 We'll begin at verse 7 I'll read to the end of the chapter and as as I normally do and for those who may be Visiting online or with us today I'm gonna lay a foundation give you a lot of basic information and some things that you may think are just extras And they're really not it helps you to understand the passage that we're looking at as well as the book and so My way of teaching I like to lay a foundation whenever I open up the passage to refresh your memory Maybe give some information. I didn't give last time and then move on and so that's what we'll do today So I'll begin reading at verse 7 I'll read to verse 18 in 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 and Attempt to give you a Bible study out of this passage. So beginning at verse 7 Paul writes Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ's Let him again consider this in himself that just as he is Christ's even so we are Christ's For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction I shall not be ashamed That's I seem to terrify you by letters for his letters They say are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak in his speech contemptible Not such a person consider this that what we are in word by letters when we are absent Such we will also be indeed when we are present 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 We however 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 over extending 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 and in our sphere to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you and Not to boast in another man's sphere of accomplishment, but he who glories let him glory in the Lord For not he who commends himself is approved But whom the Lord commands And so let me remind you let me develop a foundation false teachers have entered the church They've been working to undermine the ministry of the apostle paul One of the tactics that they're using to undermine him is to call into question his credentials as an apostle Now that's a common tactic. It was common then it's common today You see if they can discredit him they can undermine his entire ministry This was something common during his time paul wrote so many of the letters and some of those letters as you read them You'll see that he's having to deal with infiltrators and one such letter is the letter to the galatian church Or the churches of galatia In his introduction paul made it very clear that his credentials were displayed before them In the introduction to the book of galatians in chapter one verse one. This is how it began paul wrote this He said paul an apostle then he went on to say not from men nor through man But through jesus christ and god the father who raised him from the dead notice Not from men nor through man You see false teachers had entered into the churches and were bringing with them legalism and and they began to bring doubt on paul's credentials and so he had to defend his calling and he did it in his introduction He made it clear i'm an apostle But not from men and not through man I'm an apostle. I've been one sent forth with orders. I've been one delegated with heavenly authority That word apostle normally applied to the 12 originally called by jesus And the apostles with the exception of judas were the foundation of the church paul became what has been called the 13th apostle a man uniquely chosen by god And because he wasn't one of the original 12 he would often defend or had to often defend his apostleship And that's why he wrote not from men and nor through man but through jesus christ when he said not from men He was saying man did not send me when he said not through man. No human agency appointed me You see man cannot do anything but recognize what god's already done God ordains many to the ministry man doesn't do that So in the case of the carinthians false apostles had entered in and they were beginning to question the ministry and credentials of paul And it's their hope to undermine him Because they want to take his place as the lord's representatives No, i've been mentioning these adversaries to you over the weeks that we've studied this book Let me remind you and perhaps inform you of a few things about them because paul through this letter actually gives us insight He actually informs us concerning them and gives us details about them And so that's how we we got to know who these people were We saw in chapter three verse one. For example, if you take notes, you might want to note that We saw in chapter three verse one that they're actually what we would call today intruders because they needed letters of recommendation paul makes uh He says something concerning that in chapter three verse one when he said are we beginning to commend ourselves or reintroduce ourselves To commend ourselves again or or do we need like some people? Letters of recommendation to you or from you well when he said like some people like others He was referring to these who came in and wanted to bring in letters of recommendation and were wondering why paul didn't have one So they were intruders It would be like me walking into this church and saying do i have to reintroduce myself to you I've been the pastor for a long time. Do i have to reintroduce myself? And that's what paul was saying Secondly, we can see that according to chapter 10 verse five That they were what we would today refer to as pseudo intellectuals They they fashioned arguments and paul spoke about that they fashioned arguments that lacked substance In verse five he spoke of in chapter 10 casting down arguments That they would they would fashion arguments, but these these arguments lacked substance And that's why he said casting down arguments the word arguments as i mentioned to you last time Is a word that can be translated to reasonings. It was a way of thinking that was hostile to reveal doctrine And so they were pseudo intellectuals undermining the gospel A third thing and we'll look at this in detail when we get into chapter five next week, but They claim to have a superior ministry to the apostle paul When you see chapter 11 verse five it speaks of them as being what are called eminent Apostles the word eminent speaks of a super apostle So they called themselves eminent the most eminent the super apostles In order to reduce paul's authority because he wasn't even That kind of person that you were you were taken by we know that according to chapter 11 verses 7 and 8 They were mercenaries. They were greedy for gain and they drew disciples after themselves We know in chapter 11 also verse 13. They were emissaries of satan They were false teachers. They were fake apostles attempting to appear as the genuine thing And then again in chapter 11 verse 22 They were jewish possibly attempting to bring believers into bondage to the law And paul made that clear by comparing his credentials were there with theirs Now why are they casting down on paul and his credentials? Because the teacher is more than simply a speaker or a disseminator of information By casting doubts on his character They're undermining his credentials And if they can cast out on character and credentials They undermine his teaching Always remember that the lifestyle of the messenger validates the message In titus chapter 1 verse 9 paul said the pastor must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught So that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradicted The lifestyle of the messenger validates the message if we preach a message of transformation Then our lives ought to be transformed And so why do the false teachers attack paul and and things related to him so they can invalidate his message So they can undermine it And so they're calling him into question now with paul he's not afraid of having his credentials examined his life was transparent He was confident that he lived properly before the lord he spoke about it many times how that he would minister with a clean conscience So he was transparent. He was an open-hearted man. We'll see more of this as we go through 2nd Corinthians But in 1st Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 5 he said this he said our gospel did not come to you in word only But also in power and in the holy spirit and in much assurance And he went on to say as you know What kind of men we were among you for your sake you saw the way we lived You saw the style of life that I had and we did we did this for you so that you would have confidence that the message was true He had already said to the Corinthians in in the first book first Corinthians chapter 4 verse 3 He had already said with me. It's a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court In fact, I don't even judge myself It's not that you can't judge me. I don't mind you judging me, but it's a small thing. I see it as a small thing I don't even judge myself You see he didn't mind being judged, but false teachers do they don't like having their credentials examined They have a tendency of getting very defensive when questioned They don't have God's anointing They have taken a mantle of authority upon themselves And biblical authority is not the fruit of selfish ambition. It's not the pursuit of fame Biblical authority and Paul would be making this clear is given by God It's not sought after in an ambitious and selfish manner It is God who gave some to be apostles prophets evangelists pastors and teachers It's not something that you seek after with ambition It's something that God gives to you My son little David David Aaron When he was a little boy said to me one day He goes, I'm going to be the pastor of the church one day your church He says they won't even have to name change the name on the bulletin David rose all his pastor Here's a little guy And I still remember as I spoke to him about that I still remember saying, you know, it would be my great desire to see God use you in a wonderful way and son Were you to be able to be a pastor again? That's a blessing But remember this always that I don't make the pastor and the church doesn't elect the pastor God calls the pastor And should God call you I'd be rejoicing should you take over the fellowship? Of course, that would be a blessing but always remember that you didn't choose yourself God chooses you and and that's what paul would have us to know That's what scripture teaches when it says in galatians chapter 1 verses 15 and 16 It pleased God who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace To reveal his son in me that I might preach him among the heathen Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood. It pleased God who separated me and called me to reveal his son God does not take this kind of ambition lightly The selfish ambition this desire for position and we're going to see this more in a moment I'm just laying the foundation for this This kind of selfish ambition this desire to be known this this exalting yourself and comparing yourself with others And all is none of the lord is of the flesh Well, God doesn't take a selfish ambition lightly There was a man in scripture. You might remember him as his name. He's known by the name simon the sorcerer When you read your bible, it's found in ax chapter 8 simon simon was from a region there in israel called samaria And uh in ax 8 it speaks concerning the fact that simon was respected by everybody He was actually called the great power of god And simon had seen many samaritans coming to faith in christ through the preaching of a man named phillip Well, the apostle peter and john came to samaria they came to lay hands on On people and and they saw simon saw this this sorcerer saw him as they were laying hands on people and and it says in ax chapter 8 verses 18 through 20 when when simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles hands The holy spirit was given he offered them money saying give me this power also That anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the holy spirit But peter said to him Your money perish with you Because you thought that the gift of god could be purchased with money Your money is no good The literal translation one commentator pointed this out when he said your money perish with you simon was literally saying and not in a And not in a a course or improper way, but his literal words when he says your money perish with you Your money and you may go to hell That's a very strong Way to approach simon why you sought to purchase the gift of god with money I wonder how many here have ever heard the church term simony that word is still used today in the church They say he's guilty of simony It comes from ax chapter 8 Simony is the attempt to purchase the race of god or buy an office. They call that simony And it came straight out of ax chapter 8 simon tried to purchase something that only god gives Now paul was called by god So he had no problem having his credentials investigated. He'd already mentioned that in chapter 3 and he addresses it again He's going to be addressing this particular charge now last week I mentioned that paul answers a number of charges as we go through second Corinthians Verse 1 of chapter 10 Had listed and I want to just give this to you again in case I gave you an inaccurate number last week Verse 1 gave us what is called the 16th charge that he was cowardly and shallow Verse 3 gave us the 17th charge that he uses a flesh to perform spiritual works And now he gives us the 18th charge In verse 7 he says do you look at things according to the outer appearances? So paul's opponents are using outer appearances as proof of authority Now Outer appearances as it pertain to them could have could have been their outward confidence as they taught Because I have seen and so have you more than likely, but I have seen false teachers who preach with a supreme confidence I've seen many of them because many of them have television programs And so you'll see them And they'll prowl the the stage like like an actor They command the attention of the people and they speak with great confidence And they have what peter would call great swelling words They they use eloquent words and exaggerations You know and they drop people in by emotion because they're aware well aware today that people feel they're being taught when their emotions are tickled People today feel that they're really receiving from god when they get holy ghost goosebumps And so if that emotion if that story if that illustration if that Wonderful exalting of themselves in some fabulous things that they did and all of that really appeals to people Well, that's how they're able to attract them And they they were these people who could do that they would have had an outward confidence as they spoke And and that's why they would speak concerning paul as we'll see in a moment. That's why they would speak concerning paul According to outer appearance It might have included their their false claims that they themselves were were apostles which would build themselves up It most certainly and we'll see this a little clearer in just a moment It most certainly did include the comparison of his outer appearance and speaking and teaching with their own Now they may have pointed to themselves and they may have pointed to their number of followers Again people think this person certainly is anointed because so many people follow after them well Having a number of followers doesn't mean that you're speaking the truth as a matter of fact very often In the the more you speak the truth the less the people are who follow So what we have here is we have an 18th charge in verse seven And that is that they are outwardly successful, but paul isn't These false teachers were comparing their accomplishments with those of paul Now he's referring specifically to the false teachers, but he's addressing the church because There are those in the church who have been influenced by the false teachers So he's saying do you think that I am weak of spirit that I'm frail that I lack boldness and courage Do you only see my outward infirmities while ignoring the power of god that rests on me? He says in verse seven again. Do you do you look at things according to the outward appearance? But he goes on and says if anyone is convinced in himself that he is christ Let him again consider this in himself that just as he is christ even so we are christ Even as he belongs to christ, we too belong to christ if my opponents are stating they belong to him I should be granted this also At least give me the benefit of equal standing In verse eight for even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority Which the lord gave us notice for edification and not for your destruction. I shall not be ashamed My words are true. I'm not puffing myself up. I have apostolic authority. My boast will never be empty It's founded on fact and any claims that these others are are making are simply not true Notice how he says our authority which the lord gave us is for edification the word edification means to build you up I will not use my apostolic authority to destroy you. I will use it to build you up I will not lord it over you You see that's how spiritual authority is to be wielded Earlier in second Corinthians in chapter 1 verse 24 He said not that we have dominion over your faith But our fellow workers for your joy for by faith you stand When you look at the ministry of paul when you look at him, I hope you pray and pray as you read the bible You note these things yourself You're gonna see things about him You're gonna see in his writings that he was a loving man You're gonna see that there were times that he shows such great compassion You're gonna see that he was very humble that he had integrity. He ministered with a good conscience You're gonna see that he was a teacher of sound doctrine that he didn't exploit people But that he inspired them to love the lord One of the things that you can always use if you'd like as a criteria for whether or not your church is a church you should be Is is when you walk out Do you know more of the lord and do you love him more? Has there been an influence in your life through the study of god's word to encourage you to walk with jesus and to know him Because the individual who's teaching you has a responsibility to provoke that in you. That's what teachers are supposed to do When you're walking and speaking with somebody about your life Does jesus come out or you're talking? Because that's going to be a result of your own feeding but also of the influence that you have in the church you attend And the old testament book of jeremiah in chapter 3 verse 15 God said i'll give you shepherds According to my heart who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding When he said i will give you shepherds you might find this interesting the hebra word that is translated by the english word shepherds Can literally be translated feeders I will give you feeders shepherds We also call them pastors I will give you shepherds And what are they to do he says well they're going to be according to my heart They will feed you with knowledge and understanding They're going to feed you with experiential knowledge and they're going to increase your understanding of the ways of god And that's the shepherd that comes from the lord and paul was one of those men And so spiritual authority is never to be used to take advantage of or hurt somebody else That kind of abuse is a terrible sin when when they the the shepherd is hurting the sheep We used to call it beating the sheep It's a terrible thing when spiritual authority is used to injure It's never to be used to take advantage or hurt others It's it's a terrible sin. We've all heard of the clergy scandals and the abuse that takes place And that violates what god has to say in first peter five two and three Where he says shepherd the flock of god, which is among you serving As overseers not by compulsion, but willingly not for dishonest gain, but eagerly Nor is being lords over those entrusted to you But being examples to the flock And so he's speaking concerning this and he says I have been given authority for edification and not for destruction In verse nine then he says lest I seem to terrify you by letters lest I scare you from a safe distance lest I Intimidate you Because what's being said about him is that he's abusive And that probably harkens back to his first letter where he called for church discipline He said i'm not writing to scare you, but i'm i'm writing to encourage you I want you to repent from sin so that you might walk with god But they're now making big issues. So he said lest I seem to terrify you by letters verse 10 He says for his letters. They say are weighty and powerful, but his bodily Presence is weak his speech is contemptible And so they're now Speaking in a way that is It's just it's unkind. I'll just put it that way. This is the 19th charge And this is an interesting one He's ugly This is the 19th charge and it's not even spiritual. He's unattractive Now there's no description of paul in the bible by the way We all know that we read our bibles, but there is no description of him But church history contains certain references to him that has been has found its way these these references have found their way into today and I was looking for the description of the apostle paul because there are some that are registered in the in In history and this is one person who who wrote and said well paul was a small man bald headed Bow legged He was well built, but he had eyebrows meeting. He had like a caterpillar crawling across his forehead And he was rather long-nosed they said other writers speak concerning his eyes And then it's believed that he may have had poor health and difficulty with his eyesight It may be that he's referring to that when he wrote to the galatians in chapter 4 verses 13 through 15 Because this is what he said to them. He said as you know It was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you Even though my illness was a trial to you He didn't treat me with contempt or scorn Instead you welcomed me as if I were an angel of god As if I were christ jesus himself What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that if you could have done so you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me And so some commentators say that he suffered with a particular form of malaria that caused infections in his eyes He seems to be making that statement when he speaks concerning his illness He said in my illness That's the reason he even spoke to you is because of my illness And he's saying even though it was a trial to you You didn't treat me with contempt and he said if you could have you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me At the end of the galatians, he says see what letters large letters i paul write with Which is another indication that because he couldn't see the letters were larger than would have been normal print And so this is paul and then they're saying he's unattractive He may have had poor health. He may have been a homely man But the bottom line is this it is jesus and not his messenger that is beautiful And we need to remember that Sometimes we listen to the beautiful ones more than we listen to the plain ones Sometimes we can be taken by the good-looking one Simply because we're taken by that People like to say I have good-looking friends But they don't hang around with Homely people very often because they don't get status built by having homely friends. That's a fact I hate to say it, but it's true. That's not what we're supposed to be like But it's true for many and many people have understood that over time We shouldn't be that way, but I've seen that to be true very often even in presidential elections They usually usually not always but usually will elect the better-looking one of the two And that's very famous and very well known because americans have a tendency of looking at the outer appearance And that's not new that's something that's been going on for a long time And that's what they're saying about him. His letters are weighty and powerful He he writes strong words, but look at him his bodily presence is weak He's kind of puny and weird-looking bow-legged and ugly And his speech is contemptible His speech is contemptible He doesn't speak well What kind of criteria are they using here when they're judging him? Well outer appearance In chapter 5 of 2nd Corinthians verse 12 he had written concerning those who glory in appearance and not in heart Outer appearance is not The only and best way of making spiritual judgments by the way because appearances can be deceiving You can be deceived by what you're looking at. I had a friend of mine An avid photographer He liked to go into the wild and And take pictures of animals in their natural habitat and He was up in a mountain area in a wooded area and He came upon a glade and as he came to the glade He was hiding behind trees. He saw a deer beautiful deer Just standing there and it was so perfectly still he said What an opportunity to get a picture of a beautiful animal and he he hid behind a tree and he started taking pictures of the deer many pictures And it didn't move So he went behind another tree and started getting close Took some more pictures. It didn't move. So he moved to another tree before you know it He had moved all the way to the edge of this glade and the deer is still standing majestically and he's saying What an opportunity. I'm going to get as many pictures as I can Before it runs away and notices me and so he tries to get in the side where it won't see him And he starts creeping up very slowly and he keeps taking pictures He said I kept getting closer and closer and it didn't move until finally a japanese film crew came in Picked him up and carried him away. It was a prop It was a prop appearances can be deceiving A friend of mine had a member of his church who was working out Working out doing a lot of bench bench presses and he was working out so so much He began to to build up a nice physique My friend was saying that this guy started coming during the summer month He started coming wearing his tank top, you know as his muscle shirt And he'd sit there all proudly with his building He said and you look at the guy and his chest was so so built from all of bench press He said until the man discovered that he had cancer in his chest And what was causing his chest to actually expand wasn't muscle. It was cancer And sometimes something can look so healthy And it can be so admirable and you even get to the point of wanting to show it off When in fact what it is is it's destructive. It's cancer appearances can be deceiving What seems to be oh something great is happening because look at all these people who show up Look at all the people that are so caught up And I've I've seen that again in in the in the christian world In churches that are filled with people who are not getting filled with jesus Bible makes it very clear That you don't use only outside evidence Outside evidence doesn't always prove itself to be Genuine you see the real evidence of paul's ministry was the fruit And and paul could say that in first Corinthians He said it in chapter nine verses one and two he wrote to them and he said am I not free Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen jesus our lord? Are you not the result of my work in the lord? And he went on to say even though I may not be an apostle to others. They don't recognize me Surely I am to you For you are the seal of my apostleship and lord You are you may have 10,000 teachers I am your father of the faith and it demonstrates my calling that you even exist And then again, they're they're adding a A charge in in this verse his bodily presence is weak But also a 20th a 20th charge his speech contemptible He writes those bold letters, but he's boring. He's untrained. He's unimpressive His message seems to be powerful But the messenger should be as impressive as the message when he speaks. He's boring us He hasn't mastered the skill of oration. He has no charisma. He has no stage presence His message lacks depth. He's not interesting to listen to Those are all criteria that were used to judge people's ministry 2000 years ago that continue to this day Well, he goes on in verse 11 Let such a person consider this That what we are in word by letters when we're absent such we will also be indeed when we are present What I am when I'm not with you Is what I will be when I am with you You see my speaking paul would be saying is intended to lift up jesus not impress people with who I am My writing and my behavior are consistent I don't vacillate. I'm not double-minded and you're going to see that to be true when I'm with you Notice he says in verse 12. We don't dare. We do not dare class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves But they measuring the selves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise We can't compete with those who exaggerate their own greatness I'm telling you and I it seems like I'm Um, even as I say this to you, it seems it can make me feel like I'm I'm downing A lot of people but again, I've been around for a while. I've seen a lot of things and And what I have seen in particular is as many times when people get on television Knowing that people want to be entertained they create ministry that is and is entertainment oriented It's not solidly teaching and it's very often something that is just theatrical And and I've seen that more than once and and very often those who are on television always are the They always are heroic. They always They always are successful. They never ever suffer. They never seem to to make a mistake It's it's like they exaggerate their own greatness constantly They speak about all of the things that they've done and to me that the pride and the arrogance is such a such a Ministry is is off-putting. I god hates the proud And to hear somebody up there arrogantly say that they never they never fail and not willing to to say this is who I am Warts and all but my god is great even though I'm not and his grace is wonderful Even though I need it every day and I may not live it in the way that people should I should yet at the same time. I'm an experiencer of its grace so that I can give you the grace I've received myself I I can listen to a person who is honest and is transformed and is growing But I have a problem when I listen to somebody saying oh, I was on the plane and the plane was going down And I stood up and I said in the name of Jesus everybody gets saved and everybody stood and they began to cry And the plane once again righted itself and we land we landed in Miami safely. I said, oh shut up I don't want to hear that I don't believe that Why do you do that now? I'm baptizing stewardess is in the bathroom with the water. I mean stop it But you always have that you know in in in proverbs 27 to it says let another praise you and not your own mouth Someone else not your own lips Don't be bragging about the things that you do and the things that you are be careful. Let other people speak well of you Be careful not to speak well of yourself He says in verse 13 we however will not boast beyond measure But within the limits of the sphere which god appointed us a sphere. He says this especially includes you 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 I have a specific spear he says to minister in and i'm not going beyond it I want to work In the area that god has called me to work And he said in this area includes you Very briefly In two weeks, I believe yeah in two weeks This fellowship will celebrate our 39th anniversary 39 years in two weeks 39 39 years That's kind of a long time I think But for me and I'll say this briefly but for me If you'd have told me That I was going to minister in chino. I said you're out of your mind But my brother got saved And when my brother got saved he lived in Ontario. That's how I came here I came for him to minister to him but God had other plans because At my brother's bible study My brother invited a co-worker a friend of his to come to that bible study Who was from chino? Born and raised with a lineage of california history that goes back to 1769 A young woman by the name of marie And so marie's family Born and raised Marie her her mother and father graduated chino high school Owned a company lopez and sons Well known to those who were inhabitants of chino for many years marie born and raised here Me born and raised in in uh ellie county in Whittier I was born and Raised in norwalk the idea of coming to chino It was like going to the uttermost parts of the earth And finding nothing but flies there was no way I wanted to come here You don't do that wages of sin and all it's chino But I meet this girl and I like this girl and before you know it Dating this girl And that's what brought me here That's what brought me here And I was interested in her. I mean, let me tell you one thing I've said before but I'll say it briefly now I was as a college student. I was studying california history When marie and I were dating And I was a history major and I was studying that subject california history and I was studying a particular family and So I had to go to Pio Pico's house in pico revera I asked marie if she wanted to go with me. We're still dating. We're just starting to date She went with me and she began to speak to me about her heritage She says oh i'm from the yorbas The street here yorba. That's her family. She said i'm from the orbas the orbas owned all the property All the way into costa mesa From costa mesa anaheim all the way down to anaheim hills all of that the yorbas were the they called them land rich And so when I discovered that I was dating a yorba Don't want to give up on that In san juan capestrano if you go to the mission some of you have You'll see a headstone and it says don bernardo yorba. That's my wife's grandfather She is directly a descendant Of don bernardo yorba. That's her family. Her family is buried in the yorba cemeteries in yorba linda That's how far back my wife goes Very fascinated by that. I like that kind of history and it impressed me very much because I thought well, that's really cool And so she was from chino And you know what? That's the only thing that brought me here I wouldn't have come here Are you kidding me? I was Jonah. I'm going to go to san lusavispo But coming here I've been here for many many years now Because I started coming in this area to minister in in 1974 I've been coming a long time to this area And I love this area I love this church Believe it or not I love you people I love you people Because paul said that he had a sphere of ministry that especially he said included you There was a time I I don't talk about this Because it's not necessary. Normally doesn't fit into what I'd like to share, but I'll share it now I was given opportunities now on two different occasions over the years To actually take another church and to leave this one One invitation that was Crawford Would have I'd have left here and I could have gone to a fellowship that was Very large very prosperous in another state I could have been there Could have just released this church and gone into another place and ministered And there was another one in orange county That I could have taken as a church and been the pastor there I used to be on the board of this particular church Pastor was a friend of mine. He was leaving the ministries leaving his church I could have spoken to the board and said to the board I would like to take this fellowship. It's in an area that Marie and I would love to live to be honest with you You know, Marie and I when we have opportunity to actually go and spend some time somewhere else and We can actually get into a restaurant. We go to orange county And I go to a place in orange county that is my favorite mexican restaurant. If you've never been there You got to go It's called Javier's And I love it Very much. I would marry it We like orange county That's where we go when we want to get some coffee and take a day to relax orange county the beaches area I was able to take a church Where I would teach often and people actually they would bring chairs out when I would come to teach and fill up the place Because that's how many people showed up It was very humbling very humbling And I grew to love those people and the pastor said That it was time for him to step out and I talked to my wife And I said, you know I could I could tell the board That I'd like to pass to that church Because I love those people there But I didn't And you know why I didn't Because I loved you Because I want to stay here With you That's why Because this is the sphere that the lord has given to me. I understand this I understand this in a way that the average person wouldn't because pastors understand certain things in different dimensions But when he said In verse 13 we however will not boast beyond our measure but within limits of the sphere which god appointed to us A sphere he said which especially includes you We are not overextending our ourselves as though our authority didn't extend to you It was to you that we came with the gospel of christ He's simply saying I loved you and I and I minister to you. I understand that from a pastor's perspective He said in verse 15 not boasting of of things beyond measure that is in other men's labors Not having hope that as your faith is in but having hope that as your faith is increased We shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you And not to boast in another man's sphere of accomplishment But he who glories let him glory in the lord for not he who commends himself is approved But whom the lord commends So he says in verse 15 not boasting of things beyond measure that is in other men's labor His opponents had probably been boasting that the health of the church was due to them and not him You see no pastor can claim to be successful because they're the only ones who have labored We all build on the foundation of those who came before us I had a pastor named chuck smith chuck smith had had a belief that god could use me He recognized me and I and I built on the foundation that he built on and he built on a foundation Another man built and that goes back 2000 years You can't boast in your own accomplishments as if you did it on your own and no church exists on on the strength of one person either You have a pastor, but remember this that we also have just before you came in you had men in the parking lot We're saying could you please park there you have people right now in the children's ministry You have greeters who who welcomed you as you walked in here You have a worship team who stands up with one paid person jared He's the only one paid everybody else's volunteers. They give up of their time Everybody else gives up of their time so your kids can be cared for right now so that you can have a place to park So that you can worship god and no man did it by himself We do it all together because we need each other That's how it works and that's why paul wouldn't boast and that's why these people are boasting that they did it When in fact they didn't these false teachers invaded the field that god had given him to minister in and they boasted About how they performed the work at Corinth But he says no that's not how it works He says not to boast in another man's sphere of accomplishment He who glories let him glory in the lord It's god who does that it's god who does the work You see his desires for them to grow that that he can continue to minister He wants to reach out. He wants to reach the world and maturity enables him to to leave when he does to continue serving god Elsewhere elsewhere, and that's why he said in verse 17. He who glories let him glory in the lord We're only entering into the work of the lord It's god who does it first corinthians 3 6 and 7 he said I planted apollos watered But god gave the increase so then neither is he that plants anything neither he that waters But god that gives the increase all of the glory goes to him The ministry is not david rozales ministry It is not david rozales in calvary chapel chino valley It is calvary chapel of the chino valley We would see jesus That's the ministry I will be gone But he remains I'm here temporarily He endures forever In his word endures forever It's not built on the pastor It's built on the savior And that's what he's saying let him who glories Let him glory in the lord for not he who commends himself is approved But whom the lord commends our commendation is not from man It's from god And that is what motivates service One day hearing the words Well done my good And my faithful servant That's the key isn't it Well done my good And my faithful servant To hear that well done from the lips of jesus Should be the only thing that motivates us in our life to hear him say that well done. Won't that be beautiful? Amen