Chapter 11, 1-15.
2 Corinthians 11, 1-15.
Page 1165 if you have the church Bible.
It's titled Paul and the False Apostles.
I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness.
Yes, please put up with me.
I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy.
I promised you to one husband to Christ
so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.
But I'm afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the snake's cunning,
your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached,
or if you receive a different spirit from the spirit you received,
or a different gospel from the one you accepted,
you put up with it easily enough.
I do not think I am in the least inferior to those super apostles.
I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge.
We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.
Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you
by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge?
I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you.
And when I was with you and needed something,
I was not a burden to anyone,
for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed.
I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way and will continue to do so.
As surely as the truth of Christ is in me,
nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine.
Why?
Because I do not love you?
God knows I do.
And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground
from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal widows
in the things they boast about.
For such people are false apostles,
deceitful workers,
masquerading as apostles of Christ.
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
It is not surprising then,
if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness.
Their end will be what their actions deserve.
Thank you, Connor.
Let's keep our Bibles open.
Thanks, Rob.
As we pray this morning,
before we hear God's word,
I don't know if you know that,
on Tuesday, this coming Tuesday,
it will be four years since the war started in Ukraine.
I sent a message this morning to somebody who we know through Radstock,
Yaroslav, who's a pastor,
and just said that we would pray for them today
as they mark another year of much violence and death and hardship.
So let's pray for them as we look at God's word.
Let's pray.
Father, we thank you for our brothers and sisters in Christ,
in Ukraine,
and those who are also in Russia.
We pray, Father,
for Yaroslav and his church,
that you would give them great courage,
as in the midst of such violence
and such sadness and pain,
they would continue to hold out the hope
that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Please encourage them as they meet as we are meeting today.
Father, love them
and pour out your compassion upon them
and keep them strong,
always following you,
not turning to a different Jesus,
but holding to the truth of the gospel.
Father, as we pray for them,
we pray for ourselves this morning.
We thank you that you know us.
You know what is in our hearts.
You know what is on our minds.
And we need to hear from you today.
And you have given us your word so that we can hear.
And so we ask, Father,
that by your spirit,
that you would take the word that we have listened to
and the words that I speak,
may they be as your words,
speaking hope and encouragement
into each of our lives
and together as your people.
we ask this for our good
and for the glory of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
So complete the sentence.
I'm afraid of
doing exams,
losing my soccer match,
the dark,
spiders.
I'm afraid of
getting sick
or dying.
Well, I'm afraid
of being led
astray.
That's the fear
that Paul has
for the church in Corinth.
Look at verse 3.
But I am afraid
that just as Eve
was deceived
by the snakes
or the serpents cunning,
your minds
may somehow
be led astray
from your sincere
and pure devotion
to Christ.
You remember how
Eve listened to the serpent
and believed his lies?
We just had it read
to us a moment ago.
The serpent said,
you will not
certainly die.
For God knows
that when you eat of it,
your eyes will be opened
and you will be like God
knowing good and evil.
Well, Eve was deceived
and was led astray
from her pure devotion
to God.
And that's Paul's
fear.
He's afraid
that the church
will do the same thing
that Eve
and Adam did.
Look at the end
of verse 3.
That somehow
they would be
led astray
from their sincere
and pure devotion
to Christ.
I wonder if that's
your fear
today.
Do you fear
for those
around you
who you're
sitting beside?
Do you fear
for those
who you haven't
seen for months
and used to come along?
You see,
fear
can be a healthy
emotion
because it can
express
genuine
love
and care.
Look at verse 11.
Why?
Why is
Paul talking
like this?
Because I do
not love you?
God knows
that I do.
I do
love you.
It shows
that if we
fear for one
another,
we are deeply
concerned
about their
relationship
to Christ.
Christ.
But not
only is there
a fear
of being
led astray,
there is a
connected and
related fear.
I'm afraid
of false
teachers.
I'm afraid
of those
who deceive
and lead
people astray.
Look at
verse 5.
Paul says,
I do
not think
I am in
the least
inferior
to those
super
apostles.
Well,
who are
they?
Who are
these
super
apostles?
Do they
have magic
powers?
Well,
they were
the movers
and shakers
of the day.
They were
visiting
preachers
who would
come into
town
and they
really
didn't
have much
time for
the
apostle
Paul.
They
claimed
he was
unimpressive
and untrained.
Look at
chapter 10
verse 10.
For some
say his
letters,
speaking of
Paul,
are weighty
and forceful
but in
person
he is
unimpressive
and his
speaking
amounts to
nothing.
His
preaching
is awful.
Or have
a look at
11
verse 6.
the
accusation
there,
I may
indeed
be
untrained
that he
is an
untrained
speaker.
But far
from being
super
apostles,
these
people
are
actually
super
dangerous.
Verse
13.
Speaking
about them
he puts
it like
this.
Verse
13.
for such
people
are
false
apostles,
deceitful
workers,
masquerading
as apostles
of Christ
and no
wonder for
Satan
himself
masquerades
as an
angel of
light.
It is not
surprising
then if his
servants
also
masquerade
as servants
of righteousness.
their
satanic
tentacles
have gone
deep into
their church.
They present
themselves to
everybody as
Bible
believing,
Christ
loving,
church
serving
people but
they are
deceivers.
Verse
15.
they
masquerade
as an
angel
of
light,
servants
of
righteousness.
Now
we
shouldn't
be
surprised
that
there
are
people
like
this.
Jesus
himself
warned,
watch
out
for
false
prophets.
They
come to
you in
sheep's
clothing
but
inwardly
they
are
ferocious
wolves.
You
see
a false
teacher
can look
just like
me.
They
can
sound
like
me.
They
can
use
the
Bible
like
me.
They
can
sing
songs
of
worship
like
me.
They
can
even
be
baptized
and
be
members
of
a
local
church.
But
here's
the
subtle
difference.
Rather
than
lead
people
to
Christ
they
will
lead
you
astray
from
your
sincere
pure
devotion
to
Christ.
Just
as it
was
for
Eve
in
the
garden
where
the
serpent's
words
sounded
right
and
felt
right
but
it
was
super
dangerous.
So
how can
we
today
guard
our
pure
devotion
to
Christ?
How can
we be
prepared
for
when
false
teachers
scheme
their
way in
and want
to lead
you away
from your
pure
devotion
to
Christ?
How can
we be
prepared
and guard
ourselves?
Well we're
going to look
at two
things.
Remember
your true
love
and
remember
the free
gospel.
So here's
the first
one.
Remember
your
true
love.
Look at
verse 2
of
chapter
11.
I hope
you will
put up
with
sorry
verse 2
I am
jealous
for you
with a
godly
jealousy.
I promised
you to
one husband
to Christ
so that
I might
present
you
as a
pure
virgin
to
him.
the
picture
here is
beautiful
and
intimate.
It's
saying
that the
Christian
life
is like
one
long
engagement.
On the
one hand
Christ
is the
husband
and the
church
is the
bride
or the
wife
to be.
And this
relationship
will be
celebrated
in a
marriage
feast
when
Christ
the
true
husband
comes
again
for
his
bride
the
church.
This
will
happen
at
the
end
of
time.
The
engagement
period
will be
over
and the
marriage
between
Christ
and his
church
will
begin.
You
see
Christ
is
our
husband
who
is
full
of
love
for
his
bride
the
church.
In
fact
the
Bible
uses
this
imagery
to
describe
God's
relationship
to
his
people.
This
comes
from
Hosea
chapter
2.
Look
at the
words
that are
used.
In
that
day
declares
the
Lord
you
will
call
me
my
husband.
You
will
no
longer
call
me
my
master.
I
will
betroth
you
to
me
forever.
I
will
betroth
you
in
righteousness
and
justice
in
love
and
compassion.
I
will
betroth
you
in
faithfulness
and
you
will
acknowledge
the
Lord.
You
see
God
is
saying
my
love
for
you
is
steadfast
and
loyal.
I
am
committed
to
you
in
a
marriage
relationship.
Now
if
Christ
on the
one
hand
is
the
husband
and
the
church
on the
other
side
is
the
bride
then
Paul
in
some
ways
has
been
the
matchmaker
hasn't
he?
Because
through
the
gospel
Paul
has
introduced
the
Corinthians
to
Christ.
Verse
2
he says
I
promised
you
to
one
husband
as
they
trusted
Christ
so
they
were
committing
themselves
to
Christ.
so
he
was
the
one
who
introduced
them
to
one
another
but
that's
not
the
end
of
Paul's
role
look
what
it
says
at
the
end
of
verse
2
so
that
I
might
present
you
as
a
pure
virgin
to
him
as
Paul
continues
to
teach
the
word
and
encourage
the
church
so
he
wants
them
to
be
clean
and
pure
one
day
Christ
the
husband
will
come
again
for
his
bride
one
day
that
wedding
feast
is
going
to
take
place
but
until
that
time
through
the
engagement
period
he
is
saying
I
want
you
to
be
ready
like
a
pure
virgin
his
concern
is that
they
would
not
be
led
astray
from
their
pure
devotion
to
Christ
now
if
you're
a
Christian
here
today
that's
how
we
should
see
our
relationship
to
Christ
I
wonder
what
image
comes
to
mind
when
you
say
yes
I
am
in
Christ
well
here's
the
image
we're
to
have
we're
in
a
long
engagement
waiting
for our
true
husband
to
come
so
that
the
marriage
can
begin
for
all
eternity
and as
we
wait
we
seek
to
become
pure
and
more
beautiful
and
more
righteous
ready
for
Christ
when
he
comes
but
we're
not
only
waiting
for
our
husband
we
are
to
be
watchful
of
those
deceiving
teachers
or
deceitful
lovers
look
at
verse
four
for
if
someone
comes
to
you
and
preaches
a
Jesus
other
than
the
Jesus
we
preached
or
if
you
receive
a
different
spirit
from
the
spirit
you
received
or
a
different
gospel
from
the
one
you
accepted
you
put
up
with
it
easily
enough
here
he's
speaking
to
the
church
they've
believed
the
true
gospel
they've
received
the
true
spirit
they've
accepted
the
true
Jesus
but
it's
now
their
heads
are
turned
or
literally
their
hearts
are
beginning
to
drift
away
they've
been
deceived
or
seduced
by
different
Jesus
or a
different
gospel
and look
at the
end of
verse
four
they don't
seem
to be
bothered
they just
put up
with it
now the
picture here
is really
quite
striking
it's
like a
bride
who
is
pledged
to be
married
carrying
on with
every
man
that
makes
eyes
at her
in
and out
of
every
bed
being
deceived
by the
promise
of false
love
despite
the fact
that she's
engaged
and has
a faithful
groom
waiting
for her
she just
carries
on as
she
pleases
well that's
what Paul
is presenting
here to the
church
he's
saying
you're
engaged
to
Christ
he's
your
true
husband
but look
at you
you're
messing
about
with
false
lovers
I
wonder
if that's
true of
you
or me
promised
to one
husband
who is
Christ
but flirting
with other
loves
and passions
being
deceived
by a
different
gospel
and a
different
Jesus
the
message
that says
something
like this
Jesus
wants you
to be
happy
so choose
the way
you want
to live
or as
long as
you're
following
Jesus
you don't
have to
bother
with the
church
or
listen to
what
Jesus
is saying
to your
heart
today
and
don't
worry
about
the
Bible
oh I
like that
kind of
Jesus
I like
that gospel
that sounds
good
like Eve
we can
become so
easily
deceived
and led
astray
from our
sincere
and pure
devotion
to Christ
or are we
becoming more
beautiful
and pure
and falling
in deeper
love
with our
true
lover
you see
we all
need to
come back
to
our
true
love
look at
verse 2
do you see
the way
Paul presents
himself
verse 2
I am
jealous
for you
with a
godly
jealousy
can be
healthy
in the
right
context
especially
when it
comes to
relationships
so you
could imagine
a father
who has
an only
daughter
who's
engaged
to be
married
to a
good
man
well how
does he
respond
when other
admirers
come knocking
at the
door
out of
jealousy
for his
daughter
he will
kick
them out
and protect
her
well Paul
is
jealous
for the
church
he's
like a
father
to them
the church
is like
his
only
daughter
and he
loves her
so much
that he
will do
whatever
it takes
to keep
her
for her
true
love
now that's
a beautiful
picture
of the
jealousy
that we
can have
for one
another
not wanting
anyone
to come
between
our pure
devotion
to Christ
that's why
we here
at this
church
have a
membership
we're giving
permission
to one
another
to watch
out for
each other
so if
I'm
going
astray
I expect
you to
come alongside
me
because you
love me
and you're
jealous for
me
Johnny
remember
your true
love
you have
one husband
Christ
don't be
led astray
come back
to your
true love
well how
do we do
this
practically
how do we
come back
to our
true love
how do we
remain
and not
be pulled
away
well second
we remember
the free
gospel
as we've
read
there were
false
teachers
lurking
around the
corner
but Paul
reminds the
church
what he
has to
offer
verse 6
I may
indeed
he says
be an
untrained
as a
speaker
or preacher
but you
know what
I've got
knowledge
he's not
particularly
impressive
he's not
sophisticated
he's nothing
special
but he
does have
knowledge
and what's
the knowledge
that he
has
what's
this
information
what
does he
have
well we're
told at
the end
of verse
7
the
knowledge
is
the
preaching
of the
gospel
of God
the
knowledge
is
beginning
at verse
10
the truth
of Christ
that is
in me
the
knowledge
that Paul
has been
given
is
the
gospel
the
good
news
the
truth
about
Christ
you see
it's
through
the
gospel
that we
are
introduced
to Christ
as our
true love
and in
Christ
we
experience
the truth
of the
gospel
that in
Christ
we find
life
not
death
reconciliation
not
condemnation
forgiveness
not fear
eternal
glory
not just
temporary
joy
we have
been made
righteous
and we
have become
rich
our
true
love
has
committed
himself
to us
and we
find it
all
contained
in the
knowledge
of the
gospel
as we
believe it
and trust
it
and the
good news
is
this
gospel
truth
is
absolutely
free
you see
the false
teachers
that were
around about
the church
were
charging
a sum
of money
and the
larger
the price
you put
on your
ticket
well the
better the
speaker
you were
so you
could imagine
we put a
sign outside
Johnny Grant
preaching today
only 50
euro
would people
come
well in
those days
if you
fixed a
high price
well people
came to
hear you
but Paul
isn't going
to do that
is he
look at
verse 7
was it a
sin for
me to
lower
myself
in order
to elevate
you by
preaching
the gospel
of God
to you
free of
charge
verse 9
and when I
was with
you and
needed
something
I was
not a
burden
to anyone
for the
brothers who
came from
Macedonia
supplied
what I
needed
I have
kept
myself
from being
a burden
to you
in any
way
and I'm
going to
continue
to do
this
I'm
going to
keep
preaching
this
true
gospel
free
of
charge
so that
you will
not be
led
astray
from your
pure
devotion
to
Christ
but there's
something else
about this
free gospel
this free
gospel
is a
picture
of the
gospel
itself
Paul
preaching
without
putting
any
charge
on it
was also
a
demonstration
to show
that the
gospel
is free
that the
love of
Christ
our true
love
has given
his life
to us
freely
Martin
Luther
from the
reformation
explained it
like this
he said
Christ
speaking
of
Christ
is like
a rich
king
who marries
a wicked
harlot
and in that
marriage
a wonderful
exchange
takes place
whereby
the rich
king
takes
all the
shame
and debt
of his
bride
and the
harlot
receives
all the
wealth
and royal
status
of her
bridegroom
commenting
on the
picture
Luther
says
for if
Christ
is a
bridegroom
he must
take upon
himself
the things
which are
his bride
and bestow
upon her
the things
that are
his
and so
the bride
can say
all that
is his
is mine
and all
that is
mine
is his
what a
beautiful
picture
of the
gospel
that Christ
would take
all our
mess
and all
our sin
and all
our shame
and all
our debt
and give
us
the riches
of himself
remember
what
the gospel
is
look back
to chapter
8 verse
9
this is how
Paul puts
it
chapter 8
verse 9
for you
know the
grace
of our
Lord Jesus
Christ
that though
he was
rich
yet for
your sake
he became
poor
so that
you
through
his
poverty
might
become
rich
the
great
king
who
was
rich
took
our
poverty
of sin
and gave
us
his
riches
you see
here
by coming
to the
gospel
by remembering
the free
gospel
we guard
ourselves
against
false
teachers
by reminding
one another
of our
true love
that in
Christ
we have
been
eternally
loved
and we
will be
loved
for an
eternity
and that
love is
steadfast
and that
love will
never end
and will
never break
we have
been promised
to one
husband
the Lord
Jesus
Christ
who gave
his life
so that we
can share
in his
life
by bringing
us back
to our
true love
we will
not be
led astray
from our
sincere
and pure
devotion
to Christ
let us
always
be reminding
ourselves
of the
gospel
so that we
are firm
in the love
of Christ
forever
let's
pray
Lord God
we asked
at the
beginning of
this sermon
that you
would speak
to our
hearts
according
to our
need
I pray
that
each of
us
would
understand
something
afresh
of your
unfaithful
your faithful
steadfast
love
who never
lets us
go
would you
keep us
looking
unto
Christ
so that
we would
never
drift
away
but remain
firmly
devoted
to Jesus
thank you
that you
have us
in the
grip of
your loving
arms
and that
you will
never
ever
let us
go
amen