2 Corinthians 10:12-18 | Too Big for Your Britches

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Slides:

Quotes on comparison:

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” Teddy Roosevelt

“Comparison is the death of joy.” Mark Twain

“Comparison is where joy goes to die.” Pastor Jeff

“Comparison bad. Stop it.” Me

Comparison leads to…

- False exaltation or discouragement

- Division and judgment

- Man-appointed leaders

Galatians 2:7-10

But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter [had been] to the circumcised 8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in [his] apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we [might] [go] to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 [They] only [asked] us to remember the poor--the very thing I also was eager to do.

We don’t create or grant authority, we recognize it.

Authority has boundaries.

2 Corinthians 2:17-3:3

For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God. 3:1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you? 2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Romans 15:20

And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was [already] named, so that I would not build on another man's foundation;

What are our ambitions?

- The 4 W’s

- To send workers into the harvest

- Spiritual healing, biblical community, and personal sanctification

- Growth of the Kingdom!

Jeremiah 9:23-24

Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.

Too big for your britches:

Man-appointed, false teachers

2 Peter 2:1-3

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in [their] greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

“Paul wanted the respect of the Corinthian Christians, but he wanted it for their sake, not for his own.”

- David Guzik

2 Corinthians 7:3

I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together.