Spent For The Gospel 2 Corinthians 12:11-21

Each and every one of us have been given our lives as a gift from God. Let’s say God gives us 75 years to live. There’s no guarantee, but for the sake of the sermon let’s say God gives us 75 years to live. That would mean we would be given 27,393 days to live during our lifetime. All of us who are here this morning have already lived a portion of those days. Some of us have lived many, others have lived most, and some of us have lived beyond what the average person lives, but we are all still here. So, the question is, “What will we do with the days we have left?” If we think of the days we have been given like a bank account, then you might picture your account slowly dwindling. I’ve spent the majority of my account. I’m 62 years old, and will be 63 in May of next year. So, if the Lord gives me another 12 or 13 years, then I only have about 4,500 days left to spend. How do I want to spend those days? How do you want to spend the rest of your “account?” That’s a pretty sobering thought isn’t it? At the same time, it is exactly the way we should be thinking. Moses wrote in Psalm 90:12,

12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12 NIV)

Some spend their days focused on trying to make as much money as they can. Others spend their days with their focus on enjoying their time. Some spend their days simply working, trying to pay the bills and provide for their family. In our Scripture for this morning we find Paul confessing that he is more than willing to spend himself in service to the people of Corinth so they might grow and mature in their relationship with Jesus. Let’s read our Scripture for this morning in 2 Corinthians 12:11-21.

11 I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. 12 I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles. 13 How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! 14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? 16 Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! 17 Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit? 19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. 20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged. (2 Corinthians 12:11-21 NIV)

The phrase “cancel culture” wasn’t around in the first century, in Corinth, but the tactics being used today were in use by the false teachers trying to diminish Paul’s influence. The false teachers had been working tirelessly to get the people in the church at Corinth to question Paul’s integrity. They weren’t trying to undermine Paul because they were convinced what he was teaching was false, but because they wanted the spotlight and all that came with it. They must have been successful, to some degree, in persuading some in the church because Paul wrote,

11 I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing.  (2 Corinthians 12:11 NIV)

Paul was forced to defend himself because the very people that he had lived with for eighteen months were questioning his integrity, teaching, and authority. Paul loved the people of Corinth. He had endured hardships in order that he might continue to serve them and teach them about Jesus, yet those he so dearly loved appeared not to love him in return. Let me remind you of what he wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:11-12. 

11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. (2 Corinthians 6:11-12 NIV)

Unlike the false teachers, Paul wasn’t seeking the limelight. What Paul desired more than anything was for the people of Corinth to grow and mature in their faith. If the false teachers were successful in persuading the people to question everything Paul ever said or did then they would be turned away from the truth to a lie. So Paul was forced to defend himself as an apostle, but while he does so he lets them know that his defense is not about him when he writes, “I am not in the least inferior to the ‘super-apostles,’ even though I am nothing.” It is so important to understand that when Paul says he is nothing he is sincerely speaking what he believes. This wasn’t a one-time confession on Paul’s part. In his letter to the church in Ephesus, written about six years after he wrote this letter, Paul wrote,

8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. (Ephesians 3:8-9 NIV)

“I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people…” Sound familiar? Let me share one more example with you. Paul wrote to a young pastor named Timothy later in his life, about eight years after he wrote 2 Corinthians. In his letter to Timothy, Paul wrote these words. 

15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-- of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:15-16 NIV)

There is a great lesson for all of us included in Paul’s estimation of himself. Today, psychologists might say that Paul suffered from low self-esteem, but that is hardly the case. The more Paul grew in his understanding of who Jesus was and what He had done, the less he thought of himself and the more he thought of what Jesus had done for him and was doing through him. It wasn’t that he thought that he was inferior to anyone, he said he wasn’t “the least bit inferior to the super-apostles,” but Paul lost all confidence in the things he once prided himself in and placed all of his confidence in what the Lord had done on his behalf. It is truly remarkable when you think about it. Paul’s faith led him to become stronger and more confident, not in himself, but in the One who saved him and called him to serve Him.  And that is exactly what the Lord desires to do in your life and mine. In verse 12, Paul reminded the people of Corinth what he had done in the time he was with them. He writes,

12 I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles. (2 Corinthians 12:12 NIV)

God had performed “signs, wonders, and miracles” through Paul while he was with the people of Corinth. Most Bible teachers believe that these three words do not refer to three different kinds of miracles, but instead serve as three different vantage points to God’s activity. “Signs” were given as validation of Paul’s ministry, “wonders” caused a sense of awe by those who witnessed them, and “miracles” displayed God’s power. Let me give you an example of what this means. In Acts 1, on the day of Pentecost, God poured out His Spirit on the followers of Jesus and the crowd didn’t understand what was taking place as they heard them speaking in the languages of all of the people gathered. Peter stood up and said,

Men of Israel, listen to these words: This Jesus the Nazarene was a man pointed out to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through Him, just as you yourselves know. (Acts 2:22 CSB)

I love the way the Christian Standard Bible interprets this verse. Jesus was “pointed out’ to those who witnessed His miracles as coming from God. The miracles that Jesus performed showed him to be a genuine messenger from God and the greatest sign God performed was in raising Jesus from the dead. We do not serve a dead Savior, but a risen Savior. His resurrection proves that Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah, the Savior, is true!Signs were also performed by the apostles for the same reason, to show they were truly sent from God for the purpose of sharing the good news about Jesus. In Acts 2:43 we read, 

43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. (Acts 2:43 NIV)

In verse 12, Paul pointed out that the Lord had worked through him to perform signs, wonders, and miracles that served as validation that he was an apostle. I’ve taken the time to walk us through this because it is important for us to understand one of God’s intentions in working signs, wonders, and miracles in the New Testament. I also want us to understand that there are those who are walking around today and claiming to be apostles. If they are claiming to be apostles like the biblical apostles, which many of them are, then I totally disagree with them.There is a movement, a very dangerous movement that has grown rapidly over the past twenty years called the New Apostolic Reformation movement. Their leaders claim that God is giving them new revelation through new apostles and prophets. In an article by Anthony Costello, written in December of 2022, he writes,

They say they are giving strategies the church requires for all Christians to learn to work miracles—such as prophesying, healing the sick, and raising the dead—and “bring heaven to earth.” This movement is called the New Apostolic Reformation because its leaders teach that a new reformation—much like the Protestant Reformation but even more significant—is underway. This reformation is bringing authoritative, governing apostles back to the church. All other church leaders, including pastors and elders, must “align” with them (a euphemism meaning they must submit to them). Those who follow the apostles will play a pivotal role in the unfolding of God’s end-time plans for the world. Those who don’t will sit on the sidelines as mere spectators. (Costello, A. The New Apostolic Reformation, A Threat Within the Church? Patheos. December 12, 2022)

One of the so-called apostles of the movement, Brian Simmons, has single-handedly produced a new translation of the Bible, called The Passion Translation. Brian Simmons has admitted that he doesn’t have expertise in Hebrew, but that “secrets of the Hebrew language” were “downloaded” and “breathed” into him by Jesus directly. Bible scholars, those who have devoted their lives to learning and studying the Bible in its original languages, have been shocked at what Simmons has done. Andrew Shead is the head of Old Testament and Hebrew at Moore Theological College, Sydney, and is a member of the NIV Committee on Bible Translation. He wrote a paper titled, Burning Scripture with Passion: A Review of the Psalms (The Passion Translation). In the article, he writes,

Brian Simmons has made a new translation of the Psalms (and now the whole New Testament) which aims to ‘re-introduce the passion and fire of the Bible to the English reader.’ He achieves this by abandoning all interest in textual accuracy, playing fast and loose with the original languages, and inserting so much new material into the text that it is at least 50% longer than the original. The result is a strongly sectarian translation that no longer counts as Scripture; by masquerading as a Bible it threatens to bind entire churches in thrall to a false god. (Andrew Shead)

Solomon, in Ecclesiastes, wrote that there is nothing new under the sun. I think the New Apostolic Reformation folks show us that they are nothing more than the “super apostles” of Paul’s day for a new generation. Let’s move on to verses 13-15. Paul writes,

13 How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! 14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. (2 Corinthians 12:13-15 NIV)

The super apostles were critical of Paul because he refused to receive payment for his work in ministering to the people of Corinth. They were critical because they made their living off of speaking. This was the main reason Paul refused to be paid for his teaching. He didn’t want to be seen as just another traveling preacher who made his money off the people. Paul said he was preparing to visit them for a third time. On his first visit Paul started the church with a small group of people who became followers of Jesus as a result of Paul’s ministry. On Paul’s second visit, he had come to town because of problems in the church. On that visit, Paul was confronted by someone in the church who made a huge scene and humiliated Paul in front of the church. Paul says that on his third visit he would still hold fast to his commitment not to be a burden to the people, he would receive no money. Why? Paul answers the question for us: “...because what I want is not your possessions but you.” What a great reminder for you and me!Of all of the religions in the world Christianity is so unique. In all of the other religions of the world people work to try and earn their way to heaven, but as followers of Jesus, we work because Jesus has secured our home in heaven. Whether you are singing in the choir, serving at King’s Klinic, helping kids in the nursery or at Study Buddies–you don’t do what you do for money or applause, but you do it because of what He has done for you. Our ambition is not to gain material possessions, but to see other people come to know and love Jesus.This past week, as I’ve been studying these verses, it was verse 15 that stopped me in my tracks and caused me to truly appreciate Paul’s ministry and to examine my own. Listen to what he wrote,

15 So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? (2 Corinthians 12:15 NIV)

When Paul says he will “very gladly” give everything he has for the people of Corinth, he uses a very descriptive word. The Greek word describes extreme elation and joy. Paul would not hesitate in giving up everything and giving everything for the people he loves in Corinth. Paul not only wrote of his devotion to the people of Corinth, but he lived it out. He made huge sacrifices for the people. He suffered extreme persecution and ridicule in Corinth, but he refused to give up on them. Paul loved them with the love he had received from Jesus. And yet, evidently they refused to return the love they had received because Paul writes, “If I love you more, will you love me less?” And the answer to Paul’s question is obvious, from reading his letters to the church– “Yes, they would love him less.” This is where the Lord has checked my heart this past week. All people, regardless of whether we are from America, Cuba, Mexico, China, Iran, or any other nation, we love those who love us and we turn away from those who do not return our love. If we give and our giving is not returned with gratitude and appreciation, then we move on. This way of doing life is common to all people, but if we are followers of Jesus then this is unacceptable. John wrote, in 1 John 4:19,

19 We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19 NIV)

God had called Paul to go to Corinth and share the good news about Jesus so they might come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The terms of Paul’s call were not directed by how the people responded or the success of Paul’s ministry. And so it is with you and me. If you are a follower of Jesus then you are called to be an ambassador of Christ, to demonstrate His love through the way you love others, even those that are hard to love. I do not do what I do, nor do you do what He has called you to do because of how much they love us, appreciate us, or approve of what we are doing. We do what we do because He has sent us into this world to share His love and salvation with all people. I learned this lesson many years ago when things were not going well for me here at Britton Christian Church. There were questions about the kinds of people the Lord was bringing to this church. There were whispers about how some wished I cared as much for their kids as I did for the kids of the neighborhood. The Lord led me to a Scripture that encouraged me so much during that time. Turn with me to Hebrews 6:10 and let’s read it together.

10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. (Hebrews 6:10 NIV)

Did you notice? “He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.” We are not trying to impress “them.” We are not trying to get approval from “them.” We are not looking for “thank you” and applause from “them.” We do what we do for “them” because in actuality we love and want to serve Him. This change in our understanding makes all of the difference in the world. Just recently I was talking to one of our leaders who was going through a tough time. I listened for a while, but then I said, “You have to grow thick skin if you are going to stay in ministry for the long haul. If you don’t grow thick skin you’ll eventually quit.” This isn’t just true for people in the ministry. If you and I don’t grow thick skin and know the “why” and “for Whom” we are doing what we do, we will never persevere to the end. We will throw in the towel. Just one more thing before we end our time in God’s Word this morning. Turn with me to verses 20-21 and let’s read together.

20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged. (2 Corinthians 12:20-21 NIV)

Paul is afraid that when he visits the people of Corinth for the third time he is going to find them a dysfunctional church filled with discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance, disorder, and sexual sin and debauchery. What’s really interesting about this list is these were the very things that led Paul to write his first letter to the church. The brothers and sisters in Christ, in Corinth, were living lives that reflected the culture of Corinth and not the heart of Jesus. There were factions in the church. They were looking out for themselves instead of caring for one another. Sexual immorality in Corinth was rampant and the church, it appears, was no different. It was Paul’s desire as their spiritual father to see them grow in their understanding of who they were in Christ and to grow in their understanding of what it means to follow Jesus in a dark and sin-sick world. Paul wrote, in 2 Corinthians 11:2,

2 For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband-- Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:2 NLT)

This should be our desire for one another. My focus should not be on me, but on helping you grow in your love and faithfulness to Jesus. And, your focus should not be on you, but on helping those the Lord has placed in your life grow in their love and faithfulness to Jesus. Can you imagine a church like that? I’d want to be a part of that church! Here’s the good news…we can become that church if only we will devote our hearts and minds to first loving and serving Jesus and then loving and serving one another. If you have never received Jesus as your Lord and Savior then I want to invite you to do that this morning. Commit your heart and mind to serving Him and you’ll see Him begin to change your heart and mind. Mike HaysNovember 26, 2023