Turn tonight to 2 Corinthians
chapter 6. 2 Corinthians chapter 6. We then, as workers together
with him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of
God in vain. For he saith, I have heard thee
in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored
thee. Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. Giving no offense in anything,
that the ministry be not blamed. but in all things approving ourselves
as the ministers of God in much patience, in affliction, in necessities,
in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in
labors, in watchings and fastings, by pureness, by knowledge, by
long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love, unfeigned. by the word of truth, by the
power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand
and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and
good report, as deceivers and yet true, as unknown yet well
known, as dying, and behold, we live, as chastened and not
killed, as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as poor, yet making
many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. This passage of scripture speaks
to us of gospel ministers. And I know tonight that every
believer, every child of God, each and every one of us here
tonight, we are all in the work of the ministry. If you notice
the first few words where we began, the first word is we. And then I think the fourth word
is workers. Workers. The chapter begins with
we and then workers together. And this work is one in which
every child of God is engaged, every believer is engaged in
the work through preaching, teaching, praying, giving, and witnessing. And we all have the same goal.
We all have the same goal, which is the glory of God, first of
all, and the salvation of sinners. Now I know this is so. But at
the same time, I'm convinced that these verses that we are
looking at tonight, that they especially refer to ministers
of the gospel. Let me say that again briefly,
that all of us, all believers are in the ministry. We're all
in the work of the Lord together. And yet, this passage of Scripture,
I believe, refers especially to ministers, those who are set
apart by God to the work of the Lord in preaching the gospel.
So we're going to look at them under two headings tonight. First,
Paul's instructions to all gospel ministers as workers. Notice
verses 1 and 2. We then, as workers together
with him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of
God in vain. For he saith, I have heard thee
in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored
thee. Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. Paul's instructions to all gospel
ministers as workers. And I say all ministers because
you notice that Paul here combines himself with the ministers at
Corinth. He says, we, we then as workers
together with him beseech you also. So we and you. We, the Apostle Paul and those
who accompanied with him, and you, that is the ministers in
the church at Corinth. First of all, all gospel ministers
are workers together. Verse one, workers together. Look with me, if you will, in
1 Timothy chapter three. And the emphasis here is workers. all gospel ministers are workers
together. 1st Timothy chapter 3 and verse
1, the apostle says, this is a true saying. This is a true
saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop. Now there are three
words, you know this, there are three titles for pastor in the
New Testament and bishop is one of them, it literally means an
overseer. An overseer. This is a true saying,
if a man desire the office of a bishop, an overseer, a pastor,
a preacher. Now notice, he desireth a good
work. It's a good work, but it is a
work. And it is a work that no man
naturally has the strength to do. It is a work that no man
naturally is sufficient in himself, because it is a work which requires
faithfulness and diligence. Now if you look back in our text
tonight, the translators added these two words, with him. We then as workers together with
him. They have been added, but I believe
rightly so. Because, keep your place there,
but turn back to 1st Corinthians chapter 3. 1st Corinthians chapter 3. Remember
the church at Corinth was somewhat divided around various preachers. Some said they were of Peter,
and some said they were of Paul, and some said they were of Apollos,
and some said, We are of Christ. But notice in verse 9, Paul says,
For we are laborers together with God. Now in our text, those
two words have been added. We are laborers or workers together
with Him. We are laborers together with
God. He's speaking of himself when
he wrote this in 1 Corinthians 3 and Apollos. We, Apollos and
myself. I planted, Apollos watered, but
God gave the increase. We are laborers together with
God. Now of course when we read that
we are workers together with Him, we recognize that we are
not equals. We're not equals, we're subordinates. But at the same time, there is
a chief shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, but yes, there are under-shepherds. We are workers together with
Him, with God, with Christ. There's a chief shepherd, but
yes, there are under-shepherds. The man desire a the office of
a bishop he desireth a good work. If you look in 1st Peter, when
I say that there's a chief shepherd, you know this passage of Scripture.
I'm sure 1st Peter chapter 5, where we are told when the chief
shepherd shall appear, but there are under shepherds. Here we're referred to as elders.
The elders which are among you, 1st Peter chapter 5, I exhort,
who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ,
and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed, feed
the flock of God, which is among you, taking the oversight thereof,
not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of
a ready mind, neither as being large over God's heritage, but
being in samples to the flock, and when the Chief Shepherd shall
appear. You know, the Lord Jesus Christ
is called the Good Shepherd, isn't He? The Good Shepherd giveth
His life for the sheep. And He's called the Great Shepherd,
but here He's referred to as the Chief Shepherd. There's a
Chief Shepherd, Christ, but also there are under-shepherds. And
so yes, we are laborers, we are workers together with Him. Subordinates, absolutely. But still, we are workers together
with Him. And the same thing is true about
Christ. He is the master builder. He
said, upon this rock, I will build my church. I, Christ, I will build my church. And yet the Apostle Paul in 1
Corinthians 3 verses 11 and 12 said, for other foundation, there's
no other foundation, Christ he's the rock, he's the foundation,
for other foundation can no man lay. Now if any man build upon the
foundation. Is that clear? Christ, he's the
master builder. I will build my church. But yes,
he uses men. He uses means in preaching the
gospel. And Paul said, if any man, any
man build upon this foundation. So that's my first thought, that
the work is such a work that no man is naturally able to do,
no man is sufficient in himself, but we do not labor, we do not
work by ourselves. We are laborers together with
Him. And apart from the Lord Jesus
Christ, He said, you can do nothing, nothing. Now secondly, All gospel
ministers are not to receive the grace of God in vain. Look
at that in verse one in our text. We then as workers together with
him. All gospel ministers are workers
together with him. Number two, all gospel ministers
are not to receive the grace of God in vain. We beseech you
also. that you receive not the grace
of God in vain. Now this cannot, it cannot refer
to the grace of God that bringeth salvation. That's not what Paul
is speaking of. When God the Holy Spirit regenerates
or quickens a soul that was dead in trespasses and sins and gives
spiritual life, that life can never die. It can never be quenched. ministers of the gospel, we receive
the grace of God, that is the grace of the gifts for the ministry. We receive them from Him and
we should not receive them in vain. He qualifies us, He gives
us the gifts for the ministry and this is what Paul is saying,
do not receive these gifts in vain. They're to be used. We have a good example of this
in 1st Timothy chapter 4. 1st Timothy chapter 4. You know,
Timothy, when you read the words which were written to him, he
seems to have been a man, a younger man than Paul, of course, but
not a real young man, I don't think. by our standards, but
he does seem to have been a man who was greatly troubled and
upset at different times over what he saw. He had gone with
Paul, he had followed Paul, he'd heard the gospel from Paul, he'd
learned the gospel from Paul, and then he sees Paul, we might
refer to him as his mentor, Remember, Paul said, my son, he called
Timothy his son. And Timothy sees his father in
the faith, at least, being mistreated, being stoned, being put into
prison, and had the temptation, no doubt, to be discouraged.
To be discouraged. But notice what Paul writes to
him. In verse 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 12. Let no man despise
thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers. Now notice
this. In word, in conversation, in
charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Now notice. Till I come, give attendance
to reading. I remember a man who said he
was a missionary, but he made this statement after I had met
him. He said, I promised myself when
I left college, I'd never open another book. Well, he wasn't. I mean, you
could tell it. That's not a preacher. That's
not the ministry. Now, Paul tells Timothy, give
attendance to reading. And that's much of the ministry
of a pastor, when God puts a man into the ministry, is reading
and studying like he tells Timothy here. Give attendance to reading. Yes, read the scripture, of course. And that should be primarily
what we read. But there are writers who have
gone before us from whom we may profit a great deal. So give
attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Now notice, neglect
not the gift that is in thee. Now in his case, the gift, he
said, which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of
the hands of the presbytery, Neglect not the gift. Receive
not the grace of God in vain. As a minister of the gospel of
the Lord Jesus Christ, receive not the grace of God
in vain. Neglect not the gift that is
in thee. Meditate upon these things. Give
thyself wholly to them. that thy profiting may appear
to all. Take heed unto thyself and unto
the doctrine, continuing them, for in doing this thou shalt
both save thyself and them that hear thee. In giving attendance
to reading, to doctrine, to preaching, thou shalt both save thyself,
preaching the gospel, teaching the gospel, and those who hear
thee. Now, all gospel ministers are
to receive or not to receive the grace of God in vain. Now
here's the third thing. All gospel ministers are to work
in this, this God's day of salvation. If you have your Bible still
open to our text tonight, I want you to notice that verse 2 It's
about evenly divided into Paul quoting and then Paul declaring. And first of all, Paul quoting
from Isaiah chapter 49 and verse 8. Keep your places here, but
let's look back as it is written. Isaiah 49 and verse 8. And these are words which God
the Father spoke to the Lord Jesus Christ, the God-man, in
Isaiah chapter 49 and verse 8. Thus saith the Lord... Now remember,
this is God the Father speaking to Christ, God incarnate. Thus saith the Lord in an acceptable
time, I have heard thee. I have heard thee. And in a day of salvation have
I helped thee. Now that's what Paul quotes here
in our text tonight. He tells us For he saith, that
is, God said, and he said this to the Lord Jesus Christ, I have
heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have
I succored thee. At the birth of the Lord Jesus,
we know that the angels, they began to sing peace on earth
and goodwill toward man. In the day of salvation, In the
time accepted, the Father heard him. When he came into this world
as a man, the Father heard him. He said at one point, the Father
doth always hear me. But think about these times that
I'm going to mention when the Father heard him. Now this is
God the Son, our representative, our Savior, praying to his Father. ...praying to his father, and
the father told him in an acceptable time, in the day of salvation,
I have heard thee. The father heard him, he heard
him when he prayed, as it is recorded in John 17, for you
and I. Let me say that again. God told
him, I have heard thee. God the Father heard him in an
acceptable time when he prayed for you and me. He prayed, he said, neither pray
I for these alone, but for them also, which shall believe on
me through their word. All of us here tonight who believe
in Christ, we all believe in Him. through the word of the
apostles, through the word of God that was written. The father
heard him when he prayed for you, when he prayed for me. The
father heard him when he prayed in the garden. When he prayed,
oh my father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless,
not as I will, but as I will. The father heard him. There was
no other way other than by Him shedding His blood as our substitute,
as our representative. There was no other way than for
Him to be made sin that we might be made the righteousness of
God in Him. But the Father heard Him. The
Father heard Him when He prayed, Father I will that they also
who thou hast given me, be with me where I am. Aren't you thankful
he prayed this and the Father heard him? Father, I will. I will. That they also, who thou
hast given me, be with me where I am. One day we're going to
be with him. Where he is. Where is he? He's
in paradise, isn't he? Just like he told that thief.
That day they were being crucified, and the thief said, Lord, remember
me when thou comest into thy kingdom today. Today thou shalt
be with me in paradise. The father heard him when he
prayed, Father, I will that they also who thou hast given me be
with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou
hast given me. And he continues to hear him. You know, when he was there at
the cross, one of the first sayings from the cross was, Father, forgive
them, for they know not what they do. You know, the Father
heard him. On the day of Pentecost, many
of those that he prayed for at that time, they were converted,
weren't they? Even though they had the blood
of Jesus Christ on their hands. You by wicked hands. The father
heard it. Father forgive them for they
know not what they do. And he continues to hear him.
He hears him tonight. He hears him even now as he makes
intercession for all of us who come unto God by him. But notice the second thing.
The Father not only heard him, but the Father succored or helped
him. Now in Isaiah chapter 50 and
verse 7, now these are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. First
we look there in Isaiah 49 and verse 8 at the words of the Father
to the Son. But in Isaiah chapter 50 and
verse 7, we have the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. And this
is what he said. For the Lord God will help me. The Lord God will help me. Therefore,
I shall not be confounded or shamed. Therefore, and I know
these are the words of Christ because of this statement right
here. Therefore, have I set my face like a flint, and I know. I shall not be ashamed." In the
Gospel of Luke, we know these words were fulfilled. When Jesus
set his face like a flint to go to Jerusalem, even though
he told his disciples, we go up to Jerusalem and the Son of
Man shall be betrayed, crucified, And yet he set his face like
a flint to go to Jerusalem. The Father helped him. Now it was as a man, I recognize
this, it was as a man that God promised him help or succor. And he trusted in God. He trusted
in God as his God to grant him, to give him that help. Now when you hear that, at first
it may sound like, well, that implies some weakness on his
part. But that's not the reason we
are told this. He is a mighty God. There was
never any weakness on his part. But these words indicate to us
the Father's concern, the Father's interest in the work of the Son,
that He helped him. And listen, it also testifies
to us of the strength and the power which was needed for Him
to accomplish our salvation. I don't know how to ever put
this in words, I could not explain it, but the weight The weight
of the sins of God's people, which were laid upon Christ,
would have crushed all of the angels put together. The weight. I will help thee. I will succor
thee. The Father promising this help
and giving this help, it shows us the strength and the power
that was necessary for Christ to accomplish our salvation. Now notice back here in our text.
I said about half of this text Paul quotes and we looked at
that quote from Isaiah 49 and verse 6. I have heard thee in
a time accepted and in the day of salvation have I succored
thee. Now Paul no longer quotes, but
he declares, Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is
the day of salvation. This dispensation The Apostle
Paul referred to it as the dispensation of the fullness of the times
in Ephesians chapter 1. This dispensation began with
the coming of Christ and it will continue until the last one of
God's elect is called and brought to the Lord Jesus Christ. And
the gospel, which is worthy of all acceptation, is no longer
preached like it was in that old dispensation. Same gospel. Same gospel. But those who preached
in that old dispensation, what were they saying? They were saying,
look to Him who is coming. Look to the one who will accomplish
eternal redemption. But it was always future, wasn't
it? He shall come. He shall finish the work. He
shall accomplish eternal redemption. But the message that we now preach
is now. Now. Notice he uses that word
twice. Now. Behold, now is the accepted
time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. The Messiah who was promised
to come, He now has come and He has finished the work which
the Father gave Him to do. He has accomplished our salvation. John Gill said, let me read his
quote, It is now brought home to their souls by the ministration
of the gospel under the influence of the Spirit of God. That is
the Gospels. It is now, now brought home to
their souls by the ministration of the Gospel under the influence
of the Spirit of God. Now sinners are convinced of
their need and that it cannot be found anywhere else. Now they
are made to submit to Christ and be saved by Him and Him alone. and are encouraged to believe
in Him and are by Him actually possessed of it. Now. This now
that we read here. Now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation.
It's this whole period. This whole dispensation. But
we know there will come a time when it will come to an end. But now, and during this now,
all gospel ministers are to preach. Now, the second heading, and
I'm not going to go through this tonight, but Paul gives instructions
to all gospel ministers as to their conduct. to our conduct. And that's what we see in verses
3 through 10. We'll save this, the Lord willing,
until next week. Let's sing a hymn, David.