MPC
5th November 2017.November 5 - 2 Corinthians 4:1-7 - "Gospel Integrity"
MPC
5th November 2017.
Luke Peterson
Desperate times call for desperate measures... familiar with that saying?
I knew it well during my first colouring in competition when I was 5 years old!
The Prestigious Dubbo Diamond Duck Colouring in competition...
What was the grand prize... what were we all competing for??
A stuffed toy diamond duck to sit on my bed at home!
That's pretty exciting for a 5 year old Lukey P...
And so my competitive nature kicked in and I was gonna win this thing!
That duck was MINE!
So I get my colouring sheet with a picture of diamond duck on it... and I start work on my winning masterpiece.
And you know I'm killing this thing... staying in the lines... got my shading going...
And I decide to take a look around at the competition... all the amateurs having a go...
So I take a peek around at everyone else's Diamond Ducks...
BIG MISTAKE
INSTANTLY my Diamond Duck... don't look like Diamond Duck anymore...
He looks like Yuck Duck!!!
Shocking!
Everyone else's looked so much better than mine!
And so in that moment I began to lose heart... I was discouraged... I wasn't seeing success... and I lost heart...
And so desperate times called for desperate measures...
I scanned around the room and there was the teachers aid... just sitting in the corner not really doing much.
And I don't know exactly how I did it... probably a combination of puppy dog eyes and natural charm... but I somehow convinced her she needed to do my colouring in for me...
And one week later... with an artwork... a masterpiece even... described as having talent well beyond his years... Luke Peterson took out the prestigious Dubbo Diamond Duck Colouring-In Competition... as a complete and utter fraud!
You see I lost heart... and so I resorted to deception, lying and twisting the truth so that I would achieve success... but it was never real success at all.
It's easy to lose heart isn't it... and resort to desperate measures?
And you know the same thing can happen as Christians...
We can lose heart and lose confidence in the power of the Gospel. In the power of God!
Have you felt that before?
What about when it comes to sharing the good news with others?
It's easy to lose heart when you have friends or family that you desperately want to know Jesus. And they REFUSE IT. OPPOSE YOU and MOCK YOU.
Lose heart when it feels like your efforts are going nowhere...
Lose heart when you can't find the right words to say...
It's easy to lose heart when you look around at other churches and the way they do things and the sheer numbers and feel like things are pretty ordinary here... it doesn't seem like much is happening... why do we even bother?? Sound familiar?
You can lose your confidence in the power of the gospel when we start to think it's all about us... and what we do...
We lose heart and resort to desperate measures and take things into our own hands when we forget that it's the Good News that changes everything... and not us!
Over the past few weeks we have in a series called Good News that Changes Everything... and been asking the question... what is the Good News?
What is this "gospel" "good news" that is at the centre of Christianity?
And we came up with this simple tweet sized summary: The one who died for sin is King... #goodnews.
And we have been seeing how that simple message... changes everything.
It really does change everything... it changes the way we relate to people and treat people, it changes our identity and value... gives us hope beyond death, gives us purpose and meaning in life... it gives us LIFE!
It really is GOOD NEWS!
So what I want us to see from the text this morning is that it's not ourselves but the Good News changes everything - and it's by the power of God.
The Good News changes everything - by the power of God.
Lets pick it up -
V.1 Paul says, "Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart."
So he says through God's mercy we have this ministry... what is this ministry?
It's the ministry of the gospel... the good news!
The one who died for sin is King!!
That's what we have been looking at over the past few weeks right!?
Jesus - the son of God - came to earth as a man and to deal with our SIN PROBLEM.
HE DIED IN OUR PLACE. Taking on God's righteous anger.
But he ROSE. Three days later. Defeating death.
God in his mercy saves us - and brings us into relationship with him and gives us hope in death. Purpose in Life.
The one who died for sin is King. Jesus reigns as King and will return again for all those who have their faith in him.
That is the good news... that is the ministry that Paul is talking about and he says because we have that... we don't lose heart!
Because the gospel changes everything!
So Paul says from the start - this GOOD NEWS is all that's needed to change people. To convince people to follow Jesus.
It's the power of that simple Tweet that changes people. Have a look at what he says in verse 2.
we have turned against secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God.
We don't need to manipulate or change the gospel to make it more effective...
Relying on tricking people into responding...
Beautiful seductive music to get them to give way...
Telling stories that bring tears to people's eyes...
Pulling the strings on their emotions...
Promising health wealth and prosperity... this kind of thing.
Paul says, 'We don't need any of this any longer. We don't rely upon that."
Don't deceive people!
There is so much Christian showmanship around these days... churches competing- seeing who can put on the biggest spectacle to attract the most people to come in...
Special bands, light shows, concerts, trapeze artists... whatever it takes to get the numbers up!
And it all looks so good! So appealing!
And it is to many many people... maybe even to you as you look around at other churches and things look spectacular compared to here at Mitchy and you wonder if you are missing out...
But Paul says we do not rely on those kinds of things.
We won't use those tactics, we won't manipulate or con people!
And we won't deceive people or distort the gospel!
Maybe some of you are sitting there and thinking, "Oh I would never be deceptive and distort Gods word... like I would never do something like that!"
But let me ask you...
When you talk to your friends - or if you even do talk to your friends about the gospel - what do you say to them??
When was the last time you spoke to your friends or family about sin?
Do you speak to them about heaven and HELL?
Do you explain the righteous judgement of a holy and wrathful God?
Or is it easier to leave those bits out to make it sound a bit nicer?
"I want them to be Christians but I'm scared that stuff might turn them away??"
If you fail to mention those things I'm not sure what gospel you are telling them??
You are distorting the gospel!
You see GOOD NEWS is only GOOD because there is also BAD news!
Before people hear the good news they need to hear the bad news.
Paul picks up on this in the next Chapter - Ch. 5:10 when he says we are all going to face judgement one day for our sins and our eternity is on the line!
That is a reality we need to be aware of!
And then he goes onto to say...
11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others.
Maybe you have heard of the magician duo Penn and Teller?
One half of the duo is Penn Jillette.
He is a atheist and yet he believes people should be sharing the gospel if they believe it!
One night after one of their shows a humble old man came up to him and gave him a bible and told him he really needed to read it.
Penn was so moved by the gesture that later he made a video and he said...
I don't respect people who don't share their faith.
I don't respect that at all. If you believe there is a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think it's not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward.
How much do you have to hate somebody to not to share that message? How much do you have to hate someone to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?
Jillette then offered this example to illustrate his point: "If I believed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn't believe it, that that truck was bearing down on you, there's a certain point that I tackle you, and this is far more important than that."
Guys we have got to be sharing this good news!
The GOOD NEWS that brings life is something worth SHARING.
If we really think it's good news, we'll want others to receive the benefits of that too!
We are so willing to post something on Facebook when we've got some good news of our latest haircut, or what we ate for breakfast - how much more willing should we be to share the Gospel!
And Paul says we don't need to change the gospel or resort to desperate measures when we share it...
INSTEAD - end of verse 2- I'm gonna let the Good News do the work.
Set forth the truth plainly!
We give the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!
We preach JESUS!
We preach the whole gospel!
The one who died for sin is King!
That's what people need!
People don't need better music, 10 minute guitar solos, better church buildings, fog machines, amazing communicators, charismatic leaders, emotional hype, lights and big shows, they don't need a watered down sugar coated gospel...
NO WHAT PEOPLE NEED IS JESUS!
People need THE GOSPEL!
And so Paul says we put forth the truth plainly! We don't need to add anything to it... we don't need to tamper with and change it to be more affective...
We preach the good news... as it is!
And you know if people don't want to hear it... if they reject it... if they don't respond to it... don't lose heart!!!
Because it's not about you and not up to you how people respond!
It's not because you haven't done it right... it's not because you didn't have the right answers and read enough books... haven't read enough Tim Keller, John Lennox or Ravi Zacharias... no...
The reason people reject the gospel is because there is a spiritual war going on!
Did you see that? V4.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel...
There is a spiritual battle going on in the hearts and minds of those who don't follow Christ!
And we so easily forget that!!
We forget that this is spiritual warfare - a battle fought within the heart of man!
That there is an enemy who wants to blind people to the glorious light of the gospel!
To blind people from seeing the good news as truly good!
From seeing the glory of Christ!
From seeing Jesus for who he really is!!
From seeing their great and desperate need for him!
He wants to blind them with the seduction of the things of this world with materialism and prosperity and wealth and sex and all the desires of their hearts.
He wants to blind them in their sin so they think it's ok to be the ruler of their own life!
And it's easy to lose heart when we share the gospel because we take the rejection personally - or that it's because we don't know enough or can't say things right!
We forget that what is going on is sooooo much bigger than us and our abilities!
There is a spiritual war going...
A battle for the heart of man!
We need to realise that!!
No matter how much you know, no matter how strong your arguments are, no matter how good you are at communicating... on your own you can't change the heart of man to see the light of the gospel!
I've experienced this in a very real way...
I've known my best mate Sam for 20 years.
Growing up we did everything together - school, church, youth, parties, road trips, he was in my bridal party, we have been through the highest of highs and lowest of lows together - he really is like a brother.
And for years I thought Sam was doing pretty ok with God... he had all the outward signs of that, had all the right answers, went to church, played in the band, lead worship... .
But 2 years ago he sat down at my kitchen table and said the words I never thought I would hear from my best mate.
He said "I'm done with Jesus... I'm done... "
He told me he wanted to walk away from the faith. From church, from everything - walk away from Jesus!
He said that it was all a fraud - just a placebo that we had all been tricked into and none of it was real.
You can imagine my shock and sadness.
I mean this is my best mate - SAM!!
His eternity is on the line!
I NEED TO DO SOMETHING!!
And I remember thinking, "oh if I can just find the right arguments to counter what he thinks!"
If I can just read enough apologetics so my argument is stronger than his!
If I could just say the right things to him...
If I could just be persuasive enough!!!
If I could just...
But you know over the next few months it didn't really matter what I said...
And he still rejected Jesus... the gospel...
You see I got so caught up thinking that if I could just do something then Sam would get it!
If I could just do something, then Sam would see the Good News as good!!
And I lost heart... I got discouraged and depressed about it...
I put all of that weight and pressure on myself - that I was the one who had to change his heart and beat myself up when none of it was working!
You see I forgot that what Sam needed wasn't fancy arguments, it wasn't scientific proof, it wasn't historical facts, it wasn't cleverly constructed apologetics, it wasn't my words he needed... although all of that may have been useful...
But ultimately Sam needed the power of God to work in his heart!
THAT is the only thing that would cause Sam to see the glory of the gospel!
To see the good news as GOOD!
IT HAS TO BE A WORK OF GOD! IT'S WHAT ONLY GOD CAN DO!
That's what Paul says in verse 6... He takes us all the way back to creation and he says the God who was there in the beginning...
The one who created the universe...
The one who created all things...
The one who had the power by his word to simply SPEAK out of the darkness and create light...
It is THAT God... and THAT same power... that is needed to make the light of the good news shine into the hearts of man!!
To make someone new from the inside out - like what Paul says in 5:17 a new creation!
It starts with the heart...
It has to be a work of GOD because only GOD has the power to change our hearts!
The Good news changes everything by the power of God!
So that's why in verse 5 Paul says we don't preach ourselves... it's not about us... it's not about our strengths and abilities... it's not about us being good enough, smart enough, clever enough, it's not about us looking good, we don't preach ourselves...
We preach CHRIST as LORD!
We preach the gospel!
That the one who died for sin is KING!
That is the good news!!
That is what people need to hear!
THAT is where the power is!
And when people reject the gospel and don't want to hear it...
We don't lose heart and resort to our own strength...
You know as a society we are obsessed with changing things and improving things... whether it's house renos... whether it's our looks... or improving our fitness...
But we don't need to change the gospel... we don't need to fix it .. we don't need to add to it... we don't need to do a reno on it...
We don't need to make Christianity more appealing to people...
We don't rely on ourselves and our own strengths and abilities and techniques and strategies to win more for Christ ...
We ultimately rely on the power of God working through the good news.
If you feel average and ordinary - like you just can't do this!?
That's the point!!
You can't!!!
It's not up to you and your strength and abilities...
In fact God loves to work through your weakness and inability...
That's why Paul says in verse 7 that we are like jars of clay.
We are like these ordinary, unimpressive, easily broken, weak and fragile jars of clay.
And yet God chooses to give us the treasure of the gospel!
Why does he do that!?
So that through your weakness and ordinariness - HE shows everyone where this power comes from!
So that everyone can see that it's the good news that changes everything through the power of God and not us!
Feel like you don't know enough to share the gospel effectively - you are in a better position than someone who feels wise and like they can do it all on their own!
So be encouraged, ordinary Christian - you have an extraordinary God!
Who loves to work through your weakness and inabilities!
This morning you have that treasure the good news - the one who died for sin is King - that is all your lost family and friends and co-workers need.
So go and preach it as you are! God has chosen you at this very moment in all your weakness and inability to share this good news.
Because it's the GOOD NEWS that changes everything through the power of GOD and not because of YOU.
You remember my best mate Sam?
For the past two years I have been praying for him.
For two years I have continued to love him and try and share the gospel with him... but mostly because of distance I've only been able to pray for him.
Last week I messaged Sam to see how he was going...
And after exchanging a series of pleasantries and insults... as good mates do... I asked him how he was doing with God and didn't expect anything much in return...
But let me read you his response...
I'm doing so much better man. Things got really bad for me and it allowed me to get over myself and realise how much I needed God and the gospel. So it was a good thing that it all happened and now I'm doing so much better. Still a hard slog but I'm persevering.
Isn't that a miracle?!
That is the miracle of the power of God!
It massively humbled me! It had nothing to do with me!
I could never have changed Sam's heart on my own... I'm powerless to do that...
But God is not!
And he has given us the good news that changes everything through his power!
So don't lose heart! Don't resort to desperate measures!
Share the gospel... THE GOOD NEWS - THE ONE WHO DIED FOR SIN IS KING. Do whatever it takes to persuade people... whatever it takes to set forth the truth plainly to people... whatever it takes to share the gospel... you put your best foot forward...
But do it prayerfully and humbly knowing that you don't have the power to change the hearts of man... God does through the good news that changes everything.