 The title of our sermon this morning is Judge with a Righteous Judgment. This is part two, Judge with a Righteous Judgment, part two. We began this text in 2 Corinthians chapter 10 verses 7 through 11. Now we come to this paragraph beginning in verse 12 and running through verse 18. Judge with a Righteous Judgment, 2 Corinthians chapter 10 verses 12 through 18. Now as we approach our text, our passage this morning, it's important that we remind ourselves of the context. We want to keep the context in mind as we work through these passages. Paul's instruction regarding a collection for suffering saints in Jerusalem has been completed in chapters 8 and 9. Titus and the two unnamed brothers there who have delivered this letter to the church now remain in Corinth and they are charged with preparing the collection prior to Paul's arrival sometime in the near future. Paul intends to pass through Corinth on his way to Jerusalem to pick up that collection, that offering, and to spend some much needed time, face to face time with the saints in the church at Corinth. So what looms large on the horizon for the apostle Paul, what is foremost in his mind and his heart now as he writes in chapters 10 through 13, is this future visit to the church. It is an important visit, very important visit. After confronting significant problems in the church now for some time, a weary and wary Paul has determined in chapter 2 verse 1 that he does not want to visit them again in sorrow. He doesn't want this to be another painful visit. So after what has been referred to as the sorrowful or painful visit, and after that was followed by what has been referred to as the severe letter or severe correction, Paul now wants to ensure that any future visit to the church is going to be edifying, is going to be loving, is going to be encouraging to the body. He doesn't want to go through another painful experience that he's already had with the church at Corinth. Now that being said then, Paul is compelled to spend this last section of this great letter equipping and strengthening the church to confront an ongoing minutes in their midst. Paul called them false apostles, deceitful workers, ministers of Satan who have disguised themselves as ministers of righteousness. Very likely, as we've discussed, these satanically driven liars are the Judaizers. Those who have rejected God's own free offer of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, they are seeking now to build a following for themselves out of this church in Corinth by accusing and attacking Paul and by leading the church into error. So the church at Corinth now, these people have to understand the gravity of what's going on on the ground in their own church in Corinth. This is life and death to them. This is heaven and hell to them. And many of those around them have already made shipwreck of their faith. Listen, when you come into church on a Sunday, it's not just coming to be a spectator to hear a nice, maybe not so nice speech, right? Here's some guy rant and rave for an hour or two. Services in the Lord's church, the preaching of God's word is life and death to you, right? Is a matter of our eternal soul, a matter of our eternal well-being. This is not some rudimentary course we're working through here. It's not some meaningless act that we're doing, some performance for you. This is the word of the living God and your soul hangs in the balance. We need the word of God, amen. We need God's spirit working in our heart and mind to preserve us in the faith. If you've never been truly saved, you need God's spirit kind of rotting your heart and mind, right? You need the spirit of God working in you to bring you to conviction of sin, to bring you to see the treasure that is Christ and to save your soul. This is serious business, and we need to treat it like serious business. The church at Corinth, and listen, this church needs to understand the gravity of what we're talking about. This is not an idol entertainment. This is spiritual warfare, spiritual warfare. And so Paul pleads with them then in chapter 10 verse 1. Listen, heed my word Paul says. Paul begs them in chapter 10 verse 2 to get their house in order before his arrival. You have got to deal with these problems. You have got to deal with your own house, and I would say spiritually folks in this church, you've got to deal with your own spiritual house, get your own heart, get your own mind in order, and listen and hear the words of Paul here. We are to fight the good fight of faith with weapons that are mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. He would ask them, right? Ask us this morning, why would you or I ever believe this world lies? God is true, and every man a liar. Why would we run after the philosophies of this world? Why would we ever give heed to the wisdom of this wicked world? Why do you even now do that? Why do we suffer under that temptation? Cast down their arguments, Paul would say. Cast down every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and walk in truth. They promise you liberty, Peter says, while they themselves are slaves of corruption. Listen, do you want to be free from corruption this morning? There is freedom in the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you sick and tired, really under the load of your sin? There is rest and hope in the Lord Jesus Christ? Turn to Christ and live. God offers him freely to you, and all the blessings of the gospel are yes and amen in him. If you will turn from your sin and trust him alone, be converted that your sins may be blotted out. These wicked false teachers in Corinth are leading the church into a lie. They're hoping to lead these dear people into a lie that will damn their soul, their scoffers walking after or walking according to their own lust. They themselves are slaves of corruption. The Paul attends to expose them. He's going to expose them to the church at Corinth. He's going to expose them to our church over the next four chapters by countering their wicked attacks, their wicked assaults with what is true and what is real. We are called by God to judge with a righteous judgment, judge with a righteous judgment. He begins in chapter 10, verse seven, not with a question as interpreted by some, but with a command literally in chapter 10, verse seven, look according to the face. He says, right? Look at the obvious. Look at the facts. Look at what's in front of your faith and judge with a righteous judgment. These false teachers may be confident that they speak for Christ, but Paul says, consider the fact that we make the same claim. However, however, Paul illustrates for us, there is an obvious distinction between the ministry of the Lord's apostle, of the Lord's apostle and the ministry of the work of these false apostles. And Paul says, when I boast about what the Lord is doing through our ministry, Paul says, I will not be put to shame. Now what follows, what follows this section of text is an overwhelming mountain of evidence. It's like Paul, a good prosecuting attorney laying out his case. And there is evidence that would make his case beyond a reasonable doubt. It's evidence that clearly vindicates Paul as a true apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. We'll see that in the next four chapters. It's evidence that clearly vindicates the gospel message that Paul is preaching as the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it's evidence that should equip the Corinthians to deal decisively with the enemies of the gospel in their midst. Paul, a good prosecuting attorney is building his case. That's not for his own namesake. That's not because Paul is building a ministry or a kingdom for himself. For himself, Paul is building the Lord's kingdom. Paul is working in the Lord's vineyard. He's working for the Lord's sake and for the sake of these dear people in Corinth. So in judging truth from error, Paul calls us then to look at the evidence, look at what's in front of your face and judge with the righteous judgment. The Lord himself said in Matthew chapter seven that you will know them by their fruit. You'll know them by their fruit. I was thinking about this text, right? And not unlike the Lord in number 17, causing the rod of Aaron to bud, bring forth blossoms and ripe almonds as a sign against the rebels that God had chosen Aaron. Not unlike that, the Lord has brought forth fruit from the preaching of his word through the apostle Paul to give evidence, to give testimony against the rebel that Paul is God's spokesperson, right? That Paul is God's ambassador. Paul is the Lord's apostle and that fruit is what the church at Corinth should look to to make their case, to judge against these false teachers, to discern truth from error, to judge with the righteous judgment. The last week in part one, we look at verses seven through eleven and how Paul is calling the Corinthians now to judge according to truth, right? Paul and his ministry can be affirmed through objective truth. They were to judge according to fruit. Paul and his ministry can be affirmed by the fruit of the preaching of God's word, the fruit of the edification of that church in Corinth. And they were to judge according to character. Paul affirmed by his own consistent and commendable character among them. Now this morning, as we come to verses 12 through 18, we'll see Paul now calling the Corinthians further to judge according to God's standard in verse 12, to judge according to God's mission or God's work in verses 13 through 16, and then to judge according to God's commendation or God's judgment in verses 17 and 18. The people of God must be equipped, must be able to discern and then to dispense with error and false teaching in the church. You've got to be able to spot it. You've got to be able to deal with it. That is all of our responsibility, right? We collectively in the church are to do that work. Now consider with me first how we must judge according to God's standard in verse 12. As we work through this text, I want you to understand that Paul's going to lay out this case in chapters 11, 12 and 13. He's setting the Corinthians up now to understand on what basis he's going to be building that case. We see that beginning in verse 12, where we are to judge according to God's standard. Verse 12, Paul says, for we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves, but they, measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. Now first, I want you to see from verse 12 that this is a bit sarcastic on the part of the apostle Paul. In verse 10, in verse 10, Paul raises an accusation leveled against him by these false teachers. These false teachers in verse center saying to Paul, or saying to the church, Paul's letters are heavy handed. Paul's letters are harsh. Paul is a timid coward when he's with you and he's a terrible preacher, right? His voice, just to hear the sound of his voice gives us a feeling of contempt. So Paul then said sarcastically in verse 12, I wouldn't dare put myself in the same category with those so-called apostles. Do you see? I wouldn't dare. Word means I wouldn't be so bold. You say I'm cowardly among you. I don't have the courage to put myself in the category of those false apostles, right? That's essentially what Paul's saying. I wouldn't dare. You don't want to be a part of that club, Paul is saying. Paul said, I certainly wouldn't use them as the standard. They're commending themselves. Calvin calls them heralds of their own excellence. That's true, isn't it? Paul describes the worldly standard they're using as both false and foolish, false and foolish. First, we see it's a false standard in verse 12. When they measure themselves by what standard? By themselves, right? When they compare themselves by what standard? With themselves. You can imagine these guys calling one another up, sending emails, texts out, right? Calling a meeting, a monthly meeting of the Mutual Admirations Society. Wear your best suit, make sure your peacock feathers are on. Peacock feathers are all over the place. On the floor, in your chair, over your clothes, they're in your soup. Everywhere you look, there's peacock. Have you ever watched a peacock like they put the feathers out? And if you didn't see that, they've got to shake them. They flatter one another. They display their eminence amongst one another. They talk about how wonderful they are. Looking good, Apostle Bob? Feeling good, Apostle Frank, right? But only those in the club. Only those in the club. If you're not in the club, you don't get included on that flattery, that mutual admiration. You don't get included on that if you're not in the club. If you're not in the club, then forget it. Right? The guys in this club, they stand and pray, that's with themselves. God, I thank you that I'm not like other men, extortioners, unjust adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I thank you that I'm not like other men like this poor Baptist. How many people are in your church? Right? I thank you that I'm not like this poor pitiful preacher that sits when he says P words. Now where did you get your seminary degree? Right? This guy stands to himself, prays, that's with himself. I am an excellent speaker. I use excellent elocution. And everyone down at the club loves me. The Pharisee in the temple in Luke 18 may have his eyes lifted to heaven, but the Pharisee cannot see. Why can't he see? Because his vision is clouded filled with visions, delusions of his own self worth. It's the man standing afar off with his face to the ground that the Lord commends. When they judge according to worldly standards of success, when they judge according to worldly standards of achievement, then all they can do is measure themselves against themselves. If you're going to use worldly judgment, if you're going to use a worldly standard, then all you can do is compare yourself with one another. You don't have any other objective standard by which to judge yourself or measure it yourself. They compare themselves to one another. The other side of you guys all run together, right? They find one another and then they all run together. You've got, you can see them positioned in their camps, can't you? There is maniacs like the Benny Hins and the Todd White and the Todd Bentley's and any number of others just like them. They run in camps together. They all preach at their conferences together. They all commend one another. And just like that camp, there are 15 other camps just like it. This world is in no shortage of heresy and error and false teaching. They compare themselves with one another. They measure one another, buy one another. They're setting up their own standard for success in the ministry. And when they set out to meet that standard that they've erected for themselves, they pat one another on the back when they get there, right and commend one another for doing such a great job. Paul says they're using a false standard. They're not using just scales. Do you see? And because it is so obviously a false standard, that's obvious to us, isn't it? It's a false standard. Because it's so obviously false, Paul further considers it a foolish standard. Verse 12. They, measuring themselves by themselves, comparing themselves among themselves are not wise. The word negated means to lack sense, to be without understanding. Paul essentially says they are fools. They're fools. So it begs the question then, doesn't it? What standard should be used? What standard should we judge by? What is the basis on which the work of the ministry should be objectively judged? We are to judge according to God's standard and to look for the Lord's commendation. Look at verse 18. Because verse 18, not he who commends himself is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. The one whom the Lord commends is the one who is approved. We'll look at what that means so we work through the text. Listen, that standard, the standard that applies to discerning error in the church in Paul's day is the very same standard that applies to discerning error in the church in our day. Teaching shouldn't ultimately be measured by how palatable it is or by how winsome it is or how pleasant or how enjoyable. Oftentimes in the description of preaching you hear somebody lead with how winsome it is or how enjoyable it is, how pleasant it is to the ears. You may be thinking that's not tickling my ears and so I don't want to hear it. It's probably good preaching. Teaching shouldn't ultimately be measured by how palatable it is, but by how meticulously faithful it is to the infallible, inerable, inerrant, infallible, and inviolable word of the living God. Instruction shouldn't be ultimately measured by how you feel about it. But is it the doctrine which accords with godliness? A man of God shouldn't be measured by how acceptable he is to the masses. Paul asks the rhetorical question in Galatians chapter one, am I seeking to please men? Paul's asking, is that what we're about? Are we here? Am I standing up here to please you? Am I seeking to please men? Paul asks. He says, for if I still pleased men, in other words, if that was my aim, then I would not be a bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now that doesn't mean that what others think of the apostle Paul doesn't matter at all to him. It does matter to him. It doesn't mean that he isn't concerned with trying to preach well or trying to preach in a commendable way to God's people, or that we shouldn't commend faithful brothers who are worthy of imitation, that we wouldn't express gratitude for a faithful brother in the ministry. It doesn't mean that. But what he does mean is that we shouldn't be laboring or serving in a way that acknowledges man as our chief aim and end, and not the Lord, the one from whom our ultimate commendation comes. What matters to a true servant of the Lord Jesus Christ is the commendation that comes from God. Now Paul's going to lay out that standard for us in chapters 11, 12, and 13. He's going to make it clear. He's going to make it clear. We must judge with a righteous judgment. And in anticipation of those next three chapters over the next couple of months, let me first simply ask you what standard are you using to judge truth from error? What standard do you use when you listen? What sounds right to me or it doesn't sound right to me? I feel good about this or I feel good about that. I like that guy. I don't like that guy. It makes me feel bad or it makes me feel good. What is it? What standard do you use to judge truth from error? Is it your own opinion? Is it your own opinion? Does truth emanate from you? Do you find truth within your own heart and mind, your own deceptive heart? Your own clouded mind corrupt by sin? Is it the opinion of a college professor? You just simply parrot what you've been taught? Is it the wisdom or folly of this world that all seems to be running headlong along their way to hell? Paul would say if you're doing that you are a fool, would you stake your soul on your own opinion? Listen, if you're not burying your heart and mind in the word of God, that's what you're doing to some degree. If you're not following the God of the Bible, learning his word, following his truth, then your soul is being staked on your opinion. Whose commendation are you seeking? Whose commendation do you want? Is it the combination of a boyfriend? Are you seeking your boyfriend's approval? Are you seeking your husband's approval, a wife's approval? Do you commend yourself? I'm a pretty good person. I got all this figured out, right? I'm going to make up my own mind. This seems right to me and that doesn't. That becomes truth to you and now you've hung your soul on a lie. Right? Is that what you're doing? The one who is approved of God is not the one who commends himself or commends his own opinions or commends his own ideas. The one who is approved is the one who is commended by God. That commendation only comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Listen, you and I must acknowledge, must understand that we are sinners. Apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, you are offensive in the sight of God. Apart from the provision that God has made for sin, you are destined for wrath, destined for hell. But God has made provision for sin in the person and the work of his only begotten son who died in the place for sinners. Turn from your sin. Trust in Christ alone for salvation and be saved. The blessings and promises of God are all yes and amen in him. It's in him that we find salvation. Now in order to judge with the righteous judgment, Paul says that we must judge according to God's standard. Secondly, we must judge according to God's mission. God's work in verses 13 through 16. Look at verse 13 with me. We must judge according to God's mission. We, however, Paul says, will not boast beyond measure. But within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us, a sphere which especially includes you. For we are not overextending ourselves as though our authority did not extend to you, for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ. Not boasting of things beyond measure, that is in other men's labors, but having hope that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere to preach the gospel in regions beyond you and not to boast in another man's sphere of accomplishment. That's interesting. If you notice in verses 13 to 16, that word sphere is translated four times in these verses. Basically, that word carries the sense of the word assignment, our assignment from God, Paul says, and it points to an important point addressed by these verses. Paul verses 13 to 16, Paul is charged with serving the Lord within the boundaries of ministry that have been assigned to him by God. Paul is charged with a ministry. Paul has been called to serve the Lord within the sphere or in the assignment that God has given him. With that then, if you look at the verses, there are boundaries regarding Paul's responsibility and there are boundaries regarding Paul's work. Boundaries regarding responsibility and work. The word there for sphere is the word kanon in the Greek. It's where we get our word cannon from. Cannon, not the things you shoot out of cannons, cannon ball cannon, meaning rule or standard, right? Meaning a ruler standard. It's a standard by which we judge something to be true. We've heard of the cannon of scripture, right? The rule of scripture, the standard of scripture, those books that are canonized a part of the cannon. The Greek often use this term for a race. A cannon or a cannon was the lane in which a runner was to run to complete his race. He wasn't to leave the lane that was assigned to him. He had been given a lane that he was assigned to. He wasn't to leave that lane. Paul, in the same sense, has been given an assignment by God. And the church at Corinth, in judging with the righteous judgment against false teachers, the church at Corinth is to consider how faithfully Paul has served within the bounds, within the sphere, within the lane that Paul has been assigned to. Does that make sense? Paul is saying, Paul is saying, I'm going to run well and I'm going to run hard in my lane, in my lane. Now, for example, think with me. A man is called by God to the pastoral office, called by God to be a pastor. He's been given an assignment. He's been appointed a lane, so to speak, by God to pastor that church, to be an under shepherd for the Lord Jesus Christ among those people, right? To serve and to love them. A faithful pastor, a faithful man of God, a faithful Christian in this church, right? A faithful believer will be one who joyfully, willingly accepts the responsibility of the work associated with that assignment, with that lane, and will do that work to the glory of God and for the good of those people, right? He's going to run hard in that lane. You'll find him loving those people, praying for those people, serving those people, fellowshiping with those people, counseling those people, bearing their burdens. You'll find him loving those people. In other words, what you won't find for a faithful man of God like Paul is you won't find that one off, gallivanting around away from those people, running the conference circuit, writing books, doing his own thing, and not loving, serving, praying for, counseling, fellowshiping with those people. You understand? He's running in his lane. He's doing the work that he's been assigned to do by God. He won't be pursuing a different ministry than the one he's been called to or running after other work that's not been assigned to him. Now, it doesn't mean that he can't preach a conference. It doesn't mean that he can't write a book, but that is not his primary work. If it's for the benefit of those people, more power to him, right? But he is assigned as a pastor for that church, edifying those people. His primary responsibility is there. Otherwise, he's not a shepherd. He's not a pastor, right? He's not a pastor. He's a hireling. One of these that are being described here and what will he be accountable, held accountable for? He's going to be held accountable for the work that he's done in his lane, so to speak, in his sphere. Have you ever noticed, have you ever noticed that part of our depravity or a manifestation, a display of our depravity is to rebel against that work that we've been assigned to, right? I've got something to do. This work has been given me to do. And so I'm going to make sure that's the last thing I, I'm going to work on 14 other things over here before I get to that, because that's the thing I have to do. And so I'm going to fumble around doing all these I'm going to check my email. I've got all those YouTube videos just waiting, you know, and I can't get to that. That's my responsibility. There's something about our depraved nature that rebels against that work that is most pressing. And listen, in the Lord's commission to his people, we have pressing work to do. There's a rebellion that's bound up in the heart of man against that work, such that the work that's been assigned to us is the very work that we are most lost and lazy to get at, to work at. Think about that with respect to the church. Our responsibilities, particularly with the great commission to preach the gospel, preaching the gospel, making disciples is the mission of the church. Are we fervently, faithfully, energetically, enthusiastically involved in that work? That's the work of the church? Are we loving our brothers and sisters in the church? Do we come to church with a mindset that we are employed here to serve God's people? Do we come to church with a mindset that we're going to be our brother's keeper, that we're going to look out for one another, that we're going to encourage one another? Or are we about what the church means to me? Is the church feeding me or is the church not feeding you? Listen, the church should feed you. But you're here to be about God's work. Your aim with Paul is to run hard and fast in the lane which he has assigned you to be faithful, relying upon the Lord for fruit, relying on the Lord for his commendation of how you navigate in wisdom your Christian life. Do you see? It's the hireling. It's the hireling that runs off when they go and get stuff. It's the hireling that runs off when he sees the wolf coming in Corinth. Most of these guys aren't just hirelings. They themselves are the wolves. So Paul, knowing this, wanting the Corinthians to come to grips with this, he sets up a not-so-subtle contrast with these wolves, these false teachers in verse 13. Using the word however, it could be translated into verse 13 on the other hand. Look at verse 13. Paul says, we, on the other hand, do you see? There's a reality to the fact that Paul, in instructing the church at Corinth, is contrasting himself with the false teachers. Without mentioning them by name, without even drawing really attention to them, Paul is setting up a contrast with these false teachers. Paul says in verse 13, we, however, in other words, unlike those worthless guys, unlike those false teachers, we, however, are not going to boast outside our lane. We're going to boast within it. And because you're in it, Corinthians, we're going to boast about you. We're going to boast particularly about you. Verse 14, that's not stepping over the line. That's not overextending ourselves or getting out of our lane as though you weren't our assignment or as though we weren't responsible to come to you. But in keeping with the work that the Lord has given us to do, we came preaching the gospel to you, and you are our boast. Chapter three, verse two, Paul says, you are our epistle written on our hearts and a pistol of Jesus Christ ministered by us, ministered by us. Chapter seven, verse two, Paul says, we cheated no one. We've wronged no one. We've corrupted no one. I've said before, you are in our hearts, Paul says, to die together and to live together. I just think for a moment, right? What false teacher in Corinth would have ever said that? Some false teachers stand up and say, you're in my heart for us to live together or die together. No, they're in it for themselves. You're in my back pocket, that liar would say. Chapter 12, verse 15, Paul says, I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I'm loved. Now, what did that look like? What did that look like? It looks like a man of God loving those people, serving those people, counseling those people, fellowshiping with those people, praying for those people, texting those people, emailing those people, right? Hanging out with those people, loving, learning, knowing those people, serving among them. That's what Paul is saying distinguishes him from these wicked false teachers in Corinth. Paul told the Thessalonians that he affectionately longed for them, well pleased to impart to them, not only the gospel of God, but his own life also because they had become dear to Paul. Paul loved these people. Paul isn't overextending himself when he boasts about them. He's not stepping out of his lane. Paul isn't out of line. It's not as though he has nothing to do with that work. Paul is right in the middle of that work. That work has been assigned to Paul and Paul's lane included them. So when Paul boasts then, and what the Lord has done through his preaching of the gospel in Corinth, when Paul boasts of that, Paul's boast is not an empty boast. Look at what the Lord has done. Now, Paul doesn't sit back and say, look at what I've done, right? Paul doesn't say that. That's not Paul's boast. Where is Paul's boast? Look at what the Lord has done. And Paul, a mouthpiece for God, right? An ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ preaching the word of God. Paul says essentially, look at what the Lord has done by his spirit through the preaching of his word. Praise be to God, right? We can say the same in this church. Praise be to God. Look at what the Lord has done. Praise be to God. Our boast is not an exaggeration. That's no misplaced boast. Look at what the Lord has done. Look at what the Lord has done in your heart, in my heart. Look at what the Lord has done collectively with us as a church. It is an amazing blessing, an amazing grace. That's no exaggeration. That's no misplaced boast. We're not going to be ashamed at that boast. God is going to be glorified in that boast, amen? The Lord has done that. And here in Corinth, he's done that through the labor, through the effort, through the blood, sweat, and tears of the apostle Paul. He says in verse 15, not boasting of things beyond measure. Literally, it means outside of the limits, right? Outside our assignment, outside of our lane. We're not boasting of things outside our lane. That is in other men's labors. But notice the contrast again, having hope, we boast, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere. And notice as Paul continues to make these points, Paul's drawing a sharp contrast with what the false teachers in Corinth are doing themselves, what they're claiming for themselves. False teachers in Corinth and false teachers all over the world are certainly and obviously outside their lane. They are outside any lane assigned by God. They have infiltrated a lane. They have invaded a lane. And here specifically, it's a lane given to Paul by the Lord Jesus Christ himself. And these false teachers, these wicked men, really, if you read the New Testament, you read Acts in the letters of Paul, they follow him around, right? They're following him drafting on the apostle Paul in his lane. They're leeches. They're bloodsucking leeches leaching from the ministry of the apostle Paul. They're stomping around all over in Paul's lane. And they're boasting as if the work that's been accomplished by the Lord through the apostle Paul, they've had something to do with their mosquitoes, parasites. They land and they suck, right? Paul has been pouring out his heart in Corinth from the beginning, blood, literally blood, right? Literally blood, literally sweat, literally tears, preaching the gospel to them, laboring among them, sleepless nights, pain, misery, peril, agony, heartache. Right? And these guys come in bragging about the church, bragging about the work as if they had something to do with accomplishing that. It's absurd. False teachers are sinfully and pridefully ambitious. They're like Nebuchadnezzar, right? Look at the kingdom that I've built by my hands, by my might, right? And they're looking to do that in an expedient way. They're not going to get in and do the work that Paul is doing to build the Lord's kingdom. They're going to come in after the fact. Once it's established, once it's done, once there's a people there, then these worlds come in. Sometimes they creep up from within, sometimes they come in from the outside after it's all been established and now then they come in and now they want to piggyback on what's already been done and claim it for themselves and pull away disciples after themselves to build their influence, to spread their fame, to build their name. They have no God ordained assignment and they are bearing no spirit produced fruit. They just simply stagger in on another man's lane and take credit for another man's work and they stagger out again before the bitter fruit of their own work is realized and they're off to another church. Things here, they wouldn't say this out loud, not going the way that I want them to go. I feel called to this church over here that just so happens to be twice the size paying twice the money. I feel called of God to go there. It is absurd. It is absurd. Romans 15 verse 20, Paul says, I've made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation. That doesn't mean there are churches out there who need a pastor. By God's grace, we have pastors here who want to preach the churches, want to shepherd churches, want to go love the people of God. It doesn't mean that there are churches out there who don't have need for a pastor and we don't send pastors to preach to those churches. Paul's saying here, his desire is to go somewhere, preach the gospel where Christ has not been named and lay that foundation and let others build upon it. In keeping with this, in keeping with Paul's aim, he says in verse 15, chapter 10 verse 15, we have hope, Paul says, that as your faith is increased, as you mature, as you grow, as you deal with the false teachers in your midst, as you build unity as the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, as you get about the business of preaching the gospel and making disciples, Paul says, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere. In other words, we will be supported by your help in preaching the gospel. That is both financial and preaching. The church was to support Paul, would support Paul, but the church will also support gospel work by preaching the gospel. Paul says verse 16, to preach the gospel in regions beyond you. That was Paul's mindset. Paul's heart. We're going to establish a work here for the Lord by preaching the gospel in an area where Christ has not been preached. That church is going to be established and is going to get about the work of making disciples. And verse 16, the purpose of that or the hope behind that is that then that church would serve as a base, if you will, to plant further churches, to spread the gospel in regions beyond you. And not, Paul says, in contrast again with the false teachers, not verse 16, to boast in another man's lane, to boast in another man's sphere of accomplishment. Paul is hoping to preach Christ in areas where he has not been preached. And Paul has had a tremendously fruitful ministry in Corinth, tremendously fruitful. But he desires to see the gospel spread beyond them. Paul understands, and brothers and sisters, we must understand that the work doesn't terminate here. The work goes on beyond us, beyond us. And we must be a forward operating base for the gospel going out to the uttermost ends of the world, the uttermost ends of the earth. The work goes on beyond us. Now all of that, all of that, is not the ambition of the false teacher. What is the false teacher attempting to do? They're attempting to pack their own wallet. They're attempting to fill their own pockets. They're attempting to build their own name. They love the praise of men, right? Poachers, parasites, hirelings, often attempt to pervert the gospel in a place that has already been established. They want to come in after things are established and then fleece the flock for their own unjust gain. They want to establish and cultivate their own kingdom rather than the Lord's kingdom. The people of God want to see his kingdom grow, his influence spread from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria and to the uttermost ends of the earth, not by moving believers around from one church to another church, right? If your church is growing entirely by believers from other churches, there's a problem. There's a problem the church is to grow by sending Bible believing, Bible preaching people, men into areas where there is need of the gospel to be preached and seeing the Lord's name made famous. God's people are content to stay in his service, their lane, his labor, his work, pouring themselves out in his field in the lane they've been assigned to. They want to see that work prosper. They're not concerned with building a name for themselves. They're concerned with building his name. Now, Paul here in thinking about all this isn't confused about who it is that produces that fruit. He's not confused by that. He's not confused by where the increase comes from. Paul doesn't presume that it comes from him as the false teachers do. He knows where his commendation comes from and he knows who it is who produces the fruit. And the Corinthians need to know that too. Judge with the righteous judgment, Paul says, point three, judge according to God's judgment or judge according to God's commendation. Look at verse 17. But again, in contrast, notice the contrast with me. He who glories, don't let him glory in himself. That would be utterly foolish. He who glories, let him glory in the Lord for not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends to boast in something. In verse 17 translated in the New King James to glory in something is to rejoice in it, to revel in it, to hold it up as glorious, to hold it up as worthy of rejoicing in. And Paul has one aim, one purpose, and that is to glory in the work of God alone, glory in the Lord. Paul's only aim, Paul's holy ambition, Paul's one hope of boasting is to please the Lord in the work that Paul himself has been given to do. Paul's intention is to please the Lord Jesus Christ. First Corinthians chapter three, verse 21, Paul says, therefore let no one boast in men. That's what the false teachers are doing, measuring themselves by one another, comparing themselves with one another. They're boasting in men. Paul says, for all things are yours to the people of God, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come, all are yours and you are Christ and Christ is God. All those things are yours, beloved, in him. All those things are yours in him. Let our boast be in the Lord. Let our work be in the Lord. Let our labor be in the Lord. Romans chapter 15, verse 17, Paul says this furthermore, therefore, verse 17, I have reason to glory in Jesus Christ in the things which pertain to God. In the words Paul has no reason to glory in anything else. I have reason to glory in Jesus Christ in the things which pertain to God, for I will not dare to speak. Sound familiar? I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me in word and deed to make the Gentiles obedient. And let that be said of us, amen. Let our boast be in the Lord. He who glories, let him glory in the Lord. The Lord's commendation in verse 18 will certainly come at the judgment. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account before him of the things done in the body, whether good or bad. You will give an account. We stand before the judgment seat of Christ and Christ stands there with recompense in his hand to reward us for what we've done, good or bad. So the Lord's commendation will come at the judgment. But the Lord also commends now in the present, and he commends now through fruitfulness, fruit for your labors, fruitfulness. And we should take joy. We should take delight in the Lord's commendation. We should pursue the Lord's commendation, the Lord's commendation of fruitfulness for our labor. That fruit comes in many forms. Sometimes you can, and there are stories of this through history, right? Faithful people of God preaching the gospel, preaching the gospel, preaching the gospel year after year after year. And it appears as though over a period of years there's no fruit. No one converts. You hear the stories, eight years preaching in China without a single convert. And the Lord wins people to himself through the preaching of the gospel, right? But we don't know all the time where that fruit is or what that fruit is or what form that it takes. We know that the people of God are edified through the preaching of his word, amen. We know the people of God are encouraged through the preaching of his word. We know that the people of God are encouraged when a loving brother or sister comes alongside them and encourages them in their walk with the Lord. We know that that bears fruit, bears fruit in our love, bears fruit in our unity, bears fruit in our peace, bears fruit in our joy, bears fruit in our hope, bears fruit as the Lord builds our faith, bears fruit as we become matured in the faith, bears fruit in our knowledge, bears fruit in our hope, amen. That work bears fruit. And we should delight in the Lord's commendation of that work. How many times, let me ask you, how many times have you set aside a time maybe to go out and preach the gospel and get up that morning you think, I've got so many other things to do. I really don't want to, and you say to yourself, you know what, I'm going to go. I'm going to go. And you go, and what inevitably happens, you are immeasurably blessed by going. That's not a coincidence. That's the Lord blessing your labor, your faithfulness, your love. He's blessing your obedience. He's blessing your efforts. That's the Lord's commendation on your work. How many times have you been reluctant? You know you need to have the conversation. You know you need to do it. You've just been putting it off, putting it off because it's painful. You're scared. You're fearful. You don't want to do it, but you know that's your responsibility for the Lord's sake, for their sake. I've got to go and talk to that brother. I've got to go and talk to that sister. And you do, and the Lord blesses, blesses, you know. Sometimes he blesses with a difficult experience of his providence. Sometimes he blesses with a slammed door. Sometimes he blesses with a frown, not a smile, but a blessing none less. Amen. When you look back on that, can you see, can you not see the Lord's goodness in it? The Lord works all things together for good for those who love him, who are the called according to his purpose. Those blessings come in various forms. We as the people of God, brothers and sisters, we need to cultivate a holy discontentment with our current level of fruitfulness. A joyful, faith-filled discontentment with where we currently are. A hopeful, rejoicing, forward-looking Christ, exalting discontentment with where we are right now. And let's grow up in him. Let's press forward in the work, because he's worthy, right? He perfectly fulfilled the law for us. He walked the mud of our own existence and joyfully despising the shame, looking forward to the hope that was set before him, endured the cross for you and I. Would we not then enjoy gladly bear that reproach and go outside the camp for him, cultivate a desire for the Lord's commendation? God blesses the work of a faithful servant. God blesses the work of a faithful servant and our joy needs to be centered in one day hearing from him, well done, good and faithful slave. You have to ask yourself today, whose kingdom are you building? Whose kingdom are you building? If you're here this morning, you're not living wholeheartedly for the Lord Jesus Christ, you're building your own kingdom. Your kingdom will be burned. Your kingdom will fail. It will crumble. It will be destroyed. It will come to nothing. It will come to nothing. It will come to nothing. Where is your boast? Is your boast in your own wisdom? You think you've got this thing figured out? You think you know all the ins and outs? You think you know what's right? This sounds good to me. That sounds good to me. Your supposed wisdom is foolish. You're on a fool's errand. Brother, sister, whose kingdom are you building? Whose kingdom are you building? Where is your boast? Where is your boast? Let's glory, glory in the Lord's doing. Let's glory in the Lord's work. Let it, you who glories, let them glory in the Lord and let's pursue the Lord's commendation. Amen.