Sayre Woods Bible Church

For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you. (2 Corinthians 10:12-13)

It is hard for me to completely follow Paul’s line of reasoning in 2 Corinthians 10. In some ways we are reading one side of a conversation. Paul is defending himself from attacks. We are not sure of the exact nature of the attacks but Paul does give us some hints.

Apparently there was a group of people at Corinth who were simply not impressed with Paul. They were unconvinced he was an apostle. They were unimpressed by his personal presence. And they thought themselves to be more “spiritual” than he was. This group stirred up problems in the Corinthian church because while many in the church wanted to follow Paul’s instructions; others thought, “Who is Paul to tell us what to do? We are more spiritual than him anyway.”

Paul has to address this problem in 2 Corinthians 10. And he basically says two things (or at least two things that I can see):

1. People who spend all their time comparing their spirituality to others are not wise (i.e., they are foolish and wasting their time). Paul says that it is pointless to be dragged into a “who is more spiritual?” contest. We are always biased in our assessment and it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends (2 Corinthians 10:18). My opinion about myself doesn’t really matter. It is God’s opinion of me that matters.

I sometimes wonder why we, as humans, spend so much time comparing ourselves with others. I guess we have no other visible mode of measurement. So if we want to determine if we are spiritual, we pick a few other people around us and start comparing–who prays more, who prays better, who knows more Bible verses, who witnesses more, who has saved more people, and on and on ad nauseum. It is a subtle trap but a trap nonetheless. Such comparisons amount to nothing except vain boasting and delusional spirituality. So next time you find yourself comparing your spirituality to another person…stop it!

2. I can only boast (if I must boast) about my faithfulness to the sphere of ministry that God has given me. In other words, comparing myself to other people is also pointless but God has given them a different responsibility than He has given me. If I read 2 Corinthians 10:13 correctly, Paul is saying that God has given each of us a “sphere of ministry.” We each are given a God-appointed ministry–a certain sphere of influence at a certain time and a certain place with a certain group of people. And we are called to be faithful in this sphere of ministry.

The best analogy I can think of is a football analogy. On a football team each player has a certain responsibility on the team. If a person is a lineman, then he has a certain block against a certain player that he is perform on a certain play. That is his responsibility and that is to be his focus. If instead the lineman spent all his time comparing himself to and critiquing other lineman or the wide receiver or the quarterback or the running back, he would be wasting his time. That’s not his calling. He is to be faithful to the task given to him and let the coach be the one who critiques and evaluates the other players.

The same is true in ministry. I must be faithful to the task God has given me. I must encourage, lead, witness to, admonish, pray for, help, comfort those people whom God brings into my life. That is my role in the body of Christ. That is my responsibility and my calling. My role is not to spend my time critiquing and evaluating you. That is our Coach’s role, Jesus Christ, not mine.

Of course, Paul is quick to add, But let him who boasts boast in the Lord. In other words, even if you feel you are faithful in accomplishing your task, give all the credit to God who worked through you to accomplish His will. There is never any room for pride and arrogance in the kingdom of God.

Lord, help me to be faithful to the sphere of ministry you have given me. Deliver me from the tendency to evaluate my performance and spirituality by comparing myself to others.

Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. (2 Corinthians 9:10-11)

“You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.” Those words struck me this morning. It reminded me of the simple truth that God blesses me so that I can bless others. God’s gifts are meant to be shared.

I think of my own boys. One of the things that I am desperately trying to teach them is that everything they have is meant to be shared. We can’t afford to buy them each separate toys, games, and video systems. Even if we could, it wouldn’t be wise. They would spend all their time in isolation playing with their “own” toys. No, it is better and more enjoyable if they learn to play together, learn to enjoy things together, learn the simple art of sharing. But, oh, what a hard lesson to learn. Something inside of us screams out “mine!” “I have my hands on it right now so you can’t have it!” From the earliest age we learn to hoard our stuff, to protect it, to shield it from others lest they get their dirty paws on it.

That same spirit still resides in me. I don’t yell “mine” over video games and plastic toys. My “toys” are bigger now. I yell “mine” over my possessions, my house, my finances, my ministry territory, my friends, my privileges, my rights, my time in the spotlight.

But I must remember that these things are given to be shared. They are given to be enjoyed with others, to bless others. And when I learn to give and to share, others are motivated to praise God. ”Your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” And I experience greater joy. “The generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25).

Lord, teach me to be generous with the blessings that you have generously bestowed upon me. May I give as you have given to me.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? (2 Corinthians 2:14-16)

We are the “aroma of Christ.” That’s a picture that we usually don’t think about. Most of us have heard that, as Christians, we are the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, the flock of God, etc. We probably haven’t heard that we are the ”aroma of Christ” or the “smell of Christ.” Pretty interesting concept. Here are some of the thoughts that I had this morning.

What do we know about smells?

• They are noticeable. It is hard to ignore a strong smell.
• They are pervasive. One smell in the room soon permeates the whole room.
• They are transferable. Stay in a room with a smell for a long time and you soon have the smell on you.
• They cause different reactions in different people. The same smell that is pleasant and relaxing to one person can be annoying or “too strong” to another.

That’s certainly not an exhaustive or “scientific” description of smells but those are the first thoughts that came to my mind. So what does it mean to be the “aroma of Christ”?

• The longer we are around Christ, the more we will smell like Him. The aroma of Christ transfers to us the more we are around Him. His scent of grace is to permeate our lives.
• Wherever we go, our fragrance should permeate the room. Smells naturally spread. Imagine the smell of freshly baked cookies in a room. The cookies do not have to be waved everywhere or touch everything or force themselves to be noticed. It just happens. Their presence permeates the room. As Christians, if we have the fragrance of Christ, then our presence will be noticed. We do not have to force ourselves on others; we simply need to be people who love Christ and love others. The fragrance will naturally spread and be noticed.
• Some people will like our smell; others will not. Or as Paul puts it, to some we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. Because we are a smell, we can’t help but be noticed. Eventually our presence will either be pleasing (to those seeking after God) or annoying (to those running from Him). Some will want us to stay; some will want us to leave or at least to change our smell. But we shouldn’t try to hide our smell or mask it over with “worldly cologne.” We just need to follow Christ and recognize that, no matter how hard we try, some people will not want to be around us and smell us.

I like how Paul ends these verses–”and who is equal to such a task?” Through us, God spreads His fragrance of life. His work is beyond us and above us, but yet through us. We are not equal to the task. It is God’s work, not ours. There is nothing we can do to make God’s fragrance better. In fact, we make it worse when we try to add our own fragrances to enhance our smell. We also have to be careful that we do not add the “stink of sin” to God’s fragrance. There really is nothing worse than a good smell mixed with and overwhelmed by an odious one. (Imagine dirty socks and chocolate chip cookie smells mixed together.) 

We do best when we spend much time with Jesus and simply let His fragrance subtly and powerfully spread through us and into the lives of others. Then we become the aroma of grace, truth, and life.

Lord, help me to smell like You.

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. (2 Corinthians 1:8-9)

We have all heard the Christian adage–”God will not give us more than we can endure.” Well, 2 Corinthians 1:8 argues against that thought. Paul says that he and his companions suffered such severe hardships and were under such great pressure in Asia that it was “far beyond our ability to endure.” No details are given of these events. But Paul says that in the midst of their trials that they “despaired even of life” and “in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.” Pretty severe. Paul felt physically threatened and was emotionally depressed and despairing. The pressure on his shoulders was too much to endure.

So why did God allow Paul–His chosen vessel–to go through such severe suffering and pressure? But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

God does sometimes give us more than we can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises that we won’t be tempted beyond what we are able to endure. God will always limit Satan’s activity in our lives and He will always provide a way of escape from the temptations of sin. But the Bible does not promise that God won’t at times put us in situations that feel overwhelming, that tax all our energy and strength, that bring us to the end of our ropes, so to speak. Indeed, the Bible seems to promise that God will bring us to these points at various times of our lives. Why? To teach us to rely on Him not ourselves. We cannot know God’s resurrection power if we are never in situations that feel like death.

To be honest, this is a little scarey to me. I don’t look forward to trials any more than anyone else. In fact, I try to avoid them as much as possible. But God sometimes puts me in the “pressure cooker” of life to burn away my pride and self-reliance and to teach me to rely solely on Him. I have a quote from Henry Kissinger that says, “A diamond is a chunk of coal that is made good under pressure.” It is only extreme pressure and heat (under the right circumstances) that turns coal into diamonds. This process is the same process God often uses in our lives.

Lord, help me to trust in You and rely upon You when the great pressures of life come my way.

Read these words thoughtfully and prayerfully.

And now I will show you the most excellent way…

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:13)

These verses are some of the most beloved in the New Testament. You cannot find a better description and defense of love. Here are a few of the thoughts that hit me as I read these verses once again…

• Without love, our spiritual gifts, our faith, our service, and even our sacrifices are worthless before God. God does not measure our actions; He measures the love behind our actions. (That is why we can never accurately judge another person, because we cannot see their heart.)
• Our words, no matter how eloquent or perfectly organized, are actually irritating to others if they are not spoken in love…sort of like clanging a cymbal non-stop in someone’s ears.
• Love manifests itself in patience, kindness, forgiveness, truth, protection, trust, hope, and perseverence.
• Love is not present when I am envious of others, boasting about myself, proud of my accomplishments, rude to others, seeking my own advancement, easily angered, keeping score in my relationships, holding onto grudges, or living in sin.
• Focusing on my knowledge, spiritual gifts, or spiritual experiences as a measure of my spirituality is childish. Maturity comes when I simply focus on loving God and loving others and I stop comparing myself with others.

Regardless of whatever else we do in life, if we miss the Great Commandment–loving God with all our heart, mind, and strength and loving our neighbors as ourselves–then we have missed everything. Love is the priority. Love is the measure. Love is the goal. Love never fails.

Lord, may my thoughts, words, and actions today be reflective of Your love working in and through me.

…We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him. (1 Corinthians 8:1-3)

Knowledge puffs up but love builds up. This phrase summarizes Paul’s whole message to the Corinthians. The Corinthians were constantly spouting off their knowledge. Disagreements in the church turned into intellectual sparring matches. Who could quote the most verses? Appeal to the most apostolic authorities? Use the most persuasive arguments? In the midst of their philosophical debates, they were ignoring Christ and missing love. That is why the “love chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13, finds itself in the midst of 1 Corinthians. Paul had to remind them that “knowledge puffs up but love builds up.” Without love, all that we know, say, and do in the Christian life is meaningless.

Of course, Paul is not discounting biblical knowledge. He did all he could to teach people the truths of Jesus Christ. But the purpose of knowledge is to lead to deeper love not bigger pride. I seek to know God to love Him more not to berate my brothers with Bible verses.

I like how Paul puts it in verse two–”if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.” Catch that? In other words, if what you know makes you proud of what you know then what you know is really not worth knowing. True knowledge of God should always lead to more humility and less pride. When I realize who God is and what He has done for me, then there is no room left for boasting. Greater knowledge of God should compel me to fall on my knees in praise, adoration, and humility not stick up my nose in theological superiority.

Thus Paul says, in verse three, the real measure in Christianity is not “what do I know about God?” but “do I love God?” If I love God, I will pursue a greater knowledge of Him…for the right reasons…and in turn God will draw closer and closer to me in deepening relationship. “If anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.”

These verses are such a good reminder to me. It is great to know lots of Bible verses and theology. But without love, these things simply become another avenue to pride…like one’s physical strength, financial prosperity, abilities, skills, position, etc. Knowledge alone simply puffs up my pride. However knowledge for the sake of deeper love builds up my faith and the faith of others.

Lord, give me a deeper knowledge of You so that I might come to love You more and build up others in encouragement and ministry.

“Everything is permissible for me”–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”–but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12)

The Corinthian church was a very interesting church. From what you read in 1 Corinthians, they were apparently a group of believers that loved to spout off their biblical knowledge, liked to focus on spiritual gifts, talents and abilities, stood up for their “rights” and did not like to back down to anyone, and felt proud of their tolerance of immoral behavior. Quite a bunch! Because of their arrogance and immaturity, the church was constantly battling one another–arguing over who was more spiritual, who knew more, which Christian teacher was better, who was baptized by whom, and who should speak more on a Sunday morning. Trying to get this church back on track was a major challenge and heartache (and headache!) for the apostle Paul.

In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul has to deal with the issues of lawsuits between believers and a loose view of sexual immorality within the church.

In verse 12, Paul apparently quotes a saying that was often used in the Corinthian church–”Everything is permissible for me.” In other words, in Christ, I am free from sin and condemnation therefore I can do what I want. They were partially correct. In Christ, we are free from condemnation. We are under grace not law. Thus we do not want to get caught up in legalistic “do’s and don’ts.” However, the Corinthians missed one key point. We are not freed from sin’s condemnation to sin more; but rather freed from sin’s condemnation to sin less.

Paul hammers this point home in Galatians 5:13, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”

It’s almost like the person who is pardoned out of prison. They are now free. But their freedom should not be an occasion to go back to a life of sin and crime. That would be foolishness. Instead they are free to begin again, free to live righteously, free to now use their time and talents for the benefit of others not themselves.

In 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul emphasizes this point in a different way. Everything is permissible for me. I am free in Christ. But not everything is beneficial. Some things I am free to do may actually harm myself, others, and/or the testimony of Christ. And furthermore I will not be mastered by anything. Some things I am free to do actually bring me into more bondage.

Why do we avoid sin? Not because we have to. Not out of guilt or duty or legalism. Why do we avoid sin? Because it destroys us and others and always brings us into bondage. That is why Paul goes on to say, “Flee sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). When we give into pornography, lust, fornication, prostitution, or adultery, we harm ourselves, harm others, harm the testimony of Christ, and find ourselves addicted and in bondage.

Sin is not to be played around with. It is a cancer that destroys us, a prison that enslaves us. Christ died to set us free from sin. He washes, sanctifies, and justifies us so that we can live a new life filled with joy, satisfaction, and love…a life free from the impact of sin.

Lord, may I not take sin lightly. May I see it for what it is, flee from it, and instead pursue You and Your joy with all my energy and strength.

When they had pasture, they were filled. They were filled and their heart was exalted. Therefore they forgot Me. (Hosea 13:6)

God is speaking in Hosea 13 and relating how Israel drifted away from Him. Verse 6 summarizes what happened:

• They had pasture. A shepherding picture is used. Israel, as sheep, were blessed by their Shepherd, God, and given a lush land in which to eat and rest.
• They were filled. Israel enjoyed the blessings of the land and of God’s provision.
• Their hearts were exalted. Over time, instead of thanking God for His provision, they began to think they were the ones who obtained their blessings.
• They forgot God. Their pride led immediately to a forsaking and forgetting of the Lord.

I wondered this morning how often this pattern has been repeated down through history. God blesses. Man enjoys His blessings. Then man begins to think that he is the one who obtained the blessings by his own merit and work. And finally God is forsaken and forgotten.

Deuteronomy 8:10-18 elaborates on this same process. Read these verses and consider your own life…

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. …You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

Lord, help me not to forget You in the midst of the blessings that I enjoy every day!