1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,569 Hello and welcome to the Middletown Baptist Church Podcast, 2 00:00:03,697 --> 00:00:06,593 where we are proclaiming the truth to the world. 3 00:00:06,689 --> 00:00:09,657 My name is Pastor Josh, and I want to thank you for listening to 4 00:00:09,681 --> 00:00:10,685 this podcast. 5 00:00:10,985 --> 00:00:14,625 I hope that this podcast can be a blessing to you and strengthen 6 00:00:14,665 --> 00:00:16,245 you in the word of God. 7 00:00:16,745 --> 00:00:17,577 Now, come along. 8 00:00:17,641 --> 00:00:21,765 Let's look into the Bible and see what God has for us here today. 9 00:00:23,545 --> 00:00:27,237 If you have your Bibles or your phones or whatever you like 10 00:00:27,261 --> 00:00:30,181 to find your scriptures on, let's go ahead and open those up 11 00:00:30,213 --> 00:00:32,545 to Second Corinthians, chapter seven. 12 00:00:33,045 --> 00:00:38,005 And as a former teacher, and in many ways still a teacher, I know 13 00:00:38,045 --> 00:00:39,745 the importance of review. 14 00:00:40,765 --> 00:00:44,981 Sometimes when you go through things for a long time, there is 15 00:00:45,013 --> 00:00:48,669 a tendency in our human nature to forget what we've already taught 16 00:00:48,717 --> 00:00:51,895 on, what we've already looked at, what we've already learned. 17 00:00:52,045 --> 00:00:55,163 And then sometimes when we're trying to build upon those truths, 18 00:00:55,259 --> 00:01:00,715 we have a weak foundation, and we can kind of not be as strong in 19 00:01:00,755 --> 00:01:03,467 our application of those things that we're talking about. 20 00:01:03,531 --> 00:01:07,811 So what I would like to do here this morning, before we begin 21 00:01:08,003 --> 00:01:12,339 Second Corinthians, Chapter 7, I would like to go back in Second 22 00:01:12,387 --> 00:01:16,171 Corinthians and highlight a few of the main thoughts that we 23 00:01:16,203 --> 00:01:17,665 put our trust in so. 24 00:01:17,735 --> 00:01:21,705 So that we can then build upon that when we get to this chapter 25 00:01:22,165 --> 00:01:23,821 in Second Corinthians. 26 00:01:23,973 --> 00:01:28,181 And so so far, what we have learned is that Paul is explaining 27 00:01:28,373 --> 00:01:32,225 how he has been a faithful minister in the midst of difficulty. 28 00:01:32,565 --> 00:01:38,429 Second Corinthians is written from the heart of a trial. 29 00:01:38,557 --> 00:01:41,309 It's written through the heart of actually multiple trials. 30 00:01:41,437 --> 00:01:45,297 The title of the sermon this morning is the Constant Comfort in 31 00:01:45,321 --> 00:01:46,257 the Crucible. 32 00:01:46,441 --> 00:01:49,233 We're going to talk about what a crucible is here in a few moments. 33 00:01:49,409 --> 00:01:53,577 But the theme that we see is that there is constant comfort in 34 00:01:53,601 --> 00:01:54,485 the crucible. 35 00:01:55,185 --> 00:01:58,713 And so what we can see here in this case is that Paul is explaining 36 00:01:58,809 --> 00:02:04,685 how a minister can be faithful in the midst of difficulty. 37 00:02:05,065 --> 00:02:08,641 And so you have to remember what Paul has been dealing with so 38 00:02:08,673 --> 00:02:09,245 far. 39 00:02:09,955 --> 00:02:13,187 What has he been dealing with when it comes to ministering to the 40 00:02:13,211 --> 00:02:14,495 church at Corinth? 41 00:02:14,795 --> 00:02:16,555 Well, they've questioned a lot about Paul. 42 00:02:16,595 --> 00:02:20,895 They've questioned his motives, they've questioned his actions, 43 00:02:21,395 --> 00:02:23,179 they've questioned his decisions. 44 00:02:23,227 --> 00:02:26,131 And when it comes to whether or not he would visit them or not 45 00:02:26,163 --> 00:02:26,571 visit them. 46 00:02:26,603 --> 00:02:30,643 And so essentially what Paul is doing is he's defending himself, 47 00:02:30,739 --> 00:02:32,987 but really he's defending the truth. 48 00:02:33,171 --> 00:02:35,523 Because what these people have done essentially in the church at 49 00:02:35,539 --> 00:02:39,805 Corinth, they said this Paul we don't trust you, so we don't trust 50 00:02:39,845 --> 00:02:40,941 your message. 51 00:02:41,133 --> 00:02:44,045 And so Paul's heart is not, well, you need to like me. 52 00:02:44,085 --> 00:02:45,245 You need to like my message. 53 00:02:45,285 --> 00:02:46,573 You need to respect me. 54 00:02:46,709 --> 00:02:49,317 Paul's heart is all about the Gospel. 55 00:02:49,461 --> 00:02:52,245 And so Paul's like, well, I'm going to do everything that I can 56 00:02:52,285 --> 00:02:55,973 so that you can see the truth of who Jesus is, so that you can 57 00:02:55,989 --> 00:02:59,989 see the truth of what it means to know him and to rest in his love. 58 00:03:00,037 --> 00:03:02,837 And so what Paul is essentially doing here in this passage 59 00:03:02,861 --> 00:03:06,503 is he's saying this, open your hearts to me, but more importantly, 60 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:08,995 open your hearts to the truth of the gospel. 61 00:03:09,855 --> 00:03:11,759 And so what he says is this. 62 00:03:11,887 --> 00:03:15,335 You have as a Christian, a new life. 63 00:03:15,495 --> 00:03:18,279 Go back with me to Second Corinthians, chapter five. 64 00:03:18,447 --> 00:03:20,039 You should be in Second Corinthians seven. 65 00:03:20,087 --> 00:03:22,875 So you can just track back to Second Corinthians, chapter five. 66 00:03:23,495 --> 00:03:24,455 What does he tell us? 67 00:03:24,495 --> 00:03:29,335 He says that you now are an Ambassador, verse 20. 68 00:03:29,455 --> 00:03:31,515 You are an ambassador for Christ. 69 00:03:32,255 --> 00:03:35,391 He says, if you are a believer in Jesus, if you have faith in him, 70 00:03:35,423 --> 00:03:38,471 if you are a child of the king, you are an ambassador. 71 00:03:38,503 --> 00:03:39,543 What's an ambassador? 72 00:03:39,639 --> 00:03:43,655 An ambassador is someone who represents their king, their leader, 73 00:03:43,735 --> 00:03:46,463 to another place, a foreign place. 74 00:03:46,599 --> 00:03:50,151 And so essentially what Paul is saying is that you are an ambassador. 75 00:03:50,263 --> 00:03:53,247 You are a representative of God in a foreign land. 76 00:03:53,271 --> 00:03:54,255 Now, what's that foreign land? 77 00:03:54,295 --> 00:03:55,115 This earth. 78 00:03:55,505 --> 00:03:59,137 The Bible says that we should not love the world, neither the things 79 00:03:59,201 --> 00:04:00,049 in this world. 80 00:04:00,137 --> 00:04:00,337 Right? 81 00:04:00,361 --> 00:04:02,977 We even saw that in chapter six of Second Corinthians. 82 00:04:03,041 --> 00:04:05,809 He says, don't be unequally yoked with the world. 83 00:04:05,937 --> 00:04:07,377 He says, don't love this world. 84 00:04:07,441 --> 00:04:09,201 Love your Savior. 85 00:04:09,273 --> 00:04:10,865 Love the one who sent you. 86 00:04:10,945 --> 00:04:12,965 So he says, you're an ambassador now. 87 00:04:13,985 --> 00:04:18,761 And you now have a goal, a purpose, a mission, and that is to 88 00:04:18,793 --> 00:04:22,070 bring people to the reconciliation of God. 89 00:04:22,262 --> 00:04:25,198 Teach them what it means to be reconciled to God. 90 00:04:25,286 --> 00:04:28,326 Teach them what it means to know him and be a new creation. 91 00:04:28,430 --> 00:04:32,494 And so if you just go a few more verses up, verse 17, he says, 92 00:04:32,534 --> 00:04:37,294 therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, a new 93 00:04:37,334 --> 00:04:37,726 creation. 94 00:04:37,790 --> 00:04:38,982 Old things are passed away. 95 00:04:39,038 --> 00:04:41,254 Behold, all things are become new. 96 00:04:41,414 --> 00:04:45,846 That is your credentials to the job description. 97 00:04:45,910 --> 00:04:48,605 You have a job as an ambassador, and you would say, man, 98 00:04:48,645 --> 00:04:50,865 I don't know if God wants me representing him. 99 00:04:51,605 --> 00:04:53,229 I don't think I'm qualified. 100 00:04:53,357 --> 00:04:56,613 Well, if you are in Christ, you are qualified. 101 00:04:56,709 --> 00:04:59,509 That's your qualifications to the job. 102 00:04:59,637 --> 00:05:00,885 That's your job description. 103 00:05:00,925 --> 00:05:03,221 You are now a new creation. 104 00:05:03,413 --> 00:05:05,085 Old things are passed away. 105 00:05:05,205 --> 00:05:05,981 You've changed. 106 00:05:06,013 --> 00:05:07,461 That's not what you're living for anymore. 107 00:05:07,493 --> 00:05:08,789 You're living for him. 108 00:05:08,957 --> 00:05:11,781 And he even says here in Second Corinthians, chapter five, 109 00:05:11,893 --> 00:05:14,465 we live by faith and not by sight. 110 00:05:14,795 --> 00:05:18,155 And so he says, to be a faithful minister, to be a faithful 111 00:05:18,195 --> 00:05:20,931 ambassador, you have to live in Christ. 112 00:05:21,003 --> 00:05:24,827 You have to believe in who he is and what he can do for you so 113 00:05:24,851 --> 00:05:26,575 that you are a new creation. 114 00:05:27,395 --> 00:05:30,299 And so, Second Corinthians, chapter five, new creation. 115 00:05:30,387 --> 00:05:31,435 You're an ambassador now. 116 00:05:31,475 --> 00:05:33,043 Now, what's an ambassador's job? 117 00:05:33,179 --> 00:05:36,083 Well, we already talked about the big picture, like, represent 118 00:05:36,139 --> 00:05:36,835 my king. 119 00:05:36,955 --> 00:05:41,355 But what specific actions do I need to take to be an ambassador? 120 00:05:41,395 --> 00:05:43,363 Well, he says you have two jobs. 121 00:05:43,459 --> 00:05:46,275 You need to be the one who brings the message. 122 00:05:46,395 --> 00:05:48,867 So you have a message of reconciliation, you have the message 123 00:05:48,891 --> 00:05:51,611 of the gospel, and therefore, you are ministering that gospel. 124 00:05:51,643 --> 00:05:53,655 So you have a message that you are to minister. 125 00:05:54,155 --> 00:05:55,107 What does minister mean? 126 00:05:55,131 --> 00:05:56,267 It means to serve. 127 00:05:56,411 --> 00:05:57,707 It means to give. 128 00:05:57,891 --> 00:05:59,307 It means to present. 129 00:05:59,491 --> 00:06:01,987 And so you all are ambassadors. 130 00:06:02,051 --> 00:06:03,723 If you're a Christian this morning, if you're a believer in 131 00:06:03,739 --> 00:06:06,259 Jesus Christ, you are all ambassadors. 132 00:06:06,307 --> 00:06:08,583 Which means you're all ministers, you say? 133 00:06:08,599 --> 00:06:09,415 Well, ministers. 134 00:06:09,495 --> 00:06:10,911 I thought you're the only minister here today. 135 00:06:10,943 --> 00:06:12,543 You and Pastor John and Pastor Carlos. 136 00:06:12,599 --> 00:06:17,071 No, I mean, we are vocationally in the pastoral ministry, 137 00:06:17,183 --> 00:06:20,303 Pastor, but all of you are ministers. 138 00:06:20,439 --> 00:06:22,111 All of you are called to serve. 139 00:06:22,223 --> 00:06:23,207 And what are you called to serve? 140 00:06:23,231 --> 00:06:27,167 You're called to serve people with the message of reconciliation, 141 00:06:27,231 --> 00:06:28,855 the message of the gospel. 142 00:06:29,015 --> 00:06:31,559 So you could have a side note to this. 143 00:06:31,647 --> 00:06:35,947 We're all messengers of the gospel. 144 00:06:36,051 --> 00:06:39,083 Okay, so messengers of the gospel, that's all of us. 145 00:06:39,179 --> 00:06:43,707 So you guys are all ministers as the gospel ministry calls you 146 00:06:43,731 --> 00:06:44,123 to be. 147 00:06:44,179 --> 00:06:46,179 So then what happens is this. 148 00:06:46,347 --> 00:06:47,763 Second Corinthians, chapter 4. 149 00:06:47,859 --> 00:06:51,139 Paul says, this is what's going to happen when you are in that 150 00:06:51,187 --> 00:06:51,935 ministry. 151 00:06:52,235 --> 00:06:55,347 Lest we think that everything's going to run smoothly, 152 00:06:55,531 --> 00:06:59,147 lest we think that, hey, once I am a new creation, then everyone's 153 00:06:59,171 --> 00:07:02,271 going to like me and that everyone's gonna agree with me. 154 00:07:02,383 --> 00:07:06,031 Paul says in Second Corinthians, chapter four, verse 155 00:07:06,103 --> 00:07:08,431 eight, he goes, you wanna know what it's like? 156 00:07:08,583 --> 00:07:10,551 You wanna know what it's like to be faithful to the Lord? 157 00:07:10,583 --> 00:07:13,715 He says, well, we're troubled on every side. 158 00:07:14,735 --> 00:07:21,783 We're perplexed, we're persecuted, we're cast down, always 159 00:07:21,879 --> 00:07:25,199 bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus. 160 00:07:25,327 --> 00:07:27,443 You would say, well, that doesn't sound very attractive. 161 00:07:27,559 --> 00:07:30,379 I don't know if I want that life Well, I left out some words 162 00:07:30,427 --> 00:07:30,971 there. 163 00:07:31,123 --> 00:07:33,971 He did say that they were troubled on every side. 164 00:07:34,003 --> 00:07:34,891 But what did he say? 165 00:07:34,963 --> 00:07:36,455 Yet not distressed. 166 00:07:36,995 --> 00:07:38,427 He said, we are perplexed. 167 00:07:38,451 --> 00:07:41,095 We are confused, but not in despair. 168 00:07:41,995 --> 00:07:44,187 We're persecuted, yes, but not forsaken. 169 00:07:44,251 --> 00:07:47,051 God has not forgotten about us in the midst of what we are doing 170 00:07:47,083 --> 00:07:47,387 for him. 171 00:07:47,411 --> 00:07:48,387 And then he says this. 172 00:07:48,491 --> 00:07:51,895 Yes, we are cast down, but we are not destroyed. 173 00:07:52,715 --> 00:07:57,367 And so what Paul says is, look, the life of a minister, a life 174 00:07:57,391 --> 00:07:59,655 of a faithful minister, is not going to be easy. 175 00:07:59,695 --> 00:08:04,435 But you can have the constant comfort in the test, in the crucible. 176 00:08:04,975 --> 00:08:06,795 You say, well, how can that be? 177 00:08:07,535 --> 00:08:09,807 Because you're really speaking about a paradox, right? 178 00:08:09,831 --> 00:08:12,247 You're speaking about this thing about God wants you to have 179 00:08:12,271 --> 00:08:14,231 comfort, but then he's going to bring you all these struggles. 180 00:08:14,343 --> 00:08:16,863 Like if I went to you and I say, hey, you know, I just want to 181 00:08:16,879 --> 00:08:19,791 give you some comfort, and I started just bringing difficulties 182 00:08:19,823 --> 00:08:20,327 to you. 183 00:08:20,431 --> 00:08:22,463 Or, I need you to do this, and I need you to do this, and I need 184 00:08:22,479 --> 00:08:24,239 you to go out here and do that. 185 00:08:24,327 --> 00:08:25,287 You would say, wait, wait, wait, wait. 186 00:08:25,311 --> 00:08:27,207 I thought you were wanting to bring me comfort. 187 00:08:27,311 --> 00:08:29,111 And all you're bringing me is hardship. 188 00:08:29,263 --> 00:08:30,935 All you're allowing in my life is hardship. 189 00:08:30,975 --> 00:08:33,639 Well, I want you to go a little bit deeper in this study. 190 00:08:33,727 --> 00:08:36,955 Go back to the very beginning in Second Corinthians, chapter one. 191 00:08:38,855 --> 00:08:41,191 It's interesting that this is where Paul starts. 192 00:08:41,303 --> 00:08:43,255 Now, I've kind of worked a review of the opposite. 193 00:08:43,295 --> 00:08:45,207 Usually you start at the beginning and work your way to where 194 00:08:45,231 --> 00:08:45,773 you are. 195 00:08:45,879 --> 00:08:47,905 I've worked from where we are back to the beginning. 196 00:08:47,985 --> 00:08:49,593 And what do we see here at the very beginning? 197 00:08:49,649 --> 00:08:54,265 Paul says something very, very interesting, something that's vital 198 00:08:54,305 --> 00:08:56,953 for a minister of the Gospel. 199 00:08:57,129 --> 00:09:00,761 He says this in verse number three, the third verse after his 200 00:09:00,793 --> 00:09:01,457 greeting. 201 00:09:01,601 --> 00:09:03,857 After Paul's greeting, he says, okay, now I'm gonna get down 202 00:09:03,881 --> 00:09:04,433 to business. 203 00:09:04,529 --> 00:09:06,193 This is the first thing I'm gonna bring to you. 204 00:09:06,329 --> 00:09:10,809 He says, blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 205 00:09:10,937 --> 00:09:12,337 the Father of mercies. 206 00:09:12,401 --> 00:09:13,723 And then here's this phrase. 207 00:09:13,849 --> 00:09:15,871 And I want you to think about this phrase, because this has really 208 00:09:15,903 --> 00:09:18,647 helped me understand the character of God. 209 00:09:18,791 --> 00:09:26,875 He says, the God of all comfort, the God of all comfort. 210 00:09:27,255 --> 00:09:29,951 Not just comforting us in the good times, not just comforting us 211 00:09:29,983 --> 00:09:31,927 when we're where we need to be. 212 00:09:31,991 --> 00:09:34,767 He comforts us in all the areas of our life, and then he gives 213 00:09:34,791 --> 00:09:35,767 a purpose to that comfort. 214 00:09:35,791 --> 00:09:37,271 He says, God's comforting you. 215 00:09:37,303 --> 00:09:40,081 And how he comforts you is through a lot of different things. 216 00:09:40,183 --> 00:09:42,541 But ultimately it's through knowing what he has done for you 217 00:09:42,573 --> 00:09:44,525 and knowing what our hope is at the end. 218 00:09:44,645 --> 00:09:47,757 Knowing that ultimately we have a relationship with him. 219 00:09:47,861 --> 00:09:50,837 And then he says, you get that comfort given to you. 220 00:09:50,941 --> 00:09:55,765 And then verse four, who comforted us in all our tribulation, 221 00:09:55,885 --> 00:09:58,945 all of our trials, all of our tests. 222 00:09:59,405 --> 00:10:03,157 Folks, I think it's important to realize that God has not forgotten 223 00:10:03,181 --> 00:10:03,985 about us. 224 00:10:04,605 --> 00:10:07,173 Even if we're tempted to think that, hey, in this trial, he has 225 00:10:07,189 --> 00:10:08,005 forgotten about me. 226 00:10:08,045 --> 00:10:08,545 No, we. 227 00:10:08,575 --> 00:10:10,613 We have to go back to the truth of the Word. 228 00:10:10,669 --> 00:10:13,893 Not our feelings, not our experiences, but the truth of the 229 00:10:13,909 --> 00:10:14,037 Word. 230 00:10:14,061 --> 00:10:18,781 And he says, in all our tribulation, why? 231 00:10:18,973 --> 00:10:20,773 So that we can feel good about ourselves. 232 00:10:20,909 --> 00:10:22,905 No, it's not what he says. 233 00:10:23,525 --> 00:10:26,173 This is different than what we would expect. 234 00:10:26,229 --> 00:10:26,741 We would expect. 235 00:10:26,773 --> 00:10:28,541 The comfort comes so that we can feel good. 236 00:10:28,613 --> 00:10:31,585 He says, yes, there is comfort, but why is there comfort? 237 00:10:32,125 --> 00:10:37,199 So that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble. 238 00:10:37,247 --> 00:10:41,527 It's the selfless love agape that he wants us to show. 239 00:10:41,631 --> 00:10:43,955 You get comfort so that you show comfort. 240 00:10:45,255 --> 00:10:49,831 We receive the comfort of God so that we can comfort others. 241 00:10:49,943 --> 00:10:53,527 Why so it says there, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are 242 00:10:53,551 --> 00:10:54,391 comforted of God. 243 00:10:54,463 --> 00:10:58,087 The only way that you can love a Christian, the only way that you 244 00:10:58,111 --> 00:11:01,055 can love the unsaved, the only way that you can love your family, 245 00:11:01,095 --> 00:11:02,031 the only way that. 246 00:11:02,063 --> 00:11:04,959 That you can be the minister that you're called to be is to rest 247 00:11:05,007 --> 00:11:08,335 in the comfort of God, but then to turn around and to display 248 00:11:08,375 --> 00:11:11,943 that comfort to others, to give them the truth of God, to give 249 00:11:11,959 --> 00:11:15,719 them the peace of God, to give them the gospel message of transition 250 00:11:15,847 --> 00:11:19,935 from darkness to light, that transformation that we can all have. 251 00:11:19,975 --> 00:11:24,155 And that is the comfort of God seen as a minister of the Gospel. 252 00:11:24,735 --> 00:11:27,519 And so what we go back to, we go back to second Corinthians, chapter 253 00:11:27,567 --> 00:11:30,421 seven, and we're going to see Paul basically picking up in that 254 00:11:30,453 --> 00:11:30,885 thought. 255 00:11:31,005 --> 00:11:34,821 Paul has this long parenthetical thought from chapter 256 00:11:34,893 --> 00:11:38,237 two to chapter seven, and now he's kind of picking that thought 257 00:11:38,301 --> 00:11:39,197 back up. 258 00:11:39,381 --> 00:11:40,605 You guys are against me. 259 00:11:40,645 --> 00:11:43,105 You need to open your hearts to the message of the gospel. 260 00:11:43,845 --> 00:11:46,637 And so he's trying to show them what it means to rest in the 261 00:11:46,661 --> 00:11:47,597 love of Christ. 262 00:11:47,741 --> 00:11:48,637 And we're in verse two. 263 00:11:48,661 --> 00:11:49,901 We looked at verse one last week. 264 00:11:49,933 --> 00:11:53,821 Verse one was that new walk, sanctification. 265 00:11:53,973 --> 00:11:57,475 Some of you remember that sanctification, that new, that new 266 00:11:57,515 --> 00:11:59,347 life means that there is a new path. 267 00:11:59,411 --> 00:12:01,179 And then I'm going to grow in that path. 268 00:12:01,267 --> 00:12:05,587 But then he says, Verse 2, Receive us, receive our message. 269 00:12:05,771 --> 00:12:06,683 Love us. 270 00:12:06,819 --> 00:12:09,283 And he's talking about him and those that are around him, preaching 271 00:12:09,299 --> 00:12:09,995 the message. 272 00:12:10,115 --> 00:12:12,947 And then he gives the reasons why. 273 00:12:13,011 --> 00:12:16,187 He says, this is what it means to be a faithful minister. 274 00:12:16,371 --> 00:12:18,455 Says, we have wronged no man. 275 00:12:19,315 --> 00:12:21,931 We have corrupted no man. 276 00:12:22,123 --> 00:12:24,495 We have defrauded no man. 277 00:12:25,205 --> 00:12:26,825 So what is he talking about here? 278 00:12:28,125 --> 00:12:29,425 He's saying this. 279 00:12:29,845 --> 00:12:33,677 To be a faithful minister of the gospel and to display the comfort 280 00:12:33,701 --> 00:12:37,797 of God to other people, we must live with lives of integrity, 281 00:12:37,941 --> 00:12:39,621 love and commitment. 282 00:12:39,813 --> 00:12:41,821 He says, hey, we've wronged no man. 283 00:12:41,973 --> 00:12:43,653 We have corrupted no man. 284 00:12:43,749 --> 00:12:45,045 We've defrauded no man. 285 00:12:45,085 --> 00:12:45,829 We've been honest. 286 00:12:45,877 --> 00:12:49,533 We've lived with integrity so that you can see what it means to 287 00:12:49,549 --> 00:12:50,373 be different. 288 00:12:50,549 --> 00:12:54,021 He says, there is a distinct difference from the way that you 289 00:12:54,053 --> 00:12:56,157 live in Christ and the way that you live in the world. 290 00:12:56,181 --> 00:12:58,645 And he says, Corinthian church, you're used to people living 291 00:12:58,685 --> 00:13:01,221 in the world, and those are the people that you're listening 292 00:13:01,253 --> 00:13:01,661 to. 293 00:13:01,773 --> 00:13:03,413 Those are the people that you're loving. 294 00:13:03,509 --> 00:13:05,429 And he says, instead, love those that are different. 295 00:13:05,477 --> 00:13:07,997 Love those that have the righteousness of Christ in their 296 00:13:08,021 --> 00:13:08,205 life. 297 00:13:08,245 --> 00:13:09,845 He says, basically this. 298 00:13:09,965 --> 00:13:13,141 We have kept our testimony to you, so trust us. 299 00:13:13,253 --> 00:13:15,125 Trust us with the message of the gospel. 300 00:13:15,245 --> 00:13:17,961 These other people that are preaching a false gospel, they're 301 00:13:17,993 --> 00:13:19,281 not honest with you. 302 00:13:19,353 --> 00:13:20,977 They're not committed to you. 303 00:13:21,121 --> 00:13:24,609 And so I'm going to tell you here this morning to be a faithful 304 00:13:24,737 --> 00:13:27,985 minister, which that's all of us, a faithful ambassador of the 305 00:13:28,025 --> 00:13:28,657 gospel. 306 00:13:28,801 --> 00:13:33,145 And for us to be able to comfort those that need that comfort, 307 00:13:33,265 --> 00:13:37,245 we must then live lives of integrity, love and commitment. 308 00:13:37,625 --> 00:13:38,177 Verse 3. 309 00:13:38,201 --> 00:13:40,765 He says, I speak not this to condemn you. 310 00:13:41,425 --> 00:13:43,431 Says, I'm not trying to come here to condemn you. 311 00:13:43,553 --> 00:13:45,155 You think that that's what I'm here to do? 312 00:13:45,235 --> 00:13:47,411 You think I'm here just to tell you all the wrongs that you're 313 00:13:47,443 --> 00:13:47,731 doing? 314 00:13:47,803 --> 00:13:52,335 He says, I'm not here to condemn you, for I have said before 315 00:13:53,235 --> 00:13:55,339 that ye are in our hearts. 316 00:13:55,467 --> 00:13:57,899 He says, I'm doing this cause I love you. 317 00:13:58,027 --> 00:14:00,843 I'm telling you about all these struggles in your life and 318 00:14:00,859 --> 00:14:03,675 the dangers of these struggles because I love you. 319 00:14:03,835 --> 00:14:06,139 And then he goes to show a little bit more about that love. 320 00:14:06,187 --> 00:14:12,209 He says that ye are in our hearts to die and to live with you. 321 00:14:12,297 --> 00:14:13,849 That shows his commitment. 322 00:14:14,017 --> 00:14:16,697 He's like, we're here to live with you and we're here to die with 323 00:14:16,721 --> 00:14:17,285 you. 324 00:14:17,905 --> 00:14:18,241 To. 325 00:14:18,273 --> 00:14:18,465 To. 326 00:14:18,505 --> 00:14:20,521 To be somebody who is going to comfort another. 327 00:14:20,593 --> 00:14:23,881 We have to prove that we are people of integrity, that we are 328 00:14:23,913 --> 00:14:26,177 people of love and that we are people of commitment. 329 00:14:26,241 --> 00:14:26,633 Why? 330 00:14:26,729 --> 00:14:30,361 Because God gives us that comfort in his integrity, in his 331 00:14:30,393 --> 00:14:33,633 holiness, in his love and his commitment to us. 332 00:14:33,769 --> 00:14:36,493 Folks, it is all wrapped up in this. 333 00:14:36,629 --> 00:14:39,637 To be a faithful ambassador, we must be Christ like. 334 00:14:39,741 --> 00:14:43,597 To be Christ like means to live a life of integrity above the 335 00:14:43,701 --> 00:14:47,373 cares of this world, above the lies of this world and to say, you 336 00:14:47,389 --> 00:14:50,677 know what, we're gonna live honestly before man so that we can 337 00:14:50,701 --> 00:14:54,125 be a testimony, not so that people will love us, so that people 338 00:14:54,165 --> 00:14:55,237 will love Christ. 339 00:14:55,421 --> 00:14:56,597 So it's that integrity. 340 00:14:56,661 --> 00:14:57,309 It's that love. 341 00:14:57,357 --> 00:14:59,061 It's agape, folks. 342 00:14:59,093 --> 00:15:01,767 If we can wrap our minds around anything, it's that God has 343 00:15:01,791 --> 00:15:04,727 called us to love him with everything and to love others with 344 00:15:04,751 --> 00:15:08,151 that agape love that is sacrificial. 345 00:15:08,183 --> 00:15:11,967 Love our world, if one lie of this world is devastating to marriages 346 00:15:12,031 --> 00:15:15,887 and to families and to churches, is that love is an emotion. 347 00:15:15,991 --> 00:15:17,799 Love is a selfish thing, folks. 348 00:15:17,887 --> 00:15:19,263 That is not biblical love. 349 00:15:19,359 --> 00:15:21,823 Biblical love is what can I do for this person even if they don't 350 00:15:21,839 --> 00:15:22,967 bring anything back to me? 351 00:15:23,071 --> 00:15:24,115 It's a choice. 352 00:15:24,535 --> 00:15:26,007 It's a commitment. 353 00:15:26,151 --> 00:15:28,895 And so therefore Paul says, I'm committed to you. 354 00:15:28,935 --> 00:15:29,951 This isn't fly by night. 355 00:15:29,983 --> 00:15:32,287 I'm not just swinging through Corinth and saying, hey Corinth, 356 00:15:32,311 --> 00:15:35,423 give me your love offering and let me give you a little, you know, 357 00:15:35,479 --> 00:15:36,647 shot in the arm and we're going to leave. 358 00:15:36,671 --> 00:15:38,399 He says, no, we're committed to you. 359 00:15:38,567 --> 00:15:41,447 We'll live with you and we will die with you. 360 00:15:41,631 --> 00:15:42,279 Folks. 361 00:15:42,407 --> 00:15:43,303 That's the truth. 362 00:15:43,399 --> 00:15:48,551 The truth is that a minister of the gospel that wants to be an 363 00:15:48,583 --> 00:15:51,567 extension of the love of Christ much show that same commitment 364 00:15:51,591 --> 00:15:53,119 that Christ had with us, right? 365 00:15:53,287 --> 00:15:56,791 Jesus said, I'm going to come and I'm going to live a perfect life. 366 00:15:56,823 --> 00:15:58,997 I'm going to live amongst my followers. 367 00:15:59,111 --> 00:16:01,177 And not only am I going to live amongst them, but I'm going 368 00:16:01,201 --> 00:16:03,505 to sacrifice for them. 369 00:16:03,625 --> 00:16:04,761 I'm going to serve them right. 370 00:16:04,793 --> 00:16:08,281 Jesus washing the disciples feet, Jesus taking that humble form 371 00:16:08,313 --> 00:16:12,025 of a servant, then ultimately, in obedience to his father dying 372 00:16:12,065 --> 00:16:15,537 on the cross for our sins, that is the perfect act of love that 373 00:16:15,561 --> 00:16:16,257 Jesus displayed. 374 00:16:16,281 --> 00:16:17,681 And so therefore we are to follow that. 375 00:16:17,713 --> 00:16:19,525 Paul is saying we have to follow that. 376 00:16:20,065 --> 00:16:21,305 So what is Paul doing here? 377 00:16:21,345 --> 00:16:22,769 Paul is sharing his heart. 378 00:16:22,897 --> 00:16:25,525 He is authentic. 379 00:16:26,865 --> 00:16:28,209 I want you to see here this morning. 380 00:16:28,257 --> 00:16:32,817 If you want to minister to people around you and impart comfort 381 00:16:33,001 --> 00:16:38,689 and the truth of God, we must be authentically showing our love. 382 00:16:38,857 --> 00:16:43,401 I put it this way, in my notes, authenticity affords affection. 383 00:16:43,593 --> 00:16:44,369 What does that mean? 384 00:16:44,417 --> 00:16:45,113 That means this. 385 00:16:45,209 --> 00:16:48,721 When I'm authentic with somebody, that's when we see real 386 00:16:48,793 --> 00:16:50,085 affection happening. 387 00:16:50,425 --> 00:16:53,985 If I'm surface level with everything, there can't be any depth 388 00:16:54,025 --> 00:16:55,585 to our relationship, right? 389 00:16:55,745 --> 00:16:59,785 That's with a spouse, that's with our friends, that's with our 390 00:16:59,825 --> 00:17:02,913 church members, that's with the unsaved, that's with Christ. 391 00:17:03,009 --> 00:17:05,457 If everything's on the surface level, like, if I'm not authentic 392 00:17:05,481 --> 00:17:08,137 with you, like, oh, yeah, I'm just gonna tell you what I think 393 00:17:08,161 --> 00:17:09,185 you want me to say. 394 00:17:09,225 --> 00:17:12,097 And I'm just gonna tell you a little bit about who I am. 395 00:17:12,241 --> 00:17:13,441 How is that ever gonna work? 396 00:17:13,473 --> 00:17:15,633 Like, what if I got married to my wife and I said, okay, I'm gonna 397 00:17:15,649 --> 00:17:16,921 keep a lot of secrets from you. 398 00:17:16,993 --> 00:17:20,297 I will tell you what you need to hear or what I feel like I want 399 00:17:20,321 --> 00:17:20,941 you to hear. 400 00:17:21,033 --> 00:17:23,957 There's never gonna be real affection happening there. 401 00:17:24,061 --> 00:17:25,781 True, deep affection. 402 00:17:25,933 --> 00:17:27,973 And that's when it comes to those that were ministering to the 403 00:17:27,989 --> 00:17:28,245 gospel. 404 00:17:28,285 --> 00:17:31,413 Folks, if I had a new person come into our church here this morning 405 00:17:31,509 --> 00:17:33,245 and they say, hey, I wanna know about Jesus Christ. 406 00:17:33,285 --> 00:17:35,045 I wanna know what it means to live the Christian life. 407 00:17:35,125 --> 00:17:36,853 And I just tell them a little bit. 408 00:17:36,989 --> 00:17:38,425 And I go, oh, well, you know what? 409 00:17:39,045 --> 00:17:39,701 Be like me. 410 00:17:39,733 --> 00:17:41,869 I'm plastic and I have no problems in my life. 411 00:17:41,917 --> 00:17:43,925 And that one day you can be like me. 412 00:17:43,965 --> 00:17:46,077 Folks, let me tell you, we're all messed up. 413 00:17:46,101 --> 00:17:49,127 And we all have struggles, and we all have the flesh, and we all 414 00:17:49,151 --> 00:17:49,807 have issues. 415 00:17:49,911 --> 00:17:52,391 And if there's anyone that says that they don't have that, there's 416 00:17:52,423 --> 00:17:54,679 a major problem with their authenticity. 417 00:17:54,847 --> 00:17:57,439 Look, I'm not here to tell you that I'm a unrepentant sinner, but 418 00:17:57,447 --> 00:17:59,991 I'm gonna tell you that I'm a sinner saved by grace just like everybody 419 00:18:00,023 --> 00:18:00,527 else. 420 00:18:00,671 --> 00:18:02,231 And so therefore, it's that authenticity. 421 00:18:02,263 --> 00:18:05,527 Paul says, yeah, I have struggles, I have issues, but I'm 422 00:18:05,551 --> 00:18:06,887 here to live with you and die with you. 423 00:18:06,911 --> 00:18:08,735 It's the authenticity that matters. 424 00:18:08,775 --> 00:18:10,275 Cause that affords affection. 425 00:18:11,535 --> 00:18:14,239 And so what we can see here is that Paul is saying, I'm tested, 426 00:18:14,287 --> 00:18:15,315 but I'm here. 427 00:18:15,965 --> 00:18:19,625 And so I want to go back to that idea of a crucible, constant 428 00:18:20,005 --> 00:18:21,245 comfort in a crucible. 429 00:18:21,285 --> 00:18:21,997 What is a crucible? 430 00:18:22,061 --> 00:18:27,277 Well, literally, it's a container that is used for heating 431 00:18:27,341 --> 00:18:29,437 a substance to a high temperature. 432 00:18:29,621 --> 00:18:32,109 And so it could be used in metallurgy or something like that. 433 00:18:32,157 --> 00:18:36,197 Like, it's a test, right, to see if something is good. 434 00:18:36,261 --> 00:18:40,437 Or see if something is valuable or trustworthy. 435 00:18:40,621 --> 00:18:45,999 And so figuratively speaking, a crucible is a severe test or a 436 00:18:46,047 --> 00:18:51,995 trial, something that is testing us in the most deep form. 437 00:18:52,775 --> 00:18:54,715 So Paul is being tested here. 438 00:18:55,375 --> 00:18:59,383 The people that he's willing to die for, the people that he's 439 00:18:59,479 --> 00:19:02,527 willing to sacrifice everything for, are questioning whether 440 00:19:02,551 --> 00:19:03,955 or not he's a good guy. 441 00:19:04,975 --> 00:19:07,047 And it would be very easy for Paul to say, you know what? 442 00:19:07,071 --> 00:19:07,399 I'm. 443 00:19:07,487 --> 00:19:08,275 See ya. 444 00:19:09,015 --> 00:19:10,755 Macedonia would like me. 445 00:19:11,455 --> 00:19:12,487 Antioch would like me. 446 00:19:12,511 --> 00:19:13,647 I'm going to forget you guys. 447 00:19:13,671 --> 00:19:16,995 But no, he says, I'm here to live and to die with you. 448 00:19:17,455 --> 00:19:18,599 And so I'm going to tell you here. 449 00:19:18,647 --> 00:19:21,715 Paul confronts them out of love. 450 00:19:22,535 --> 00:19:24,071 He didn't want to condemn them. 451 00:19:24,143 --> 00:19:26,783 You see that there in verse three, he says, I speak not this 452 00:19:26,839 --> 00:19:28,035 to condemn you. 453 00:19:29,055 --> 00:19:34,359 So part of this authentic love is going to be confrontation. 454 00:19:34,407 --> 00:19:38,505 Paul confronted the Christians there in Corinth, but he did not 455 00:19:38,545 --> 00:19:40,005 want to condemn them. 456 00:19:40,545 --> 00:19:43,865 And so what we can see here is a biblical truth, that there can 457 00:19:43,905 --> 00:19:47,685 be confrontation without condemnation. 458 00:19:48,305 --> 00:19:53,681 Problem is, sometimes when we want to confront, we condemn folks. 459 00:19:53,713 --> 00:19:55,449 It's not our job to condemn somebody. 460 00:19:55,577 --> 00:19:56,769 That's the job of the Lord. 461 00:19:56,817 --> 00:19:59,265 And one day there will be people who are condemned for their 462 00:19:59,305 --> 00:20:00,085 rebellion. 463 00:20:00,545 --> 00:20:03,881 But ultimately, for us, there is a responsibility to confront. 464 00:20:03,913 --> 00:20:06,909 So Paul says, I'm confronting you in love, but I'm not condemning 465 00:20:06,957 --> 00:20:08,541 you because I'm part of this. 466 00:20:08,573 --> 00:20:09,981 Like Paul, Paul says, I struggle too. 467 00:20:10,013 --> 00:20:11,109 I have issues too. 468 00:20:11,237 --> 00:20:12,461 And so Paul is sharing his heart. 469 00:20:12,493 --> 00:20:15,357 And so as ministers of the gospel of truth, which I hope at 470 00:20:15,381 --> 00:20:17,541 this point you think that you're part of that. 471 00:20:17,693 --> 00:20:22,077 As ministers of the gospel of truth, we must be honest to those 472 00:20:22,261 --> 00:20:24,197 who need the truth, right? 473 00:20:24,381 --> 00:20:25,825 We have to be honest. 474 00:20:26,245 --> 00:20:29,221 And honesty is sometimes a difficult thing to do. 475 00:20:29,333 --> 00:20:32,479 When we were at the men's retreat here this weekend, by the 476 00:20:32,487 --> 00:20:34,327 way, we're gonna have some testimonies at the end of the service 477 00:20:34,391 --> 00:20:36,551 about how God really worked through that. 478 00:20:36,583 --> 00:20:38,247 And the speaker was a fantastic speaker. 479 00:20:38,271 --> 00:20:40,447 And he spoke about friendship. 480 00:20:40,591 --> 00:20:42,155 You don't hear a lot about that. 481 00:20:42,455 --> 00:20:43,607 Biblical friendship. 482 00:20:43,711 --> 00:20:47,855 And part of biblical friendship is telling a person the 483 00:20:47,895 --> 00:20:49,959 truth sometimes. 484 00:20:50,127 --> 00:20:54,231 Sometimes it's a difficult truth, but the truth nonetheless. 485 00:20:54,303 --> 00:20:56,535 If I love someone, I'm gonna tell them the truth. 486 00:20:56,575 --> 00:20:58,955 If I don't care about them, I don't care about them. 487 00:20:58,995 --> 00:21:00,415 And I'm not going to tell them the truth. 488 00:21:00,795 --> 00:21:04,067 And the truth is that what Paul does here is he shows his love 489 00:21:04,171 --> 00:21:05,443 by speaking the truth. 490 00:21:05,539 --> 00:21:07,187 Guys, you're on the wrong path. 491 00:21:07,291 --> 00:21:10,387 Guys, I want you to fix this Guys, this is what God would want 492 00:21:10,411 --> 00:21:11,035 you to do. 493 00:21:11,115 --> 00:21:13,651 And it's done in a way of love, and it's done in a way of sacrifice. 494 00:21:13,683 --> 00:21:16,963 And so, folks, as ministers of the gospel, we must be honest to 495 00:21:16,979 --> 00:21:19,811 the people, the very people that need our honesty, that need 496 00:21:19,843 --> 00:21:20,635 the truth. 497 00:21:20,795 --> 00:21:22,131 Where is the truth found? 498 00:21:22,283 --> 00:21:23,171 We all know this. 499 00:21:23,243 --> 00:21:23,531 Come on. 500 00:21:23,563 --> 00:21:24,175 This is. 501 00:21:24,315 --> 00:21:26,567 If you've been in Middletown Baptist for any amount of time, you 502 00:21:26,591 --> 00:21:28,463 know the truth is found in the word of God. 503 00:21:28,559 --> 00:21:29,839 It's not found in my opinions. 504 00:21:29,887 --> 00:21:31,479 It's not found in a movement. 505 00:21:31,527 --> 00:21:34,615 It's not found in anything else outside of the word of God. 506 00:21:34,655 --> 00:21:36,255 Jesus has sanctified them by thy truth. 507 00:21:36,295 --> 00:21:37,559 Thy word is truth. 508 00:21:37,687 --> 00:21:40,175 And so we must point to people the truth of Scripture. 509 00:21:40,215 --> 00:21:42,055 And so he is bold here. 510 00:21:42,095 --> 00:21:43,127 He says, Verse 4. 511 00:21:43,191 --> 00:21:44,279 See this with me. 512 00:21:44,447 --> 00:21:51,153 So there's integrity, there's love, there's commitment, there's 513 00:21:51,209 --> 00:21:52,205 honesty. 514 00:21:52,545 --> 00:21:55,165 But then we see here that there's boldness in this. 515 00:21:56,105 --> 00:22:01,401 You cannot avoid the fact that as a minister, an ambassador of the 516 00:22:01,433 --> 00:22:04,841 gospel, we have to be bold in what we know about God. 517 00:22:04,913 --> 00:22:08,217 He says, great is my boldness of speech towards you. 518 00:22:08,241 --> 00:22:09,885 He said, I've been strong with you. 519 00:22:11,345 --> 00:22:13,025 The Bible never tells us to be weak. 520 00:22:13,065 --> 00:22:14,765 The Bible does tell us to be meek. 521 00:22:15,185 --> 00:22:16,329 Meekness is not weakness. 522 00:22:16,377 --> 00:22:17,777 Meekness is strength under control. 523 00:22:17,881 --> 00:22:20,745 But the Bible never tells us to be weak because weakness eventually 524 00:22:20,785 --> 00:22:22,373 is going to get to a point where we. 525 00:22:22,509 --> 00:22:23,957 It's a selfish thing, right? 526 00:22:24,101 --> 00:22:26,173 Well, I just don't want to do that because that's going to make 527 00:22:26,189 --> 00:22:28,573 me look this way or I'm not going to do this because that's going 528 00:22:28,589 --> 00:22:30,373 to make me have to feel something here. 529 00:22:30,469 --> 00:22:31,829 The Bible says here very clearly. 530 00:22:31,877 --> 00:22:35,505 Paul says, great is my boldness of speech toward you. 531 00:22:36,085 --> 00:22:37,453 But then he says something interesting here. 532 00:22:37,469 --> 00:22:39,677 He says, so I've come against you really strongly. 533 00:22:39,821 --> 00:22:41,885 He said, I've had some negative things to say about this 534 00:22:41,925 --> 00:22:42,545 church. 535 00:22:43,485 --> 00:22:46,469 But he doesn't just condemn them and say, you guys are all failures. 536 00:22:46,517 --> 00:22:47,093 He says, no. 537 00:22:47,149 --> 00:22:48,085 What does he say? 538 00:22:48,205 --> 00:22:50,845 He says, and great is my glorying of you. 539 00:22:50,885 --> 00:22:53,053 Meaning he's proud of them for the things that they have done for 540 00:22:53,069 --> 00:22:53,733 the Lord. 541 00:22:53,869 --> 00:22:56,285 It's not all negative, folks. 542 00:22:56,325 --> 00:22:58,877 One of the elements that we can get to in our lives and very, 543 00:22:58,941 --> 00:23:02,101 very much a trap within speaking the truth, is that everything 544 00:23:02,173 --> 00:23:03,785 becomes negative, right? 545 00:23:04,285 --> 00:23:07,541 I just pick, pick, pick, and just everything is negative about 546 00:23:07,573 --> 00:23:08,133 that person. 547 00:23:08,229 --> 00:23:10,477 What Paul says is, yes, there are some things that you need to 548 00:23:10,501 --> 00:23:12,493 change, but also I'm very proud of many of the things that 549 00:23:12,509 --> 00:23:13,411 you've been doing. 550 00:23:13,573 --> 00:23:16,711 Now, the King James word is glorying, right? 551 00:23:16,783 --> 00:23:17,191 There's a. 552 00:23:17,223 --> 00:23:19,959 There's a selfish pride and there's a biblical pride, right? 553 00:23:20,047 --> 00:23:22,791 So, for example, like, if my children do something, well, I'm 554 00:23:22,823 --> 00:23:23,343 happy for them. 555 00:23:23,399 --> 00:23:26,367 I'm glorying in the fact that they did well, maybe in school or 556 00:23:26,391 --> 00:23:27,535 maybe in sports or whatever. 557 00:23:27,575 --> 00:23:29,799 And it's not like I'm prideful, and I brought that about. 558 00:23:29,847 --> 00:23:31,631 I'm just thankful to the Lord for what they're doing. 559 00:23:31,663 --> 00:23:32,743 And that's what Paul is saying here. 560 00:23:32,759 --> 00:23:36,647 He says, I'm thankful, I'm excited, I'm happy that you have 561 00:23:36,671 --> 00:23:38,031 some good things going on in your life. 562 00:23:38,063 --> 00:23:39,515 He says, these are good things. 563 00:23:39,855 --> 00:23:42,555 So it's a lot of times what we do is this. 564 00:23:42,855 --> 00:23:46,751 We only condemn people, we only challenge them, but yet we don't 565 00:23:46,783 --> 00:23:49,315 give them what they are doing well for the Lord. 566 00:23:50,215 --> 00:23:53,023 Someone I heard recently says, you know, we need to give a compliment 567 00:23:53,079 --> 00:23:54,095 sandwich, right? 568 00:23:54,175 --> 00:23:56,807 Tell someone something good about them, and then come to the 569 00:23:56,831 --> 00:23:59,543 point where you have to tell them the truth about something that 570 00:23:59,559 --> 00:24:01,735 might be difficult, but then end it with, hey, there are some 571 00:24:01,775 --> 00:24:03,463 really good things happening here. 572 00:24:03,639 --> 00:24:06,719 And so Paul doesn't want to suck the life out of these people. 573 00:24:06,807 --> 00:24:08,255 He wants to give them hope in Christ. 574 00:24:08,295 --> 00:24:11,469 He says, there are evidences here that you are following Christ 575 00:24:11,517 --> 00:24:14,065 to some degree, but you need to change in some areas. 576 00:24:14,485 --> 00:24:18,301 And so he's bold in his business, but he's bold in his boasting 577 00:24:18,333 --> 00:24:18,821 as well. 578 00:24:18,893 --> 00:24:20,445 He's not ashamed of his people. 579 00:24:20,525 --> 00:24:21,165 He's not ashamed. 580 00:24:21,205 --> 00:24:25,157 Like, I'm so excited to call Middletown Baptist Church my church. 581 00:24:25,261 --> 00:24:27,621 I gotta tell you, when I go to other places and I see other churches 582 00:24:27,653 --> 00:24:29,949 and I see good things going on there, you know what it makes me 583 00:24:29,957 --> 00:24:30,077 do? 584 00:24:30,101 --> 00:24:31,973 It just makes me want to think about my church. 585 00:24:32,109 --> 00:24:34,021 Like, I just, like, man, I can't wait to get back to Middletown 586 00:24:34,053 --> 00:24:34,905 Baptist Church. 587 00:24:35,325 --> 00:24:37,757 And there's something to be said about the fact that I glory 588 00:24:37,821 --> 00:24:39,227 in Middletown Baptist Church. 589 00:24:39,301 --> 00:24:41,263 We're at the men's retreat, and I see other churches and I'm 590 00:24:41,279 --> 00:24:42,927 like, hey, there's a pastor, and he's talking about how good his 591 00:24:42,951 --> 00:24:43,407 church is. 592 00:24:43,471 --> 00:24:44,759 You know what I don't do? 593 00:24:44,847 --> 00:24:46,655 I don't go and say, well, you know what, man? 594 00:24:46,775 --> 00:24:48,391 I wonder if that church is different than mine. 595 00:24:48,423 --> 00:24:48,727 Maybe. 596 00:24:48,791 --> 00:24:49,863 Maybe the grass is greener. 597 00:24:49,919 --> 00:24:51,255 I say, well, their church is good. 598 00:24:51,295 --> 00:24:51,495 Great. 599 00:24:51,535 --> 00:24:52,479 My church is even better. 600 00:24:52,527 --> 00:24:53,727 I'm excited for that. 601 00:24:53,871 --> 00:24:57,115 Because if your heart's not where you are, there's a big issue. 602 00:24:57,575 --> 00:25:01,207 And so what Paul says here in this case is like, yes, there are 603 00:25:01,231 --> 00:25:06,329 some issues, and I've had to come down on you, but I also am bold 604 00:25:06,417 --> 00:25:08,685 in my glorying of you. 605 00:25:10,465 --> 00:25:17,121 And so God works through Paul to challenge the church through confrontation, 606 00:25:17,193 --> 00:25:18,485 but not condemnation. 607 00:25:18,825 --> 00:25:23,865 And so, despite the many trials that Paul faced from within 608 00:25:23,945 --> 00:25:29,633 and from without, he found joy and comfort in the good news of the 609 00:25:29,649 --> 00:25:30,805 Corinthian Church. 610 00:25:31,825 --> 00:25:35,425 And so he says, I'm exceedingly joyful. 611 00:25:35,505 --> 00:25:36,377 You see that in verse four. 612 00:25:36,401 --> 00:25:37,777 He says, I'm glorying you. 613 00:25:37,921 --> 00:25:39,765 I am filled with comfort. 614 00:25:40,105 --> 00:25:44,285 Remember, he's saying this in the midst of physical trials. 615 00:25:44,865 --> 00:25:48,249 Okay, we're gonna be in Second Corinthians, chapter 12 here, just 616 00:25:48,417 --> 00:25:51,205 in a relatively short amount of time. 617 00:25:51,585 --> 00:25:54,625 And if you remember, Paul is going through something that's a 618 00:25:54,665 --> 00:25:59,747 thorn in his flesh, seeks thrice three times to have that removed. 619 00:25:59,851 --> 00:26:00,339 That's right. 620 00:26:00,387 --> 00:26:00,747 That's right. 621 00:26:00,771 --> 00:26:04,135 Now that's happening in this scene of his life. 622 00:26:04,835 --> 00:26:06,371 Paul has been persecuted. 623 00:26:06,403 --> 00:26:07,811 He's been beaten, he's been. 624 00:26:07,923 --> 00:26:09,283 He's been forgotten about. 625 00:26:09,339 --> 00:26:10,595 He's been left for dead. 626 00:26:10,715 --> 00:26:12,771 He has his own people rejecting him. 627 00:26:12,803 --> 00:26:13,747 But yet he says here. 628 00:26:13,771 --> 00:26:14,539 What does he say? 629 00:26:14,627 --> 00:26:17,455 His testimony in the difficulty is this. 630 00:26:17,795 --> 00:26:19,455 I am filled with comfort. 631 00:26:20,915 --> 00:26:25,319 I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. 632 00:26:25,447 --> 00:26:27,103 I like how he says our like. 633 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:27,343 He. 634 00:26:27,399 --> 00:26:28,383 He identifies as like. 635 00:26:28,399 --> 00:26:28,551 It's. 636 00:26:28,583 --> 00:26:32,159 It's our struggle, it's our problem, it's our pain. 637 00:26:32,287 --> 00:26:33,575 He says, I'm though. 638 00:26:33,615 --> 00:26:36,435 I'm going through this pain. 639 00:26:37,095 --> 00:26:39,543 He has two elements that characterize his life. 640 00:26:39,679 --> 00:26:43,795 Comfort and joy, Comfort and joy and tribulation. 641 00:26:44,375 --> 00:26:45,847 How can he do that? 642 00:26:46,031 --> 00:26:49,063 Second Corinthians, chapter 1, verse 3. 643 00:26:49,199 --> 00:26:52,479 God is comforting him through this, but God is using other people 644 00:26:52,527 --> 00:26:53,303 as well. 645 00:26:53,479 --> 00:26:55,231 And that's the amazing thing here you see it. 646 00:26:55,263 --> 00:27:00,151 He says verse four, for when we were come into Macedonia, Macedonia 647 00:27:00,183 --> 00:27:01,271 is another place. 648 00:27:01,423 --> 00:27:04,687 So he says, when I traveled to Macedonia, which Macedonia is the 649 00:27:04,711 --> 00:27:09,035 place that he went to instead of Corinth, that they got upset about. 650 00:27:09,335 --> 00:27:10,511 This is why they're mad at him. 651 00:27:10,543 --> 00:27:11,087 He's using that. 652 00:27:11,111 --> 00:27:13,935 And he says, when we went to Macedonia, our flesh had no rest. 653 00:27:13,975 --> 00:27:18,301 He's like, we were struggling in Macedonia, but we were troubled 654 00:27:18,333 --> 00:27:19,465 on every side. 655 00:27:20,085 --> 00:27:21,677 We see him repeating those struggles. 656 00:27:21,701 --> 00:27:23,677 He said, we were troubled on every side. 657 00:27:23,861 --> 00:27:26,693 So basically the thought here in the original Greek is like, I 658 00:27:26,709 --> 00:27:27,805 was surrounded. 659 00:27:27,965 --> 00:27:29,865 I was surrounded by trouble. 660 00:27:30,405 --> 00:27:32,693 I don't know about you, but there's probably been a time in your 661 00:27:32,709 --> 00:27:36,053 life where you felt that, not maybe physically, maybe you did have 662 00:27:36,069 --> 00:27:36,901 trouble all around you. 663 00:27:36,973 --> 00:27:39,981 I can't get out of this but maybe you know what he means by the 664 00:27:40,013 --> 00:27:42,105 spiritual trouble around every side. 665 00:27:42,575 --> 00:27:46,583 Every which way I turn, I see an issue and I can't get out of this. 666 00:27:46,679 --> 00:27:48,715 And that's what Paul is describing here. 667 00:27:49,135 --> 00:27:50,335 And maybe that's you right now. 668 00:27:50,375 --> 00:27:53,023 Maybe you're like, I can't find a way out. 669 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:55,551 Paul says it's not about finding a way out. 670 00:27:55,743 --> 00:27:57,215 That's the irony of all this. 671 00:27:57,295 --> 00:27:59,463 I think sometimes as Christians, we think, well, trouble 672 00:27:59,519 --> 00:28:01,263 comes, I gotta find a way out. 673 00:28:01,439 --> 00:28:02,503 That's not what he's saying here. 674 00:28:02,519 --> 00:28:04,635 He says, I've got trouble on every side. 675 00:28:06,135 --> 00:28:07,867 My flesh had no rest. 676 00:28:07,991 --> 00:28:09,723 We were troubled on every side. 677 00:28:09,859 --> 00:28:12,923 Without were fightings, meaning without is an old way to 678 00:28:12,939 --> 00:28:16,035 say on the outside, there was fightings around me, so people were 679 00:28:16,075 --> 00:28:17,059 fighting against me. 680 00:28:17,147 --> 00:28:20,295 So these are talking about struggles from the outside in. 681 00:28:20,715 --> 00:28:22,335 And we have a lot of those, right? 682 00:28:22,955 --> 00:28:25,707 Maybe you have issues at work, maybe you have issues in the home. 683 00:28:25,811 --> 00:28:29,251 Maybe you have issues with people that you come across in your 684 00:28:29,283 --> 00:28:29,547 life. 685 00:28:29,611 --> 00:28:32,375 He says, so there was problems on the outside. 686 00:28:33,645 --> 00:28:37,865 And then he says, within were fears. 687 00:28:39,005 --> 00:28:41,825 So we see that he's struggling in two fronts. 688 00:28:42,445 --> 00:28:45,749 Outside conflicts coming against him and inside conflicts 689 00:28:45,797 --> 00:28:46,485 that are coming out. 690 00:28:46,525 --> 00:28:49,745 Like, internally, I am complete with fear. 691 00:28:51,085 --> 00:28:53,317 I'm gonna tell you, one of the things that we struggle with in our 692 00:28:53,341 --> 00:28:56,565 life, whether we admit it or not, is the fear. 693 00:28:56,725 --> 00:29:01,137 The fear of man, the fear of failure, the fear of rejection, the 694 00:29:01,161 --> 00:29:04,241 fear of isolation, the fear of whatever. 695 00:29:04,353 --> 00:29:07,601 And sometimes what Satan does is he works in our hearts on the 696 00:29:07,633 --> 00:29:09,513 inside and the outside from two different fronts. 697 00:29:09,529 --> 00:29:12,721 And he says, okay, if I can't get you to be afraid of what's coming 698 00:29:12,753 --> 00:29:14,721 from the outside, I'm going to get you to be afraid from what's 699 00:29:14,753 --> 00:29:15,441 coming on the inside. 700 00:29:15,473 --> 00:29:16,913 And some of you might relate with that. 701 00:29:17,049 --> 00:29:19,513 Some of you might say, I'm not afraid of any man, but I'm afraid 702 00:29:19,529 --> 00:29:20,785 of what's going on in here. 703 00:29:20,905 --> 00:29:22,685 I'm afraid of what's going on in here. 704 00:29:23,065 --> 00:29:25,465 And folks, the Bible says that there are going to be those external 705 00:29:25,505 --> 00:29:27,641 struggles, but there's going to be internal struggles. 706 00:29:27,673 --> 00:29:30,435 And Paul says, I've got problems on the outside. 707 00:29:30,555 --> 00:29:32,615 I've got problems on the inside. 708 00:29:33,155 --> 00:29:34,735 And he says, but. 709 00:29:35,675 --> 00:29:41,491 But I'm filled with comfort and I'm exceeding joyful in all our 710 00:29:41,523 --> 00:29:42,215 tribulation. 711 00:29:43,635 --> 00:29:46,335 And so he says how God brought the comfort. 712 00:29:46,835 --> 00:29:51,331 God brought comfort to Paul by hearing about the work of God with 713 00:29:51,363 --> 00:29:52,215 other people. 714 00:29:52,555 --> 00:29:54,255 And so he finds joy. 715 00:29:54,695 --> 00:29:58,295 And a part of that joy was the good news for the from the Corinthian 716 00:29:58,335 --> 00:29:59,075 Christians. 717 00:30:00,095 --> 00:30:04,575 And so Paul is saying that God can comfort us in the midst of outward 718 00:30:04,655 --> 00:30:07,395 conflict and the midst of inward conflict. 719 00:30:08,415 --> 00:30:09,911 But how does it come to us? 720 00:30:09,943 --> 00:30:11,919 Well, it comes to us through different circumstances. 721 00:30:12,047 --> 00:30:12,663 Verse 6. 722 00:30:12,719 --> 00:30:16,875 Nevertheless, God, he gives the credit to God for this comfort. 723 00:30:17,455 --> 00:30:20,675 Nevertheless, God that comforteth those that are cast down. 724 00:30:22,175 --> 00:30:23,511 And I just want to tell you that. 725 00:30:23,543 --> 00:30:25,675 And just a side note here, okay. 726 00:30:26,255 --> 00:30:31,159 God can and will comfort those who are cast down. 727 00:30:31,207 --> 00:30:33,895 That word, cast down, that phrase, cast down, it just means 728 00:30:33,935 --> 00:30:34,875 to be defeated. 729 00:30:35,695 --> 00:30:39,315 It means to be downcast, in despair. 730 00:30:39,935 --> 00:30:41,863 Some of you might have said, you know what? 731 00:30:41,919 --> 00:30:43,951 In my life, that's me. 732 00:30:44,103 --> 00:30:45,311 I'm cast down. 733 00:30:45,423 --> 00:30:46,675 I'm in despair. 734 00:30:47,645 --> 00:30:49,397 In some degrees, maybe I'm even hopeless. 735 00:30:49,461 --> 00:30:51,069 God has a heart for those. 736 00:30:51,197 --> 00:30:54,861 If we come to him in faith, if we come to him and plead for his 737 00:30:54,893 --> 00:30:58,745 grace, the Bible says that he comforts those that are cast down. 738 00:30:59,685 --> 00:31:04,181 He says, God that comforted those that are cast down comforted 739 00:31:04,213 --> 00:31:06,557 us by the coming of Titus. 740 00:31:06,741 --> 00:31:09,945 So he says, this guy named Titus comes and visits me. 741 00:31:10,485 --> 00:31:11,741 And what is he talking about here? 742 00:31:11,773 --> 00:31:14,961 Well, this is actually Titus, one of the people that worked with 743 00:31:14,993 --> 00:31:15,605 Paul. 744 00:31:15,905 --> 00:31:16,681 He comes. 745 00:31:16,753 --> 00:31:20,065 Titus comes and tells Paul about the Corinthian Church, about 746 00:31:20,105 --> 00:31:21,705 what's going on in their life. 747 00:31:21,865 --> 00:31:25,369 And he says, and not by his coming only, but by the consolation 748 00:31:25,417 --> 00:31:29,569 or the comfort wherewith he was comforted in you, meaning this. 749 00:31:29,737 --> 00:31:30,913 Paul was encouraged. 750 00:31:30,969 --> 00:31:31,329 This. 751 00:31:31,417 --> 00:31:33,121 When you guys see this, this is going to be amazing. 752 00:31:33,233 --> 00:31:37,673 Paul was encouraged from Titus because Titus was encouraged by the 753 00:31:37,689 --> 00:31:38,765 Corinthian Church. 754 00:31:39,395 --> 00:31:43,443 So indirectly, the Corinthians who are causing Paul, you know, they're 755 00:31:43,459 --> 00:31:44,251 upset with him right now. 756 00:31:44,283 --> 00:31:46,579 He said, hey, there was a time where you comforted me by comforting 757 00:31:46,627 --> 00:31:46,931 Titus. 758 00:31:46,963 --> 00:31:47,827 You didn't know that you were. 759 00:31:47,851 --> 00:31:49,019 But you were comforting Titus. 760 00:31:49,107 --> 00:31:50,643 Titus came and comforted me. 761 00:31:50,739 --> 00:31:53,499 And that's the fulfillment of what happened right in Second Corinthians, 762 00:31:53,547 --> 00:31:54,815 chapter 1, verse 3. 763 00:31:55,275 --> 00:31:58,579 So when I receive the comfort of God and I comfort another person 764 00:31:58,627 --> 00:32:01,547 in that, I don't know who that means is gonna feel the comfort on 765 00:32:01,571 --> 00:32:02,971 the next ripple. 766 00:32:03,083 --> 00:32:04,535 And the next ripple. 767 00:32:05,045 --> 00:32:08,653 Folks, we don't necessarily always know what God is doing in 768 00:32:08,669 --> 00:32:10,365 our life, but all we do is obey him. 769 00:32:10,405 --> 00:32:14,333 And we see it played out here in this case that Titus was encouraged 770 00:32:14,389 --> 00:32:16,061 by the Corinthian Church. 771 00:32:16,173 --> 00:32:18,693 And ultimately, Titus encourages Paul in the midst of one 772 00:32:18,709 --> 00:32:20,037 of his darkest moments. 773 00:32:20,221 --> 00:32:23,965 And he says so not by just Titus coming, but by the consolation 774 00:32:24,005 --> 00:32:27,053 of the comfort wherewith he was comforted in you. 775 00:32:27,149 --> 00:32:33,383 When he was told, told us of your earnest Desire, mourning and 776 00:32:33,399 --> 00:32:38,235 your fervent mind toward me so that I rejoiced the more. 777 00:32:38,775 --> 00:32:41,351 And so Paul hears some news about the Corinthian Church. 778 00:32:41,383 --> 00:32:43,015 What was that news that encouraged his heart? 779 00:32:43,055 --> 00:32:47,415 He says this that they were earnest in their desire. 780 00:32:47,495 --> 00:32:48,375 Their desire for what? 781 00:32:48,415 --> 00:32:50,235 Their desire for the truth of God. 782 00:32:50,655 --> 00:32:53,795 You know, that is what is going to encourage other people. 783 00:32:54,735 --> 00:32:57,575 The more you are on fire for God, the more that is a blessing 784 00:32:57,615 --> 00:33:00,403 to other people that desire what God wants for them in their 785 00:33:00,419 --> 00:33:00,595 life. 786 00:33:00,635 --> 00:33:03,787 Now, if your desire for God makes someone upset, that's an issue 787 00:33:03,851 --> 00:33:05,535 on their heart, right? 788 00:33:06,035 --> 00:33:07,615 Don't be afraid. 789 00:33:07,955 --> 00:33:10,523 Don't shy away from the passion that God gives you for the 790 00:33:10,539 --> 00:33:11,735 call of the gospel. 791 00:33:12,075 --> 00:33:15,291 Never be ashamed if someone kind of squashes your excitement 792 00:33:15,323 --> 00:33:16,059 for the Lord. 793 00:33:16,187 --> 00:33:18,331 There's been times in my life where I wanted to tell someone about 794 00:33:18,363 --> 00:33:20,155 what God is doing in my life, and they're like, oh, that's great. 795 00:33:20,195 --> 00:33:20,931 That's wonderful. 796 00:33:21,043 --> 00:33:22,979 I'm like, well, maybe I shouldn't be as excited for that. 797 00:33:23,067 --> 00:33:29,087 Folks, never, never quench the move of the spirit in another person's 798 00:33:29,111 --> 00:33:29,391 life. 799 00:33:29,463 --> 00:33:31,991 You might not be feeling it at that moment, but be excited for them 800 00:33:32,023 --> 00:33:32,799 in that moment. 801 00:33:32,927 --> 00:33:35,751 Join in with their joy, join in with their desire. 802 00:33:35,863 --> 00:33:38,247 And what we can see here is one of the ways that we can comfort. 803 00:33:38,351 --> 00:33:38,927 Because a lot of times. 804 00:33:38,951 --> 00:33:40,591 What do we think about when we think about comfort? 805 00:33:40,663 --> 00:33:45,183 Well, me just coming alongside of you and going, hey, I want to 806 00:33:45,199 --> 00:33:45,727 comfort you. 807 00:33:45,791 --> 00:33:46,759 Have a great day in the Lord. 808 00:33:46,807 --> 00:33:47,955 Okay, well, that's great. 809 00:33:48,495 --> 00:33:52,155 But remember, actions always speak louder than words. 810 00:33:52,675 --> 00:33:55,003 It's our actions that can comfort people. 811 00:33:55,139 --> 00:33:57,715 And so one of the actions of the Corinthian Church was that they 812 00:33:57,755 --> 00:34:00,083 were passionate. 813 00:34:00,179 --> 00:34:01,939 They had earnest desire. 814 00:34:02,067 --> 00:34:05,067 Our passion for the Lord can encourage others who are seeking 815 00:34:05,091 --> 00:34:06,055 the same thing. 816 00:34:06,395 --> 00:34:09,171 Let me tell you, some of the most encouraging moments of my life 817 00:34:09,203 --> 00:34:12,091 is when I see other people serving God and other people excited 818 00:34:12,123 --> 00:34:15,227 about His Word and Bible studies starting and people saying, 819 00:34:15,251 --> 00:34:17,915 hey, Pastor, I was studying this week and I was watching this 820 00:34:17,955 --> 00:34:18,663 video and. 821 00:34:18,739 --> 00:34:20,191 And God really got ahold of my heart here. 822 00:34:20,223 --> 00:34:21,695 Man, that gets me excited. 823 00:34:21,855 --> 00:34:23,047 That encourages me. 824 00:34:23,151 --> 00:34:26,239 Whether you know it or not, being at the men's retreat and having 825 00:34:26,287 --> 00:34:29,407 300 men or whatever it was, you know, singing out to Jesus and 826 00:34:29,431 --> 00:34:33,023 singing praises to him and guys getting up and giving testimonies, 827 00:34:33,119 --> 00:34:34,167 man, that encouraged my heart. 828 00:34:34,191 --> 00:34:35,675 And they didn't even know who I was. 829 00:34:36,655 --> 00:34:40,391 And the truth is that the more passionate you are for Christ, others 830 00:34:40,463 --> 00:34:42,235 will be encouraged by that. 831 00:34:43,935 --> 00:34:47,959 A little while back, one of my former students Colton Gideons came, 832 00:34:48,007 --> 00:34:52,635 and he's on deputation to be a missionary to Spain. 833 00:34:53,095 --> 00:34:56,087 And I can't tell you how much it encouraged my heart to see a young 834 00:34:56,111 --> 00:34:58,727 man that I saw grow up in Christian school. 835 00:34:58,831 --> 00:35:00,527 Now he's going out to serve the Lord. 836 00:35:00,631 --> 00:35:03,063 I mean, he didn't know this, but, man, I was like, in tears because 837 00:35:03,079 --> 00:35:08,279 I'm like, man, God's faithful, and the faithfulness of others encourages 838 00:35:08,327 --> 00:35:08,535 people. 839 00:35:08,575 --> 00:35:09,879 So what I would say to you is this. 840 00:35:09,967 --> 00:35:12,945 If you want to be an encourager, don't just speak encouragement. 841 00:35:12,985 --> 00:35:15,721 That's one thing you should edify, speak things. 842 00:35:15,753 --> 00:35:17,657 But, you know, you can say something and not mean it. 843 00:35:17,761 --> 00:35:21,257 One of the things that you can do to encourage other people is have 844 00:35:21,281 --> 00:35:22,289 that passionate desire. 845 00:35:22,337 --> 00:35:23,865 But then we see something else here. 846 00:35:24,025 --> 00:35:26,065 He says, you're mourning now. 847 00:35:26,105 --> 00:35:28,201 Is Paul saying, I'm happy when you're mourning. 848 00:35:28,353 --> 00:35:31,009 Like you lost someone in your life and I'm glad that you're crying? 849 00:35:31,057 --> 00:35:35,409 No, he's talking specifically about the mourning over sin, their 850 00:35:35,457 --> 00:35:36,205 conviction. 851 00:35:36,585 --> 00:35:39,569 He says, I'm so happy to see that you're broken over your sin. 852 00:35:39,617 --> 00:35:42,207 Now, that's kind of weird for us to think about, but that is a 853 00:35:42,231 --> 00:35:45,703 beautiful thing to see people broken over their sin because that's 854 00:35:45,719 --> 00:35:46,887 what brings revival. 855 00:35:47,031 --> 00:35:48,095 That's what brings change. 856 00:35:48,135 --> 00:35:50,943 And so one of the ways that we can encourage other people is by 857 00:35:50,999 --> 00:35:54,479 understanding the pains and the sufferings of sin in our life 858 00:35:54,567 --> 00:35:57,831 and mourning over that to get to a place where we can be passionate 859 00:35:57,863 --> 00:35:58,415 for God. 860 00:35:58,495 --> 00:36:01,855 And so he says part of encouragement is for individuals 861 00:36:01,895 --> 00:36:04,871 to recognize the power of sin in their life and overcome the power 862 00:36:04,903 --> 00:36:06,495 of sin by the power of God. 863 00:36:06,615 --> 00:36:09,031 And so, folks, I would encourage you to embrace that conviction 864 00:36:09,063 --> 00:36:11,965 in your life, get right with God. 865 00:36:12,045 --> 00:36:14,585 Because when you get right with God, that affects other people. 866 00:36:15,005 --> 00:36:16,749 Now, it's not riding on your shoulders. 867 00:36:16,797 --> 00:36:19,357 Like, it's not like, well, you had to do this for other people or 868 00:36:19,381 --> 00:36:20,445 they'll never get close to Christ. 869 00:36:20,485 --> 00:36:22,341 But you never know who you're going to influence. 870 00:36:22,453 --> 00:36:24,893 You never know who you're going to comfort by that time where 871 00:36:24,909 --> 00:36:27,221 you walk forward and you kneel at the altar and you get that right 872 00:36:27,253 --> 00:36:27,837 with God. 873 00:36:27,941 --> 00:36:30,813 Whether or not that person even knows your private sin, your 874 00:36:30,869 --> 00:36:34,589 change in your life in that revival will affect other people 875 00:36:34,637 --> 00:36:35,421 around you. 876 00:36:35,573 --> 00:36:37,861 You know, I've dealt with things in my own life personally 877 00:36:37,893 --> 00:36:41,517 that I never told my children, but my children were positively affected 878 00:36:41,621 --> 00:36:44,477 by the change that happened in my life through the conviction of 879 00:36:44,501 --> 00:36:45,133 the Spirit. 880 00:36:45,229 --> 00:36:46,625 Like, I gotta get rid of this. 881 00:36:46,965 --> 00:36:49,493 This is stealing away My desire for my children. 882 00:36:49,549 --> 00:36:51,861 So therefore, I gotta get rid of it. 883 00:36:51,893 --> 00:36:54,093 This is stealing away my desire for the Lord, so I gotta get 884 00:36:54,109 --> 00:36:54,645 rid of that. 885 00:36:54,725 --> 00:36:56,997 People might not ever know that decision that you make, but 886 00:36:57,021 --> 00:37:00,669 the change in your life will be manifested and will encourage 887 00:37:00,717 --> 00:37:01,305 others. 888 00:37:02,385 --> 00:37:03,765 So I would say this. 889 00:37:04,065 --> 00:37:08,329 The mourning over sin, the brokenness over sin, will cause people 890 00:37:08,377 --> 00:37:10,433 to be encouraged, just as Paul was encouraged. 891 00:37:10,529 --> 00:37:15,441 And then we see, he says, your fervent mind toward me, your fervent 892 00:37:15,513 --> 00:37:16,201 thoughts. 893 00:37:16,353 --> 00:37:20,497 He says, your fervent mind towards me, your desire, your passion, 894 00:37:20,681 --> 00:37:22,121 your thoughts of me. 895 00:37:22,193 --> 00:37:24,537 And so what I would say here in this case is just thinking of 896 00:37:24,561 --> 00:37:25,201 others. 897 00:37:25,393 --> 00:37:28,527 Thinking of others in the midst of our life. 898 00:37:28,631 --> 00:37:30,915 Selflessness, Right. 899 00:37:32,375 --> 00:37:35,303 Selflessness is such a need in our culture today. 900 00:37:35,359 --> 00:37:35,695 Why? 901 00:37:35,775 --> 00:37:38,395 Because the opposite side is preaching pride. 902 00:37:38,935 --> 00:37:40,959 Pride, Satan, from the very beginning. 903 00:37:41,007 --> 00:37:41,255 Pride. 904 00:37:41,295 --> 00:37:45,079 It's all about you put yourself first, only help people 905 00:37:45,127 --> 00:37:46,047 that help you. 906 00:37:46,191 --> 00:37:49,031 And that's the total opposite of what is an encouragement. 907 00:37:49,183 --> 00:37:52,143 An encouragement is, I'm going to help you, even if you don't deserve 908 00:37:52,159 --> 00:37:53,569 it, even if you don't ask for it. 909 00:37:53,647 --> 00:37:57,413 One of the things that I was encouraged by our speaker at the 910 00:37:57,429 --> 00:37:57,845 men's retreat. 911 00:37:57,885 --> 00:37:59,693 I'm probably stealing some of the guys thunder when they're gonna 912 00:37:59,709 --> 00:38:00,709 give their testimonies. 913 00:38:00,837 --> 00:38:02,045 Well, I got up here first. 914 00:38:02,085 --> 00:38:04,933 So is this. 915 00:38:05,109 --> 00:38:08,021 He said, you know, an acquaintance says, I'm here for you. 916 00:38:08,053 --> 00:38:09,945 If you need me, let me know. 917 00:38:10,285 --> 00:38:14,909 He said, a friend is, I'm already there, you know, And I was 918 00:38:14,957 --> 00:38:16,125 convicted by that. 919 00:38:16,285 --> 00:38:19,613 Because a lot of times in my life, people that I love, I say, 920 00:38:19,629 --> 00:38:21,265 hey, I don't want to impose. 921 00:38:21,985 --> 00:38:23,685 If you need me, just call me. 922 00:38:24,465 --> 00:38:27,105 He says, you know, a true friend is someone that's like, hey, 923 00:38:27,265 --> 00:38:28,249 I'm already there. 924 00:38:28,337 --> 00:38:29,721 I'm already putting you first. 925 00:38:29,833 --> 00:38:31,057 I don't care what time of the day it is. 926 00:38:31,081 --> 00:38:33,801 I don't care what kind of sacrifice this means for me, folks. 927 00:38:33,873 --> 00:38:36,645 That's what it means to care for somebody else. 928 00:38:38,585 --> 00:38:41,505 And so therefore, he says, hey, you're fervent in mind toward 929 00:38:41,545 --> 00:38:42,125 me. 930 00:38:42,465 --> 00:38:43,529 It's that selflessness. 931 00:38:43,577 --> 00:38:45,285 It's that humility. 932 00:38:45,825 --> 00:38:48,441 And so as much as we wanna beat up at the church at Corinth, 933 00:38:48,473 --> 00:38:50,665 there are some really good elements here that Paul says that 934 00:38:50,705 --> 00:38:51,765 encouraged me. 935 00:38:52,825 --> 00:38:54,489 You're not left without hope. 936 00:38:54,577 --> 00:38:57,321 You still have God working in your midst. 937 00:38:57,353 --> 00:38:58,633 And so that's all Paul is trying to do. 938 00:38:58,649 --> 00:39:02,121 He's trying to convince them and speak boldly to the place of, 939 00:39:02,153 --> 00:39:05,049 hey, get back on path to being an ambassador for Jesus Christ. 940 00:39:05,097 --> 00:39:06,685 Do what you've already done before. 941 00:39:07,745 --> 00:39:09,365 And so what I would say is this. 942 00:39:10,105 --> 00:39:13,913 Paul had a real confidence and hope because Titus brought him a 943 00:39:13,929 --> 00:39:16,129 good report on how things were going in Corinth. 944 00:39:16,297 --> 00:39:17,805 Paul saw. 945 00:39:18,895 --> 00:39:24,159 Paul witnessed the fruit of his ministry through the church at 946 00:39:24,167 --> 00:39:24,615 Corinth. 947 00:39:24,655 --> 00:39:28,423 Folks, we're not always going to see the fruit, but sometimes when 948 00:39:28,439 --> 00:39:30,007 we do, that's the greatest comfort. 949 00:39:30,151 --> 00:39:32,875 God confirms in our heart that we're doing the right thing. 950 00:39:33,455 --> 00:39:36,719 And so our faithfulness to the Lord is an encouragement to others. 951 00:39:36,767 --> 00:39:40,035 If I could summarize it any which way, I could say it this way. 952 00:39:40,375 --> 00:39:43,103 When the greatest encouragement that you can have for 953 00:39:43,119 --> 00:39:44,967 another individual, the greatest comfort that you can bring 954 00:39:44,991 --> 00:39:48,143 to another individual is by staying faithful to the Lord. 955 00:39:48,239 --> 00:39:49,639 Because if you're staying faithful to the Lord, you're gonna 956 00:39:49,647 --> 00:39:50,607 be faithful to them. 957 00:39:50,751 --> 00:39:52,223 If you're gonna be staying faithful to the Lord, you're gonna 958 00:39:52,239 --> 00:39:53,315 love them properly. 959 00:39:53,775 --> 00:39:55,111 And so what I would encourage you is this. 960 00:39:55,143 --> 00:39:57,303 Like, you know, I think a lot of times we're looking for outward 961 00:39:57,359 --> 00:39:58,751 displays of, you know. 962 00:39:58,783 --> 00:40:01,679 And that's sometimes what's manifested by the love of God. 963 00:40:01,767 --> 00:40:03,223 But it's an inward change. 964 00:40:03,319 --> 00:40:04,831 It's always an inward change. 965 00:40:04,983 --> 00:40:08,279 And so how can we have constant comfort in the crucible, 966 00:40:08,367 --> 00:40:09,399 in the difficult life? 967 00:40:09,487 --> 00:40:11,719 It's putting our focus off of ourself and putting it on Christ 968 00:40:11,767 --> 00:40:12,435 and others. 969 00:40:12,575 --> 00:40:13,891 That's really what it is. 970 00:40:14,083 --> 00:40:16,563 I'm never going to find comfort if I'm just sitting and focused 971 00:40:16,579 --> 00:40:17,787 on my test all the time. 972 00:40:17,891 --> 00:40:18,947 Like, woe is me. 973 00:40:19,051 --> 00:40:19,899 This is my problem. 974 00:40:19,947 --> 00:40:20,899 I've got this issue. 975 00:40:20,947 --> 00:40:23,627 And all I can do is think about me and think about how I can't 976 00:40:23,651 --> 00:40:24,267 find comfort. 977 00:40:24,331 --> 00:40:24,899 You know what? 978 00:40:24,987 --> 00:40:25,323 Let's. 979 00:40:25,379 --> 00:40:26,771 And this is what's happened in my own life. 980 00:40:26,843 --> 00:40:29,467 The more I start trying to comfort others, the more I'm able 981 00:40:29,491 --> 00:40:32,315 to get my eyes off of my issue and start seeing the comfort of God. 982 00:40:32,395 --> 00:40:35,195 And I go back and I rehearse how God has been faithful to me. 983 00:40:35,355 --> 00:40:37,091 Folks, I would encourage you to think about that, Paul. 984 00:40:37,163 --> 00:40:37,987 That's what Paul's doing. 985 00:40:38,011 --> 00:40:39,203 He's going back to. 986 00:40:39,329 --> 00:40:41,007 And he says, God, you've been faithful to me here. 987 00:40:41,071 --> 00:40:42,343 You're going to be faithful to me now. 988 00:40:42,399 --> 00:40:43,615 You're always going to be faithful to me. 989 00:40:43,655 --> 00:40:44,751 You're always going to comfort me. 990 00:40:44,783 --> 00:40:47,431 That's where the comfort is found, by seeing the truth of the 991 00:40:47,463 --> 00:40:48,075 situation. 992 00:40:49,335 --> 00:40:52,075 You say, well, I don't know if God's been faithful to me. 993 00:40:53,695 --> 00:40:55,015 Have you seen my life? 994 00:40:55,175 --> 00:40:57,135 You know, what God's taken away from me? 995 00:40:57,175 --> 00:40:58,911 Well, maybe he hasn't taken away from you. 996 00:40:59,023 --> 00:41:01,319 Maybe God's allowed something to be taken away from you. 997 00:41:01,487 --> 00:41:03,391 Well, you don't know what's going on in my life. 998 00:41:03,463 --> 00:41:05,511 You know, I went to the doctor's this week and that news 999 00:41:05,543 --> 00:41:09,039 was not what I thought is comforting, folks. 1000 00:41:09,087 --> 00:41:12,567 Let me tell you, when you struggle with that, this is something 1001 00:41:12,591 --> 00:41:15,039 that I was learning at the retreat and it's been formulating 1002 00:41:15,087 --> 00:41:16,355 in my mind recently. 1003 00:41:17,135 --> 00:41:20,023 When we are tempted to think about these circumstances as the 1004 00:41:20,039 --> 00:41:21,967 source of our comfort, where do we need to go? 1005 00:41:22,071 --> 00:41:24,955 We need to go to what the Bible says is the foot of the cross. 1006 00:41:25,695 --> 00:41:27,975 The moment you start thinking that God has forgotten about you, 1007 00:41:28,015 --> 00:41:30,195 go back to see what Jesus did for you. 1008 00:41:30,855 --> 00:41:35,105 He went to the cross, hanging on that cross, thinking of you. 1009 00:41:36,525 --> 00:41:39,037 And if you think about what Jesus did for you on that cross and 1010 00:41:39,061 --> 00:41:41,413 you still think he forgot about you, and he still think he's 1011 00:41:41,429 --> 00:41:43,325 not comforting you, you've got some major issues. 1012 00:41:43,365 --> 00:41:46,389 You're not trusting in what he did on that cross because that's 1013 00:41:46,437 --> 00:41:49,265 everything that he needed to do to prove his love for me. 1014 00:41:50,165 --> 00:41:52,237 So instead of thinking, well, you know, I had a really bad day 1015 00:41:52,261 --> 00:41:54,917 today, you know, my boss went off on me and you know, God doesn't 1016 00:41:54,941 --> 00:41:56,517 love me, say, no, no, he does love me. 1017 00:41:56,541 --> 00:41:57,197 Look what he did for me. 1018 00:41:57,221 --> 00:41:57,517 He died. 1019 00:41:57,541 --> 00:42:00,757 He sent his only begotten son for that is what Paul is saying. 1020 00:42:00,781 --> 00:42:02,229 It's all about the gospel. 1021 00:42:02,397 --> 00:42:03,461 And that's where he ends it. 1022 00:42:03,493 --> 00:42:06,669 He goes, you know, so that I rejoice all the more. 1023 00:42:06,717 --> 00:42:08,325 I can rejoice all the more here. 1024 00:42:08,365 --> 00:42:11,269 And then he's going to bring about in this next passage of scripture, 1025 00:42:11,317 --> 00:42:13,385 godly sorrow that works repentance. 1026 00:42:13,765 --> 00:42:16,149 And you're never going to be able to walk with Christ. 1027 00:42:16,237 --> 00:42:18,829 You're never going to be walking with him in his truth, if 1028 00:42:18,837 --> 00:42:21,525 you're gripping onto this world and not falling into a place 1029 00:42:21,565 --> 00:42:23,105 of repentance and humility. 1030 00:42:23,445 --> 00:42:26,275 And so Paul is trying to get us to look back to the cross. 1031 00:42:26,405 --> 00:42:29,255 He's trying to get us to look to the truth of the gospel. 1032 00:42:29,415 --> 00:42:31,671 And that's what he's talking about when it comes to being a minister 1033 00:42:31,743 --> 00:42:32,355 here. 1034 00:42:32,655 --> 00:42:36,155 And so this was Paul's life in the ministry. 1035 00:42:37,015 --> 00:42:40,983 If, if it was a life of great blessing, it was also a life of conflicts. 1036 00:42:41,039 --> 00:42:42,255 It was a life of fear. 1037 00:42:42,375 --> 00:42:44,663 It was a life of people coming against him. 1038 00:42:44,759 --> 00:42:47,111 But what we can say through the life of Paul is that he says 1039 00:42:47,143 --> 00:42:51,111 here, I'm filled with joy, I'm filled with comfort. 1040 00:42:51,263 --> 00:42:52,965 We see this throughout Paul's writings. 1041 00:42:53,055 --> 00:42:55,129 Look at Philippians look at the whole book of Philippians. 1042 00:42:55,257 --> 00:42:57,405 The theme is, what joy. 1043 00:42:58,345 --> 00:42:59,525 He's in prison. 1044 00:43:00,385 --> 00:43:01,365 Contentment. 1045 00:43:01,665 --> 00:43:07,249 He has nothing, except he's got Christ, which means he's got 1046 00:43:07,297 --> 00:43:07,889 everything. 1047 00:43:08,057 --> 00:43:09,497 And that's the same thing for you to hear today. 1048 00:43:09,561 --> 00:43:10,713 I don't know what you have in your life. 1049 00:43:10,769 --> 00:43:14,285 I would be tempted to say that most of us are not where we have 1050 00:43:14,585 --> 00:43:15,885 zero in our life. 1051 00:43:16,505 --> 00:43:20,185 Even if you're at the bottom of what our culture says, you still 1052 00:43:20,265 --> 00:43:22,245 most likely have a place that you can lay your head. 1053 00:43:24,205 --> 00:43:26,085 You got here today, whether you drove or not. 1054 00:43:26,125 --> 00:43:26,701 Someone took you. 1055 00:43:26,733 --> 00:43:27,941 That's transportation. 1056 00:43:28,133 --> 00:43:29,621 Most of us are going to have a meal today. 1057 00:43:29,653 --> 00:43:31,253 If you don't have a meal, come by and talk to me. 1058 00:43:31,269 --> 00:43:31,965 I'll get you a meal. 1059 00:43:32,005 --> 00:43:32,625 Okay? 1060 00:43:34,085 --> 00:43:37,837 But so many times we love more, we want more, we desire more. 1061 00:43:37,901 --> 00:43:42,525 But, folks, if we had none of that and only Christ, it's still 1062 00:43:42,565 --> 00:43:43,145 enough. 1063 00:43:43,685 --> 00:43:44,985 It's still enough. 1064 00:43:45,485 --> 00:43:48,149 And so may we be those faithful ministers to show people 1065 00:43:48,197 --> 00:43:49,453 that's the comfort of God. 1066 00:43:49,589 --> 00:43:51,461 The comfort of God is knowing Christ. 1067 00:43:51,653 --> 00:43:53,645 The comfort of God is having the Holy Spirit. 1068 00:43:53,725 --> 00:43:55,901 The comfort of God is knowing that there's something more to this 1069 00:43:55,933 --> 00:43:56,461 world. 1070 00:43:56,613 --> 00:43:57,285 That's the comfort. 1071 00:43:57,325 --> 00:43:59,105 The comfort is not getting out of it. 1072 00:43:59,405 --> 00:44:01,677 Like, if, like, Pastor, we need some counseling. 1073 00:44:01,701 --> 00:44:03,065 We got an issue in our life. 1074 00:44:03,645 --> 00:44:06,221 Usually, like, well, we didn't get out of the issue. 1075 00:44:06,293 --> 00:44:08,385 So therefore, this is a failure, folks. 1076 00:44:08,885 --> 00:44:10,305 Is Paul a failure? 1077 00:44:11,085 --> 00:44:12,225 I don't think so. 1078 00:44:13,205 --> 00:44:13,565 Was. 1079 00:44:13,605 --> 00:44:14,865 Was Peter a failure? 1080 00:44:15,975 --> 00:44:16,715 No. 1081 00:44:17,055 --> 00:44:21,015 There was parts of his life that were failing, but he wasn't 1082 00:44:21,055 --> 00:44:22,395 defined by his failures. 1083 00:44:23,255 --> 00:44:24,879 Was Jesus a failure? 1084 00:44:25,047 --> 00:44:25,495 No. 1085 00:44:25,575 --> 00:44:30,847 We know that, but yet did God remove all the pain and suffering 1086 00:44:30,911 --> 00:44:31,615 from their life? 1087 00:44:31,695 --> 00:44:32,315 No. 1088 00:44:33,255 --> 00:44:35,743 And so the directive is not run away from the problem. 1089 00:44:35,799 --> 00:44:39,127 The directive is run to Christ in the midst of the issues in our 1090 00:44:39,151 --> 00:44:39,715 world. 1091 00:44:40,385 --> 00:44:42,161 So I would encourage you today to think about this. 1092 00:44:42,193 --> 00:44:42,385 Yes. 1093 00:44:42,425 --> 00:44:44,097 Can God take away your struggle? 1094 00:44:44,241 --> 00:44:44,921 Yes. 1095 00:44:45,073 --> 00:44:46,521 Can God take away your trial? 1096 00:44:46,593 --> 00:44:47,245 Yes. 1097 00:44:47,705 --> 00:44:48,617 Will he? 1098 00:44:48,761 --> 00:44:49,673 I don't know. 1099 00:44:49,809 --> 00:44:52,561 But what I do know is he can bring you the comfort and walk with 1100 00:44:52,593 --> 00:44:57,165 you through it and give you that constant comfort in the crucible. 1101 00:44:57,465 --> 00:44:59,137 You're in a big, long test. 1102 00:44:59,321 --> 00:45:03,005 So the Bible says, actually it's a life of tribulation. 1103 00:45:04,305 --> 00:45:06,601 And sometimes those tribulations can be felt more than 1104 00:45:06,633 --> 00:45:07,239 others. 1105 00:45:07,417 --> 00:45:10,051 Sometimes that heat of that crucible is heated up a lot more 1106 00:45:10,083 --> 00:45:11,179 than it normally is. 1107 00:45:11,267 --> 00:45:13,499 But what I will say is that there's that constant comfort that 1108 00:45:13,507 --> 00:45:16,779 you can find in knowing Christ and resting in him. 1109 00:45:16,907 --> 00:45:19,035 And then what does he say here? 1110 00:45:19,075 --> 00:45:20,707 First Corinthians chapter 1, verse 3. 1111 00:45:20,811 --> 00:45:21,855 Comfort others. 1112 00:45:22,235 --> 00:45:24,603 As you have experienced that comfort, comfort others. 1113 00:45:24,739 --> 00:45:26,187 And as you comfort others, guess what? 1114 00:45:26,251 --> 00:45:29,291 Your mind is going to be off of your struggles, and your mind 1115 00:45:29,323 --> 00:45:31,643 is going to be on the comfort of how God comforted you so that 1116 00:45:31,659 --> 00:45:32,617 you can comfort others. 1117 00:45:32,731 --> 00:45:34,829 And you're rehearsing in your mind what God has done for you, and 1118 00:45:34,837 --> 00:45:37,065 then you're just living in that cycle of comfort. 1119 00:45:38,245 --> 00:45:41,189 You know, our world today is all about comfort, right? 1120 00:45:41,237 --> 00:45:43,189 Get the most comfortable bed you can find. 1121 00:45:43,237 --> 00:45:45,705 Get the most comfortable car you can find. 1122 00:45:48,485 --> 00:45:53,013 Speaking of cars, we have a person in our church who remains 1123 00:45:53,069 --> 00:45:55,173 nameless that has a Tesla. 1124 00:45:55,349 --> 00:45:56,933 Some of you know what a Tesla is. 1125 00:45:57,069 --> 00:45:57,741 Okay? 1126 00:45:57,893 --> 00:46:00,661 A couple weeks ago, I had the biggest test of faith in my whole 1127 00:46:00,693 --> 00:46:01,317 life. 1128 00:46:01,501 --> 00:46:04,317 I got in this Tesla, and he says, okay, I'm gonna let you drive 1129 00:46:04,341 --> 00:46:05,813 it, but you don't really have to drive it. 1130 00:46:05,949 --> 00:46:09,621 Just turn the key, we're gonna plug in this place, and you just 1131 00:46:09,653 --> 00:46:11,733 sit back, take your hands off, take your feet off, and just look 1132 00:46:11,749 --> 00:46:12,625 at the road. 1133 00:46:13,365 --> 00:46:17,669 And I was as scared as I've been in a long time, especially when 1134 00:46:17,677 --> 00:46:19,185 I got up to an intersection. 1135 00:46:20,205 --> 00:46:21,145 It was like. 1136 00:46:21,445 --> 00:46:23,469 And I'm like, are you sure this thing's gonna stop? 1137 00:46:23,597 --> 00:46:25,797 And he's like, yeah, it's gonna stop. 1138 00:46:25,821 --> 00:46:26,253 And I'm like, wow. 1139 00:46:26,269 --> 00:46:29,625 I'm putting a lot of faith in the designer right now. 1140 00:46:30,565 --> 00:46:33,381 It was actually a spiritual lesson for me because I'm realizing, 1141 00:46:33,413 --> 00:46:35,525 you know, that's how we are in our own life. 1142 00:46:35,605 --> 00:46:39,821 And by the way, we got there and it changed lanes, it sped up, 1143 00:46:39,853 --> 00:46:42,525 it slowed down, it read when other people were coming. 1144 00:46:42,605 --> 00:46:43,621 And that was a weird thing. 1145 00:46:43,693 --> 00:46:46,301 But I thought about that from a spiritual sense, like, our world 1146 00:46:46,333 --> 00:46:47,625 is looking for comfort. 1147 00:46:49,445 --> 00:46:51,585 Our world is looking for automation. 1148 00:46:52,405 --> 00:46:54,127 And I'm not saying that's a good or bad thing. 1149 00:46:54,261 --> 00:46:55,683 Different people have different opinions. 1150 00:46:55,859 --> 00:46:58,139 But in our life, that's a picture of what it means to have 1151 00:46:58,147 --> 00:46:59,283 the comfort of God. 1152 00:46:59,459 --> 00:47:03,603 You can sit down in the presence of God, you can say, you 1153 00:47:03,619 --> 00:47:03,827 know what? 1154 00:47:03,851 --> 00:47:05,019 I don't know how to get there. 1155 00:47:05,147 --> 00:47:06,107 I'm probably going to mess up. 1156 00:47:06,131 --> 00:47:08,241 But, Lord, I'm going to take my hands off the wheel, I'm going 1157 00:47:08,243 --> 00:47:10,419 to take my foot off you give me the guidance. 1158 00:47:10,507 --> 00:47:10,683 Now. 1159 00:47:10,699 --> 00:47:12,107 This isn't like, let go and let God. 1160 00:47:12,131 --> 00:47:14,571 I don't do anything in my life, you know, I just sit in my 1161 00:47:14,603 --> 00:47:16,051 couch and hope God makes me a missionary. 1162 00:47:16,083 --> 00:47:17,275 That's not how it works, right? 1163 00:47:17,355 --> 00:47:20,227 God stirs our heart and brings us to a place, right? 1164 00:47:20,291 --> 00:47:22,731 He stirs us To a place where we have to go preach the message 1165 00:47:22,763 --> 00:47:25,259 of the gospel so there's action involved with it. 1166 00:47:25,347 --> 00:47:28,491 But what I will say is it's faith in God, it's trusting in him. 1167 00:47:28,523 --> 00:47:30,835 And so our world is looking for comfort in the wrong places. 1168 00:47:30,875 --> 00:47:33,211 Our world is looking for automation in the wrong places. 1169 00:47:33,323 --> 00:47:36,739 What we do is we say, yes, Lord, I'm willing to give my life 1170 00:47:36,787 --> 00:47:38,571 over to you and give you everything. 1171 00:47:38,723 --> 00:47:41,491 I'm willing to sit in the driver's seat, but I'm allowing you 1172 00:47:41,523 --> 00:47:42,335 to drive. 1173 00:47:43,115 --> 00:47:45,403 I'm going to trust you that you're going to do this right for 1174 00:47:45,419 --> 00:47:45,523 me. 1175 00:47:45,539 --> 00:47:46,427 I'm going to trust you. 1176 00:47:46,491 --> 00:47:48,299 I'm going to trust you that this is the right comfort that I 1177 00:47:48,307 --> 00:47:49,295 need in this time. 1178 00:47:49,625 --> 00:47:51,265 And so I don't think comfort is a bad thing. 1179 00:47:51,305 --> 00:47:54,665 I think God designed us to seek after comfort, but a different 1180 00:47:54,705 --> 00:47:55,697 type of comfort. 1181 00:47:55,841 --> 00:47:58,545 What Satan does is, and the world always does this is he tries 1182 00:47:58,585 --> 00:48:03,353 to twist what God has created as perfect and put us to a place 1183 00:48:03,409 --> 00:48:05,137 of fleshliness, right? 1184 00:48:05,241 --> 00:48:06,845 So you see this in many areas. 1185 00:48:07,305 --> 00:48:08,849 You know, physical relationships. 1186 00:48:08,897 --> 00:48:11,977 God created those things for a good purpose, but yet the world has 1187 00:48:12,001 --> 00:48:13,245 skewed that for evil. 1188 00:48:14,635 --> 00:48:17,003 Music, art, all of these things. 1189 00:48:17,059 --> 00:48:19,859 Entertainment, God created those things for us to enjoy. 1190 00:48:19,987 --> 00:48:21,467 But the world has twisted it. 1191 00:48:21,491 --> 00:48:22,555 Satan has twisted it. 1192 00:48:22,635 --> 00:48:23,867 Same thing with comfort. 1193 00:48:24,011 --> 00:48:27,691 God created us to desire after comfort, but not the fleshly comfort, 1194 00:48:27,723 --> 00:48:30,507 the comfort of God in the midst of our difficulty. 1195 00:48:30,691 --> 00:48:32,507 So seek after that comfort today. 1196 00:48:32,651 --> 00:48:36,627 As Paul says, open your hearts to the comfort of God so that when 1197 00:48:36,651 --> 00:48:40,213 you receive that comfort of God, that you can comfort others 1198 00:48:40,339 --> 00:48:42,081 so that they can comfort others. 1199 00:48:42,273 --> 00:48:46,625 Folks, I'm going to tell you, as a church, if we put others before 1200 00:48:46,665 --> 00:48:49,953 ourselves and ultimately put Christ at the top, we're going to 1201 00:48:49,969 --> 00:48:50,753 have issues. 1202 00:48:50,929 --> 00:48:54,121 But Christ will be with us in the midst of the crucible. 1203 00:48:54,313 --> 00:48:59,473 So the constant comfort in the crucible is Christ. 1204 00:48:59,649 --> 00:49:00,457 That's it. 1205 00:49:00,601 --> 00:49:01,965 It's walking with him. 1206 00:49:02,625 --> 00:49:04,689 And so this morning, I encourage you to think about that 1207 00:49:04,737 --> 00:49:06,135 and meditate upon those truths. 1208 00:49:06,225 --> 00:49:08,819 When you go through your trial, your crucible, I'm going to 1209 00:49:08,827 --> 00:49:10,587 ask if you're able to stand with me, every head bowed, every 1210 00:49:10,611 --> 00:49:12,251 eye closed as the music plays this morning. 1211 00:49:12,363 --> 00:49:15,175 So want to give you an opportunity to respond to that. 1212 00:49:15,795 --> 00:49:17,595 There's a couple of different areas of response. 1213 00:49:17,635 --> 00:49:18,251 You could say this. 1214 00:49:18,283 --> 00:49:19,723 I need that comfort right now. 1215 00:49:19,819 --> 00:49:21,331 Not feeling that comfort. 1216 00:49:21,523 --> 00:49:23,575 What I say is, get your eyes on Christ. 1217 00:49:24,195 --> 00:49:25,179 Get your eyes on Christ. 1218 00:49:25,227 --> 00:49:28,355 Get your eyes on others so that you can comfort others as he 1219 00:49:28,395 --> 00:49:29,375 comforts you. 1220 00:49:31,275 --> 00:49:32,435 Man, the Corinth Church. 1221 00:49:32,475 --> 00:49:34,627 They didn't know that they were comforting Paul, but they comforted 1222 00:49:34,651 --> 00:49:36,599 Titus and Titus comforted Paul. 1223 00:49:36,767 --> 00:49:39,223 And Paul ultimately said, hey, you got a lot of issues, but that's 1224 00:49:39,239 --> 00:49:40,035 a blessing. 1225 00:49:41,255 --> 00:49:42,791 Are you that faithful ambassador? 1226 00:49:42,823 --> 00:49:43,903 Are you that faithful minister? 1227 00:49:43,959 --> 00:49:47,583 Are you that faithful person like Paul that had integrity, had 1228 00:49:47,639 --> 00:49:54,095 honesty, had love, affection, that authenticity, that commitment? 1229 00:49:54,255 --> 00:49:56,767 Are you committed to the gospel message so much that you're 1230 00:49:56,791 --> 00:49:57,735 willing to say, you know what? 1231 00:49:57,815 --> 00:49:59,207 I don't care if people accept me. 1232 00:49:59,231 --> 00:50:00,647 I don't care if people love me. 1233 00:50:00,751 --> 00:50:03,995 I want to find my comfort in God, not in those around me. 1234 00:50:05,865 --> 00:50:08,561 Maybe this morning you just need to rededicate your life to that 1235 00:50:08,713 --> 00:50:10,085 ambassadorship. 1236 00:50:10,665 --> 00:50:12,125 Maybe you need that comfort. 1237 00:50:12,625 --> 00:50:14,445 Maybe you need to show some comfort. 1238 00:50:15,385 --> 00:50:19,321 How selfish is it to hoard all the comfort of God and never show 1239 00:50:19,353 --> 00:50:21,085 that to other people around us? 1240 00:50:22,105 --> 00:50:23,405 What can we do? 1241 00:50:23,825 --> 00:50:25,165 What can we say? 1242 00:50:25,585 --> 00:50:28,705 What can we sacrifice for another so that the comfort of God 1243 00:50:28,745 --> 00:50:30,545 can be spread to those around us? 1244 00:50:30,665 --> 00:50:33,633 Lord, I pray that you'd be in this time of invitation, work in 1245 00:50:33,649 --> 00:50:34,617 hearts and lives. 1246 00:50:34,801 --> 00:50:36,945 If there's someone here today that needs to know you as Savior, 1247 00:50:36,985 --> 00:50:39,737 I pray that today can be the day in which they can have that constant 1248 00:50:39,801 --> 00:50:42,605 comfort in knowing you as Savior. 1249 00:50:43,105 --> 00:50:44,685 We're thankful for the cross. 1250 00:50:44,985 --> 00:50:47,633 We're thankful for your commitment to us. 1251 00:50:47,809 --> 00:50:49,641 And I pray that you work in our hearts and lives this morning. 1252 00:50:49,673 --> 00:50:50,593 In Jesus name, Amen. 1253 00:50:50,609 --> 00:50:52,937 As the music plays, do as the Lord leads here today. 1254 00:50:52,961 --> 00:50:55,273 If you need Jesus as your Savior, if you need to know what 1255 00:50:55,289 --> 00:50:58,119 it means to trust in the cross, what it means to trust in 1256 00:50:58,127 --> 00:51:00,911 the resurrection of Jesus, put your faith in him today. 1257 00:51:00,943 --> 00:51:03,835 We have folks up here that are willing to give you that message. 1258 00:51:04,975 --> 00:51:07,559 Thank you again for listening to the Middletown Baptist Church 1259 00:51:07,607 --> 00:51:08,375 podcast. 1260 00:51:08,535 --> 00:51:11,075 I hope that this sermon has been a blessing for you. 1261 00:51:11,455 --> 00:51:13,711 If you would like to find out more information about our church 1262 00:51:13,743 --> 00:51:15,795 or this sermon, you can find us at middletownbaptistchurch.org 1263 00:51:15,923 --> 00:51:20,315 or find us on Facebook or YouTube. 1264 00:51:20,815 --> 00:51:25,239 You can also email me directly at joshmasaroiddletownbaptistchurch 1265 00:51:25,287 --> 00:51:29,709 dot com if you've enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe and follow 1266 00:51:29,757 --> 00:51:32,785 along for future podcast and updates. 1267 00:51:33,125 --> 00:51:34,277 Thank you so much. 1268 00:51:34,421 --> 00:51:35,213 God Bless. 1269 00:51:35,349 --> 00:51:36,405 Have a wonderful day.