Speak Truth

Welcome to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. In 2 Corinthians 12, 1-6, Paul tells of an event in which God caught him up into the third heaven, unfolding great revelations to him. But in spite of these stunning experiences, Paul's boast was in Jesus.

When many may have used such an experience to build up their own kingdoms and reputations, Paul's focus remained on sharing the gospel. Let's listen to this message titled, Speak Truth. This is part two of a message which was first preached on August 10, 2014. For all of eternity, we will be physical beings. And so, there is a specific place now for those who are in the Lord, but they do not have their bodies. That is the place to which Paul was caught up. It is God's realm. It is beyond this created order. That's why he says the third heaven. If we were to count the heavens of which they speak in scripture, the first heaven is the atmosphere up in the realm of the clouds, the sky, you know where airplanes fly, and today you can say it's where drones fly, that sort of stuff. The second heaven would be space, the sun, the moon, stars, outer space out there. The third heaven is God's realm. Paul was caught up there, somewhere beyond the created order.

What happened up there? Well, it says, verse four, how he was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words which it is not lawful for a man to utter. He heard, maybe saw, I have to believe that he actually saw something, but it was most important what he heard. The issue for Paul was not what he saw, except that what he heard was very important and what he heard was so wonderful and so profound, it was beyond human language that he knew of to be able to relate this information. Not only was it that profound and wonderful, but also it was things that he was not permitted to tell. And we see an example of that. For example, in Daniel, he was, in the revelation that the Lord gave the prophet Daniel, he said, seal up the book.

These things are not to be known until the end of time. And so it was with the apostle Paul. These things were for him alone. This experience that God gave Paul was for Paul. For God's glory, but for Paul. For his benefit.

That's what we have to understand about this. What was, then, the value of Paul's experience? Well, you remember, sacrificial ministry lasted. You remember all the things that Paul had to suffer?

Look back at chapter 11, beginning at verse 24. From the Jews, five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was killed. And I three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned.

Three times I was shipwrecked. And he goes on and on. Imagine that. Just imagine for a moment the severity of the suffering that Paul had to endure simply because he was a specifically commissioned apostle of Jesus Christ. Very, very deep brutality that he had to endure. Not to mention the inward turmoil, the concern that he had for the churches, for the members of the churches in weakness and stumbling, falling away from the faith. This experience that Paul had, that the Lord gave him, that the Lord entrusted to him, was to fortify him for his service as an apostle and for the sufferings that he would have to endure. This experience that Paul had, and for the sufferings that he would have to endure. Paul, you're going to go through a whole lot. I'm going to give you something that's going to keep you going through what you're going to do and what you're going to experience.

That was the benefit of this. So, because of this, because of what Paul heard and I believe saw, but most importantly what Paul heard, he had absolute confidence in God and in God's truth. And because of that, because of his level of confidence, he was unshakeable. Paul was unbreakable.

He was unstoppable as an apostle of Jesus Christ. It's like Paul was saying, I know what's true and I know what's coming. I know what's true and I know what's coming. And I have utterly no doubt about it because I've been there, I've seen it, I've heard it. I think this is the foundation behind Paul's statement in Romans chapter 8, beginning at 19, for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glories that shall be revealed in us.

Imagine that. If you had scales, you know, those old fashioned kind of scales where you have one weight countering the other, and you put the sufferings that anybody has to endure, put the sufferings that Paul had to endure on one side over here, it was weighted down pretty heavily because he had to endure an awful lot. But he says, with the glories that shall be revealed in us, if you put those on the scale, it goes woosh, and the sufferings fly off into oblivion.

The sufferings of this present time are not even worthy to be compared with the glories which shall be revealed in us. How could Paul say such a thing? Because it was revealed to him. He had such a revelation and as an authoritative apostle, he could communicate that truth. That was the value of Paul's experience, because of what he would do and what he would have to endure.

So, what really matters in this matter then? What does this have to do with speaking the truth? How was this experience relevant to speaking truth as an attribute of genuine spiritual authority?

Do you notice the hesitation that the apostle Paul has? Look at verse one again, it is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. It's not really going to do any good for me to boast about this. What really matters in this matter? The value of this experience, what really matters in all this? Number one, that there has to be a benefit for all. Any gift that God gives you or me is for the benefit of all. So, how was this experience to benefit everybody else? The benefit for everybody else was not in Paul promoting himself, he considered that to be a useless activity.

His authority didn't come because of this revelation. He said, it's not profitable for me to boast. In this day and age, everything is about image. Everything is about self-promotion.

It's about making oneself look successful or be successful. Let me read a quote from an article here written by Barnabas Piper. He says, when anyone, an organization or an individual, prioritizes image, they lose their center. That's a good point.

Remember that. We're going to revisit that here in a moment. When anyone, organization or individual, prioritizes image, they lose their center, the heart of what matters.

They become inconsistent. It is the basis for legalism, the creating of standards based on something other than truth. Standards based on something other than truth. The door opens for dishonesty and manipulation because the goal isn't integrity itself, but rather protecting the image.

It's very well put. So what is important in this? That it is for the profit of all. How did this profit us? How did Paul's experience benefit us? Paul's unshakable confidence and perseverance in spreading the gospel, speaking truth and establishing churches amidst the hardships recorded in chapter 11.

That is what benefits us. The benefit for us was that Paul boldly and with abandon spoke truth as an outflow of this experience. He didn't make this experience the central issue. Truth was the central issue.

And this experience gave him the confidence and the perseverance to be able to with abandon speak that truth. You see, there was no wondering on Paul's part, am I doing the right thing? There was no wondering, does God really exist? You know, people are asking that question today. I don't believe there are people who believe there is no God.

They know there is a God. What people have become masters at today is suppressing truth. And Paul says, I'm bringing that truth to you front and center.

There's no wondering on his part. He would preach, he would persevere with abandon, and because of that, truth was proclaimed, disciples were established, churches were formed, scripture was written, and you see all the benefit that we get from that today. Because Paul didn't make this experience the central issue, he made truth the central issue.

And that's how we benefit from it today. What really matters in the matter is that there is a benefit for all in this, and that is the truth. And then secondly, that it is plain truth. It is plain truth. It is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Paul did not hold back with the truth, but neither did he embellish the truth.

That's very, very important. He could have. He could have. But Paul does not exaggerate the value of his own experience.

He was careful not to pay more attention to the glittery wrapping of the gift rather than the substance of the gift, which is the truth. Thanks for joining us here at Delight in Grace. You've been listening to Rich Powell, the lead pastor at Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. The Delight in Grace mission is to help you know that God designed you to realize your highest good and your deepest satisfaction in Him, the one who is infinitely good. We hope you'll join us again on weekdays at 10 a.m.