Thank you so much, Johan and Amy and Zachy back. Zach's back. Well done, buddy. And love that you came up and the first thing you did was offer a handshake.
It made me more determined to give you the biggest bear hug after the service as well. We do hugs here, not handshakes.
But great to see everybody. And what a special morning. These really are just highlights in our church calendar.
And what we're going to do now just for the next 20 minutes or so is just turn to the Bible.
And this is what we do as a church every Sunday morning as we gather. We just work our way through a different book of the Bible.
It's one of the core beliefs that we have, that when we open our Bibles, that this is no ordinary book.
No, we hear the voice of the living God. We hear the voice, the word of our creator.
And the Christian is someone who's found that to be true.
Or here's how a man called Christopher Ashe, he puts it, the word of God gives us the only reliable map of the world as it truly is.
In fact, I wonder if you heard the survey that was done a few weeks ago.
I remember driving home a few weeks ago listening to Radio 2 and they were reporting the fact that,
did you know the number of the Bibles bought in the UK between 2019 and 2024?
In that period, it increased by 87%.
Now, that's just fascinating, isn't it?
All sorts of reasons people would want to buy a Bible, but we'd be naive, I think, to reject that conclusion
that there's something going on in our culture right now as people regain an interest in spiritual things.
But this is what God's word claims to be, claims to be his voice.
And so that's why we open this every single Sunday morning.
And particularly to all of us today, particularly if you're here and you wouldn't call yourself a Christian,
maybe you've come, you're one of Zach's friends or family, maybe you've just come along this Sunday.
We'd love that you're here.
But here's the invitation to come to the Bible and to taste and see that the Lord is good.
And so we've been journeying through this letter of two Corinthians together since the autumn.
And this is the final installment in this little series that we've been in.
This letter written by a man called Paul.
And he's written it to a church that he founded,
made up of people that he knows and loves living in the city of Corinth.
And Corinth is a city that loves the impressive.
Loves the impressive.
And Paul's big idea to this church is that they've been dazzled by these super apostles
who've offered to them a Jesus who's on the world's terms, if you like.
And they're beginning to buy it, beginning to think about it.
And Paul's been pleading with them, no, no, come back to me and my gospel.
Maybe you can think about it like this.
I remember well my cousin returning from holiday a few years ago.
And she's parading a brand new pair of sunglasses.
And ones that she was telling everyone that she'd got at a bargain price.
But on closer inspection, what she'd actually been sold weren't a pair of Ray-Bans.
They were in fact a pair of Ray-Bombs.
But she knew exactly what she was doing and we all had a good laugh at this.
But have you ever had an experience like that in your life?
You've been left asking yourself, saying, hang on a minute.
Is what I've been sold?
Is what I've got in my hands?
Is it the real thing?
Paul knows that that's exactly what these Christians in this church in Corinth are asking themselves when it comes to the message about Jesus.
That he's passed on to them and that they've got in their hands.
They're asking themselves, is this the real deal?
The reason they're asking the question is that a group of people that Paul ironically calls,
if you've got the text there, verse 11 of chapter 12, he calls them the super-impostles.
And they've infiltrated this church family and they're spreading a different message about a different Jesus
and what it means to follow him.
One which elevated them in their claims to higher plane spirituality.
And at the same time, it undercuts and downplays Paul and his message of weakness and a crucified Jesus
that he's been offering to the Corinthians.
And you'll see a concise summary of that in verse 4 of chapter 13.
Paul's speaking about Jesus.
And what's the crux of his message?
It's that he's been crucified in weakness.
And that's the truth, isn't it?
That the Christians follow a king who came to earth, was rejected by his own,
and who was ultimately handed over to death.
This is our king.
This is the king that we follow.
The cross, the place where he dies.
It looks to the watching world.
It did then, it does now.
It still looks like utter foolishness, weakness, and it looks like defeat.
And yet, see Paul write this about the same Jesus who rose from the dead.
He says, he now lives by the power of God.
And when we put our faith in this Jesus, and that's the invitation to all of us this morning,
when we put our faith and trust in his work on the cross for us,
like Zach was saying, the place where he goes,
he bears the punishment that our sins deserve on himself.
When we put our faith in him,
we can know complete forgiveness of our past, of our present, and of our future sins.
He takes our sins and he shares with us his resurrection life.
If you want to think about it like this,
Jesus is the ultimate impact sub.
The cross is the place.
It is the place of the great substitution.
He takes our place.
And by faith in him, we get his life.
And he shares with us his spirit.
Do you see Paul write that?
Who comes to dwell, to live in,
the believer.
Changing us not from the outside in,
but changing us from the inside out,
and changing us to be more into the likeness of Jesus.
That theological heart of this letter,
we saw a number of weeks ago,
chapter 3, verse 18.
And we, Paul writes,
who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory,
just means we look at Jesus,
are being transformed.
And that's that wonderful caterpillar,
two butterfly word,
metamorphic,
being transformed.
We're being transformed into his image.
With ever increasing glory,
which comes from the Lord,
who is the spirit.
So this message of the crucified Jesus,
dying on a cross,
but risen,
and living by the power of God.
Paul's saying,
that's what my message of weakness does.
And so before Paul comes back,
verse 1 of chapter 13,
do you see it?
For the third visit,
he wants the Corinthians to wake up
and make their choice.
No more sitting on the fence.
No more foot in both camps.
No more thinking that they can have their cake
and eat it.
The decision really is,
will they continue to entertain
these false apostles
and their message of spiritual superiority,
a Jesus in the image of the world,
or will they be restored to
and all in with his gospel?
It's the only thing that works, Paul's saying.
It's the only thing that works.
And here we are some 2,000 years later
and hearing Zach's testimony this morning,
being reminded that it's the only thing that works,
that can truly transform a person
from the inside out.
And so Paul says,
as he finishes his letter,
verse 5 of chapter 13,
he says,
examine yourselves
to see whether you are in the faith.
Test yourselves,
which is code for stop,
think, consider,
and choose today
who you are going to serve.
And the Bible's full of those moments,
isn't it?
If you know the Bible story,
it's full of those moments
where God raises up leaders
who say,
challenges people,
which way are you going to go?
Which way are you going to serve?
That's Paul's plea.
And yet here's the encouragement to them,
verse 6,
Paul wants them to know
as they do this,
that he has passed the test.
Right?
He's the real deal.
Compared to these super apostles,
he's the real deal.
Two quick things we see in this passage
that show us that he is the real deal.
Here's number one.
It is how he perseveres with people.
So these Corinthians have seen in Paul
the marks of a true apostle.
And he says them at verse 12 of chapter 12,
signs and wonders and miracles.
You can think of those things
like God's public seal of approval
on Paul and his message
in the eyes of the watching world.
And he never took money from them
as so many speakers in Corinth did.
And they struggle with that.
They're thinking to themselves
that you don't take money.
What's the catch?
We've got in our culture that phrase.
And growing up in the west of Scotland
had this all the time.
There's no such thing as a free lunch.
What's the catch?
What's the string?
And Paul said,
no,
I just wanted you to see
that what I was offering,
my message,
wasn't just another
first century TED talk
that the super apostles were doing.
It was something completely different.
I wanted you to see it in your minds.
And yet the Corinthians
continue to question his credibility.
And yet here he is,
verse 13,
talking about his plans,
not once but twice,
to go back a third time.
And you ask yourself,
why not just give up on them
at this point?
Baseball umpire,
strike one,
strike two,
I'm out of there on strike three.
Plenty more spiritual fish in the sea.
Why does he not give up on them?
Answer,
because he loves them.
Verse 14,
the only way he can think
to describe it
is that he's like a parent.
Do you see it?
He's like a parent.
That's his heart for his children.
That's how he sees this relationship.
You know,
our oldest girl turned 10
a few weeks ago
struck me
that I have now been a parent
for a decade.
And of all the mistakes
that I've made
and all the regrets
that I have,
I just say the old cliche is true.
Where does the time go?
But see if I had to sum it up
in two words,
the things that the Lord
has taught me,
sum it up in two words,
joyful sacrifice.
Some days you're playing good cop,
some days you're playing bad cop,
but really at the end of the day
you'll do anything for them.
to see them continue
to grow and flourish.
And that's what he's saying here.
Verse 14.
I'm not a one man
traveling salesman
that as soon as the interest
is dried up,
I'm moving on
and getting a new patch.
I'm just following the money.
What's Paul saying?
I don't want your stuff.
I'm here for your stuff.
We live in a world like that,
don't we?
That so often that we wonder,
why are people friends with me?
Is there something
that they're not telling me?
Is there something
that they want?
But he's saying,
I didn't want your stuff.
I'm genuine.
I don't need your applause.
I take it the super apostles,
Paul knows fine well
that that is tied up
with their interest
in the Corinthians.
He's saying,
I don't want your stuff.
I want you.
In fact,
verse 15,
I will gladly spend
and be spent
for your well-being.
So why does he continue
to go back?
Why does he continue
to have these Corinthians
in his heart?
Why does he continue
to persevere with them?
Because he loves them.
It's the mark of Christ's
stamp of approval
and the shape of Christ
in his life
that he perseveres
with people.
And secondly,
here's the second thing
that shows you
to the real deal.
He's really serious
about sin.
Again,
see Paul's heart
for these believers,
verse 19.
Everything that he does,
everything he does
is for their
strengthening.
You might have
building up there.
It's the same thing.
The skin in the game
is that he wants them
to live lives
that display to the world
God's glory
as they grow
over time
bit by bit,
slowly by slowly,
one step back,
two steps forward,
grow more like Jesus.
And that's how he wants
to find them
on this third visit
when he goes back.
He doesn't want to find,
do you see how he lists
the things?
A church full of
discord.
Verse 20.
A culture of jealousy,
of rage,
of selfish ambition,
of slander,
of gossip,
of arrogance,
of disorder,
of sexual immorality.
Now,
why does he name it all?
That's what I've been
asking myself this week.
Why not just summarize it
as unhealthy culture?
I take it Paul knows
that this stuff
is endemic in Corinth,
right?
You read 1 Corinthians,
the one just before this,
and you see it everywhere.
Paul knows that this stuff
is all over the place
as the culture
begins to seep
into the lives
of the church.
But I also,
he take it,
he names it
so that when they
examine themselves,
when they stop,
that they'll see it
in their lives.
It's like when we all
get out of bed
in the morning
and we stand in front
of the mirror
and you see bed heads,
makeup everywhere,
stuff in your teeth
and you just think to yourself,
I need a shower.
That's the kind of thing
that Paul's saying here.
When he shows them it,
he's showing them the mirror
and he's saying,
do you see this stuff
as you examine yourself
in your heart?
Even if it's the roots of it,
Paul wants them
to nip it in the bud.
And this is the truth,
isn't it,
that we're celebrating
this morning
and remembering
that God has saved
the Christian
out of the old pattern
of life.
He's called us
out of
and from the darkness
to live in the light
and to live for him.
A Christian is not just
someone who's made
a few different life choices.
A Christian is somebody
for whom Jesus
has sought
and bought
and died for
on the cross.
The Spirit lives inside,
the old has gone
and the new has come.
And one of the telltale signs
of the Spirit's work
in our lives
is that we see it
for what it is.
And the Spirit in us,
he changes our desires.
So the things
that we used to love,
we now think to ourselves,
that is darkness.
I once heard somebody
talk about this like
orange juice.
Many of us love
orange juice,
I imagine.
However,
I imagine none of us
like it just after
we've brushed our teeth.
And why is that?
I take it it's because
our palate has changed.
And that's the kind
of change
that Paul's talking
about here.
When Christ has came
and invaded your life,
when the kingdom
has broken in there,
friends,
he changes our palates,
he changes our spiritual tastes.
The sin we used
to find enticing
and almost,
can I say,
endorphin producing,
we now find
odious.
And I wonder
if the super apostles
are wandering around
saying this stuff,
it's not ideal,
but it's okay.
It's just part of life.
Maybe the Christians
have found
in these super apostles
are more palatable
Christianity.
Really,
they're like little children
who run to mum
and get one answer.
They don't like that answer
and then they run to dad
and try and get
a different answer.
At least that's how
it works in our house.
But Paul says,
if I come and see it,
I'll be so grieved
if I find
that you haven't
see the word there,
repented
of it.
Why?
Not just because
he's got his
tail up.
It grieves
God's heart.
And out with faith
in Jesus,
friends,
it brings
God's
judgment.
And so we've
got to ask ourselves,
where do we see
ourselves
in this list?
I think so often
my problem,
friends,
I wonder if it's
your problem as well,
is that when we see
this stuff in our lives,
we put out the bunting.
When in actual fact,
we should be
waving the red flag.
We need people
in our lives
who will call us
out in love
on this stuff.
Paul is serious
about sin.
Because what's
on offer here
is life knowing
the living God,
life with the God
who created us,
and life lived
the way that the God
who made us
designed it to be lived,
where we don't run
away from him
to the darkness,
but to repent,
to find forgiveness
in Jesus,
what he's done for us
at the cross,
and turn back to the God
who made us
and loves us,
who made us in his image,
and who made us
to live in relationship
with him.
That's what's on offer
this morning.
Paul's series
about sin,
verse 2 of chapter 13,
he's warning them.
Again,
he's not mincing
his words,
is he?
He's warning them.
And if he returns
and he sees blatant sin
in this church family,
he will not spare
calling it out,
calling a spade
a spade.
Why?
Because he loves
these people
and he loves the Lord
and his glory
and renown.
He's not afraid
to say the hard thing
and make the right call.
Verse 10,
he does it all
under the authority
given him
by the risen Jesus.
And just notice,
just as we finish
this morning,
how counter-cultural
and otherworldly
this is.
When our world says,
let your heart
and passions run free
like wild bison
on the plane,
Paul says,
cease sin
for what it is
and put it to death.
In our world says,
you need to live
your truth.
Paul says,
you need to hear
God's truth.
No matter how unpopular
it makes me,
no matter how much
you want me gone,
because Jesus says,
the truth
will set you
free.
Now here's the question
as we bring this together
this morning.
Who does Paul
remind you of here?
And the answer
is Jesus.
The great pursuer
of wayward souls.
You know,
there was once
an English poet
called Francis Thompson.
Do you know what
he once called Jesus
in one of his poems?
He called him
the hound from heaven.
Jesus came from heaven.
He came with our scent
in his nostrils.
He came to seek us
and to save us.
And the wonderful truth
for every single believer
is that Jesus came
looking for us
well before
we ever went
looking for him.
And the truth is,
and Zach,
you hear this this morning,
that Jesus
doesn't give up
on us.
Faith in him
means that no matter
if you are struggling
this morning,
friends,
know that his grip
on you
is way stronger
than your grip
on him.
Jesus is not like
an employer
who having hired
someone is saying
to himself
a few months in,
I wish I'd asked
a few more questions
at interview.
When he died
on the cross,
he died for all
of our sin.
He knew exactly
what he was taking on.
And the truth is
that we have given
Jesus ample evidence
for him to give up
on us.
And yet the wonder
of grace
is that none of it
has changed
his mind
about us.
And so Paul warns
and he loves
and he woos
and he says
to the Corinthians
to be restored
to my gospel
is to be restored
to Jesus
who loves you
and holds you.
You know,
just as we close,
I remember one of my
first Sundays
at Brunsfield
nearly 13 years ago
and some of you
might have been around
then to have witnessed
this event.
There were three
Chinese girls
who came to Edinburgh
for a university placement
and they were here
before heading home.
And as I got here,
I remember hearing stories
about how they'd come
to faith
during their time
in Scotland
and I witnessed
their baptism.
It was a wonderful morning
seeing three people
being baptized
but I remember
in particular
one of those girls
who will just call Jay
because of the live stream
meeting this girl
called Jay
and Jay was so aware
of what it would cost her
to go back to China
and to declare
that she followed Jesus.
What it was going to cost her
in her society,
what it was going to cost her
in terms of her family,
what it potentially
could have cost her
in terms of her career
aspirations
and being really blown away
by this girl
who was really prepared
to count the cost
for following Jesus.
But here was the million dollar
question.
Is he worth it?
And we knew we wouldn't hear
from her for a long,
long time
just because of the risk
involved in communication
but a few years went by
and I remember the day
when John and I,
John who I worked with
at the time he used to be
the former pastor here,
got the shortest
of emails from her
and he just simply said,
got engaged,
husband and I
going to Bible college
hoping to plant a church
and that was it.
Please pray.
But he was this young girl
who moved to this country,
fell in love with Jesus,
found in Jesus
someone who knew her,
who had died for her,
who loves her
and was holding her
and thought,
I want to follow him
with the rest of my days
when I go back home,
fully prepared
to count the cost
of following Jesus,
our crucified king.
And so let's be encouraged
as we hear Zach's story
this morning.
Is he worth it?
You know,
together resoundingly
we say,
don't we,
as we come together
on a Sunday morning,
yes he is.
So let me just close then
by reading these words
as we pray
from verse 11.
Finally,
brothers and sisters,
rejoice.
Strive for full restoration.
Encourage one another.
Be of one mind.
Live in peace.
And the God of love
and peace
will be with you.
Greet one another
with a holy kiss.
Zach,
you'll get one of them later.
All God's people here
send their greetings
and here's
how we leave it.
May the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God
and the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.
Amen.
And so Father,
we thank you
for this morning
and we just thank you
for being reminded again
that you,
Lord Jesus,
are the one
who came to seek
and to save.
you are the one
in whom
there is life
and life to the full.
And Father,
we thank you
this morning
for being reminded
of the challenge
to make the decision
but also being reminded
of the encouragement
that it is
that there is none like him.
Father,
convince our souls
this morning
whatever's going on
in our lives
as we contemplate
that question,
is he worth it?
to follow
this crucified king,
to embrace
the pattern
of weakness
being the way
of strength.
Is he worth it?
Father,
convince our souls
this morning.
Yes,
he is.
And so it's
in his strong
and in his mighty name
we pray.
Amen.