were also arrogant. These so-called super apostles boasted in worldly credentials. They lived lives unbecoming of faithful believers. And they undermined Paul and his ministry. They even claimed that Paul was deceitful. That's what verse 16 says. They claimed that Paul was somehow taking advantage of them (verse 17). Now, we're not given specifics, but since he just talked about not being a financial burden, it's likely they claimed Paul was in some way profiting from his relationship with them. But it was all false. Let me ask a difficult question. When someone makes a false accusation against you and is actively spreading it around, should you make a defense? Do you defend yourself? It's a difficult question because Jesus, when he was reviled, did not revile in return. When Pilate questioned him, he didn't speak. When slander was heaped upon him, he received it. Furthermore, Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek which means to not retaliate. Does that mean we should not defend ourselves when someone is lying and spreading that lie? It's a hard question. Generally, I believe we should stand for what is true. When rumors or lies are spread about you or the church, depending what they are, they may bring undeserved shame upon the name of Christ. False public claims and distortions of the truth may cast dishonor on the name of Christ. If they do, then in those situations, I believe we should be clear about what was said or done or happened. We should not do that in a retaliatory or vindictive way, but for the sake of Christ and his bride, the church, we should make the truth known. Again, I'm speaking about slander that is being spread. In most cases, we should defend the truth because it seeks to restore honor to Christ. But it needs to be done in a way that is honorable and loving. Look at verse 19. Paul had just defended Titus and himself. He makes it clear that they were not taking advantage of the Corinthians. And then he says this (verse 19), “Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ…” Much of this whole letter has been a defense. Paul has not been ultimately defending himself, rather he's been defending the reputation of God. God is the one who had called Paul to his role as an apostle. Paul self-defense and his defense of the Gospel is a defense of Christ and his ministry. And verse 19 ends with another affirmation of Paul's love for them. He says, “all for your upbuilding, beloved.” The truth of the Gospel and the truth of Paul's ministry is what the church needed to hear. It was all done with the goal that they return to faithfulness. And so, Paul defends what is true. We need to dispel deceit in loving and clear ways to bring honor to Christ and his bride. 3. Fearing the fallout (12:20-21) Ok, #3 Fearing the fallout – verses 20-21 So far, the apostle has affirmed his fatherly love for the church in no uncertain terms. I do not want what is yours, but you. And I will gladly spend and be spent for your souls. He's furthermore defended himself against deceit. In defending his reputation and his love for them, he was defending Christ. It was all for their building up. And now, in these last two verses of the chapter, Paul firmly warns them. It's a fatherly firmness that they needed to hear. Let me ask the kids, her. Do your parents ever warn you? I'm guessing they do. Maybe you did something or said something that was disrespectful or selfish, and your mom or dad had to sit you down. What did they say? Well, from experience (on both sides), your mom or dad probably gave you a warning and some reasons. Right? For example, “yesterday you said that your homework was done so you could play with your friends. I found out that you were lying. It may seem small but lying breaks trust. It dishonors God because we are called to be people of truth and walk in the light. So, I will be checking your homework, and if you lie again, you will lose the privilege of playing with your friends for a week.” Does that sound familiar? That is a warning from a loving parent to a child. That is what the apostle Paul was doing here. He was sternly warning them about their actions and warning them about his upcoming visit, but he does it in a gentle way. He uses the word “fear.” Did you notice that at the beginning of verse 20 and 21? “I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish…” and verse 21, again, “I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented.” He uses the word fear because he does not want to see the Corinthians enmeshed in sin. He knows the near term and long term consequences of their sin, and he doesn't want to see his children experience those consequences. And so he makes clear their need to repent, which means to see their sin, to grieve over it, turn from it, and back to God. Ok, briefly, let's look at the two lists of sin here. The first list in verse 20 includes relational sin within the church. “quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.” Those are all things that destroy the body of Christ. The second list are sins related to the purity of their minds and bodies. “impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality.” These are sins that destroy the body and pollute the mind. Each of those lists is destructive in different ways. Those two lists are essentially what Paul's first letter focused on. That sin still plagued the church at that time. Paul loved them and longed to see them repent. But he feared that that they wouldn't. And so, as a loving father, he mourned. I don't know a godly parent who doesn't mourn and grieve and pray for their wayward child. They plead with the Lord and they pray. They love their child or children children by seeking them, sacrificing for them, being clear about their sin, but reminding them of the mercy of God if they turn from it back to him. You see, these are the words of a loving father, the apostle Paul, to his wayward children, some in the Corinthian church. 1. He sought them with all his heart and sacrificed for their souls. 2. He defended the truth with grace and love, and 3. He longed to see them repent, firmly warning them of their path. The Love of the Father through Christ This is fatherly love. And this love that the apostle Paul displays is patterned after the love of God the Father for you and for me. God's love is the love that underlies this whole section of 2 Corinthians 12. Every single aspect of fatherly love here reflects the love of God for his children. First, he is seeking you. verse 14. God “seeks not what is yours but you.” That's true. The Father doesn't want your gifts to him or your sacrifices. No, he wants you. He seeks you. He wants your heart. We read from Micah 6 in our call to worship this morning. “With what shall I come before the Lord…? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”  And then Micah says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” He seeks you and your heart. Second, he has sacrificed for you. Verse 15. “I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls.” God the Father has made an infinite sacrifice for you and for your soul. The Father sacrificed his eternal Son as payment for your sin. Jesus gave his life that you may live. Paul's life as an apostle is patterned after the ministry of God in Christ. Paul suffered and would eventually be killed bringing the Gospel to the ends of the earth. But God gave infinitely more. Jesus endured the wrath of God, which you and I deserve, so that we may know him and be reconciled to him by faith. What more could God spend than himself for your salvation. Third, God has given us his Word of truth. This Word is for all the world to see and know. This Word condemns deceit. It stands against injustice. It reveals truth and righteousness. God has lovingly given us his Word that we might know him and pursue him. And all of it, to use the words of verse 19, are for our upbuilding. And fourth, and finally, God longs for us to repent and turn to him. This is the call to all humanity that is found all through the Bible. God calls all to repent and turn to him by faith. All through the Old Testament God displayed his mercy and lovingkindness. But his people rejected him and his commandments. They were unfaithful to him. God justly warned of his judgment, but all the while he mercifully sought their return to him. This is the same fatherly love that he gives us The apostle Peter captures it well in 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” As we come to a close, I want to ask you to evaluate your own heart and life. Each of us falls into one of three categories (related to these verses). 1. God is your loving Father and with a repentant heart, you are pursuing him by faith. Is that you? If so, press on by faith, continue to rely on him, continue to know his Word, and be reminded of his love for you in Christ. 2. God is your loving Father, but you, like some of the Corinthians, have wandered away from him. Maybe an unrepentant sin has taken hold of your life. Or maybe you've bought into a worldly philosophy like what the false apostles taught. If that is you, know that God loves you and longs for you to return to him. 3. Or maybe you fall into a 3rd category. God is pursuing you as a loving Father would pursue a wayward child. But you have yet to embrace his love. If that is you, know that God himself is seeking you. He has sacrificed his Son for you. He has spoken the truth to you with the firm resolve of a loving Father. And he desires you to submit your life to him by faith. Whichever category you are in, may God be at work in you because he is the loving Father.

2 Corinthians 12:1-13 Christ's Power Made Perfect in Weakness Please turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 12. That is on page 1152 of your pew Bibles. We are on the home stretch in our 2 Corinthians study. We'll be wrapping up our series over the next 4 weeks. This morning, we'll cover chapter 12 verses 1-13. It has one of the most well-known verses in the book. And it's a great one. The Lord said to Paul “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” What a tremendous promise. As I read, listen for the context of that promise. Also listen for the unique experiences and gifts given to the apostles. Reading of 2 Corinthians 12:1-13. Prayer “To live is to suffer.” That well-known quote has been attributed to a couple of people in history. Again, “To live is to suffer.” Whoever said it has captured one of the common experiences of all mankind. To be sure, it doesn't capture all the things we share, but it does capture the fact that we live in a fallen world. And part of that fallenness, which we all experience, is suffering. We each endure pain and suffering. Some to a greater extent and others to a lesser one. Some of our suffering is physical, other suffering is emotional. Some of it has been inflicted upon us by others. Some of our suffering is due to the imperfections of our minds and bodies. To use the words of Romans 8, the whole creation has been groaning… and we groan inwardly. You may struggle with chronic illness or live with the results of an accident. Or endure the effects of a disease that you had, or perhaps you were born with a condition of some kind that affects you every day. Maybe you have or have had cancer, or endure debilitating headaches, or struggle with vertigo, or seizures or mental illness. Or maybe the burden you carry is the suffering that a loved one is enduring. All of it is hard. All of it weighs on us. We lose sleep. We shed tears of heartache. Like Paul, we plead for the Lord to relieve our pain and suffering. We cry out for help. We long to be comforted and we long to be whole. Out of all the verses in the entire Bible, I think 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 brings the greatest comfort and hope to our souls. It directs us to the source of our comfort and it reveals from where we can draw strength in weakness. And that is, in Christ. I hope and pray that you will leave here today with a renewed strength in God as you endure suffering and sickness. But before we get to those precious verses, verses 7-10, let's first figure out what this third heaven is and who experienced it, and then ponder Paul's thorn in the flesh. I think understanding those things will in fact increase your comfort from this Word. By the way, I did get an outline in the bulletin this week. It's there on page 4. We're first going to look at Paul's calling as an Apostle (you know, capital A, Apostle), including the things unique to his role, as well as the things we share with him. And then second, we'll apply God's grace in Christ in our own weaknesses. 1. Paul's unique calling and our shared struggle So, #1, Paul's unique calling and our shared struggle. Remember, the whole reason that Paul has entered into the foolishness of boasting is because of the so-called super-apostles. They're mentioned here, again. They had elevated themselves. They taught a false Gospel. And they undermined Paul and his teaching. All of it threatened the stability and future of the church in Corinth. Therefore, Paul needed to demonstrate his trustworthiness and the truth of the Gospel he proclaimed. So, Paul had to boast, but it pained him. It pained him because he knew that any and all of the ministry that has happened through him was not because of himself. No, it was all attributable to God. Paul had a special calling as an Apostle, but he knew he was unworthy of that role, yet God had called him to it. So, he's been boasting over these last 2 chapters only to counter the super apostles. And now, in chapter 12 verse 1, he continues to boast and says, “I will go on to visions and revelations.” And then look at verse 2. He begins, “I know a man” and then describes the revelations that this guy experienced. Who is that guy? Well, it's Paul himself. He basically says so in verse 7. “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations [you know, the thing he just described], a thorn was given me in the flesh” This is like saying today, “Asking for a friend.” Like “is it ok to wear the same pair of socks two days in a row? asking for a friend.” You say “asking for a friend” because you really don't want to admit you are the one asking. But everyone knows, it's really you. Paul referred to himself in the third person because he just can't bring himself to boast about the amazing revelations he's seen. This man, AKA, Paul, has been caught up into “third heaven.” What in the world is the third heaven?  Well, at that time, there was a well-known way to describe the different levels of the heavens. The first heaven was the realm of the clouds and the blue sky; if you will, our atmosphere. The second heaven was the realm of the sun, moon, and stars, what we call outer space. And the third heaven was the spiritual realm, what we just call heaven – in the presence of the Lord. Paul describes it in verse 3 as “paradise.” So, Paul, as an apostle had been given a revelation of heaven. It was so real to him, he didn't even know if he was in the body or out of the body. Had God physically taken him to heaven to see its wonders, or had God only brought his spirit to see and hear? Paul didn't know. But he did know… it was unspeakably amazing. Now, in the book of Revelation, we are given a glimpse into this kind of revelation. The apostle John was taken up into heaven and Jesus revealed to him many things. John was told to write down what he saw and heard. Paul, on the other hand was told not to. In some way, it was to assure him of the truth and of God's promises. I mean, think of all the suffering that Paul had to endure as an apostle. Think of all those things that we considered in chapter 11. The beatings, the shipwrecks, the dangers. Would not the visions revealed to Paul give him confidence in God. Would they not inspire and motivate him to persevere as an Apostle despite the suffering that he would endure? Of course they would. They would do all those things. But he couldn't boast about the revelations as himself. He could only boast about them in his God ordained role as a true apostle. Now, jump down to verse 12. It's very similar in this regard. He writes, “The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.” Same thing. In verse 12 Paul can't even name himself as the one who performed the signs. So, he uses a passive voice. But the Corinthians were there. They knew full well that it was Paul that performed the signs and wonders… which, by the way, were likely healings and miracles. Besides Paul, other apostles performed them. We have record of several in the book of Acts. Consider this. Out of all the arguments about Paul's true apostleship, these are the strongest - visions and revelations and signs and wonders. Yet in all of it, Paul minimized himself and exalted God. Now, we don't share in those special things. We're not apostles…  Those things were given to the apostles. But there is something we do share with them. We share in their weaknesses. All throughout 2 Corinthians, we've studied the emphasis on suffering. To be sure, Paul has demonstrated his unique roll as a suffering servant for Christ. But he's also expanded God's teaching to includes all believers. Chapter 1: remember, we share in the suffering of Christ and in his comfort. Chapter 4: we have the unbreakable treasure of the Gospel in our breakable jars of clay bodies. Chapter 5: we groan in the tent that is our earthly body, and we long to put on our heavenly body. And now in chapter 12. Christ's power is made perfect in weakness. And furthermore, just like Paul, we each have thorns in our flesh. We share those things. OK, you are probably wondering: what was Paul's thorn? As you can imagine, there have been dozens of proposals through the centuries. Some have suggested Paul's thorn was a physical ailment such as migraines, or a speech impediment, or an eye condition, or some kind of disfigurement. That's possible. Others have suggested it was more opposition to his work. That view sees the messenger of Satan as an individual or group opposed to Paul. They were  “thorns in his flesh” so to speak. That's also possible. Personally, I think it was more likely a physical condition given that he calls it a thorn in his “flesh.” But in the end, it doesn't matter. The Holy Spirit saw fit in his wisdom to not identify the thorn. We don't need to know. And in many ways, it is helpful for us not to know. In fact, look at verse 10. Notice that the types of suffering listed are broad.  “weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.” Those are basically all the kinds of suffering that we experience. All of it is a result of living in a fallen world. Our thorns in the flesh could be many things. Let me share one of my “thorns in the flesh.” 18 years ago, I was teaching a class. It was an intensive 5-day class in my field of work at the time. In the middle of the class on I think the second or third day, I lost my ability to say certain words. I would be in the middle of a sentence, and I couldn't say the next word. I had never experienced that before. It was a kind of stuttering. There were certain consonants that just wouldn't come out. I would get locked up. I had a hard time speaking. It was overwhelming. I was afraid and I didn't know what to do at first. At the time, I was only maybe 10 seminary classes away from finishing my degree. A career change was on my mind in the future. And I thought, if I can't talk clearly, I can't teach the Bible or preach. I prayed for healing and for the Lord to give me strength. Amy, of course, was a big encouragement. I was able to get some help. There are ceratin strategies to navigate those moments. It's mostly gone, but occasionally it comes back. Even today, I have to pause or take a breath before I can say certain words. And you probably don't notice it. Honestly, I don't remember if 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 came to mind in those difficult days. But certainly, its truths have become real to me. It was humbling, like Paul experienced with his thorn in the flesh. And it's been a constant reminder to rely on the Lord and his strength and his grace in my weakness. I know many of you have a different thorn, but we share the same strength and grace. Strength in Christ and grace in him. 2. God's grace in Christ and his power in our weakness Which brings us to main point number 2. God's grace in Christ and his power in our weakness. We'll spend the rest of our time applying these truths to our suffering and weakness. The first thing to note is that there are two causes here. Besides the thorn being in God's sovereign plan, Satan was also present to tempt Paul. Maybe the apostle Paul has Job in mind. We read from Job chapter 2 earlier. God allowed Satan to afflict Job. Satan thought that Job would curse God, but Job stood firm through that temptation. So did the apostle. I think every single one of us understands the temptation of weakness. God, where are you? Why have you not brought healing or restoration? Have you forgotten me? Have I done something to deserve this? Those are the questions we struggles through. And let me say, if there's nothing else you remember from 2 Corinthians, remember that God ministers to us in our suffering. He understands our suffering, he is with us in it, and he uses it for his purposes. One big thing that 2 Corinthians has taught us is to reorient our theology of suffering. We've learned that God uses suffering in our life for his purposes. And, throughout the book, we've been given hope and strength to endure. But what are those purposes? Well, to name a few… In chapter 1, we learned that affliction helps us to rely on God more. That's certainly true. Suffering should drive us to Christ. God also uses our affliction so that we can minister to others who similarly suffer. Remember, we are able to comfort others with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God. In Chapter 4, God directed our attention in suffering to the eternal weight of glory. Our suffering points us to heaven and the amazing glory that we will experience. And here in chapter 12, God used Paul's thorn in two ways. (1) to keep him from being conceited -to humble him. Suffering certainly does that. And (2), to remind Paul of God's grace as he endured his suffering. Suffering helps us to lay hold of God's grace. That really encapsulates the first subpoint in point #2 - Knowing God's purposes in our weakness (12:7-8) God is at work in your suffering. Do you believe that? Do you believe that God is conforming you more and more to the image of his Son. It's true. Through suffering, God may be releasing your reliance on the world or the world's things. That's possible. He may be getting hold of your attention. Or maybe it's all of those things or something all together different. Whatever it is, know this: God is at work accomplishing his purposes in your suffering. Number 2, the second subpoint. If you are a believer in Christ, you have God's grace. You have God's undeserved mercy in Christ. And that grace, as verse 9 reminds us, IS sufficient for you in your weakness. It is sufficient because the power of Christ has come through weakness. Jesus suffered in this life. He endured the trials and pain and torture unto death. It was through those things, through that affliction and weakness, that God has brought salvation to the world. Isn't it amazing to consider how the weakness and suffering of our savior ultimately demonstrated his power? That is the power that verse 9 is talking about. In the cross of Christ is the power to save, and the power to sanctify, and the power to overcome sin and Satan. It is that power, the power of Christ which rests upon us, as verse 9 puts it. So, beloved in Christ, in your weaknesses and trials and suffering, remind yourself of that grace which he gives. It is eternally sufficient to sustain you. That brings us to the third sub-point listed there. Contentment. Paul says in verse 10, “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.” None of us, by nature, are content with any of those things. We could go through that list and talk about how in each of those things we can become resentful. For example, take that last one – calamities. This last week has been so very hard with the flooding in Texas. Our hearts ache for the families who have lost loved ones, especially those little girls. Yes, we should be crying out to God, but our hearts should at the same time not become resentful. We can grieve and ask God why, but we can do that with a humble contentment in God's promises and what he is doing through that disaster. By the way, that word contentment, in the Greek, means to take pleasure in the implications of something. We can be content because we know that God's purposes are being fulfilled in those things. As Romans 8:28 says, we know that all things work together for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purposes. It doesn't say all things are good. It says, all things work together for the good of those who love him. The difficult providence of suffering is not what we would choose for ourselves or others, but God uses it. He uses it to accomplish his purposes as he has in Paul. The question is whether we will allow our suffering to drive us away from Christ and cause us to become resentful or whether we will allow our suffering to drive us to Christ and be content in him through it. The last subpoint, #4. Embracing his strength in our weakness. Really the second half of verse 10 summarizes it all. “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” This is totally contrary to our sensibilities. Strength, according to the world, is being firm and leading with confidence. It's being self-reliant and influencing others through our position. Strength in the world is about achievements and successes. In other words, it's all the things that the super-apostles were about. But none of those things will help you in the trials and tribulations of life. Rather, strength comes through weakness. That's the paradox of the Gospel. We are strong through weakness when we humble ourselves and rely on Christ alone by faith. We are strong when we submit to him no matter the suffering we face. It doesn't mean we can't lament. Many of the Psalms are Psalms of lament. We are strong when we allow God to mold and shape us in our suffering. All that strength in weakness comes through Jesus Christ. Though he possessed the full glory of God as God, yet he set aside that glory and became weak. He took on the weakness of human flesh. He endured the sufferings and afflictions of this life. He bore our sin on the cross. But he was raised in power and exalted on high. You see, his grace IS sufficient because his power IS made perfect in weakness. And because he shares in our weakness, we share in his strength. That strength will sustain you through all the suffering in this life. The devil may tempt you. Your fear and pain may at times may be overwhelming, but in those moments, renew your faith in Christ. Look to him knowing that his purposes are being fulfilled in you, and know that nothing will separate you from him. Back to Romans 8 one more time. “neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” May we grasp on to that great truth through whatever weakness and suffering we endure. Amen.

2 Corinthians 11:16-33 - Boasting as a Fool Please remain standing. Our sermon text this morning is 2 Corinthians 11:16-33. Please turn there. It is on page 1152. In this passage, the apostle Paul comes back to the theme of boasting. He introduced it in chapter 10. Remember, our boasting should be in the Lord and his work, not ourselves and our work. That was in contrast to the super apostles, who boasted in themselves. That is why, at the beginning of chapter 11, Paul had the most pointed critique of them yet. They taught a different Gospel and were actually messengers of Satan. That brings us to our text this morning. As you will hear, Paul hates their boasting. But to counter the super apostles, he first sarcastically boasts in his credentials and then surprisingly he boasts in something very different. Listen for those things as I read. Reading of 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 Prayer On the world stage, there is no shortage of bragging and arrogance. I'm talking mainly about world leaders. I think there's been an increase over the last couple of decades. We certainly saw it back in the late1990s with Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. Vladimir Putin in Russia has certainly displayed a confident arrogance in his 25 years of power. And no matter your political opinions, I think everyone here would agree: our current president is quite the self-promoter, and I'm being kind. Now, don't be distracted by that comment. Stay with me. Let me say that none of this is new. If we go back to the first century in the Roman Empire, boasting was at a similar high. In fact, I read in a commentary this week that Ceasar Augustus, one of the great Roman Emperors, raised the bar of self-promotion. Near the end of his life, Augustus wrote a short treatise about himself. Listen to the title - “The Deeds of the Divine Augustus.” It was released in the year of his death, AD 14. In it, Augustus highlighted all of his successes – his military accomplishments, his public works, his diplomacy, and his reforms in the empire. You can find it online. In it, you will read over and over. “I did this, I did that.” I triumphed over such and such nations. I built the senate house and the capital building. Four times, I helped the senatorial treasury with my own money. I restored peace to the sea from pirates. I gave shows of gladiators under my name. I extended the borders of the empire… etc. etc. This kind of self-absorbed boasting permeated the culture of the Roman Empire. And to give a little historical context, it was published about 60 years after Corinth was re-settled as a Roman city; 20 years before Jesus' crucifixion, and about 40 years before Paul wrote 2 Corinthians. So, it is no surprise that the false apostles in Corinth praised themselves. That is what you did if you were to be known and honored. We've seen it over and over, these “super apostles” did not live by the Spirit with a humble and contrite heart. No, rather they lived by the world's standards and beliefs and lifestyle. And part of that was to elevate themselves and their own self-defined credentials. As we just read, the apostle Paul hated it. In verses 16 to 21 he calls it all foolishness. In fact, look at verse 19. He writes to the church, “for you gladly bear with fools.” So, not only was their boasting foolish, but the false apostles themselves were fools. That word fool or foolish, if you remember from our Proverbs study, can be understood either as passively ignorant, you know, not really knowing any better… or being foolish can be understood in a more active way, someone being unwise with a senseless arrogance. That second understanding best fits the context. Paul even sarcastically calls the Corinthians “wise.” You see that in the second half of 19. “For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves!” It wasn't wisdom at all, but rather foolishness. So, that was part of the problem in Corinth. The arrogant boasting of the culture had come to the church through the super-apostles. So, what does Paul do? Well, for a brief moment, he enters into their boasting. It is like he is saying, since you are foolishly boasting, let me show you what this foolish boasting is like. He doesn't want to toot his own horn, but he feels like he has to in order answer the super apostles. That why he says in verse 16, “…let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.” He goes on in 17, “What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would but as a fool. Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast.” Can you sense it? Paul can't stand boasting. Nonetheless, he is compelled to do it. The false apostles were enslaving the Corinthians with their lies and deceit. To use some of the other words in verse 20. They were “devouring” them and “taking advantage” of them. The false apostles had “air” of superiority. In all of it, they were in essence “striking [the church] in the face.” But really, they had nothing on Paul. Paul's fleshly credentials were greater than theirs. He says in verse 22, “Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I.” He could have gone on with his worldly credentials. In other places in Scripture he mentions that he is from the tribe of Benjamin. He was among the few. Furthermore, he had been an esteemed Pharisee. But he says in his letter to the Philippians chapter 3 that he “counts it all loss for the sake of Christ.” There is something far greater, and that is his identity in Christ. “Corinthian church, you have bought into this ungodly boasting. It is all foolishness. And even if you go by the super apostles foolish criteria, they still do not measure up.” Any and all boasting in human strength and ability is self-centered and not Christ-centered. It is foolishness because (1) it does not recognize God and his Glory and his gifts, (2) it does not recognize our sin and our unworthiness apart from Christ, and (3) boasting in human strength does not acknowledge that all good gifts come from him alone. Now, we covered some of that a couple of weeks ago. But we learn something very interesting here in the middle of chapter 11. We learn, there is something that we can boast about in our lives. We can boast in our weakness. Jump down to verse 30. “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” Verses 23 to really the middle of chapter 12 are specifically about that. Boasting in weakness. Now, boasting in our weakness does not mean glorifying failure or seeking pity. It is not drawing attention to ourselves as a victim. Nor is it seeking our identity in suffering. The apostle Paul is not doing any of that, here.   So then, what is boasting in weakness? It is giving glory to God who sustains us in our weakness. And it is recognizing that the Lord has gone before us in our suffering. Just as he endured the weakness of the flesh and affliction from the world, so too, in him, God will sustain and use us in our weakness. I just want to make that clear. As we look at this, there are two things that the apostle focuses on. First, here in chapter 11 he focuses on the affliction that he received as a result of his ministry. You know, all the things that he suffered as an apostle. Second, when we get to the beginning of chapter 12, he focuses on the weakness of the flesh. Paul will write about his thorn in the flesh. We'll get to that next week. But today, let's consider this unbelievable list of Paul's suffering and God's protection. Go back up to verse 23. Paul begins, “Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one” Now, put yourself in the shoes of the Corinthians. What do you think they expected Paul to say, next? Perhaps they expected him to give a Caesar Augustus type list: I, Paul, planted 13 churches; I saw the risen Lord, himself, on the road to Damascus; I raised Eutychus from the dead; I cast out demons in Jesus name; I healed the sick; I confounded the Greek philosophers in Athens. Etc. etc. But he doesn't do that. No, instead, he rattles off a most surprising list. All the things that he suffered (so far!) as an apostle. And it is overwhelming. God sustained him over and over and over to bring the Gospel all throughout the northern Mediterranean. Only a portion of this list is included in the book of Acts. Acts is the history of the early church. ·      Paul was imprisoned multiple times. In Phillipi, which we read about earlier, he was beaten and then imprisoned with his feet in stocks. ·      He mentions, here, multiple beating with rods. In Lystra he was stoned outside the city and left for dead. ·      The most severe thing on this list is the forty lashes minus 1. It was a Jewish punishment for breaking the law. The guilty party would be severely whipped. Each lash would score the skin of the recipient. It would create what was called a stripe. A bloodied line across the back that would eventually scar. 39 lashes was one short of 40. More than 40 would have broken the Jewish law, so 39 was just in case someone didn't miscount. Paul bore on his body the marks of his sacrifice for the Gospel. ·      He mentions being shipwrecked three times. However, the most famous shipwreck had not even happened yet. That one is recorded in Acts 27. That would be a couple of years later. ·      He furthermore endured multiple dangers. He endured danger from the elements… from cold and heat. Sometimes he went without food. But also, he experienced danger from others. Danger not just from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles and from robbers. Notice at the end of verse 26 he includes danger from false brothers. He uses the word “brothers” because there were men in the church who threatened him. They were wolves in sheep's clothing, just like the false apostles in Corinth. This kind of persecution happens all over the world today. We have so many freedoms in our country, that it's hard to imagine the suffering that our brothers and sister in Christ experience throughout the world. Some of you know or have met Pastor Zaki. He pastors the Orthodox Presbyterian Church over on Chamblee Tucker. It's just down the road from here. He is a dear brother and a friend. Zaki is from Eretria. He's been in the US for about 15 years. A couple of years ago, at a conference here in the area, he spoke about persecution. As part of that, Pastor Zaki shared a little about the persecution that he endured. In 2002, the government of Eritrea shut down many of the churches. Some believers were imprisoned, especially pastors, and the church had to go underground. Well, Zaki was arrested. He was not even allowed to tell his family, when it happened. He was brought to the prison. They put him in a metal shipping container. There was just one small vent in it so he could breathe. Literally, nothing else was in it. Zaki described how he, at first, struggled to rejoice. He remembered the words of Jesus, blessed are those who are persecuted for my name sake. And he remembered the words of the apostle Peter that we're to rejoice in suffering. He thought, “had I led my people astray telling them that they should rejoice even if they suffered persecution for their faith.” Those first few hours weighed heavily on him, and he prayed. Then it happened. The Holy Spirit opened his heart, and he began rejoicing in the Lord. Something even more amazing happened that first night. About midnight, he said, he began hearing other believers all throughout the prison singing. They were suffering, but they were rejoicing. And he joined in their joyful praise. Brother Zaki was release but arrested 4 more time over the next 9 years. As I understand it, he was beaten. At one point he almost died, but the Lord preserved him. In 2011, he was able to flee to the United States. He moved to Greenville to study. And then the Lord then brought him here to the Tucker area to pastor. The kind of suffering and affliction that Paul endured is experienced by many today who love and serve Christ. And I want you to notice, it's not just external suffering that Paul endured. Look at verse 28. “Apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” Paul loved the Corinthians. Really, he loved every single church that he participated in planting. He prayed for them. He communicated with them. He longed to see them be faithful and true. And it all weighed on his soul. And look what he says in verse 29. He asks, “who is weak, and I am not weak?” In other words, when someone in one of his churches suffered, Paul suffered alongside of them. His heart suffered. The next question in verse 29 is even stronger, “Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?” In other words, when a fellow believer in Christ was led into sin by one of these false brothers, Paul was indignant. He had a righteous anger at these false apostles for all the ways in which the church was being led astray. That internal turmoil was part of the suffering that he endured. Ok, now, jump down to verses 32 and 33. Paul mentions one final experience. Many, many years earlier, when he was in Damascus, in order to escape persecution, he had to be lowered in a basket out of a window. By the way, if someone tried to lower me in a basket, I think it wold probably go very poorly. I wouldn't even fit in a basket. But Paul escaped. Now, when you hear this last trial, doesn't it feel like an addendum to his list? But let me ask, do you remember the significance of Damascus? Paul was on the road to Damascus when the Lord blinded him and called him to faith. Damascus was the very city that he first stayed in as a believer in Jesus. Do you see what Paul is saying? His suffering as an apostle began at the very beginning of his ministry. All the suffering that he has endured is not new. It goes back to the very beginning of labors for Christ. Despite what the false apostles were saying, his suffering did not disqualify him as an apostle. No, rather, it testified to his true apostleship. Do you see now why Paul could boast in this affliction and weakness? It showed and demonstrated that God had called him to suffer and God sustained him through it all. This was not the theology of the super apostles. Part of their false prosperity Gospel, which we've considered multiple times in weeks past, was to reject sickness and suffering as part of the Christian life. Like many counterfeit pastors today, they taught that suffering was not part of God's purpose and will for your life. They rejected Paul because he suffered. But God is saying through Paul that suffering is part and parcel of the Christian life. He's been saying that all throughout 2 Corinthians. Remember, in our affliction, we share in the affliction of Christ, so that we may share in his comfort. And also, these light momentary afflictions are preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. And so, we can boast in our weakness. It's a humble boasting. Yes, that's a little paradoxical, but I think you know what I mean. It's a humble boasting that gives glory to God. Isn't that the upside-down world of the Gospel? Strength comes through weakness. Exaltation comes through humility. Life comes through death. Go back up to verse 23. We've already considered it. Paul asks, “Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one.” Did you notice that it is the only question where Paul raises the bar. He doesn't say, “so am I” like how he answers the other questions. Rather he says, “I am better.” Literally translated, it would say I am a degree beyond. His service to Christ is far better because of his suffering, not despite it. That question and Paul's answer prefaces the entire list of his suffering. To put it another way, Paul suffered in this life, we suffer in this life, just as our Savior suffered in this life. Jesus endured many trials in this life. False accusations; rejection from his people; temptations from Satan; Jesus disciples abandoned him at his hour of need; he was spit on and mocked and whipped…  not with regular whips, like 40 lashes minus one, but wips with metal or bone fragments in it, which tore into his skin. Isaiah wrote in his prophecy that our Savior was oppressed and afflicted, yet did not open his mouth. “he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” Other translations say, “with his stripes we are healed.” Paul boasted in his suffering because his Savior suffered and died for him. Jesus suffered and died so that in eternity his people would be freed from suffering and affliction. In other words, Jesus did not suffer and die so that we would not suffer in this life. No. Rather, Jesus suffered and died to forgive and redeem us, and in heaven we will be freed from our suffering forever. And that gives us great hope in our suffering in this life. And we can therefore boast in it. If we must, as Paul says. So, to recap – Paul's boasting in his earthly credentials, was simply to put the super apostles in their place. All boasting in human strength and wisdom is foolishness and it dishonors God. If we must boast about ourselves, we should boast in our weakness. For Paul, his suffering was a testimony of his true ministry as an apostle. And when we boast in our suffering we ought testify to Christ's suffering for our salvation. Truly, in all of history, there was only one man who could rightfully boast in his accomplishments. It was not Caesar Augustus. It was not any world leader today or in the past. No. The only one who could rightfully boast was and is our Lord. As God the son, Jesus is the king of kings; the agent through which God created the heavens and the earth; He is the very word of God; and redeemer of God's people. Yet, on earth, he boasted not of those things. Instead, he humbled himself. He did not respond when mocked, he suffered and died, but was raised. As we sang earlier, “I will not boast in anything; No gifts, no power, no wisdom; But I will boast in Jesus Christ; His death and resurrection” So, let us boast in him… and when we suffer, let us boast because we suffer in him. Amen

In deze speciale zomereditie hebben Marco Timmer en Björn van der Doelen het onder meer over de vele transferdossiers en Eindhoven.

Boasting in God and His Work, Not Ourselves or Our Work Please turn to 2 Corinthians 10. Our sermon text is chapter 10 verses 8-18. That is on page 1150. As you are turning there, be reminded that the apostle Paul has been defending his apostleship over and against the false apostles. This morning's reading continues the contrast between true and false apostles. These verses focus on boasting and comparing. In whom should we boast and with whom should we compare ourselves. Listen for those things as I read. Reading of 2 Corinthians 10:8-18 Prayer As I was studying this passage, I realized that it's pretty relevant for our church's 5th anniversary. I promise I didn't pick this text for that purpose. And then as I studied it, more, I realized, oh this is actually pretty convicting. I was reflecting back on all the feelings I was going through when we were organizing. This is going back to 2019 and early 2020. A big one was fear of failure. I had read that something like 80% of church plants don't make it. That was hard to consider. My temptation, like other pastors, is to connect my identity to the success or failure of the church. When things are seemingly going well, it's tempting to think that somehow it's due to my gifts or leadership. And on the other side, when things are seemingly not going well, the temptation is to feel like a failure instead of turning to Christ and relying on him. So that was one thing. But also, I had feelings of rejection. Like when a person or family was exploring churches, but decided to go to another church, it was (and it still is!) easy to feel a personal rejection. Related to that, it has been tempting to compare myself with other pastors or compare our church with other churches. I have struggled with those but especially when we were beginning. I've had to ask myself some hard questions. 1. Is my identity wrapped up our church instead of Christ? That's a hard question for any pastor. 2. Do I have a worldly understanding of success and failure? That's another hard one. Am I focused on numeric growth or, instead, spiritual growth? 3. Am I comparing myself with others or looking for affirmation from others instead of from Jesus? Those are hard things to ask. The reason I'm bringing these up is because our text this morning asks and answer some of these very questions. Now, to be sure, none of us are apostles. No, Paul had a special ordained role as one of the apostles called by Jesus himself. Moreover, the office of apostle concluded in the first century when the Scriptures were complete. However, even though none of us are apostles, the foundation that Paul laid for the church, and the pattern that he modelled as a faithful shepherd certainly apply to us today. In these verses, as Paul compares the true apostles to the false apostles, we can see the pattern. On the one hand, God glorifying, Christ exalting ministry and on the other, man-centered, self-exalting ministry. As we work through this, my hope is that we, as a church, can hear and apply these words to us. In the outline provided, you'll see 3 questions. 1. Whose standard are we using? 2. Whose glory are we seeking? 3. Whose message are we proclaiming? Actually, I want to extend that third question. Whose message are we proclaiming and what mission are we pursuing? Pencil that in. Again, whose standard, whose glory, whose message, and what mission. 1. Whose standard are we using? So, #1 whose standard? We've already considered that the impostors in Corinth critiqued Paul because he appeared weak in the flesh. Look at verse10: “For they say, ‘His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.'” There are really three critiques here. 1) Paul was physically weak or at least he came across as wimpy; 2) his speech was unimpressive. In other words, because he didn't use all the rhetorical devices of the era, he was therefore sub-par... and 3) he was self-contradictory. His letters were strong but that wasn't matched by a strong in-person impression. That last one is addressed directly in verse 11. Paul writes, “Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present.” He was saying to them, you may have an impression of weakness when we are in person, however, we are living out our boldness in our lives when we are with you. And make no mistake, we are prepared to speak with the same boldness if necessary. What was the false apostles standard? How were they evaluating Paul? And the answer is, they were using the world's standards. They were comparing Paul to what they considered superior. Verse 12 gets to the heart of their problem. It says, “Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” They were measuring themselves with one another. Their standard did not come from God, it came through their worldly comparison. I think we can all understand the temptation. Our natural sinful disposition is to look to others. We constantly measure ourselves by what we see around us. I was recently reading a book that identified the 10th commandment – do not covet – as the consummate problem with the entire world. The author was saying that man's covetous heart is the source of all evil and war and anger and stealing and adultery. Someone has something that we don't have and we want it. We want to be better than and stronger than and more prominent than and more popular than our neighbor. Do you see how that is true? A covetous heart leads to ungodly and self-centered thoughts and words and actions that betray God's standard of righteousness. Now, I do not believe the 10th commandment is the only path to sin and evil in the world. I think the 1st and 2nd commandments are also an entry point into corruption and evil. The 1st and 2nd commandments are about having no other god and not making or worshiping an idol in the place of God. But for sure, coveting was a big problem in Corinth. The false apostles coveted what Paul had – they wanted his authority and popularity. And so what did they do? They turned to each other and the world's standards… and they undermined Paul, whom God had ordained as faithful and true. Last month, something really sad and unfortunate happened. A prominent pastor in the reformed church world was found to be slandering other pastors. He had created multiple anonymous X accounts, and he was using those fake accounts to criticize and undermine other pastors. This pastor was doing the same thing as the false apostles in Corinth. He was elevating himself and suppressing others. Now, that's a negative example and I think it's a rare example. At least, I hope. A more common example is when we envy the so-called success of other churches and try to mimic their tactics. In other words, when we see or hear of another church attracting a bunch of people, we think, what are they doing that we could also do or even do better? On my way here last week, I drove by a big church. Lots of cars were pulling in. And there was a guy with one of those giant bubble makers. You know, with the rope, and it makes big ubbles. And I thought, do we need a giant bubble maker? Just kidding. Actually, I was a little irritated because one of the bubbles popped on my car. On a serious note, much of today's church growth movement is focused on external things. It's just a modern version of what the false apostles were doing. Today it's about emotionally driven and high production experiences; or innovations to attract people; or it's a focus on feel-good messages that avoid difficult topics like sin and judgment and repentance and holiness; Now, I am not saying that we shouldn't be thoughtful and engaging in the responsibilities God has given his church. We definitely should. Rather, I'm saying that our natural sinful proclivity is to turn to the world's standards and approach which includes compare ourselves to others. It's one of my temptations and I think probably to some extent, a temptation for all of us. Instead, we should be looking to the Lord and his criteria. That begins by seeking to be faithful to him and to his ways and to his purposes rather than the world's. Instead of being man-centered we should seek to be God glorifying. We should focus on the Gospel – our utter need for God's grace in Christ because of our sin and God's judgment. In our practices, we should submit them to God's Word. Those are just a few. So, whose standard are we using? Are we following God's standard which he has reveled to us in his Word, or are we following the world's standard, comparing ourselves to one another? 2. Whose glory are we seeking? #2. Whose glory are we seeking? Are we seeking God's glory and are we boasting in him, or are we boasting in and exalting ourselves? You heard the word boast in these verses. It's used 7 times. In fact, the theme of boasting will continue into chapters 11 and 12. And we get the sense that Paul doesn't even like the word boasting. But because the so-called super apostles were boasting, Paul needed to correct their misguided boasting by presenting what they should really be boasting in – which is the Lord. By the way, let me give you a definition of the word boasting. The Greek word boast is to brag about, or rejoice in, or have confidence in something. To boast is to lift up something or someone as exceptionally noteworthy. Paul is saying all throughout these verses that our boasting needs to be in the Lord and his work. Nowhere in these verses does Paul commend himself. Rather, he directs their attention to the Lord and what the Lord commends. Let's look at two examples here. First, verse 8. Paul writes, “For even if I boast a little too much of our authority.” Do you hear that uneasiness. But listen to what he says next,  “which the Lord gave….” You see, he focuses on the Lord. It's not a self commending authority, but an authority that the Lord gave. Verse 18 is similar. “For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” The impostors were boasting in their own self-assigned authority. It was not a God-ordained authority. They were putting each other on a pedestal. I don't know if you'll remember this from chapter 3, but they even had letters of recommendation to somehow prove their authority in the church. It was all very self-serving and not God glorifying. It's kind of like they were applying for a job. You know the drill. The way to get a job is self-promotion. You put together a resume or a CV. You have to include all your expertise and credentials and education and certifications. Then if you get an interview, you basically have to talk about why you are the best… or at least the best fit for the job. It's a little uncomfortable, isn't it? …because you are essentially boasting about yourself. That's the way the world works, and it's hard to break out of that mindset in ministry. It's not that Paul didn't have the credentials. Actually, in the next chapter he is going to be clear about his credentials. Rather, what he is emphasizing is that we need to direct our attention to the Lord. It is his work, not ours. It's his work in us, his work through us, and he is the one to be exalted in it. Let me put it this way: No heart transforming work happens in anyone's life by man's work. No, it is the work of God in Christ through the Holy Spirit that turns hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. Furthermore, there is no sanctification in one's life that happens by our will, no, rather it is likewise the ministry of God's Word through his Spirit that matures us in Christ. Our church is here today, not because of anything that any of us did. I am not saying that seeking to be faithful to fulfill God's call for the local church is not important. It is important. But there have been many faithful church plants that have closed. There was a church plant in Lilburn that closed a couple of years ago. It was a daughter church of Perimeter in John's Creek – Perimeter is a sister church of ours. And I remember a very meaningful comment by Perimeter's church plant director. As they prepared to close their doors, he encouraged them that their labors were not in vain. No, rather that the Lord had been faithfully at work during the time of their existence as a church. And furthermore, he said, that when that great day comes when Christ returns, the work that the Lord did through their church plant will be celebrated… celebrated as part of the broader kingdom work of God throughout the world. It was a great reminder that it was the Lord's work. That's hard to get our minds around because we often apply the world's criteria of success and failure. But we can still boast in what God has done in that community and the lives of his people. The key verse is right there in verse 17. It's a quote from Jeremiah. “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” Paul is clearly boasting here. But he is boasting in God's authority over his apostleship, and he is boasting in the Lord's work in Corinth. There is only one place to direct our boasting. It is to the Lord. What he has done and is doing. So, whose glory are we seeking? Are we seeking our own glory? Are we commending and boasting in ourselves or are we seeking to give glory to God and his work? 3. Whose message are we proclaiming and what mission are we pursuing? Which brings us to the third question. Whose message are we proclaiming and what mission are we pursuing? We've already seen throughout 2 Corinthians that the false apostles were not only promoting themselves, but they were proclaiming a false gospel. Their gospel was about power and it was about prestige. It was not about the true Gospel of Christ crucified and the weakness and suffering and humility that comes from that. Furthermore, their mission was to build up themselves and their little kingdom. We're not given any sense in 2 Corinthians that the false apostles desired to spread the Gospel. Paul focuses on these things in verses 14 and 15. And they merit a little explaining. He says in verse 14, “we are not overextending ourselves as though we did not reach you.” What he means is that they had a vested interest in Corinth. Corinth was under their oversight. They were not interjecting themselves into the situation in Corinth without warrant. On the contrary, they had come, as it says, “all the way to them to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Paul and the others had sacrificed much to bring the Gospel to them and had labored many months to establish the church. When Paul planted the church in Corinth, he was there for 18 months. Of course he desired to see the church in Corinth prosper. And there are two things on his mind. First, he wanted them to be firmly established with the Gospel message and, second, he wanted them to participate in the Gospel mission. The message of the Gospel and the mission of the Gospel go hand and hand. As Paul said in his letter to the Romans in chapter 1, “The Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.” Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. He wanted to see the Gospel message go to the ends of the earth. And he wanted the Corinthians to help. That is what the second half of verse 15 means. “our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged.” In other words, as you grow in your faith, we hope you will take the Gospel to other communities around you and thus enlarge what God began. And then look what he says in verse 16, “so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you.” When the church in Corinth matures in Christ and stabilizes, two things will happen. First, the Gospel will spread in southern Greece. And second, Paul, Timothy, Titus, and the others will no longer need to focus their efforts on Corinth. They will be able to take the Gospel to other lands that have never heard of Jesus Christ. A church that loses the Gospel message loses the Gospel mission. You may have heard this, but a couple of months ago, the mainline Presbyterian denomination in the US ended its foreign mission's agency. They let go their remaining 60 missionaries. Over the last 100 years, they had slowly lost their belief in Jesus as the only hope for salvation. And with that loss of message, they slowly lost the purpose of missions. If there's no message, then why bother with the mission? When the so-called super apostles infiltrated Corinth, not only did they distract the church away from the truth, they also distracted the church away from its mission. And it furthermore required a lot of effort from Paul and others, which distracted them from their broader mission to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Are we seeking to be true to the message of the Gospel and faithful to our mission to proclaim it to all the world? Conclusion To recap: 1. Whose standard are we using? Are we comparing ourselves to others using the world's standards or are we seeking what the Lord commends and has designed for his church? 2. Whose glory are we seeking? Are we boasting in ourselves , or are we boasting in the Lord and his work, recognizing that in him and through him and to him are all things? 3. Whose message are we proclaiming and what mission are we pursuing? Are we being faithful to the hope that is found in Christ alone and faithful to the great commission… or is the message and mission waning in our lives and church? Every church needs to be constantly evaluating and re-evaluating these questions. I don't know what plans the Lord has for us over the next 5 years. But my prayer is (1) that we would not align ourselves to the standards of the world, (2) that we would boast in the Lord and his work, and (3) that we would be faithful to Christ, seeking to be a light of his Gospel to our neighbors and taking that Gospel to the “lands beyond” as the apostle put it. In all of it, boasting in the Lord. Amen.

2 Corinthians 10 1-7 The Weapons of Warfare Please turn to 2 Corinthians 10. You can find that on page 1150 in the pew Bible. This is the last section of the apostle Paul's letter to the church in Corinth. It runs through the final 4 chapters. Before we read, I want to remind you of two things in 2 Corinthians. First, Paul has been emphasizing his authority as an apostle. That emphasis began all the way back in chapter 1 verse 1. In the very opening words of the letter, he identified himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ. His defense continued throughout chapters 1-9 in different ways. For example, in chapter 3, he identified himself as a minister of the new covenant through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In chapter 5, he stressed that the apostles were ambassadors of Christ. And in several places, he has emphasized that the apostle's ministry is patterned after Christ's ministry. Just like Jesus suffered and died so to the apostles have and would continue to suffer and would die for the Gospel. So that's the first thing – Paul was a chosen ambassador of Christ as an apostle. Number 2, the whole reason that Paul emphasized his true apostleship is because there were false apostles in Corinth. They taught a false Gospel – Paul said that they were tampering with God's word. They used cunning practices, he said, and were blinded by the god of this world. That's pretty strong. These false apostles had been attacking Paul's credentials. That is why Paul defends his apostleship. And that is also why he corrects several misguided beliefs (like suffering and God's Covenant promises and grace in giving). So again, #1 Paul is a true apostle of Jesus Christ and #2 false teachers were trying to blind the church. Those two things are important because in these last 4 chapters, the apostle Paul doubles down on them. You'll hear that in our text this morning. Let's turn our attention to 2 Corinthians 10:1-7 Reading of 2 Corinthians 10:1-7 Prayer On the wall of my office is a picture of the USS Maryland. It was a battleship. The picture was taken in 1945 as it was on its way to the battle of Okinawa. The reason that I have it on my wall is one of the Navy sailors in the picture is my grandfather. The battle of Okinawa was the most intense and decisive battles in the pacific theater of World War 2. 180,000 US troops fought in that battle. One of those soldiers was a man named Desmond Doss. Just to be sure, Doss was not my grandfather. He was a different soldier who likewise enlisted to serve his country. The interesting thing about Private Doss is that he refused to carry a weapon. He wanted to serve but he held strong convictions and would not carry a gun. Because of that, his fellow soldiers harassed him. They called him a coward and considered him a liability. One soldier threw his boots at Doss while Doss was praying. Another threatened him, “I'll make sure you don't come back alive.” Nonetheless, Doss continued to serve and became his unit's medic. Well, Doss was part of the 77th infantry division deployed to Okinawa. His regiment attacked the enemy forces at a 400-foot cliff on the southern part of the island. That cliff is known as Hacksaw Ridge. Maybe you've heard of it. It was a very brutal battle. Many many soldiers were killed. The US forces had no other choice but to retreat. However, Doss stayed behind. Under the darkness of night, Doss rescued 75 wounded men. He dragged each soldier to the cliff's edge, he had a makeshift harness, lowered each down with a rope and a pulley system. And every time, he prayed that God would help him save one more. Doss rescued some of the same men who had earlier mocked him. In several ways, Private Doss is a picture of the apostle Paul here. On the outside, Paul looked weak. His detractors critiqued him for his small stature and for not being an eloquent speaker and for his humble demeanor. Yet, despite their perception of his weakness, the apostle, in reality was a formidable warrior. And like Doss, Paul risked his life to save others. In Paul's case, the battle was spiritual, and he was rescuing their souls. Really, this whole chapter, chapter 10, is about perceptions and reality. Some of the Corinthians had a faulty perception that Paul was weak and he was therefore “walking according to the flesh”  (verse 2). But the reality was quite the opposite. So, this morning, we'll be re-orienting our perceptions to reality. That is what the apostle Paul is seeking to do. 2 points this morning related to that. 1. Reorienting our disposition to the meekness of Christ. Our disposition is our attitude or our posture in relation to others. Reorienting our disposition to the meekness of Christ. That is in verses 1-2. 2. Reorienting our warfare to the power of Christ. That is in verses 3-6. Reorienting our warfare to the power of Christ. 1. Reorienting our disposition So, first… reorienting our disposition. Now, let me ask, what was the critique of Paul in these verses? Well, they were saying that Paul was bold when he was writing to them, but he was wimpy in their presence. They believed Paul didn't have the guts to challenge them face to face. Even though his letters were bold, he was weak. He was therefore walking in the weakness of his flesh. In the Greco-Roman culture of the time, strength was found in external displays of power like physical presence and bold rhetoric. In other words, if you could grab the attention of a crowd through eloquent speech and puffed up confidence you would be elevated in society. A gentle and humble spirit was not a trait of a strong leader. So, in the eyes of Paul's detractors, he was unworthy. He could not be a true apostle because he did not fit their perception of what an apostle should be like. Now, look at verse 1. Paul goes right to the heart of their problem. He opens with a direct appeal to Christ. He says, “I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” The false apostles had critiqued him as weak because of his meekness and gentleness. And in response, he directs them to Christ. He was saying, “If you are going to critique me and my apostleship because of my humble disposition, you are actually critiquing Christ.” To be sure, yes Jesus was very forceful at times. Like his criticism of the pharisees' hypocrisy. But overall his disposition was gentle and humble. Jesus ministered with compassion and meekness to those who came to him. Those who were suffering or those who were convicted of their sin. Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Paul was appealing to Jesus' gentleness and meekness as the pattern which he, as an apostle, was modelling. It's hard to argue with that. To be sure, someone can be bold and humble at the same time. Speaking the truth in love is having a godly confidence but also having a humble spirit when conveying God's truth. Paul was a sinner, just like you and me. He recognized the mercy of God in his life, just as we should. He was bold but humble because of the undeserved grace of God. That is very different than the self-centered confidence of the false apostles. All they focused on was external. That is why Paul didn't measure up to them. These so-called apostles cared about someone's cultural credentials like physical stature and social status and financial means. Paul's suffering and meekness went against their norms. In their minds, that disqualified Paul as an apostle. But Paul flips their understanding on its head. They needed to reorient their perception of Paul using Christ's disposition. Just as Jesus was gentle and meek, so should those be who serve and lead. Ok, reorienting our disposition to the meekness of Christ. That #1. 2. Reorienting our warfare And now, number 2 – reorienting our warfare to the power of Christ. You see, part of the problem was that the false teachers were fighting the wrong battle with the wrong weapons. They thought that to win the battle of culture they needed to use the culture's weapons. Remember, they considered themselves Christians. We'll see in chapter 11 that they even called themselves “super apostles.” They had those Greco-Roman traits that Paul did not have. They were superior to him in stature, eloquence, and social standing. They were the ones, they believed, who could truly fight the battle. But not only were they fighting the wrong battle with the wrong weapons, they were not even on the right side of the war. Look at verse 3. “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.” Paul is saying, “yes, we are flesh and blood. We are embodied souls that live on this earth. But that does not mean that the battlefield is in the flesh. In fact, it is not.” And then he goes on to describe the spiritual battle. By the way, there's something here that is not obvious to us. Verses 4 to 6 use the language of military siege against a fortified city. Here's how it goes: ·      First, an army would attack the stronghold. The stronghold was the fortified wall around the city. They used special weapons like battering rams and catapults and ladders. ·      Second, at the same time they would take down the elevated defenses - the lofty defenses, you know like towers with archers, or other defenses that were protecting the city. ·      Then, third, after a city was conquered, the invading army would take the inhabitants captive. They would enslave them or parade them as symbols of conquest. ·      And last, they would punish any disobedience – those who would not willingly submit or who would continue to rebel against their conquest. It the same progression.  First destroying strongholds and every argument. Second, destroying lofty opinions. Those ideas that perpetuate the false beliefs. Third, taking captive every thought and turning them to Christ, and finally, if necessary, punishing disobedience. Those that persist to teach or live in a way contrary to Christ. Do you see that? And Paul is very clear that it is not a battle of flesh and blood. Look at verse 4. “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God.” We are engaged in a cosmic war. We are fighting over what is true and right and good. The world is full of perspectives on those things, let me call them worldviews… It is full of worldviews that seek to make sense of the reality outside of us and inside of us. That is why verse 5 talks about arguments and opinions and knowledge. That is why Paul is saying that our weapons are not of the flesh. Our weapons are not those external things like flashy performances or political might or social power. What then are our weapons? Well, we read about them earlier from Ephesians 6. Our weapons are truth and righteousness, our weapons are faith in Christ and salvation in him, and we're given the sword of the Spirit – which is the Word of God. These are the spiritual weapons that God has given us to fight the cosmic war. Here's what Paul was saying to them. “You have mocked me as weak. But as a true apostle, I am waging the cosmic spiritual war with the divine power of God almighty.” That's the phrase there: “divine power” What is that divine power? What is the divine power that will tear down the strongholds and lofty opinions and take every thought captive and punish disobedience? It is the power of Christ. It is the power of the cross. The divine power that destroys the strongholds and arguments is the salvation that God has accomplished for us in Christ - in his death and resurrection. I am not saying that to try and shoe-horn the Gospel into this passage. Rather, I am saying that because the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been the unifying theme of every single chapter of 2 Corinthians. To highlight some of it… ·      The Gospel is the victory spoken of in chapter 2 as we spread the fragrance of Christ. ·      It is the transforming power of the new Covenant spoken of in chapter 3. ·      It is the surpassing power mentioned in chapter 4, which we carry in our jars of clay bodies. ·      In chapter 5, it is the means through which we are reconciled to God… remember, we are given the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ·      And one more, in chapters 8 and 9, God's grace in Christ is the foundation of God's work to support his churches. Jesus who was rich, became poor so that in our spiritual poverty, we may become rich. The divine power of God in the cross of Christ. Through it and the resurrection God has defeated sin and death and the devil. Those are the strongholds. The weapons of the flesh cannot defeat those enemies. Now, it is very common to hear that believing in Christianity takes a “leap of faith.” Have you heard that? Some believe that Christianity is not reasonable or rational. However, the Scriptures never say that having faith means that you have to check your mind at the door. Look one more time at verse 5. “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God.” We, in part, believe Christianity because it does answer central matters of life. It answers the questions of our existence and our purpose. Christianity presents a clear understanding of a moral order that transcends all humanity. It's very difficult to dispute that. In fact, the corruption of the human heart and evil in the world are central aspects to a Christian worldview. That is why these verses speak of waging war. In other words, evil and sin and death do not disprove Christianity, rather their undisputed existence testifies to Christianity and the need for salvation. I could go on and include the historicity of Christianity or the logical consistency of Christianity, but for the sake of time, let me just say that Christianity is not a passive religion devoid of answers. Rather, the Scriptures beautifully convey a transcendent God, who is both loving and just. And at the very heart of that love and justice is the wonder of the person and work of Jesus. To put it simply, the faith that Christianity calls for is not a blind faith. Rather it is a faith that sees the world around us and knows our own corrupt hearts… and submits to the God who is sovereign and who saves. Faith is a reasonable response to something real. Christianity takes every thought captive (every misleading thought captive) to the obedience of Christ. Let me take a brief tangent. We love that phrase. You know, taking every thought captive to Christ. I love it. I desire to take every thought captive in my life. However, in context, it is speaking of taking the errant thoughts of the false teachers captive. That is what God is doing through Paul in this letter. He's correcting the false beliefs and voices in Corinth with the truth of the Gospel. To be sure, that doesn't mean we can't apply that phrase to our lives. We all have thoughts and beliefs that need to be taken captive to Christ. How do we do that? Well, first of all, it says, take every thought captive to obey Christ. So, it is more than just beliefs. It includes taking any thoughts that dishonor Christ and submitting them to him. We should ask, do my thoughts align with God's Word? Are they false or do they truly reflect the truth? Are my thoughts covetous or prideful or idolatrous? Are my thoughts God honoring and worshipful? Are my thoughts idle? Or am I seeking to transform them and grow in my knowledge of God and his Word? And let me say, it is spiritual warfare.  When you take every thought captive to Christ, you are preparing for and fighting… the spiritual battles against sin and death and the devil. So, beloved in Christ, yes, take every thought captive to obey Christ. And finally in verse 6, Paul continues. “being ready to punish any disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” That last phrase can be somewhat difficult to understand. What does it mean when it says  “when your obedience is complete?” The answer is in the situation. Remember, the Corinthian church had turned a corner. Through the work of God's Spirit through Paul and others, many in Corinth had returned to a faithful understand of God's truth. In other words, the church had begun the process of being restored to faithful obedience. What verse 6 is simply referencing is that they were nearing the end of that restoration. And when that obedience was complete, to use the words here, any remaining unfaithfulness would need to be dealt with. In essence it's talking about spiritual discipline. The spiritual battle includes the church's responsibility to maintain purity and faithfulness to Christ. Conclusion. So, to recap, these verses reorient us to God's reality. 1, they reorient our disposition to see the meekness and humility of Christ. Paul modelled that humility as a true apostle. 2. They reorient our understanding of the war that is being fought. It is a spiritual war which requires weapons of faith. And the ultimate weapon that destroys the stronghold is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. All of Christianity centers on this great truth, through which we take every thought captive. I included verse 7 because it ties the first 6 verses together. Paul says to the Corinthians, “look at what is before your eyes.” In other words, can you now see what is true and what comes from Christ and what is false and comes from the flesh? If truly you are in Christ… know this, so also are we. It's an appeal to reembrace Christ in his fulness and to fight with Paul, not against him in the spiritual battle of truth. The morning after Desmon Doss rescued his fellow soldiers, everything changed. They had a new respect for Doss. Before his unit resumed their attack on Hacksaw Ridge, they asked Doss to pray, and they waited for him to finish. And that day they overcame the enemy. Doss received the Medal of Honor for his bravery. In fact, he was the first ever to receive the medal without carrying a weapon of the flesh (to use the language here). May we fight not with the weapons of the flesh, but with the spiritual weapons of Christ, in his meekness and power.

Faithful Stewardship, Disciplined Giving Please turn to 2 Corinthians 8. Our sermon text will begin with verse 16 and will continue through chapter 9 verse 5. You can find that on page 1150. I think, of all the passages we've studied so far in 2 Corinthians, this one has the most context. It has a lot of specifics about the churches and people. Multiple associates of the apostle Paul's are referenced. Some are named and others are not. The big picture is that Paul is sending 3 delegates to Corinth. That includes Titus. They are being sent to collect the offering that the Corinthians had promised. By the way, Paul calls this delegation his “brothers.” They are not literal brothers. Rather, they are spiritual brothers in the faith. Even though this is a narrative, we learn important things about (1) integrity in financial stewardship and (2) obedience in giving. As I read, listen for those examples. Reading of 2 Corinthians 8:16-9:5 Prayer As you may know, our philosophy of preaching involves working through books of the Bible. One of the benefits of doing that is that we are forced to deal with difficult or uncomfortable subjects as they come up in the Scriptures. That's a good thing. Well, starting last Sunday, we've come to one of those sensitive topics. Giving. I think this is the first time we've had a sermon (or sermons), that focuses on giving or stewardship. I mention that because if you are visiting or have been visiting, these chapters on giving are part of the message of 2 Corinthians. In other words, we didn't pick these two chapter so we could focus on giving. Rather they picked us. They are just part of the message of 2 Corinthians. And even though it is sensitive, it is important for us. Truly, matters of giving are matters of the heart. As we learned last week, God's grace is the foundation to these 2 chapters. Giving is called an “act of God's grace.” It is God who gives his grace to the giver… He turns his or her heart to give. Furthermore, it is God who blesses the receiver. He likewise bestows his mercy and grace on them. And at the very heart of God's grace is the grace of God in Christ. Remember, chapter 8 verse 9 is key to it all. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” Jesus Christ, God the son, became a man for us. He, in humility, bore our sin on the cross. Jesus endured the shame. You see, he became poor in that way… And through that amazing grace, he has given us riches. Not earthly riches, but riches of his mercy and kindness. In Christ, we have been given peace with God. We have been given the righteousness of Christ. We are now honored not because of any goodness of our own, but only because of the goodness of God in Christ. The grace of God in Christ is what's it's all about. That is why these 2 chapters over and over emphasis the heart. It is about God's transforming grace in us. And an outworking of that grace is a heart desire to give. If you don't remember anything else about last week and this week, remember this. The act of grace in giving is God's act of grace in Christ. Now, if you are still evaluating Christianity, I want you to know that giving will not put you in the good graces of God. You will not merit his favor by donating. Not at all. God does not want or need your money. Rather, he wants you to give something far more difficult to give. He wants you to give your life to him. Jesus said, “if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.” To put it in terms of 2 Corinthians 8. God's grace is what enables us to recognize our spiritual poverty and recognize our need for the riches of God's mercy. If you are not a believer in Christ, don't give your resources, give your heart. Let me make one final opening comment. There's an really underlying theme that spans both of these chapters, but it is not explicit. And that theme is the unity of the visible church. You see, part of the message of chapter 8 and 9 is that those in the church around the world are united to one another. The Macedonians are brothers and sisters in Christ with the Corinthians. And both the Macedonians and the Corinthians are united together with the poor Christians in Jerusalem. Paul is calling on the church to support the needs of one another no matter the tribe, tongue, or nation. We share something far more important than our culture or language or ethnicity. We share in Christ. To be sure, I'm not diminishing the importance of culture or ethnicity, rather I'm saying that the thing that unites all believers together (all around the world) is Jesus. There are many Christians and churches around the world that have many needs – some are enduring the consequence of war like Christians in Gaza or Ukraine. Others like in Africa or Southeast Asia are in environments of extreme poverty. I don't know what burdens God has placed upon each of you to give… or how we as a church can best support those brothers and sisters in Christ. But God has called us to do so in some way. Perhaps we can find ways to give and support those in deep need. Ok, with that background in mind, let's now shift our attention to these specific verses. We'll consider two main things this morning. #1. The Stewardship of Giving #2. The Discipline of Giving Stewardship… meaning that the resources of the church are God's resources. His kingdom resources – we are stewards and therefore we have the responsibility to administer them with integrity. And discipline… meaning spiritual discipline. we have the responsibility to follow through on the call to give. Giving is a discipline just like other areas of the Christian life. #1 - The Stewardship of Giving And both of these points are exemplified in our passage this morning. In other words, stewardship and discipline are principles modelled for us in these verses. Remember, the apostle Paul is in Macedonia. He's in the northern part of ancient Greece. He's experienced their generosity. In the beginning of chapter 8, he uses the Macedonians as an example for the Corinthians to follow. And now Paul turns his attention to the Corinthians. And one of the things we learn is that the Corinthians had promised to give to the church in Jerusalem. Their promise happened before the false teachers had stirred up dissent. But, nonetheless, they had promised to contribute. Now, Paul recognized the sensitivity of everything that had happened. And because of that, he wanted to ensure the utmost integrity in giving. In other words, he doesn't want anyone to question the legitimacy of the giving. He doesn't want the Corinthians to think that he is taking any of the contributions. He doesn't want his presence to coerce the Corinthians or make them think that this is just his own personal agenda. And so, to address that, here's what he does: he sends this delegation of three men to collect their gifts. Titus is one of them. He was well known by the Corinthians. In fact, Titus had just returned to Paul after visiting with them. And then two other brothers are mentioned. Look at verse 18 – “With him [with Titus] we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel.” This brother, whoever he is, had a reputation of faithfulness among the churches. And he was a great preacher of the Gospel. We don't know who he was. Some scholars and pastors have made educated guesses. I have my thoughts. But he is not named because it does not matter to us. Ok, then there's a third guy mentioned in verse 22. It says, “And with them [you know, with Titus and the other brother] we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters...” We get the sense from the end of verse 22 that he was also known by the Corinthians. So, this delegation was sent… But why did they go? Well, look at verses 20. It captures their purpose. It says, “We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us.” They wanted to be blameless. Do you see that? They wanted to be above reproach. They were overseeing financial gifts and wanted all to be assured of their integrity in handling the donations. And why did they want to be so careful? Verse 21 answers that: “…for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man.” Integrity all around. First, to honor God because they recognized they were stewards of the gifts. And second so that the Corinthians knew of their care in the administration of the gifts. Do you see it now? How this is an example of Godly stewardship and integrity. Stewardship and integrity is just as critical today as it was 2000 years ago. In 2020, a study estimated that 6.5% of donations given by Christians globally is lost to fraud and embezzlement. 6.5%. The study was referring to Christians around the world giving to churches, to charities, and to other non-profits. 6.5% translates to about 52 billion dollars annually. It's just an estimate, but it gives us an order of magnitude of the severity of the problem. That is sad to hear. I suspect some of you know believers who have gotten caught up in fraud of some kind. Or you know of churches that have gone through financial scandals. When I moved to Atlanta in the mid-1990s, I worked for a Christian ministry. That ministry was duped by a so-called Christian philanthropist. He promised that if they invested in his financial firm, he would double or triple their investment in one year. Churches, ministries, and Christian universities were all fleeced by this guy. It turned out to be a Ponzi scheme. And these organizations, like the one I worked for, lost a combined 135 million dollars in the scam – about 300 million in todays dollars. Poor handling of money by Christians or worse theft or even worse scandals, like that one, tarnish the name of Christ. It fosters mistrust inside the church. And its hypocrisy turns people away from Christ and the Gospel. It's tragic. We are called as the church to faithfully steward the resources entrusted to us. Let me highlight 4 principles from this text: 1. Those who handle money need to love the Lord and love his church. In this chapter, the word “earnest” is used 7 times. It testifies to a heart-motivated love for the people of God, or the church of God or an earnestness to faithfully fulfill the responsibility. The word earnest is only second to the word grace in chapter 8. Those who handle money need to have an earnestness that comes from a heart transformed by God's grace. 2. Those given this responsibility need to be tested. They need to be trustworthy. They need to have credibility and experience testified by others. In the case of the delegates, each one of them fulfilled this principle in different ways. Titus was known and proven faithful. The second brother was appointed by the churches (plural) – he had that proven credibility. And the third delegate was “tested.” That's the word used right there in verse 22. He was tested and found earnest. 3. Finances should never be handled by one person. No, there needs to be a team and there needs to be governance. In this example, there were 4 people – the three delegates and Paul from a distance. Just so you know, here at Tucker Pres, we have a finance team, we have a bookkeeper, and we have a third-party accountant. Multiple people involved. 4. And last, #4, transparency. Isn't that what Paul was modelling? He was being transparent so that there would be no questions about their integrity as they oversaw the gifts. So, a love of the Lord… a tested and proven faithfulness… multiple financial overseers… and transparency And every single aspect of this faithful stewardship is to give honor to Christ. As verse 19 puts it, “for the glory of the Lord” and as verse 23 says, “the glory of Christ.” We seek integrity as stewards to honor God because of his grace given to us. #2. The Discipline of Giving Which now brings us to main point number 2. The discipline of giving. Here's the thing. We are called not only to desire to give, but we are called to actually give. Earlier in chapter 8, Paul called the Corinthians to “complete the work.” He says in verse 11, “finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it.” And really, the beginning of chapter 9 emphasizes that. I think you would agree, it's much easier to have the desire to give sacrificially, than to actually give sacrificially. I read a story once of farmer who one day came home with great excitement. He reported with great joy to his wife and family… that their best cow had given birth to twins. He said to his family, “you know when these twin calves were born… I had a sudden urge that we should dedicate one of these calves to the Lord. We will bring them up together, and when the time comes, we will sell one and give the proceeds to the Lord's work.” His wife and children thought that was tremendous idea. But she asked him, “which calf will you dedicate to the Lord?” He replied, “Oh, there is no need to bother about that now…. we will care for both of them well, feed them well, and when the time comes we will offer one to the Lord.” Well, after a few months, the farmer came home one day and he was dejected. His wife asked, “honey, what is troubling you?” He answered, “I have bad news to give you. One of the calves has died…” and then he said, “It was the Lord's calf.” You see, he had the desire to give, but that was not matched with following through. Giving is one of the disciplines of the Christian life. It is an outworking of the grace of God's work in us. It's similar to seeking discipline in our call to purity of thought and word and deeds… or discipline to pursue peace with others. Or discipline in being faithful to serve others or take a sabbath rest and worship. Or pursuing discipline to follow through on the call to pray and read the Word. As we mature in our faith, God matures us in those disciplines. Let me put it this way: giving testifies that the grace of God is at work in your life. Look at chapter 8 verse 24. Paul says, “Give proof before the churches of your love.” “Give proof.” He was exhorting them to follow through and give to the needs of the saints. It would be a demonstration of their love and their faith. I mentioned last week that I do not have access to see who gives what offerings to the church. I do not want access. But I had a very interesting conversation with another pastor a few years ago. He would purposefully look at membership giving. Now, not all the time, but he would occasionally ask for a summarized list of members and their annual giving. That kind of shocked me. But he gave a couple of reasons. He mentioned that little to no giving indicated either a need for spiritual growth or it indicated a need for financial help. In other words, he would give attention to these people. It's like the opposite of showing partiality to someone with more means. This pastor experienced that a lack of giving often indicated a struggle in the Christian life or a struggle in faith or as I mentioned, an unknown need. To be sure, his purpose in coming alongside people was not so that they would give and therefore help the church finances… that was not the reason… rather it was so he could pastor and care for his flock well. I'm not suggesting that the elders or I will do that here at TPC. No. But it is true that our money often redirects us away from loving God. Giving or not giving can be a good indication of where our heart is. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” To say it again, when we are faithful to give generously and sacrificially, according to our means, it testifies to God's work of grace in us. And when we give it has the effect of encouraging others to also support the needs and work of the church Look at chapter 9 verse 2. Paul writes, “for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia [by the way, Corinth is in the region of Achaia] …that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them.” There was a mutual stirring up of generosity. The Macedonians gave joyfully. We learned that last week. And they were encouraged by the desire of the Corinthians to give. That is why Paul wants to see the Corinthians fulfill their desire. That's the reason the delegation was sent! It was not, as verse 5 mentions, to “exact” a gift. Paul does mention that not giving would cause humiliation. But that is because they had promised to give. It was not coercion. He is clear about that. Rather, he wants them to honor their promise. And by doing that, it would encourage the Macedonians and bless the Christians in Jerusalem. So really, the Macedonians were an encouragement to the Corinthians to give, and the Corinthians were an encouragement to the Macedonians to give. And all of that would be an encouragement to the believers in Jerusalem, who would themselves give back to the Macedonians and Corinthians… and encourage them. We learned that last week. All of it accomplished the building up of one another in good works and godliness… And all of it was because of the grace of God in Christ, who is glorified in it all. Conclusion To summarize, faithful stewardship and disciplined giving are both expressions of God's grace in Christ. Stewardship is managing the resources that God has entrusted to his church and doing that with the utmost of integrity. When we fulfill that responsibility, as Paul and the delegates modelled for us, Christ is exalted and his bride, the church, reflects his righteousness. Likewise, disciplined giving honors Christ in our lives. It testifies to God's work in us who is transforming us into the image of his son. And to say it one more time, it's all motivated by the grace of God in Christ… who gave up the riches of heaven and became poor to take us out of our poverty and make us rich in his mercy. So, in matters of giving in and to the church, may we seek integrity and faithfulness, all to give honor to God in Christ for his grace. Amen.  

2 Corinthians 8:1-15 The Grace of Giving Our sermon text this morning is 2 Corinthians 8:1-5. You can find that on page 1149 in the pew Bible. As you are turning there, let me note some things. 2 Corinthians 8 shifts to a new matter. There was a need in the broader church. At that time, when the apostle Paul wrote this inspired letter, the church in Jerusalem was very poor and they needed financial help. As you will hear, the churches in Macedonia helped out and Paul encouraged the church in Corinth to respond likewise. The basis of the Macendonians' generosity was the grace of God. As I read, listen for the word grace. It is scattered all throughout these verses. Grace is the Greek word Xaris. It means an act of kindness or an unmerited favor or gift. Reading of 2 Corinthians 2:1-15 Prayer As you probably know, money is often a taboo topic when it comes to the church. There are many reasons for that. Sadly, some churches have experienced financial scandals. Other churches and leaders are manipulative when it comes to donations and tithing. Some claim that you will reap financial blessings if you give. And then there's just the general sensitivity of our personal finances. All of that has made many people inside and outside the church suspicious about tithing and giving. Several years ago, I was reminded about this perception. Before becoming a pastor, my very last work project involved a team of about 10 people for a couple of years. Our task was to build a software platform for a rather large company in downtown Atlanta. We enjoyed working with each other. At times, we spent long days and nights to meet deadlines. We overcame challenges. We celebrated successes. Through it all, we became close friends. They were all aware of my Christian beliefs. Two of them were also believers, which was encouraging. At times, we were able to share our hope in Christ with our colleagues. Well, then the day came. I called a team meeting and I shared that I was leaving the industry to become a pastor. It sparked some other good conversations. A few weeks later we had a little celebration. I bought them each a nice Bible as a gift. And we looked at a few Scripture passages together. Well unbeknownst to me, they got together and bought me a gift. It was more of a gag gift… and I brought it today. The got me an offering plate… and they even had it engraved to me with their names on it as well. We got a big laugh about it. By the way, it also says on it “to God be the Glory in all things.” That was a nice touch. But it was a not-so-subtle illustration about the underlying skepticism about money and the church. Well, I hope that today, and really over the next three weeks as this theme continues, that we all will be reoriented to a Biblical view of financial giving in the church. I think you will find it refreshing and challenging. Let me say a couple more things up front before we dive in. ·     First, I do not have access to see your individual contributions. I asked not to have access because I do not want to know. By the way, neither do our elders. Honestly, I don't want the temptation to be consciously or unconsciously partial to you based on your giving. My relationship to each of you and our elders' relationship to each of you is based on the call we have to spiritually care for and love you in Christ. Though we fulfill that imperfectly, it is our desire. ·     Second, Amy and I seek to be faithful in our giving and tithing to the church. We are participants with you in supporting the mission to which we are called. Now, to be sure, these verses are not about tithing. Tithing is a Biblical concept. You know, giving of your first fruits. The word tithe is the Hebrew word for a tenth. Rather, this passage is more broadly about giving. In fact, it's about giving beyond the needs of the local congregation to support the financial needs of the broader Christian community. Ok, with all of that said, let's now draw our attention to this text. There is a sermon outline. It was a little difficult to find a place in the bulletin to fit it in, but you can find it there on the bottom of page 5. Three points: 1. The Grace of Giving Modelled 2. The Grace of Giving Received 3. The Grace Behind the Grace of Giving. Really, it's the same grace. I'll explain that in a few minutes. 1. The Grace of Giving Modelled (8:1) So, number 1, the Grace of Giving Modelled. Lets start with some quick reminders. The apostle Paul had written a difficult letter to the Corinthians and he sent it with Titus. The plan was for Paul to then rendezvous with Titus in Troas. However, when Paul arrived in Troas Titus did not show up. And that deeply concerned Paul. So, he left Troas and travelled west to Macedonia. The region of Macedonia included churches like Philippi and Thessalonica. They were in the northern part of ancient Greece. And two things happened when Paul got there. Number 1, his dear brother in Christ, Titus, showed up. Titus brought good news about the Corinthians – weve considered that. And number 2, while Paul was in Macedonia, he wrote this letter. We know it as 2 Corinthians. In other words, Macedonia was on his mind. He was experiencing first-hand, their love and generosity for the broader church. By the way, Paul was on his third missionary journey. And one of his objectives was to gather an offering for the impoverished Christians in Jerusalem. So, as Paul travelled, besides teaching and ministering to the churches, he and Titus and others collected financial gifts for the believers in Jerusalem. And what an amazing testimony! The Macedonians are described in verse 1 as having extreme poverty. Yet, they gave abundantly beyond their means. Now, there's something very very important here. It's not about the size of the gift. Because the Macedonians were themselves poor, their gift wasn't a large monetary gift. Rather, the Macedonians' generosity was about their heart's desire. They had, as verse 2 says, an abundance of joy. And they gave with a heart for the Lord and his grace. They, in fact, pleaded to give, and they gave “beyond their means,” it says. Isn't that counter intuitive to our worldly mindset? When we think of generosity, we often think of the size of a gift. Yet, God reveals here that it is a matter of the heart and it is in proportion to our means. Earlier in the service we read the account of the poor widow's offering. Jesus had called his disciples to the temple treasury. As they sat there, they observed people giving their offering. They witnessed different amounts being dropped into the offering box. Clink, clink. Some large gifts were likely given. Perhaps they thought, “Oh, now that's a generous gift…”  But then a poor widow came and she dropped 2 very low value copper coins into the offering. And then Jesus made one those paradigm shifting statements. He said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” It was truly an abundant gift. It was abundant because she gave sacrificially from her thankful heart. Is that not like the sacrifice here of the Macedonians? They modelled giving from hearts for the Lord. It says they were earnest to participate in the grace of giving. They begged to participate. Those are the words used. Even though their gift was small in earthly terms, yet it was large in heavenly terms. They gave abundantly, from abundant hearts according to their means. Or as verse 12 puts it, a person gives “according what he has.” God has given us each different means. You know, we have different incomes. Or to put it differently, we fall in different tax brackets. No matter whether you have been given much to steward or little to steward, God calls you to be generous. And that generosity is a matter first of all according to your heart desire, and second of all, relative to your means. Now, in a few minutes, we'll get to the source of the heart motivation, which is the grace of God in Christ. I want to be clear about that. We'll get to what that means in a few minutes. The point of these opening verses is that the Macedonians modelled joyful heart-motivated giving. And in verse 7, the Corinthians are called to excel in their own giving, just like the Macedonians. Verse 7 says, “But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.” In other words, giving is a fundamental part of the Christian life. Just as we seek to grow in our faith, and be enriched in our knowledge of God and his word, and grow in our love that we give and receive, so also, we should excel in this “act of grace,” as it says, the grace of giving. 2. The Grace of Giving Received Which brings us to point 2. The grace of giving received. In the outline, you'll see two sub-points. That grace is received by the giver and received by the receiver. But let me ask, why do you think giving is called an act of grace? Is it an act of grace because the poor in Jerusalem received grace from the Macedonians? In other words, is it because when we give, we are the ones giving the grace? The answer is no! No, giving is God's act of grace in us. For the giver, God gives his grace which motivates the giving. Look at verse 1 again. “We want you to know, brothers, about [what?] …about the grace of God…” [clearly it is God's grace. now listen to what is says next] “…about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia.” God has bestowed his grace which has resulted in their generosity. So, it is God's grace, and just like other areas of life where we experience God's grace, God blesses us through it. In the case of the Macedonians, God gave them a desire and he gave them joy. I want to make something very clear here. The act of giving itself does not result in blessing. Let me say that again. The act of giving itself does not result in blessing. Rather it's God's grace that blesses us… that happens when he turns our hearts to him and gives us a joyful desire to earnestly give. Now, some so-called pastors would strongly disagree. They would say that giving itself results in blessing. If you give, God will bless you with financial prosperity. Or they say he will bless you through other means. They turn giving into a transactional merit-based scheme. It's not about the grace of God, rather it is about manipulating people to donate. What it actually does is cover up God's grace in Christ. We sometimes we call this teaching the prosperity gospel. It is not the gospel. They say that if God is not prospering you financially, then you need to give more, or you need to trust in God more. Beloved, do not buy this false gospel. There is no place in the Bible that speaks of financial prosperity as God's will for you. Nor that when you give materially that you will reap materially. Rather, it says that generosity comes out of a heart disposition that loves the Lord. Verse 5 makes that priority very clear. Look at it. Verse 5. The Macedonians, it says, “gave themselves first to the Lord, then by the will of God, to us.” Meaning, they first trusted by faith in the grace of God in Christ, and then out of that grace, they gave an offering to Paul for the poor believers in Jerusalem. Now, I am not saying that there are no benefits to giving. What I am saying is that the benefits come through the changed heart that God gives us through his grace. In verse 10, Paul, talking about this grace motivated giving says, “this benefits you.” What are those spiritual benefits and blessings? Well, when God gives us an earnest heart-felt desire to give, God helps us to open the grip we have on our financial resources. God helps us to see that we are merely stewards of what he has given us. As you know, money is alluring and when we love our money, we replace God in our hearts with that false love. But when the transforming work of God's grace convicts us of that sin, we are blessed with joyful longing to participate in God's missions in the world through his church. Those blessings are indeed blessings… but they are not our motivation. Rather, God's grace motivates. It is what changes us. Let me put it this way. Giving is an act of worship. It is a response. That is why our offering is part of our worship service. In our giving, God is glorified, and we are blessed. And that is because God's grace enables us to worship, which includes our giving. And through that grace enabled worship, God builds us up in him. So, for the one who gives… giving is an act of God's grace which we receive. And the results of that grace are those motivations and spiritual blessings. Again, that's the giver part. But also, the receivers of the grace enabled gifts receive God's blessings. I think that is probably obvious. God bestows his blessing through giving to meet their needs. Verse 4 talks about the relief of the saints. It's talking about the Christians in Jerusalem. God used the generosity of the broader church to bring financial relief to these impoverished saints. Paul mentions that the Corinthians abundance would help supply their need. You see, it is God's grace through the gifts of his people that bless his people. There's a built-in illustration here. It's in verse 15. It says, “As it is written, ‘Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.'” That reference comes from the book of Exodus. After God freed his people from slavery in Egypt, he brought them into the wilderness. But what would they eat? I mean, not much grows in the desert. Well, God provided bread from heaven – he provided Manna. Every day, God provided this daily sustenance. It was a miracle. Everyone gathered and there was no lack some gathered more, some gathered less. That's the quote. What God is saying in verse 15 is that the miraculous provision of manna in the Old Testament… is an example of how the gifts of the church provide for God's people in the New Testament. I find that amazingly encouraging. God now uses his people to support the needs of his people. In other words, God's act of grace and blessing to the receiver comes through giving. It parallels God's miraculous provision of the manna. You see, even though God's people are to give, it is still God's work – his grace. To summarize point 2, God's grace is given to the giver, which turns his heart to give. That results in God's provision and blessing to the receiver. It is all his act of grace – God's grace. 3. The Grace Behind the Grace of Giving Ok, that brings us to point number 3. The Grace Behind the Grace of Giving. I've already mentioned that it is God's grace in Christ – all of it. However, I haven't really clearly defined what that means. So, what I want you to now see is first, that God's grace in Christ is indeed the center of this text. And second, at that center, God clearly explains the grace of Christ. About once every year we come to a Scripture text… which has a unique underlying parallel structure. And we have one of those parallel structures this morning. So, you've heard me talk about it before. These parallels in the Greek move from the outside in. They move from the beginning and end and they work their way to the central focus of the text. They are very helpful because we are given the explicit driving emphasis that underlies it all. ·     On the very outside of this parallel are verses 2 and 14, which focus on abundance. That's the word. The Macedonians abundance of joy in verse 2 and then in verse 14, the word “abundance” is used two times. The abundance that the Corinthians are called to and which they will receive in times of need. Abundance. ·     The second layer is in verses 3 and 12. So we are moving in one layer. Giving should be according to someone's means – that's verse 3. And in verse 12, the same idea – giving should be according to what someone has. ·     The third layer is one more step in. Again, moving from the outside in - verses 6 and 11. In both is the call to complete the giving. In verse 6, Titus is called to complete the act of God's grace. And in verse 11, the Corinthians are also called to finish it. Paul says there, “completing it out of what you have.” ·     Do you see those parallels? Abundance – abundance; according to one's means – according to what someone has; complete it – complete it. And this whole parallel focuses our attention to the very heart of this passage, which is verse 9. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” Even in that one verse, we see the same outward-in parallel. Rich, poor, poor rich. This is the focus. It is not talking about financial poverty and riches. No, it is talking about the mercy of God in Christ. Jesus Christ, though he was rich in the sense of displaying the fullness of God's glory as God the Son, yet he humbled himself. He became poor. He became a man, he endured the miseries of this life, he suffered and died. And he did all of that so that we in our poverty may become rich. In other words, in our fallenness, deserving of the punishment of damnation and hell, Jesus Christ has redeemed us. He has, through his death and resurrection, restored us to the riches of the presence of God. We, in Christ, are now clothed with the robes of his righteousness - exalted with him in his resurrection. We are indeed rich in that way. Friends, this is the grace of God in Christ Jesus – it is the Gospel, and it is the foundation to all the callings we are given in this life, including the call to be generous. We give because of the joy that we have in Christ, just like the Macedonians. We give out of thankfulness for what God has done for us in Christ. We give because others in Christ who have the same riches of God's grace have needs. We give to further and foster God's mission, which is to make known the riches and mercy of his grace. We give not out of human compulsion, nor do we give out of a sense of guilt, nor to somehow merit blessings. No. We give because God has graciously given us eternal riches in Jesus Christ. May God give us each the joy of the Gospel. And may he in turn, give us abundant joyful hearts to give generously, no matter our means. May we long and even beg to participate in this act of God's grace. All because Christ Jesus became poor for our sake… to take us out of our spiritual poverty and make us rich in his mercy. Amen

Living Set Apart as God's Covenant People Please turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthains 6. We'll be looking at verses 14 through chapter 7, verse 1. You can find that on page 1148. In the first half of chapter 6, the apostle Paul called the church in Corinth to return to him and Christ. He pleaded with them to open their hearts - to turn their affections back to the true Gospel – salvation in Jesus Christ. The question that remains is “what does that mean?” What needed to happen in the church for them to be restored? And that question is answered in our verses this morning. Reading of 2 Corinthians 6:14 to 7:1 Prayer #1: Be not unequally yoked (6:14) Do not be unequally yoked. You've likely heard that phrase in verse 14 before. But what does it actually mean? And how does it apply? Those are the two critical questions in this text. Being yoked is not used much in our common vernacular today. And that's because the term is a farming term used back when animals powered the farm equipment. If you go to a modern farm today, you will likely find massive tractors. They have air conditioning. They are driven by GPS. The farmer can be working on other business in the cab while his combine is harvesting the crop. But of course, that is not how it used to be. No, before the tractor, animals like oxen, or horses, or mules would be hitched together. A wood harness was carved with neck shaped holes that would fit over two animals. That wood harness was called a yoke. The yoke would have ropes or cables that would attach to other devices, which would either pull a wagon or a plow or some other farming implement. The whole purpose of the yoke was to balance the load so both animals would equally pull the load behind them. However, if a farmer tried to put a horse and an ox together, or a horse and donkey or a mule and ox, those animals would be unequally yoked. That's where the phrase comes from. And it didn't work well. The farmer would have a big problem. Even if a horse and an ox had similar strength, they have different gates, different heights, different temperaments, and different speeds. It would be difficult to plow in a straight line. The yoke itself would dig into the necks of both animals. It often caused them to be restless and could result in chaos, especially if one of the animals started bucking or kicking or biting. So to be unequally yoked is to be mismatched in a way that is untenable. It's unworkable. It ought not be done. In verse 14, the apostle writes, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” Now, I'm guessing that many of you have heard this verse before. And likely you've heard it applied to marriage. Right? However, there's nothing in the entire book of 2 Corinthians about marriage. There's only one reference to a husband and that is in chapter 11. But that reference is explicitly about Christ as our husband, betrothed to us, his bride, the church. In other words, when Paul wrote verse 14, he was not explicitly writing about marriage. Now, to be sure, a second or third layer of application could be about marriage. After all, marriage is the most intimate partnership between a man and a woman. So, verse 14 would certainly have relevance. And we do learn elsewhere in the Bible that we should only marry “in the Lord.” My point is that the context of verse 14 is not about marriage. You ask, then, what was the apostle Paul referring to in verse 14? Well, think about this. We've been studying 2 Corinthians now for 4 full months. What has been the big issue in the church in Corinth? The big issue has been false teachers. There was a group who claimed to be apostles, but who were teaching “a different gospel” (as Paul put it) and whose lives did not display godliness. So, with whom should the church in Corinth not be yoked? They should not be yoked with this group. And in verse 14, how does Paul refer to them? He calls them “unbelievers.” They had been received into the church… at least by some… but they should not have been. And Paul calls on the church to separate themselves from partnering with them. Let me make one more contextual comment. In our 2 Corinthians study, we've also considered the city of Corinth. Corinth, if you remember, was very religious in a pagan sort of way, and also culturally diverse. The temple of Aphrodite overlooked the city – she was the so-called goddess of love. Corinth had a big prostitution problem and had many idols. In Paul's first letter to the church there, he addresses many of these sins. In fact, the language in our text this morning shares many parallels to 1 Corinthians chapter 10 … especially in regard to idols and partnering with demons. The Corinthian church was not be unequally yoked with either the false teachers or the broader secular and pagan community. Furthermore, we're not just told “to be not unequally yoked,” but we're also given some explanation. Look again at verses 14-16, again. You'll notice 5 questions. The next 5 sentences are 5 rhetorical questions. These are very helpful.. They not only answer why, but they also explain what being “unequally yoked” involves. Look at the 5 questions. Every single one begins with  the word “what?” And immediately following the word “what” is a description of the kind of relationship to which Paul refers. He says, “what partnership.” Then next, “what fellowship” and then third “what accord” and then “what portion” and finally “what agreement.” That's very helpful, isn't it? Each of those words implies an intentional alignment between two parties. It insinuates a purposeful agreement. The word “partnership” and “fellowship” are particularly helpful words. The Greek word partnership involves a shared purpose. And the word fellowship is even deeper. It's the word koinonia. It's a purpose-driven alignment when working together. In other words, the emphasis is on the ministry of the church in coordination and partnership with others. The emphasis is not relationships that we have with our friends and neighbors and co-workers. The Holy Spirit is not saying through Paul that Christians should separate themselves from the world. Not at all. Christians are called to love their neighbors. In our communities, we should seek to be friends with those whom God places in our lives. We are to be a light in the world. We are called to serve and show mercy and also to receive help from others in our times of need, no matter who is seeking to help. Even in our worship, we welcome anyone and everyone to worship with us. As you know, we do have membership vows that confirm what we believe, but the invitation to join us for our public worship is for all. Do you see the difference? These verses are about a purposeful partnership with others in matters of belief and ministry. Several years ago, there were a few churches in our denomination who learned this the hard way. They partnered with a weight loss ministry called Weigh Down. Their intention was good – the church wanted to help its members be healthy. It appeared on the outside that this partner ministry was an orthodox ministry. However, over time, it was revealed that the ministry founders did not believe in the Trinity! They didn't believe in what the Bible teaches about God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These churches didn't initially realize that, but to their credit, they quickly put an end to the ministry partnership. What was happening in Corinth was worse. The church had in part received people that were explicitly teaching things contrary to God's revealed Word. We also learned these people cared more about outward appearances and worldly standards than godliness. So, they shunned God's standards and they taught false doctrine, which basically meant they were not true believers in Christ. That helps to explain the contrasts in these rhetorical questions. Look at them one more time. ·       First, righteousness compared with lawlessness. That's in the first question. The difference is pursuing what God reveals in his word as good and right and pure and rejecting those things which go against his word. Lawlessness is essentially coming up with and living out your own standard contrary to God's revealed law. The two cannot be yoked together. ·       The second contrast is light with darkness. This is about truth verses error. A couple of chapters ago, remember “God who said, ‘let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give us the light (of what?)… the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Light is knowledge about what is true. What is true cannot be partnered with what is false. ·       Next, I think the most striking comparison is there in verse 15 – Christ is contrasted with Belial. Beliel, by the way, is another name for Satan. It specifically refers to the personification of the antichrist – of Satan. For God's people who have been united to Christ, there is no place to have an earthly partnership with those whose doctrine and practice are diametrically opposed to the ministry and mission that God gives for his church. The last rhetorical question is there in the beginning of verse 16. “What agreement has the temple of God with idols?” Idolatry is replacing the worship of God with something else. Or in this case, worshiping something that is not God alongside of the true God. Idols were everywhere in Corinth. That was the way of the Roman and Greek culture of the time. They believed in little gods. They would make physical idols of wood and stone. They would ask these false gods to bring rain or fertility or to defeat their enemies. I remember someone telling me about a small village in southeast Asia. This community had a lake and at one point the lake needed to be drained. One of the side berms needed repair. Well, when the engineers drained the lake, they found hundreds of idols. People had thrown their small idols into the lake. When these little “g” gods did not fulfill their desires, they wanted to get rid of them in protest. Sadly, their idolatry either blinded them from seeing and believing in the true God, or it took their heart away from worshiping the true God in Christ. For us, our idols look very different. They're not usually made of wood and stone, but rather we fashion them in our hearts. For example, idols of materialism or money or success or pleasure… or sports …or politics …or technology. There are others. When the people of God unequally yoke themselves with idols or idol worshipers, they pollute the very temple of God. They pollute the church. Let me summarize: lawlessness undermines the righteousness of God, darkness supplants the truth of God, and idolatry pollutes the worship of God. All of that is introduced into the church through the yoke of unholy partnerships. I don't know if you've been following along with the sermon outline. If so, that wraps up point #1, Be not unequally yoked. 2. Live as temples of the living God That now brings us to #2: Live as temples of the living God You can think about it this way. Verses 14 up to the beginning of 16 are like the negative argument. They answer the question what should we avoid in order to not be unequally yoked. We should avoid partnering with lawlessness and darkness and idolatry. All of those are signs of unbelief and need to be avoided. And when we get to the second half of verse 16, there's a switch to the positive argument. Why should the church seek to be pure? And the answer is because we are temples of the living God! That statement was a radical and transformational teaching for first century Christians. For the Corinthians, this was not the first time they heard it. Three times in Paul's first letter to them, he tells them that they are temples of God. God's Holy Spirit dwells in them. God's very presence is in them. You see, until Jesus Christ came, the presence of God was centered in the tabernacle and then the temple. A big portion of the Old Testament ceremonies happened there. It emphasized two things: (1) the holiness of God and (2) the presence of God. ·       First, sacrifices were performed to symbolically cleanse the people – to make them holy. Ultimately that was fulfilled in Christ. ·       Second, the temple contained the holy of holies. It was behind a vary large and very thick curtain. Only the high priest could enter the holy of holies once a year. That's where God's presence and glory was found. But when Jesus died on the cross, the temple curtain was torn in two. The temple of God was no longer relevant. That's because believers in Christ are now temples of the living God. So, if you are a believer in Christ, God has made you holy and has given you his presence. You are united to him through the Holy Spirit by faith. To be sure, that does not mean you do not sin. Rather it means that God sees you as holy because of the holiness of Christ in you. Through the union that you have with Christ, you are holy and have the very presence of God in you. In that way, you are temples of the living God. And because of the status you have as being holy, you are called to live out that holiness by pursuing the righteousness in God. I want you to jump down to chapter 7 verse 1. Notice how it concludes this section, “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” Again, “bringing holiness to completion.” It means that Christians should pursue holiness in our lives because God now sees us as holy. This directly relates to chapter 6:14 – “do not be unequally yoked.” 7:1 is the positive statement. Instead of being unequally yoked, cleanse yourselves from every defilement of body and spirit. In other words, since you are a holy people called by God, pursue holiness. God's will and desire for his church is that we be pure. Why? Well, that was point 1 – there's no place for lawlessness, darkness, or idolatry in those who are temples of the living Lord. Ok, let's go back up to the long quote. Do you see that there in verses 16-18? This is a very interesting Old Testament quote. That's because it doesn't just come from one place. It's a compilation of quotes from Exodus, Leviticus, Ezekiel, Isaiah, 2 Samuel, Jeremiah, and others. It displays an amazing cross section of God's redemptive plan and promises in the Old Testament. These 2 and 1/2 verses take us from God's law to his prophecies to the history of redemption… and to God's covenant promises. In fact, that's the thing that ties it all together. God's covenant with his people. You can see that in every phrase here. Let's look at them. ·       In the middle of 16, it begins with the covenant promise found in Exodus and Leviticus. The promise is that God would dwell with his people. That certainly ties to being temples of the living God… does it not? ·       And then next, another covenant promise that God would be our God and we would be his people. Do you see that there at the end of 16? That quote is actually found in multiple places... Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah, as we read earlier in the service. ·       Then verse 17 is from the prophet Isaiah. The covenant people of God should separate themselves from uncleanness. That's the outworking of being a people called out by God for his glory and honor. ·       And finally verse 18 comes from 2 Samuel chapter 7. That's when the prophet Nathan gave King David God's covenant promise. Part of the promise is that God would be the Father of one of his sons in his line. Also included there is that many will be called sons and daughters through this promised son. And of course, those promises are ultimately fulfilled in Christ.   I know that is a lot to take in. But the point is that God has called a covenant people to himself. And part of that calling is to be a set apart and holy people. So, to tie this all together… the command to be not unequally yoked (verse 14) and instead to bring holiness to completion (chapter 7 verse 1) HAS BEEN God's plan and purpose from the very beginning. God wants his church to be pure. He wants us to pursue righteousness and to faithfully teach and believe in the truths found in his Word. Any diversions from that corrupts the temple of the living Lord. About 100 years ago, a crisis was happening in the church here in the United States. This affected multiple denominations. Ministers were no longer required to believe in basic truths about the Christian faith. There were 5 fundamental beliefs that a pastor did not have to believe: (1) they didn't have to believe in Jesus's divine nature. (2) or the virgin birth of Christ (3) or Jesus physical resurrection. (4) or the substitutionary atonement of Christ – meaning that Jeus died to pay the penalty for sinners. Or (5) the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible – that one really leads to all the rest. In several denominations, you could be ordained as a pastor without believing in one or more of those things. But each of those things is core to the Christian faith. To not believe in them is to violate the truths found in 2 Corinthians 6:14 to 7:1. You see, sadly, a cancer had infiltrated the church. That cancer began to spread. It slowly multiplied until it metastasized… it reached the very heart of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now, not all denominations were affected. And to be sure, some true believers remained in those churches and sought to steer them back to faith in Christ. But it was an uphill battle. To use the language of the book of Revelation chapters 2 and 3… If a church abandons its first love, that is Christ, God will snuff out their lampstand. It has been 100 years, but the broader church in the United States is still suffering from the unbelief. And it all started by being unequally yoked with unbelievers. There are, of course, many examples recent times that violate these verses in 2 Corinthians. And we should not believe that we are immune from this. We should always be evaluating whether we are being faithful to teach what God has spoken. And we should always be evaluating whether we are living as temples of the living… God seeking to bring holiness to fulfillment. May we, here at Tucker Pres, seek to honor God in our words and actions…both individually and as a church. May we be not unequally yoked, but rather may we seek to be temples of the living Lord… bringing holiness to completion in the fear and worship of our God.