Things Are Not Always As They Appear

2 Corinthians 11:5-15

Dr. Tom arrived at church on Sunday morning for the first time, and instead of laying back and waiting for others to come and introduce themselves to him, he introduced himself to everyone. He dropped by Dr. Darnell’s office the next week because he wanted to learn more about the church. He started attending Dr. Darnell’s Bible study. He began attending our church every Sunday. Dr. Tom had a great personality. He had a successful medical practice. He seemed genuinely interested when he would talk to you. It wasn’t hard to see that Dr. Tom was going to be a fine new addition to the church. Time marched along and Dr. Tom continued to drop by Dr. Darnell’s office to talk about the Bible and what was happening at the church. Then, one day, Dr. Tom asked David if he had ever heard of the Urantia book. The word “Urantia” is simply the name the book gives to what we call our earth. David had never heard of the book before. Dr. Tom was more than willing to educate David on the wonderful things it had to say about Jesus. The Urantia book is a little over 2,000 pages and it is made up of four parts. Section four, which takes up a third of the 2,000 pages, is devoted to “The Life and Teachings of Jesus.” In those 750 pages you can learn about Jesus’ childhood, His teenage years, family life, and teachings. From the Bible we know very little about Jesus' childhood up until He began His public ministry at His baptism. The Urantia book fills in the gaps that the Bible doesn’t give us. For those who want to know more about Jesus, the Urantia book seems to be the answer. But, Dr. Darnell, in his conversations with Dr. Tom discovered that the Urantia book is not the Bible. In the Urantia book we learn that Jesus’ death on the cross was not an atonement for our sins. Jesus’ death was really nothing more than the consequence of  the jealous fears of the religious leaders. The website of the Urantia Book tells us that Jesus was not born of a virgin. They say,

Jesus was conceived and born into this world just as all other babies before and since that time except that he was the incarnated leader of our local universe before he came here. (Truthbook.com)

In the Urantia book, Jesus is considered the human incarnation of “Michael of Nebadon,” one of more than 700,000 “Paradise Sons of God.” According to the Urantia book, Jesus isn’t the second person of the Trinity. In the section on the life and teachings of Jesus, there is a conversation between Jesus and Nathaniel in which Jesus says, “The Scriptures are faulty and altogether human in origin” (UB 1767). Dr. Tom worked and worked to try and help David see the light that the Urantia book is the fuller revelation of God’s plan for humanity, but David saw right through it. What the Urantia book and Dr. Tom was promoting were nothing more than “a different Jesus and a different gospel,” just like Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:4. The problem Paul faced in Corinth is the same problem that you and I are still facing today. God has come to us in Jesus to offer us forgiveness for our sins and reconciliation with God the Father through the death and resurrection of Jesus, but there are those who twist this truth and try to convince us there is another way. Let’s take a look at our Scripture for this morning and see what we can learn. 

5 I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles." 6 I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. 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? 8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. 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 will continue to do so. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12 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 with us in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. (2 Corinthians 11:5-15 NIV)

Paul made it his practice to never receive money from the people of the city in which he was ministering. Paul wanted there to be no doubt that his motive in sharing the gospel was for people to hear the good news about Jesus in order that they would come to know the reconciling love and mercy of God. Paul wasn’t selling grace, he was sharing Jesus. We need to understand that was not the norm in many places where Paul ministered, but it was especially not the norm in all of Greece where there were so many professional speakers. For the pros the goal was to please the audience. The happier the audience, the more money they would give. The more you were able to please the audience the more popular you would become. Scott Hafemann writes,

Training in Greco-Roman rhetoric constituted the crown of a liberal education in the ancient world, and the orators it produced became the movie stars of their day. The people of the first century loved eloquence and lionized those who could produce it. Eloquence was perhaps their primary entertainment, and it was ubiquitous throughout the Roman Empire. (Hafemann, Scott. 2 Corinthians. pg. 447)

For Paul, pleasing the audience and growing in popularity were never the goal. Paul was not a trained speaker, but that was irrelevant to him. He wasn’t trying to win a popularity contest or win more followers. He was called to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. This is such an important lesson for you and me. God is not looking for smooth talkers, sharp dressed gospel salesmen, or erudite scholars, but committed followers who will faithfully look for opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ with those who need to hear that message so badly. Paul said he wasn’t a trained speaker, but he did have knowledge. Knowledge of what? This is a critical question and it is so important that we get the answer right.  There is a world of knowledge surrounding you and me. I was talking to the guys who come to Promise Keepers on Wednesday mornings about discipleship. There are guys in our Bible study who possess knowledge in a wide variety of professions. There are doctors, roofers, engineers, teachers, oil and gas men, financial advisers, developers, guys in construction, airplane mechanics, and marketing geniuses just to name a few of the different professions. Each of them possesses a ton of knowledge about their field of expertise. If I want to learn knowledge about any of their areas of expertise then I need them to disciple me, to teach me what they know. Paul says he possesses knowledge as well, but his knowledge has to do with the gospel. Remember what Paul said in verse 4? 

4 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. (2 Corinthians 11:4 NIV)

Paul was concerned that others were teaching the people of Corinth a different Jesus, a different Spirit, and a different gospel from what he taught. So, back to Paul’s statement that he’s not a polished speaker, but he possesses knowledge. What is the knowledge Paul possesses? It’s the gospel, it is knowledge of the right teaching, biblical teaching, about God and God’s good news about who Jesus is, what He has done, and what He continues to do through the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul had told the brothers and sisters in Corinth, back in 1 Corinthians 1:4-8,

4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way-- with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge-- 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:4-8 NIV)

Through Paul’s ministry the people of Corinth had been given the knowledge they needed about Jesus, but they were being led astray. Paul talked about this same knowledge when he wrote to the church in Colossae. Turn with me to Colossians 2:2-4 and let’s read together.

2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. (Colossians 2:2-4 NIV)

Paul’s goal was to share a right understanding of who Jesus is and what He has done so that the people of Colossae wouldn’t be deceived “by fine sounding arguments.” You and I need to know and understand the truth of what God was doing in Jesus so that we won’t be deceived by fine sounding arguments as well. Let’s look at just one more example. When Paul wrote to a young preacher named Timothy, in 1 Timothy 6:20-21, he wrote,

20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith. Grace be with you all. (1 Timothy 6:20-21 NIV)

Paul wanted Timothy to guard what had been entrusted to him. Paul wanted him to turn away from “godless chatter” and “opposing ideas” so that he wouldn’t depart from the faith. Knowledge, an understanding of what God’s Word teaches about Jesus is critical to avoid being duped and hoodwinked by those who teach a different gospel other than the gospel we learn from God’s Word. Things aren't always as they appear. Someone can say they are a follower of Jesus, but that doesn’t mean they believe what the Bible teaches about Jesus. Several years ago, a minister named Marilyn Sewell interviewed the late Christopher Hitchens who was one of the most famous atheists of his day. When the interview was conducted, in 2009, Christopher Hitchens' book, “God is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything” was a bestseller. At one point in the interview, the Reverend Sewell said,

The religion you cite in your book is generally the fundamentalist faith of various kinds. I’m a liberal Christian, and I don’t take the stories from the scripture literally. I don’t believe in the doctrine of atonement (that Jesus died for our sins, for example). Do you make any distinction between fundamentalist faith and liberal religion? (The Hitchens Transcript. December 17, 2009)

“I don’t believe in the doctrine of atonement.” Now, if you possess knowledge, biblical knowledge, what the minister just said is an immediate red flag don’t you think? What’s really interesting is the way Christopher Hitchens responded to her. Remember, Christopher Hitchens was a hardcore atheist who pulled no punches. He responded by saying,

I would say that if you don’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and Messiah, and that he rose again from the dead and by his sacrifice our sins are forgiven, you’re really not in any meaningful sense a Christian. (The Hitchens Transcript. December 17, 2009)

A hardened atheist who was so convinced of his belief, and so filled with vitriol towards God to his death, possessed more knowledge than the minister–He simply refused to believe. Let’s move on and take a look at verses 9-11. 

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 will continue to do so. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 2 Corinthians 11:9-11 NIV)

I mentioned earlier that while Paul was ministering in a city he never received money for his work. Paul did receive help to fund his ministry from the believers where he had once ministered. This is what he is referring to when he mentioned that brothers came from Macedonia who helped supply Paul’s needs. The Macedonian churches weren’t as well off as the church in Corinth, but they begged Paul to participate in the offering for the impoverished church in Jerusalem and they wanted to help Paul extend his reach in sharing the gospel. Paul wrote to them in Philippians 4:15-16 and said,

15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. (Philippians 4:15-16 NIV)

This model is still being used today all across the world. Just this past summer we had missionaries from Niger and Thailand with us. I spoke with Andrew and Riley Bowers about their ministry in Niger and learned that their home church in Kansas City as well as other people living in America largely fund their ministry to the people of Niger.  Paul received some funding from other churches he had planted, but he also worked to support himself by making tents. Paul didn’t want there to be any hindrance to the people being able to hear the gospel so refused to use the tactics of the professional speakers who desired nothing more than to line their own pockets. Paul was planning another visit to Corinth and he would maintain this same commitment on his next visit. In 2 Corinthians 12:14-15, Paul wrote,

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? (2 Corinthians 12:14-15 NIV)

The most important thing in all of the world, according to Paul, was for people to hear the good news about Jesus and then to respond to that good news by becoming a follower of Jesus. This was so important to Paul that he was willing to spend everything he had, to give everything he had, so as many as possible could hear and respond. One of the big differences between Paul and the false apostles who were more than willingly to accept all of the money the Corinthians wanted to give them was this: Paul was not concerned with what he could get, but only with what he could give. There’s an important lesson in this for you and me. If you are a follower of Jesus then you are an ambassador of Christ called to share the good news of Jesus with those in our city who do not know Him. As we share in relationships with people we know and the Lord opens doors of opportunity for us to minister to others, there should never be any question about our motives. Our city is filled with people who are trying to get something from you and me. They come on with a smile, seem genuinely interested in us for a time, but eventually we learn they were only trying to get what they want from us. Our love should be genuine, our motives pure, and our heart untainted with the tactics of this world as we share the love of Jesus with our friends. Paul encouraged his friends with this bit of advice in Philippians 2:3-4.

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4 NIV)

Selfish ambition has no home in the heart of the followers of Jesus. I want us to spend whatever time we have remaining on the last section of our Scripture for this morning where Paul pulls back the curtain on those who are dividing the church, discrediting Paul’s ministry, and are in actuality deceitful workers of the enemy and not ambassadors of Christ. Paul writes, in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15,

13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15 NIV)

The powerful sermons were stirring hearts and winning followers, but there was more going on than met the eye. The false teachers were divisive, they were destructive to the faith of the followers of Jesus, and Paul would not remain quiet. The tactics they used, Paul had renounced. He would never stoop so low. He most certainly had them in mind when he wrote, in 2 Corinthians 4:1-2,

1 Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. (2 Corinthians 4:1-2 NIV)

All throughout God’s Word we find false teachers seeking to lead God’s people astray. They take the truth of God and twist it, they tell the people just what they want to hear regardless of what God’s Word says, and those who don’t know the Lord and His Word are so easily deceived. God spoke to the people of Jeremiah’s day by saying,

29 "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? 30 "Therefore," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, 'The LORD declares.' 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," declares the LORD. "They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:29-32 NIV)

The last time Paul ever met with the elders of the church in Ephesus, he reminded them of the three years he ministered among them. During those three years Paul warned them over and over again about false teachers who would try and lead them astray. Listen to what Paul had to say in Acts 20:29-32.

29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. 32 "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:29-32 NIV)

Why is it that the church, the followers of Jesus, are so vulnerable to false teachers? I can only come up with one good answer. We simply don’t know the Word of God well enough to know the difference between biblical truth and cultural Christianity. If we want to avoid being sucked into cultural Christianity with its focus on self and how Jesus can serve me then we must take the time, make the commit to know God’s Word. The last few weeks we have been so blessed to witness the baptisms of new followers of Jesus. I always meet with those who are going to be baptized so they can understand that being baptized is the beginning of a life-long journey of growing in discipleship, growing in our daily walk of understanding and following Jesus. A huge part of that daily journey is time spent alone with the Lord in His Word. Those quiet times alone with the Lord and His Word are vital, they are the food we need to grow in our walk with the Lord. Are you getting alone with the Lord by spending time in His Word each day? If you don’t even know where to begin then please contact me. Let’s set up a time to get together and learn how to begin to read and study God’s Word under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.The first step is always surrendering our lives to Jesus. Without surrendering our lives to Jesus we will never find any value in spending time in God’s Word. If you would like to surrender your life to Jesus this morning won’t you please come forward and give me your hand as you give Jesus your heart. Mike HaysOctober 8, 2023