WEBVTT 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:09.460 We're going to be in 2 Corinthians chapter 11. 00:00:13.539 --> 00:00:16.920 We're going to read the first 14, 15 verses, 00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:20.859 excuse me. We won't go through verse by verse. 00:00:23.019 --> 00:00:26.199 It's kind of, in some way, really similar to 00:00:26.199 --> 00:00:28.239 what we've talked about and seen throughout the 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:32.490 book. It's more of Paul. defending himself and 00:00:32.490 --> 00:00:35.570 trying to get the Corinthians to listen to him 00:00:35.570 --> 00:00:39.170 and not give in to the teachings of these false 00:00:39.170 --> 00:00:42.289 teachers that are preaching things that are not 00:00:42.289 --> 00:00:46.530 of God. So we see more of that. So I would encourage 00:00:46.530 --> 00:00:49.450 you this week, if you want to read and spend 00:00:49.450 --> 00:00:51.590 a little more time on these verses, since we're 00:00:51.590 --> 00:00:53.310 not going to look at all of them in great detail. 00:00:53.960 --> 00:00:56.640 It's pretty self -explanatory. We'll see as we 00:00:56.640 --> 00:00:59.899 read through these verses. We kind of can understand 00:00:59.899 --> 00:01:03.299 what's going on. And then we'll pick a couple 00:01:03.299 --> 00:01:07.099 of verses and spend a little time on them. But 00:01:07.099 --> 00:01:10.900 we'll read through 2 Corinthians chapter 11, 00:01:11.159 --> 00:01:20.159 verse 1. I wish you would put up with a little 00:01:20.159 --> 00:01:24.409 foolishness from me. Yes, do put up with me, 00:01:24.510 --> 00:01:28.469 for I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, 00:01:28.769 --> 00:01:32.069 because I have promised you in marriage to one 00:01:32.069 --> 00:01:36.590 husband to present a pure virgin to Christ. But 00:01:36.590 --> 00:01:39.469 I fear that as the serpent deceived Eve by his 00:01:39.469 --> 00:01:43.489 cunning, your minds may be seduced from a complete 00:01:43.489 --> 00:01:47.769 and pure devotion to Christ. For if a person 00:01:47.769 --> 00:01:50.870 comes and preaches another Jesus, whom we did 00:01:50.870 --> 00:01:54.019 not preach, Or you receive a different spirit, 00:01:54.140 --> 00:01:57.599 which you had not received, or a different gospel, 00:01:57.819 --> 00:02:01.000 which you had not accepted, you put up with it 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:05.519 splendidly. Now I consider myself in no way inferior 00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:09.979 to the super apostles. Though untrained in public 00:02:09.979 --> 00:02:12.699 speaking, I am certainly not untrained in knowledge. 00:02:13.400 --> 00:02:16.680 Indeed, we have always made that clear to you 00:02:16.680 --> 00:02:20.580 in everything. Or did I commit a sin by humbling 00:02:20.580 --> 00:02:23.860 myself? so that you might be exalted, because 00:02:23.860 --> 00:02:26.780 I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge. 00:02:27.500 --> 00:02:30.759 I robbed other churches by taking pay from them 00:02:30.759 --> 00:02:34.599 to minister to you. When I was present with you 00:02:34.599 --> 00:02:38.099 and in need, I did not burden anyone. For the 00:02:38.099 --> 00:02:40.800 brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:44.539 needs. I have kept myself and will keep myself 00:02:44.539 --> 00:02:49.400 from burdening you in any way. As the truth of 00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:53.210 Christ is in me, This boasting of mine will not 00:02:53.210 --> 00:02:58.310 be stopped in the regions of Achaia. Why? Because 00:02:58.310 --> 00:03:03.689 I don't love you. God knows I do. But I will 00:03:03.689 --> 00:03:07.270 continue to do what I am doing in order to deny 00:03:07.270 --> 00:03:09.729 the opportunity of those who want an opportunity 00:03:09.729 --> 00:03:13.370 to be regarded just as our equals in what they 00:03:13.370 --> 00:03:17.090 boast about. For such people are false apostles, 00:03:17.550 --> 00:03:22.180 deceitful workers. disguising themselves as apostles 00:03:22.180 --> 00:03:26.580 of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan disguises 00:03:26.580 --> 00:03:30.740 himself as an angel of light. So it is no great 00:03:30.740 --> 00:03:33.520 thing if his servants also disguise themselves 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:38.099 as servants of righteousness. Their destiny will 00:03:38.099 --> 00:03:43.580 be according to their works. Let's pray. God, 00:03:43.659 --> 00:03:45.639 we come to you. We thank you for these good words. 00:03:45.780 --> 00:03:50.189 And I pray, God, that we can... see Paul's passion 00:03:50.189 --> 00:03:53.370 and Paul's zeal here for the people of Corinth, 00:03:53.569 --> 00:03:57.069 that his main desire, God, is that they are not 00:03:57.069 --> 00:04:00.129 led astray, but that they remember the truth 00:04:00.129 --> 00:04:02.430 of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the truth that 00:04:02.430 --> 00:04:04.210 they had heard, the truth that they had accepted. 00:04:04.990 --> 00:04:08.430 And God, I pray the same for us tonight. Maybe 00:04:08.430 --> 00:04:10.849 we are presented with things or maybe we begin 00:04:10.849 --> 00:04:13.229 to stray off in one way or another, dear Lord, 00:04:13.310 --> 00:04:16.879 sometimes. And I pray. that we would look at 00:04:16.879 --> 00:04:18.800 these scriptures, that your Holy Spirit would 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:21.540 speak to us tonight, that you would give me just 00:04:21.540 --> 00:04:23.879 a few words to say that will be for your glory 00:04:23.879 --> 00:04:26.360 and your honor. I pray that you would hide me 00:04:26.360 --> 00:04:28.100 behind the cross, dear Lord, that you would let 00:04:28.100 --> 00:04:30.439 your Holy Spirit speak to us tonight in these 00:04:30.439 --> 00:04:36.300 words. In Jesus' name I pray it. Amen. Again, 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:40.399 we see this idea that Paul addresses, and he 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:43.670 calls out, what's in quotations in our Bible 00:04:43.670 --> 00:04:46.949 as what some are referring to, obviously, as 00:04:46.949 --> 00:04:51.329 super apostles. And so, sure, maybe they thought 00:04:51.329 --> 00:04:54.949 well of Paul in some way, but there were these 00:04:54.949 --> 00:04:58.529 other apostles, and they were the super apostles. 00:04:58.670 --> 00:05:00.569 Oh, yeah, Paul's good, but if you heard this 00:05:00.569 --> 00:05:04.259 guy. Paul, he kind of stumbles around in his 00:05:04.259 --> 00:05:08.000 speech. He's not a good speaker. He's kind of 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:10.720 weak. But this guy right here, have you seen 00:05:10.720 --> 00:05:13.680 this guy? This big preacher, boy, he has got 00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:18.079 a presence. He can speak in such a way that he 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:21.420 draws our attention or he's entertaining or whatever 00:05:21.420 --> 00:05:24.259 it may be. And we would way rather listen to 00:05:24.259 --> 00:05:27.980 this guy than Paul. And this guy, it appears, 00:05:28.829 --> 00:05:32.170 is asking for some money, and they're joyfully 00:05:32.170 --> 00:05:35.470 giving these people money to preach what is a 00:05:35.470 --> 00:05:39.709 false gospel, all the while Paul is a humble 00:05:39.709 --> 00:05:43.269 servant of Christ. He says, look, I haven't asked 00:05:43.269 --> 00:05:45.769 you for a penny. I've come here just because 00:05:45.769 --> 00:05:49.490 I love you. I haven't put any burden on you, 00:05:49.629 --> 00:05:53.610 but yet you won't listen to what I'm saying. 00:05:54.449 --> 00:05:56.329 Now, these people are preaching and teaching 00:05:56.329 --> 00:05:59.430 foolishness to you. And you're just giving them 00:05:59.430 --> 00:06:01.550 all your money and you're just listening to them. 00:06:01.589 --> 00:06:06.470 Why? Because they're a smooth talker? But are 00:06:06.470 --> 00:06:08.269 you listening to the message that they're saying 00:06:08.269 --> 00:06:11.810 or just in the way that it's presented? And we 00:06:11.810 --> 00:06:14.310 have to be careful because I think we can fall 00:06:14.310 --> 00:06:17.389 into that same trap today. Now, it is a whole 00:06:17.389 --> 00:06:19.470 lot better to listen to somebody speak that's 00:06:19.470 --> 00:06:21.269 a good speaker than somebody that's not a good 00:06:21.269 --> 00:06:24.339 speaker. We all would agree with that. We've 00:06:24.339 --> 00:06:26.360 all heard good speakers. We've all heard bad 00:06:26.360 --> 00:06:28.720 speakers. We probably at some point in our time 00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:30.720 have been a good speaker or been a bad speaker. 00:06:31.180 --> 00:06:33.160 There are some times where, man, things just 00:06:33.160 --> 00:06:35.220 come out good, and other times we kind of mumble 00:06:35.220 --> 00:06:38.800 and stumble and bumble around. But what Paul 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:43.180 says is don't pay attention to how flashy they 00:06:43.180 --> 00:06:47.360 may be or how good of a speaker they may be or 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:50.980 how entertaining they may be. What are they preaching 00:06:50.980 --> 00:06:55.629 to you? What are their lives showing to you? 00:06:56.449 --> 00:06:59.810 Now Paul admits, okay, maybe I'm not a good speaker. 00:07:00.310 --> 00:07:04.769 Maybe I'm not as entertaining. Maybe I don't 00:07:04.769 --> 00:07:06.990 hold your attention in the same way. Maybe I 00:07:06.990 --> 00:07:09.129 kind of drown on. Maybe I get down some rabbit 00:07:09.129 --> 00:07:11.370 holes. Maybe I kind of stutter. Maybe I kind 00:07:11.370 --> 00:07:13.829 of stumble. But Paul says, what I have taught 00:07:13.829 --> 00:07:16.389 you and what I have brought before you, I bring 00:07:16.389 --> 00:07:20.670 it to you in love. And it's evident. That I have 00:07:20.670 --> 00:07:23.170 come to serve you. I've humbly come to serve 00:07:23.170 --> 00:07:26.250 you. I'm not asking you for anything. There's 00:07:26.250 --> 00:07:28.449 other people that have supported me. And I'm 00:07:28.449 --> 00:07:30.790 not even asking you for anything now, he says. 00:07:31.970 --> 00:07:34.529 I'm boasting in that. I'm boasting in the fact 00:07:34.529 --> 00:07:37.569 that I have come here out of love. And that's 00:07:37.569 --> 00:07:39.810 why he says at the very beginning of this passage. 00:07:40.829 --> 00:07:43.069 I wish you would put up with a little foolishness 00:07:43.069 --> 00:07:47.600 from me. Now what Paul is saying is. Not foolishness 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:50.000 at all. He's preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:07:50.259 --> 00:07:53.459 It's not foolish. The world would sometimes say 00:07:53.459 --> 00:07:56.439 it's foolish, but Paul's making the point here. 00:07:56.879 --> 00:08:00.100 These guys have come onto the scene, and you 00:08:00.100 --> 00:08:03.180 are falling for everything that they say, hook, 00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:08.240 line, and sinker. And it's all foolishness. So 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:10.319 if you'd give them all your time and all your 00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:12.839 money, would you just pay attention to me for 00:08:12.839 --> 00:08:14.860 just a little bit and listen to what I'm trying 00:08:14.860 --> 00:08:18.740 to say to you? And we have to be on guard for 00:08:18.740 --> 00:08:22.060 that same thing in our world today. Now, it's 00:08:22.060 --> 00:08:23.500 nothing wrong with people who can speak well 00:08:23.500 --> 00:08:25.600 or people who are funny or people who are entertaining 00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:27.480 or people who can hold your attention. That's 00:08:27.480 --> 00:08:31.220 not sinful in and of itself. But there's a lot 00:08:31.220 --> 00:08:33.820 of people who may be gifted in those ways and 00:08:33.820 --> 00:08:39.299 they use those gifts for their own good. It's 00:08:39.299 --> 00:08:41.720 a lot of people that'll go to church. They'll 00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:45.570 be drawn in by... by the way a preacher looks 00:08:45.570 --> 00:08:48.210 or the way he dresses. Or maybe he is a really 00:08:48.210 --> 00:08:49.929 good speaker. Praise the Lord. That's a gift 00:08:49.929 --> 00:08:52.610 from God. And a lot of people will be drawn to 00:08:52.610 --> 00:08:56.350 those things all the while not really paying 00:08:56.350 --> 00:08:58.470 attention to the message that's being preached. 00:08:59.429 --> 00:09:01.490 There's a lot of good preachers preaching a lot 00:09:01.490 --> 00:09:05.669 of good messages. Praise the Lord. But as it 00:09:05.669 --> 00:09:09.129 is in the case of Paul, there's always going 00:09:09.129 --> 00:09:10.950 to be a lot of bad preachers preaching a lot 00:09:10.950 --> 00:09:13.679 of bad stuff too. that are not preaching for 00:09:13.679 --> 00:09:16.039 the kingdom of God, that are not preaching for 00:09:16.039 --> 00:09:18.539 the glory of God, that are not preaching the 00:09:18.539 --> 00:09:21.279 word of God. They may quote the word of God, 00:09:21.320 --> 00:09:25.080 but they're not focused on what the word of God 00:09:25.080 --> 00:09:28.759 really says. And a lot of times, for whatever 00:09:28.759 --> 00:09:31.980 reason, our world today is not any different 00:09:31.980 --> 00:09:34.840 than it was in Paul's day. For whatever reason, 00:09:34.940 --> 00:09:37.200 it seems like a lot of times these are the people 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:40.019 that attract the biggest crowds. In whatever 00:09:40.019 --> 00:09:43.519 way they put on a show and entertain and speak 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:46.340 and preach, if you'd call it that, in whatever 00:09:46.340 --> 00:09:49.159 way that they do that, that in some way is attracting 00:09:49.159 --> 00:09:51.960 to people. While you may have some other preacher 00:09:51.960 --> 00:09:53.860 that's preaching his heart out and maybe he's 00:09:53.860 --> 00:09:57.080 not as flashy or as good a speaker, and his church 00:09:57.080 --> 00:10:00.159 might not have but 20 people in it, and he might 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:02.559 have preached 1 ,000 messages that are better 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:04.379 than anything that they've ever preached, but 00:10:04.379 --> 00:10:07.500 yet there are some people that will fill up stadiums. 00:10:08.269 --> 00:10:12.470 with a false gospel. And so that hasn't changed. 00:10:13.210 --> 00:10:15.669 These are people who started out right here in 00:10:15.669 --> 00:10:18.710 the real gospel and all of a sudden some other 00:10:18.710 --> 00:10:21.190 flashy person has come in and they are just all 00:10:21.190 --> 00:10:24.389 about following him. And Paul says, would you 00:10:24.389 --> 00:10:27.850 just listen to me? And we need to be careful 00:10:27.850 --> 00:10:30.570 because, look, we got phones and we got TVs and 00:10:30.570 --> 00:10:33.970 we all listen to our favorite preachers and Bible 00:10:33.970 --> 00:10:36.559 teachers. Maybe it's just for a... a few minutes 00:10:36.559 --> 00:10:40.399 on a segment on the radio, or maybe we look for 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:42.360 their sermons on YouTube and watch them or their 00:10:42.360 --> 00:10:44.779 studies and we listen to them, and that is all 00:10:44.779 --> 00:10:48.620 well and good. But we always need to look at 00:10:48.620 --> 00:10:51.899 what is being taught, not how well necessarily 00:10:51.899 --> 00:10:54.299 it's being taught. There are a lot of people 00:10:54.299 --> 00:10:57.340 out there that speak a lot of stuff really eloquently, 00:10:57.480 --> 00:10:59.759 and they are just as big of lies as anything 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:03.059 you ever heard. And boy, we can be drawn into 00:11:03.059 --> 00:11:06.370 that. And so we always want to check what we 00:11:06.370 --> 00:11:09.669 hear with the Word of God, no matter who preaches 00:11:09.669 --> 00:11:13.070 it to you or who teaches it to you. Even if it's 00:11:13.070 --> 00:11:16.009 somebody you trust. Because even people you trust 00:11:16.009 --> 00:11:18.289 make mistakes. It's not that everybody's trying 00:11:18.289 --> 00:11:21.950 to mislead you. But we always need to check the 00:11:21.950 --> 00:11:24.309 Word of God. And we don't always have to agree 00:11:24.309 --> 00:11:26.649 on the Word of God. There may be things that 00:11:26.649 --> 00:11:29.049 we read a scripture and we may have some difference 00:11:29.049 --> 00:11:33.000 of opinion on it. And in many ways, many areas, 00:11:33.100 --> 00:11:36.340 that's okay. But what we always want to make 00:11:36.340 --> 00:11:39.120 sure we do is check what the Word of God says. 00:11:40.379 --> 00:11:42.559 Sometimes it doesn't take us long to look at 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:45.419 the Word of God to see that, wait a minute, what 00:11:45.419 --> 00:11:47.980 this person told me about Jesus, about God, about 00:11:47.980 --> 00:11:51.100 God's Word, doesn't line up. Maybe I need to 00:11:51.100 --> 00:11:53.019 do some research to make sure I understood what 00:11:53.019 --> 00:11:57.480 they said. Maybe... I need to check God's Word. 00:11:57.539 --> 00:12:00.059 I need to check them. And ultimately, God's Word's 00:12:00.059 --> 00:12:03.259 always going to win. We need to be careful that 00:12:03.259 --> 00:12:05.820 we don't get drawn away. Paul says, I wish you'd 00:12:05.820 --> 00:12:08.559 put up with a little foolishness from me. Yes, 00:12:08.600 --> 00:12:10.600 do put up with me. And listen to what he says 00:12:10.600 --> 00:12:14.100 in verse 2. For I am jealous over you with a 00:12:14.100 --> 00:12:18.259 godly jealousy. Now, isn't that something? Now, 00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:22.120 we often think of jealousy as always being a 00:12:22.120 --> 00:12:25.120 bad thing. But it is not always a bad thing. 00:12:25.720 --> 00:12:28.379 Now, I would say more times than not in our life 00:12:28.379 --> 00:12:32.720 it is a bad thing because we are jealous of somebody 00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:36.259 else's cool car or somebody else's TV or somebody 00:12:36.259 --> 00:12:39.940 else's husband or their wife or somebody else's 00:12:39.940 --> 00:12:43.299 job or somebody else's preacher or somebody else's 00:12:43.299 --> 00:12:45.240 whatever it is. I mean, there are lots of things 00:12:45.240 --> 00:12:48.100 that we may be jealous of, and those things are 00:12:48.100 --> 00:12:51.340 not good. When we desire something that somebody 00:12:51.340 --> 00:12:54.600 else has and we want it for ourselves so that 00:12:54.600 --> 00:12:57.159 we can be like them or so we can feel as good 00:12:57.159 --> 00:12:59.480 as them or as important as them or as cool as 00:12:59.480 --> 00:13:02.000 them, when we have that kind of jealousy that 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:05.000 we long for the things of other people, that 00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:08.179 is an unhealthy jealousy. And it's unhealthy 00:13:08.179 --> 00:13:10.919 because with that kind of jealousy, man, if it 00:13:10.919 --> 00:13:14.460 begins to eat away at us, we will do all kind 00:13:14.460 --> 00:13:16.820 of things to obtain the things that we are jealous 00:13:16.820 --> 00:13:20.990 for. Jealousy is a bad thing, okay? Scripture 00:13:20.990 --> 00:13:22.970 talks about jealousy not being a good thing. 00:13:23.129 --> 00:13:27.470 But not all jealousy is bad. And we know that 00:13:27.470 --> 00:13:30.950 for a fact because in Exodus chapter 20 verse 00:13:30.950 --> 00:13:37.409 5, God says, for I am a jealous God. God's not 00:13:37.409 --> 00:13:40.789 a sinner. God doesn't sin. But yet God himself 00:13:40.789 --> 00:13:43.779 says that he is jealous. When does he say that? 00:13:43.860 --> 00:13:45.480 Well, when he's given the Ten Commandments. He 00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:48.679 says, don't worship any other idols. You're not 00:13:48.679 --> 00:13:51.139 supposed to have any other gods before me, for 00:13:51.139 --> 00:13:56.440 I am a jealous God. So there is a, as Paul would 00:13:56.440 --> 00:13:59.899 say here, a godly jealousy. Now what does God 00:13:59.899 --> 00:14:03.899 say in Exodus chapter 20? He says, look, you 00:14:03.899 --> 00:14:09.559 are my people, and I am your God. And when you 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:12.320 go and you begin to worship and seek out other 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:16.240 gods, you are mine. And I'm jealous when you 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:19.360 are seeking somebody else because you are mine. 00:14:19.799 --> 00:14:22.460 You can think of it in the same way that if you're 00:14:22.460 --> 00:14:25.159 a husband or if you're a wife and somebody starts 00:14:25.159 --> 00:14:27.679 flirting with your husband or wife or they start 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:30.259 flirting with somebody else, well, that's your 00:14:30.259 --> 00:14:32.240 husband, that's your wife, that's your spouse. 00:14:33.049 --> 00:14:35.830 You're not coveting and seeking and being jealous 00:14:35.830 --> 00:14:38.110 for something that somebody else has. That's 00:14:38.110 --> 00:14:41.970 yours. And you want it to be yours. And that's 00:14:41.970 --> 00:14:44.129 not something to be shared with anybody else 00:14:44.129 --> 00:14:47.929 because you love that person. And that's the 00:14:47.929 --> 00:14:50.309 kind of jealousy that God had for his people. 00:14:50.889 --> 00:14:54.549 And that's the same idea I think that Paul has 00:14:54.549 --> 00:14:58.309 here. And he says so as we continue on. For I 00:14:58.309 --> 00:15:02.830 am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. Because 00:15:02.830 --> 00:15:06.230 I have promised you in marriage to one husband 00:15:06.230 --> 00:15:11.389 to present a pure virgin to Christ. What does 00:15:11.389 --> 00:15:14.429 he say? He says, you are the bride of Christ. 00:15:14.809 --> 00:15:17.809 And what does the bride need to be? This is lost 00:15:17.809 --> 00:15:20.830 in our society today. But we need to make sure 00:15:20.830 --> 00:15:22.490 we know it and we need to make sure that it's 00:15:22.490 --> 00:15:24.289 important that our young people, that our young 00:15:24.289 --> 00:15:27.570 ladies know that it is important to be pure for 00:15:27.570 --> 00:15:31.340 your husband. That's a big deal. It's not stressed, 00:15:31.580 --> 00:15:34.419 it's not considered important in our world, but 00:15:34.419 --> 00:15:38.379 it is important. It's a beautiful thing when 00:15:38.379 --> 00:15:41.159 a husband can remain pure and a bride can remain 00:15:41.159 --> 00:15:43.779 pure until they come together and get married. 00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:46.500 And that's the illustration that we see of us 00:15:46.500 --> 00:15:49.799 in Jesus. That Jesus is our groom and that we 00:15:49.799 --> 00:15:53.879 are the bride of Christ. And what does Paul say? 00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:57.379 He says, look, I've... I've promised you to somebody 00:15:57.379 --> 00:15:59.659 in marriage. That is, I have come to you and 00:15:59.659 --> 00:16:01.879 I have told you about Jesus Christ so that you 00:16:01.879 --> 00:16:04.320 would enter into a relationship with him and 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:06.860 that marriage bond. And one day there's going 00:16:06.860 --> 00:16:09.559 to be a great wedding banquet and you're going 00:16:09.559 --> 00:16:11.759 to go and you're going to be the bride of Christ. 00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:15.580 He said, you're promised to God. You are God. 00:16:15.700 --> 00:16:19.019 You are in Jesus Christ. But you're not living 00:16:19.019 --> 00:16:21.539 in a pure way. I don't want you to live this 00:16:21.539 --> 00:16:24.509 way. I don't want you to act this way. I don't 00:16:24.509 --> 00:16:27.350 want you to cheat on the Jesus you know with 00:16:27.350 --> 00:16:30.350 a Jesus that you shouldn't be fooling with. It 00:16:30.350 --> 00:16:33.009 ain't the same Jesus. He talks about that a little 00:16:33.009 --> 00:16:34.730 bit in the verses here that we're about to see. 00:16:35.710 --> 00:16:39.590 He says, look, I want you to be pure. Everything 00:16:39.590 --> 00:16:41.629 that he's saying to them, and some of it with 00:16:41.629 --> 00:16:45.509 some sternness, he says it because he loves them. 00:16:45.950 --> 00:16:49.029 And he does not want to see them abandon God. 00:16:49.629 --> 00:16:52.950 These are people that he has poured into. And 00:16:52.950 --> 00:16:56.450 he's exposed them to the gospel. And some of 00:16:56.450 --> 00:16:58.490 them have followed the gospel and put their faith 00:16:58.490 --> 00:17:01.509 in Jesus. Praise the Lord. But now they're in 00:17:01.509 --> 00:17:05.150 danger of these wolves in sheep's clothing. In 00:17:05.150 --> 00:17:10.309 verse 3, he says, But I fear that as the serpent 00:17:10.309 --> 00:17:14.609 deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be 00:17:14.609 --> 00:17:18.329 seduced from a complete and pure devotion to 00:17:18.329 --> 00:17:23.019 Christ. Now I want you to think about that verse 00:17:23.019 --> 00:17:28.559 for a second tonight. In your own life. Think 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:30.420 about that verse. I want to read it again and 00:17:30.420 --> 00:17:31.900 think about that in your own life. Are there 00:17:31.900 --> 00:17:35.259 areas in your own life that we may be deceived? 00:17:35.900 --> 00:17:39.299 He says, but I fear that as the serpent deceived 00:17:39.299 --> 00:17:43.440 Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:46.680 from a complete and pure devotion to Christ. 00:17:48.460 --> 00:17:51.359 Do our minds have a complete and pure devotion 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:57.079 to Christ? Maybe they do, but maybe they don't. 00:17:57.940 --> 00:18:01.259 Maybe our minds are seduced to think about the 00:18:01.259 --> 00:18:05.500 things of the world, the things that we are jealous 00:18:05.500 --> 00:18:10.160 for, the things that we really desire. Maybe 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:12.519 it's seduced to think about things that we worry 00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:15.779 about. There's a lot of things that are going 00:18:15.779 --> 00:18:18.059 through our mind. There's a lot of things that 00:18:18.059 --> 00:18:20.180 are fighting for our attention. And if we're 00:18:20.180 --> 00:18:22.900 not careful, and I suspect if we're all honest, 00:18:23.019 --> 00:18:25.799 we would say that there are times that our minds 00:18:25.799 --> 00:18:30.740 are pulled from being completely devoted to Jesus 00:18:30.740 --> 00:18:34.700 Christ. And we want to be, and that's not saying 00:18:34.700 --> 00:18:37.160 that we're not Christians. It's just saying that 00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:40.900 sometimes we sin, and sometimes maybe we're like 00:18:40.900 --> 00:18:43.410 the Corinthians here. Now, boy, we like to read 00:18:43.410 --> 00:18:44.910 these passages and say, oh, those Corinthians, 00:18:45.089 --> 00:18:47.049 they were so horrible. Get them, Paul, you get 00:18:47.049 --> 00:18:50.130 them. But really, maybe we're in the same boat. 00:18:51.849 --> 00:18:54.789 Maybe we're in the same boat that just as their 00:18:54.789 --> 00:18:58.009 minds were seduced from a complete and pure devotion 00:18:58.009 --> 00:19:01.130 to Christ, maybe our minds were seduced from 00:19:01.130 --> 00:19:04.630 a complete and pure devotion for Christ. Is everything 00:19:04.630 --> 00:19:07.809 we do a complete and pure devotion to Christ? 00:19:08.890 --> 00:19:12.170 Well, maybe some of the stuff we do is. Maybe 00:19:12.170 --> 00:19:14.109 some of the stuff we do is just a devotion to 00:19:14.109 --> 00:19:17.309 us and what we want. And so it doesn't matter 00:19:17.309 --> 00:19:19.349 what it is. You name it. It doesn't matter what 00:19:19.349 --> 00:19:21.750 it is. The list could be a million things on 00:19:21.750 --> 00:19:24.950 that list of things that take our mind off of 00:19:24.950 --> 00:19:26.990 Jesus Christ. And I think that's what he's saying. 00:19:27.130 --> 00:19:30.789 And I think that applies to us. He says, I fear 00:19:30.789 --> 00:19:32.869 that there are things that the devil's doing 00:19:32.869 --> 00:19:36.880 that's taking your mind off Jesus. And I think 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:39.180 that that's just as true for us tonight as it 00:19:39.180 --> 00:19:42.720 was the day that he penned these words. That 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:45.279 there are things that the devil uses to get our 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:48.400 mind off of Jesus and keep our mind on stress 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:52.299 and desires and worldly things because when we 00:19:52.299 --> 00:19:57.000 do that, we're not fully devoted to Jesus. Okay, 00:19:57.099 --> 00:19:59.759 good. We see this verse. Does it apply to us? 00:20:00.140 --> 00:20:01.900 Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. If it doesn't 00:20:01.900 --> 00:20:04.160 apply to you, then praise the Lord and move on. 00:20:04.259 --> 00:20:05.940 But if it does apply to you, then we need to 00:20:05.940 --> 00:20:08.680 check ourselves and we need to repent and we 00:20:08.680 --> 00:20:10.740 need to say, okay, God, I need you to help my 00:20:10.740 --> 00:20:13.619 mind get right. Because it's not easy, okay? 00:20:13.700 --> 00:20:15.079 It's not going to be an easy thing. There's going 00:20:15.079 --> 00:20:17.019 to be a million things tomorrow that's going 00:20:17.019 --> 00:20:18.920 to be fighting for your mind and for your attention. 00:20:20.259 --> 00:20:22.680 So we really have to work at and pray and seek 00:20:22.680 --> 00:20:27.039 God. that he would help our minds to stay focused, 00:20:27.079 --> 00:20:29.079 that we would pray that he'd give us the mind 00:20:29.079 --> 00:20:32.619 of Christ, the heart of Christ, that we wouldn't 00:20:32.619 --> 00:20:35.160 let all the things of the world cloud our mind 00:20:35.160 --> 00:20:39.700 and cause us to slack in our devotion for Jesus. 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:45.559 One more verse, verse 4. For if a person comes 00:20:45.559 --> 00:20:49.200 and preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, 00:20:50.009 --> 00:20:52.410 or you receive a different spirit which you had 00:20:52.410 --> 00:20:55.190 not received, or a different gospel which you 00:20:55.190 --> 00:20:59.289 had not accepted, you put up with it splendidly. 00:21:00.170 --> 00:21:02.710 What does he mean here if someone comes and preaches 00:21:02.710 --> 00:21:06.470 another Jesus? Is there more than one Jesus? 00:21:06.809 --> 00:21:09.950 Well, absolutely not. There is only Jesus Christ, 00:21:10.250 --> 00:21:14.430 the only begotten Son of God. There is but one 00:21:14.430 --> 00:21:19.109 Jesus Christ. Now, he says a very similar thing 00:21:19.109 --> 00:21:22.910 in Galatians to the people of Galatia, that if 00:21:22.910 --> 00:21:25.089 someone comes to you and preaches another gospel, 00:21:25.289 --> 00:21:29.009 not that there is another gospel, he says, but 00:21:29.009 --> 00:21:31.789 there are some people, and we see it today, and 00:21:31.789 --> 00:21:33.769 we see it in Paul's writings here, I believe, 00:21:33.930 --> 00:21:37.829 that there are some people that they start with 00:21:37.829 --> 00:21:42.670 Jesus, and they start with the Holy Spirit, and 00:21:42.670 --> 00:21:46.900 they start with the gospel. And it all starts 00:21:46.900 --> 00:21:51.319 good, but somewhere along the way they begin 00:21:51.319 --> 00:21:54.599 to splinter off. They begin to splinter off a 00:21:54.599 --> 00:21:59.200 little bit from the truth of God's Word. And 00:21:59.200 --> 00:22:00.839 here's where they're really clever. This is where 00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:04.660 they're clever. They'll take something that's 00:22:04.660 --> 00:22:09.460 in God's Word and apply it inappropriately and 00:22:09.460 --> 00:22:12.240 incorrectly to something else in God's Word. 00:22:12.700 --> 00:22:15.019 to essentially make God's Word say whatever it 00:22:15.019 --> 00:22:19.880 is they want it to say. And Paul says so here. 00:22:20.819 --> 00:22:23.079 A person comes to you, they preach another Jesus, 00:22:23.240 --> 00:22:25.880 you put up with it splendidly, he says. You're 00:22:25.880 --> 00:22:28.920 excited about it. You're excited about a lie 00:22:28.920 --> 00:22:32.380 about Jesus. Why won't you listen to me, he says, 00:22:32.380 --> 00:22:34.880 when I desire to tell you the truth about Jesus? 00:22:36.779 --> 00:22:39.500 And we see the same thing in our world today. 00:22:40.949 --> 00:22:43.910 There are Christians, people like you and I, 00:22:44.109 --> 00:22:46.630 that have heard the gospel, that have trusted 00:22:46.630 --> 00:22:49.690 in Jesus Christ, praise the Lord, and there are 00:22:49.690 --> 00:22:53.509 some bad actors out there. And they find these 00:22:53.509 --> 00:22:56.450 people in their weakest moments, or they begin 00:22:56.450 --> 00:22:58.650 to twist God's word, and they begin to say, boy, 00:22:58.769 --> 00:23:00.829 you know about Jesus, I love Jesus, you love 00:23:00.829 --> 00:23:03.900 Jesus, oh yeah, I love Jesus. Let me tell you 00:23:03.900 --> 00:23:05.839 what Jesus wants in your life. Let me tell you 00:23:05.839 --> 00:23:08.460 how Jesus desires for you to live. Let me tell 00:23:08.460 --> 00:23:10.460 you what the Word of God... Let me tell you what 00:23:10.460 --> 00:23:13.599 you need to do. Let me tell you how I can help 00:23:13.599 --> 00:23:16.400 you. Let me tell you how you can give me some 00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:18.920 of your money so I can help you. Let me tell 00:23:18.920 --> 00:23:20.859 you how God wants to bless you in this way. And 00:23:20.859 --> 00:23:23.299 let me tell you all the promises that God has 00:23:23.299 --> 00:23:25.619 for you. If you would just claim these things, 00:23:25.799 --> 00:23:28.319 there are 100 % guarantee that God would do them. 00:23:28.359 --> 00:23:31.019 And people begin to make promises of God's word 00:23:31.019 --> 00:23:33.930 that are not promises of God's word. And they 00:23:33.930 --> 00:23:36.589 begin to take and whittle away at who Jesus is, 00:23:36.750 --> 00:23:38.450 and they begin to say, well, you know, maybe 00:23:38.450 --> 00:23:40.890 Jesus really wasn't this, or maybe Jesus really 00:23:40.890 --> 00:23:43.549 didn't say this, or maybe Jesus really didn't 00:23:43.549 --> 00:23:46.710 mean this, or maybe Jesus wasn't one with God, 00:23:46.869 --> 00:23:49.190 maybe he was just the Son of God, but they weren't 00:23:49.190 --> 00:23:51.789 equal, and maybe the Holy Spirit this, and maybe, 00:23:51.890 --> 00:23:54.390 and all of a sudden, pretty soon, but let me 00:23:54.390 --> 00:23:57.970 tell you, you might have believed this, but let 00:23:57.970 --> 00:24:00.690 me tell you God's Word in a different way, and 00:24:00.690 --> 00:24:05.269 pretty soon, People are believing in a different 00:24:05.269 --> 00:24:08.990 Jesus than they believed in. Following a different 00:24:08.990 --> 00:24:11.869 spirit than they followed. And I'm going to tell 00:24:11.869 --> 00:24:13.789 you, that's pretty scary and pretty dangerous. 00:24:14.509 --> 00:24:16.549 Boy, if we're led by the Holy Spirit, praise 00:24:16.549 --> 00:24:20.190 the Lord. But if we're not led by the Holy Spirit, 00:24:20.890 --> 00:24:22.950 the other spirits that are out there, they're 00:24:22.950 --> 00:24:26.029 not good spirits. They're spirits that will lead 00:24:26.029 --> 00:24:28.589 people astray. And they have led many people 00:24:28.589 --> 00:24:31.269 astray. Boy, people start seeking the Spirit 00:24:31.269 --> 00:24:33.289 for guidance. You'll see people on TV. I think 00:24:33.289 --> 00:24:37.609 that's foolishness. I think some of it's just 00:24:37.609 --> 00:24:41.650 lies. But I think it's super scary. Because, 00:24:41.670 --> 00:24:43.509 boy, you start seeking stuff like that, you're 00:24:43.509 --> 00:24:45.690 going to find something. And what you may find 00:24:45.690 --> 00:24:47.990 is going to guide you in some way, but it ain't 00:24:47.990 --> 00:24:51.930 the Holy Spirit of God. And Paul says you better 00:24:51.930 --> 00:24:54.309 be careful and pay attention to what you're taught 00:24:54.309 --> 00:24:57.009 and what you hear and what you're exposed to. 00:24:58.279 --> 00:25:00.779 Because you know the truth of the gospel of Jesus 00:25:00.779 --> 00:25:04.059 Christ and the Holy Spirit is within you and 00:25:04.059 --> 00:25:06.799 you know the gospel, so why in the world are 00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:10.759 you being led astray? So listen up, he says. 00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:15.000 Listen up. If you think I'm foolish for preaching 00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:17.680 Jesus Christ and what I've taught you, then listen 00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:21.420 to my foolishness a little bit more and stop 00:25:21.420 --> 00:25:25.140 paying attention to the foolishness of these 00:25:25.140 --> 00:25:28.670 other people. He said, because they are workers 00:25:28.670 --> 00:25:33.230 of Satan. And if Satan disguises himself as an 00:25:33.230 --> 00:25:36.630 angel of light, then how much more his workers? 00:25:37.809 --> 00:25:41.250 What he's saying is, it's not always easy to 00:25:41.250 --> 00:25:44.950 see when the devil's at work. It's not like the 00:25:44.950 --> 00:25:47.250 devil's out there. He said, he doesn't say, and 00:25:47.250 --> 00:25:49.730 Satan comes with a big red tail and a pitchfork 00:25:49.730 --> 00:25:51.490 with fire all around him. He doesn't say that. 00:25:52.049 --> 00:25:55.190 He says, Satan appears as an angel of light. 00:25:56.039 --> 00:25:58.700 That is to say, it looks good. It looks pleasing. 00:25:58.720 --> 00:26:00.940 It looks like something that you would want to 00:26:00.940 --> 00:26:04.259 desire. He said, but you better pay attention 00:26:04.259 --> 00:26:07.859 because it's just a disguise. You better not 00:26:07.859 --> 00:26:13.059 get caught off guard. So perhaps tonight, these 00:26:13.059 --> 00:26:16.500 words are a good warning for us. We're exposed 00:26:16.500 --> 00:26:21.019 to a lot of teachings in this world. The internet, 00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:24.680 for all of its good, if there is any, is full 00:26:24.680 --> 00:26:27.279 of bad. Because it gives a platform to anybody 00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:29.579 that's got a microphone or a computer, which 00:26:29.579 --> 00:26:31.980 is anybody in the world, to say anything they 00:26:31.980 --> 00:26:35.779 want. And those are the things that we see on 00:26:35.779 --> 00:26:39.019 Facebook or on YouTube or wherever you go. Are 00:26:39.019 --> 00:26:41.000 you here? Even if you're not on Facebook or YouTube, 00:26:41.140 --> 00:26:43.440 the people you see, they're listening to somebody 00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:45.019 on Facebook. And they come and they tell you 00:26:45.019 --> 00:26:46.579 something. And maybe it's good and true. And 00:26:46.579 --> 00:26:50.339 praise the Lord if it is. But we need to be on 00:26:50.339 --> 00:26:53.839 guard. We need to know that there is but one 00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:57.630 God. And there is but one Jesus Christ, His Son. 00:26:58.170 --> 00:27:03.990 And there is salvation in no other. God loves 00:27:03.990 --> 00:27:07.410 you and God cares for you and God will be with 00:27:07.410 --> 00:27:11.470 you. But we don't earn God's favor by sending 00:27:11.470 --> 00:27:13.950 more money to our preachers on TV or in this 00:27:13.950 --> 00:27:17.609 church or anywhere else. We can't buy God's favor. 00:27:18.190 --> 00:27:20.390 If you don't have God's favor, it doesn't mean 00:27:20.390 --> 00:27:22.269 that God's cursing you. It doesn't mean that 00:27:22.269 --> 00:27:24.490 you don't have enough faith. It might just mean 00:27:24.490 --> 00:27:30.849 that it's not God's will. So be on guard with 00:27:30.849 --> 00:27:34.289 the teachings of the world. And the best way 00:27:34.289 --> 00:27:36.990 we can be on guard is to know the Word of God 00:27:36.990 --> 00:27:40.589 and to know the Jesus of Scripture and to seek 00:27:40.589 --> 00:27:42.990 the Holy Spirit that He would guide us in our 00:27:42.990 --> 00:27:46.269 life to throw up those red flags when we see 00:27:46.269 --> 00:27:49.039 something's not quite right. So that we don't 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:52.359 get led astray. Let's pray. God, we come to you. 00:27:52.380 --> 00:27:54.240 We thank you for these good words of warning. 00:27:55.299 --> 00:27:58.240 And I pray, dear Lord, that you would help us 00:27:58.240 --> 00:28:01.480 not to be led astray. I pray, dear Lord, that 00:28:01.480 --> 00:28:03.779 you'd help me as a preacher and teacher of the 00:28:03.779 --> 00:28:07.299 word to not lead anybody astray. And God, if 00:28:07.299 --> 00:28:10.400 it ever happens in an unintentional way, if I 00:28:10.400 --> 00:28:14.339 just say something, dear Lord, not wrong, not 00:28:14.339 --> 00:28:16.359 intentionally, dear Lord, I pray that you just 00:28:16.359 --> 00:28:18.769 would... Guide me back and correct me in that 00:28:18.769 --> 00:28:21.589 and help me to always lead people in the right 00:28:21.589 --> 00:28:24.630 way. God, I pray that you would help us to know 00:28:24.630 --> 00:28:28.150 your word, that your Holy Spirit guide us and 00:28:28.150 --> 00:28:31.509 lead us in the things that we hear and the things 00:28:31.509 --> 00:28:34.029 that we do. God, we're exposed to a whole lot 00:28:34.029 --> 00:28:37.089 of stuff in this world, so I pray that we would 00:28:37.089 --> 00:28:39.730 not get caught up in the foolishness of the world, 00:28:39.829 --> 00:28:43.670 but that we would be focused on Jesus Christ. 00:28:44.940 --> 00:28:47.059 I pray, dear Lord, that you would protect us 00:28:47.059 --> 00:28:49.740 and protect this church and protect all the people 00:28:49.740 --> 00:28:52.420 of this church from any kind of false teachings 00:28:52.420 --> 00:28:55.440 that we may encounter. I pray that you would 00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:57.880 help us to examine ourselves, dear Lord. Maybe 00:28:57.880 --> 00:29:00.559 there is a battle in our mind. Maybe there is 00:29:00.559 --> 00:29:02.819 one today. Maybe there is one tomorrow. Maybe 00:29:02.819 --> 00:29:04.960 there will be battles every day of our life. 00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:07.359 I expect there will be things competing for our 00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:10.059 attention, dear Lord, and competing for our mind. 00:29:11.240 --> 00:29:13.759 Pull us away from a devotion to Jesus Christ. 00:29:13.880 --> 00:29:18.440 And I pray, God, that you would help us to refocus, 00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:22.720 try to reel ourselves back in to you and to stay 00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:25.779 focused and devoted to you. God, maybe there's 00:29:25.779 --> 00:29:27.859 one that's listening tonight online or maybe 00:29:27.859 --> 00:29:30.799 one in this church building that doesn't know 00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:33.240 Jesus Christ. I pray today that they'd know that 00:29:33.240 --> 00:29:35.700 you love them. Pray today that they'd know that 00:29:35.700 --> 00:29:39.200 Jesus Christ gave his life on a cross. the truth 00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:41.359 and the hope and the love that they seek, that 00:29:41.359 --> 00:29:44.259 they can be forgiven of their sins, that their 00:29:44.259 --> 00:29:47.559 burdens could be washed away from them, that 00:29:47.559 --> 00:29:49.859 they can have true freedom. I pray that if they 00:29:49.859 --> 00:29:52.539 don't know Jesus, that even now, that they would 00:29:52.539 --> 00:29:55.000 ask that you would forgive them, that they would 00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:58.180 repent, turn from their lifestyle and their sinful 00:29:58.180 --> 00:30:01.160 ways, dear Lord, and seek you. And I ask these 00:30:01.160 --> 00:30:03.279 things in Jesus' name. Amen.