So this seems like an odd place to start a study, but I think we'll be able to blend right into it because we're considering, Paul is continuing here in this passage to address the problem that he started out to address at the beginning of chapter 10, that there were those among the church at Corinth that opposed and slandered him And it's sort of summed up in verse 10. His letters say they are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible. And so they accused him of being a false prophet. They used this fact. It was true. And it's true of all of God's preachers. They're not impressive in bodily presence. That's not what God does. That's not the way the gospel comes to men. And so, but they use this to slander him and to discredit his gospel. His speech is contemptible. Think about that. That with regard to somebody that's preaching the gospel of Christ. His speech is contemptible. And think about the weight of that, to discredit God's preacher, God's apostle in this case, but a simple preacher of the gospel at the same time as he himself chose to identify himself a preacher, preaching the Christ and Him crucified. If a preacher loses his credibility, and that's what they were trying to do, was to cost all his credibility with people, then that ministry is completely lost. Even if it's not a widespread thing, if it's just a few maybe are convinced that Paul is an imposter, what a tragedy that is, because If you convince somebody that his speech is contemptible, when he's telling you what your only hope before God is, and somebody won't listen to him because of the package it came in, then there's no hope for that person. The sinner's only hope is lost. Even if one person is deprived of that hope by the petty slander of some, then that's a tragedy. And so we'll see why Paul is so harsh in his dealing and in his language in this verse six, because of how weighty this is, this is an important thing. Look at verse six again, and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. Now, Just to get in our minds what Paul is referring to here, let's read some scripture. He's talking about revenging this disobedience, particularly this, but all, I guess, disobedience that is contrary to the gospel that would hinder people from entering into the gospel. But let's turn together to Acts chapter 13 and verse six. Acts 13.6. And when they had gone through the Isle of Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man who called for Barnabas and Saul and desired to hear the word of God. But Elemas, the sorcerer, for so is his name by interpretation, withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. You see exactly the same thing going on here. Paul's preaching the gospel and the Lord has given him the responsibility over this church at Corinth to care for that church and to preach to them and to write epistles to them, to guide them. And there's some that were discrediting Paul. So, same thing here. To turn this deputy away from the faith, they would slander and use deceit. And then Saul, then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him. And you can picture that. Why would it even say that? What's the importance of that? to show you the gravity of this situation he set his eyes on him and listen to what he said and said O fool of all subtlety and all mischief child thou child of the devil thou enemy of all righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord and now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee and thou shalt be blind not seeing the sun for a season And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness, and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. And notice it wasn't that he saw what happened to this man going blind. It was just that impediment was taken out of the way so that the doctrine of the Lord prevailed. You see that? It sounds like it was an immediate reaction to what, no, he didn't just believe right then because, wow, you know, he made this guy go blind. No, it was the doctrine of the Lord. This fool was taken out of the way who would turn this man from the faith. And then the Lord, by the preaching of the gospel, saved that man. But this had to happen. See, this was part of it.

You say, well, nobody can interfere. You know, if God wants to save somebody, that's right. And this is how they didn't interfere. God used this man to teach us something, didn't he? And that's what's going on in our text. Now, they're trying to discredit the apostle, and you see the apostolic authority that he's talking about. He had power to do things. You know, remember Paul said concerning Someone that he had delivered him to Satan that he might learn not to blaspheme now I don't know what that means exactly being delivered to Satan, but it sounds bad and you remember what happened to Ananias and Sapphira God killed him on the spot for trifling with him and I believe he used the Apostle Peter in that but they had this authority they were overseers of the church in a very particular way at that time and And the Lord used them in this sense sometimes for the furtherance and success of the gospel. That's just so clear there.

But look at verse seven. So that's what's happening there. He's warning them. He's warning these people. And I wanted to clear up the language a little bit there too, just for while we're here. He said there in verse six, and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. In other words, he's ready until such time as your obedience is fulfilled until such time that this is not a problem anymore. I'm ready to do whatever the Lord directs me to do. If he's going to use me to. To to. Avenge his gospel. You see that's what he's saying what he means win And then verse 7. Do you look on things after the outward appearance? And again, this is if you try to Read through this fast. It's it's a little bit confusing to me. It was anyway, but we'll we'll see very clearly Phrase by phrase what he's saying here. Do you look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trusts to himself that he is christ Let him of himself think this again that as he is christ Even so are we christ? So what's he saying there? He's speaking directly now to those who criticized his outward appearance and demeanor and rebukes them with this powerful truth. Listen, he sets up the premise here in the first sentence. Do you look on things after the outward appearance? Is that what you're doing? You're saying my bodily presence is weak and offensive and contemptible, that my words are contemptible, my speech is contemptible, my letters are powerful and weighty. Well, that's the gospel. That's the gospel. But coming from me, you're not that happy with it. When you see me, when you experience my presence, then you got problems. But the thing about it is, if they really truly believed the gospel, they wouldn't have a problem with the way the Lord brought it to them. But think about it. Do you look on things after the outward appearance? Gotcha. That's exactly what they were doing. Clearly they did. They still do. People still do. They still despise God's preachers. They're plain and plain spoken. All of them. Do you know any that are not? That are impressive after the flesh? They may or may not be educated beyond high school. They are often crude and blunt in their speech. They come not with excellency of speech or with enticing words of man's wisdom." Paul was up front about that. You're not going to be impressed by me. And if I could say something that would impress you, I'm determined not to say it. I'm determined not to know anything except Christ and Him crucified. God's preachers are not impressive in the flesh, but religion is. Look at all the finery of religion. They're skilled in rhetoric, aren't they? They use the flowery language, and they're dynamic in their delivery. They'll shout and yell and put on a show in front of people. They're often educated and have degrees. They've got to go to seminary and get a doctorate of divinity or something like that. Paul was vastly different from the false apostles. And these deceived ones in the church at Corinth were impressed with the false and disenchanted with God's true preacher. That's what was going on there. Most people are. Most people are. Always have been and always will be. They didn't respect Moses. As soon as it started to cost them something, they had no use for Moses. And God said, they're not rejecting you, Moses. They're rejecting me. And that's exactly what they're doing now. Because if you love the gospel, you're not looking for a fancy delivery of it. You know, if you're starving to death, the bread don't need to be on fine china for you to eat it. And it's just that simple now. And that was the problem here. But look how he so effectively, he warns them gravely here now, not to be impressed with the false, with these whited sepulchers. They look pretty on the outside, but within they're full of corruption. They despise the Christ of the Bible. They'll lead you straight to hell and laugh all the way there with you. Now listen, here's what he's saying in the next phrase. Let's look at it. If any man trusts to himself that he is Christ, let him of himself think this again, of yourself. Now what he's saying here, do you consider yourselves in your own heart to be Christ's because other people see you outwardly and say that you are Christ? Or is that a secret, invisible thing, a work of God in the heart? Do you Think in your heart. Do you think yourself to be Christ, and is that enough? Or do you need the approval of men to add to that? The Lord often tore up the arguments of false preachers and the Pharisees with questions, simple questions. Why, if he's David's son, why'd he call him Lord? Simple questions that destroyed their whole, all their theology. And that's what Paul is simply doing here. Do you consider yourself, what makes you Christ? What other people think about you? Or what's in here? Well then, If it's an inner, if it's a heart work, and even though it was all outward to them, they couldn't admit that. They couldn't admit that. They couldn't say, well, it's all about the outward, you know. God said it's all about the outward for them. They work on the outward appearance, but in their heart, they're far from me. With their mouth, they draw nigh, but in their heart, they're far. And they did crave the approval of men. They found their justification for what they were doing in the approval of men, but they couldn't admit that. If Paul puts it to them, are you Christ because of what happened right here or because of what people say about you? All right then, since the obvious answer to that is it's in the heart, then that as he is Christ, that's how we're Christ's. You see what he's saying? It's not because you approve of us or not. I'm not subject to your judgment, but God's. I don't belong to Christ because you say so, but because he says so, because he did something in here. And I know in my heart of his grace and his mercy in Christ, I know the Lord Jesus Christ in here. I'm not looking for any outward approval, don't need it. So what you're saying is all fine and well, but understand he's going to go on to teach in this same regard how the Lord does things, how the gospel comes, and there's a grave warning here. He warns them. The question is settled in the heart, not by men, not by, do you want to be judged based on your works, appearance and manner? I'm talking to you now. I'm not telling you what, you know, Paul was saying to them. I'm talking to you tonight. Do you want to be judged before God based upon what other people think of you? That you're living the Christian life, you know, and what you do, what you say, what you think, is that it? or by the grace and mercy of Christ, which can't be seen by the outward appearance. And then at the end of the verse, again, let's confirm, let's reiterate, if you're Christ by a work of God done in your heart, and not because of the opinions of men based on how you look and act and talk, then understand this, Paul is saying, that's the verdict on whether I'm Christ's apostle too. If you don't, and they did, they did do that. They did value the approval of men, but they couldn't say they belong to Christ because of what men say. Most of what is preached down the road here, most of what's preached in most so-called churches, if you called them on it, If you said, so you're saying Christ died for people that were already in hell. Oh, no, no, no. We're not saying, you are saying that. You are saying that. Numberless, billions were already in hell when he died. And you're saying he died for them? What's wrong with you? They'll back off of it, won't they? They'll say, well, we're not saying that. We're not saying that. Well, what are you saying then? That's what I heard you say. It was pretty clear. You call them on a lot of things like that. And they'll say, oh, that's not what we're saying. That's not what we're saying. But that's what's going on here. He's calling them on it. They did crave the approval of men. But they couldn't say that's what we trust before God. They couldn't just admit that. So his argument's powerful here. It's refuting all of their hope. And then he's saying to them, then you count me the same way. I'm not gonna sit here and question, and nobody should question, my authority from God based on what you say. Kinda hard to argue with. In the gospel, the truth always is. It's hard to argue. God looks and acts on the heart, and I'm subject to his judgment only. I belong to Christ not because you say so, in other words, but because God said so and made me so. And can we learn a lesson in that? Don't ever be impressed by religion. You know, Isaiah despaired a little bit. He said, who hath believed our report? Nobody even believes what we say. To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? Ah, there's the key word. There's the key word. God's got to reveal it. And he only reveals it by the preaching of the truth concerning his son. not by error, not by Antichrist, free will, man-centered religion. So however many he saves is between him and them. What he sent us to do is preach the truth, preach the gospel. Don't be impressed by religion and all of its grandeur, but more importantly, don't despise the treasure of Christ and his glory because it's contained in an earthen vessel. Because you're not going to be impressed with me. You're going to be, if anything, you're going to be disappointed with me. You're going to find fault with me. The last thing you're going to be is impressed. And if you if you find yourself unimpressed with me, good. Good. Because that's the way God will speak to you. John, the Baptist couldn't even live in polite society. He couldn't even preach in the city, nor wanted to. But God said there's never been a greater man than all he ever said about him. was that all we know about John's messages, there's God's lamb. That's greatness right there. He didn't have to have an education to know that. He didn't have to have a theological degree to know that. Christ revealed it to him. They said of the Savior himself, can any good thing come out of Nazareth? The very presence and glory of Christ was covered in badger skins in the wilderness. He always hides his glory. Except the gospel is preached and the glory of God is revealed in the face of his son as the gospel is preached. That's how you're going to see his glory. Not in a man. The Lord's apostles were fishermen and a tax collector. Nobody hates anybody worse than they hate the IRS. But boy, I tell you what, if the IRS agent comes telling me that there's hope, that I might be righteous before God, that my sins could be washed away in the blood of God's son, then I kinda like that tax collector. May God give me grace to listen to him. A fisherman. Christ, Saul of Tarsus was probably the worst enemy of the Son of God on earth at that time. Apostle, you're mine, you're mine. You're gonna preach my gospel. Even the other believers didn't want to hear from him, much less lost people. They didn't care anything about him. And even believers didn't want to go near him. And God used him anyway. God used him, and I love this word, anyway. Anyway, in spite of. That's how God always delivers his message. In spite of, we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency may be of God and not of us. It's always been that way and it's always going to be that way. So you see what Paul is teaching here and warning them. Don't miss the very glory of God because you're looking in the wrong place. He had no beauty about him that we would desire him. He's chosen the weak, the foolish, the despised, and things that are not to bring to naught the things that are. And no one should think that because men no longer have apostolic authority that the God that gave them that authority then is not still just as jealous over his church now. Think about it. Let that sink in. Let's let that sink in.

I've met with those within the church before that had not the good of God's church at heart and will likely meet with him again. God's still just as jealous over his share. I can't strike somebody blind, but he can still. He used the apostle to do that then. But he didn't have to. It was God that did it. He's still just as jealous over his church now.

And don't ever miss the apostrophe S. We are Christ's. What distinguishes God's people from everybody else, God's preachers from false preachers, God's people from everybody else in this world? What distinguishes us from Antichrist is not achievement, worthiness, or merit. It's simply that we belong to the Son of God, that he bought us with a price, the price of his own precious blood.

And let's close with verse 8, I thought or two, well, verse 8 through 10, but we'll be brief. For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed.

Now he's not saying here that he ought to boast more of his authority. You see that the word should here is used in the sense of if I were to. If I were to boast somewhat more of my authority that God has given me as an apostle, I wouldn't be ashamed one bit of doing that. which the Lord gave us. But notice what he does here. He gave it to us for edification, not for destruction. So if somebody has to be destroyed, that's for the good of the church. He gave it for the good of the church, not to go around destroying people. That's not the attitude. If somebody has to be destroyed for the good of the church, then so be it. That's just gonna happen. God's not gonna let his church be Defamed or not for long. You can have it. I've seen it happen for a while

So he's saying if I did do that I wouldn't be ashamed God gave the authority to me and it's for building up his church edify means to build up and not destroy So here Paul does in a sense boast of that authority to an extent he just reminds them that he has it from God that God's jealous over his church and God's not gonna stand for it. He's not gonna have his gospel undermine the Lord intended to save that man in Acts that we read about, and he took somebody out of the way in order to do it. He said, I'll cause thousands to fall at thy side. if that's what God needs to do, if it's what he wants to do. But it won't touch you. You'll be fine. His people, his elect are gonna be just fine.

So he doesn't come here. Paul is doing this and saying this with the purpose of correction and edification, not with a vindictive or prideful spirit. And it can never be done that way. In verse 8, Paul impresses on the church that God does avenge his church. And the apostolic authority at the time was one way that he did that, but also reminding them that it's for the church's good. It's for the church's good. Though individuals be harshly dealt with if necessary. The gates of hell are not going to prevail against his church. That's comforting.

9 and 10, that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. In other words, if the authority, if the vengeful spiritually, if there has to be an avenging of God's honor, if, you know, his apostolic authority had to be boasted of or even implemented. It's for that reason, so you're not going to be talking like you are, talking about how my letters are weighty, but my presence is weak.

And in this particular letter, he said, I'm not, this is not a, this is not an idle threat. I'm not terrifying you by letters. For his letters say they are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

We've talked about that quite a bit already, so let's close with this thought. You could read this verse, think about this, as pertaining to God's preachers today, or any of God's people. Think about it now. And this is important for us to remember, as we're witnesses for Christ, that there's nothing to us People aren't gonna listen to us just because it's us. We're gonna have to have something to say and God's gonna have to use that.

You wanna see your loved one saved? Usually the last person that a loved one will listen to is their parent or their brother, their family member when it comes to spiritual things, because they know you too well. This whole thing of bodily presence being weak, That applies more so within family, and often it's the family that we want to hear the gospel of Christ. But we're gonna have to rely on the Lord, aren't we? That's an understatement, isn't it?

But listen, read it this way, and you're not gonna be compromising the word of God at all to insert the words the gospel where it says his letters. because Paul's letters are the gospel. We preach Paul's letters, don't we? Because that's God's gospel. That's the way that the Lord had his gospel recorded.

So listen to verse 10, for the gospel is weighty and powerful, but your bodily presence, my bodily presence is weak and our speech contemptible. God's gonna have to use us and he's gonna have to just save sinners by these means. And how many times does the scripture say that he's determined and it carries out what he's determined to do in such a way that he gets all the glory. He's gonna get all of it.

This is me and every other preacher I know of that preaches the truth, and everybody, every witness of Christ, it's the same. There's nothing impressive about you. Don't try to be impressive. Don't let the flesh be involved in it at all. The gospel is weighty and powerful. So let's just stay out of the way of it. We're weak and contemptible. And that's a stumbling block to some now who are impressed with religious rhetoric and finery, but not with the truth of Christ.

And these discontent ones in this church and in all the churches, I suppose there's some here and there. And those that are like them now, they're not content to just move on. They're never content to just move on, because they love to cause trouble, just like they were with Paul. They love to cause trouble, they thrive on turmoil and drama, and the root cause of it all, they hate Christ. And they're puppets of Satan. You heard what he called that man in Acts that we read about.

Paul was gifted as he was in order to build up the church by the preaching of Christ, and these that are under his rebuke in this letter were tearing down the church. They were directly and bald-faced opposed to the cause of Christ, to the ministry of Christ. And God dealt with such then, and he does so now too. We rely on him for that.

I know this, you're not going to find a gospel preacher's speech contemptible if you're a sinner, because he'll be telling you about the Savior of sinners. You won't find his speech contemptible if you love Christ, because he'll be determined to know nothing but Christ. And may that always be so here, whoever stands in this pulpit. May the Lord Jesus make it so.