 So, beginning at verse 16, 2 Corinthians chapter 11, Paul is speaking in this particular portion of Scripture concerning the cost of ministry. And so he says in verse 16, 2 Corinthians chapter 11, I say again, let no one think me a fool if otherwise at least receive me as a fool that I also may boast a little. When I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly in this confidence of boasting, seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise. For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face, or shame, I say that we were too weak for that. But in whatever anyone is bold, I speak foolishly, I am bold also. So Paul is resuming what he's already introduced as we've been going through this study. He had already introduced a theme in verse one of chapter 11, and he had there said to them, I would like you to put up with me in a little folly. Now the little folly that would be considered, that he was speaking about, would be considered foolish boasting. He didn't want to be thought of as a fool, in other words, for appearing to boast. You see boasting is something that his detractors were constantly doing themselves. They were always bragging about their accomplishments, and we're going to see why he's going to take the direction he is here in chapter 11. It's because they have constantly been bragging about their so-called accomplishments, and because they were bragging about themselves and all the things that they've done and how important they are, while he felt compelled to have to share his own, to share with them the things that God had done through him. Because in ministry, we see that that is very typical, especially when somebody is attempting to build their own ministry on the back of somebody else. And that happens all the time, and so Paul here is speaking concerning that. They were bragging about all that they've accomplished. So now Paul feels that he's compelled to do the same thing, and that's why in verse one of chapter 11, that's why he said that you would bear with me in a little folly. Indeed, you do bear with me. He was speaking concerning the fact that he was about to share about the things that he has accomplished through the Lord. But he doesn't want to brag. He doesn't want to be that person who says, look at all that I've done. Because these false teachers have crept in and begun to say things, he's actually taken Proverbs 26 verse 5 to heart, which says, answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes. And so he's using their tactics, and he's speaking using the same kind of methodologies that they are. You know, ordinarily we shouldn't descend to the level of those that we're disputing with. Normally we should simply ignore foolish questions and foolish arguments. That's what Paul said in 2 Timothy 2, 23 and 24, when he said, don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments. Because you know they produce quarrels, and the Lord's servant must not quarrel instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and not resentful. So he doesn't necessarily want to have to boast of his accomplishments, but seeing that they're putting up with these false teachers, he's using the false teachers' tactics in order to reach his own people. We should never, though, allow ourselves to be goaded into acting foolishly. We should not descend to a fool's level of thought, act like a fool. We should ignore foolish questions, ignorant disputes, because that's the wisest course to take. But with that said, on occasion it might be necessary for us to respond. When we do, we need to carefully listen. We need to choose our words wisely. And then we respond, and that's basically what Paul is doing here. He doesn't desire to do this because he desires attention. He does this because he wants to be faithful to the Lord. Remember in chapter 10, verse 17, he who glories, let him glory in the Lord. Well, that's basically what he's wanting to do. They're glorying in the flesh, but now he's beginning to share with them what he has done that has brought glory to Jesus Christ. You see, of all people, they should have acknowledged his ministry. He's the one who planted the church in Corinth. He's the one who laid the foundation of faith. It would be like if I were to leave this church and go somewhere for a while, then to come back and have had people creep in undermining everything that you've learned through me, those of you who consider me your pastor, for all these years. Now somebody has entered in, somebody's saying something different, derogatory. They're calling into question everything about me. That's what's happened with Paul. And so he's now dealing with the things that are taking place, but of all people, the Corinthian church should have known who Paul was. He's the one who planted the church. He's the one who laid the foundations. Now that's something that he's already reminded them of in a previous letter all the way back in 1 Corinthians 9, he had said in verses 1 and 2, 1 Corinthians 9, 1 and 2, am I not free, meaning am I not free in Jesus? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? He went on to say, even though I may not be an apostle to others, in other words, they don't recognize my apostolic authority, surely I am to you. You are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. And so of all people, that church should have recognized Paul. He's the one who planted the church. And that's why he says you are the result of my work. In chapter 12, he'll say at verse 11 of 2 Corinthians, I've become a fool in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. And so he's speaking to the church in a firm way because they have been drawn away by false teachers. So notice what he says as he begins in verse 16 here in chapter 11 of 2 Corinthians. He says, I say again, let no one think me a fool, if otherwise at least receive me as a fool that I also may boast a little. At least receive me as a fool. You put up with a foolish boast into false teachers, so put up with me. Now why would he ask them to receive him even as they would a fool? Well he says this because the stakes are eternal. If they reject his ministry, they're rejecting the genuine gospel. To reject the genuine gospel is to reject the genuine Savior. And so this is of eternal consequence. It's not just somebody who's jealous or upset or gosh I lost my influence or look what's going on. I used to be special and boohoo boohoo, that's not it. What it is is it's your spiritual life I'm concerned with. And he's saying to the Corinthians, you don't seem to appreciate or understand that. And so that's why he says, at least receive me as a fool. In verse 17, what I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly in this confidence of boasting. When he says I speak not according to the Lord, that simply means boasting is not something that he is comfortable doing, boasting is not according to the Lord. Self commendation is not the way of the Lord. In reality, self commendation is carnal. There's a good proverb that you might want to mark down, Proverbs 27 verse 2. It says, let another praise you and not your own mouth, someone else and not your own lips. Let somebody else speak well of you. Instead of us going out saying, oh you ought to see what I've done and all that I am. Let somebody else say, this person's really solid. This person really loves the Lord. This person has made a real impact. Let them do it. And Paul would prefer that, but because these people are calling his ministry into question, he's answering a fool according to his folly. He's having to point out his own credentials. We'll see that in just a moment. But I don't want to boast, he's saying. Again in verse 18, many boast according to the flesh, he says I will also boast. I don't desire to boast in what I've done, but I find that I must. As he does this, if you're keeping account, I had mentioned to you there are a number of charges he answers here in 2 Corinthians. And if you keep an account of that, this would be what we call the 23rd charge, 23rd thing they've said about him that he's responding to. And that charge is simple. He's done nothing to establish credentials. He's done nothing to establish credentials. Why should we listen to him? He's done nothing to cause us to trust him. So he's saying, I'm being questioned. So let me remind you of what the Lord has done through me. He says in verse 20. You put up with it if one brings you into bondage. If one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face to our shame, I say that we're too weak for that. But in whatever anyone is bold, I speak foolishly, I am bold also. Now what this is called guys is sanctified sarcasm. This is irony. He's saying you've shown yourselves remarkably tolerant to the foolish. Does your tolerance have no limits? Look at everything you put up with. You put up with false teachers with an air of indifference as if truth doesn't matter. And so what he's revealing here is godly concern. It's not an academic debate. It's a pastor who's concerned that the church is being drawn away from Jesus Christ. That's what this is all about. And that's why he says in verse 20, you tolerate someone bringing you, look it into bondage. You're having your freedom in Christ stolen from you and it doesn't alarm you. They're neglecting the fact that the truth of the gospel is what sets you free. In John 8.31 and 32, Jesus said to those Jews who believed him, if you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. When Jesus said you shall know, the word know is a Greek word that can be translated. You will perceive, you will understand, you will realize, you will comprehend. You will know the truth not just as a theory, you will know it as a practical reality. Truth is going to be something that you live, something you experience. It's not something that you just can quote accurately. It's something that you experience daily. You will know the truth of Jesus Christ, the truth of the gospel, the truth of the freedom that you have in Jesus Christ. You will know truth, it will set you free. And that's what he's speaking about here. You're going to comprehend, you're going to perceive, you'll understand, you're going to realize what truth is and truth is freedom. Now Jesus says you're free, false teachers bring you into bondage. And the apostle Peter was writing concerning false teachers in 2 Peter 2 verse 19, he said they promised them freedom while they themselves are slaves of depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. These false doctrines will bring you into spiritual slavery, it'll bring you into bondage. And that's what Paul is concerned about. Jesus Christ has been very clearly presented to these people. They need to know the freedom that comes through Christ. But because these false teachers that come in, elevated themselves and call into question Paul's ministry, these people are being brought into spiritual bondage. Well he says they're being brought into bondage, but what kind? It's more than likely the bondage of false doctrine, false teaching. You see, false teaching promises freedom but always produces bondage. And Paul was writing to the churches of Galatia. In Galatians chapter 3 verses 1 through 3 he said to them, you foolish Galatians who has bewitched you? For your very eyes, Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you. Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? If you were set free by Christ, why are you trying to keep yourself free by your works? Do you understand the Holy Spirit is the one who works within you? In Galatians 5 verse 1 it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. So he says you put up with this. He said you put up if one devours you. That word devour can be translated pillages. Someone who strips you of your goods. Somebody who is praying upon you. Somebody who is making merchandise of you. Making demands on you for financial support. Once again the earmark of a false teacher. Peter in 2 Peter 2 verse 3 said like this concerning false teachers. He said in their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago and their destruction is on the way. And Paul was speaking concerning his own ministry to the Thessalonians. In 1 Thessalonians he said in chapter 2 verse 5 never once did we try to win you with flattery as you very well know. And God is our witness that we were not just pretending to be your friend so you would give us money. See false teachers do that. So these people are pillaging you. They're taking advantage of you. They're bringing you into spiritual bondage and then taking your finances. He says thirdly if one takes from you. When he says if one takes from you that speaks of taking you in. It's catching a fish in a net. These false teachers don't respect you. These false teachers are using you. These false teachers are making fools out of you. They're lying to you and they've captured your trust. They're quite a number of people who have, they have and I say this honestly. There are many, not all, but many who have television programs that basically are just asking you for money constantly send me this money and I'll send you this anointed prayer cloth. Some of you have heard that. Send me this money. I'll send you this anointed prayer mat. I had a prayer mat that was that we got from one of the false teachers. Somebody gave it to me. They thought it would help this ministry I guess I don't know. But they gave me and it was actually a piece of paper probably about 24 inches by 18 inches. It had, I still remember it, it had four angels one on each corner and it came with instructions and I was to kneel down and I was to put my wallet in the middle of this and then I was to take out the largest bill in my billfold and I was to put it in the center and I was to pray and these angels I guess were going to do some magic and then I was supposed to send them that large bill so that God would bless me. I remember watching somebody who was selling, you won't believe this, who was making available to you blessed wallets that are never empty, blessed wallets that are never empty. And I remember saying why don't they just get one for themselves and stop asking me for money. It just never, it never made any sense to me. It just, it doesn't make any sense. But guess what? There are people who send their money, these poor innocent sheep. That's what Paul is saying, they're devouring, they're pillaging you, they're stealing from you, they're doing these things to get rich off of you. Another thing that they're doing is you put up with it when one exalts themselves. When it says exalts themselves, they've set themselves up as rulers over you. They're arrogant. They're the ones who walk in the church, you expect people to come in and, you know, how are you? Oh, you know, I can see, you know, you're floating six inches above the ground, you're so holy. They're the ones who, you know, who think they glow in the dark. It's amazing, people, that this speaks of ungodly lording it over the people. Again, in 1 Peter 5, verses 2 and 3, the Apostle said, be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers. Not because you must, but because you're willing, as God wants you to be. Not greedy for money, but eager to serve. Not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. I think it's a very dangerous thing when people begin to look at the pastor as being some, some sacred object. You know, I learned, I learned about that very early in my ministry because I loved my own pastor, Chuck Smith. Many of you remember his name, perhaps some of you are aware of his ministry. He was my pastor and I loved him deeply. But I remember the first time I ever had a real visit with him where he and I were talking face to face. He had just finished sharing and he had stepped off the platform and I walked up to him to say hello and to visit with him for a moment then. And I remember I shook his hand and I was saying, you know, I'm David. I'm from Ontario at that time, I was with Ontario. And he spoke to me, oh, hi David. And his breath was stale. I mean, you can't speak for 45, 50 minutes without drinking water without your breath becoming stale. And so it wafted into my nostrils and I, my hair turned into an afro. I mean, it was really very offensive and the spirit of the Lord said, oh, you think he's perfect. Don't you? He's a human being just like you. I never forgot that. So I was wearing masks long before the coronavirus, I promise you. But it's true, isn't it? I mean, you can actually look at somebody and love and admire him. I did with my own pastor and the Holy Spirit had to remind me he's just a person. He's just like you. He has his ups. He has his downs. He has his life. You know, respect and love him but don't be venerating him. Well, these people were actually arrogantly putting themselves over these people. He speaks of them striking you on the face. You put up with it if someone strikes you. The term strikes you on the face could be literal. They may very well be hitting people. That does happen. But the term also carries with it the knowledge of humiliating you because remember how Jesus said if someone strikes you on one cheek, you turn the other. Well that was because striking or being slapped in the Jewish culture into this day is a great insult. It's a humiliating act. And so that's what he's saying. He's saying they're lording it over you and they're treating you with scorn. They're dominating you and they're humiliating you. So you put up with it if someone strikes you. And then he says in verse 21, to our shame, I say that we're too weak for that. But in whatever anyone is bold, I speak foolishly, I'm bold also, to our shame. Now he's already stated that the false apostles said that his bodily presence was weak. They had said that in chapter 10, verse 10, when they had said his letters are weighty and powerful but his bodily presence is weak. They've already said something about him. And so what he's doing is he's referring to the taunts of these false apostles. And again, when he says we're too weak for that, that's really sarcasm. You who claim to follow the merciful, gentle and gracious Jesus respond better to force is what he's saying. You think my gentle love for you is weakness, and in this you're wrong. So since false teachers have boasted in their success, let me introduce myself to you. And this is what he begins to do, verse 22, are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. And so he begins to share with them, and he's saying you trust them. Let me review my credentials, even though I hesitate doing this. In my defense, I will give you information. But for us, that gives us information about these false teachers, who were these false teachers? Well, he speaks of them as Hebrews, Israelites and the seed of Abraham. So that tells us they're from the Jewish extraction. When he says Hebrew, that speaks of the Hebrew speaking or Hebrew parentage. It speaks of those who were born in Israel, who are culturally Hebrew. You have that to this day, they call them Sabra. They're the ones who were born in Israel, who are culturally Israeli. They're called the Hebrews. But he speaks of them as Israelites. Now when he speaks of them as Israelites, the term Israelite means that they can trace their genealogy to a tribe. Paul will speak of himself as Paul from the tribe of Benjamin. And so he was really a Hebrew of his Hebrews and an Israelite. When they speak concerning Abraham, are they the seed of Abraham? Well, Abraham received the blessings of the covenant, and through Jesus Christ, we are the seed of Abraham. In verse 23, are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more. They're claiming to be ministers. They claim me to have some special classification while I'm going to speak as a fool, even as these false apostles labeled me. Let me compare their claims to my own works. And what you're going to see now is he's going to be actually reminding them of his trials, not his triumphs. Listen to what he has to say. In verse 23, are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more. In labors, more abundant. In stripes, above measure. In prisons, more frequently. In deaths, often. From the Jews, five times I received 40 stripes, minus one. Three times, I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. And I, in a day, I've been in the deep. In journeys, often. In perils of waters, perils of robbers, perils of my own countrymen, perils of the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, perils among false brethren. In weariness and toil. In sleeplessness, often. In hunger and thirst and fastings, often. In cold and nakedness, besides the other things, what comes upon me daily, my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I'm not weak. Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation. If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who's blessed forever, knows that I'm not lying. He begins to outline his ministry. Notice in verse 23, in labors more abundant. We know by reading the book of Acts and other things that he has written that he was constantly moving about. He was constantly preaching concerning Jesus Christ. He traveled extensively in labors more abundant. He traveled extensively. He would preach. He would teach throughout the known world. In Romans 15 in verses 17 through 20, this is what he said. He said, Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word indeed, to make the Gentiles obedient. In mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God. So that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricrum, which is Albania, Illyricum. I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. And so I've made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation. So labors more abundantly. Verse 23, stripes without measure. He'll speak of that in a moment again. In prisons more frequently, when you look at your Bible, you're going to see in the book of Acts that he was imprisoned no less than five times. Five times that are recorded there in that book. In prisons more frequently. In deaths, often. What do you mean by that? Well my life has been seriously threatened many times. In verse 24, from the Jews, five times I received 40 stripes minus one. When you read your Bible and you read concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and how that Jesus was scourged prior to his crucifixion, the stripes he's referring to there. You may not realize, perhaps you haven't been taught yet, that what they called the scourging during the time of Christ was referred to also as the living death, the living death. And what they would do is they would take the prisoner, they had a post. They would tie their hands to the post, exposing their whole body, their rib cage all the way down to their feet. And they would have two men, they called them lictors, L-I-C-T-O-R-S, lictors. And the lictors would take turns and they would hit them. They had a whip, they had three leather straps. And very often they would embed in the straps broken pieces of bone or lead fragments that were very sharp and heavy. And what would happen is one would take turns while the other would and they would actually lacerate the person being scourged, they could skin them basically alive. When you read of the scourging of Christ, don't minimize it, because the scourging of Christ was a torture device that was, well, some died under the lash. It was unusual, it wasn't unusual for them to die from shock and blood loss. When they would hit the prisoner, it very often would remove an eye, it could remove teeth, it would rip their jugular, it would tear their body open so that there are reports of people who went through scourging that account that, the accounts are that these people were like hamburger, blood dripping everywhere. So we've seen so many movies of the crucifixion of Jesus and all, but we've never seen what scourging really was. Paul went through it five times. He didn't go through it one time. Paul went through it five times. Five times. Can you imagine that? Your body has healed and there had have been scars throughout his chest, to his back, his thighs, his legs. There had to have been scar tissue all over this man's body. It finally heals and then he went through it again. And then he went through it again. And then he went through it again. And then he went through it again. Five times. It was bad enough for you to go through it once. Five times. I've received 39 stripes. Five times. And you want to tell me about how important you are. You want to tell me about these super apostles who've come in who say I'm nothing, that my letters are weighty, but in appearance I'm weak, that I can't speak well. You want to compare my ministry in labors more often, in ministry much more advanced, and travels throughout the known world to proclaim the name of Jesus Christ. And you have these people who like to show off and give you stories of all that they've done. And just like children like to sit at the campfire listening to stories from one of their counselors. You've been doing that with these false teachers. Let me tell you. Let me tell you he's saying what ministry really is. This is the price of ministry. This is what I have gone through, Paul is saying. Compare my life with theirs. He said, I've gone through so much. Three times I've been beaten with rods in verse 25. Those were flexible sticks that were tied together. Verse 25 again, once I was stoned. They didn't pick up small pebbles, by the way. They would use large rocks and they would crush you with these stones. Three times I would shipwrecked a night and a day I was in the deep. He says in verses 26, in journeys, often, in other words, my life is nonstop effort to reach the world for Christ. In perils of waters, speaking of the swollen rivers he had to cross. In perils of robbers, speaking of his frequent journeys in dangerous areas. In perils of my own countrymen, the Jews who had problems with him. In perils of Gentiles. In perils in the city, when you read the book of Acts, Acts records various times this happened. It happened in Jerusalem, in Antioch, in Thessalonica, in Ephesus. He speaks of perils, dangers in the wilderness. Ordinary dangers of the wilderness would include beasts and hunger, including thirst. In perils of the sea, which speaks of long journeys under dangerous conditions. And they had the pirates at that time and storms in perils amongst false brethren. And in saying that, in perils amongst false brethren, that could point to these super apostles who had entered in. You see, that was something that was especially concerning to him. These false teachers bringing in bad doctrine. That's something he was concerned about. The false brethren, the counterfeit Christians who endangered him. And to the Philippians in chapter one, he had said in verses 15 through 17. It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of good will. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. But the former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. In verse 2070, he speaks of weariness and toil, in sleepnesses often, in hunger and thirst, in many fastings. Those were all common experiences that he tirelessly experienced as he preached the gospel. But notice verse 28, besides the other things, comes upon me daily my deep concern for all the churches. I'll spend a couple moments sharing with you. He was constantly concerned for the spiritual well-being of Christians. My pastor, as mentioned a moment ago, was Chuck Smith. And Chuck Smith was very important to me. He was, in any ways, the one that the Lord used to fashion and to direct my spiritual growth and appetites, Pastor Chuck. I was 20 years old the first time I encountered Pastor Chuck Smith. I didn't get to know him for a while. But I considered him when I was 20 to be an old man because he was 43. And so I thought, what's that old man know? So I used to listen to somebody named Lonnie Frisbee. Lonnie Frisbee, but an interesting name and you look at it. Lonnie was the youth, what we would today call a youth minister. And I used to go to Lonnie's Bible studies and all. But I looked at Chuck as being a man that I greatly admired. And over the years, after coming to entering into ministry, getting to know him on a deeper and more personal level, over the years, Pastor Chuck became more than simply a man in my life. He became my mentor and he became what a pastor really is. I can tell you story after story because I became fairly close to Pastor Chuck over the years. And he and I became to have a dear relationship. And I loved him very deeply. And he told me that he cared about me in the same way. I can still remember being at a pastors conference, for example, and saying to him, you know, Pastor, I was sitting next to him. I said, Pastor, I've, I said, I've been baptized in the Holy Spirit, but I've never asked you to lay hands on me. Would you lay hands on me and pray for me that God would use me? And I still remember Pastor Chuck placing his hand on my shoulder. And I still remember him praying that God would use me. And that meant so very much to me. I can still remember being at a men's conference in Anaheim. I was part of a team that Chuck had fashioned. And for 20 some years, I was part of that team to minister in Anaheim. And I can still remember as just before Chuck went up to teach, it was Chuck just sitting by himself. People would leave him alone and all sometimes. But I was the next speaker. And I still remember walking up and sitting next to him. There was a row of about six chairs that I sat next to Chuck. He was right next to me. And he just turned and looked at me. And this is one of those special things to me. He turned and looked at me. And he put his arm around my shoulder. And like a dad with his son, he pulled me to him and put my head next to his and just held me there. For I don't remember for some time until I went out to teach. And that's a treasured moment. I have a picture in my office, two of them really, but one where he's sitting in my chair. He took my chair and I'm sitting looking at him. And I'm leaning forward as his hands are back on his chest. And I can tell you, I don't remember what I had asked him, but I had asked him a question. Because whenever Chuck would answer questions, he always leaned back and put his hand like this. And that's a very dear picture to me because I had just asked him something of ministry. And I know he's going, well, Dave, because that's what he would do. Well, Dave, and that's a very special thing for me. Pastor Chuck was very important to me in my ministry over the years. He gave me opportunities to speak at men's conferences, put me on K-Wave for many years. I traveled with him to Israel. Our very first trip to Israel in 1983 was with my pastor Chuck Smith. I traveled with him to the churches of seven churches of revelation. We actually thought we got in trouble. Raul Reese, y'all know Raul, and I and Ron Wilkins and several guys were in the back of a bus. And we were traveling through Turkey and it was pouring rain and we got bored and it was a big bus. So we were in the back and we were laughing. We were making each other laugh and when you got Raul and Ron and some of us together, we do a lot of laughing and teasing. We did it for three days. It was a five-day trip for three days. It's now Wednesday and we've been laughing and laughing. Now it's Wednesday. Karen Johnson from Cowry Chapel Downing comes walking up the center aisle towards us and she walks up to us and she says, Chuck wants you in the front. We are all in our 40s, but we think that we're in trouble. Oh no, dad's mad at us. So we had, he made us sit up there with him and he's just sitting up there quietly and we're sitting and now we're all quiet like that. We're in trouble and then Raul opens up his Bible and he starts to read it and he's right next to me. So I said, Raul, you haven't read that book one time in the last three days and just cut your next to Chuck. He went, what a spiritual man you are, don't you? Chuck starts to bust up and before you know it, we're all laughing. Now we're crying and we're talking about ministry and we thought we were in trouble and Kay later on, his wife says to us, oh no, Chuck wasn't mad at you. He heard you laughing for days and he wanted to be part of it. He just brought you up there so he could laugh with you. That was my pastor, that was my pastor. I enjoyed him and I would make him laugh. I made him laugh all the time. I was one of those guys in his life that could tease with him and one day we were in, we were in Austria, we were doing some ministry and Brian Brodersen was sitting across from me and then Chuck was right here and I was sitting here and one of the other brothers from England was sitting here and Chuck's looking at me because Brian had just gone to England to begin a planted church there in London and Chuck's just staring at Brian and Chuck says to me, he goes, David, let me ask you a question. I said, yes sir. He goes, what would you say to a man who took your daughter, he was so serious, took your daughter and your grandchildren, put them on a plane, took them across an ocean and took them away from you. I said, what would I say to a man who took my daughter away from me? He goes, yes, what would you say? Thank you. He didn't like that. I thought it was funny. What are you going to say? Thank you. Chuck and I, I had that relationship with him. I would ask him questions. I looked to him for many answers. When my father died, my wife Marie called pastor so that he could share with me and comfort me. He was very, very dear to me to the point where he eventually put me on the board. I was on the board for five years in the Calvary Chapel but it's called the Calvary Chapel Outreach Fellowship Board. We had oversight over every Calvary Chapel throughout the world. I was on that board and after that board had been dissolved, he put me as a council member on those in charge of all the Calvary Chappals. That's my ministry now. That's one of the reasons I'll be going up into Washington to minister to other pastors. Pastor Chuck trusted me in that way. I still remember the first time I, not the first time, the second time I brought him out. We had him at Ontario High School and then Pastor Chuck came and he was in Ontario High School and it was so packed that we had him sitting on the floor. There were 1200 seats, everyone was taken. It was a midweek and he came to speak and he and I were walking out as we were walking out. I'll never forget hearing him under his breath. He wasn't speaking directly to me. He said, who would have thought Ontario? So Chuck, Chuck Smith, I talked to pastors today. He said, I remember I talked to him one time. I had a chance to talk to him whenever I wanted to. I had a chance to travel with him, traveled around the world in many ways with him. My wife was on Kay's board. It's still on Kay's board for over 30 years. We're involved as Calvary Chapel people. It's in our blood. You cut my arm. Calvary Chapel bleeds out on my wedding ring. I have the Calvary Marynot the Dove right here. We are Calvary Chapel. That's who we are. But I got that from my pastor. And I was in New York. Marie and I were in New York and Chuck was very sick. And I'm going to get emotional. I warn you, my pastor was very sick. So I called and I spoke to, I forget who, but we got a call back from Paul. Paul Smith is Chuck's brother. Paul calls me. We're in New York. We're in a car on our way to the airport. And I said to Paul, listen, Paul, is his pastor going to be in the pulpit tomorrow? And he said to me, yes, he is. I said, let him know I'm going to come. I want to be there. And so from New York, we flew home that day. The next day I brought in someone to speak here because I just knew I need to go see my pastor. And I'll never forget sitting in about the fourth row, Marie and I, sitting in the fourth row, when my pastor came out with this oxygen and he walked out so weakly. And I'm looking at this man who is a father to me. When my dad died, I sat down with my pastor at a pastor's conference. And I said, Chuck, my dad's dead. You have now become my father. You have now become my father, my dad's dead. And he was. I wanted to be there. So we were. Marie says, and he came out, he saw me, he smiled. And I was there for his last message. That was the last message he ever gave. And I've never forgotten that. You know, he was busy preparing a message when he died. He died with his boots on. That's what we say. I told him one day we were walking. I said, Chuck, you've been a great example to me in every way except one. He said, in what way is that? I said, you didn't teach me how to step out of the pulpit. You haven't taught me how to retire, Chuck. He said, every day that I live with Jesus is one, one day more I can give to somebody else. He said, ministers don't retire. We just move. And so he was preparing. He was preparing his last Bible study when Jesus took him home. I still remember Marie waking me up and telling me Pastor Chuck's in heaven. He has a son named Chuck Junior. He didn't like being called Junior, but that's what he's called. Hey, Junior, don't like it. But Chuck Junior said this. He is speaking, I think in general to all of us, but especially members of the church. He said, dad lived for your growth in the knowledge and the grace of Jesus. Why was he here teaching as sick as he was? Disregarding his doctors and his family, because he loved you. He loved being with you and teaching you. He cared about you and your progress. He felt that if he brought God's word to you in the power of the spirit and helped you see Jesus here and now, he could help you find your way. That's what he put through his example into my life. Ministry is not what people think it is. Ministry has a lot of joys for those of you who want to be a pastor. It has a lot of joys. It does, but it has a lot of sorrows. I cannot tell you, and I don't choose to remember all the things that have been said to me over the years, but I've been ministry now since 1973. 47 years in September, 39 years pastoring this church, two years as an assistant pastor in another church. I can't tell you the cost you discover it yourself. I can tell you that 39 years ago, I was in a meeting as an assistant in a board meeting when the senior pastor turned to me and said to me, you're not a pastor. You're a counselor. We're going to remove you from being a pastor. We're going to send you back to school to finish your degree because I was a counseling major, and we're giving you half a salary. You have to find a job. I didn't have a problem with finding a job, by the way. But I said to him, there's only one thing I know, and I've known for all these years. I've been called by God to pastor. But it's not here. So I hereby give you my resignation. I'll be gone in two weeks. Following the week, he said, well, don't tell anybody in the church we want to make an announcement. I said, okay. I was already teaching a Bible study, and so we had a Bible study at my house, and I told them I've resigned my position, and I'm going to be no longer serving at this particular church. One of the members of the Bible study said to me, where are you going to be this upcoming Sunday? Where are you going to go to church? And I said, I don't know. I said, my sister, I call my sister-in-law Patty. I call her my sister. I said, my sister Patty needs a Bible study, and I'm going to teach her. You see, Odin Fong is a very good friend of mine. Odin was in mustard seed faith and various music. And we had done an outreach. I gave an invitation when I was an assisting pastor, and nobody got saved. And I went into the back, and my sister-in-law, my sister Patty comes walking up to me with a roommate, Felicia, and says to me, I feel sorry for you. Nobody came forward. I might as well get saved. That's what Patty said. I looked at her. She's the first person who ever, ever answered an open invitation. She gave her heart to Christ, and she's been in this church. She's hiding somewhere. She's been in this church for a long time, but I don't think she's saved to this day. No. So we actually met in Ontario in her house, and that's where our church began. And Marie was our first children's minister. We had five, no more than just a few kids. My kids were young. My son, Joseph, was three months old. My Koreanie was around four. David was around two. That's how our church began. And I began that Bible study for one person, for Patty. And I still minister for one person, you. That's why I do what I do. That's why it's true. We've gone through many things. I don't want to share so many things. We've traveled. We've, I've, I've ministered in many, many places. Marie has traveled with me. We've had real blessed times. We've had some tough times, tough times. I had somebody telling me, you don't give me any time. You don't have time for me when our church was young. You don't give us any time, me any time at all. As he sat in my driveway for an hour, well, my wife, it's after 10 o'clock. I've been out all until 10 o'clock. We had a prayer meeting. He followed me home, sat in my van, and for an hour told me I don't give him any time. As my young wife is opening up the drapes to see where her husband is, because I've been gone and I was working and I was pastoring. But I didn't give him time. I had a guy come to the house. I'm holding my sick baby. I used to have home studies. He came to my house. I'm holding Anna, who's 37 now. She was only a few months old. I was holding her. She had a very high temperature. Turn all the lights off because her eyes were sensitive to the light. And she was so sick. Mama went off to go and buy some medicine. And she's crying on my shoulder, and I'm rocking her. I can't do anything for her. And we didn't have, I'll be honest with you, didn't have very much money. Hopefully we can get something for this baby. We don't know what to do. I hear a knock on the door. I open the door. Some guys stand there. I just want to know why you are turning everybody away from me. I said, what are you talking about? Well, come here. And he starts accusing me of some things. I said, you know, my baby's ill. Right now I can talk to you another time. You don't have a minute for me? I said, I'm sorry, I don't. I don't. We have gone through so many things that I never talk about. You want to talk about proving your ministry? You want to talk about being faith? My father died. My father died. I had to put together a funeral, buy him a casket, buy him a plot, do a funeral service. I did a men's study. I introduced Poncho, who came and said, my dad just died. I came back after going to the airport. My sister got off the plane. And I said, daddy died. And I'm holding my sister weeping on my arms. And then I go to church to minister. And I tell people, I can't stay. I have to go home. And because I began to sorrow over my father, people left the church because after all, where's his faith? His dad's in heaven. But they didn't know the pain that I went through. I just lost friends because I cry. That's why you'll hear me to this day say to you, I'm sorry that you see my tears. Sorry. I love so many people. But you know what? It's worth it. It's worth it. If I can help you to know Jesus, it's worth it. I'll do that. But I can't tell you, and it's no complaint. Paul shared these are the things I went through. This is no complaint. I wouldn't give up my life for anything else. There's no greater joy than to talk about Jesus Christ. But it breaks your heart when people don't give you the same credit that would give a false teacher. And that's what Paul's dealing with. He says, I'm boasting. Why don't you show me the same kind of leeway that you give to the false teachers? That's what happens in ministry. But you want to know something, guys? You don't hear me talk about these things. I could write books on this. I really can. You don't know the things that have been said about me. The things that have been said about my kids. You don't know. You don't know. The times I've been on my face weeping for my children who are going in the wrong direction. And to have people who should have been my friends and helping me with my hands to lift them up, who brought them down. And when they spoke of me and my wife, that's bad parents we are, but a bad Christian I am. You don't know. You know, sheep are not scary, but they do have teeth. And they do bite. They do bite. But guess what? A long time ago I made a decision. It doesn't matter to me. And it sounds wrong, but it's the only way I know how to say it. It doesn't matter to me if you love me. I still love you. That's all that matters to me. It doesn't matter if you love me. I just want to make sure I love you. Because that's ministry. And that's what Paul is saying on top of all of the pain and the labors and the fastings and the attacks and the peril and everything. He says, what comes upon me, the thing that causes me so much is my deep concern for all the churches. And that's the bottom line. That's what I learned from my pastor, is to love this church. Love the fellowship. Again, I understand not everybody who's listening to me right now cares. Not everybody goes to this church. And then some people have left and found other places. God bless you as you go. That's fine. But just as long as you know, that the person who's been behind this pulpit for 39 years and this woman whom I call my precious wife, we love you. We love this church. We have given our life for you gladly. And I would do it again in a heartbeat. We love you. That's the bottom line. That's the bottom line. And so I'll close, I'll close. You know, someone's saying, can you shut up? Okay, I'll close. He said in verse 30, if I must boast, I'll boast in the things which concern my infirmity, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is blessed forever knows that I am not lying. In Damascus, the governor under Erotus the king was guarding the city of the Damasins with a garrison desiring to arrest me. But I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from his hands. This is what he's speaking about. It was actually recorded in the book of Acts in chapter nine. It's after he had gotten saved and he was coming under threat. He said, the thing that I will do, and I'll close with this, is I will boast in the things that concern my infirmity. The things that my adversaries call my negatives are really my qualifications. And they've gone into the making of me as a minister of the gospel. I've told you some of my story. God is witness, this is true. God knows he's my judge. I pray you'll understand why I said this. You see from the beginning of my life in the Lord, I've been in danger. But these things strengthened my faith. God delivered me from Erotus. He will continue to deliver me now. Because in the end, I am what I am by the grace of God. I'm simply a frail vessel. But he is everything. And that's why 1 Corinthians 15-10 means so much to me. By the grace of God, I am what I am. His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them. Yet not I but the grace of God that was with me. That's what ministry is. When we were not having church, when people are saying don't have church, and by the way people are still writing on my Facebook telling me how I must not love you because I actually have church services here, as you know, and I'll close with this. You may not have been here. And I understood why you couldn't. And there's no negative about this at all. I understood. But that didn't mean I shouldn't be here. So my wife and I got up every week and we would sit in that parking lot, talk to people. Anybody who showed up, we ministered to. Why? Because we love you guys. Because we wanted to be here for you. When you couldn't be here, we were. Why? Because I get paid to do that. I'm not a hireling. I did that because I love you. And because if you need a pastor, that's me. I will care for you because you belong to the Lord and he entrusted you to my care. That's why we were here. And that's why we'll stay. That's the truth. And the things you go through are the things that make you strong.