My sermon notes for Sunday, Aug 18th as we continue our study through 2 Corinthians. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. To see the sermon each week or subscribe to the weekly sermon podcast please visit http://www.fbcap.net
2 Corinthians 11:1–6 – Stay The Course. (Do not waver now!)
Intro/thoughts:
- Paul continues to defend his apostleship.
- He continues his dialogue about the false teaching because he realized what a CRITICAL issue it is.
- Not wavering from the TRUTH. STAY THE COURSE.
- The fight for truth is what is at stake. To swerve even a little takes one off course. Paul knew Satan’s tactics and was continuing his words to the church.
Paul’s opening remarks – v. 1
I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me!
Bear with me in a little foolishness
- He was not being silly, but bold.
- The idea He is even having to deal with this is a joke.
- They should know better.
Are we any different? When we substitute THE TRUE FAITH for anything else, it has an impact on OUR FAITH and the FAITH we share and teach. It compromises our impact as a church because it impacts:
- Our relationship with God
- Our faithfulness to Christ
- Our acceptance to the Gospel
- Our recognition of the Truth
It impacts relationship with God – v. 2a
For I feel a divine jealousy for you,
Divine Jealousy
Paul was jealous (in a good way)
- Did not want to share them with the false teachers.
God is a jealous God
- HE WILL NOT SHARE!!!!!!
- Exodus 20:5
- Deut. 4:24
It impacts our faithfulness to Christ – vv. 2b-3
since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. [3] But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
Betrothed
- Promised/Pledged to the bridegroom.
- Father of the bridegroom. It was their responsibility to look out for and protect until the marriage. (married as a virgin)
Deceived (this is what Satan does)
It was not moral deception… IT WAS INTELLECTUAL DECEPTION… which lead to spiritual deception. THEY SINNED AGAINST GOD!!!!!
- Doubt in the truth
- Gen. 3:1 – “Has indeed God said”
- Denied the truth
- Gen. 3:4 – “You will not surely die”
- Replaced the truth
- Satan offered a lie instead
- Gen. 3:5 – “Your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God”
Her thinking and believing lead to her actions! SHE THOUGHT HE WAS CORRECTS AND ACTED.
Sincere and pure devotion
- The simple message of Christ. Who He is and what He came to accomplish.
It impacts our acceptance of The Gospel – v. 4
For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.
Galatians 1:8-9
Proclaims another Jesus (than what we proclaimed)
- Message – what is preached.
- We need to listen biblically.
Different Spirit (than the one you received)
- Anything but the biblical truth is SATANIC?
- Spirits role is to convict us of truth as we ask and seek.
Accept a different Gospel
- They readily put up with it.
- There is only one true Gospel (tonight’s service “American Gospel”
There are only two reasons for someone believing/sharing/teaching something that is contrary to the Truth of God’s Word
- Heresy
- They are unconverted, lost, and demonic.
- Ignorance
- They need to study. Read and Pray.
- Continuous sanctification. We all need to be growing and changing every day.
It impacts our recognition of the Truth – vv. 5-6
[5] Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.
Not in the least inferior
- Paul knew who he was. Knew what He believed. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY who called him!
Unskilled in speaking but not in knowledge
- It is not as much what we CAN DO, BUT IN WHAT WE KNOW.
- The power was in the WORDS not the methodology. THE WHAT was where the CHANGE took place.
In every way we have made this plain to you
- Paul plainly gave the Gospel.
- “The love of Jesus Christ is love not in word only, but indeed and in truth.” – Charles Spurgeon
- Plain, Powerful, Passionate
- Just as plain, powerful, and passionate as Paul was in the early church, we need to be today.
Scripture References:
2 Corinthians 11:1–6 – [1] I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! [2] For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. [3] But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. [4] For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. [5] Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. [6] Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things. (ESV)
Exodus 20:5 – You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, (ESV)
Deuteronomy 4:24 – For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. (ESV)
Galatians 1:6–9 – [6] I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—[7] not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. [8] But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. [9] As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (ESV)