2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Well, if you have looked in your program today for the messenger, I guess you’re a little surprised at this point. Yes, the program does say that Carl is the messenger. But no, I am not Carl. And if you don’t already know me, my name is John. Unfortunately, Carl came down with a cold this week, and it has given him a terrible cough. And that is not so good if you have to deliver a message.
Also, if you weren’t aware, we have three pastors here at Clemson Community Church: Carl Baum, Fred Custer, and me, John Farmer.
So, today is one kind of example of why it is good to have a plurality of leadership. Instead of Carl having to come in here sick, he can rest and I can serve him by giving the message today. It brings to mind Ecclesiastes 4 where it says that two are better than one because they have a good return for their work. The same passage also points out that a cord of three strands is not easily broken.
The leadership structure for this church is based on the model as laid out in the New Testament. In Acts 14, it is clear that elders (plural) were appointed in each church. In Titus 1, Paul instructs Titus to appoint elders in each city, again plural. I hope that is an encouragement to you. By having a group of godly elders working together, there is safety and strength.
There is a continual need for elders in the church, both this local church and the church globally. God desires to raise up new elders. And, men who aspire to be elders are encouraged in I Timothy 3 that they desire a noble task. The qualifications to become an elder are given in I Timothy 3. In large part, the eligibility to become an elder comes from continuing the process of spiritual maturity.
There was a table of the qualifications for Elders given in my study bible. It is taken from I Timothy 3 and Titus 1. I put the list on an overhead slide. These are the qualifications:
Self-controlled
Hospitable
Able to teach
Not violent but gentle
Not quarrelsome
Not a lover of money
Not a recent convert
Has a good reputation with outsiders
Not overbearing
Not quick-tempered
Loves what is good
Upright, Holy
Disciplined
Above reproach, Blameless
Husband of one wife
Temperate
Respectable
Not given to drunkenness
Manages his own family well
Sees that his children obey him
Does not pursue dishonest gain
Keeps hold of the deep truths
Sincere
Tested
Looking at the list, I was left thinking, "Who wouldn’t want all of those things to be said about them?" There’s not a single thing on that list that you would say, "Boy I’m not interested in that." And so, that’s my point. An elder is what the word elder means. An elder is an older one. One who has been a believer for awhile and who has lived a life yielded to the Lord. So, I am just planting some seed about what it means to be an elder and why there should always be a team of elders working together. May the Holy Spirit use these truths as God desires.
Let’s take a moment and pray:
God, we pray for Carl this morning. Please heal him and strengthen his lungs that he would recover quickly from this cold and cough. Please help him to rest today and be at peace not worrying about today’s service. God we thank you for this body of believers. Thank you that we are not alone and that there are other believers here to help one another and to carry one another’s burdens. Father, thank you for your Word. It is absolutely true in every detail. Speak to us now from this passage in II Corinthians. May it strengthen us and challenge us to live lives that glorify You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God’s Word is true in every detail. Have you ever looked at a rope? Actually, I brought one here with me. Of course, there are many kinds of ropes. And, I wouldn’t say that I am any kind of connoisseur of ropes. I’m no Samwise Gamgee. But most of the ropes (not all, but nearly all) I’ve ever looked at are made of three strands. Isn’t it interesting that in the three thousand years since Ecclesiastes was written, we haven’t found a better way to make a rope? Why not? Well, like the verse says, “A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” That truth applies to both ropes and to people.
Really, we will talk about II Corinthians today. But my point about the rope is that the three strands are there working together. One strand does not stand alone to bear the load.
I want to apply this analogy of the rope to II Corinthians. There are three parties at work in the Corinthian church, and they are mentioned in the salutation of the letter chapter 1, verses 1-2. Obviously, we have the writers of the letter, Paul and Timothy. Then, we have the recipients of the letter, the church in Corinth and all the saints throughout Achaia. Then, Paul concludes the salutation, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The growth of the church in Corinth is dependent on all three of these “strands” of the rope. Obviously, one of these strands is stronger than the other two. Jesus bears all our sins. He set things right between us and God. We cannot lift that burden ourselves. Even if all the people in the world gathered together all 6.8 billion, we could not attain forgiveness for even one single person.
But even though Jesus has all the strength and power himself, that is not how he chooses to work. It would be possible for him to take each believer and force them to do exactly what he wants. It could be that upon salvation we all turned into robot Christians who automatically did the right thing every time. But that is not what God wants. In John 4:23-24, Jesus told the woman at the well that the time had come for true worshipers to worship the Father in spirit and truth “for these are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”
I cannot help but think that our continuing free will stems in part from the Father seeking these true worshipers. Based on this verse, there would be two kinds of false worshipers. You have to have at least one of these characteristics to be a worshiper. If you do not worship in spirit or in truth, I think that is no worship at all. That would be empty ritualism at best and vain self-gratification at its worst, as exemplified by the Pharisees.
The Pharisees put on the pretence of righteousness by their strict adherence to the details of the law. Jesus spoke of them in Matthew 23 saying, “Everything they do is done for men to see.” That included their “worship.”
Now, if you worship perfectly in truth only but not spirit, that would result in a kind of robot Christian. There is no passion or willingness, only truth. This is worship by mind or intellect only. In John 4, I think that Jesus was referring to faithful Jews who truly worshipped at the temple. They were following the Law, worshiping the truth of the Law. The mindset being: I worship because I have to, because I was told to, not because I want to. If Jesus took away our free will at the moment of salvation, then I think our worship could be in truth only.
Worshiping in spirit only would be something like worshiping the Creator God, but not being willing to submit your self to Christ. Jesus clearly said, “I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father but through me.” A person who worships in spirit only would be willing to worship the Creator and cry out to him, but would not be willing to accept the truth that there is only one way to come to God and that is through Jesus Christ. The mindset being: I worship because I want to, but not how I am supposed to. I think in John 4 that Jesus was referring to the Samaritans who worshipped on the mountain. They were still coming to God, but not in truth, not how they were supposed to.
Now worshiping in spirit and truth together, that is something special. It is the unity of wanting to and submitting in the how to. The right mindset is: I worship Jesus because of who he is (in truth) and rejoicing because of what he has done for me (in spirit).
The image that is given to us in the Bible for the relationship of the church to Christ is that of marriage. The church is the “bride of Christ.” Jesus demonstrated his love for the church by giving up himself and dying on the cross in order to make us, His bride, holy. According to Ephesians 5, because of his sacrifice we will be presented to Him, “as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”
Now, think about the perfect wedding. Close your eyes if you need to. I want you to imagine a bride standing there at the altar beside the groom. She is stunningly beautiful in her shining white silk gown. Her hair and everything about her appearance is perfect. She is holding a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. Everything is just right. The setting is perfect, anything you like: mountaintop location, tropical location, a traditional church. Whatever it is, it is perfect. The music is perfect. The groom is perfect. No detail has been overlooked. You’ve got the image secured in your mind.
Now imagine her face. What do you expect it to look like? You are expecting joy. You are expecting a smile. Not just a mouth smile, but a full face smile. Eyes smiling. Teeth showing. Dimples are showing. You’ve got the picture in your mind.
Imagine instead if it were a forced and frozen smile. Eyebrows are lifted up. No teeth are showing. She’s smiling because it’s what she’s supposed to do, but not because she wants to. What if the face was a face without choice, neither happy nor sad, just a frozen, expressionless face beautiful but without emotion. Wouldn’t that just ruin the entire moment, if not the entire wedding?
I’ll tell you one of my favorite memories from our wedding. Guys don’t usually do to good at remembering all the mushy stuff, but there is one thing I will remember all of my days. Now, my wife, Melissa is a little on the shy side. She really dislikes being the center of attention. And getting up in front of a group of people is not something she ever wants to do. And speaking in public is probably the last thing she would ever want to do. So, during our wedding it comes to the point in the wedding for the “I do’s.”
Now, we’re facing each other holding hands, so I’m looking right at her. She is smiling and looks radiant. She doesn’t look upset or stressed, but I know she’s nervous. So, I’m trying to will every ounce of courage over to her. I’m smiling, hang in there, we’re almost done. And then, the pastor gets to “Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?” I know that she’s at 99.9% of her endurance just to physically be standing there at the center of attention, up in front of everyone. I’m expecting her lips to move when she answers, and I’m really hoping for an audible whisper that at least the pastor can hear. And then all of a sudden without hesitation, she says, “I do!” Now, she didn’t yell it or anything, but even without a microphone every single person in the church heard her say, “I do!” It was a confident, sure, I pledge my life without reservation, “I do.” No doubt, no question.
And I tell you, my heart just absolutely soared. I was completely overjoyed. Here was my beautiful bride doing one of the hardest things in her life. But she testified to me and to everyone and to the Lord, that she would have me. We had a covenant together for all our days, no matter what. The covenant of marriage was not forced or contrived or in doubt. She made that covenant cheerfully and without hesitation.
I think that is what Jesus is looking for from us, the church. We will be given to him as His bride. Just like a groom today expects joy from his bride, so Jesus is expecting us to be full of joy. A diamond, ruby or other precious stone can be perfect. That gem can even be radiant. But it is inanimate. It cannot have or express joy. Jesus didn’t lay down his life to buy a perfect jewel. He laid down his life for his bride that he loves and that loves him.
Ephesians 5 gives the marital example for the church as a bride being in submission to Christ. The amplified uses synonyms be subject and adapt yourselves. The Greek word translated as submit means “to yield to one's admonition or advice.” There is this palpable sense of willingness. I yield to you. It is volitional, a decision on the part of the bride. I choose to love you and trust you.
In American culture, it is customary for the bride to take the last name of the groom as her own. It is not required by law. In fact, people can keep their maiden names or sometimes hyphenate both their maiden and married name together. When Melissa and I went to the courthouse to get our marriage certificate, I remember the clerk asking me if I was going to take Melissa’s last name. I just sort of stared at the clerk for a second and then tried to diplomatically say well no, that’s not what we’re planning to do. Of course, the clerk just laughed and said, “I keep offering, but no one has decided to take me up on it just yet.”
That made an impression on me that my wife was willingly giving up a piece of her identity to be yielded to me. She is not a “Munn” anymore. She chose to take the name “Farmer” as her own. Isn’t it interesting that in Revelation 3 Jesus says to every believer that, “I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.” Later in Revelation 19, it describes Jesus’ new name as the one which no one knows except himself. Jesus will identify us with him in an incredibly intimate way. At the same time, we will yield ourselves to him in full submission and trust.
I know that I’ve covered a whole lot of ground really quickly, but let me give a summary before continuing:
II Corinthians is about three parties. You have Jesus and God the Father as one party, Paul and Timothy as another, and the Corinthian church as the third. All three of these have to work together by God’s design like three strands of the same rope. There is interdependence between all three.
Jesus is obviously the strongest strand, and he could control the other two strands by his own will. He could choose to dictate how we act, but he chooses not to. Instead, we have a choice to accept or reject salvation. Also, we have a daily choice whether we submit or whether we choose our own way.
Jesus chooses not to make us into robot Christians because he is looking for a relationship with his bride, the church. That relationship is only possible when we submit and yield ourselves to him.
I’m not kidding, we are really going to talk about II Corinthians 6 today. I’m almost there. Just give me a couple of more minutes.
Carl explained to us at the opening of this series that Paul apparently wrote four letters to the Corinthians. Two of them are obviously in the Bible: I and II Corinthians. Both letters make reference to a previous letter, but only the two that we know were included in the Bible. Why was that? Did the other two letters get lost? I don’t think that they were lost, but it does seem to be likely that the content of the other letters applied specifically and only to the Corinthians. The Holy Spirit directed Paul in the writing the letters I and II Corinthians and they became part of Scripture. As God-breathed Scripture, these two letters are “of tremendous value to all Christians to read and learn from, not just those at that time in Corinth.”
Because these truths apply to all believers, we have been studying their application to our lives. We have messages titled “The God of all Comfort” and “Having Competence from God” and “Reconciliation.” But today, I want to take a look at this letter up through chapter 6 through the eyes of the Corinthians. What was Paul saying to them? To do that, I want to stick with my analogy of the three strands of the rope: Jesus, Paul, and the Corinthians.
A rope can be useful for all sorts of things. For example, a rope can be used to rescue someone out of a pit. In keeping with this sense of rescue God says in Hosea 11:4, “I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love.”
In this rope analogy, I want you to think about the rope as God’s plan for the salvation of the world. Obviously, Jesus is doing the heavy lifting here. It is by his sacrifice on the cross that we are saved. Ultimately, our assurance rests on Him. However, the method that God uses to reach the world is not some interstellar TV screen mounted in the heavens. He does not often speak audibly into peoples lives. God’s method to proclaim the gospel is through people. Jesus had twelve disciples. Crowds followed Jesus around during some of his earthly ministry, but He really built into the twelve. That pattern did not end when Jesus died on the cross and ascended into heaven. Jesus gave us the Great Commission to go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to observe His commands.
So with the other two strands of the rope, we have the disciple-makers, Paul and Timothy, and the new disciples, the Corinthians. By grace, Jesus’ strength extends to both the disciples and the disciple-makers. The disciple-makers are faithfully teaching and witnessing to the effect Jesus has had in their lives, and the disciples are being encouraged and growing in faith. All who follow Christ and obey His commands are disciples. And one of his commands it to make disciples. So through sanctification and spiritual growth, we all should be disciples and become disciple-makers.
Now in II Corinthians chapters 1-5, we have been hearing mostly about two of the strands. Up to this point, Paul has been speaking to the Corinthians. He is expositing or explaining his ministry. Paul uses the pronoun “we” predominantly. He rarely uses the pronoun “you.” Because of the continual use of the pronoun “we,” I believe Paul is referring to himself and Timothy, those who are ministering to the Corinthians.
Paul says things about Timothy and himself like:
“We do not want you to be uniformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia.” 1:8
“We do not write you anything that you cannot read or understand.” 1:13
“Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.” 2:17
“Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” 3:5
“Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.” 3:12
“Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.” 4:1
“For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” 4:5
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” 4:7
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 4:16
“Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men.” 5:11
“We are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart.” 5:12
“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.” 5:16
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” 5:20
Paul’s intent in these first chapters is to establish and confirm his ministry among the Corinthians. Paul is very clear that his ministry and direction is from the Lord. Paul is laying it out plainly for the Corinthians. This glorious ministry of comfort and reconciliation is what God has called me to proclaim. I am doing it because of what Christ had done for me.
As justification for his actions, Paul testifies to the Lord:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion, and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.” 1:3-4
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.” 1:20
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” 2:14-15
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 3:17-18
“Because we know that the one who raised Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.” 4:14
“Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” 5:5
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 5:17
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 5:21
If you haven’t already, memorize some or all of these verses. They are for the building of your faith. Paul’s testimony to the power and truths of God is meant to encourage you in your faith. They apply to Paul. They apply to the Corinthians. And they apply to us.
Regarding Paul’s addressing the Corinthians in chapters 1-5, he writes about three things:
“On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.” 1:10-11
“Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.” 2:7
“We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” 5:20
The first verse is a mystery, but again gets back to Jesus allowing us to participate in His plan. The prayers of believers make a difference to God. Our faith can impact others’ lives as we pray for them.
The second verse is pretty straightforward. Forgive the sinner. Jesus taught the disciples to pray in part by saying, “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.”
And the last verse is an exhortation. Make things right between you and the Lord. Paul is being very gentle with the Corinthians here. He is explaining what he is doing and why. He is encouraging them to take small steps of faith. He is saying these things lovingly and with great patience. Paul is acting like a tender parent with a child.
Hebrews 5 is a little more blunt, “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!” In II Corinthians, Paul is spooning up spiritual milk explaining again the elementary truths of God’s word. That in part is why this book is such a treasure and part of God-breathed Scripture.
Don’t get me wrong, receiving spiritual milk is not a bad thing. I Peter 2:2-3 says, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” Take in these verses and meditate on them. They are a lamp to your feet and a light to your path.
So with that background, let’s pick up in II Corinthians chapter 6.
As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. -- II Corinthians 6:1-2
Paul is still laboring the point with the Corinthians. Please come to salvation. Please don’t take God’s promises as “Gee, that’s nice.” Take them to heart. Act on the offer of salvation. Receive Christ. A friend shared with me this week that there is only one deathbed confession in the Bible. The thief on the cross next to Jesus believed saying “Jesus, remember me”, and Jesus promised the thief salvation, that he would that very day be with Jesus in paradise. There is one example of a deathbed confession because it is true and God does allow it. But clearly, that is not God’s plan or desire. He intends that we would act for “now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”
Continuing in verse 3:
We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. --II Corinthians 6:3-10
We could break down each one of these phrases and tie it back to a specific trial or trials in the life of Paul. He includes them not for literary effect, but because they truly happened. This is a culmination of Paul’s desire to bring credit to his ministry in this letter. It is one thing to preach the gospel when the sun is shining, there is food on the table, and you are happy and safe. Paul’s experiences and trials have taken his devotion to another level. He’s saying, look what has happened to me and still I am serving the Lord. There is a bigger picture. It’s not the things that are seen that matter. It’s the things that are unseen which are important. He’s trying the help the Corinthians see, “You’ve got no excuse. These truths are real. Come to Christ.”
There were false teachers in Corinth who were trying to discredit Paul through lies and deceit. Paul earnestly wants to show the Corinthians that his ministry is valid. That he is genuine. The persecution that the church has endured throughout the centuries and still today, is probably one of the strongest confirmations of the truth of the gospel. Why would people be beaten, stoned, hung on crosses, thrown to lions, and burned alive, if the gospel were not true?
Likewise, Paul is setting an example for us as believers. What does it mean to be saved and sanctified? I opened Oswald Chamber’s devotional My Utmost for His Highest yesterday, and this is what I read:
"Remember what you are saved for - that the Son of God might be manifested in your mortal flesh. Bend the whole energy of your powers to realize your election as a child of God; rise to the occasion every time.
You cannot do anything for your salvation, but you must do something to manifest it, you must work out what God has worked in. Are you working it out with your tongue, and your brain and your nerves? If you are still the same miserable crosspatch, set on your own way, then it is a lie to say that God has saved and sanctified you.
God is the Master Engineer, He allows the difficulties to come in order to see if you can vault over them properly - "By my God have I leaped over a wall." God will never shield you from any of the requirements of a son or daughter of His. Peter says - "Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you." Rise to the occasion; do the thing. It does not matter how it hurts as long as it gives God the chance to manifest Himself in your mortal flesh.
May God not find the whine in us any more, but may He find us full of spiritual pluck and athleticism, ready to face anything He brings. We have to exercise ourselves in order that the Son of God may be manifested in our mortal flesh. God never has museums. The only aim of the life is that the Son of God may be manifested, and all dictation to God vanishes. Our Lord never dictated to His Father, and we are not here to dictate to God; we are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. When we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured out wine to feed and nourish others."
This is God’s desire for our sanctification.
Now the last verses for today’s message:
We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, --II Corinthians 6:11-12a
Just taking the tone of this letter, it is evident that Paul has shown great affection for the Corinthians. He has changed his plans to come to them. He has delayed coming once so that they would have time to deal with issues privately. He writes truthfully, gently and earnestly for their good. All the time that he spent in Corinth shows how much he cares for them. He writes honestly about his own trials and struggles withholding nothing.
I want to come back to my three strands of rope analogy. We have Christ as the strand with all the strength, yet choosing to work through the two other strands. We have Paul as the disciple-maker. He is being obedient to the Great Commission to go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to observe the commands of Christ. Jesus said in John 15:12, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” Paul is loving the Corinthians unconditionally and even painfully.
What about the Corinthians?
...but you are withholding yours from us. --I Corinthians 6:12b
Ouch. I can’t help but think that Paul means they are withholding their affection from Jesus in addition to Timothy and himself.
I went to another funeral on Friday afternoon. This funeral was for someone who knew the Lord, so it was more of a celebration. The pastor had a gospel message. And he spoke primarily from Psalm 39, especially verses 4, 5 and 7:
Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath … But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. --Psalm 39:4-5, 7
This pastor kept using a phrase to challenge our attitude toward eternity. Do we live as though what is true is not true? After hearing the Word of God this morning, will your life be different or the same? When we leave this place, will our priorities be God’s priorities or will they be the world’s priorities? Are you living your life by accident, or are you living your life on purpose? Do we live as though what is true really is true, or do we live as though what is true is not true?
Jesus loves us. He desires that we love Him. In addition, he desires that we love one another. But to do that, we must open our hearts, even risking hurt from others. By doing that, we show our trust in Him.
What is your expectation about the wedding feast of the Lamb? Are you ready to be part of the bride of Christ? Are you ready to speak confidently, “I do” with a smile on your face and joy in your heart?
We have been purchased by his blood. We could not even come to the wedding without that. But what really excites Jesus is that His bride will come to him with open heart, willing and joyful. It is a relationship.
Think of all He has done for you, and in response …
As a fair exchange-I speak as to my children-open wide your hearts also. --II Corinthians 6:13
Open your hearts.
Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, give us the courage to live lives fully devoted to You. Help us to open our hearts and experience a full joyful relationship with You. Help us to put away childish things and to run with endurance the race that is set before us. Thank you for salvation. Thank you that we have a part in your glory. We give all honor and praise to you, Jesus. Amen.
Well, if you have looked in your program today for the messenger, I guess you’re a little surprised at this point. Yes, the program does say that Carl is the messenger. But no, I am not Carl. And if you don’t already know me, my name is John. Unfortunately, Carl came down with a cold this week, and it has given him a terrible cough. And that is not so good if you have to deliver a message.Also, if you weren’t aware, we have three pastors here at Clemson Community Church: Carl Baum, Fred Custer, and me, John Farmer.
So, today is one kind of example of why it is good to have a plurality of leadership. Instead of Carl having to come in here sick, he can rest and I can serve him by giving the message today. It brings to mind Ecclesiastes 4 where it says that two are better than one because they have a good return for their work. The same passage also points out that a cord of three strands is not easily broken.
The leadership structure for this church is based on the model as laid out in the New Testament. In Acts 14, it is clear that elders (plural) were appointed in each church. In Titus 1, Paul instructs Titus to appoint elders in each city, again plural. I hope that is an encouragement to you. By having a group of godly elders working together, there is safety and strength.
There is a continual need for elders in the church, both this local church and the church globally. God desires to raise up new elders. And, men who aspire to be elders are encouraged in I Timothy 3 that they desire a noble task. The qualifications to become an elder are given in I Timothy 3. In large part, the eligibility to become an elder comes from continuing the process of spiritual maturity.
There was a table of the qualifications for Elders given in my study bible. It is taken from I Timothy 3 and Titus 1. I put the list on an overhead slide. These are the qualifications:
Self-controlled
Hospitable
Able to teach
Not violent but gentle
Not quarrelsome
Not a lover of money
Not a recent convert
Has a good reputation with outsiders
Not overbearing
Not quick-tempered
Loves what is good
Upright, Holy
Disciplined
Above reproach, Blameless
Husband of one wife
Temperate
Respectable
Not given to drunkenness
Manages his own family well
Sees that his children obey him
Does not pursue dishonest gain
Keeps hold of the deep truths
Sincere
Tested
Looking at the list, I was left thinking, "Who wouldn’t want all of those things to be said about them?" There’s not a single thing on that list that you would say, "Boy I’m not interested in that." And so, that’s my point. An elder is what the word elder means. An elder is an older one. One who has been a believer for awhile and who has lived a life yielded to the Lord. So, I am just planting some seed about what it means to be an elder and why there should always be a team of elders working together. May the Holy Spirit use these truths as God desires.
Let’s take a moment and pray:
God, we pray for Carl this morning. Please heal him and strengthen his lungs that he would recover quickly from this cold and cough. Please help him to rest today and be at peace not worrying about today’s service. God we thank you for this body of believers. Thank you that we are not alone and that there are other believers here to help one another and to carry one another’s burdens. Father, thank you for your Word. It is absolutely true in every detail. Speak to us now from this passage in II Corinthians. May it strengthen us and challenge us to live lives that glorify You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God’s Word is true in every detail. Have you ever looked at a rope? Actually, I brought one here with me. Of course, there are many kinds of ropes. And, I wouldn’t say that I am any kind of connoisseur of ropes. I’m no Samwise Gamgee. But most of the ropes (not all, but nearly all) I’ve ever looked at are made of three strands. Isn’t it interesting that in the three thousand years since Ecclesiastes was written, we haven’t found a better way to make a rope? Why not? Well, like the verse says, “A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” That truth applies to both ropes and to people.
Really, we will talk about II Corinthians today. But my point about the rope is that the three strands are there working together. One strand does not stand alone to bear the load.
I want to apply this analogy of the rope to II Corinthians. There are three parties at work in the Corinthian church, and they are mentioned in the salutation of the letter chapter 1, verses 1-2. Obviously, we have the writers of the letter, Paul and Timothy. Then, we have the recipients of the letter, the church in Corinth and all the saints throughout Achaia. Then, Paul concludes the salutation, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The growth of the church in Corinth is dependent on all three of these “strands” of the rope. Obviously, one of these strands is stronger than the other two. Jesus bears all our sins. He set things right between us and God. We cannot lift that burden ourselves. Even if all the people in the world gathered together all 6.8 billion, we could not attain forgiveness for even one single person.
But even though Jesus has all the strength and power himself, that is not how he chooses to work. It would be possible for him to take each believer and force them to do exactly what he wants. It could be that upon salvation we all turned into robot Christians who automatically did the right thing every time. But that is not what God wants. In John 4:23-24, Jesus told the woman at the well that the time had come for true worshipers to worship the Father in spirit and truth “for these are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”
I cannot help but think that our continuing free will stems in part from the Father seeking these true worshipers. Based on this verse, there would be two kinds of false worshipers. You have to have at least one of these characteristics to be a worshiper. If you do not worship in spirit or in truth, I think that is no worship at all. That would be empty ritualism at best and vain self-gratification at its worst, as exemplified by the Pharisees.
The Pharisees put on the pretence of righteousness by their strict adherence to the details of the law. Jesus spoke of them in Matthew 23 saying, “Everything they do is done for men to see.” That included their “worship.”
Now, if you worship perfectly in truth only but not spirit, that would result in a kind of robot Christian. There is no passion or willingness, only truth. This is worship by mind or intellect only. In John 4, I think that Jesus was referring to faithful Jews who truly worshipped at the temple. They were following the Law, worshiping the truth of the Law. The mindset being: I worship because I have to, because I was told to, not because I want to. If Jesus took away our free will at the moment of salvation, then I think our worship could be in truth only.
Worshiping in spirit only would be something like worshiping the Creator God, but not being willing to submit your self to Christ. Jesus clearly said, “I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father but through me.” A person who worships in spirit only would be willing to worship the Creator and cry out to him, but would not be willing to accept the truth that there is only one way to come to God and that is through Jesus Christ. The mindset being: I worship because I want to, but not how I am supposed to. I think in John 4 that Jesus was referring to the Samaritans who worshipped on the mountain. They were still coming to God, but not in truth, not how they were supposed to.
Now worshiping in spirit and truth together, that is something special. It is the unity of wanting to and submitting in the how to. The right mindset is: I worship Jesus because of who he is (in truth) and rejoicing because of what he has done for me (in spirit).
The image that is given to us in the Bible for the relationship of the church to Christ is that of marriage. The church is the “bride of Christ.” Jesus demonstrated his love for the church by giving up himself and dying on the cross in order to make us, His bride, holy. According to Ephesians 5, because of his sacrifice we will be presented to Him, “as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”
Now, think about the perfect wedding. Close your eyes if you need to. I want you to imagine a bride standing there at the altar beside the groom. She is stunningly beautiful in her shining white silk gown. Her hair and everything about her appearance is perfect. She is holding a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. Everything is just right. The setting is perfect, anything you like: mountaintop location, tropical location, a traditional church. Whatever it is, it is perfect. The music is perfect. The groom is perfect. No detail has been overlooked. You’ve got the image secured in your mind.
Now imagine her face. What do you expect it to look like? You are expecting joy. You are expecting a smile. Not just a mouth smile, but a full face smile. Eyes smiling. Teeth showing. Dimples are showing. You’ve got the picture in your mind.
Imagine instead if it were a forced and frozen smile. Eyebrows are lifted up. No teeth are showing. She’s smiling because it’s what she’s supposed to do, but not because she wants to. What if the face was a face without choice, neither happy nor sad, just a frozen, expressionless face beautiful but without emotion. Wouldn’t that just ruin the entire moment, if not the entire wedding?
I’ll tell you one of my favorite memories from our wedding. Guys don’t usually do to good at remembering all the mushy stuff, but there is one thing I will remember all of my days. Now, my wife, Melissa is a little on the shy side. She really dislikes being the center of attention. And getting up in front of a group of people is not something she ever wants to do. And speaking in public is probably the last thing she would ever want to do. So, during our wedding it comes to the point in the wedding for the “I do’s.”
Now, we’re facing each other holding hands, so I’m looking right at her. She is smiling and looks radiant. She doesn’t look upset or stressed, but I know she’s nervous. So, I’m trying to will every ounce of courage over to her. I’m smiling, hang in there, we’re almost done. And then, the pastor gets to “Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?” I know that she’s at 99.9% of her endurance just to physically be standing there at the center of attention, up in front of everyone. I’m expecting her lips to move when she answers, and I’m really hoping for an audible whisper that at least the pastor can hear. And then all of a sudden without hesitation, she says, “I do!” Now, she didn’t yell it or anything, but even without a microphone every single person in the church heard her say, “I do!” It was a confident, sure, I pledge my life without reservation, “I do.” No doubt, no question.
And I tell you, my heart just absolutely soared. I was completely overjoyed. Here was my beautiful bride doing one of the hardest things in her life. But she testified to me and to everyone and to the Lord, that she would have me. We had a covenant together for all our days, no matter what. The covenant of marriage was not forced or contrived or in doubt. She made that covenant cheerfully and without hesitation.
I think that is what Jesus is looking for from us, the church. We will be given to him as His bride. Just like a groom today expects joy from his bride, so Jesus is expecting us to be full of joy. A diamond, ruby or other precious stone can be perfect. That gem can even be radiant. But it is inanimate. It cannot have or express joy. Jesus didn’t lay down his life to buy a perfect jewel. He laid down his life for his bride that he loves and that loves him.
Ephesians 5 gives the marital example for the church as a bride being in submission to Christ. The amplified uses synonyms be subject and adapt yourselves. The Greek word translated as submit means “to yield to one's admonition or advice.” There is this palpable sense of willingness. I yield to you. It is volitional, a decision on the part of the bride. I choose to love you and trust you.
In American culture, it is customary for the bride to take the last name of the groom as her own. It is not required by law. In fact, people can keep their maiden names or sometimes hyphenate both their maiden and married name together. When Melissa and I went to the courthouse to get our marriage certificate, I remember the clerk asking me if I was going to take Melissa’s last name. I just sort of stared at the clerk for a second and then tried to diplomatically say well no, that’s not what we’re planning to do. Of course, the clerk just laughed and said, “I keep offering, but no one has decided to take me up on it just yet.”
That made an impression on me that my wife was willingly giving up a piece of her identity to be yielded to me. She is not a “Munn” anymore. She chose to take the name “Farmer” as her own. Isn’t it interesting that in Revelation 3 Jesus says to every believer that, “I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.” Later in Revelation 19, it describes Jesus’ new name as the one which no one knows except himself. Jesus will identify us with him in an incredibly intimate way. At the same time, we will yield ourselves to him in full submission and trust.
I know that I’ve covered a whole lot of ground really quickly, but let me give a summary before continuing:
II Corinthians is about three parties. You have Jesus and God the Father as one party, Paul and Timothy as another, and the Corinthian church as the third. All three of these have to work together by God’s design like three strands of the same rope. There is interdependence between all three.
Jesus is obviously the strongest strand, and he could control the other two strands by his own will. He could choose to dictate how we act, but he chooses not to. Instead, we have a choice to accept or reject salvation. Also, we have a daily choice whether we submit or whether we choose our own way.
Jesus chooses not to make us into robot Christians because he is looking for a relationship with his bride, the church. That relationship is only possible when we submit and yield ourselves to him.
I’m not kidding, we are really going to talk about II Corinthians 6 today. I’m almost there. Just give me a couple of more minutes.
Carl explained to us at the opening of this series that Paul apparently wrote four letters to the Corinthians. Two of them are obviously in the Bible: I and II Corinthians. Both letters make reference to a previous letter, but only the two that we know were included in the Bible. Why was that? Did the other two letters get lost? I don’t think that they were lost, but it does seem to be likely that the content of the other letters applied specifically and only to the Corinthians. The Holy Spirit directed Paul in the writing the letters I and II Corinthians and they became part of Scripture. As God-breathed Scripture, these two letters are “of tremendous value to all Christians to read and learn from, not just those at that time in Corinth.”
Because these truths apply to all believers, we have been studying their application to our lives. We have messages titled “The God of all Comfort” and “Having Competence from God” and “Reconciliation.” But today, I want to take a look at this letter up through chapter 6 through the eyes of the Corinthians. What was Paul saying to them? To do that, I want to stick with my analogy of the three strands of the rope: Jesus, Paul, and the Corinthians.
A rope can be useful for all sorts of things. For example, a rope can be used to rescue someone out of a pit. In keeping with this sense of rescue God says in Hosea 11:4, “I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love.”
In this rope analogy, I want you to think about the rope as God’s plan for the salvation of the world. Obviously, Jesus is doing the heavy lifting here. It is by his sacrifice on the cross that we are saved. Ultimately, our assurance rests on Him. However, the method that God uses to reach the world is not some interstellar TV screen mounted in the heavens. He does not often speak audibly into peoples lives. God’s method to proclaim the gospel is through people. Jesus had twelve disciples. Crowds followed Jesus around during some of his earthly ministry, but He really built into the twelve. That pattern did not end when Jesus died on the cross and ascended into heaven. Jesus gave us the Great Commission to go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to observe His commands.
So with the other two strands of the rope, we have the disciple-makers, Paul and Timothy, and the new disciples, the Corinthians. By grace, Jesus’ strength extends to both the disciples and the disciple-makers. The disciple-makers are faithfully teaching and witnessing to the effect Jesus has had in their lives, and the disciples are being encouraged and growing in faith. All who follow Christ and obey His commands are disciples. And one of his commands it to make disciples. So through sanctification and spiritual growth, we all should be disciples and become disciple-makers.
Now in II Corinthians chapters 1-5, we have been hearing mostly about two of the strands. Up to this point, Paul has been speaking to the Corinthians. He is expositing or explaining his ministry. Paul uses the pronoun “we” predominantly. He rarely uses the pronoun “you.” Because of the continual use of the pronoun “we,” I believe Paul is referring to himself and Timothy, those who are ministering to the Corinthians.
Paul says things about Timothy and himself like:
“We do not want you to be uniformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia.” 1:8
“We do not write you anything that you cannot read or understand.” 1:13
“Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.” 2:17
“Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” 3:5
“Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.” 3:12
“Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.” 4:1
“For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” 4:5
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” 4:7
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 4:16
“Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men.” 5:11
“We are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart.” 5:12
“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.” 5:16
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” 5:20
Paul’s intent in these first chapters is to establish and confirm his ministry among the Corinthians. Paul is very clear that his ministry and direction is from the Lord. Paul is laying it out plainly for the Corinthians. This glorious ministry of comfort and reconciliation is what God has called me to proclaim. I am doing it because of what Christ had done for me.
As justification for his actions, Paul testifies to the Lord:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion, and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.” 1:3-4
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.” 1:20
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” 2:14-15
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 3:17-18
“Because we know that the one who raised Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.” 4:14
“Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” 5:5
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 5:17
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 5:21
If you haven’t already, memorize some or all of these verses. They are for the building of your faith. Paul’s testimony to the power and truths of God is meant to encourage you in your faith. They apply to Paul. They apply to the Corinthians. And they apply to us.
Regarding Paul’s addressing the Corinthians in chapters 1-5, he writes about three things:
“On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.” 1:10-11
“Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.” 2:7
“We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” 5:20
The first verse is a mystery, but again gets back to Jesus allowing us to participate in His plan. The prayers of believers make a difference to God. Our faith can impact others’ lives as we pray for them.
The second verse is pretty straightforward. Forgive the sinner. Jesus taught the disciples to pray in part by saying, “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.”
And the last verse is an exhortation. Make things right between you and the Lord. Paul is being very gentle with the Corinthians here. He is explaining what he is doing and why. He is encouraging them to take small steps of faith. He is saying these things lovingly and with great patience. Paul is acting like a tender parent with a child.
Hebrews 5 is a little more blunt, “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!” In II Corinthians, Paul is spooning up spiritual milk explaining again the elementary truths of God’s word. That in part is why this book is such a treasure and part of God-breathed Scripture.
Don’t get me wrong, receiving spiritual milk is not a bad thing. I Peter 2:2-3 says, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” Take in these verses and meditate on them. They are a lamp to your feet and a light to your path.
So with that background, let’s pick up in II Corinthians chapter 6.
As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. -- II Corinthians 6:1-2
Paul is still laboring the point with the Corinthians. Please come to salvation. Please don’t take God’s promises as “Gee, that’s nice.” Take them to heart. Act on the offer of salvation. Receive Christ. A friend shared with me this week that there is only one deathbed confession in the Bible. The thief on the cross next to Jesus believed saying “Jesus, remember me”, and Jesus promised the thief salvation, that he would that very day be with Jesus in paradise. There is one example of a deathbed confession because it is true and God does allow it. But clearly, that is not God’s plan or desire. He intends that we would act for “now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”
Continuing in verse 3:
We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. --II Corinthians 6:3-10
We could break down each one of these phrases and tie it back to a specific trial or trials in the life of Paul. He includes them not for literary effect, but because they truly happened. This is a culmination of Paul’s desire to bring credit to his ministry in this letter. It is one thing to preach the gospel when the sun is shining, there is food on the table, and you are happy and safe. Paul’s experiences and trials have taken his devotion to another level. He’s saying, look what has happened to me and still I am serving the Lord. There is a bigger picture. It’s not the things that are seen that matter. It’s the things that are unseen which are important. He’s trying the help the Corinthians see, “You’ve got no excuse. These truths are real. Come to Christ.”
There were false teachers in Corinth who were trying to discredit Paul through lies and deceit. Paul earnestly wants to show the Corinthians that his ministry is valid. That he is genuine. The persecution that the church has endured throughout the centuries and still today, is probably one of the strongest confirmations of the truth of the gospel. Why would people be beaten, stoned, hung on crosses, thrown to lions, and burned alive, if the gospel were not true?
Likewise, Paul is setting an example for us as believers. What does it mean to be saved and sanctified? I opened Oswald Chamber’s devotional My Utmost for His Highest yesterday, and this is what I read:
"Remember what you are saved for - that the Son of God might be manifested in your mortal flesh. Bend the whole energy of your powers to realize your election as a child of God; rise to the occasion every time.
You cannot do anything for your salvation, but you must do something to manifest it, you must work out what God has worked in. Are you working it out with your tongue, and your brain and your nerves? If you are still the same miserable crosspatch, set on your own way, then it is a lie to say that God has saved and sanctified you.
God is the Master Engineer, He allows the difficulties to come in order to see if you can vault over them properly - "By my God have I leaped over a wall." God will never shield you from any of the requirements of a son or daughter of His. Peter says - "Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you." Rise to the occasion; do the thing. It does not matter how it hurts as long as it gives God the chance to manifest Himself in your mortal flesh.
May God not find the whine in us any more, but may He find us full of spiritual pluck and athleticism, ready to face anything He brings. We have to exercise ourselves in order that the Son of God may be manifested in our mortal flesh. God never has museums. The only aim of the life is that the Son of God may be manifested, and all dictation to God vanishes. Our Lord never dictated to His Father, and we are not here to dictate to God; we are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. When we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured out wine to feed and nourish others."
This is God’s desire for our sanctification.
Now the last verses for today’s message:
We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, --II Corinthians 6:11-12a
Just taking the tone of this letter, it is evident that Paul has shown great affection for the Corinthians. He has changed his plans to come to them. He has delayed coming once so that they would have time to deal with issues privately. He writes truthfully, gently and earnestly for their good. All the time that he spent in Corinth shows how much he cares for them. He writes honestly about his own trials and struggles withholding nothing.
I want to come back to my three strands of rope analogy. We have Christ as the strand with all the strength, yet choosing to work through the two other strands. We have Paul as the disciple-maker. He is being obedient to the Great Commission to go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to observe the commands of Christ. Jesus said in John 15:12, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” Paul is loving the Corinthians unconditionally and even painfully.
What about the Corinthians?
...but you are withholding yours from us. --I Corinthians 6:12b
Ouch. I can’t help but think that Paul means they are withholding their affection from Jesus in addition to Timothy and himself.
I went to another funeral on Friday afternoon. This funeral was for someone who knew the Lord, so it was more of a celebration. The pastor had a gospel message. And he spoke primarily from Psalm 39, especially verses 4, 5 and 7:
Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath … But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. --Psalm 39:4-5, 7
This pastor kept using a phrase to challenge our attitude toward eternity. Do we live as though what is true is not true? After hearing the Word of God this morning, will your life be different or the same? When we leave this place, will our priorities be God’s priorities or will they be the world’s priorities? Are you living your life by accident, or are you living your life on purpose? Do we live as though what is true really is true, or do we live as though what is true is not true?
Jesus loves us. He desires that we love Him. In addition, he desires that we love one another. But to do that, we must open our hearts, even risking hurt from others. By doing that, we show our trust in Him.
What is your expectation about the wedding feast of the Lamb? Are you ready to be part of the bride of Christ? Are you ready to speak confidently, “I do” with a smile on your face and joy in your heart?
We have been purchased by his blood. We could not even come to the wedding without that. But what really excites Jesus is that His bride will come to him with open heart, willing and joyful. It is a relationship.
Think of all He has done for you, and in response …
As a fair exchange-I speak as to my children-open wide your hearts also. --II Corinthians 6:13
Open your hearts.
Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, give us the courage to live lives fully devoted to You. Help us to open our hearts and experience a full joyful relationship with You. Help us to put away childish things and to run with endurance the race that is set before us. Thank you for salvation. Thank you that we have a part in your glory. We give all honor and praise to you, Jesus. Amen.
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