2 Corinthians 6:1-13 Seeing faith through the lens of the cross
I remember going to see my first 3-dimensional movie.
It was a whole new experience and I felt so immersed as all the characters leaped out of the screen toward me.
At one point I thought I would take my special 3d glasses off to see what it would look like.
Turns out it just looks like a blurry mess.
The glasses are essential to making the whole thing work.
They are the lens through which the 3d movie makes sense.
In a similar sense today’s reading from 2 Corinthians invites us to see through a certain lens.
Paul invites the readers to see things from a certain perspective. In fact, as we have seen so far, this whole letter is an invitation to see the Christian life through the lens of Jesus’ death on the cross.
In chapter 5, last week, we heard of the reconciling work of Jesus on the cross. That is as 5:21 puts it “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Paul invites the Corinthians to view their faith through this lens. Without seeing their faith through this lens of Jesus’ death on the cross the Corinthians aren’t going to be able to make sense of the whole picture, and neither are we.
At the heart of Paul’s message is the cross. Paul articulates that it is through Jesus’ death that we are made right or reconciled with God.
The “Jesus Storybook Bible” which are children are exploring at Sprouts puts it so clearly as it tells us the story of what happened on the cross.
“They nailed Jesus to the cross “Father, forgive them,” Jesus gasped. “They don’t understand what they’re doing.” “You say you’ve come to rescue us!” people shouted. “But you can’t even rescue yourself!” But they were wrong. Jesus could have rescued himself. A legion of angels would have flown to his side—if he’d called. “If you were really the Son of God, you could just climb down off that cross!” they said. And of course they were right. Jesus could have just climbed down. Actually, he could have just said a word and made it all stop. Like when he healed that little girl. And stilled the storm. And fed 5,000 people. But Jesus stayed.
You see, they didn’t understand. It wasn’t the nails that kept Jesus there. It was love. “Papa?” Jesus cried, frantically searching the sky. “Papa? Where are you? Don’t leave me!” And for the first time—and the last—when he spoke, nothing happened. Just a horrible, endless silence. God didn’t answer. He turned away from his Boy. Tears rolled down Jesus’ face. The face of the One who would wipe away every tear from every eye. Even though it was midday, a dreadful darkness covered the face of the world. The sun could not shine. The earth trembled and quaked. The great mountains shook. Rocks split in two. Until it seemed that the whole world would break. That creation itself would tear apart.
The full force of the storm of God’s fierce anger at sin was coming down. On his own Son. Instead of his people. It was the only way God could destroy sin, and not destroy his children whose hearts were filled with sin. Then Jesus shouted out in a loud voice, “It is finished!” And it was. He had done it. Jesus had rescued the whole world. “Father!” Jesus cried. “I give you my life.” And with a great sigh he let himself die.[1]
Here is the moment that Paul directs our attention to at the end of chapter 5. God reconciling the world through Jesus’ death on the cross.
We pick things up in chapter 6 today, where Paul continues to invite the Corinthians to see his ministry through the lens’ of Jesus’ death.
In this chapter Paul appeals to the Corinthians to keep their focus on Jesus and the cross.
(1)Paul begins in verse 1 with an appeal. He invites the Corinthians not to receive the grace of God in vain.
(2) In verse 2 Paul quotes for Isaiah 49:8 saying: “In a favourable time I listened to you and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Paul borrows this quote from Isaiah which refers to a favourable time, a time when God mercifully answered the prayers of Israel and acted to save them. Then he goes on to say “Behold, now is the favourable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
Paul is doing a couple of important things here as he quotes Isaiah.
Firstly, as he quotes Isaiah Paul sees himself as having a similar ministry as that of the prophet Isaiah. God raised up Isaiah to proclaim judgement and hope to God’s people when they were in exile.
Consider for a moment the verses before what Paul quotes from Isaiah 49…
Isaiah 49:1-6
…The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me. 2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. 3 And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” 4 But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause is with the Lord, and my reward with my God.” 5 And now the Lord says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the sight of the Lord, and my God has become my strength— 6 he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
Isaiah speaks of his calling. Like Paul has been doing in 2 Corinthians, Isaiah states his credentials as one called by God. Isaiah also expresses deep struggle and disappointment. He, like Paul has found himself labouring in vain.
Paul like Isaiah is a servant called by God to proclaim God’s grace to the nations.
The second thing Paul is doing as he quotes Isaiah is that he is drawing attention to the importance of responding to the message of Jesus. Now is the day he says, now is the moment of salvation.
Jesus has died on the cross to reconcile us to God. Paul invites his audience to behold! In other words, “to see.”
He is calling their attention to what Jesus has done on the cross. They are invited to respond, and so are we.
In verse 3 Paul then turns to his own ministry as an example of a life lived in response to Jesus’ love on the cross. He says:
“We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry.”
Paul insists that he is not a stumbling block.
In the previous chapter Paul has talked about being a good ambassador, and here we see this idea emerge again. A good ambassador doesn’t get in the way but rather represents their cause fairly.
You have likely encountered one of the most common objections to Christianity – a person who calls themselves a Christian and acts as a poor ambassador for Jesus.
Paul makes the important point that no fault is found in his ministry. Likewise, for us as Christians today we can ask the question about obstacles. Are we putting anything in the way of people and the reconciling work of Jesus? It’s ok if the cross offends, in many ways it ought to as it unveils our own sin and need for salvation.
However, if people are offended by our hypocrisy or conduct, we have great cause for concern.
How might we be a steppingstone rather than a stumbling block?
I recently found a helpful analogy for this very issue in a film put together by the Centre for Public Christianity in Australia. I’d like to share it with you…
“For the Love of God – How to Judge the Church” by Centre for Public Christianity Australia – 3-minute video.
Music and the performance….
I love that image of the Gospel being the tune played. It can be played well or poorly, but it isn’t the fault of the message itself. It’s the church’s responsibility to learn to play the tune faithfully.
P T Forsyth puts it eloquently saying: “Doctrine and life are really two sides of one Christianity; and they are equally indispensable, because Christianity is living truth. It is not merely truth, it is not simply life. It is living truth.”[2]
We see this idea expressed and explored in the next section of today’s reading where Paul talks of his own life and example.
Paul’s life and example (4-10)
In some theological circles the idea of imitating Christ and the objective work of Christ on the cross are pitched against one another as if you can have one or the other. The way I’ve heard it put by some is that Christianity is either all about imitating and following Jesus or it’s all about pointing to what Jesus has done in his life, death, and resurrection.
Yet these two ideas sit comfortably together with Paul.
For Paul, a genuine imitation of Christ always points to the work of Christ on the cross. Paul’s life is an example of this.
He lays it out in verses 4-7
Here Paul gives a list of his difficulties. There are three triads here.
Verses 4, 5 describe general sufferings imposed upon Paul in his minstry, verse 6 the moral and spiritual characteristics of Paul’s behaviour, verse 7 the work he does as a preacher of the Gospel.[3]
In all of these is the evidence of God’s power at work in him.
This hardly seems like a list to commend himself. Yet Paul as I mentioned in the beginning has a different lens through which he sees things. The paradox of the Christian life is found in the following verses.
The last line captures this paradox – “having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”
We can’t help but think of the words of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel:
“If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? (Mark 8:34-36)
Paul’s worldview is shaped by Jesus’ teachings and his death on the cross. What looked like defeat was the moment God was saving the world.
And so, he makes an appeal to the Corinthians:
“11 We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. 12 There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. 13 In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.”
He calls on them to respond with open hearts.
And we are called to respond also.
TWO QUESTIONS TO CONCLUDE – ONE AN INVITATION AND THE OTHER A CHALLENGE
1) Are our hearts open to the reconciling work of God through the cross of Jesus Christ?
2) Are we in the tradition of Isaiah and Paul, servants with a mission to proclaim the good news of God?
The first question is this:
-Are our hearts open to the reconciling work of God through the cross of Jesus Christ?
Do we understand the magnitude of God’s love shown in Jesus death on the cross for us? Do we see how we can be reconciled with God? Do we truly know that our sin and our guilt can be dealt with because of God’s grace and forgiveness offered us? Do we know that we are a new creation in Christ?
If you don’t know this truly for yourself this morning, would you like to? I’d love to talk and pray with you, our ministry team would love to pray with you during communion. Paul encourage us to open our hearts to the good and beautiful work of God to restore relationship with us through the cross.
The second question is this:
-Are we in the tradition of Isaiah and Paul, servants with a mission to proclaim the good news of God?
Paul’s commission is as an apostle, and we have a general commission in ministry to also share the good news. One commentator puts it well:
“The sun has not set in this the day of salvation. The world remains effectively alienated from God. God’s servants in this and every generation, like Paul the apostle, will continue to implore people, “Be reconciled to God.”[4
You and I are called to do this.
A beautiful example from history I have been reading about recently is John Wesley.
Wesley rode countless miles on horseback preaching and sharing the good news of Jesus. In his journal he says this:
“I look upon all the world as my parish; thus far I mean, that, in whatever part of it I am, I judge it meet, right, and my bounden duty to declare unto all that are willing to hear, the glad tidings of salvation. This is the work which I know God has called me to; and sure I am that His blessing attends it. Great encouragement have I, therefore, to be faithful in fulfilling the work He hath given me to do.”
May we like Wesley and Paul and Isaiah be bearers of the good news of God too. Amen.
[1] Lloyd-Jones, Sally. The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name (Kindle Locations 1624-1626). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
[2] P T Forsyth, The Work of Christ, 16.
[3] C.K. Barrett “Black’s New Testament Commentary: 2 Corinthians”
[4] Paul Barnett “NICNT 2 Corinthians”