Speak Truth, Part 4

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 the fourth part of this message, which was first preached on August 10, 2014.

To hear it in its entirety, you can go to www.delightingrace.com. This experience that Paul had, that the Lord gave him, that the Lord entrusted to him was to fortify him 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. So because of this, because of what Paul heard, and I believe saw, but most importantly what he heard, he had absolute confidence in God and in God's truth. And because of that, because of his level of confidence, he was unshakable. 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 verse 18, 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, 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 whoosh, 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 1 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, what does that mean for me is for the benefit of all. So, how is 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.

He said it's not profitable for me to boast. In this day and age, everything is about image. Let me read a quote from an article here written by Barnabas Piper. He says, when any one 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. 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. He would preach, he would persevere with abandon and because of that, truth was proclaimed.

Disciples were established. Scripture was written. 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 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 marginalize 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. 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 10am.