WEBVTT

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 Well, thanks very much, Niamh, for reading that for us today.

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 Yeah, my name is Craig.

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 I'm a pastor in training here at Brunsfield.

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 And my wife, Josie, and I have been here for about six months now.

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 And we're really enjoying getting to know the church family here.

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 And it's my pleasure to take us to our next bit of 2 Corinthians.

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 If you've been here for a while, you know that we've been tracking through 2 Corinthians.

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 And we have reached chapter 11.

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 We really are in the business end of the book now.

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 Just a couple of chapters to go.

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 But I'm going to start by asking this question that I've put up on the screen there.

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 Have you ever been scammed?

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 Now, I'm sure all of us have seen the news stories of people being scammed out of large sums of money.

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 It seems to happen all the time.

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 According to a leading UK fraud prevention service, in 2024, people in the UK lost 11 billion pounds to scams.

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 It's big business.

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 So I ask you again, have you ever been scammed?

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 Maybe you received a dodgy text from a number that you didn't recognise.

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 Or maybe you bought something online that turned out to not be quite what it had been made out to be.

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 Or maybe there was a stranger on the phone who convinced you that they were from the bank and asked you to send some money over.

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 There's lots of different tactics that the scammers use.

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 And the thing that people always say after being scammed is,

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 I can't believe I fell for that.

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 I thought I knew better.

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 I definitely won't fall for that sort of thing again.

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 Even though it happens all the time to so many people,

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 we seem to have this confidence in ourselves that we can detect the real from the counterfeit.

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 But what about here in church?

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 How do we know we're following the real Jesus?

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 Is the Jesus we've been taught the one who we read about in the Bible?

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 Or is he some poor imitation?

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 And how do we know that those who teach us and lead us in church are true messengers of the gospel?

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 Are they the real deal?

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 Or do they have ulterior motives?

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 So in chapter 11 that we've just read,

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 Paul is really concerned that the Corinthians are being scammed.

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 They are being taught a different Jesus by people who look genuine.

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 But the Corinthians, they may or may not know that they're being scammed.

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 But actually, they don't seem to care.

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 And this is a big problem for Paul.

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 So Paul has spent much of the letter of 2 Corinthians defending himself up to this point,

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 proving his credibility as a teacher of the gospel.

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 But now he turns his reader's attention to his rivals,

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 and he exposes them for who they truly are.

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 The Corinthian teachers who have infiltrated this church,

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 those who Paul ironically calls the super apostles,

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 they are scammers of the worst kind.

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 They are, in fact, servants of Satan.

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 Strong words.

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 But let's look at this passage and see why Paul thinks this way.

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 So we're going to look at this passage in three sections

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 and ask ourselves the following questions.

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 Are you being faithful to Jesus or are you entertaining lies?

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 Secondly, are you clear on what your leaders should look like

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 or are you looking for the impressive?

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 Thirdly, are you aware of the enemy

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 or are you letting your guard down?

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 So now that we know where we're going,

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 let's look at verses 1 to 4 and ask our first question.

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 Are you being faithful to Jesus or are you entertaining lies?

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 You might have seen in the passage there

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 that Paul begins by using a marriage metaphor

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 to describe the Corinthians' relationship with Jesus.

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 Paul, in his role as a minister of the gospel,

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 had, in the past, presented the Corinthian church to Jesus

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 like a bride is presented to a groom in a marriage ceremony.

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 The Corinthians had entered into a solemn marriage commitment

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 to the Lord Jesus.

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 They had been wedded to Christ.

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 And verse 3 tells us that they had a sincere and pure devotion to him.

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 They have committed to love and serve Jesus.

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 Just as Jesus had committed to love and be faithful towards them.

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 A wedding.

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 But Paul fears that this marriage is under threat.

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 Not because of any unfaithfulness or wavering on Jesus' part.

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 Paul identifies that the Corinthians are being enticed away from Jesus.

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 Paul points the Corinthians back to Genesis 3

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 and informs them that they,

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 that in the same way that Eve was deceived

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 by the cunning serpent,

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 the Corinthians are being enticed away from their pure devotion to Jesus.

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 The problem with Adam and Eve was that they were tempted to believe

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 that the perfect, intimate relationship that they enjoyed with God,

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 it wasn't good enough for them.

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 And they needed something more.

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 In the same way, it seems that the relationship that the Corinthians enjoy with Jesus,

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 it's not enough for them.

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 They're being offered something else.

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 Then Paul says he is jealous for their love.

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 Not because Paul himself desires their love.

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 Rather, Paul wants God to have the things that are rightfully his.

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 Paul wants God to be the only recipient of the Corinthians' love and worship.

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 God desires and deserves their affection.

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 Now, our second book of the Bible,

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 we thought about Genesis just there.

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 In Exodus, after God's people had messed up

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 and broken God's law,

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 like mere days after they'd received it.

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 We remember Mount Sinai,

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 we remember the tablets of stone, the Ten Commandments.

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 So quickly after that,

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 they messed up,

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 they broke God's law,

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 and they started worshiping the golden calf.

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 God committed himself in those days,

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 again, in a loving relationship.

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 They'd messed up,

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 but he says,

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 I'm going to commit myself to you once again.

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 And he instructs them once again,

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 not to worship any other God.

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 Why not?

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 Because the Lord is a jealous God.

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 The story in Exodus tells us that one of God's names is jealous.

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 And God is jealous for our affection too.

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 God desires and God deserves our affection.

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 Now, the real question is,

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 what are the Corinthians being drawn away to instead of Jesus?

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 Well, we see in verse four

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 that Paul convicts them of settling for a different Jesus

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 than the Jesus the apostles had taught them.

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 Paul convicts them of settling for a different spirit

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 to the one they had received

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 and a different gospel from the one they had accepted.

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 When Paul first brought the good news about Jesus

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 to the city of Corinth,

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 this was the true gospel message.

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 The Corinthians weren't lacking any important information.

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 They had the full package.

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 But since then,

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 others have come along

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 and they have come in

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 and they've said,

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 there might be something else.

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 They're offering something superior.

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 They're offering something truer.

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 They're offering the Corinthians

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 something other than Jesus.

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 Maybe the Jesus that Paul had taught them

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 wasn't in fact enough.

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 Maybe they did need something more.

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 But Paul says the Jesus he had taught them

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 was the true Jesus,

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 the son of God,

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 given to die for the sins of the world

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 and who had risen to glory.

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 And the Holy Spirit that they had received from God

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 on putting their trust in Jesus,

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 he was the true Holy Spirit.

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 They had already received him.

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 He was already with them in the Corinthian church.

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 He was already helping them.

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 They didn't receive any other spirit.

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 Now,

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 I was wandering around

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 the Buchanan Galleries in Glasgow on Friday

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 and to my amazement,

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 I came across these

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 really convincing pieces of artwork.

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 I couldn't believe it

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 when I stumbled across the Mona Lisa

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 and the sunflowers by Van Gogh

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 hanging in the Lego store

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 in Buchanan Galleries.

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 What on earth were they doing there?

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 But then I soon realized

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 that these are not in fact

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 the true artworks that we know,

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 but are in fact

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 poor imitations.

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 But if you had the option,

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 would you settle for hanging

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 one of these pieces

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 in your living room

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 in pride of place

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 if in actual fact

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 you had the Mona Lisa

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 in the cupboard

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 in the spare room?

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 The Corinthians

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 already had the real thing,

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 but they were settling

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 for something that was trash

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 in comparison.

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 The Corinthians

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 were not lacking anything.

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 There was nothing

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 that the world

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 or its bogus salesmen

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 could offer them

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 that they didn't have already.

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 Yes,

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 the Corinthians were sinners,

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 but they'd been saved

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 by grace alone,

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 through faith alone,

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 in Christ alone.

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 And any message

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 that suggested otherwise

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 was a false message.

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 Now,

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 Paul doesn't pity them

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 for going astray.

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 He accuses them

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 of accepting

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 and putting up

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 with a counterfeit gospel.

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 One of these pieces.

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 They're putting up

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 with trash.

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 And for Paul,

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 this is a serious matter.

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 This is serious unfaithfulness

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 to the Jesus

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 that they had been wedded to.

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 So,

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 Satan's tactic

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 has always been

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 to divert God's people

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 away from wholehearted devotion

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 to Jesus.

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 And all God's people,

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 that's you and I,

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 we too must stick

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 to the Jesus

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 we've received,

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 the true and glorious Jesus,

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 and give him

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 our pure and sincere

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 devotion.

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 And we're going to be

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 devotion.

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 So,

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 that was

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 our first question.

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 But what about

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 our leaders

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 and our teachers,

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 those tasked

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 with teaching us

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 about Jesus?

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 How do we know

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 if they're the real deal

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 or bogus salesmen?

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 So,

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 we're going to look

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 at verses 5 to 11 now.

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 Are you clear

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 on what your leaders

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 should look like

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 or are you looking

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 for the impressive?

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 So,

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 in the next section

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 of the passage,

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 the first thing

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 we see is that

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 Paul is doing

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 a light comparison

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 between himself

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 and the so-called

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 super apostles.

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 Now,

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 these guys

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 have been alluded to

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 throughout the book

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 so far,

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 but they're named here.

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 He calls them

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 the super apostles.

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 This is ironic,

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 ironic way

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 of describing them.

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 They look

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 really great.

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 great.

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 Paul is not,

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 in fact,

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 though,

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 any way inferior

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 to them.

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 We read that

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 in verse 5.

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 They are excellent

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 public speakers.

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 They've been trained.

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 They speak powerfully.

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 They're engaging.

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 They use

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 excellent illustrations.

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 Their teaching

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 is interesting.

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 It's often funny.

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 But Paul

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 has substance.

00:13:18.460 --> 00:13:20.340
 Paul claims

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 to have

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 knowledge.

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 But what does he mean?

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 It means that

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 Paul knows

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 what he's talking about.

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 To use the language

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 of 1 Timothy,

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 Paul isn't irreverently

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 babbling about things

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 he doesn't understand.

00:13:37.860 --> 00:13:39.040
 Paul knows

00:13:39.040 --> 00:13:40.660
 Jesus personally.

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 He knows

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 the scriptures

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 and he knows

00:13:43.700 --> 00:13:44.460
 how they point

00:13:44.460 --> 00:13:45.480
 to Jesus.

00:13:46.600 --> 00:13:47.600
 The super apostles,

00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:48.740
 super apostles,

00:13:49.180 --> 00:13:49.700
 they might be

00:13:49.700 --> 00:13:50.240
 great,

00:13:50.680 --> 00:13:51.620
 entertaining speakers,

00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:53.680
 but they are fools

00:13:53.680 --> 00:13:55.139
 because they don't

00:13:55.139 --> 00:13:55.740
 know God

00:13:55.740 --> 00:13:57.259
 or his gospel.

00:13:58.920 --> 00:13:59.480
 Now,

00:13:59.500 --> 00:13:59.899
 the next thing

00:13:59.899 --> 00:14:00.360
 we see

00:14:00.360 --> 00:14:01.519
 in verses 5 to 11

00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:02.759
 is that Paul

00:14:02.759 --> 00:14:03.279
 is saying

00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:04.720
 he's not going

00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:05.420
 to change

00:14:05.420 --> 00:14:06.259
 his ways.

00:14:07.080 --> 00:14:07.779
 He's not going

00:14:07.779 --> 00:14:08.379
 to bend

00:14:08.379 --> 00:14:09.420
 the expectations

00:14:09.420 --> 00:14:10.480
 of the super apostles.

00:14:11.480 --> 00:14:12.560
 And we see that

00:14:12.560 --> 00:14:13.300
 when he starts

00:14:13.300 --> 00:14:14.340
 talking about money.

00:14:14.340 --> 00:14:16.280
 it seems

00:14:16.280 --> 00:14:17.139
 that the super apostles

00:14:17.139 --> 00:14:18.600
 got really offended

00:14:18.600 --> 00:14:20.740
 by Paul's refusal

00:14:20.740 --> 00:14:22.160
 to charge

00:14:22.160 --> 00:14:23.180
 for his teaching

00:14:23.180 --> 00:14:25.139
 and for receiving

00:14:25.139 --> 00:14:26.879
 help from other churches.

00:14:29.300 --> 00:14:29.980
 Now,

00:14:30.139 --> 00:14:30.920
 I think Paul

00:14:30.920 --> 00:14:31.620
 was deliberately

00:14:31.620 --> 00:14:32.960
 trying to make himself

00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:33.920
 look as differently

00:14:33.920 --> 00:14:34.820
 as possible

00:14:34.820 --> 00:14:36.300
 from these

00:14:36.300 --> 00:14:37.180
 super apostles.

00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:38.720
 And I think

00:14:38.720 --> 00:14:39.600
 this had really

00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:40.360
 riled them up.

00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:42.000
 I think they're maybe

00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:42.940
 saying to themselves,

00:14:42.940 --> 00:14:44.600
 who does he think

00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:45.140
 he is?

00:14:46.180 --> 00:14:46.980
 He's taking

00:14:46.980 --> 00:14:48.000
 the moral high ground

00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:49.000
 by not receiving

00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:49.960
 money from the

00:14:49.960 --> 00:14:50.280
 Corinthians.

00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:51.800
 In fact,

00:14:51.980 --> 00:14:53.160
 he's undercutting

00:14:53.160 --> 00:14:54.020
 our profitable

00:14:54.020 --> 00:14:54.780
 business.

00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:56.940
 It seems that

00:14:56.940 --> 00:14:57.620
 Paul wanted to

00:14:57.620 --> 00:14:58.480
 look as differently

00:14:58.480 --> 00:14:59.320
 as possible

00:14:59.320 --> 00:15:00.920
 to these super apostles

00:15:00.920 --> 00:15:02.320
 and in this rich

00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:03.220
 and wealthy city

00:15:03.220 --> 00:15:05.100
 of Corinth,

00:15:06.100 --> 00:15:06.900
 it meant that

00:15:06.900 --> 00:15:07.960
 not receiving

00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:08.640
 a wage

00:15:08.640 --> 00:15:09.880
 for his teaching.

00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:11.640
 Paul needs

00:15:11.640 --> 00:15:12.240
 these Corinthians

00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:12.799
 to see

00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:13.980
 that he is not

00:15:13.980 --> 00:15:14.419
 like these

00:15:14.419 --> 00:15:15.019
 super apostles

00:15:15.019 --> 00:15:16.620
 in any way

00:15:16.620 --> 00:15:17.440
 at all.

00:15:18.440 --> 00:15:18.720
 Now,

00:15:18.860 --> 00:15:19.700
 in verse 10,

00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:20.700
 he says that

00:15:20.700 --> 00:15:21.899
 nobody will stop

00:15:21.899 --> 00:15:22.700
 him from boasting.

00:15:23.460 --> 00:15:24.500
 This word of boasting

00:15:24.500 --> 00:15:25.840
 is language

00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:26.799
 that Paul uses

00:15:26.799 --> 00:15:27.860
 quite a lot

00:15:27.860 --> 00:15:28.600
 in 2 Corinthians.

00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:29.740
 And next week,

00:15:30.200 --> 00:15:30.919
 Archie's going to

00:15:30.919 --> 00:15:31.480
 take us to our

00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:32.240
 next passage

00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:33.259
 and Paul's going

00:15:33.259 --> 00:15:33.740
 to go in

00:15:33.740 --> 00:15:35.200
 full tilt

00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:36.620
 on his boasting

00:15:36.620 --> 00:15:37.299
 about his

00:15:37.299 --> 00:15:38.460
 Christ-like credentials.

00:15:39.740 --> 00:15:40.759
 But before we get

00:15:40.759 --> 00:15:41.819
 there, he's saying,

00:15:42.519 --> 00:15:43.480
 don't expect a

00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:44.279
 different approach

00:15:44.279 --> 00:15:44.759
 from me.

00:15:46.200 --> 00:15:47.259
 I'm going to keep

00:15:47.259 --> 00:15:48.259
 doing the things

00:15:48.259 --> 00:15:48.799
 that I've always

00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:49.700
 done amongst you.

00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:51.819
 I'm not going to

00:15:51.819 --> 00:15:52.799
 change just because

00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:53.620
 the super apostles

00:15:53.620 --> 00:15:55.220
 want me to change.

00:15:57.000 --> 00:15:58.340
 And why does he

00:15:58.340 --> 00:15:59.279
 refuse to change?

00:15:59.379 --> 00:15:59.840
 Well, we learn

00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:00.439
 in verse 11,

00:16:00.539 --> 00:16:01.200
 it's because

00:16:01.200 --> 00:16:02.899
 he loves them.

00:16:02.899 --> 00:16:05.519
 If Paul was to

00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:06.399
 suddenly change

00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:07.519
 because of pressure

00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:09.059
 from the super apostles,

00:16:09.860 --> 00:16:11.100
 that would be a

00:16:11.100 --> 00:16:11.860
 very unloving

00:16:11.860 --> 00:16:12.720
 thing to do.

00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:14.279
 For it would cause

00:16:14.279 --> 00:16:15.120
 the Corinthians

00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:15.980
 to doubt

00:16:15.980 --> 00:16:17.620
 his gospel message.

00:16:18.319 --> 00:16:19.379
 If he was to

00:16:19.379 --> 00:16:20.139
 bend to their

00:16:20.139 --> 00:16:21.259
 pressure and become

00:16:21.259 --> 00:16:22.179
 more like them,

00:16:22.860 --> 00:16:23.759
 he would end up

00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:24.579
 proclaiming a very

00:16:24.579 --> 00:16:25.279
 different Jesus

00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:27.860
 and the way he

00:16:27.860 --> 00:16:28.500
 lived would no

00:16:28.500 --> 00:16:29.240
 longer back up

00:16:29.240 --> 00:16:29.879
 his message.

00:16:29.879 --> 00:16:31.960
 it would throw

00:16:31.960 --> 00:16:33.000
 doubt on his

00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:33.580
 credibility.

00:16:34.299 --> 00:16:34.799
 It would throw

00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:35.559
 doubt on his

00:16:35.559 --> 00:16:36.519
 integrity if he

00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:37.320
 suddenly started

00:16:37.320 --> 00:16:38.100
 preaching a different

00:16:38.100 --> 00:16:38.500
 gospel.

00:16:39.139 --> 00:16:40.539
 And it would throw

00:16:40.539 --> 00:16:41.539
 doubt on his

00:16:41.539 --> 00:16:42.539
 distinctiveness.

00:16:42.679 --> 00:16:43.419
 He would look no

00:16:43.419 --> 00:16:44.200
 different to these

00:16:44.200 --> 00:16:45.200
 super apostles anymore.

00:16:46.259 --> 00:16:47.500
 Paul will remain

00:16:47.500 --> 00:16:48.480
 consistent.

00:16:49.580 --> 00:16:50.419
 He won't change

00:16:50.419 --> 00:16:51.320
 his message to

00:16:51.320 --> 00:16:52.039
 suit himself.

00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:53.820
 He will teach the

00:16:53.820 --> 00:16:55.000
 gospel faithfully

00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:56.480
 in a way that

00:16:56.480 --> 00:16:57.539
 promotes Jesus

00:16:57.539 --> 00:16:59.019
 and not himself.

00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:01.120
 Why does he do

00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:01.360
 it?

00:17:01.980 --> 00:17:03.139
 Because he loves

00:17:03.139 --> 00:17:04.500
 Jesus and he

00:17:04.500 --> 00:17:05.259
 loves the people

00:17:05.259 --> 00:17:06.059
 he is teaching.

00:17:06.940 --> 00:17:07.920
 And he wants them

00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:08.980
 to understand this

00:17:08.980 --> 00:17:10.079
 true gospel and

00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:10.900
 to stick to it.

00:17:12.779 --> 00:17:13.339
 Okay.

00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:16.299
 Verses 12 to 11.

00:17:16.460 --> 00:17:17.500
 Are you aware of

00:17:17.500 --> 00:17:18.440
 the enemy or are

00:17:18.440 --> 00:17:19.380
 you letting your

00:17:19.380 --> 00:17:20.079
 guard down?

00:17:21.660 --> 00:17:23.039
 So Paul has spent

00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:24.819
 much of 2 Corinthians

00:17:24.819 --> 00:17:25.740
 defending his

00:17:25.740 --> 00:17:27.279
 ministry and

00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:27.980
 convincing the

00:17:27.980 --> 00:17:28.839
 Corinthians to get

00:17:28.839 --> 00:17:29.899
 on board with his

00:17:29.899 --> 00:17:30.279
 teaching.

00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:32.619
 Now he wants to

00:17:32.619 --> 00:17:33.519
 expose the

00:17:33.519 --> 00:17:35.159
 super apostles for

00:17:35.159 --> 00:17:36.919
 who they truly

00:17:36.919 --> 00:17:37.740
 are.

00:17:38.459 --> 00:17:39.159
 They aren't just

00:17:39.159 --> 00:17:41.399
 pesky rivals but

00:17:41.399 --> 00:17:42.079
 they are really

00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:43.679
 dangerous enemies

00:17:43.679 --> 00:17:44.859
 of Christ.

00:17:46.019 --> 00:17:46.839
 You probably saw

00:17:46.839 --> 00:17:47.699
 the strong language

00:17:47.699 --> 00:17:49.279
 in verses 12 to

00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:49.699
 15.

00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:52.959
 So for much of

00:17:52.959 --> 00:17:54.019
 Paul's ministry he

00:17:54.019 --> 00:17:54.919
 has been going

00:17:54.919 --> 00:17:56.079
 around Europe taking

00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:57.039
 the gospel with him

00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:58.319
 proclaiming it to

00:17:58.319 --> 00:17:58.839
 people who have

00:17:58.839 --> 00:17:59.619
 never heard about

00:17:59.619 --> 00:18:01.519
 Jesus but he is

00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:02.039
 being followed

00:18:02.039 --> 00:18:02.980
 around Europe by

00:18:02.980 --> 00:18:03.940
 these false

00:18:03.940 --> 00:18:04.639
 teachers.

00:18:05.440 --> 00:18:06.059
 They have popped

00:18:06.059 --> 00:18:07.359
 up everywhere that

00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:08.000
 he had been.

00:18:09.180 --> 00:18:10.119
 They were people who

00:18:10.119 --> 00:18:11.079
 had positions of

00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:12.480
 authority in church

00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:14.319
 in leading and in

00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:14.740
 teaching.

00:18:15.579 --> 00:18:16.579
 They had influence

00:18:16.579 --> 00:18:18.379
 and when they spoke

00:18:18.379 --> 00:18:20.039
 others listened.

00:18:20.039 --> 00:18:23.039
 Now we heard a

00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:23.659
 little bit about

00:18:23.659 --> 00:18:24.899
 these guys in

00:18:24.899 --> 00:18:27.200
 Acts chapter 20

00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:28.539
 as Paul said his

00:18:28.539 --> 00:18:29.920
 final words to the

00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:30.579
 elders of the

00:18:30.579 --> 00:18:31.619
 Ephesian church, a

00:18:31.619 --> 00:18:32.539
 church much like

00:18:32.539 --> 00:18:32.980
 Corinth.

00:18:34.059 --> 00:18:35.319
 He warned them

00:18:35.319 --> 00:18:36.460
 about such people

00:18:36.460 --> 00:18:37.240
 and I've just got

00:18:37.240 --> 00:18:39.139
 the relevant bit

00:18:39.139 --> 00:18:39.920
 up on the screen

00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:41.859
 and he says,

00:18:41.859 --> 00:18:42.519
 I know that

00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:43.399
 after I leave

00:18:43.399 --> 00:18:44.939
 savage wolves

00:18:44.939 --> 00:18:45.839
 will come in

00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:46.399
 among you

00:18:46.399 --> 00:18:47.599
 and will not

00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:48.240
 spare the

00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:48.619
 flock.

00:18:49.339 --> 00:18:50.240
 Even from

00:18:50.240 --> 00:18:50.779
 your own

00:18:50.779 --> 00:18:51.979
 number men

00:18:51.979 --> 00:18:52.779
 will arise

00:18:52.779 --> 00:18:53.839
 and distort

00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:54.439
 the truth

00:18:54.439 --> 00:18:55.719
 in order to

00:18:55.719 --> 00:18:56.479
 draw away

00:18:56.479 --> 00:18:57.619
 disciples after

00:18:57.619 --> 00:18:57.919
 them.

00:18:58.359 --> 00:18:59.699
 So be on

00:18:59.699 --> 00:19:00.859
 your guard.

00:19:02.539 --> 00:19:03.399
 That's in

00:19:03.399 --> 00:19:04.059
 Acts 20

00:19:04.059 --> 00:19:04.679
 but back in

00:19:04.679 --> 00:19:06.159
 our passage

00:19:06.159 --> 00:19:07.179
 in verse 13

00:19:07.179 --> 00:19:07.799
 Paul is

00:19:07.799 --> 00:19:08.339
 warning the

00:19:08.339 --> 00:19:09.039
 Corinthians of a

00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:09.539
 very similar

00:19:09.539 --> 00:19:09.919
 thing.

00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:11.620
 Paul calls

00:19:11.620 --> 00:19:12.460
 these guys

00:19:12.460 --> 00:19:14.279
 false teachers

00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:15.800
 he calls them

00:19:15.800 --> 00:19:16.680
 deceitful

00:19:16.680 --> 00:19:17.340
 workers.

00:19:18.279 --> 00:19:18.600
 They are

00:19:18.600 --> 00:19:20.000
 liars and

00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:20.720
 they disguise

00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:21.740
 themselves as

00:19:21.740 --> 00:19:23.000
 true Christians

00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:24.180
 and true

00:19:24.180 --> 00:19:24.920
 teachers of the

00:19:24.920 --> 00:19:25.200
 Bible.

00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:26.940
 The passage

00:19:26.940 --> 00:19:27.660
 says that they

00:19:27.660 --> 00:19:28.759
 masquerade as

00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:29.620
 apostles of

00:19:29.620 --> 00:19:30.019
 Christ.

00:19:31.220 --> 00:19:31.420
 Now

00:19:31.420 --> 00:19:34.539
 the masquerade

00:19:34.539 --> 00:19:35.120
 language just

00:19:35.120 --> 00:19:36.960
 means to

00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:37.900
 go about in

00:19:37.900 --> 00:19:38.300
 disguise.

00:19:38.860 --> 00:19:39.240
 So you might

00:19:39.240 --> 00:19:39.700
 have heard of a

00:19:39.700 --> 00:19:40.220
 masquerade

00:19:40.220 --> 00:19:40.559
 ball.

00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:41.340
 These were

00:19:41.340 --> 00:19:41.940
 really popular

00:19:41.940 --> 00:19:42.740
 in the past

00:19:42.740 --> 00:19:43.600
 and people

00:19:43.600 --> 00:19:44.240
 would go

00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:44.720
 around with

00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:45.480
 masks on

00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:46.819
 to disguise

00:19:46.819 --> 00:19:47.779
 themselves.

00:19:48.059 --> 00:19:48.640
 They wanted

00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:49.240
 to veil

00:19:49.240 --> 00:19:50.259
 their true

00:19:50.259 --> 00:19:50.860
 identity

00:19:50.860 --> 00:19:52.460
 and in the

00:19:52.460 --> 00:19:52.900
 same way

00:19:52.900 --> 00:19:54.120
 these deceitful

00:19:54.120 --> 00:19:55.900
 false teaching

00:19:55.900 --> 00:19:57.080
 super apostles

00:19:57.080 --> 00:19:58.299
 wear these

00:19:58.299 --> 00:19:59.740
 masks and

00:19:59.740 --> 00:20:00.460
 seek to veil

00:20:00.460 --> 00:20:01.740
 their true

00:20:01.740 --> 00:20:02.680
 identity.

00:20:03.580 --> 00:20:04.080
 But Paul

00:20:04.080 --> 00:20:04.500
 wants to

00:20:04.500 --> 00:20:05.080
 strip these

00:20:05.080 --> 00:20:05.779
 masks from

00:20:05.779 --> 00:20:06.279
 their faces

00:20:06.279 --> 00:20:07.299
 and expose

00:20:07.299 --> 00:20:07.720
 them for

00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:08.059
 who they

00:20:08.059 --> 00:20:09.440
 truly are

00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:10.079
 loud and

00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:10.359
 clear.

00:20:10.980 --> 00:20:11.660
 Verse 15

00:20:11.660 --> 00:20:12.440
 we read

00:20:12.440 --> 00:20:13.720
 they are

00:20:13.720 --> 00:20:15.119
 servants of

00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:15.740
 Satan.

00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:18.619
 And Paul

00:20:18.619 --> 00:20:20.480
 explains that

00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:21.180
 even Satan

00:20:21.180 --> 00:20:22.319
 himself disguises

00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:23.399
 himself as a

00:20:23.399 --> 00:20:24.460
 angel of

00:20:24.460 --> 00:20:24.819
 light.

00:20:25.879 --> 00:20:26.899
 So it's no

00:20:26.899 --> 00:20:27.500
 surprise then

00:20:27.500 --> 00:20:27.980
 that his

00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:29.200
 followers likewise

00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:29.960
 pretend to be

00:20:29.960 --> 00:20:30.599
 something that

00:20:30.599 --> 00:20:31.299
 they are not.

00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:32.759
 And these

00:20:32.759 --> 00:20:33.440
 false teachers

00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:33.960
 they don't

00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:34.460
 just keep

00:20:34.460 --> 00:20:35.100
 to themselves

00:20:35.100 --> 00:20:36.620
 but they

00:20:36.620 --> 00:20:37.019
 seek to

00:20:37.019 --> 00:20:37.720
 infiltrate

00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:38.940
 weed their

00:20:38.940 --> 00:20:39.500
 way in

00:20:39.500 --> 00:20:40.600
 and they

00:20:40.600 --> 00:20:41.120
 seek to

00:20:41.120 --> 00:20:41.620
 disrupt

00:20:41.620 --> 00:20:42.400
 churches

00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:44.120
 just like

00:20:44.120 --> 00:20:44.500
 their

00:20:44.500 --> 00:20:44.920
 master.

00:20:47.660 --> 00:20:48.700
 Now we

00:20:48.700 --> 00:20:49.340
 as Christians

00:20:49.340 --> 00:20:49.900
 living in

00:20:49.900 --> 00:20:50.559
 the 21st

00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:51.320
 century we

00:20:51.320 --> 00:20:52.059
 must also

00:20:52.059 --> 00:20:52.799
 be aware

00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:53.420
 of the

00:20:53.420 --> 00:20:53.840
 spiritual

00:20:53.840 --> 00:20:54.900
 reality of

00:20:54.900 --> 00:20:55.620
 these things

00:20:55.620 --> 00:20:56.620
 even in

00:20:56.620 --> 00:20:57.000
 our day.

00:20:57.559 --> 00:20:58.019
 This wasn't

00:20:58.019 --> 00:20:58.500
 just an

00:20:58.500 --> 00:20:59.140
 issue back

00:20:59.140 --> 00:21:00.039
 then but

00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:00.299
 it's a

00:21:00.299 --> 00:21:00.680
 contemporary

00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:01.279
 issue too.

00:21:02.279 --> 00:21:02.660
 There are

00:21:02.660 --> 00:21:03.440
 enemies of

00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:03.900
 the gospel

00:21:03.900 --> 00:21:04.779
 who are

00:21:04.779 --> 00:21:05.660
 wittingly

00:21:05.660 --> 00:21:07.340
 or unwittingly

00:21:07.340 --> 00:21:08.340
 carrying out

00:21:08.340 --> 00:21:09.019
 the will of

00:21:09.019 --> 00:21:09.380
 Satan.

00:21:10.320 --> 00:21:11.140
 They oppose

00:21:11.140 --> 00:21:11.800
 Jesus.

00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:13.340
 They oppose

00:21:13.340 --> 00:21:14.040
 his church.

00:21:15.560 --> 00:21:16.120
 And Paul

00:21:16.120 --> 00:21:16.540
 told the

00:21:16.540 --> 00:21:16.900
 Ephesian

00:21:16.900 --> 00:21:17.480
 elders to

00:21:17.480 --> 00:21:17.820
 be on

00:21:17.820 --> 00:21:18.360
 their guard

00:21:18.360 --> 00:21:19.259
 and we

00:21:19.259 --> 00:21:20.420
 too are

00:21:20.420 --> 00:21:20.980
 to be on

00:21:20.980 --> 00:21:21.480
 our guard

00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:22.580
 against false

00:21:22.580 --> 00:21:23.320
 teachers and

00:21:23.320 --> 00:21:24.120
 false teaching.

00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:26.620
 But I

00:21:26.620 --> 00:21:26.940
 don't want

00:21:26.940 --> 00:21:27.240
 you to

00:21:27.240 --> 00:21:27.800
 freak out.

00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:28.240
 We're not

00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:28.540
 to start

00:21:28.540 --> 00:21:29.100
 freaking out

00:21:29.100 --> 00:21:29.420
 and start

00:21:29.420 --> 00:21:29.920
 looking around

00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:30.540
 every corner

00:21:30.540 --> 00:21:31.519
 for things

00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:32.900
 which aren't

00:21:32.900 --> 00:21:33.240
 as they

00:21:33.240 --> 00:21:33.500
 seem.

00:21:34.440 --> 00:21:34.799
 We are

00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:35.099
 to have

00:21:35.099 --> 00:21:35.599
 a quiet

00:21:35.599 --> 00:21:36.180
 confidence

00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:37.440
 in our

00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:38.099
 strong and

00:21:38.099 --> 00:21:38.339
 mighty

00:21:38.339 --> 00:21:40.299
 Savior and

00:21:40.299 --> 00:21:40.720
 in his

00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:41.639
 spirit which

00:21:41.639 --> 00:21:42.339
 leads us

00:21:42.339 --> 00:21:42.940
 and dwells

00:21:42.940 --> 00:21:43.539
 within us.

00:21:44.500 --> 00:21:45.400
 We must

00:21:45.400 --> 00:21:45.980
 know that

00:21:45.980 --> 00:21:46.940
 Satan is

00:21:46.940 --> 00:21:48.019
 active and

00:21:48.019 --> 00:21:48.680
 his agents

00:21:48.680 --> 00:21:49.819
 are active

00:21:49.819 --> 00:21:51.180
 but we

00:21:51.180 --> 00:21:52.119
 also must

00:21:52.119 --> 00:21:52.619
 know that

00:21:52.619 --> 00:21:53.400
 Christ is

00:21:53.400 --> 00:21:54.220
 also active

00:21:54.220 --> 00:21:55.740
 and he is

00:21:55.740 --> 00:21:56.220
 sitting on

00:21:56.220 --> 00:21:56.579
 his throne

00:21:56.579 --> 00:21:56.920
 today.

00:21:56.920 --> 00:21:59.860
 he has

00:21:59.860 --> 00:22:00.160
 already

00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.880
 claimed the

00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:01.220
 victory.

00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:03.500
 But what

00:22:03.500 --> 00:22:03.860
 of these

00:22:03.860 --> 00:22:04.120
 false

00:22:04.120 --> 00:22:04.519
 teachers?

00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:05.240
 Well we

00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:05.720
 read in

00:22:05.720 --> 00:22:06.320
 verse 15

00:22:06.320 --> 00:22:07.060
 these

00:22:07.060 --> 00:22:07.360
 false

00:22:07.360 --> 00:22:07.700
 teachers

00:22:07.700 --> 00:22:08.300
 will get

00:22:08.300 --> 00:22:08.779
 what their

00:22:08.779 --> 00:22:09.320
 actions

00:22:09.320 --> 00:22:10.060
 deserve

00:22:10.060 --> 00:22:11.440
 for opposing

00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:12.420
 Jesus and

00:22:12.420 --> 00:22:12.920
 siding with

00:22:12.920 --> 00:22:13.240
 Satan.

00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:14.500
 Their end

00:22:14.500 --> 00:22:14.960
 has already

00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:15.640
 been declared

00:22:15.640 --> 00:22:17.220
 but we

00:22:17.220 --> 00:22:17.720
 must still

00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:18.279
 be on our

00:22:18.279 --> 00:22:19.039
 guard today.

00:22:20.080 --> 00:22:20.820
 So as we

00:22:20.820 --> 00:22:21.519
 seek to

00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:23.060
 apply this

00:22:23.060 --> 00:22:23.779
 passage and

00:22:23.779 --> 00:22:25.279
 bring it to

00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:25.759
 a close I

00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:26.119
 want us to

00:22:26.119 --> 00:22:26.460
 think about

00:22:26.460 --> 00:22:27.740
 two D's.

00:22:28.420 --> 00:22:28.660
 We're going

00:22:28.660 --> 00:22:28.819
 to think

00:22:28.819 --> 00:22:29.599
 about devotion

00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:30.660
 and we're

00:22:30.660 --> 00:22:30.799
 going to

00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:31.180
 think about

00:22:31.180 --> 00:22:32.079
 discernment.

00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:33.500
 So let's

00:22:33.500 --> 00:22:33.920
 first think

00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:34.640
 about our

00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:35.700
 devotion.

00:22:37.779 --> 00:22:38.420
 Have you

00:22:38.420 --> 00:22:38.839
 gotten on

00:22:38.839 --> 00:22:39.519
 board with

00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:39.900
 Jesus?

00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:40.379
 Now we

00:22:40.379 --> 00:22:40.700
 thought about

00:22:40.700 --> 00:22:41.079
 that at

00:22:41.079 --> 00:22:41.559
 the beginning

00:22:41.559 --> 00:22:42.460
 these

00:22:42.460 --> 00:22:44.240
 Corinthians

00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:45.039
 were being

00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:45.740
 led away

00:22:45.740 --> 00:22:46.799
 from the

00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:47.319
 Jesus that

00:22:47.319 --> 00:22:47.740
 they knew.

00:22:49.180 --> 00:22:49.879
 Have you

00:22:49.879 --> 00:22:50.379
 gotten on

00:22:50.379 --> 00:22:51.279
 board with

00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:51.700
 Jesus?

00:22:52.440 --> 00:22:52.879
 Have you

00:22:52.879 --> 00:22:53.680
 trusted in

00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:54.359
 his death

00:22:54.359 --> 00:22:55.660
 and resurrection?

00:22:55.759 --> 00:22:57.039
 so that you

00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:57.400
 might be

00:22:57.400 --> 00:22:58.019
 saved from

00:22:58.019 --> 00:22:58.660
 your sins?

00:22:59.579 --> 00:23:00.039
 Are you

00:23:00.039 --> 00:23:00.460
 a Christian?

00:23:01.700 --> 00:23:02.079
 And if

00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:04.220
 so, how

00:23:04.220 --> 00:23:04.700
 is your

00:23:04.700 --> 00:23:05.359
 devotion to

00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:05.759
 Jesus?

00:23:06.259 --> 00:23:06.799
 Maybe you've

00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:07.279
 been following

00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:08.339
 for a long

00:23:08.339 --> 00:23:09.240
 time, maybe

00:23:09.240 --> 00:23:10.000
 a short

00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:10.319
 time.

00:23:11.460 --> 00:23:12.160
 Do you

00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:13.379
 love him?

00:23:13.779 --> 00:23:14.119
 Do you

00:23:14.119 --> 00:23:14.559
 love Jesus?

00:23:15.319 --> 00:23:16.019
 Some of us

00:23:16.019 --> 00:23:16.379
 have known

00:23:16.379 --> 00:23:16.980
 him for

00:23:16.980 --> 00:23:17.559
 quite a long

00:23:17.559 --> 00:23:17.900
 time.

00:23:19.099 --> 00:23:19.579
 Do you

00:23:19.579 --> 00:23:21.180
 still love

00:23:21.180 --> 00:23:21.519
 him?

00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:21.660
 love him?

00:23:23.940 --> 00:23:24.619
 Or have

00:23:24.619 --> 00:23:25.440
 you forsaken

00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:25.920
 the love

00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:26.299
 that you

00:23:26.299 --> 00:23:26.680
 had for

00:23:26.680 --> 00:23:27.240
 him at

00:23:27.240 --> 00:23:27.720
 first?

00:23:28.339 --> 00:23:28.879
 Are you

00:23:28.879 --> 00:23:29.839
 living faithfully

00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:30.339
 to him

00:23:30.339 --> 00:23:31.359
 like in a

00:23:31.359 --> 00:23:31.599
 faithful

00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:32.119
 marriage?

00:23:32.920 --> 00:23:33.599
 Or is

00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:34.160
 there anything

00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:34.980
 getting in

00:23:34.980 --> 00:23:35.500
 the way of

00:23:35.500 --> 00:23:36.139
 your relationship

00:23:36.139 --> 00:23:37.240
 with him?

00:23:37.799 --> 00:23:38.460
 God is

00:23:38.460 --> 00:23:39.779
 jealous for

00:23:39.779 --> 00:23:40.740
 our affection.

00:23:41.660 --> 00:23:42.680
 He deserves

00:23:42.680 --> 00:23:43.879
 our everything.

00:23:44.879 --> 00:23:45.599
 Are we

00:23:45.599 --> 00:23:46.139
 giving him

00:23:46.139 --> 00:23:46.639
 the love

00:23:46.639 --> 00:23:47.940
 he deserves?

00:23:47.940 --> 00:23:49.640
 do we

00:23:49.640 --> 00:23:50.740
 still love

00:23:50.740 --> 00:23:51.000
 him?

00:23:52.940 --> 00:23:53.700
 Are you

00:23:53.700 --> 00:23:54.259
 entertaining

00:23:54.259 --> 00:23:55.000
 anything in

00:23:55.000 --> 00:23:55.360
 your life

00:23:55.360 --> 00:23:56.039
 that might

00:23:56.039 --> 00:23:56.480
 lead you

00:23:56.480 --> 00:23:57.380
 astray from

00:23:57.380 --> 00:23:57.620
 him?

00:23:59.059 --> 00:23:59.440
 Is the

00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:01.299
 Jesus or

00:24:01.299 --> 00:24:02.039
 the spirit

00:24:02.039 --> 00:24:02.759
 or the

00:24:02.759 --> 00:24:03.980
 gospel that

00:24:03.980 --> 00:24:04.259
 you're

00:24:04.259 --> 00:24:04.980
 settling for

00:24:04.980 --> 00:24:06.140
 actually a

00:24:06.140 --> 00:24:06.799
 forgery of

00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:07.080
 the real

00:24:07.080 --> 00:24:07.360
 thing?

00:24:08.380 --> 00:24:08.740
 How does

00:24:08.740 --> 00:24:09.120
 it match

00:24:09.120 --> 00:24:09.640
 up to what

00:24:09.640 --> 00:24:10.140
 you first

00:24:10.140 --> 00:24:10.539
 learned?

00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:12.779
 Secondly,

00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:13.180
 we need to

00:24:13.180 --> 00:24:13.640
 think about

00:24:13.640 --> 00:24:14.740
 our discernment.

00:24:15.259 --> 00:24:16.080
 We need to

00:24:16.080 --> 00:24:16.980
 carefully examine

00:24:16.980 --> 00:24:18.240
 the message

00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:19.279
 and the

00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:19.700
 messenger.

00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:22.019
 This means

00:24:22.019 --> 00:24:23.319
 examining what

00:24:23.319 --> 00:24:24.700
 I or

00:24:24.700 --> 00:24:25.460
 Graham or

00:24:25.460 --> 00:24:26.220
 Archie or

00:24:26.220 --> 00:24:26.660
 any of the

00:24:26.660 --> 00:24:27.200
 elders or

00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:27.860
 anybody who

00:24:27.860 --> 00:24:28.640
 comes up the

00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:29.759
 front on a

00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:30.079
 Sunday,

00:24:31.059 --> 00:24:31.680
 examining what

00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:32.200
 they say.

00:24:33.480 --> 00:24:34.240
 Are we

00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:35.039
 saying what

00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:35.339
 the Bible

00:24:35.339 --> 00:24:35.759
 says?

00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:36.380
 And that's

00:24:36.380 --> 00:24:36.900
 why we

00:24:36.900 --> 00:24:37.440
 often tell

00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:37.799
 you to keep

00:24:37.799 --> 00:24:38.180
 your Bibles

00:24:38.180 --> 00:24:39.360
 open on the

00:24:39.360 --> 00:24:40.120
 pews and to

00:24:40.120 --> 00:24:40.779
 scan through

00:24:40.779 --> 00:24:41.839
 as we teach

00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:43.500
 to see if we

00:24:43.500 --> 00:24:44.420
 are saying what

00:24:44.420 --> 00:24:44.900
 the Bible

00:24:44.900 --> 00:24:45.559
 passage is

00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:45.839
 saying.

00:24:45.839 --> 00:24:48.659
 Now, maybe

00:24:48.659 --> 00:24:49.299
 in the future

00:24:49.299 --> 00:24:50.419
 if you move

00:24:50.419 --> 00:24:50.759
 to another

00:24:50.759 --> 00:24:51.539
 town, you

00:24:51.539 --> 00:24:52.359
 might be

00:24:52.359 --> 00:24:53.259
 church searching,

00:24:53.379 --> 00:24:53.720
 you might be

00:24:53.720 --> 00:24:55.079
 looking for a

00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:55.639
 good gospel

00:24:55.639 --> 00:24:56.459
 church somewhere,

00:24:56.740 --> 00:24:57.639
 or maybe you

00:24:57.639 --> 00:24:58.039
 might find

00:24:58.039 --> 00:24:58.779
 yourself in the

00:24:58.779 --> 00:25:00.000
 future looking

00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:00.939
 to appoint a

00:25:00.939 --> 00:25:01.519
 new pastor.

00:25:02.679 --> 00:25:03.619
 Now, if you

00:25:03.619 --> 00:25:04.079
 ever find

00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:04.939
 yourselves in

00:25:04.939 --> 00:25:05.519
 one of those

00:25:05.519 --> 00:25:07.019
 situations, if

00:25:07.019 --> 00:25:07.480
 you're looking

00:25:07.480 --> 00:25:08.139
 for someone to

00:25:08.139 --> 00:25:08.859
 come and lead

00:25:08.859 --> 00:25:10.079
 you spiritually,

00:25:10.899 --> 00:25:11.959
 I want you to

00:25:11.959 --> 00:25:12.559
 remember this

00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:14.059
 passage and

00:25:14.059 --> 00:25:15.500
 don't aim for

00:25:15.500 --> 00:25:16.359
 impressiveness.

00:25:17.819 --> 00:25:18.759
 Don't aim for

00:25:18.759 --> 00:25:19.779
 people who can

00:25:19.779 --> 00:25:21.059
 achieve results.

00:25:21.879 --> 00:25:22.679
 Don't even look

00:25:22.679 --> 00:25:23.319
 for people who

00:25:23.319 --> 00:25:24.019
 are entertaining.

00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:25.559
 Paul doesn't

00:25:25.559 --> 00:25:26.159
 value those

00:25:26.159 --> 00:25:26.639
 things.

00:25:27.779 --> 00:25:29.000
 First, if you

00:25:29.000 --> 00:25:29.679
 find yourself in

00:25:29.679 --> 00:25:30.019
 one of these

00:25:30.019 --> 00:25:30.720
 situations, either

00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:31.379
 looking for a

00:25:31.379 --> 00:25:32.299
 church or looking

00:25:32.299 --> 00:25:32.980
 to appoint someone

00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:34.460
 new, ask

00:25:34.460 --> 00:25:35.179
 yourself this

00:25:35.179 --> 00:25:36.119
 question first.

00:25:36.659 --> 00:25:37.139
 Does this

00:25:37.139 --> 00:25:37.899
 teacher know

00:25:37.899 --> 00:25:38.799
 Jesus personally?

00:25:39.379 --> 00:25:40.359
 Do they actually

00:25:40.359 --> 00:25:41.500
 love Jesus and

00:25:41.500 --> 00:25:42.220
 love his people?

00:25:42.220 --> 00:25:43.940
 Do they speak

00:25:43.940 --> 00:25:44.700
 well of Jesus?

00:25:45.299 --> 00:25:45.920
 Do they say

00:25:45.920 --> 00:25:46.860
 true things about

00:25:46.860 --> 00:25:47.120
 him?

00:25:47.980 --> 00:25:48.559
 Does what they

00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:52.420
 say stack up

00:25:52.420 --> 00:25:53.220
 with what the

00:25:53.220 --> 00:25:53.940
 Bible says?

00:25:54.980 --> 00:25:55.960
 The way people

00:25:55.960 --> 00:25:56.600
 speak about

00:25:56.600 --> 00:25:58.019
 Jesus shows

00:25:58.019 --> 00:25:58.860
 whether they are

00:25:58.860 --> 00:25:59.660
 devoted to him

00:25:59.660 --> 00:26:00.620
 or not.

00:26:01.480 --> 00:26:02.259
 We need to

00:26:02.259 --> 00:26:03.279
 carefully examine

00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:04.200
 the messenger.

00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:05.579
 We thought about

00:26:05.579 --> 00:26:06.140
 examining the

00:26:06.140 --> 00:26:06.500
 message.

00:26:06.620 --> 00:26:07.019
 What do they

00:26:07.019 --> 00:26:07.319
 say?

00:26:07.880 --> 00:26:08.460
 We need to

00:26:08.460 --> 00:26:09.519
 examine the

00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:09.920
 messenger.

00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:11.559
 Do they have

00:26:11.559 --> 00:26:12.019
 a godly

00:26:12.019 --> 00:26:12.700
 character?

00:26:13.960 --> 00:26:14.599
 Jesus says

00:26:14.599 --> 00:26:15.039
 that you can

00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:15.519
 tell a

00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:16.720
 scammer from

00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:17.220
 a faithful

00:26:17.220 --> 00:26:18.299
 teacher by

00:26:18.299 --> 00:26:19.200
 the fruit that

00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:19.639
 they bear.

00:26:20.299 --> 00:26:21.179
 I've got some

00:26:21.179 --> 00:26:21.639
 more verses.

00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:22.179
 This is from

00:26:22.179 --> 00:26:23.799
 Matthew chapter

00:26:23.799 --> 00:26:24.240
 seven.

00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:25.980
 Jesus says

00:26:25.980 --> 00:26:26.659
 these words,

00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:28.179
 watch out for

00:26:28.179 --> 00:26:29.700
 false prophets.

00:26:30.220 --> 00:26:30.779
 They come to

00:26:30.779 --> 00:26:31.539
 you in sheep's

00:26:31.539 --> 00:26:32.579
 clothing, but

00:26:32.579 --> 00:26:33.319
 inwardly they

00:26:33.319 --> 00:26:34.220
 are ferocious

00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:34.919
 wolves.

00:26:35.799 --> 00:26:36.220
 By their

00:26:36.220 --> 00:26:37.519
 fruit you will

00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:38.379
 recognize them.

00:26:39.159 --> 00:26:40.159
 Do people pick

00:26:40.159 --> 00:26:40.819
 grapes from

00:26:40.819 --> 00:26:42.339
 thorn bushes or

00:26:42.339 --> 00:26:43.059
 figs from

00:26:43.059 --> 00:26:43.599
 thistles?

00:26:44.599 --> 00:26:45.720
 Likewise, every

00:26:45.720 --> 00:26:47.099
 good tree bears

00:26:47.099 --> 00:26:48.279
 good fruit, but

00:26:48.279 --> 00:26:49.559
 a bad tree bears

00:26:49.559 --> 00:26:50.159
 bad fruit.

00:26:50.819 --> 00:26:51.599
 Skipping on,

00:26:52.419 --> 00:26:53.819
 thus by their

00:26:53.819 --> 00:26:55.099
 fruit you will

00:26:55.099 --> 00:26:55.960
 recognize them.

00:26:56.779 --> 00:26:57.539
 These messengers.

00:26:58.099 --> 00:26:58.700
 Now their message

00:26:58.700 --> 00:26:59.279
 might be really

00:26:59.279 --> 00:26:59.679
 good.

00:27:01.399 --> 00:27:02.039
 These guys, they

00:27:02.039 --> 00:27:02.519
 might look like

00:27:02.519 --> 00:27:03.139
 the real deal,

00:27:04.099 --> 00:27:05.599
 but how do they

00:27:05.599 --> 00:27:06.339
 treat people?

00:27:07.220 --> 00:27:07.679
 How are they

00:27:07.679 --> 00:27:08.079
 with their

00:27:08.079 --> 00:27:08.500
 families?

00:27:08.500 --> 00:27:09.859
 What are they

00:27:09.859 --> 00:27:10.599
 like in the

00:27:10.599 --> 00:27:12.859
 pews after the

00:27:12.859 --> 00:27:13.180
 service?

00:27:13.319 --> 00:27:13.619
 What are they

00:27:13.619 --> 00:27:14.059
 like in the

00:27:14.059 --> 00:27:14.559
 tea and coffee

00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:14.819
 time?

00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:15.160
 How do they

00:27:15.160 --> 00:27:15.799
 treat people?

00:27:16.460 --> 00:27:16.880
 What are they

00:27:16.880 --> 00:27:17.259
 like?

00:27:17.319 --> 00:27:17.819
 What is their

00:27:17.819 --> 00:27:18.740
 character like?

00:27:19.960 --> 00:27:20.799
 We need to be

00:27:20.799 --> 00:27:21.579
 examining these

00:27:21.579 --> 00:27:22.500
 people's character

00:27:22.500 --> 00:27:24.359
 and see if the

00:27:24.359 --> 00:27:24.839
 fruit that they

00:27:24.839 --> 00:27:25.380
 are bearing in

00:27:25.380 --> 00:27:26.500
 their lives, if

00:27:26.500 --> 00:27:27.019
 it is good

00:27:27.019 --> 00:27:27.339
 fruit.

00:27:28.799 --> 00:27:30.640
 So examine the

00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:31.099
 fruit that they

00:27:31.099 --> 00:27:31.519
 bear in their

00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:31.880
 lives.

00:27:33.140 --> 00:27:34.140
 Now like the

00:27:34.140 --> 00:27:35.359
 experts in fraud

00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:36.380
 detection, so you

00:27:36.380 --> 00:27:37.400
 know these people

00:27:37.400 --> 00:27:38.240
 who examine

00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:38.820
 money, they

00:27:38.820 --> 00:27:39.380
 look out for

00:27:39.380 --> 00:27:40.759
 money that's

00:27:40.759 --> 00:27:41.280
 fake.

00:27:42.560 --> 00:27:43.280
 These people, they

00:27:43.280 --> 00:27:44.300
 know the paper

00:27:44.300 --> 00:27:45.240
 money so well.

00:27:46.080 --> 00:27:47.040
 They know all

00:27:47.040 --> 00:27:48.800
 its patterns and

00:27:48.800 --> 00:27:49.860
 its intricacies.

00:27:50.120 --> 00:27:50.740
 They know all the

00:27:50.740 --> 00:27:51.280
 things that should

00:27:51.280 --> 00:27:52.480
 be there on that

00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:52.920
 note.

00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:54.860
 So that when

00:27:54.860 --> 00:27:55.540
 something else

00:27:55.540 --> 00:27:56.720
 comes along that's

00:27:56.720 --> 00:27:58.120
 a fake, they can

00:27:58.120 --> 00:27:58.820
 see straight away,

00:27:58.920 --> 00:27:59.600
 oh hold on a

00:27:59.600 --> 00:28:00.259
 minute, it doesn't

00:28:00.259 --> 00:28:01.040
 have this or it

00:28:01.040 --> 00:28:01.660
 doesn't have that.

00:28:03.340 --> 00:28:03.900
 Now another

00:28:03.900 --> 00:28:05.220
 example might be

00:28:05.220 --> 00:28:05.960
 thinking about

00:28:05.960 --> 00:28:06.440
 painting.

00:28:07.220 --> 00:28:08.440
 So by knowing

00:28:08.440 --> 00:28:09.400
 the characteristics

00:28:09.400 --> 00:28:10.620
 of a famous

00:28:10.620 --> 00:28:12.160
 painter's work, so

00:28:12.160 --> 00:28:12.819
 maybe the brush

00:28:12.819 --> 00:28:13.620
 strokes that they

00:28:13.620 --> 00:28:15.220
 tend to employ or

00:28:15.220 --> 00:28:15.660
 the colour

00:28:15.660 --> 00:28:16.579
 combinations that

00:28:16.579 --> 00:28:19.500
 they prefer, by

00:28:19.500 --> 00:28:20.600
 knowing their work

00:28:20.600 --> 00:28:21.839
 so well, the

00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:22.380
 things that they

00:28:22.380 --> 00:28:23.279
 use in their

00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:25.319
 work, when a

00:28:25.319 --> 00:28:26.240
 fake comes along

00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:28.500
 you will spot it a

00:28:28.500 --> 00:28:29.279
 mile off because

00:28:29.279 --> 00:28:29.940
 it will fail to

00:28:29.940 --> 00:28:30.640
 match up with the

00:28:30.640 --> 00:28:31.180
 real thing.

00:28:31.180 --> 00:28:33.600
 So how closely

00:28:33.600 --> 00:28:34.500
 does the

00:28:34.500 --> 00:28:35.779
 messenger resemble

00:28:35.779 --> 00:28:36.380
 Jesus?

00:28:37.880 --> 00:28:38.539
 The more time

00:28:38.539 --> 00:28:39.340
 that we spend

00:28:39.340 --> 00:28:40.240
 getting to know

00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:42.019
 Jesus, seeing

00:28:42.019 --> 00:28:43.200
 how Jesus loves

00:28:43.200 --> 00:28:44.440
 others, seeing

00:28:44.440 --> 00:28:45.720
 how Jesus trusted

00:28:45.720 --> 00:28:47.100
 the Father, seeing

00:28:47.100 --> 00:28:48.259
 how Jesus acted

00:28:48.259 --> 00:28:49.039
 not in his own

00:28:49.039 --> 00:28:50.220
 interests but in

00:28:50.220 --> 00:28:50.860
 the interests of

00:28:50.860 --> 00:28:52.680
 others, as we see

00:28:52.680 --> 00:28:53.840
 him more and more

00:28:53.840 --> 00:28:55.320
 clearly, as we know

00:28:55.320 --> 00:28:56.299
 what he looks like,

00:28:56.680 --> 00:28:57.340
 then the more

00:28:57.340 --> 00:28:58.360
 clearly you can tell

00:28:58.360 --> 00:28:59.039
 one of his true

00:28:59.039 --> 00:28:59.460
 messengers.

00:28:59.460 --> 00:29:01.259
 his messengers

00:29:01.259 --> 00:29:02.539
 should look like

00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:02.799
 Jesus.

00:29:04.259 --> 00:29:05.500
 We need to know

00:29:05.500 --> 00:29:07.319
 our messengers, we

00:29:07.319 --> 00:29:08.200
 need to know what

00:29:08.200 --> 00:29:09.779
 they look like, their

00:29:09.779 --> 00:29:10.180
 lives.

00:29:11.240 --> 00:29:12.120
 Now this is why we

00:29:12.120 --> 00:29:13.000
 shouldn't depend on

00:29:13.000 --> 00:29:14.720
 online preachers to

00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:15.380
 teach us.

00:29:16.019 --> 00:29:16.720
 Now I'm not talking

00:29:16.720 --> 00:29:17.640
 about those who

00:29:17.640 --> 00:29:19.799
 for our live stream

00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:20.279
 is a bit of a

00:29:20.279 --> 00:29:21.079
 lifeline because they

00:29:21.079 --> 00:29:22.000
 can't be with us,

00:29:22.600 --> 00:29:23.600
 but we need to be

00:29:23.600 --> 00:29:24.920
 wary of depending on

00:29:24.920 --> 00:29:27.900
 online teaching to

00:29:27.900 --> 00:29:28.720
 supplement our

00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:29.480
 understanding of the

00:29:29.480 --> 00:29:29.700
 Bible.

00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:31.519
 There's a lot of

00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:32.440
 very good teaching

00:29:32.440 --> 00:29:33.220
 online, I'm not

00:29:33.220 --> 00:29:34.460
 denying that, but

00:29:34.460 --> 00:29:35.079
 there's a lot of

00:29:35.079 --> 00:29:35.880
 false teaching on

00:29:35.880 --> 00:29:36.299
 there too.

00:29:37.059 --> 00:29:38.420
 And sometimes it's

00:29:38.420 --> 00:29:39.420
 hard to tell the

00:29:39.420 --> 00:29:39.900
 difference.

00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:42.039
 The online pastor

00:29:42.039 --> 00:29:42.799
 might preach a

00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:44.279
 really good message,

00:29:44.839 --> 00:29:45.799
 but you don't

00:29:45.799 --> 00:29:46.620
 actually know them.

00:29:47.460 --> 00:29:48.480
 You can't examine

00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:49.880
 their character, you

00:29:49.880 --> 00:29:50.299
 don't know what

00:29:50.299 --> 00:29:51.140
 their motives are,

00:29:51.799 --> 00:29:52.500
 and you can't

00:29:52.500 --> 00:29:53.120
 examine how they

00:29:53.120 --> 00:29:54.000
 love others because

00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:54.720
 you've never seen

00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:55.440
 them in action.

00:29:55.440 --> 00:29:57.700
 God intended his

00:29:57.700 --> 00:29:59.279
 word to be taught

00:29:59.279 --> 00:30:00.259
 in the local

00:30:00.259 --> 00:30:00.720
 church.

00:30:01.220 --> 00:30:02.539
 So if you can, if

00:30:02.539 --> 00:30:04.120
 you're able, sit

00:30:04.120 --> 00:30:05.240
 under the teaching of

00:30:05.240 --> 00:30:07.000
 one of the leaders in

00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:07.660
 the local church.

00:30:07.779 --> 00:30:08.980
 And if that's here in

00:30:08.980 --> 00:30:10.559
 Brunsfield, we love

00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:11.620
 that we have you

00:30:11.620 --> 00:30:11.940
 here.

00:30:13.940 --> 00:30:15.519
 But if not, if you're

00:30:15.519 --> 00:30:16.320
 ever looking for a

00:30:16.320 --> 00:30:17.420
 church, sit under the

00:30:17.420 --> 00:30:18.180
 teaching of the local

00:30:18.180 --> 00:30:19.440
 church, listen

00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:22.640
 carefully, and see,

00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:24.700
 examine those local

00:30:24.700 --> 00:30:26.360
 leaders, those local

00:30:26.360 --> 00:30:27.040
 messengers.

00:30:29.380 --> 00:30:30.620
 And finally, so we've

00:30:30.620 --> 00:30:31.620
 thought about examining

00:30:31.620 --> 00:30:32.740
 the message and the

00:30:32.740 --> 00:30:33.740
 messenger, but how do

00:30:33.740 --> 00:30:34.980
 we discern carefully

00:30:34.980 --> 00:30:36.480
 that D, that second

00:30:36.480 --> 00:30:36.740
 D?

00:30:37.460 --> 00:30:38.300
 How do we do it?

00:30:38.340 --> 00:30:38.960
 How do we discern

00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:39.200
 well?

00:30:39.280 --> 00:30:40.480
 Well, we must examine

00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:42.040
 the message and the

00:30:42.040 --> 00:30:43.900
 messenger prayerfully

00:30:43.900 --> 00:30:45.900
 and with one

00:30:45.900 --> 00:30:46.300
 another.

00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:49.000
 We must discern

00:30:49.000 --> 00:30:49.960
 these things

00:30:49.960 --> 00:30:50.600
 prayerfully.

00:30:50.599 --> 00:30:52.439
 We must ask God for

00:30:52.439 --> 00:30:53.879
 clarity as we sit in

00:30:53.879 --> 00:30:54.219
 church.

00:30:54.500 --> 00:30:55.939
 We must ask for his

00:30:55.939 --> 00:30:57.179
 help as we sit and

00:30:57.179 --> 00:30:57.480
 listen.

00:30:57.959 --> 00:30:58.639
 That's something that we

00:30:58.639 --> 00:30:59.459
 can be doing as we

00:30:59.459 --> 00:31:00.079
 come to church.

00:31:00.219 --> 00:31:01.740
 Lord, would you be

00:31:01.740 --> 00:31:02.779
 speaking to me today?

00:31:03.399 --> 00:31:03.939
 And would you be

00:31:03.939 --> 00:31:04.759
 helping the person

00:31:04.759 --> 00:31:05.199
 that's going to be

00:31:05.199 --> 00:31:05.679
 standing up?

00:31:05.759 --> 00:31:06.579
 Would you help them to

00:31:06.579 --> 00:31:07.519
 speak the truth today?

00:31:09.099 --> 00:31:10.859
 So we must pray, we

00:31:10.859 --> 00:31:12.219
 must discern prayerfully,

00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:13.480
 and we must do these

00:31:13.480 --> 00:31:14.859
 things together, united.

00:31:15.500 --> 00:31:16.740
 As a church family, we

00:31:16.740 --> 00:31:17.699
 need to be depending on

00:31:17.699 --> 00:31:18.779
 Jesus to keep leading

00:31:18.779 --> 00:31:20.579
 us and to help us to

00:31:20.579 --> 00:31:21.839
 spot things that come

00:31:21.839 --> 00:31:22.759
 up which maybe aren't

00:31:22.759 --> 00:31:23.319
 quite right.

00:31:24.179 --> 00:31:25.139
 We must do these

00:31:25.139 --> 00:31:25.819
 things together.

00:31:26.759 --> 00:31:27.839
 This is not about

00:31:27.839 --> 00:31:29.319
 examining the person

00:31:29.319 --> 00:31:30.699
 sitting in the pew next

00:31:30.699 --> 00:31:31.500
 to you this morning,

00:31:32.039 --> 00:31:32.899
 sussing them out.

00:31:33.199 --> 00:31:34.039
 This is not about

00:31:34.039 --> 00:31:35.480
 taking cheap shots at

00:31:35.480 --> 00:31:36.460
 our leaders when they

00:31:36.460 --> 00:31:37.819
 teach us something that

00:31:37.819 --> 00:31:38.599
 we are uncomfortable

00:31:38.599 --> 00:31:39.119
 with.

00:31:39.720 --> 00:31:40.839
 This is about whether

00:31:40.839 --> 00:31:42.299
 the message that's

00:31:42.299 --> 00:31:43.139
 preached from the

00:31:43.139 --> 00:31:44.179
 front is the message

00:31:44.179 --> 00:31:44.740
 of the Bible.

00:31:45.419 --> 00:31:46.179
 And this is whether

00:31:46.179 --> 00:31:47.460
 the character, the

00:31:47.460 --> 00:31:48.439
 person that's standing

00:31:48.440 --> 00:31:49.759
 up, whether their

00:31:49.759 --> 00:31:51.360
 character matches up

00:31:51.360 --> 00:31:52.840
 with our great teacher

00:31:52.840 --> 00:31:53.820
 and Lord Jesus.

00:31:54.860 --> 00:31:56.440
 And please pray for us

00:31:56.440 --> 00:31:56.920
 too.

00:31:57.640 --> 00:31:58.680
 Pray for us, your

00:31:58.680 --> 00:31:59.360
 church leaders.

00:32:00.080 --> 00:32:01.000
 Pray for all those who

00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:02.420
 are involved in teaching

00:32:02.420 --> 00:32:03.940
 in church, whether it's

00:32:03.940 --> 00:32:05.039
 in creche or Sunday

00:32:05.039 --> 00:32:06.400
 school or in growth

00:32:06.400 --> 00:32:08.019
 groups or preaching on

00:32:08.019 --> 00:32:08.460
 a Sunday.

00:32:08.960 --> 00:32:10.220
 Please pray for us.

00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:12.019
 Please pray for all

00:32:12.019 --> 00:32:12.580
 those people.

00:32:13.400 --> 00:32:15.380
 Ask God to help us to

00:32:15.380 --> 00:32:16.280
 teach what the Bible

00:32:16.280 --> 00:32:18.060
 says, not anything

00:32:18.060 --> 00:32:19.680
 more, not anything

00:32:19.680 --> 00:32:22.380
 less, and ask God to

00:32:22.380 --> 00:32:24.460
 help us depend on him

00:32:24.460 --> 00:32:25.260
 as we do it.

00:32:25.760 --> 00:32:26.740
 Please pray for us that

00:32:26.740 --> 00:32:27.620
 we would be depending

00:32:27.620 --> 00:32:28.660
 on our Lord Jesus to

00:32:28.660 --> 00:32:30.140
 speak through us on a

00:32:30.140 --> 00:32:30.460
 Sunday.

00:32:31.260 --> 00:32:32.540
 And not through any

00:32:32.540 --> 00:32:33.620
 sort of self-confidence

00:32:33.620 --> 00:32:34.360
 but through the

00:32:34.360 --> 00:32:35.500
 strength that he

00:32:35.500 --> 00:32:35.980
 provides.

00:32:37.300 --> 00:32:38.340
 So I'm going to pray

00:32:38.340 --> 00:32:39.040
 and then we're going to

00:32:39.040 --> 00:32:40.200
 hand back over to the

00:32:40.200 --> 00:32:40.480
 band.

00:32:41.420 --> 00:32:42.020
 Let's pray.

00:32:42.019 --> 00:32:45.720
 Our Lord Jesus, we

00:32:45.720 --> 00:32:48.859
 thank you for preserving

00:32:48.859 --> 00:32:49.420
 us.

00:32:50.579 --> 00:32:52.119
 This message in 2

00:32:52.119 --> 00:32:53.099
 Corinthians, thank you

00:32:53.099 --> 00:32:54.839
 for the good and true

00:32:54.839 --> 00:32:55.799
 things that we can learn

00:32:55.799 --> 00:32:56.799
 from it, even today

00:32:56.799 --> 00:32:57.960
 after so many years

00:32:57.960 --> 00:32:58.740
 since it was written.

00:32:58.900 --> 00:32:59.480
 Thank you that you

00:32:59.480 --> 00:33:00.440
 deliberately preserved

00:33:00.440 --> 00:33:02.299
 these words for us.

00:33:02.379 --> 00:33:03.240
 They are your words.

00:33:03.839 --> 00:33:05.279
 This is your gospel, your

00:33:05.279 --> 00:33:05.740
 message.

00:33:06.460 --> 00:33:07.359
 Lord, I pray for each

00:33:07.359 --> 00:33:08.200
 one of us here today,

00:33:08.259 --> 00:33:09.379
 whether we know you or

00:33:09.379 --> 00:33:09.740
 not.

00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:11.319
 I pray that we would be

00:33:11.319 --> 00:33:13.759
 drawn to you, that we

00:33:13.759 --> 00:33:14.759
 would see you for who

00:33:14.759 --> 00:33:17.500
 you are, the true king

00:33:17.500 --> 00:33:18.639
 over the universe, over

00:33:18.639 --> 00:33:20.200
 your creation, who has

00:33:20.200 --> 00:33:21.299
 died for the sins of the

00:33:21.299 --> 00:33:22.759
 world, who's died to

00:33:22.759 --> 00:33:24.679
 suffer in our place so

00:33:24.679 --> 00:33:25.639
 that we could be saved

00:33:25.639 --> 00:33:26.919
 from our sins.

00:33:27.419 --> 00:33:28.539
 I pray that we would be

00:33:28.539 --> 00:33:30.079
 drawn to you, that we

00:33:30.079 --> 00:33:31.019
 would love you, Lord,

00:33:31.099 --> 00:33:32.539
 that we would grow in our

00:33:32.539 --> 00:33:33.159
 love for you.

00:33:33.700 --> 00:33:35.259
 Lord, some of us, we

00:33:35.259 --> 00:33:37.879
 may have become cold to

00:33:37.879 --> 00:33:38.139
 you.

00:33:38.139 --> 00:33:39.179
 Lord, I just pray that

00:33:39.179 --> 00:33:40.779
 you'd reignite in us a

00:33:40.779 --> 00:33:42.220
 love for you and a love

00:33:42.220 --> 00:33:42.859
 for your people.

00:33:43.379 --> 00:33:44.299
 I pray that we would be

00:33:44.299 --> 00:33:46.039
 devoted to you and hold

00:33:46.039 --> 00:33:47.099
 fast the gospel.

00:33:48.139 --> 00:33:49.559
 And Lord, I pray for us as

00:33:49.559 --> 00:33:50.720
 a church that we would be

00:33:50.720 --> 00:33:52.379
 on our guard, that we would

00:33:52.379 --> 00:33:53.740
 be aware that we do have

00:33:53.740 --> 00:33:55.660
 an enemy, but one that you

00:33:55.660 --> 00:33:56.980
 have conquered over already

00:33:56.980 --> 00:34:00.920
 and who still has plans and

00:34:00.920 --> 00:34:02.279
 ways that he seeks to

00:34:02.279 --> 00:34:04.099
 infiltrate and disrupt our

00:34:04.099 --> 00:34:04.440
 church.

00:34:04.559 --> 00:34:05.779
 But we pray that we would

00:34:05.779 --> 00:34:07.099
 hold fast to our Lord Jesus

00:34:07.099 --> 00:34:09.019
 and that we would remain

00:34:09.019 --> 00:34:10.659
 devoted to you and we

00:34:10.659 --> 00:34:11.920
 would discern these things

00:34:11.920 --> 00:34:12.579
 prayerfully.

00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:14.179
 We'd be looking at your

00:34:14.179 --> 00:34:15.299
 word and seeing how it

00:34:15.299 --> 00:34:16.199
 stacks up with what's

00:34:16.199 --> 00:34:16.880
 being preached at the

00:34:16.880 --> 00:34:18.299
 front and that we would

00:34:18.299 --> 00:34:20.420
 be just depending on you

00:34:20.420 --> 00:34:21.920
 together as a church

00:34:21.920 --> 00:34:23.860
 family to lead us and

00:34:23.860 --> 00:34:24.980
 remain faithful to you.

00:34:25.579 --> 00:34:26.380
 And so, Lord, I just want

00:34:26.380 --> 00:34:28.799
 to pray all these things in

00:34:28.799 --> 00:34:30.119
 the name of our powerful

00:34:30.119 --> 00:34:30.819
 Lord Jesus.

00:34:31.819 --> 00:34:32.299
 Amen.

00:34:32.299 --> 00:34:32.420
 Amen.

00:34:32.420 --> 00:34:32.460
 Amen.

00:34:32.460 --> 00:34:32.460


00:34:32.460 --> 00:34:33.400
 Amen.

00:34:33.400 --> 00:34:33.400


00:34:33.400 --> 00:34:33.400