Speak Truth, Part 2

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 three of the message which was first preached on August 10, 2014.

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.

We are masters of that today. We get so excited about the wrapping of the truth and the actual substance of the truth is, we're ambivalent about it. How would that feel? You know, Christmas is coming up in several months.

How would you feel? Your kids are out there in the living room and they, oh wow, look at the wrapping and they're unwrapping and they're just so excited about all the wrapping and stuff. And they put the wrapping over here and they open the box and they look at the gift. Huh. But then they go over and they start playing with all the gift wrapping. Does that make any sense?

It doesn't. But did you know that's a human temptation to do that? We get excited about the wrapping of the truth to the point that we become ambivalent about the truth itself. Paul says, I'm not going to do that.

I'm not going to do that at all. In fact, those who were his detractors in the Corinthian church were doing exactly that. That's why they didn't, they were questioning Paul. Paul, you don't sound like an apostle when you're with us.

You're weak and contemptible. How could you be an apostle? Never mind the truth that he spoke. Paul admitted he wasn't a polished speaker. What a problem that is for the church today.

I'll go to the church if the speaker keeps my interest and he's exciting. And we marginalized truth. Paul made this very clear that this is not what his ministry was about. Look what he says back in chapter 4 and verse 2, 2 Corinthians 4, 2. 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, the open statement of the truth, the ESV says, setting forth the truth plainly, we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. Paul did not sensationalize truth to stimulate response. He did not sensationalize truth to stimulate response. He could have done that, couldn't he have? And what if somebody today were to experience the same thing Paul experienced? There are those who do.

And what do they do? What could Paul have done? Well, he would have been immediately contacted by a manager and he would have been offered numerous book contracts. He would appear on every talk show and he would have been an immediate author on all things metaphysical.

And he could have made a million bucks on book sales and speaker's fees as an authority on the metaphysical. But that's not what Paul did. You see, this experience wasn't the point.

It wasn't the central issue. The truth was. And Paul says, I will speak the truth. Paul says, no, all that would take away from the point communicating the simple truth of the Gospel. Listen, it is a small leap from distorting the truth about one's ministry or sensationalizing one's ministry. It is a small leap from that to distorting the truth about God.

It happens multiple times over every week on this continent. Paul's central issue was to make much of God. To make much of God. He made clear that he wanted to avoid any suggestion that he was a super Christian. That he was some special kind of a Christian just because he had this experience.

This experience did not add to his personal status or his importance. And look with me at verse six. For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool.

For I will speak the truth. But I refrain lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. Folks, we need that verse today. We need that verse today. Because it's far too easy for those who get behind the pulpit, for those who are in positions of influence to promote themselves and to do whatever they can to get people to think well of them. And others opinions of them becomes their objective and their motivation. We need verse six desperately in the church today. Paul's perception on it, I am but an instrument.

I'm not the point. You know without the master using the instrument, what does the instrument do? It just sits on a shelf. It's a paperweight. But when the instrument is in the master's hands, it is the master who gets the credit. And Paul said that's what I'm about.

I'm not getting credit for this experience. It simply gave me the absolute unstoppable unshakable confidence to speak truth. Drawing attention to me takes it away from God. And how true that can be when we start looking at the image of the minister, the image of the instrument, how it detracts from the central point. Last November was the anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. Did you know that the actual Gettysburg Address was intended to be given by Edward Everett? And he did give an address. Before Lincoln spoke, Edward Everett spoke for two hours.

People standing. And he was up on a stage and he spoke. Edward Everett was an accomplished orator and statesman. He studied at Harvard. He was tutored personally by the president of Harvard. At one point he became the president of Harvard.

He pastored for a time. He was a congressman, a governor of Massachusetts, Secretary of State. He's the one that gave the Gettysburg Address, all 13,000 words of it, which is very, very little known today. There was a common criticism of his speaking style that comes in a book that was published back in 1925.

It says, Everett spoke like some superior intelligence, discoursing to mortals of what they ought to feel and know, but as if he himself were too far exalted to require such feelings and such knowledge of himself. But he spoke for two hours at the Gettysburg Memorial. And then Lincoln spoke for all of two minutes. And here we are 150 years later and what do we remember most? Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

After the event, Everett, in a letter to Lincoln, he wrote the following day, he praised the president for his eloquent and concise speech. And he said this, I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes. Paul says, my ambition is just to communicate the truth. This experience doesn't make me special.

It doesn't set me apart. I'll speak the truth. So no one will think of me more than what is warranted by what I do or what I say. Genuine authority is clear about the central idea and the instrument is not the central idea. Genuine authority is clear about the central idea.

Genuine authority means to speak truth, not holding back or not sensationalizing truth, but speaking truth. And such is what the Apostle Paul did. May we be committed to the truth as speakers, as communicators, as listeners, as listeners. May we actively listen to truth because God is communicating, God is revealing himself to us. It is ours to engage that truth and let it mold our hearts and our minds. 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.