01.17.2016 2 Cor. 1 - Lead with Integrity and Pure Motives

I want to talk about the issue of Mental Illness – There is a stigma placed on mental illness in the church – to such an extent that when people deal with it, there is a fear in talking about it. To some, they see it as unspiritual or a lack of faith. We cannot view it that way – as people are unwilling to get help. The church should be the safest place on earth to talk about our struggles – and in many ways, it is not. We need to make sure we are safe here. We need to make sure we are nonjudgmental.
You may know of Rick Warren – several years ago, their son committed suicide – and so it has begun to get attention. It is sad. We want our church – to be a safe place – with whatever you struggle with. It could be mental illness; it could be in your marriage. Get help quickly – you will be loved and compassion will be demonstrated. There needs to be an openness and honesty that makes this acceptable – to give people the courage that they can share the difficult things they are going through without being judged or put aside.
Lord, we ask for the Winger and Mather families – that you would comfort them in their grief – and that they would experience Your love – that You would be with them, making Your presence known. I think of all the people that the Mathers touched – so many grieving – we ask that You would show Your mercy. Thank You that You care about us – sometimes it is hard to see Your goodness, but Your faithfulness is great. You are unchanging. You can be trusted when we can’t see – and may never understand certain events, but even in that, You can be trusted.
We’re going to move from that – I’m going to read from 2 Corinthians 1
12 For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you. 13 For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand until the end; 14 just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your reason to be proud as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.
15 In this confidence I intended at first to come to you, so that you might twice receive a blessing; 16 that is, to pass your way into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be helped on my journey to Judea. 17 Therefore, I was not vacillating when I intended to do this, was I? Or what I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, so that with me there will be yes, yes and no, no at the same time? 18 But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no.
19 For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—was not yes and no, but is yes in Him. 20 For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. 21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, 22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. 23 But I call God as witness to my soul, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth. 24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm.
What is all of that?!
Yes yes, no no, maybe also! What is he saying?
We need a timeline. Going back to 1 Corinthians – when we read it – we are entering into the middle of a conversation. There have been letters and discussions and questions and issues and problems – and all this information is going back and forth – and the letter of 1 Corinthians was written to address the problems – factions/lawsuits/immorality – it was so bad, the church in Corinth was worse than the surrounding culture – and the culture was awful and the church was worse! So Paul is addressing all of that – but the Corinthians did not address some of the issues – they ignored the warnings. So Paul wrote another letter – not 2 Corinthians – but a lost letter – and in it was a sharp rebuke – it was severe – because of what was going on and they were not addressing the issues. When they got it – some felt shame – but others began to question Paul’s character. They started saying that he was lording it over them or manipulating them – that he was a control freak. Paul had told them that he was going to visit them – but because of the response of sorrow and strife – he thought it was best to wait until things settled down. As a result, some were saying he was a liar and people were trying to turn them against Paul – so he writes 2 Corinthians to defend himself, his character, his ministry, and the gospel.
Today, in many ways, Christianity and Christians are under attack. Unfortunately there are those who deserve to be under attack! But we all suffer because of it.
We have all been in situations where someone you know knows someone who is a Christian who is awful and you get tied in to what that person is like. The person they knew is a terrible testimony.
Paul is trying to defend himself.
Paul is saying – the reason for our confidence/boasting is this – in Corinth – they were boasting about the wrong things – Paul says – you want to boast or brag? Let me give you something to boast or brag about. His confidence is this – his faithfulness and integrity in ministry. Paul as a leader demonstrated complete integrity in every aspect of his ministry. This is one of the most important things for a Christian leader – to have integrity. Yes, we will fail – but we need to acknowledge it. Some enter ministry for the wrong reasons – but Paul says that God desires those whose hearts are committed to Him.
That does not mean live perfectly – but honest – sincere. He explains- the testimony of his conscience – pure motives. It is easy to do leadership out of the wrong motives – for some it is for financial gain – there is no way you can read the Bible and think that a spiritual leader should gain great wealth from their leadership. It is not possible to do that with integrity. You cannot be like Jesus and do that in anyway. For some it is for prestige, popularity, and applause. We live in a world where Christian leaders get tremendous accolades. It is a temptation for all pastors. Even those of us who shepherd small congregations – the temptation is there. The big conference speaker may be humble and have no interest in applause – but if there is a desire for recognition – you need to step back. To say – that is not the way Jesus would do it. Jesus had all the popularity you could imagine – and yet He tried to get away from it –
Sometimes you serve to feel good. It should! But that should not be the motivation. We should serve for the benefit of others. Some forms of serving do not feel good – because it is messy – so it is easy to just do the serving that feels good.
Sometimes we serve to get rid of our guilt. That is never a good reason.
…to gain power and control over people. Manipulation. That is what Paul is being accused of. Pure motives and sincerity. Sincerity is truthfulness – honesty – and what is important is being forthright in all our ministry – being up front – we do not hide – we make everything clear. And Paul’s honesty – he had to speak some hard things to the Corinthians and he did it. His motives would not be sincere, if, when he needed to speak the hard things – he didn’t. Hard things should be said with grace, patience, and kindness. It is not unloving to speak hard things that need to be said – it is loving. But always with grace, and never to manipulate or control.
Sometimes what happens – we go beyond speaking truth – to speaking truth to manipulate. It happens all the time. That is why we have cults. That is what the evil leaders of the Old Testament did. The prophets condemned this. Ultimately people have responsibility for their own conscience and decisions –and those in leadership should respect that.
This does not mean that there are never times for drastic intervention – when things in people’s lives are hurting others – but when it comes to opinions and preferences – we should share truth as best we know it with respect to the fact that others see the Bible differently on different issues – and we should proclaim it so that people can come to their own convictions about what to believe and act. If we never get in and say – why do I believe this? And get into the Bible ourselves – I would hope that you take everything I say – and study and ask, is this right, what he is saying? I try to do my best – but I’m sure there are places I miss it!
Then the next phrase – Not by human wisdom – but by the grace of God.
His confidence, conscience, sincerity, integrity – are not because of himself but God’s grace. I can’t do it without God empowering me. This is not about me, but about God and His grace. Paul’s’ strength came from the grace of God – and he lived in the power of grace
He has said to me – my grace is sufficient for you – that the power of Christ may dwell in me. It is in weakness that God‘s power is unleashed and made perfect in our lives – so when we do ministry out of our weaknesses, we have unlimited resources – supply – power – strength to do ministry in service.
Then he closes – we conducted ourselves in the world, and all the more toward you.
Paul was a living witness to the world. Make sure your conduct – everything about you – is a demonstration of the gospel – not just your words, not just your activities – but your character and everything about you.
In the Christian culture – we tend to get in silly little arguments about words or deeds – and someone will quote St. Francis – Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary – use words. Just for reference – there is no historical proof that he said that – but the issue is this – it is not a division – it is about a life that is lived completely as a representation of Jesus and His gospel.
It is not about doing the deeds or words – but PERFORM the gospel. When an actor does a great performance – they imitate the person’s speech – but then their mannerisms are exactly the same – and the mannerisms – when someone plays MLK Jr – they better be able to really deliver on the I have a Dream! Our role is to deliver a performance of Jesus Christ – not in acting – but a genuine performance of Jesus Christ in the world.
Let’s pray – Lord – thank You – help us to live in such a way as pleasing to You – that we would represent You well in our community – that You would be honored in our lives.