 The title of our sermon this morning is called to be complete Called to be complete 2nd Corinthians chapter 13 verses 11 through 14 Called to be complete and we're called this morning to complete this letter together second We're in chapter 13 in the final paragraph of this wondrous glorious good great letter of Paul to the church at Corinth So we now come to these closing statements and as we consider this letter We've been instructed by Paul through this letter. I'm sure you remember much of that instruction We've been challenged by Paul. We've been convicted by Paul. There's much to be Convicted of here and these letters much growth. We need much wisdom. We need much help. We need much strength We need that we've been witness to Paul's heart in this letter. I just love for the Lord's church is love for the Lord's people We've been exhorted and encouraged by Paul's example in ministry. Paul is a faithful apostle He's a faithful teacher a faithful preacher Faithful pastor a faithful brother, right just faithful to the Lord But as we consider Paul's example Paul's instruction here Paul's witness, we're not to welcome this letter as The word of men we are to welcome it as it is in truth As the very word of God a man as the very word of God intended by God to work in Effectively to work effectively in those of us who believe it's the Lord's gracious instruction. It's his correction his reproof his Example through the apostle Paul as he imitates the Lord Jesus Christ his witness to us and beloved Let us not receive the grace of God in vain, right? We need to apply this well We need to apply this carefully. We need to heed the words here spoken We need to remember these things come back to them time and time again but now As Paul brings this stunning letter to a close He does so in customary Pauline fashion with a closing Exhortation with affectionate greetings with a warm heartfelt benediction or a blessing at the end and so then as Paul closes The letter these are parting words their final thoughts their summary Statements of the apostle Paul and as parting words summary statements. They're intended to have a lasting influence They're intended to have a lasting effect. These are things that we are to remember we're to ponder we're to meditate on them And they tell us much about what is on Paul's heart and mind now as he writes this final paragraph to the church at Corinth He's not concerned here notice With their physical health It's important. He doesn't concern himself with that. He's not referring here to their physical comfort It's not a priority of the apostle Paul. He doesn't mention their physical wealth He doesn't mention their physical prosperity. He's not concerned with their physical well-being He's not concerned with his own reputation and frankly. He's not concerned with their reputation either, right? He's not concerned With their physical circumstances, he doesn't focus on their physical circumstances Paul's concern here is not the temporal It's not the physical Paul's concern here as he closes out the letter is the eternal Paul's concern is on those things that matter those things of lasting Eternal Significance that which is by far by far most needful. It's most needful for you and I we need to focus on those things We need to keep our eyes focused on eternal and unseen things in the heavens, right? We need to be focused on eternity our eyes Like your brand-new driver when you first start driving you remember this I do brand-new driver puts his hands on the wheel He's looking over the front of the hood of the car like watching the lines go under the The experienced driver looks down the road, right? We get our eyes up. We look down the road We want to be mature drivers We want to get our eyes up looking down the road to our heavenly inheritance eternal and unseen things in the heavens But we've got our have we've got to have our eyes fixed there Paul is concerned with their Spiritual well-being the state of their heart the state of their mind in Christ the state of their soul So after all then of the instruction in this letter What does it come down to as Paul draws the letter to a close sum it up for us Paul? What would you say? Well the net effect of the five commands that Paul now gives us in verse 11 Exort the Corinthian church to move on to Christian maturity Taking heed to the instruction instruction that they've been given Paul now calls those believers in Corinth and he calls you and I here to be complete He calls us to completion. He calls us to Christian maturity where to be mature believers in the faith We're to have a mature faith, right? Paul says in verse 11 essentially rejoice in the Lord become complete Heed my exhortations set your mind on the same things work and Labor for peace in the Lord's church and the net effect of all those commands is that we're to move on to Christian maturity we're to move on to Christian maturity Paul's appeal here has a context his context is the church of Corinth Okay, and the Corinthians Have to mature Past the divisions that they have long allowed to plague their church They have to mature past those divisions. That's a specific problem in the church at Corinth We know that right there to work for peace there to labor to maintain peace the Corinthians were factious There were divisions in their midst Easily they were easily led astray by false teachers false teaching so they were to heed Paul's Exhortations they needed to think as Paul thought set their minds on the same things that Paul set his mind on They had to deal with sin in their midst some of the sin that was in their midst Wasn't even sin that was normally named among the Gentiles remember and Paul is saying listen move on to maturity pursue holiness pursue sanctification become complete Spiritual immaturity Was wreaking havoc in the church at Corinth Well Paul's appeal there to the church at Corinth in that context also has application in our church today doesn't it? We're not lost on that. Are we we have needs of our own don't we? We must move on to maturity beloved we must be complete we must move on to Christian maturity We have to make progress in the faith We must move on to maturity the same behavior That may be cute in a five-year-old Would be shameful and repulsive in a 25-year-old More shameful more repulsive in a 35-year-old right worse it gets Well, that's same level of understanding That same degree of maturity and faith That may be understandable in someone who has recently turned to the Lord Recently turned to Fadda the Lord would be shameful In someone who has professed to have walked with the Lord for years. You see the connection the analogy The Lord commends Childlike faith. He does not commend childish faith We must move on to maturity. We must make progress in our Christian lives We must be growing in the faith growing in the Lord Initially we think about that right it's understandable of someone who recently turned to the Lord recently following the Lord is immature It's understandable for someone who's recently converted, but at some point at some point you run out of excuses for not making progress You run out of excuses for immaturity. They simply don't exist any longer. There's no excuse for it, right? We must make progress in the Christian faith. We must move on to maturity when someone is born again of God's Spirit Made a new creation in Christ. They turn from sin. They trust Christ alone for salvation Their sin that one who turns from sin to trust Christ their sin was laid upon Christ who suffered the penalty that they deserve He suffered that on the cross where he died for them his perfect life his perfect righteousness Perfection his perfect Righteousness is given to them as a gift of God's grace through faith. They are forgiven of their sin Right, they're washed clean in the blood of the lamb. They're justified in the sight of God They're reconciled to God declared to be righteous in him themselves, right? Indwelt by the Spirit of God praise the Lord And they are saved They are saved from the penalty of sin and they are saved from the power of sin They're saved from the penalty of sin and they're saved from the power of sin and from that moment on By the grace of God the new Christian Then is gradually and progressively Being saved from the presence of sin as well, right? That's what the bible teaches. It's called the doctrine of sanctification. It is a process By which we are made complete. It is a process by which we are brought to maturity We are to pursue the Lord in that process. We are to press on to maturity Perfection We're not talking about perfection, right? We're talking about direction. We're talking about a process a process of sanctification Perfection Cannot and will not be attained on this side of eternity It will not be attained on this side of eternity but the christian The one indwelt by the spirit the one who's been cleansed from their sin forgiven of their sin Is now called to a life of progress. It's called now called to a life of increasing Holiness that new believer that christian is called to a life of increasing faithfulness increasing obedience increasing knowledge increasing wisdom increasing peace increasing joy increasing christ likeness increasing christian maturity That's the call of every single christian We're not saved by works We're saved by grace through faith. We're not saved by works We're saved by the person in work of the lord jesus christ, but we must be zealous in the work Of every true christian, which is to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. We're to pursue christian maturity peter says it this way he says for this very reason For this very reason giving all diligence add to your faith virtue to virtue knowledge to knowledge self control the self control Perseverance to perseverance godliness to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness love We're to be engaged brothers and sisters in that pursuit. That's what we're to do Right. That's what we're to pursue we're to pursue christian maturity and peter says if these things are yours And if they abound notice the condition if They are yours and if You abound you will be neither barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our lord jesus christ for he who lacks these things Is shortsighted Even to blindness And has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins We are to become complete We're to move on to maturity and there is a A warning there isn't there if we do not A stagnant Or persistent immaturity in your christian life A stagnant or persistent Immaturity in the christian church is devastating And destructive it is devastating in first carinthians Chapter three paul paul told this church back then when he was with them the first time listen He says hi brethren Could not speak to you as a spiritual man I could only speak to you as men of flesh as to infants as the babies In christ I gave you milk to drink not solid food for you were not yet able to receive it Not able to receive solid food Indeed even now paul says you are not yet able for you are still Fleshly for since there is jealousy and strife among you Are you not fleshly? Are you not walking like mere men? And what sin if we think about our Study and second crimpians what sin was it that paul was concerned about finding them in When he visits the church the third time in corrent in chapter 12 verse 20 look there chapter 12 verse 20 contentions That's strife from first crimpians 3 jealousies Mentioned way back in first crimpians 3 outbursts of wrath Selfish ambitions backbiting's whisperings conceits and tummels In other words, it's a parent. It's a parent at this point That many in the church at corrent have so far failed to move on in christian maturity. There is still contentiousness jealousy outbursts of wrath Selfish ambition backbiting's whispering conceits and tummels immaturity Will leech Into the way that you deal with adversity You know that to be true if you followed christ for any length of time You think you think that you're doing just fine. You may even think that you're running strong Until you're faced with the difficulty faced with adversity and you neither have the faith nor the wisdom to deal with that circumstance You fall on your face and you bloody your nose and you go in the hard way, right? immaturity Will continue to derail your efforts to battle sin immaturity Will undermine your battle against sin immaturity will render your fight Ineffective right You don't grow in grace and spiritual understanding in the faith You don't grow in wisdom and so you battle With the very same destructive besetting and soul destroying sins day in and day out Week in and week out with little progress and little victory. Why because you have not progressed You have not progressed moved on to maturity in that battle with sin The christian is going to battle sin until the cows come home But the christian will have increasing victory in that battle not constant defeat If they're a brother at all an immaturity Leaves that brother weak and worldly and foolish weak worldly and they can't handle solid food They can't handle solid foods food. So they don't cultivate They don't cultivate a love for the doctrine that accords itself with godliness Right, there's no love for theology. There's no love for the things of god And so they're left in weakness and worldliness and foolishness They're not growing in faith. They're not growing in obedience. And so a simple trial a simple difficulty can leave them disobedient and faithless We must move on to maturity. Listen to this from the book of proverbs The book of proverbs often refers to the spiritually immature as simple Listen to this from proverbs chapter 14 verse 15. The simple believes every word Whatever comes along they take it in right The simple believes every word but the prudent considers well His steps the one who is prudent the one who is mature considering well his steps knows where to walk Knows where the potholes are knows where the ditches lie and he avoids them right the simple following Falling all over himself all the time Simple believing everything that comes along proverbs chapter 14 verse 18 the simple inherit folly But the prudent are crowned with knowledge Proverbs chapter 22 verse 3 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself See the connection there But the simple they pass on and are punished They pass on by things without heating them without noticing without knowing Proverbs chapter 1 verse 32 for the turning away of the simple will slay them And the complacency of fools will destroy them Immaturity a failure to make real progress in your christian life is available to anyone who won't do anything about it Right turning of the way the simple will slay them the complacency of fools will destroy them complacency destroys Immaturity eventually slays We see it don't we this is not mysterious to us Someone who doesn't make progress in their christian faith who doesn't grow in the faith something comes along And simply sidelines them in their professed christian life sometimes knocking them off the rails altogether We see it happen before our eyes move on to maturity trust the lord Cultivate a healthy thriving growing faith. We need that in our christian lives, right? When they're turned out of the way for lack of faith They're turning away will slay them those who wallow in immaturity The complacency of those fools will be their destruction Initially there may be reasons why someone would be immature eventually. There's absolutely no excuse for it In our text Paul exhorts the Corinthians with closing remarks And gives us five closing commands To help us to command us to move on to maturity five closing commands He begins in verse 11 Where paul says finally Right, we're coming to the end of our letter Finally that word refers to what remains right the word Has the sense of regarding the rest or in summary right in summary finally brethren here are five Closing commands five words given in close succession here With the purpose filled intent of moving us on to maturity five closing commands first The word translated farewell in verse 11 in the new king james version That word Often used in a traditional way of saying farewell at the end of a letter or saying hello Greetings at the beginning of a letter. It's a traditional way of using that word, but the word here is actually in the imperative It's a command. It's from the verb Cairo for you greek guys, and it's far better translated here rejoice It's a command To to rejoice some of your translations state it that way, okay Think with me if we're to move on to maturity we are commanded by the lord to rejoice We're commanded to rejoice. It's our duty To be joyful. It's a moral obligation For christians to rejoice It's the very same word That paul used in philippians chapter four verse four Where paul commands us there to rejoice in the lord always again. I will say rejoice same verb same form Okay to command to rejoice We often forget The importance or the necessity of pursuing joy in the christian life. Well, sometimes we're really we're passive with that It's a reflexive emotion, right? We're we're passive in it But here it is paul begins with a command to be joyful Joy In the lord joy and what the lord has accomplished for his people joy in the blessings of salvation Joy in the hope of the glory of god joy and rejoicing in the truth joy in the lord Jesus christ Right joy in your salvation Joy in your inheritance That's not that joy that informed joy that fueled joy is not an empty feeling. It's not a shallow emotion. It's not superficial It's not sentimental. It's not sappy Right. It's not shaken because of that. It's not shaken at the first sign of adversity It's not manipulated and undermined by distress or worry or disappointment No, this joy this joy is a resolute persistent determined informed and fueled Joy that should be pursued and cultivated. We need to pursue this joy This is a disciplined joy This is a joy that comes from pursuing it and cultivating it and thinking about it We're used to thinking of joy is something passive something that we React with in our circumstances something happens and I feel joyful Something happens and I don't feel joyful anymore, right? We're passive. We're used to thinking about it as something passive Joy is often considered by the world as something that happens to us And we think about it that way rather than thinking about joy as something done by us And the christian as paul commands this now in this letter. We need to begin thinking about joy as something done by us Something cultivated by us something that we pursue That means That means doesn't it that failure to rejoice is a sin Failure to rejoice in the lord when we're commanded by god to rejoice in the lord Failure to rejoice in the lord is sin Failure to rejoice in the lord is a fruit of our fallen flesh Now there are certainly times in the christian life aren't there Where we are filled with sorrow The lord himself was a man of sorrows acquainted with grief But james would say Consider it all joy when you fall into those various trials Consider it all joy when you face that difficulty that adversity Why because we know What the lord is accomplishing what the lord is doing Through that adversity so even in the midst of sorrow even in the midst of difficulty there is an element of informed joy It's interesting what james goes on to say there in james chapter one verse two. Listen to james my brethren He says count it all joy when you fall into various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience But let patience have its perfect work So that you may be complete Perfect and complete mature Lacking nothing right So even in that adversity even in that difficulty we are to be joyful in the lord There's a connection there isn't it that persistent joy is the fruit of a maturing faith in the lord When you are maturing in him you are maturing in the faith maturing in your christian life when you're being sanctified You become more and more increasingly persistent and consistent in your joyfulness in every circumstance that comes across your plate, right We learn how to deal with those in faith. We learn how to trust the lord So then how do we obey a commandment to rejoice? How do we obey that? Remember? That this joy the joy that's being spoken of here is a fruit of the spirit Joy is a fruit of the spirit. So how are we to obey a commandment to rejoice? Well Spirit testifies of the lord jesus christ How do we cultivate joy in our christian life? You must learn about Think on Ponder meditate on and think about and learn about and meditate more And then follow and continue to follow consistently follow the one who is the source and life spring of all true joy The lord jesus christ paul gives us the answer doesn't we are to rejoice In the lord always again. I say rejoice We hear of him learn of him through god's word under the preaching and teaching of god's word Ironing sharpening iron among the saints in our discussion in our conversation We talk about the lord when we sing hymns and praises to his name, right when we worship him together as a church When we obey him when we go out and preach the gospel we learn to love the lord in that way and we cultivate joy The fruit of the spirit the spirit does that work in us as we pursue those means to christian joy the spirit does that work And even in those times When we're unable to rejoice in our circumstances, we can always rejoice in christ Even at those times when it's really hard when it's really difficult isn't that true We still like we see the goodness of god in it. We can rejoice in christ As we come to know him and love him the spirit produces joy in us We must press on in our knowledge of him. We must press on in our understanding in our wisdom We must press on and cultivate faith in him That kind of joy is a discipline that kind of joy is a pursuit and paul It's appropriate that he should command us to apprehend that kind of joy here in second chrithians chapter 13 verse 11 if those means Appointed by god for your sanctification if those means appointed by god that Cultivate that kind of joy in the heart of a believer if those means are a drudgery to you Then I can tell you without having to ask another question That you are not joyful as you ought to be Where are you finding joy? What is it that you think is joy if that's not it? You're failing in this basic christian duty if those means that god has appointed By which he cultivates your knowledge of the lord jesus christ your growth and faith if those means are a drudgery to you Your joy is going to be lacking your joyless in your christian life. What should you do pursue joy? Pursue those means and cultivate joy in him I am reminded Often a long time ago. I started Trying to be consistent in reading a devotional book At the same time that i'm doing my daily bible reading my prayer in the morning You know first wake up and so I want to think about the lord I want to meditate on the lord and it's helpful sometimes for me to read the psalms But I started reading a devotional book alongside my morning devotions just to you know a good godly Christian man come alongside To point us to those good things in god's word that kindles affection in our heart for him, right? It raises our affections causes our mind to think and to ponder on his goodness his grace his mercy And so I remember reading a book that I can hardly commend to you. It's a book called rejoicing in christ My michael reeves I was reading the book as I'm uh read a little bit think Read the psalms meditate and then pray and um The lord Uses those means the means of god's word in particular But the means of that meditation on god even the meditations of other godly men are helpful right other godly ladies helpful sometimes as we think about the lord together in community how that raises our affections and Causes our heart to be warmed um, it's uh It's necessary that we cultivate that kind of pursuit that kind of joy We need to be rejoicing in the lord If you rejoice in the lord, you're going to seek him in private communion with him If your joy is in the lord, you're going to seek him In his word if your joy is in the lord, you're going to be seeking Obedience to his commands right if your joy is in the lord, you're going to fervently and faithfully follow him this kind of joy Is an apathy killer It is an indifference destroyer Right this kind of joy. This is the kind of joy that we need apathy and indifference Will keep you from making progress in your christian faith in your christian walk in your christian life If you are apathetic Or indifferent for any length of time you are wallowing in immaturity. You're making no progress Move on to maturity pursue joy pursue love this kind of joy is an apathy killer And it is attainable by the christian in the christian life through faith Otherwise paul wouldn't have commanded it as he does. It's a command for the christian to pursue this First is joy second Paul commands the chrithians in verse 11 To become complete to become complete It's the command To press on in christian growth toward maturity And that command it is a command. It is not optional. It's not optional It it's not optional to sit back on your laurels and say it's enough for me to believe It's enough that i'm saved and nothing else to do. I'm just gonna wait until the lord takes me home This pursuit to become complete is not optional. It's a command Being complete is something we are commanded to pursue We saw a form of this word back in verse nine Where paul prayed there for them to be complete he prayed to the lord for them to be complete Katar tido is the word the word suggests that we are to put ourselves in order We are to take ourselves in hand. We're to put aside That which is disordered It necessitates that we are consistently and persistently repenting of sin walking in truth Disobedience replaced by obedience complacency replaced by commitment indifference replaced by devotion right Being not conformed to this world but being transformed by the renewing of our mind Unbiblical thinking must be rejected put off Errors must be eradicated. The word of god is clear. We must follow it Right think as he thinks do as he does broken relationships must be restored Priorities must be put in order Aren't we like a constant Walking calamity sometimes with our own priorities. We can't seem to get ourselves put in priority order put your priorities in order What is it? It's most important Most of the time it's not that dumpster fire that's burning right in front of you It's god's word that's most important prayer that's most important faith. It's most important start there right Those are the big blocks we need to put in place first Put priorities in order. We must move on to maturity become complete For you language guys the verb here is either middle or passive Either middle or passive either way The action or the involvement of the Corinthians is being called for when paul commands us to be complete It's not merely that it's passive on us and we can let go and let god that's ungodly theology. It's not biblical It necessitates our involvement. We're to be involved in this pursuit We're called to become complete again Like joy the spirit of god is the one who does this work and produces this fruit the spirit of god does it But god uses means to produce that fruit And we are to pursue those means if we would see that fruit So let's look at the means. How are we brought to completion by the spirit of god turn to colossians chapter one Colossians chapter Galatians Ephesians Philippians go eat popcorn Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians chapter one Look at verse 28. How do we pursue completion? How do we obey this command look at colossians chapter one verse 28 paul says Him the lord jesus christ we preach Him we preach Warning every man Teaching every man in all wisdom So that we may present every man perfect in jesus christ that we're perfect there referring to completion referring to maturity right We're to move on to maturity paul says his goal his aim here is to present every man Perfect complete mature in christ jesus To this end verse 29 Their perfection their maturity their completion to this end. I also labor Striving according to his working which works in me mightily So how is it then? Colossians chapter one verses 28 and 29. How is it that we present every man perfect or complete in christ jesus? Well, we preach him Who jesus christ right? We preach the lord jesus christ and we work diligently We labor and we strive According to his power that work works in us. You see We work diligently. We labor and we strive preaching christ It's the preaching of christ that matures us to perfection in him right the preaching of christ It's not human wisdom It's not Worldly philosophy. Listen. It's not your own reason. I think this is right or I think that is right It's what the bible says. It's what god says is right, right? It's god's word Rather Not human wisdom. Not worldly philosophy rather. It's warning Every man paul says teaching every man in all wisdom that wisdom comes from the word of god And that's what it takes if we're to present every man perfect mature and complete in christ all that with diligent labor Toil and striving it's a word used in athletics. It's laboring to the point of exhaustion Right laboring to the point of being weary and tired working hard And listen, that's not just your elders laboring in preaching and teaching that's you that's us together laboring in preaching and teaching That's you Warning and teaching every man. That's you Sitting under the preaching and teaching and being Warned and being taught right that's you laboring. That's us laboring. That's all of us laboring striving together we've been given That role that means by which we're to pursue that completion that completion turn back to Ephesians Look at Ephesians chapter 4 And we see this said clearly here in Ephesians chapter 4 beginning in verse 11 We are means through which that pursuit takes place Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11 Paul says and he himself He gave some to be apostles some prophets some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for The equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry It's not for The so-called saints to sit back in their seats and watch the show We're all in ministry together The lord gave some to be apostles prophets evangelists some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work Of the ministry for the edifying the building up of the body of christ until We all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of god To a perfect man a complete man a mature man To the measure of the stature of the fullness of christ So that verse 14 we should no longer be children We should no longer be like infants or toddlers or babies In our faith in our knowledge and our understanding who are verse 14 Tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting We've seen it time and time again. Haven't we someone immature in their faith is not pursuing completion They're not making progress in the christian life and they are sucked out of this church by some false teacher some false teaching That now they've embraced as right and true that's not right and true And they make shipwreck of their faith Or it's some trial and they can't bear it any longer I can't bear up under this under this difficult any difficulty any longer And so they make shipwreck of their faith by departing the lord and disobeying his commandments right We're to be mature But verse 15 Speaking the truth in love. That's our responsibility We may grow up. We may move on to maturity and all things into him. Who is the head christ From whom the whole body joined in it together by whatever joint supplies According to the effective working by which every single part does its share Causes growth For the body growth toward maturity growth toward completion for the building up of itself the edifying of itself in love In order to come to a unity of the faith In order to come to a perfect complete man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of christ growing up In all things into him who is the head You have to be involved in the work of the ministry You have to be submitted To the work of the ministry you have to be yielded To the work of the ministry you have to be a beneficiary of the work of the ministry Laboring striving according to his working which works mightily in you We need to become complete third third Paul commands the Corinthians back in 2nd Corinthians chapter 13 verse 11 To be exhorted. It's what the word there means Translated be of good comfort in the new king james version Not a good translation the word is From paracaleo to call alongside to come alongside to call alongside And here this is a command Not simply the be of good comfort. It's a command to be exhortable The sense here is for the Corinthians to heed Paul's exhortations to listen We're to listen We're to consider what's being said And we're to consider what it is that we're missing If I approach the word of god like I know what it says And I can't be taught anything Am I going to make progress in my christian faith? Make progress in knowledge make progress in understanding make progress in wisdom No, because I got it all figured out and nobody's going to get away with teaching me, right? No No We're to be exhortable. We're to be teachable. We're to be Intreatable we're to respond to encouragement respond to instruction respond to correction respond to reproof We need to stop being self-willed or stubborn in rebellion Right receive Instruction you have instructors. We all have instructors receive instruction receive correction You and I we together we have elders placed over us by god And that is for your good for my good. That's for our good Receive their instruction Receive it and what does it mean to receive it? They can talk all they want to but that's not right and I don't agree with that and that's not right either Is that receiving their instruction? No You've got godly brothers and sisters in this church Receive instruction What is it that I'm missing if I've got a brother and we're at odds on some doctrinal point What is it that I'm not seeing and if I don't know what it is I need to seek understanding first and then receive what's being taught to me Receive instruction receive correction seek to understand be a baryon Search the scriptures diligently to see if these things are so but stop being obstinately belligerent Consider what it is that you may be missing If you can't be taught anything you're never going to learn anything Proverbs chapter 15 verse 31 The ear that hears the rebukes of life will abide among the wise He who disdains instruction Despises his own soul, but he who heeds rebuke gets understanding Wise people wise people receive instruction They put themselves in a place physically To receive instruction right they put themselves in a place mentally Emotionally they put themselves in a place spiritually to be Instructed to heed instruction they put themselves in a place mentally emotionally spiritually to Heed correction they submit themselves to biblical authority Proverbs chapter 12 The one who despises rebuked despises correction or instruction is stupid They don't move on to maturity The mature heed council the mature heed instruction the mature heed correction Otherwise you remain in ignorance and listen ignorance is a maturity killer Ignorance is a maturity killer Move on to maturity move on to completion move on to understanding be exhorted Paul Had warned the Corinthians here to reaffirm their love for the one who had sinned against them in chapter 2 Right. He warned them reaffirm your love for that one Forgive him and comfort him Paul said i'm putting you to the test to see whether you are obedient in all things Do that Paul says less satan should take advantage of us Paul Exorted the Corinthians Paul exhorted the Corinthians about many things right that being one of them Paul warned the Corinthians not to receive the grace of god in vain in chapter 6 Paul warned exhorted the Corinthians to cut off fellowship with the unrighteous unrighteous What communion has light with darkness? Paul asked right what accord with christ does christ have with belial? You are the temple of the living god cut off unrighteous influences Paul had exhorted the Corinthians to give Give to the work of the kingdom give Sacrificially in grace for the church that is in jerusalem for the needs of the of god's people that has application in our church doesn't it? Paul exhorted the Corinthians where to be exhorted where to heed the lord's exhortation Where to heed instruction where to receive it? fourth Paul commands the Corinthians In second Corinthians chapter 13 verse 11 The word here means to set your mind on the same things Set your mind on the same things To think the same things This is opposite Of those sins that paul was concerned about in chapter 12 verse 20. Do you see there to be of one mind? They were anything but Paul was concerned about that in chapter 12 verse 20 Beloved we have the mind of christ We have the mind of christ We are like partakers of the divine nature And we are being called to like mindedness in the lord's church. This is a command But this doesn't mean that we're always going to agree on everything We're not going to agree on everything but unity is the aim not uniformity That's not the aim, but unity unity is the aim We are all being called to share common convictions. We're all being called to share Common aims common purposes. We are to be of the same mind. Now. This is doctrinal unity And this is a unity of practice right practical unity. We have a Very clear A very specific way in which we as a church Have covenanted together to apply the scriptures to our common practice as a church We've been very clear about that nothing mysterious about it very clear We believe That the life of the church together is critical To our maturity And yet there are always those who buck against that commitment almost as soon as it's made Are you one of those We've not changed The commitment is the same that commitment that you were called to when you become a member of this church is the commitment that exists now Why Over time have you begun to kick against the goats? We began with like mindedness concerning those things and then your mind began to change our mind has not changed You absent yourself from the teaching You absent yourself from the preaching you absent yourself from small group from the life of this church You find yourself all of a sudden running against the current We're called we're commanded to be of the same mind That's why we have a confession of faith. That's why we have a constitution. That's why we have a covenant We're called to be of the same mind not to uniformity, but to to be unified in our common goals In our common aims our common purposes our common intents Paul doesn't merely call us to some sappy sentimental harmony This is not disney Right, let's just get along. Can't we just get along agree to disagree? No Paul calls us to be of one mind in christ work it out Work through issues keep your commitments resolve conflicts That's what we're to do You have a conflict if something's wrong. You have an issue Don't keep it inside where it bruise and broils until at one point it explodes and you wreck your ship Resolve that work to set your mind on the same things Result resolve to be like minded Romans chapter 15 verse 5 paul prays this he says Now may the god of patience and comfort Grant you to be like minded toward one another According to christ jesus that you may with one mind and one mouth Glorify the god and father of our lord jesus christ. That's our unity in christ That we may with one mind and one mouth Glorify the god and father of our lord jesus christ Doesn't merely apply to practice But there is to be doctrinal unity as well We have a confession of faith a confession of faith that is clear A confession of faith that we whole heartedly agree with and believe best represents the teaching of the bible And that's what we're preaching and teaching in this church. We preach and teach in agreement with our confession We are like minded with those brothers And we call all of you us together to be like minded with one another In following that good doctrine paul told this very church In first Corinthians chapter 1 verse 10. He says now I exhort you brethren By the name of our lord jesus christ that you all agree And there be no divisions among you, but that you may be made complete Do you see the the connection between moving on to maturity Moving on to completion and that like-mindedness, right? He calls them and he calls us to all agree so that there be no divisions among you But rather that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment We're called to maturity and paul does that by calling us to set our mind on the same things fifth The fifth command is in direct connection to the fourth command in chapter 13 verse 11 paul commands the chrithians to keep the peace That's what it means there To keep the peace. It's an imperative. It's active to live at peace with one another We are to be of the same mind. That's its connection to number four We're to be of the same mind and if we're of the same mind There will be peace and we're to strive to maintain that peace that means Contra what paul expected to see in them or was concerned he might find in them in chapter 12 verse 20 There are to be no contentions No jealousies no strife no bickering no backbiting. We are called to keep the peace We think about the net effect of all five of these commands together think with me, right all imperatives. They're all commands All of these imperative verbs are in the present tense Which reminds us that these pursuits are to be a continuous ongoing present Effort of the people in this church You and I are commanded to a continuous ongoing present labor and effort striving to pursue these five commands And notice with me in verse 11 the promise that is attached to those commands look at it with me finally, brethren Rejoice become complete Be exhorted Set your mind on the same things keep the peace and here's the promise The god of love and peace will be with you Notice that that promise is conditional It's conditional in the context The blessing of peace is available for those who are pursuing completion pursuing Maturity if we pursue these things if we obey these commands The god of love and peace will be with us God himself is the source of all love and peace and so himself is the god of love and peace, right? Love and peace are given to those whose spirit produced character are not at odds with it Not at odds with these pursuits not at odds with this practice and this doctrine And the lord if we think about that in verse 11 the lord's always with the christian, right? We're endowed by the spirit the presence of god always with us low. Jesus christ says and i am with you even to the end of the age But here what paul Intends to communicate in verse 11 is that the more faithful We are in our pursuit of these commands our pursuit of these realities these graces The more fully and the more richly we enjoy that blessing of his presence The more faithfully the more vigorously fervently devotedly we pursue these commands the more we'll experience a blessing of that gracious presence What keeps you from pursuing these to maturity? What keeps you from maturity? apathy Apathy keeps you from maturity apathy is essentially saying i don't care. I don't care You struggle with apathy You know what i'm talking about indifference We'll keep you from pursuing these commands to maturity indifference will keep you from making progress In your christian life laziness These are pursuits Their efforts we're commanded in scripture to give all diligence to them We're to give all diligence to them laziness will keep you from that apathy says i don't care laziness May or may not care, but not willing to lift a finger to do anything about it right laziness ignorance Ignorance will keep you from pursuing these graces apathy indifference laziness ignorance our maturity killers You will wallow in immaturity You will remain simple. You will make no progress. We must move on to Maturity brothers and sisters. We must become complete set aside complacency set aside worldliness set aside apathy set aside indifference set aside laziness set aside ignorance Pursue the lord pursue these commands and be complete It's upon these closing exhortation Powerful and loaded right simple words simple commands with so much weight Upon that paul brings this wonderful letter to a close He says in verse 12 He says greet one another with a holy kiss I'm going to advise that that is descriptive not prescriptive The holy kiss was familial it was an expression of love not in any way sensual not on the mouth It was loving it was familial it was a family kiss It was an expression of family love and we might equate this today with a holy hug Or a holy handshake, right Uh But this is the way that you would greet A beloved brother or sister that one who is beloved to you They are to greet with a holy kiss this this um Sign of affection in the lord's church at the center of their greeting to one another. It's uh, it's a beautiful thing We're to be affectionate toward one another that way As a brother would be to a beloved sister or as a sister would be to a beloved brother This is familial. It's an expression of christlike love an expression of christlike affection Everyone in the lord was raised from the dead And the ladies saw him on the road. What do they do? They fell at his feet. They gripped and they hugged held him hugged him, right? um Love the lord We're to show that kind of christlike love and affection toward one another our brothers and sisters in the church So greet one another with a holy kiss All the saints greet you we have extended family also We have extended family also one day. We'll all be together The bride together worshiping him in heaven forever Worshiping him in the new heavens and the new earth All the saints greet you and verse 14 the grace of the lord jesus christ and the love of god And the communion of the holy spirit be with you all amen The grace there in verse 14 is the grace of christ interesting, isn't it? He said in chapter 8 verse 9 you know Paul reminds us right for you know the grace of our lord jesus christ that though he was rich Yet for your sake he became poor so that you by his poverty might become rich It is appropriately the grace of our lord jesus christ Well the grace of our lord jesus christ reveals to us or communicates to us the love That is of god The love that is of god who is himself love Through the grace of our lord jesus christ we come to know deeply don't we the love Of god toward us in him And the communion that we have is through the holy spirit That fellowship that we have is fellowship in the spirit all the work of the triune god How anyone can deny the trinity is self-willed ignorance This is all a work a perfect economy of labor all a work of the triune god