Paul Enjoins Self Examination

By Lin Brown Bible Text: Preached on: 1 Corinthians 9; 11; 2 Corinthians 13 Sunday, o!em"er 2#, 2$13

Grace Particular Baptist Church %&2% 'm(erial La)es Bl!d *ul"erry, +L 33,-$ Website: Online Sermons: www.onefoldoneshe(herd.or/ www.sermonaudio.0om1/ra0e(arti0ular

2his mornin/ we 0ome to o"ser!e the Lord3s Su((er on0e a/ain and in doin/ so, ' want to ma)e a few 0omments. *any times the Lord3s Su((er is o"ser!ed out of ritualism and tradition. Sometimes it3s o"ser!ed out of 0ele"ration, /reat joy and ha((iness and so forth and so on, howe!er the (astor may dire0t the emotions of the (eo(le and the dire0tion that he would inter(ret what we ha!e "efore us. 2his mornin/ ' want to em(hasi4e the words that Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11 "e0ause, really, it3s my 0om(ortment, it3s my attitude, it3s my refle0tion this day and it3s found in 1 Corinthians 1152,. 6But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that "read, and drin) of that 0u(.7 2his mornin/ as ' stand "efore you, ' stand in /reat humility of that word 6examine yourself7 "e0ause, you )now, it must always ha!e to refle0t when you3re at the sta/e of life as ' am, that ' ha!en3t 0ome u( too /ood. ' ha!en3t met ex(e0tations that ' ha!e on myself or that others ha!e for me. ' ha!e to sit and ' ha!e to say, 6Lord, you )now, it3s "een a (retty misera"le re0ord.7 2hen ' ha!e to loo) at these elements and ' ha!e to say there is a re(resentati!e of the "ody and the "lood of thy Sa!ior and that ex0e(t Christ "e in me, then all of that that ' examine myself and find myself /uilty of is true. 2here are others who do self8refle0tion and 0ome u( thin)in/ they are (retty /ood (eo(le. 2here are e!en some who are in the 0hur0h that examine themsel!es and 0ome out and say, 69ou )now, '3m alri/ht. '3m as /ood as the next (erson. '3m as /ood as this (erson who 0laims to "e this Christian,7 or, 6this (erson who 0laims to "e a "elie!er. '3m as /ood as them.7 But :od hasn3t /i!en me that a"ility to do so. :od hasn3t /i!en me that (ri!ile/e to exonerate myself in front of any"ody else. 'ndeed, ' ha!e to han/ my head lower than the !ery /round that ' wal) on and say, 6Lord, ' am totally unworthy. ot only to (arta)e of "ut 0ertainly to administer these elements and 0ertainly to dire0t your s(iritual attention to the si/nifi0an0e of these elements.7 ' ha!e to say, with head "owed low, 6Lord, ex0e(t you wor), then ' "e0ome more and more alert and more and more aware of those words, 'f ' s(ea) with the ton/ues of men and of an/els and ha!e not lo!e, it (rofiteth me nothin/. ;nd ' 0ome as soundin/ "rass and tin)lin/ 0ym"als.7 9ou and ', those of us who are (rea0hers, don3t really reali4e what :od does with what we (rea0h. <e may (rea0h many thin/s, indeed, '3!e 0ome u( here and thou/ht, 6Boy, '3!e /ot a /reat messa/e today and it3s /oin/ to affe0t a lot of (eo(le.7 <ell, today ' don3t ha!e a /reat messa/e that3s /oin/ to affe0t you. ' ha!e a total de(enden0e that the

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Lord is /oin/ to ma)e real to you these elements that are "efore us. ' ha!e a total de(enden0e u(on the Lord to )now that if he doesn3t ma)e the (arta)in/ of these elements meanin/ful to you, ' 0an3t do it. 'ndeed, ' won3t do it. 'f the =oly S(irit doesn3t a((ly what these S0ri(tures ha!e to say to you, ' 0an3t ma)e them real to you and it3s !ery hum"lin/. 't3s !ery, !ery hum"lin/ to )now that you 0an3t ma)e some"ody "elie!e what you "elie!e. 9ou 0an3t "y (roxy "elie!e for them. 9ou 0an3t ma)e them understand what you understand and how totally de(endently we are 0ast u(on the Lord to do so. *any times '3!e 0ome and '3!e ministered this Lord3s Su((er as we 0all it. 't3s 0alled different thin/s in other 0hur0hes. '3!e had a ser!i0e and '3!e thou/ht, 6<ow, ' really made it real to them. ' really made it understanda"le to them. ' really /ot a0ross to them what this means.7 ot today. 2oday ' refle0t on the fa0t that we are to examine oursel!es, we are to loo) within oursel!es. <hat does examine mean> <e /o to do0tors for examinations; we ha!e tests for examinations in s0hool. <hat does it mean> 't means to try oursel!es, to test oursel!es, to loo) within oursel!es, to refle0t u(on oursel!es, to remem"er oursel!es. 2here3s a lot of self there, isn3t there> ; lot of thin/s that /o on that we ha!e to say is majorin/ in on me and, you )now, at the sta/e that ' am in my life, ' don3t want thin/s to major in on me whether it "e health or whether it "e (o(ularity or whether it "e any )ind of em(hasis. ' don3t want thin/s to refle0t so mu0h on me. +rom our S0ri(ture in 1 Corinthians 11, turn o!er to 2 Corinthians 13. Paul, it would "e /ood if you /a!e u( this idea of self8examination. 'f we 0ould just let that "e at a time that we would 0ome here and examine oursel!es and find out what3s wron/, 0onfess it, ta)e the Lord3s Su((er and /o on ha((ily down the road. But Paul said a/ain in 2 Corinthians 135%, 6Examine yoursel!es,7 whether you "e worthy to ta)e the Lord3s Su((er> 9es, that3s in0luded, "ut 6whether you "e in the faith7 or not. 'n the faith. ;re you in the faith> 2hat3s what you need to examine yoursel!es a"out first of all5 are you in the faith> 6Pro!e your own sel!es.7 Paul, listen, ' want some"ody else to a((ro!e me. ' want the !alidation of the 0hur0h. ' want the !alidation of the (astor. ' want the !alidation of my fellow "elie!er. But Paul says, 6Pro!e yoursel!es.7 Pro!e yoursel!es im(lies that we ha!e to satisfy oursel!es. <e are to examine oursel!es whether we are in the faith and we are to (ro!e oursel!es. oti0e he said 6your own sel!es.7 2his is a (ersonal thin/. 't3s a thin/ "etween you and the Lord. 6Pro!e your own sel!es. ?now ye not your own sel!es>7 :et this5 a settle down issue. 6?now ye not your own sel!es, how that @esus Christ is in you>7 Can a man )now that> Can a man )now that @esus Christ, the Lord of /lory, @esus Christ, the Son of :od, @esus Christ, the Sa!ior, @esus Christ as Lord, is in him> Can you )now that> 9ou ha!e to answer that for yourself. ' 0an3t answer it for you "ut ' tell you here !ery 0learly5 "eware of (resum(tion; "eware of loo)in/ in the mirror and seein/ one ima/e and wal)in/ away and thin) you3!e seen somethin/ else. 6Examine yoursel!es, whether ye "e in the faith.7 2hat3s (rimarily, first of all, this is the Aualifi0ation. '3!e read many enti0in/ Aualifi0ations for the Lord3s Su((er. '3!e read men

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that ' admire /reatly and what they disAualified (eo(le on for the Lord3s Su((er "ut ' 0ome "a0) a/ain and a/ain and a/ain and a/ain that the only disAualifi0ation for the Lord3s Su((er is that you3re not in the faith. 9ou3re not in the faith. 9ou3re not a "elie!er. <hen you loo) at these elements, they3re just that, "read and the fruit of the !ine. <hen you 0ome in and o"ser!e this, it3s just an e!ent. 9ou mi/ht /o to *0Bonald3s for a ham"ur/er and it3s the same thin/. 't3s just an e!ent that ta)es (la0e. =ow do you )now that @esus Christ is in you> 2hat3s a "i/ Auestion, isn3t it> 'f ' 0ould just )now that. Bo we )now anythin/> 9ou say, 6Sure, we )now a lot of thin/s. <e )now where we li!e. <e )now where we wor). <e )now what "elon/s to us. <e )now what doesn3t.7 But do we )now that @esus Christ is in us> 2his is a time for refle0tion, for examination. Bo we ha!e that still small !oi0e sayin/ within us, 6;""a, +ather>7 Bo we ha!e that 0ry out in our heart> 6;s the hart (anteth after the water "roo)s so (anteth my soul after thee, C :od.7 Bo we ha!e that> ' as) myself that. '3m not just sittin/ there jud/in/ you. ' as) myself that. 's that a reality in my life> Bo ' really ha!e Christ in me, the ho(e of /lory> Cr do ' li!e as the world with no ho(e at all> Bo ' li!e in the world, trustin/ in ri0hes> 2rustin/ in fame> 2rustin/ in fortune> 2rustin/ in my (ower> 2rustin/ in my mi/ht> Cr do ' trust in the Lord @esus Christ> Be0ause if ' don3t trust in the Lord @esus Christ daily, we3re not /oin/ to 0onjure it u( ri/ht here in front of these at this time to (arta)e of these elements. 'f ' don3t trust in him daily, if ' don3t rest u(on him daily, if ' don3t say, 6' loo)ed within myself and ' found nothin/ /ood in me. othin/ /ood in me that is in my flesh. othin/ /ood within me that is my a"ility. othin/ /ood in me that is in my intentions. But ' find all /ood in Christ and Christ alone.7 Paul said, 6'f Christ is not in you, you3re re(ro"ate.7 ow, ' don3t )now how you feel a"out it, ' don3t e!en )now what your understandin/ of re(ro"ate is "ut Paul des0ri"ed it in another way in another (la0e 6without ho(e, without e!en a smatterin/ of ho(e, e!en just a little (arti0le of ho(e, ho(eless.7 ; re(ro"ate has no sense. =is 0ons0ien0e is /one. =e has no sense whatsoe!er of any /uilt "efore :od. =e3s li!in/ to (lease himself and to satisfy himself and to "elie!e that he3s /ood with :od. 'f that3s not the 0ase with you, then (ro"a"ly you3re not a re(ro"ate "ut that3s left unto :od too. ; 0ou(le of more S0ri(tures and we3ll "e ready to administer the elements. 'n 1 Corinthians 9, Paul is s(ea)in/ in lan/ua/e here that is almost stran/e lan/ua/e. <e almost thin) surely this isn3t Paul who tal)ed a"out the assuran0e of the "elie!er, the safety of the "elie!er, the finished wor) of Christ and all of that and then he turns in this dire0tion, in this way, at the end of 0ha(ter 9. Derse 2-, 6' therefore so run, not as un0ertainly; so fi/ht ', not as one that "eateth the air.7 <hy is he tal)in/ a"out runnin/> =e3s tal)in/ a"out that other (assa/e that tal)s a"out 6run the 0ourse that is set "efore us.7 2he days of my (hysi0al runnin/ are o!er. Cften times ' dream a"out "ein/ a"le to run "ut that3s just in my dreams "ut ' still ha!e a 0ourse to run. 2hat 0ourse that he3s tal)in/ a"out runnin/ and Paul is tal)in/ a"out runnin/ here is the 0ourse of life itself, from the 0radle to the /ra!e, from the dawnin/ of sal!ation to the end of /lorifi0ation.

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Paul said, 6' don3t run this 0ourse that ' just s(o)e of un0ertainly. ' don3t run it in the dar)ness "ut ' also don3t run it in (assi!ity. ' don3t run this 0ourse in (assi!ity.7 '3m sure Paul had loo)ed u(on as he wal)ed a0ross the :ree) 0ountryside and saw (eo(le who would fi/ht in the arena and they would run and they would "ox the air. 2hat3s what he said, 6' don3t run as one that "eateth the air. '3m not out there just (un0hin/ stuff ' don3t see and feel and ex(erien0e.7 'n the ra0e of the 0hild of :od3s life, he3s not fi/htin/ a"stra0ts. =e3s not (un0hin/ at em(ty ideas. =e3s dealin/ with real issues "e0ause the S(irit has made e!erythin/ !i!id, made e!erythin/ a((arent in his life. 6But ' )ee( under my "ody, and "rin/ it into su"je0tion.7 't was =aw)er who said let us not /i!e o!er to su0h ideas that Paul is tal)in/ a"out, as he 0alled it 6(ee!ish efforts to 0ontrol the flesh.7 ;nd what did he mean> =e saw those of the (riesthood who would /o down the street fla/ellatin/ themsel!es with whi(s on their "a0)s and on their le/s and whi((in/ themsel!es. 2hou/h he said, 6thou/h ' )ee( under my "ody,7 he did say 6under his "ody,7 not 6on to( of his "ody.7 =e said, 6But ' )ee( under my "ody, and "rin/ it into su"je0tion. ' )ee( unto my !ery thin/s that would interfere with my ra0e "ein/ run res(onsi"ly "efore :od and ' deal with them.7 6Lest that "y any means, when ' ha!e (rea0hed to others, ' myself should "e a 0astaway.7 <hen ' 0ome to the sta/e that ' am in this life, ' ha!e to loo) at that and ' ha!e to say, 69ou )now, Lord, ' 0an3t e!en remem"er when ' did start (rea0hin/.7 2here are (rea0hers who 0an tell you the day, the time, they (rea0hed their first sermon. ' just )now the /eneral timeframe. *y first sermon was (rea0hed on a shi( in the a!y to a mess hall full of sailors and the next wee) there were a few less than there were "efore and the next wee) after that there were a few more. ' wasn3t 0alled a minister, ' wasn3t 0alled a (rea0her, ' was 0alled a Protestant Lay Leader "e0ause "a0) then the only !alid (rea0hers and ministers were Catholi0. 2hat3s what ' remem"er a"out that. ' remem"er a"out !arious e!ents in mind, "ut ' 0an3t tell you how lon/ '3!e "een (rea0hin/ "ut ' do )now this5 there is a time ' ha!e to refle0t ha!in/ (rea0hed to others that ' mi/ht "e a 0astaway. 2here is a time that ' ha!e to refle0t that (rea0hin/ those that ma)e me ha!e the assuran0e of the a00e(tan0e "efore :od. <hat Paul was tal)in/ a"out was not the loss of sal!ation "e0ause he didn3t "elie!e that. =e was tal)in/ a"out "ein/ 0astaway at the end of his life and not "ein/ used of :od for his /lory. ' "elie!e that Paul feared that the /reatest of anythin/, that he would outli!e his usefulness to /lorify :od as all :od3s 0hildren are dire0ted to examine themsel!es in that way. 9ou may see a time when you may "e0ome unuseful in the ?in/dom. Paul 0alls it "ein/ a 0astaway. 2he final S0ri(ture will "e found o!er in 1 @ohn 351,, 6*y little 0hildren, let us not lo!e in word, neither in ton/ue; "ut in deed and in truth. ;nd here"y we )now that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts "efore him. +or if our heart 0ondemn us,7 is that the 0ase with you> <e3re /oin/ to sto( and (ause here for a moment and say, 6<hat in the world does it mean, our heart 0ondemns us>7 <ell, ' 0an only answer that for myself. 'f our heart 0ondemn us as we loo) within oursel!es, as we examine oursel!es "efore these elements, as we examine oursel!es daily, do ' really lo!e Christ> ;nd does my heart

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0ondemn me on that fa0t> Boes my heart say, 69ou don3t lo!e Christ>7 'f our heart 0ondemn us. <e must always )now this5 that :od is /reater than our heart, /reater than our s(ea)in/ to our heart. ' loo) at those that are youn/ (eo(le in our 0on/re/ation. 9ou3re /oin/ to hear your heart s(ea) many times a"out what you lo!e. ' 0hallen/e you this time5 will you e!er hear it say you lo!e Christ> 9ou3re /oin/ to meet (eo(le in your life that you lo!e, future life mates or (assin/ relationshi(s "ut you3re heart is /oin/ to rea0h out to them and your heart is /oin/ to em"ra0e them. <ill it e!er rea0h out to Christ and em"ra0e Christ> :od is /reater than our heart. =e3s /reater than our emotions. =e3s /reater than our affe0tions and )noweth all thin/s. =e )noweth all thin/s. ow, we3!e said this many times o!er and we3ll say it a/ain5 we 0an stand u( and sin/ 6C how ' lo!e @esus,7 and our hearts "e far, far, far away from him. Examine yoursel!es there. Bo you lo!e him just in word> 's your heart )nit to him> Boes your heart always ha!e in si/ht the Lord @esus Christ> 9ou )now, when we lo!e someone, we want to "e with them. <hen we lo!e someone, we want to 0on!ey that lo!e to them and it3s the same way that we 0an examine oursel!es whether we really lo!e the Lord @esus Christ or not. Belo!ed, if our heart 0ondemn us not and our heart says, 6 o, you lo!e @esus and ' rea0h out to him and ' em"ra0e him.7 <hat> 2hen we ha!e (ea0e with :od. <e ha!e (ea0e with :od. 'f we3re not at (ea0e with :od, it3s a si/n we don3t lo!e Christ and we3re not rea0hin/ out to him and we3re not em"ra0in/ him and all of this is s(iritual, it isn3t (hysi0al. '3m not tal)in/ a"out rea0hin/ out with your hands, '3m tal)in/ a"out rea0hin/ out with your heart. 2hen we ha!e 0onfiden0e with :od, 0onfiden0e toward :od and that3s a /ood thin/, isn3t it> 'f we 0an say, 6' ha!e 0onfiden0e toward :od. ' ha!e trust toward :od. ' ha!e ho(e toward :od. ' ha!e faith toward :od.7 ;nd we 0an do that, we will do that, when our heart 0ondemns us not. Eemem"er, we just read 6thou/h our heart is de0eitful and wi0)ed a"o!e all thin/s and des(erately wi0)ed, :od is /reater than our heart.7 9ou )now, one of the "ad thin/s a"out the heart and '3m not just s(ea)in/ a"out this or/an that (um(s "lood in the human "ody "ut the emotions and the affe0tions, is )nit to the mind. 2he mind and the heart thin) ali)e and what our heart is )nit to, our mind is 0onsumed with. Paul would say to us, all those who (rea0h the true /os(el would say to us at this time that we 0ome "efore the Lord in the o"ser!an0e of the Lord3s Su((er, what is needful and what the =oly S(irit must 0reate and therefore our total de(enden0e is u(on him, is that our hearts and our minds are 0onsumed "y the Lord @esus Christ and what he did for his (eo(le. ;t this time, ' would li)e to as) Brother 2im if he would 0ome and administer our elements.

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