August 20, 2023 Insights into the Heart of God, 2 Corinthians 13:11-14

Today we welcome Pastor Bill Nieuwenhuis to lead us in our worship service. Today will focus on Pauls’ letter to the Corinthians in his sermon, Insights into the Heart of God. At the heart of the Christian faith is the doctrine of the Trinity.  This doctrine proclaims that God is three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; yet one God. It is a teaching that is hard to grasp. It leaves us wondering about the true nature of God and how we are to understand his very nature. As the Apostle Paul brought his correspondence to the Corinthian Church to a close, he extended the blessing of the triune God upon them (2 Corinthians 13:14).  In doing so, the Apostle revealed something very important about the very heart of God himself.  In this blessing, each person of the Trinity extends to God’s people a particular aspect of the Almighty’s heart.  When we consider our great God from this perspective, we suddenly realize we are indeed a very blessed people.

Transcript

Insights into the Heart of God

 Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

 Most everyone loves a mystery. There is something enticing about watching a who done it movie that rivets our attention with sudden and perplexing turns. When watching such movies we often speculate as to who is the

guilty party. Other times, we wonder what’s in our Christmas or birthday present. We begin to guess what it will be as we are told the “perfect” gift was found for us.

 Then maybe we may be taking our children on a trip to a far away place they have never seen. We ask them to image what the vacation spot will be like. But for our younger children, it is extremely difficult to see behind the curtain as it were since they have no frame of reference to picture what the planned destination may look like. 

The truth is, we often like mysteries in our lives, while at the same time we find it hard to abide the lack of direct knowledge. We want to jump ahead to discover the villain in the movie, or tear a bit of the paper off the wrapped gift, or look on the Internet for pictures of our destination. Mysteries can often cause us to fixate on the unknown; or, they can result in some level of disinterest all together.

 This can happen in spiritual matters as well. Consider the ancient Israelites. In many was, they were of two minds when it came to being close to God. While for 400 years they had been in Egypt and had suffered captivity, they

had not heard anything from their God. More so, they found themselves in a seemingly hopeless situation.

 Better to knuckle under to Pharaoh they thought than to trust that Moses was really God’s representative. As the confrontation with Pharaoh unfolded, the Israelites had seen wonderful signs and wonders manifest before their very eyes. Yet, only months later, they would balk at being too close to God’s presence. While they had seen God’s mighty acts in plagues, liberation, deliverance through the Red Sea and had received food and water in the desert; still, they did not fully embrace Him.

 For example, when Moses spoke to God during the Exodus as face to face (Ex. 33:11), his own flesh then shone with the reflected glory (Shekhina) of the LORD for a time. Now one might think that the Israelites would have been pleased at this sight. “Hey everyone, come running, we can actually see the glory of the LORD reflecting off Moses’ face!” However, the Bible says the Israelites “... were afraid to come near him (Ex. 34:30b).”

 Why? Because while they loved the idea of seeing what the mystery of God really looked like; yet, they could not abide His actual presence. In all this their faith could have easily rested on a firm and solid Rock while they

wandered the desert. How so? Because they had actually seen God and lived? No. Because they could have received God and lived. What’s the difference?

 The Israelites were not a people who had reached out to God as much as the LORD had reached out to them. They were His chosen people and in being so, they were blessed. So it is that when the LORD blesses his people, His people can gain insight into the mystery of their God. Consider the Aaronic benediction from Numbers 6.

 “The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD make his face shine upon you

and be gracious to you;

the LORD turn his face toward you

and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26).”

 This same imagery of a God who blesses was carried forward into the New Testament by the Apostle Paul. In our text for this morning we are allowed an incredible opportunity to see into the heart and being of the Almighty. Oh I know, we at times almost casually receive the blessing at the end of a worship service, don’t we? We may even think; “Yep pastor, just lay it on us so we can go home and get some lunch.” 

 Yet, for those who want to know and experience more of God, and not just get a blessing “to go” as it were; this single verse from 2 Corinthians 13:14 offers us some rich insight into the majesty and glory of the Almighty. Paul gave this Trinitarian blessing at the conclusion of his second letter to the church in Corinth. Often this verse is sited as a proof text giving evidence of a God who is One God, and at the same time three persons.

 Throughout history various controversies and theological debates have taken place over the nature of the Godhead. Suffice it to say that without the theological foundation of certain Church Councils and the development of the Apostles’, Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, believers would have been left without a true understanding of God over the centuries. For this message, though, we will leave heavy theological debates regarding the Trinity aside for the time being.

 Instead we will focus on how this verse reveals to us the intimate nature of our God. Now immediately, we can note that Paul’s blessing seems somewhat out of step with later theological formulations which the great Creeds follow. Their pattern is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But here, Paul began with speaking of Jesus and for a very good reason. Most all of the believers in the church at Corinth were Gentiles, or non Jews. As such they had known nothing of Jewish salvation history. 

 Their first encounter with the true God came through the bold proclamation of Jesus Christ. And Paul wanted to make sure that they remembered and understood the means by which they had come to God. A few chapters earlier Paul had pointed out to the Corinthians, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9).”

 The Corinthians first encounter with God had not come through a message of wrath; but, through an encounter Jesus and his grace which was significant. When we come to understand the grace we have in Jesus, we look through a very important window into the heart of God. The meaning of the Greek word for grace, “charis,” would have drawn the Corinthian’s attention straight away. 

 In the original this word conveys a meaning such as these: “beauty, charm, favor, goodwill, free benevolence, gift, benefit and gratitude.” (Theological Lexicon NT). The Corinthian believers came to know these wonderful qualities of God first through Jesus Christ. Jesus had come into the world as God in the flesh.

 In doing so God’s grace was made known to them through him. Why was this so significant? Because the Corinthians had come to know of their need for a Savior through the preaching of Paul. When people are lost and mired in desperate situations, they are often inclined to accept help. This was the case for the Gentile believers at the church in Corinth. When these people heard the Good News, they repented and received Christ’s grace.

 This “Jesus first” notion was a common theme in Paul’s proclamation of the Gospel. Paul concluded his first letter to the Thessalonians by writing: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you (1 Thess. 5:28).” To the church in Galatia Paul concluded his correspondence with these words: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen (Galatians 6:18).

 To the church at Rome he wrote: “The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you (Romans 16:20b).” To his beloved friend Philemon Paul concluded his letter regarding the disposition of the slave Onesimus, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit (Philemon 25).” And, at the end of his first letter to Corinth Paul had written, “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you (1 Cor. 16:23).” Paul’s message was all about grace upon grace that had been received in Jesus Christ. What great news! 

 But, there was more. How had it come to be that Paul, could so freely and confidently proclaim this Jesus? Because of his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. Through Jesus, Paul himself had came to understand the incredible grace that he had received from God. This leads us to the second part of the blessing. 

 In extending the love of God, Paul was drawing attention to the motivation of God [the Father] to send salvation into the world in the first place. It all happens because of the Father’s great love for His people. Paul wrote out in long hand the script of the Father’s plan f r his gift to the world in his letter to the church in Ephesus. Consider the full import of this extended love passage about the Father’s plan for salvation from Ephesians 1:3-10.

 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”

 The love of God purposed the incarnation of Christ. This was all in the plan of God the Father to bring redemption to a lost and perishing world. God knew we would need Jesus. And it was because of the Father’s love that we would get what we needed for our salvation, Christ. All too often in our day Christmas celebrations has been focused on family, fun and presents. For many people the incarnation of God in the flesh is but an after thought.

 Interestingly, the Greeks had several common words for love. “Eros” was their word for erotic love. We get the English words like “erotic” and “erotica” from this Greek word. Then they had “Philos” which was the word they used when referring to a brotherly kind of affection or love. This Greek word when combined with the word for “city,” produces a name we are familiar with, Philadelphia, which means “the city of brotherly love.” 

 However, in our text, Paul used a third Greek word for love, “Agape.” This word for love carries with it a transcendent aspect which is freely given. It’s like the love of a parent extended to their child or children. This kind of love is extended from one who is greater to another because the extending party chooses to do so.

 Now notice that Paul said that even before humanity was lost in its sin and brokenness in time and circumstance, the Father planned and made provision for the salvation of His people. What a magnificent God we have! In his letter to the Romans Paul laid the matter out plainly in chapter 8. He rhetorically mused if anything could possibly separate us from the love of God. He wrote; 

 “Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword [separate us]? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved [agape] us.”

 Then, in the third part of the blessing, Paul extended over the Corinthian believers and us today the covering of the Holy Spirit. All too often many (Reformed) believers are a bit timid on emphasizing the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

 We are cautious because we have seen what we perceive to be inappropriate expressions of the Spirit in other faith traditions which goes beyond what we understand from Scripture. And, these make us theologically nervous. However, with a Scriptural understanding, we need not fear. In speaking of having confidence in the ministry God has entrusted to believers, Paul addressed both the Corinthian’s and our fears. In chapter 3:6 Paul wrote, 

 “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter (law) but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:5-6).”

 When Paul spoke of the “fellowship” of the Holy Spirit the believers in Corinth would have immediately understood his intended meaning. In his two letters to the church he had raised this concept of fellowship several times. In this closing blessing, he raised it one last time. In this, the believers knew what their present and future contained. The word “fellowship” originates from the Greek word koinonia which means participation or communion.

 So this means that wherever believers are, regardless of their circumstances, Paul was saying that the Holy Spirit would always be with them. What a word of comfort! We get to participate with and have communion with God Himself as well as be on mission with him in this world. In chapter 5 of this same letter Paul had explained that those who have been renewed in Christ are totally new.

 The old has gone, the new has come. By virtue of this transformation, Christ followers have become God’s ministers of reconciliation to the world. In this we are to follow the lead of the Spirit. We are to participate in the mission of God to bring reconciliation to those from every tribe, language, people and nation under the sun.

 Does this sound impossible? Don’t think that every one of us have a part to play in all this? Then you’re missing out on the blessing of the triune God! One of the names of the Holy Spirit is “Paraclete.” The root word for this name comes from the same Greek word that means “encouragement.” In this, the Holy Spirit comes alongside believers and encourages them in His fellowship. 

 Believers who follow the Holy Spirit’s encouragement are never left wanting. No matter if the earth gives way, God is always present with His people through His Spirit. I suspect that some might be thinking this whole Trinitarian God thing is difficult to get our heads wrapped around. What a mystery, three persons in one God, really? Yet Paul instructed the Corinthians this way in his first letter.

 “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12).”

 While we may not fully understand or be able to reason the trinity through our minds, we can rest assured. Paul told the believers then as well as us now that coming to this triune God is a complete game changer. He wrote earlier in this same letter, 

 “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil I taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is,  there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:16-18).”

Some here might remember that the Corinthian church certainly had its short comings. There had been moral failures, infighting, favoritism, sexual immorality, legal graft and much more; all of this, within the church. Most of us Christians from the 21st century might be tempted to think we are a whole lot better than those who first received the this Triune blessing. But thinking so would be a vast mistake. Beyond it all, each one of us here and believers around the globe still need this blessing.

 There is little doubt that in being so blessed we too have room to grow in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Given the Father’s love for His people even before we ever were, we too can dive deeper into loving others as God has loved us. And finally, our fellowship, our participation with God on mission gives us ample opportunity to draw others into the life we share with the triune God through His Holy Spirit. So we are indeed blessed to be a blessing as were the first Corinthian believers. So...

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of God [the Father],

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit

be with you all.

Amen.