I heard a story about a pastor,
whose first job out of seminary was at a little country church. Which
of course hurt his pride. The very first Sunday he preached, he came
in with his diploma in one hand, and all his Greek notes in the other.
As he began preaching he explained every little detail about the passage
in language that showed his distain towards the people of this little
hick church. Not too far into the sermon, he realized that he wasn't
connecting with the congregation, which caused him to get frustrated.
In the midst of his frustration he lost his place, which embarrassed
him so much he ran out of the church and never came back. One of the
sweet old saints said, "If he'd come in like he went, he would have
went like he came in."
This story reminds me of a pastor who was new in town, but quickly earned
a reputation for being a really good preacher. I had met him, but had
never really talked to him. I happened to run into him one night, and
we stopped to talk to each other. Now anytime pastors get together,
sooner or later the conversation will turn to where you went to school.
I told him I was planning on going to seminary. He told me that he had
a bachelor's degree in pastoral ministries. And despite the fact that
his college professors wanted him to go on to seminary, he felt that
since he was such a good preacher, that he didn't need any further training.
I don't hold to the belief that a person needs to go to seminary as
a prerequisite for ministry, but when he said that, I said to myself,
"How arrogant!" I went home and told Carol about what he said, and I
told her that he was heading for a fall. Unfortunately, my words came
true. About 5 yrs. later, he got entangled in a sin that caused him
to lose his ministry.
I think that Paul would have had the same thoughts about that man that
I did. As we learned last week Paul taught us that only thing we can
boast about is the fact that we are in a relationship with the Lord
Jesus. To prove this, Paul uses himself as an example. Paul wasn't like
the 2 pastors in my illustrations. He didn't boast about his preaching
abilities. Instead, Paul admitted that he wasn't the best preacher of
the day-v. 1.
In this verse we learn why Paul wasn't the best preacher of his day.
Notice that he didn't say that he couldn't come with superior speech.
Instead, he says, "I did not come." The word "come," in the Greek, is
in the active voice. This means that it was Paul's choice not to be
the best sounding preacher, rather than God had not given him the ability
to speak eloquently.
The truth about Paul is that he had reached the pinnacle of intellectualism.
Paul tells that he sat at the feet of the greatest teacher of the day:
Gamaliel. He tells us that "Under Gamaliel, I was thoroughly trained
in the law of our fathers." (Acts
22:3) You would have a hard time trying to find a spiritual equal
to Paul. No one knew the Old Testament like Paul. No one had a zeal
for the things of God like Paul. No one was more spiritually minded
than Paul No one flowed in the gifts of the Spirit like Paul. I believe
that Paul only takes a backseat to the Lord Jesus. But it is very important
for us to remember that Paul choose not to wow the crowds with his biblical
brilliance, or his superior speaking abilities, or by performing some
kind of spiritual sideshow.
The reason why this is so important is because God may give you spiritual
gifts & talents to do many great things that might impress people. And
the only way to keep ourselves from becoming larger than life is to
follow Paul's example. We see this even in the Gentile name Paul. Paul's
given name is Saul, which means great one. But at sometime in Paul's
early days of being a Christian, he decided to take the name of Paul,
which means small. No longer did he want to be known as the great Saul,
instead he wanted to be known as Small Paul.
Corinth was known as a city whose inhabitants loved to discuss and look
for Sophia. That is the Greek word for wisdom. The word "philosopher"
literally means a lover of wisdom. During Paul's day there were those
who actually made a living seeking to satisfy this popular demand for
wisdom. They were called sophists. These were men who were highly educated
and gifted public speakers. They traveled from city to city, getting
paid to have public debates with those in the city who fancied themselves
to be a philosopher. They were known for their ability to cut their
opponents to shred as they argued their points of view. Not because
of what they said, but with the of big, fancy, multi-syllabic words
they used. They made such fools of their opponents that the crowds rolled
in the aisles with laughter. Historians say that they really put on
quite a show. The sophists were more concerned about the performance
they put on than they were about the content of their message. And,
they were paid well for this. In fact, some of them made a fortune.
These sophists were always trying to elevate themselves by putting others
down. Paul puts them down by using one of their own rhetorical methods
called mocking. Notice that he uses the "superiority" or "excellence"
in vs. 1.
The literal meaning of the Greek word translated superiority is something
being elevated to attract attention. Paul knows that as this was read
in church, the Corinthians would start laughing. The first time Paul
was in Corinth, he put to shame the sophists who thought they were so
superior because of their ability to use fancy words. It appears that
before Paul first arrived in Corinth, that the sophists were critical
of Paul's speaking abilities. In their attempts to put Paul down, the
sophists were circulating the rumor that "His letters are weighty and
forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and you have never heard
a worse preacher." (2
Cor. 10:10 Ken Taylor, Living Letters)
When the people, even the sophists, heard that the great apostle Paul
was coming to speak, they got all excited. For here was coming the man
who had so much insight into spiritual matters, a man who was known
throughout the world for having great wisdom. But as soon as they saw
him, they were quickly disappointed. For he didn't dress in a 3-piece
suit. He didn't even have a Pentecostal preacher's hairdo. Some historians
say that Paul was so ugly that it was hard to look at him.
I can relate to Paul in this area. I don't look like the cookie-cutter
preacher. I don't dress like the cookie-cutter preacher. I don't even
have a Benny Hinndo haircut. And some people's first impression of me
is that there is no way God could have called me to preach.
Not only did Paul's appearance turn people off, it only got worse as
he started to preach. Paul didn't start off his sermons with a bunch
of jokes, or humorous antidotes, or even a video lead it. Next to the
poster-child of preachers, Apollos, the silver-throated orator from
Alexandria, Paul was nothing.
This doesn't mean Paul couldn't preach. All of us have suffered as we
had to listen to wannabe preachers who God hasn't called or gifted to
preach. So when people were saying that he wasn't a good preacher, it
was because they were comparing him to the professional orators of the
day. And Paul didn't give polished sermons like they did. Let me remind
you again that it wasn't because Paul couldn't speak eloquently, rather
it was because Paul choose not to use fancy words and flashy techniques
that might distract people from his message.
Paul's messages got the people to think, instead of laugh. He challenged
the people's minds with his words, instead of tickling their funny bones
with jokes. He used irrefutable logic, instead of lofty speech, to prove
what he was saying. When Paul preached he didn't try to elevate himself
by using fancy sounding words so the people would go, "Ooh, Aah!" Neither
did Paul elevate himself at the expense of others. He didn't try to
make people look foolish merely to make people laugh. You see, Paul
wasn't in the entertainment business. He was in the business of saving
souls. So Paul purposed in his heart that he wouldn't do anything that
would take people's eyes off of Jesus-v. 2.
Notice the word "determined." It conveys the idea of making a decision
ahead of time. Before Paul arrived in Corinth, he made the decision
that his message would focus on Jesus' death and resurrection, and nothing
else. This made me wonder why. I found the answer in the book of Acts.
On Paul's way to Corinth, he stopped first at Athens. While there, he
climbed Mars Hill and approached some of the greatest philosophers in
the world. As he talked with the different philosophers about their
beliefs in multiple gods, he mentioned that he noticed there was one
god they acknowledged that they still hadn't come to know yet. Paul
said: "I even found an alter with this inscription: TO AN UNKOWN GOD.
Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to
you. The God who made the world and everything in it." (Acts
17:23-24)
Paul at first didn't mention Jesus' death & resurrection. Instead, he
took them back to Genesis, and gave them a brief history in theology.
He wowed them with his biblical knowledge, which of course got their
attention. The philosophers listened until Paul started to talk about
Jesus being raised from the dead, and then they turned him off. It seems
from that encounter that Paul changed his tactics. No longer did he
give theological discourses trying to persuade men to believe in God.
Instead Paul made 2 important decisions: First of all, he would use
nothing but the profound simplicity of Jesus dying on a cross and being
raised from the dead 3 days later. And secondly, he would let the Holy
Spirit do the work of convicting people of sin.
Paul's passion in life was to introduce people to Jesus. His heart was
to share Jesus Christ with every person he came in contact with. Paul's
life could be summed up in these words: To know Jesus and to make him
known. Paul knew that faith in Jesus was the only way a person could
be saved. So he always sought ways to weave the message of his Lord
Jesus' dying on the cross & being raised 3 days later, into everyone
of his sermons. Paul would agree with Spurgeon when he said: "Whatever
text I preach from, by hook or by crook, I will find a way to Calvary
from it."
And do to this, Paul had to decide whether he wanted to be known as
a great preacher, or to magnify his great God through his preaching.
And this had to have been a struggle for Paul. Because I struggle with
this issue myself. In every pastoral magazine I get, there are articles
on how to improve your preaching ability in order to grow your church.
Or advertisements for the latest growth seminar on how improving your
preaching skills will increase the attendance of your church. I like
to read the articles to get a good laugh. But I refuse to go any seminars.
Do you know that I never even took 1 course in seminary on how to preach?
Instead, God used Pastor Chuck Smith, one of today's best expository
preachers, to teach me how to preach. Pastor Chuck teaches that if you
want to learn how to preach, just look at the Bible. For in the Bible,
God gave us 66 books that contain logical series of thoughts in them,
that teach us how to live a life that is pleasing to God. So instead
of trying to frame a text to make it fit some principle of life, Pastor
Chuck says, teach the text and show how it applies to life. When I first
started to preach, I did that. But eventually I changed my preaching
style. Out of desperation for wanting us to grow numerically, I began
to teach topical messages. I taught principles that made you feel better
about yourself. And lessons that taught you how to cope with life's
problems. But I wasn't helping you grow in God's Word. And that is a
pastor's primary duty.
But right before God led us to become affiliated with Calvary Chapel,
he rekindled my passion for the simple teaching of the Word. He rekindled
my passion for preaching Jesus Christ and him crucified as the answer
to all of our problems. What was really cool about all of this, is that
God brought my seminary training, and becoming affiliated with Calvary
Chapel all together, as only he can. Through the Greek classes I took
in seminary, I was taught to take a passage of Scripture, interpret
it, and then come up with a sermon based on the text. And that is all
that Calvary Chapel asks their pastor to do. Now you might not go home
saying, "Wow, wasn't that a great sermon!" But you will go away saying,
"Wow, isn't Jesus a great Savior!"
And although we're not growing numerically like some of the churches
are, we are growing spiritually. Which is better because I am fully
convinced that it is better for a fellowship to be a few inches wide
and many feet deep, then it is to be many feet wide, but only a few
inches deep. I would rather have a small flock of sheep who are well-fed,
than a huge flock who are under-nourished.
Look next at verse 3. What Paul is doing is summarizing the feelings
that he struggled with before he arrived in Corinth. He knew about the
reputation of how intellectual the city was. He knew he was in for a
fight with the sophists of the city. But he was looking forward to coming
there to preach the good news of Jesus Christ. However, this had been
a tough missionary trip for Paul. He had been beaten & thrown in prison
in the city of Philippi. He had been driven out of the city of Thessalonica
for preaching the gospel. And to make matters worse, he had just come
from that disappointing time in Athens where he didn't do so well in
his debate with some of the world's greatest philosophers. So it is
no wonder that Paul was tired and fearful when he first got to Corinth.
Even though I've never been beaten for the sake of the gospel, nor has
anyone ever thrown me out of their city, and I have never debated any
one who is highly intellectual about the existence of God, I do struggle
with the same sense of inadequacy that Paul did. I love to share the
truths of God's Word. I love to tell people how to have a relationship
with Jesus Christ. I love to talk about the good news of Jesus dying
on the cross and coming back to life 3 days later. But I wish I didn't
have to do from here, in front of people.
I suffer from the same fear of public speaking that y'all do. That's
why I get tongue-tied, and I lose my train of thought. I don't care
whether there's 10 people or 100 people here on Sunday mornings, I struggle
with what gives me the right to stand up here and try to explain God's
Word to you, and try to tell you how to live. Even after 15 yrs. of
preaching, I still can't believe that what I have to say is worthwhile
enough for you to listen for up to 45 minutes every Sunday.
The Lord Jesus knew that Paul was discouraged and possibly thinking
about leaving the city. That's why the he came to Paul in a vision one
night, and said: "Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and
do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order
to harm you, for I have many people in this city."( Acts
18:9-10) Because of Jesus' words of encouragement, "Paul stayed
for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God."( Acts
18:11) With Paul's purposing not to wow the people with his words,
you wonder whether or not he had a fruitful preaching ministry in Corinth.
Paul gives us the answer in v. 4.
Because Paul stayed in the city of Corinth, God worked through him powerfully
to save many souls. The word "demonstration" is a legal term to describe
an irrefutable evidence offered in a court of law. What Paul is saying
is that when he preached, the Corinthians saw the power of God to change
lives, not the persuasive power of man to manipulate your emotions.
He may not have been an impressive looking speaker. He may not have
used fancy words, or manmade gimmicks to hold his audience's attention.
But by the time he finished preaching, the people knew they had heard
from God. God wants people to talk more about the message, than they
do about the messenger.
And that's I want you to do. My flesh loves it when you come up to me
and tell me that you really enjoyed my sermon. I recognize this because
of how jealous I get when I hear people talk about how good a preacher
the pastor at their last church was. But the spiritual me doesn't want
this, for it knows that it may cause me to get a big-head. So rather
than telling me that you really enjoyed my sermon, instead tell me that
God's Spirit encouraged or convicted you through what I said.
Paul understood that he had to depend on the Holy Spirit for results,
not his own skills. Paul knew that he was not the persuader. That was
the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul knew that he was merely a simple messenger
proclaiming the profound truth of God's message-v. 5.
This is way Paul purposed in his heart not to come to them in his own
wisdom, but in the power of God. And as the Corinthians embraced the
message of the cross, and trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation, the
power of Jesus' resurrection changed their life. Later on in this letter
God shows us just how successful Paul was by sticking with his tactic
of preaching only Jesus Christ and him crucified. Paul writes: "Do you
not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not
be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, not adulterers,
not nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy,
nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom
of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you
were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and by the Spirit of our God."( 1
Corinthians 6:9-11)
Dramatic things happened in their lives because the Spirit used Paul's
simple message of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit manifested his power
through a man who was weak, fearful, and trembling. It was through a
man who humbled himself before a mighty God, that the world saw the
power of God bringing freedom to those held in slavery to sin. It was
through a man, who made a conscious decision not to dress up the message
of the cross with flowery speech, that the world heard the second greatest
preacher in the history of the world.
I want to close with 2 truths that God wants us to keep in mind as we
share the good news of Jesus Christ. Hopefully they will encourage you
to share Jesus with the people in your world who are still held captive
in their sins. All of us have family members and neighbors and co-workers,
who desperately need to hear the simple message of the cross. And God
may open up an opportunity for you to share Jesus with them over a cup
of coffee or at lunch.
The first truth is to don't let fear stop you from sharing your faith
with others. I want to encourage you by letting you know that everybody
wrestles with the fear of witnessing. We're afraid people will make
fun of us. Or we're afraid they will never speak to us again. Or you're
afraid because they might ask you a question about God that you can't
answer. If they do, just tell them you don't know, but you'll be glad
to find out the answer and get back with them. Listen to me, God never
requires that we must first earn a theological degree before we can
witness. All he asks us to do is to use our testimony of what Jesus
Christ has done for us.
Instead of getting into a theological debate with people, simply tell
them about how the Holy Spirit has transformed your life. What is so
powerful about this is that people may say they don't believe the Bible.
They may say it is impossible for God to become a man. They may say
they don't believe it is possible for someone to rise from the dead.
But if your life matches your lips, they can't say that they don't believe
you are a changed person. And that is the most powerful witnessing tool
God has given us.
The second truth is don't try to persuade people to come to Jesus Christ
with empty promises. We should never tell people that they ought give
their lives to Jesus merely so they'll have a better life. Of if they
become a Christian all their worries will go away! Or God will heal
their body, restore their marriage, or make them rich. Instead focus
only on the message of the cross!
Talk about Jesus shedding his blood to pay for our sins. Talk about
Jesus enduring the pain of the nails for the joy of knowing that we
could be saved. Talk about the anguish Jesus experienced as he was separated
from God, just so we could be spend eternity with God. And don't be
afraid to tell people that being a Christian is no picnic. For there
is a cross that we are to carry as we follow Jesus Christ. But then
remind them that the power of God to endure all that this world can
throw at us comes from the fact that his son, Jesus Christ, died on
that cross to overcome the world.
All God wants from you is a desire to love people enough to tell them
the straightforward truth of Jesus Christ dying on a cross for their
sins. That's what Paul did. As he did, he saw the power of the Holy
Spirit unleashed through him mightily, as God used him to turn the world
upside-down. And God wants to unleash the power of his Spirit through
us in the same way, for the same results. Will you let God use you to
turn your world upside down for Jesus Christ?
Let's pray!!
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