2 Corinthians 7:2-16 (We Die and Live Together, Jeff Kliewer)

Communion, Missionary Zeal, and the Moravians

God, it is so good to come before you to taste of that bread and of that drink, of the cup, and be reminded that you drank the bitter cup. Jesus, you drank the cup of suffering at Calvary, where you died for us.

And so we remember, we do not forget, we thank you Lord for that precious gift. Renew us today as we contemplate and celebrate communion. And now Lord, as we break the bread of your word, we pray that it would just be life to our bodies, life to our souls, that you would enliven us through your scripture.

Change us because there's things about us that need to change, Lord. Sanctify us by your truth, your word is truth. In Jesus' name, Amen. Some of you have heard of the Moravians. The Moravians are famous for their 100-year-long prayer meeting.

A non-stop prayer vigil that would have at least a couple of people in a room, lasting for 100 years, unending. These Germans were all about prayer. And then after about 65 years of this, someone took account and 300 of the Moravians had been sent to the end of the earth as missionaries.

So the Moravians became famous as a mission-sending group, this small, zealous group of Christians. They had a motto, to win for the Lamb the reward of his suffering. They were motivated by the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, and what he's done for us.

And so they went out telling. Zinzendorf was their leader, Count Ludwig van Zinzendorf to be exact. He is the zealous founder of the Hernhut community. When he was 10, he became zealous for the gospel.

And at his ordination council at age 34, he says, my zeal has not cooled. He remained the same throughout his life, just praying and sending missionaries and preaching the good news of Jesus Christ. I bring them up this morning, though, as a reminder of their missionary zeal, because we have missionaries to all over the earth with us here today.

But also because of the impact that the Moravians had on John Wesley. What they did for John Wesley, opening his eyes to what church really could be, and what the community is, is what I want us to see today.

Wesley's first encounter with the Moravians came on January 25th, 1736. He was on board a ship bound for America when a massive storm came upon them. And it actually snapped the main sail of the boat.

Water was gushing in. And Wesley, along with most people on board, were convinced that they were about to die. However, they looked at the Moravians, this group of German Christians. In the midst of the storm, they were singing hymns, singing praise.

And they looked completely unrattled by the storm. They bound together and they sang worship. What did they have that the rest of many Christians on that ship did not have? They had one another. They had zeal.

They had a depth of relationship with Christ that was available to all Christians, but not enjoyed by most. Wesley, in his journal, writes, in the midst of the psalm wherewith the service began, they just began to sing, The sea broke over, split the main sail in pieces, covered the ship and poured in between the decks, as if the great deep had already swallowed us up.

A terrible screaming began among the English. The Germans, this is the Moravians, the Germans calmly sung on. I asked one of them afterwards, was you not afraid? He answered, I thank God, no. I asked, but were not your women and children afraid?

He said mildly, no, our women and children are not afraid to die. What did this community have that most Christians lack? He saw them again in Savannah, Georgia on February 24th, 1736. He noticed that they were always busy.

They were always working. They weren't idle, but they were engaged in work in Savannah, Georgia. And then he writes in his journal, they're always cheerful. And they always have good humor. Don't you love that?

They had good humor among themselves, like some of the people here. You guys have great humor. They had put away all anger and strife and wrath and bitterness and clamor and evil speaking. They walked worthy of the vocation wherewith they were called, and adorned the gospel of our Lord in all things.

The Affection and Intertwined Hearts of Paul and the Church

But the breaking moment for Wesley, where he realized that he himself was not yet converted. He was a high church, Church of England kind of guy, who had gone to Georgia on a Christian assignment, yet was not yet born again.

It was a letter that one of the leaders of the Moravians wrote to him after they met in England. And I want you to hear the affection in the words of this Moravian brother. I want you to hear how he builds up with words.

And the genuineness of love. The sincerity of the love of this pastor. Wesley is writing about Peter Bowler and the day that this letter came to him and refreshed him. Here's what Peter Bowler, the Moravian, wrote.

I love you greatly. Pause right there. When's the last time you said I love you to someone in the church? I hope you say it to your kids. I hope you say it to your parents. Some people have trouble saying I love you.

But he opens this letter by saying I love you greatly and think much of you in my journey. Wishing and praying that the tender mercies of Jesus Christ the crucified may be manifested to your soul. That you may taste and then see how exceedingly the Son of God has loved you and loves you still.

And that so you may continually trust in him and feel his life in yourself. Oh how great, how inexpressible, how unexhausted is his love. Surely he is now ready to help and nothing can offend him but our unbelief.

The Lord bless you. Abide in faith, love, teaching. The communion of saints. And briefly, in all which we have in the New Testament. I, your unworthy brother, Peter Bowler. Evidently there's something about the communion of saints that is able to lead us into a deeper love.

Into a stronger faith. Into the kind of faith that can endure a life-threatening storm and not shudder. Into the kind of faith that goes about with humor and joy and friendship and camaraderie. There's a kind of communion of the saints.

A kind of church that can turn sorrow into joy. Which is what Wesley experienced as he was converted just a couple days later. The communion of the saints in a local church is from death to life. Meaning we ride together.

We die together. We live together. The communion of the saints in the church is meant to be close and real. Sadly, in our culture in which we live. And I don't know if it's just American consumerism that somehow has crept its way into the church.

Church has often become an industry. An entertainment complex where people come to the building. To be fed something, to be sure. The Word of God in often cases. And great music and great worship. But the mentality is to come and consume and then to go.

To receive something and then to leave. But church is so much more than what the American community has made it. Our individualism is running wild on us. We need to rediscover what the Moravians knew.

A communion of the saints. An affection one for another. A being tied together at the point of the heart. I think so much of us and probably even in this church to some degree. We miss out. We're missing out on something even deeper that God has for us.

A closeness that would make us stronger as we carry one another's burdens. The church is not a social club. Church is a church. So as we pick up now in 2 Corinthians. Turn with me to the 7th chapter. What we actually have here in verses 2 and following.

We actually have the end of a long digression. I appreciate Paul at this point because I tend to digress. And get carried along in rabbit trails. But probably unlike me he always finds a way of circling back.

And getting back to where he left off. The digression began actually if you'll flip back. All the way in chapter 2 verse 14. Paul had explained in the second chapter in the first verse. That he did not want to make another painful visit to Corinth.

His last visit scholars have come to call it the painful visit. He came and he had to rebuke a rebellion. Put down and squash a rebellion that had taken place in the church. And it was painful because Paul had to be harsh with the ones that he loved.

And then as far as verse 13. He talks about how after this happened he sent Titus to them. To make things right. And the plan was for Paul. Actually if we could pull up the map. That I have. The plan was for Paul to make his way up the coast of what we see here as Asia.

Which is present day Turkey. Go through Troas. Cross over to Neapolis and head down the coast of Greece. Whereas Titus would go directly to Corinth. And come up the coast of Greece. Sail to Troas and meet Paul there.

On the coastal city of Troas in Asia. However in chapter 2 verse 13 he says. He had no rest in Troas. An open door for the gospel was right there before him. But his heart was so heavy. Paul's heart was so heavy.

He couldn't do the ministry he was called to do. That doesn't sound like Paul to me. Because I think of Paul as indestructible. I think that Paul is just like the prototype of what a Christian should be.

But it does my heart good to know. That even Paul got depressed. And anxious at a point in time. And he says he couldn't even minister there. So what he did is he got kind of the last boat before winter.

And he took off to Neapolis. And tried to meet Titus. Because Titus had not yet made it to him. So in explaining the heaviness of heart. That he had for the Corinthians. And this is what was so heavy on Paul's heart.

The Corinthian church was in rebellion against Paul. And there was a fissure in their relationship. So Titus was sent to men fences. And Paul was on his way to get there. And he had written them another letter.

Which he'll tell us in chapter 7. And he kind of regretted because it had such a harsh tone. So he's very anxious that the whole church could be imploding. The whole church could turn against him. In favor of the false teachers.

He was troubled. In chapter 11 he'll explain the list of all the things he suffered. Five times he had been whipped and beaten. And stoned and left for dead. And all of these physical sufferings. But he culminates that list of sufferings.

With his concern for the churches. The anxiety in his heart. The love that he has for his brothers and sisters. In Corinth or Galatia or Rome. This love for him actually created an anxiety for him. That was even more intense than the physical sufferings he was going through.

So he's really worked up at this point. He comes to Neapolis. And we'll pick up in chapter 7 verse 2. Where the digression ends. Well why do I call it a digression? Because in chapter 2 verse 14. He takes off on a theological escapade.

Explaining all about his ministry. He tells about being an ambassador for the king. He tells about being on a triumphal procession for the king. Being a jar of clay that's filled with an all surpassing power.

Keeping an eternal perspective. He tells about not being yoked with unbelievers. But separating and being holy. This long digression about what ministry is all about. That's what we've been studying in recent weeks.

But now look at chapter 7 verse 2. He's going to pick up right where he left off. Especially in verse 5. He's appealing to them now. Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one. We have corrupted no one.

We have taken advantage of no one. I do not say this to condemn you. For I said before that you are in our hearts. To die together. And to live together. I am acting with great boldness toward you. I have great pride in you.

I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction I am overflowing with joy. And now as if just picking up the thought from chapter 2 verse 13. In verse 5 he says for even when we came into Macedonia. Our bodies had no rest.

Even when he had crossed down into Greece. He's still not at rest until we'll see the coming of Titus. Before we go into that look at verses 2 through 4. And I want you to notice the affection with which Paul speaks to his brothers and sisters.

Just like Peter Bowler spoke to Wesley. Telling him I love you brother. The words of affection. Christ loves you. You are not alone. Paul says in verse 3. I said before you're in our hearts. You see the affection in that.

And then this expression to die together and to live together. I'll die with you brother. That's a strong thing to say to somebody you love. I will die with you. That's what brothers in arms say when they're going into war.

We die together brother. I will live with you. I will carry your burdens. You are not alone. But why does he put die before live? Because in a worldly estimation wouldn't your life come before your death?

You live and then you die. In Paul's understanding of ministry as we've been studying. Dying with Christ is our part in this life. And chapter 4 verse 17. These light and momentary afflictions. A .k .a. our dying together.

Are to be followed by an eternal weight of glory. So the dying comes first. We ride together in this life. Dying to the flesh. Suffering. Persecution. From the outside and fears within. But there's coming a day when we live together.

These are the days of our dying. But the eternal weight of glory is yet to come. So Paul puts death before life. Even as Christ died and then rose from the dead. These are the days of our suffering. Our sojourning away from the final kingdom.

Which is only partially here. There's coming a day of our living together. So Paul puts that first. Look at the words in verse 4. I am acting with great boldness toward you. I have great pride in you.

Dads do you tell your kids I'm proud of you? I was listening to John Piper. Who I much appreciate. But he said that he never says I'm proud of you to his kids. Because if he said I'm proud of you. It would imply that I did something to make you the way you are.

And Piper wants to stress rightly. That God is the one who's done this great work in you. Despite me. So I know where Piper got that. But when I told my dad that he said I disagree. I'm proud of you son.

I was like I'm with you on this one dad. And then I came along and so I still keep saying I'm proud of you to my kids. Because I think what I mean by that is not I'm so great. I mean for them to know that I'm proud of them.

Because of what God has done in their life. And their walk with the Lord. As they exercise in him. Well look what I found here Piper. Verse 4. I have great pride in you. So if it's good enough for Paul.

It's good enough for me. Paul literally says I have pride in you. Meaning you make my heart swell with joy. To see the evidence of God in your life. And so I say it and I think you should too. I think Piper should too.

Who we all appreciate of course. I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction I am overflowing with joy. That's a great thing to say to somebody. When I'm with you it makes me happy. I love hanging out with you.

It gives me joy. Do you see the words of affection? We need to speak words of affection to one another. Even in a culture that kind of you know the individualism thing. That shies away from this. We need to be open and expressive in our love for one another.

Philippians 1 verse 7 and 8. Paul puts it this way. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you. Because I hold you in my heart. He says God can testify how I yearn for you all. With the affection of Christ Jesus.

Do you see the words of affection that just flow from Paul? Every letter he writes except for Galatians. He begins with this lead in of loving affirmation. To build up the ones he loves. He does that in Romans chapter 1 verse 10.

He reminds them that they are always in his prayers. You should tell one another hey I'm praying for you. It's going to be alright. We're praying. God's going to open the door here. He says I'm asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.

To say hey I want to get to you means I care about you. I love you. We might be separated because of God's will in circumstance. But I'm asking God for a way to get to you. That means I love you. And in Romans 16 you see him greeting one person after another by name.

Paul didn't go to Rome and plant a church just so he could say I planted my flag post there. He went there and preached to people. And he loved the people who came to faith. And they became a family. And so in Romans 16 he calls them by name.

From Uria to Syntyche. No sorry that's Philippians. They're in Philippi. You knew that. But the other people he listed. Phoebe and Andronicus and Junius. And all of the people he loved in Rome. He knew their names.

Because he was involved in their lives. Next. The place where his broken heart is lifted. Is when Titus shows up in Macedonia. On that Greek coast. And why is this significant? Because it shows how deeply intertwined the heart of the apostle was with the church at Corinth.

If you can go to bed at night. Without ever feeling concern for your church. You probably don't love it deeply enough. Because what father would go to bed at night without ever praying for his son. Or his daughter or his wife.

Or his mom or his dad. We pray for our family. Because my heart is only right. I'm only okay. When they're okay. My heart is their heart. And that's how I feel about you. Brothers and sisters. And that's how we all should feel about this church.

It's not just something we do on Sunday mornings. We are tied with it. And so look at Paul's heart in verses 7. I'm sorry 5 through 9 of chapter 7. For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest.

But we were afflicted at every turn. Fighting without. And he had told us earlier in chapter 2 that this was one of the most severe afflictions. Actually chapter 1 verses 1 to 9. He says it was to the point where he despaired even of life.

So there is some major crisis going on. He thinks he's going to die. Fighting without. But what else? Fear within. That word there is phobia. From where we get the word phobia. Fears. Deep anxieties. And many of us struggle with those deep unspoken anxieties in the thoughts of our minds.

Paul had that struggle. He tells us about it here. And he tells us elsewhere in chapter 11. Fear within. But God. Circle it. Underline it. But God. One of the great expressions of the scripture. How many times have we talked about it?

The gospel that we are dead in our sins and trespasses. We're hopeless and helpless. Dead sinners. But God. Being rich in mercy. Sends the one and only son Jesus to die in our place. Rise from the dead.

And bring us to life with him through faith. But God. Here God again. See the rescue that we get from God is not just salvation. That's the first rescue. He's going to rescue us again and again from every phobia.

Every fear. Every struggle. Every temptation that ensnares us. Again and again we'll be rescued. Here Paul himself is rescued from his own internal turmoil. But God. Who comforts the downcast. Comforted us.

By the coming of Titus. Not only by his coming but also by the comfort. With which he has comforted by you. By which he was comforted by you. As he told us of your longing. Your mourning. Your zeal for me.

So that I rejoiced still more. For even if I made you grieve with my letter. I do not regret it. Though I did regret it. For I see that that letter grieved you. Though only for a while. As it is I rejoice.

Not because you were grieved. But because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief. So that you suffered no loss. Through us. That harsh letter. That Paul wrote to the Corinthians. And sending Titus to follow it up.

Or maybe he was the one who delivered the letter. That letter. Scared Paul to death. He thought he might be losing him. But no. By the power of God. They obeyed. The call to repentance. They turned back to Paul.

They rejected whoever these troublers were. The anti-Paul contingent at the Corinthian church. They rejected them. And they came to Paul. Through Titus. And they welcomed him. And they received his rebuke.

And they were restored. And it changed everything for Paul. When they met. In that northern part of Greece. And the first thing Paul wanted to know. Is how is the church. And he heard they've repented.

They're with us brother. His world changed. His fear was gone. Joy. The indescribable joy. He says. It was only for a while. But now I rejoice still the more. Verse 7. You felt a grief. So that you suffered no loss through us.

In the end it was working together for good. John writes of his children. In 2nd John and 3rd John. He says. In the 4th verse. In both cases. I rejoice greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth.

Just as we were commanded by the Father. 3rd John verse 4. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Paul's heart. Just like John's heart. Was tied to the church. I want that for us.

I want us to be more. Than a Sunday morning social club. But I love the fact that when church lets out. Look at the building an hour after the service is over. And it's still half full. People are praying together.

People are talking. Having fun. Laughing. Joking. Fellowship. Koinonia. A real relationship. And through the week. Getting together in small groups. If you're not involved with the small group. Maybe you could get involved with one.

There's one almost every night of the week. You can ask one of the leaders. We'll let you know when and where. To be involved in one another's lives. It's just. It's a delight. Why would we ever want to miss that?

Godly Grief, Worldly Grief, and Repentance

So finally now. The last section. 10. And following. Again a bit of a digression. Because he said in verse 9. That they were grieved. But the grieving led them to repent. And come back to the truth. So now he'll go on a theological digression.

To explain that there's two kinds of grief. One is a godly grief. And the other is a worldly grief. So verse 10. For godly grief produces a repentance. That leads to salvation without regret. Whereas worldly grief produces death.

In our culture. As you look around. There's often sadness. There's often grief. But not a lot of that grief is God centered. Very often it's centered on self. And the world around us. So it's worldly grief.

Because it's centered on what the world is not doing for me. Versus a kind of grief that's related to God. So in your notes you'll see. Godly grief says I am not as I want to be. Worldly grief says the world is not as I want it to be.

Godly grief says God is worthy of so much more. Worldly grief says the world is worthy of so much more. Godly grief laments that the world is rebellious to God. But worldly grief points the finger at God.

And says God has failed the world. Godly grief says even so. But God. I hope in him. Meaning godly grief doesn't end with sorrow. But it turns to God and finds him to be a perfect savior. And puts hope in him.

So it's a grief that's not without hope. We grieve just like the world grieves when something bad happens. When we lose a loved one. But we do not grieve like those who have no hope. God's grief. A true repentance.

Has hope. And finally worldly grief says I am a victim. I am a victim of God's decree. Of the way God made things to be. So there's really two ways to look at grief. Or to have grief. One is to come humbly to God with it.

In repentance. And I like to think of Isaiah at this point. Because what did Isaiah say when he went to the throne room of God? Caught up in a vision. He sees God and he says woe is me. I am undone. He's undone to see God on his throne.

With cherubim and seraphim surrounding him. Four living creatures. And with two wings they cover their faces. And with two they cover their feet. Because God is holy and they wouldn't stand on that holy ground.

And with two wings they fly. And they cry holy, holy, holy. And Isaiah looks at the greatness of God and says woe is me. I am undone. Me the sinner that would come before the throne of this great king.

And it's a humbling experience to go before God. And there's a grief in that. It's a godly grief that makes you repent like Isaiah. Say I'm sorry. I failed you. Have mercy on me the sinner. Beating your chest on the front row.

Have mercy on me the sinner. But then there's the woe is me. Which looks at life and says woe is me. I deserve better. Woe is me. I'm such a victim. And it's the opposite of godly grief. Both involve tears.

Both involve sadness. But is your grief God-centered or man-centered? God-centered grief is humble before a big God. Man-centered grief is big in your own eyes before a small God. Godly grief leads to repentance.

You know it's godly because you come humbly and you always find him to be merciful. He wipes your sin away and it leaves no regret it says in verse 10. It leads to salvation without regret. You will live a life that's not filled with regret.

Because you're saved. You found him to be a perfect savior. Whereas worldly grief, that just ends in nothing but death. That road, the I am a victim road, leads to nothing but death. It's a worldly grief.

Verse 11. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you. But also what eagerness to clear yourselves. What indignation. What fear. What longing. What zeal. What punishment. At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.

So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong. Nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong. But in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God.

What's the situation he's talking about there? Some commentators had said it's the incestuous situation of 1 Corinthians 5. And they finally punished that situation. Probably not the case. This is probably the rebellious ringleader that had been opposing Paul.

At this point in the story. Whoever this person was. And the people that are wrong would include Paul. And those who stood with him. It was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong. Nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong.

But in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. Therefore we are comforted. And besides our own comfort, we rejoice still more at the joy of Titus. Because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.

For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you was true. So also our boasting before Titus has proved true. And his affection for you is even greater.

As he remembers the obedience of you all. How you received him with fear and trembling. They accepted Titus' leadership. I rejoice because I have complete confidence in you. They've come around. They've come back to Paul.

Back to their father in the faith. And so now he has complete confidence in them. So to apply this. What do we make of this? Often reading through 2 Corinthians, this might be a section that you gloss through.

It looks just kind of like ancient history. But no, it paints a picture of love. The kind of love that we should have for one another. The kind of devotion that's available in the church. That will see you through the hardest times.

We die together. We live together. When it comes time to bury a loved one. The church will be there. We will be there for one another. We will live together and die together. There will come times where like Paul we have to rebuke something.

A sinful pattern in a life. Perhaps adultery or some other matter. There will come times when we have to say hard things. That does not mean that we don't love you. In fact, it means that we do. If we're willing to say something hard to you, it means that we love you.

If you're willing to say that to a brother, it means that you care. But I'll warn you of this. Unless you're like Paul. And you're steadily making investments of love into the love tanks of other people.

You probably don't have a footing to make a withdrawal. That's coming from that five love languages book. Talks about how when we speak loving things and encouraging, uplifting things into people's lives.

It's like making a deposit in their love tank. Or in the bank. The love bank I guess it would be. You make deposits. But every once in a while you have to speak a hard truth to someone. Which is like a withdrawal from their emotional tank with you.

And if all you ever do is rebuke, rebuke, rebuke. They will run away. You'll break the relationship. But if you have poured love into someone's life. If you're the kind of person that's constantly like Paul.

Saying I love you. I'm proud of you. Man, I love hanging out with you. It is a joy to spend time with you. If you're saying things like that to your brothers. They'll listen. When hopefully it never comes.

But a time comes when you have to rebuke. A sinful pattern in their life. This is what church should look like. It should look a lot more like Hernhut. Than the English on the ship. The English on the ship were panicked.

Ready to jump overboard. While the Germans. The Moravians. And this is not a statement of ethnic superiority here. We're just saying that the ones who knew church at this level. The communion of the saints.

Had strength to endure. So let's close in a word of prayer. We will call on the worship team to come up. And let's just ask God to give us this kind of fellowship. This koinonia. This communion of the saints.

Here at Cornerstone. Let's pray. God we read the words of 2nd Corinthians 7. And we're aware that often it's a passage of scripture. That maybe we've just flown through in the past. But this morning we ask that you would open our eyes.

To see what true love looks like. Hearts that are bound together. Lives that are intertwined. And I pray that we would be a church. That speaks loving words one to another. Not fake words. But genuine love.

I pray that we would live together. And die together. To carry one another's burdens. To encourage one another daily. As long as it is called today. To say to one another. I love you. I'm proud of you.

Be strong. Don't give up. Build us up and unite our hearts as one Lord. We don't want to be a consumer church. We want to be a family. Make us a family Lord. From the youngest child. To the oldest adult.

We pray that we would be one. We would care for one another. And as I think of that. I think of Dorothy. Though she's moved now to upstate New York. We pray for her now in Jesus name. With her family asking that you would comfort her.

And strengthen her. And help her. Uphold her with your righteous right hand. Take any fear that she might have away. Replace it with the love. And the comfort that comes through Jesus Christ. We love you and thank you this morning.

In Jesus name. Amen. Let's stand for one final song.