|
|
|
|
Examine YourselvesWhen you finish your studies in a class, be that in College, High School, or any level, there is always an examination at the end of the course. A test to see if the information from the class was absorbed, so the Apostle Paul ends his letter to the Corinthians with an examination. 2 Cor 13:5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Not take the test to see if you remember what was said, but test yourselves to see if you have true saving faith. I remember my high school civics teacher gave us a surprise test at the end of the year, and of course we were all complaining and scared about it. But the first line on the test read. Follow the instructions carefully. Then it listed a couple of instructions. Read the entire test before answering any questions. Using a #2 pencil place your name in the upper left hand corner. the proper box completely. As you took the test, the first couple of questions related to government and current events but they seemed pretty easy. Then after a few questions the test got strange, it instructed you to do things like stand up and turn around three times. To balance your pencil on your nose, or to crow like a rooster. Well soon some people were doing some strange stuff wile others had turned their paper over and doing nothing. See the last line on the test said. If you followed the instructions on this test, you have read the entire test before beginning, and now you can turn your paper over and not answer any questions. Throughout the scriptures we find many test, but they are never test for information, rather it is always the test of self examination. Ps 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. The believers in Corinth were being manipulated and lead astray by men who were self promoters. They were being placed under rules and regulations for living instead of living by faith. So Paul concludes his letter to them with some exhortations to be self critical, to do some soul searching, to allow the gospel to be the test of whether they are in the faith. READ THE TEXT 2 CORINTHIANS 13:5-14 EXAMINE YOURSELVES Three things I would like us to glean from today's text.
The exhortation is to examine ourselves, not to examine others. Like Jesus said; “First remove the plank from your own eye, before you take the splinter from your brother's eye.” As believers we check our own faith walk - “to see whether you are in the faith.” A while back the University of Rochester, N.Y., held a “Day Without Mirrors”; on that day they encouraged faculty and staff to go for 24 hours without looking at themselves. Students covered as many mirrors as they could with a posters that proclaimed: "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, true beauty's not found here at all." For one day, they could not look at the external – they could only examine the inner self. That is what the Bible declares that self-examination means you look at the inner self, not the outer self. The religious leaders during Jesus day, were always inspecting others, and not looking to their own hearts. Matt 23:25-26 ( Jesus said of them) "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
Examine your own heart, examine your
relationship with God, and its not a test of just outward piety. What does a
relationship with God consist of? Have you a of a total surrender of your will
to the will of God? Have you exchanged your agenda - for His agenda. 1. Does the Holy Spirit manifest himself in your life? Rom 8:9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. Rom 8:16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. It is the Holy Spirit working that says we are Children of God. So... Does the fruit of the Holy Spirit evidence itself in your life? Oh not that your perfect in your behaviors, not that you have it all together practically, but do you have the Holy Spirit that testifies with your own spirit that you are a child of God? Only you and God know for sure.
2. Do you have love for the church? 1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. The fruit of the Spirit begins with love, and love manifests itself as we demonstrate love one for one another, that's the command of our Lord, that's the evidence of being born again, that's a test that we examine our own hearts -- to see if we are in the faith. 3. Do you practice righteousness? 1 John 3:9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. Not that you live without blowing it from time to time. But sin is not your master, when placed in a position where we can choose to do right or choose the things of the world, the man of faith/ the woman of faith -- will choose right. How are you doing on the test? 4. Have you overcome the world? 1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. The world with all its desires is passing away, those “in the faith” recognize that this world is not our permanent home. We are just passing though for we have an eternal home where the order of this world does not exist. So we invest in godliness, we live in holiness, we live as strangers in the world. We live by faith. 1 John 5:4-5 For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Are you in the faith? Is your faith saving faith that overcomes the world? If you have been around the church at all, I sure you have met people who fail the test. They are with us, but their lives are not led by the Spirit - they do not live rightly before God, and the things of this world, be that sinful desires, power, or the love of money – those things have more of a place in their lives then do the things of God. These are just a few of the tests we can all apply to our own lives to be certain that we are the children of God – test that show if Jesus Christ lives in you. Paul speaks about his own relationship with the Lord, and says even if it seems to his readers that had failed the test - they should continue to do what is right. How you serve God is not contingent on anyone else's faith. The wife who's husband is back-slidden continues to serve God, the husband who's wife is shallow focuses all the more on God. If you see a worldly Christian, if a church leader falls into sin, that should not, that will not effect those who have true saving faith. When trails come, if problems hit, those things may rock your world, but they will not shake your faith. True faith will serve God, trust the Lord, walk uprightly no matter what happens or what you see in other people. Some in Corinth thought Paul was too harsh, and he used his authority in a heavy way, so he reminds them that everything he said, anything he wrote, was there to build them up and not to tear them down. As we saw last week, that's another test for ourselves. How do you relate and minister to others? Do you build them up? Guiding those who are weaker in the faith, discipling younger believers? Do you build up or tear down? Gal 6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. First examine your own relationship with Jesus Christ. Is he Lord? And what evidence is there that he is working in you? Then examine your motivations toward other believers, are you an encourager a restorer, or a gossip and backbiter? First we see examination for true faith. 2. EVIDENCE OF TRUE FAITH. V11-12 Whenever I write a letter, I always want to end it well. I want to leave my reader with some important, some things to remember, things to do, or a summery of what I said in the body of the letter. Here Paul gives the Corinthians a few things he wants to reminded them of. But this is not just a list of things to do, rather I see it as the evidence of true faith. 1. AIM FOR PERFECTION. KJV says “Be perfect” NASV says “Be made complete”, one translation says, “Mend your ways.” I like the NIV, “Aim for perfection.” The first thing that comes to my mind is shooting an arrow. First you draw back the bow, then you take careful aim in order to hit your target. If you miss, the results could be devastating. Think of William Tell, if he missed the results would have be a disaster. So aim carefully, aim for perfection in your faith. Luke 9:62 (Jesus said) …. "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." In your Christian service, be like, the farmer plowing his field, he keeps his eyes forward, he looks where he is going, if he looks back, the furrows will be crooked. He will damage both the rows he is plowing, the ones he has already done, and he will not make efficient use of his field. In plowing the farmer looks ahead, he leaves the past behind, he goes in a sure direction, he has a definite purpose and course in his work. What a picture of New life that Jesus brings. 2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ , he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! Evidence of true faith is seen in the changed life that God brings, changes that like the farmer plowing, looks ahead, leaves the past behind, has a sure course, and is aiming for perfection. Two thoughts about this perfection thing.
If your over 10 years old I suppose you know no one is perfect. Rom 3:10 "There is no one righteous, not even one” Even though none are perfect, perfection, should be our goal. prefect in faith, perfect in love, perfect in obedience to God. Phil 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Paul understood that he would be made perfect when he is with the Lord. Still in this life, as he lives by faith, he presses on toward the prize of heaven. He presses on to live according to the Spirit and not the flesh. The victorious Christian is the one who understands that although you will never be perfect in this body, you are viewed as perfect, as God looks past this life and sees you as redeemed although it may be many years before that happens. So, we press on, we keep growing, and keep going toward the prize. In V9, Paul says, “my prayer is for your perfection.” That you may be complete in your faith. James 1:4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Some in Corinth were aiming for nothing, they like some today were going through life like there will be no consequences, they have no goals, no dreams, and their actions say, “there is no God.” Some people aim for nothing others for mediocrity, as they think, “I’ve got Jesus, I’m ok, so I will live any old way I want. If you aim for nothing or for mediocrity, you will always be on target. Jesus gave a heavy warning in the parable of the talents. If you recall that parable, he gave sums of money to some men, and some invested wisely, and made even more, but the man who had only one coin, buried it and did not invest what he was entrusted with. Jesus said, “take that away from him, give it to others, and toss him out into utter darkness.” God has given to all a measure of faith, what are you doing with it? Do you aim for perfection? Are you using what God has given you - or are you like the church in Laodicea? Rev 3:16-18 ... Because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, `I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Friends aim for perfection in your faith, knowing you are perfect in Christ, you walk in faith by the power of the Holy Spirit. Rom 16:19 ...”Be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.” The second thought about perfection is.
Aim for Jesus, know he is perfect for us. When that reality is in you – then you can live by faith, then you can rest in the prefect work of our Lord. To take aim at anything you must look to it. If you have ever shot a rifle, you look through the sights, or through the scope to your target. You don't look at the sights, or at the scope, but through them. Heb 12:2-3 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith ...so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Perfecter, he became the perfect sacrifice for our sin. Aim for perfection by keeping focused on Jesus. Looking to him in faith, looking to what he has taken hold of for us, then filtering all of your life through faith in him. That is what keeps us plowing straight, that is what keeps us on track. 1 John 1:8-10 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.------(But he goes on to say) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. Perfection does not mean that “you've got it all together”, rather perfection means you are complete, and know that without Jesus we fail the test. For Jesus said. Matt 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Be perfect, what how can I be perfect, I'm human, I make mistakes. That just the point we can not be perfect in action, but we can be viewed by God as perfect because we have imputed righteousness. That comes only to those who have faith in Christ. Ps 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect ,reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. When I look to the commands of God, when I look to the law of Christ, I see the perfection required to dwell in God's presence. The law is perfect, when I consider how I can not keep it perfectly, that revives my soul - because I know that God has a perfect savior for me. When I consider the statutes of the Lord and I see that they are perfect, it takes a simple man / a simple woman - and makes them wise as they submit their lives to God, and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. Perfection is not obtained by the deeds we do, that is what the Judizers in Corinth taught, but the bible says. Rom 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. Keeping the laws of God, the commands, or rules for living will not make us good enough for God. Rules will not even allow us the opportunity to state our cause to God but will they remind us that we all fall short of being perfect. So God sent a perfect savior to be perfect for us. Aim of perfection by looking to Jesus and continually knowing that if it was not for him, we would all parish. Aim for perfection as you follow the Holy Spirit and keep in step with him. The religious leaders of Jesus day tied to be outwardly perfect, they thought that by their acts of religion they were righteous and perfect, but the reality was that on the inside they were full of evil. The bible teaches that the just, the righteous will live by faith. Rom 1:17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." Rom 3:21-22 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. Paul encourages us to “Aim for perfection”, we do that by looking to Jesus, by living according to the Holy Spirit. Evidence of true faith. 2. UNITED IN PURPOSE AND LIVING IN PEACE. “Be of one mind, live in peace.” True faith does not compete with other believers. The church at large is not in competition with each other. Eph 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith , one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Faith in Jesus Christ brings unity here within the fellowship, than takes unity to other believers no matter if they are outwardly different then us. For we are all united by faith, we are all united under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Mark Twain said, he once put a dog and a cat in a cage together as an experiment, to see if they could get along. They did, so he put in a bird, pig and goat. They, too, got along fine after a few adjustments. Then he put in a Baptist, Presbyterian, and Catholic; soon there was not a living thing left. Unity does not mean compromise but being of one mind and living in peace, are evidence of true saving faith. We are united under the Lordship of Jesus and we are united because our commission is one. Mark 16:15(Jesus said)…"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. All the church is commissioned to tell the world about the living hope of new life in Jesus Christ. It does not matter if they call themselves Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, or Pentecostals, we are all united for there is one Lord, one faith, with one commission - to share the Gospel. But unity in the church does not compromise sound doctrine. Unity and living in peace does recognize that it is not productive to fight over things that will not matter in the eternal. Evidence of faith is found as we aim for perfection and as the church is united in purpose, living in peace. In Chapter 12 Paul said that he was concerned they had not repented of things that hindered peace. Contention, Envy, Backbiting, Gossip, In-fighting, and Discord. Heb 12:14-15 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Peace in the congregation, peace in the heart, peace in our homes - is tied to holiness, and grace, and keeping our hearts from bitterness. John 14:27 (Jesus said) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives…. In the world, peace is the absence of conflict. Sometimes we long for that peace even in our own homes. But in Christ's, peace is not just an absence of conflict, rather it is an inner peace that is known in the heart, no matter what might be going on. In 1555, Nicholas Ridley was burned at the stake because of his witness for Christ. On the night before Ridley's execution, his brother offered to remain with him in prison to be of comfort. Nicholas declined the offer and replied that he meant to go to bed and sleep as quietly as ever he did in his life. Because he knew the peace of God, he could rest in the strength of the everlasting arms of his Lord.
Great peace, is found in a relationship with Jesus, it is evidence of true faith. No matter the trial, no matter the problems, the Lord is with those who trust in him. This is the peace the martyrs have, this is the peace those who go through great trials have, this is from the Holy Spirit. Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…. As Paul lays out the evidence of true faith, aiming for perfection, being united in purpose, and living in peace- he reminds us of the result of a life submitted to God. 4. THE GOD OF PEACE AND LOVE WILL BE WITH YOU. Because he is with you - those attributes of peace and love will overflow in your life. One of the greatest promises in the bible. Heb 13:5 (God has said) “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Like the martyrs who have comfort in persecution, like those who go through great trials, the ever abiding presence of the Lord is what gives us strength to carry on no matter what we face in life. TURN TO PSALM 23 I love that Psalm, for it speaks of the ever abiding presence of the Lord. He keeps us no matter what happens, good, bad, or even death, he is with us in correction, he is with us when our enemies attack, and because of true faith in Jesus Christ, we will be with him and dwell in his house forever. So Paul encourage those in Corinth to live in love when he gives them a practical way to live out the love they have, he encourages them to greet one another with a holy kiss. Now a kiss on the cheek is not always appropriate in our society, but in Paul’s day and different cultures today, it is more than appropriate, if Paul was writing to the church in America today, he would probably say something like. Demonstrate your love one for another, by greeting one another with a hearty handshake, a holy hug, or a holy kiss where appropriate. We have seen an examination of true faith, evidence of true faith. Finally. 3. A BENEDICTION OF LOVE. What better way to part company than with a blessing. Moses blessed the people, David blessed the people, Jesus blessed the crowds - so Paul concludes with a powerful benediction. 2 Cor 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. What a wonder blessing, for it becomes a statement of faith as Paul goes out of his way to name all three members of the trinity - God the Father, Jesus Christ our Lord- the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The three persons of the godhead, and three attributes of God. Grace, Love, Fellowship. In closing lets look at them. 1. GRACE OF JESUS CHRIST. The Greek word, charis = Unmerited, unearned favor -a divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life. By faith you can have Gods free gift of Grace – a divine influence upon your heart that declares you right with God, and allows you to be a new creation. Living with the evidence of true faith. GRACE God's Riches At Christ's Expense. 2. LOVE OF GOD. It was God who loved the world so much that he did something about it. Love is the Greek word “agape' it means unconditional love and benevolence. God demonstrated his love while we were yet sinners, and far from him. But the gift of love, like any gift that is given must be received, have you received the love of God? 3. FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT. Jesus said he would send the comforter, the Holy Spirit who will abide with the church forever. He is the guide, the teacher, the counselor, the comforter and all who have true faith in Jesus Christ have fellowship with him. The word fellowship, (kjv= communion) is the Greek word, koinonia = partnership, participation, or spiritual union, it's closest relationship possible. 2 Cor 13:5 NLT Examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine. Test yourselves. If you cannot tell that Jesus Christ is among you, it means you have failed the test. How did you do on the test? INVITE – PRAY – BENEDICTION – SING Series: 2 Corinthians -Through the Bible |
(C) High Sierra Fellowship 2008 |
