Message

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Always “Yes” In Christ

2 Corinthians 1:12-24

Key Verse: 1:19b “but in him it has always been “Yes.”

At the beginning of his second letter to the Corinth, Paul encouraged them to rely on God, who is the Father of compassion and God of all comfort. Paul repeated the word ‘comfort’ because he himself was greatly comforted by the good news about the church which had been reported by Titus, whom he met in Macedonia. Paul was comforted when he heard that the condition of the church had become better since they received Paul’s first letter. Furthermore, Paul was comforted by God who delivered him and would continue to deliver him. Indeed, we are also comforted in all situations when we believe that the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort delivers us and will continue to deliver us. Amen!

In today’s passage Paul defends the change of his itinerary for visiting Corinth. While defending his change, Paul shows his absolute attitude toward the gospel message and his affection for the church.

First, not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace (12-16, 23-24) Look at verse 12. “Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in this world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.” In this verse Paul said that the change of his plan did not rely on his wisdom, but on God’s grace. Paul’s original plan for visiting the Corinthian Church is written in verses 15-16, which says, “Because I was confident of this, I wanted to visit you first so that you might benefit twice. I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea.” According to him, Paul wanted to visit Corinth on the way to Macedonia and visit there again after coming back from Macedonia. But Paul changed his plan. He did not stop by Corinth but went to Macedonia directly. Why did the change of his visiting plan become an issue to Paul and the church? At that time the church had been waiting for Paul’s visit since they had received his first letter. Some must have wanted Paul’s visit to receive his support in solving their problems in the church. There were divisions, lawsuits among the believers, sexual immorality, order of worship, idolatry, etc. in the church. But Paul did not go to the church. Some must have been greatly disappointed. Others might have been confused, and still others doubtful about Paul’s sincerity.

Paul defends himself with two factors: first, he did so, not rely on worldly wisdom, but on God’s grace. Second, he did so for their sake. Not to mention that Paul was a great scholar and a man of knowledge. When we read the book of Romans, we realize how wide and deep his knowledge of the Scripture and the wisdom of the world. But Paul knew that when he depended on his wisdom and knowledge, he became proud and used his body as an instrument of Satan who persecuted the church of God. After he met Jesus Christ on the way to Damascus, he experienced the grace of God. After he experienced the grace of God, he became humble. In his first letter he confessed that by the grace of God he became who he was. Since then, Paul learned how to rely on God’s grace, not on his wisdom and worldly knowledge. Paul believed that his change of plan was also done by God’s grace. He had a similar past. During his second missionary journey, he had planned to visit Asia. But the Spirit of Christ did not allow him to do so. In modern terms he lost his passport the day before he left. Otherwise, he got COVID before he departed. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” (Ac 16:6-10) If Paul relied on his wisdom and will, he ignored the Spirit of Jesus and the vision of a man of Macedonia and went to the province of Asia as he had originally planned. But Paul denied himself and followed the Holy Spirit. He went to Macedonia and opened the door to Europe.

Like Paul we also rely on God’s grace in our daily life and share our testimony. For the Midwest Tour program after ISBC 2023, I rented two 15 passenger’s vans for guests and one minivan for their baggage. I limited the number of guests to 24 because of the limit of space. But 28 guests had applied for the tour. I didn’t decline their request because they were all oversea guests. I had to rent more vans and find more drivers for the extra. But it was not easy for me to rent more vans and find a driver just one week before the conference started. When I was helpless and in agony, God began to work. Two guests cancelled their tour plan because of their health issue. Two other guests cancelled because of their school schedule. One more cancelled, but another replaced him. So God made 24 tourists exactly as I had planned. I reserved two 15 passengers’ vans, but when I picked up the vans, one of them was a 12 passengers' van. I got mad at the rental company which did not keep the contract. But it turned out better for us because the 12 passenger’s van provided more space for the baggage while we couldn’t rent a minivan for baggage. In all things God worked for good and beautiful while I was helpless and troubled. If all things were done according to my plan, the tour would be disastrous. I had to rent one more van for the extra passengers and find another driver for the van. But God intervened in my schedule and orchestrated the tourists and transportation and made our trip beautiful and joyful. I believe that all things came by God’s grace and were done by God’s grace. Likewise, Paul also explained that the change of his plan to visit was done by God’s grace, not by his own will or wisdom.

Next, Paul said that he changed his plan for the sake of the church. There is no doubt that Paul wanted to visit them right away when he had heard about the church. But Paul sent a letter and waited. He waited for God’s direction. He could have visited the church as he wished, but he waited. He waited for God’s time. Soon he realized that it was better for him not to visit them for their sake. Paul knew that they were struggling and overcome by faith. So, he said this in verse 23-24. “I call God as my witness—and I stake my life on it—that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.” Paul realized that the church was standing firm by faith without his presence. It was better for the church to increase their faith without Paul while they were struggling with various problems among them. So, it was better for Paul not to visit them for the sake of their faith and joy. Paul continued in verses 13-14. “For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.” The people in the church did not understand Paul’s plan. Some might blame Paul’s change and accuse him. But Paul believed that later they could understand his plan and his heart. They will fully understand why Paul did not visit them first but went to Macedonia. We also sometimes don’t understand the work of God. We may become angry and frustrated when things do not go as we expect. But when we calm down, pray and wait, we understand fully why things went that way. We will find God’s divine grace and his footprint in each and every moment. In this we learn how to rely on God’s grace, not on my wisdom or worldly knowledge.

Second, always ‘Yes’ in Jesus. (17-22) When we read verses 17-22, we may think that Paul talks about the words ‘Yes and No’. We may interpret these verses in various ways. Some interpret that we must not say two different words in the same breath. Look at verse 17. “Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both ‘Yes, yes” and “No, no”? Paul changed his plan even though he had promised to visit them first. He didn’t keep his word. To the people in the church, Paul spoke two different words ‘Yes” and “No’ with the same mouth.

Others interpret these verses for the obedient attitude of Jesus toward the will of the Father. Look at verse 19. “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” Always Yes in Christ means that Jesus was always obedient to God the Father. Jesus said ‘Yes’ in the Garden of Gethsemane to the Father after he had prayed. As Jesus was always Yes to the Father, so also, we must say Yes to Jesus. In Luke’s gospel when the angel Gabriel delivered the message of the birth of Christ, how did Mary answer him? She answered “Yes” by saying, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” (Lk 1:38) The word ‘Amen’ in Hebrews means ‘let it be so’ which means ‘Yes, Lord.’

Still, others interpret ‘Yes in Jesus’ as the fulfillment of the Scriptures. Look at verse 20. “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” Jesus came to fulfill all the promises and the prophecies of God. There is Yes in Jesus to understand and interpret the Old Testament. Jesus said in John 5:39, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testifies about me.” Jesus meant that he is “Yes’ for all the Scriptures. On the way to Emmaus the Risen Jesus met his two disciples and taught them that all Moses’ law and the prophecies talk about himself. (Lk 24:27). Hebrews 1:1 says that in the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son Jesus. Indeed, Jesus is the fulfillment of all the promises and prophecies in the OT. Without Jesus nothing can be explained or answered in interpreting the Scriptures. Therefore, all things are “Yes” in Christ.

All these three interpretations are right, and they all make sense to us. Nevertheless, what Paul really wanted to say here is not a matter of “Yes” or “No”, but his absolute attitude toward the gospel message. To Paul the gospel message is not matter of “Yes” or “No”, but always “Yes”. In other words, the gospel message is not easily changeable or vacillating matter as he had changed his plan for visit, but the gospel message is absolutely unchangeable and irrevocable truth. Look at verses 17-18. “Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”? But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, ...was not “Yes” and “No”, but in him it has always been “Yes.” In this way Paul defends the absoluteness of the gospel message. What is the gospel which Paul wanted to defend? It is the message of the cross. It is Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins and his glorious resurrection for our eternal life. This message of the cross is not changeable or negotiable. It is an eternal and unmovable truth of God. Since the gospel is preached, this world has been changed so many times. People were born and died. Kingdoms rose and waned. Culture appeared and disappeared. But the message of the cross remains. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (He 13:8) We must come to the cross. We must be honest before the cross. The message of the cross is the real hope for our future. The message of the cross is the answer for tomorrow. This is because there are healing, comfort, forgiveness, and salvation in the message of the cross. There are our bright future and eternal security in the gospel story. This is the reason why Paul would not compromise with this world for the sake of the message he had preached. This is the reason why he defended the gospel as of the first importance. We experienced God’s glory during the last ISBC 2023. We saw God’s vision through the messages, testimonies, and all other programs. But when we come back to reality, we become dispirited and afraid. Life on this earth always challenges us and tests our faith. But we cannot stop preaching the gospel. We must not compromise with this world. We are saved and called to advance the gospel, raise Jesus’ disciples, and expand God’s kingdom. Amen! World mission is not a matter of option, but of submission. Amen!

Paul could have ignored their complaining or doubts. But Paul did not do so. In verse 12 Paul said, “Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and a godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.” This verse teaches us how Paul treated the church with the heart of Christ. What is integrity and a godly sincerity? I believe that it is humility and the affection of Christ. In Paul’s farewell letter to the Ephesian elders, he said, “I served the Lord with great humility and with tears...” (Ac 20:19a) He continued, “So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” (Ac 20:31)

Paul had confidence that the church would overcome their problems. He believed God’s divine sovereignty over their lives and calling. He believed the work of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee for their final victory. Look at verses 21-22. “Now is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” When we make a reservation for trip or purchase something, some companies require a deposit to guarantee for our purchase. God sent the Holy Spirit as our deposit for our final victory in Jesus. ‘Yes’ in Jesus and Victory in Jesus! Amen!

In conclusion we must remember that we live only by God’s grace. When we remember that we live only by God’s grace, we become humble and grateful. We believe that in all things God works for good and beautiful for his good purpose and for our happiness. Above all, we must be honest before the cross of Jesus. In Jesus we have true comfort, rest, and healing. We can change our worship programs, music style, or meeting hour, but we cannot change the gospel message. People are like grass and their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the message of the cross stands forever! Amen.

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Attachment

• 2 Co-01-12-24-message 4th draft.docx

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