Something Old, Something New
2 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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2 Corinthians 5:12-17
For context sake, lets read our scripture to this point,
1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.
Now, we are going to ready our text today in context with the section for our study.
12 For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Now we are gonna look at 12-17 today if we have time.
v12 Look’it my heart, 13 Jesus freak, 14-15 Love makes us move!, 16-17 Everything new.
Look the first of 3 For’s that Paul gives to us,
12 For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.
Commend - synistanomen - make known by action. Paul had rebuked the church already for insisting that how they looked, the professional rhetoricians, orators extraordinaire. He said in 2 Corinthians 3:1 “Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you?”
He was frustrated having to remind them again and again, they knew exactly who he was and what he did, and how God responded in them according to the Word. Turn to 1 Sam 16
Looking at the person or basing our success on earthly things is a habit we get into. Hero look, strong look, looking like kings or queens. However thats not what God sees, 1 Samuel 16:5–13 “And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice. 6So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!” 7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 8So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” 13Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.”
Peter would say don’t focus on the out, but inside - he told ladies in 1Pet 3:4 “rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.”
Judge them not by their skills but their fruit. Their hearts will show you who they really are. they point at their success not the truth of what they teach. Like this guy, watch the video. (listen credit card audio)
now we go from v12 Look’it my heart to, 13 Jesus freak, the second FOR
13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
beside ourselves - exestemen, to be out of your mind, overcome, crazy. Cuckoo for cocoa puffs. Note when he does this for God, he means Jesus/Spirit. So He says we are Jesus freaks because our lack of human reason is because of our obsession with our Lord.
When we make it make sense, Paul says, this is for you. Because they didn’t understand Jesus (on the other side of the cross) even His family tried to bring Him home. Mark 3:21 “21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”” and Paul said that our salvation is 1 Corinthians 1:18 “18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
As crazy as Paul seemed, he did it for them.1 Th 1:5 “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.” 2 Ti 2:10 “Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”
13 Jesus freak to 14-15 Love makes us move! The third and final FOR
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
the agape of Messiah, synechei’s us . His love binds us so incredibly tightly to Him. Tightly to each other, and tightly to the cross and His resurrection from the dead.
the driving force is the gospel that we saw in 1 thessalonionians and 2 Timothy just a moment ago. the fact that this Gospel changes things on an eternal level, changes us from these mere mortals to immortal, and saves us eternally. We saw the foolishness of the Cross earlier, lets look at it together.
1 Corinthians 1:18–25 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (Ro 1:16) 19For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 20Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? (it aint crazy if its true) 21For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
14-15 Love makes us move! leads us to see that 16-17 Everything’s new (two therefores trump 3 For’s?
2 Corinthians 5:16–17 “Therefore, from now on, we regard (OR KNOW) no one according to the flesh.
Because of the gospel we don't look at how God someone is, or how well they know or obey the law.
we know that there is none good, no not one. (ro 3:23, 6:23) That all have sinned. Jesus himself said all are condemned already. John 3:18–19 ““He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.
We knew the facts about jesus - i did too. Read it in encyclopedia. We know from historical records that Jesus existed and was crucified etc.
knowing about jesus even believing what it says, doesn't save or change us. James made the point that James 2:19–20 “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” Without faith (trust in, lean on, rely on) god, there is no salvation found in us.
We don’t know Him on a carnal level. We don’t obey him and make certain magical words or confessions that save us. It is His life in us that saves that redeems that makes whole and give us Eternal Life. We know Him as Lord.
What we say is what has happened in us through Him - Romans 10:9–10 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
How we relate to God, how we experience His mercy and grace, the question is, are you in Him? You know you are, if He is in you. Why do we say it like that? Because he is himself our salvation. The Word equates him to the ark us being in Him.
like the wooden ark delivered humanity, now the last Adam delivers us via the cross and resurrection. 1 Peter 3:18–22 “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.”
In closing: We have to understand that we must live now as different creatures. We are not Adam, who walked with God, in His direct presence. One sin, and it was all over. Then as men, we struggled to have a spiritual relationship with the Father flopping around, failing. Then the Law came and we couldn't do it. We were dead to God in our sins. Now, we are dead to our sins in Christ. And because of this, we can be indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Permanently. You are accepted in the beloved (Eph 1). You don’t have to earn this salvation, it was secured for us in Christ. We now need to learn what it means to live in this world as crucified beings. Are those who are Romans 6:11 “So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” We no longer walk as victims of this world, but victors in Christ. Because He won the victory and assures us of our reward!
Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations (5236 Old Pete’s Assurance)
Albertus Pieters in his book Divine Lord and Saviour, tells of a believer who was not well-educated, but who had a deep assurance of his salvation. Everyone called him “Old Pete.” One day while talking with Dr. Pieters, he said, “If God should take me to the very mouth of Hell and say to me, “In you go, Pete; here’s where you belong,” I would say to Him, “That’s true, Lord, I do belong there. But if you make me go to Hell, Your dear Son Jesus Christ must go with me! He and I are now one, and we cannot be separated anymore.” ”—Selected