From The Pulpit Of

The Motivation for Church Planting 2 Corinthians 3:7 4:18 July 19, 2009 Nathan Carter

Text
Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! 12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 4:1 Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 13 It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

This sermon is printed and distributed as part of the ongoing ministry of Immanuel Baptist Church 2009 Nathaniel R. Carter

Introduction In preparation for this sermon I read through the whole letter of 2 Corinthians, trying to get a feel for Pauls train of thought and heart as expressed so openly here. Its clear from this book alone that Paul was persuaded by the biblical case and need for church planting. Christs love compelled him to be Christs ambassador (5:14, 20). He saw himself as Gods fellow worker (6:1). As was just read in chapter 4, Paul believed, therefore he spoke (4:13). His dedication to the local church in Corinth which he helped plant (cf. Acts 18) is obvious. But even more than that he envisioned himself as being part of a larger movement as he indicated in 4:15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God (cf. 10:16). Paul was persuaded of the need for church-planting. Weve had some good teaching on this already; you dont need any more. Reading 2 Corinthians its also clear that being part of a church-planting movement takes hard work. The church in Corinth was one that clearly caused Paul much joy and much grief (e.g. 7:4). We also see in this book several honest appraisals of the suffering Paul endured as a result of being a part of all this. In 1:8-9 he says, We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. In the text that was read today he alluded to the hardships when he talked about being hard pressed on every side and always carrying around in his body the death of Jesus (4:7-12). Elsewhere he talks about hard work, sleepless nights and hunger (6:3-13). Churchplanting involves your body having no rest, being harassed at every turn conflicts on the outside, fears within (7:5). And who has not read Pauls litany of hardships in 11:23-33 and thought, Wow! And his experience seems completely foreign to you that is, unless youve been a part of church-planting in some form or fashion. Lets be clear it involves suffering. But weve already heard some from Ryan and from Mike and Hobin about what this is going to take; thats not what I want to talk about this morning. Weve talked about the Biblical Case and Need for Church-Planting. Weve heard from a Church-Planter. Weve discussed the theory and praxis behind Contextualized Church-Planting. Weve talked a little bit about What It Will Take for Those Staying and Those Going. This morning I just want to talk briefly about the Motivation for Church-Planting. We can talk statistics and theology and make a case and cast vision and plan logistics and try to prepare you for the struggles and all that, but unless were truly captivated, consumed, and controlled by a vision of God thats utterly glorious theres really no point. In short, what were going to see this morning is just this: beholding the glory of God in the face of Christ is the only thing that can truly motivate church-planting. Are you seeing him? Thats all we really want. And hopefully you will a little more clearly after this weekend and going forward. Lets pray False Motivation First, there are many bad reasons for planting churches (i.e. dont like something or someone at one church so split off to get away or do it better, fear of losing cultural

power, etc). And at the top of the list there is one deplorable motivation for churchplanting and we can pick up on it in 2 Corinthians. Paul makes clear in 4:5 We do not preach ourselves. Because thats what many people do. Throughout the book Paul is going up against critics and rivals of his ministry dubbed super-apostles (11:5, 12:11). They belittled Paul because he suffered so much and appeared so weak. What the church really needs is strong leaders triumphant successful, they thought. These super-apostles were in it for personal gain partly money (2:17), partly power and control (1:24), partly fame (10:12ff). They boasted in their strength their eloquence or charisma (11:6). Basically, they were doing ministry to highlight themselves. And this kind of thing can stem from both arrogance and insecurity arrogance that thinks ones hot stuff and insecurity that desperately wants to be hot stuff. Either way, it results in pointing to oneself. We must beware of planting churches for our own glory, because we think were cool or hip or because we have something to prove to ourselves or to someone else. We cannot plant churches for ourselves. We will inevitably lose heart and end up engaging in secret and shameful methods, using deception, and distorting the word of God to manipulate people and manufacture success. Even if it may look good on the outside to some for awhile, it will be ugly. We must say with Paul, We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus sake (4:5). Heres how he put it to this same church in 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. Paul didnt put himself forward, he didnt mind being misunderstood or mistreated, he wasnt trying to build an empire for himself or create a brand centered around his personality. He didnt have anything to prove to those who suspected him. He only wanted Jesus to be recognized as the glorious Lord and Savior that he is. True Motivation Why? How had Paul become so convinced of the primacy and preciousness of Jesus that he would give up personal pursuits, suffer anything so that Christ would be preached? How could he say in 12:15 that he would most gladly spend and be spent for [their] souls? Answer: For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in [Pauls heart] to give [him] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (4:6). He had been truly captivated, consumed, and controlled by a vision of God that was utterly glorious. Paul knew that nobody could be cajoled or convinced into Christianity. We are blind from birth and have no more power to make ourselves see than the creation had power to make itself be. In an allusion to Genesis 1:3 where God said, Let there be light, and there was light, Paul says that God converts people. He even likens conversion in 5:17 to being a new creation. God says, Let there be faith, and there is faith. He makes his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. If you dont believe thats how his grace operated in your life, then youll have a hard time understanding what the big deal is about Gods glory. And this will be a stabilizing truth in church-planting because if somehow the power and the responsibility

to convert people rests with us we will either go insane or stop setting forth the truth plainly before mens consciences and start tampering with the message and resorting to subtle forms of coercion, emotional manipulation, or brainwashing. Thats called cultplanting, not church-planting. So the One who said, Let light shine out of darkness, is the only One who can shine light into dark hearts to give them the knowledge of God. Paul knew this firsthand. He was, while truly thinking he was a good person serving God, actually opposing God but nothing could convince him. It took a bright light on a dusty road to Damascus to arrest him and invade his heart. And was that bright light merely the glory of God in some broad sense? No. It was the resplendent glory of the Lord Jesus Christ that blinded Paul that day. Likewise, v. 6 doesnt just say, [He], who said, Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in some generic sense. It says specifically, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. Up a couple verses in v. 4 it says, The god of this age [Satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Specifically it is Gods glory as refracted through the prism of the gospel that has caught Pauls eye. Ive been reading a book this summer which is really just an exposition of 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 written in 1639 by a Puritan named Richard Sibbes. He drills down into this concept of the glory of God. I wish I could just read the whole book to you. But here are a couple snippets: In the gospel we see Christ, and in Christ the glory of God shining, especially his mercy. The grace and free mercy of God are his glory. Now in our fallen state, the glory of God is especially his mercy shining in Jesus Christ.1 The various attributes of God shine upon different occasions. There are, as it were, several theatres in which their glory is revealed. In creation there was, most of all, power; in governing the world, wise providence; in hell, justice in punishing sinners. But now to man in a lapsed state, what attribute shines most and is most glorious? Oh, it is mercy and free grace. If grace and mercy were hidden, our state being as it has been since the fall, what would all other attributes be but a cause for terror? To think of the wisdom and power and justice of God would add to the terror. He is the wiser and more powerful and can take revenge on us. But grace is the glorious attribute by which God sets himself to triumph over the greatest evil that can be, over sin. That which is worse than the devil himself could not prevail over his grace. There is more height and depth and breadth, there are greater dimensions in love and mercy in Christ, than there are in our sins and miseries. And all this is gloriously revealed in the gospel.2 The place where we see Gods greatness the most clearly is on the cross where he was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting mens sins against them

(5:19). The most amazing thing about God is that he made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (5:21). This is just breathtaking. Its captivating. Its glorious. It never grows old. Beholding His Glory Paul had seen Gods glory in the face of Christ and he couldnt stop looking at it. Hopefully you have caught a glimpse of it and are riveted too. Paul says in 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another (ESV). Beholding, not beheld once. Paul sought to be motivated by one thing in all of his church-planting efforts: beholding the glory of God in the face of Christ. This weekend we dont want to make you feel like youre supposed to be a part of church-planting so you guess you probably should. What we really want to have happen is for you to behold the glory of God in the face of Christ more and more. Thats all. Thats the Christian life. Thats the key to everything. And as you do, finding your place in church-planting (among other things) will begin to fall into place. So how do you do that? Thats really the question, isnt it? God shines his light into our hearts when were not looking for him, but now we are to look for him everywhere. We are to fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (4:18). Our lives on this earth are just a fleeting, passing moment, so how do we fix our eyes on what is real, what is lasting, what is truly beautiful and satisfying? There is an eternal weight of glory that awaits us. Paul says in 10:5 that we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. That has an apologetic application, but also a devotional application. We sift through everything to see Jesus everywhere. We are relentlessly on the lookout. Last Sunday after church we drove to the Warren Dunes in Michigan for a few days of camping with my family. After setting up the tents we went on a hike to find the beach. We didnt know exactly how to get there but we followed the sun setting in the west and we trekked up a sand dune with several false summits while my moms arthritis in her knees was really hurting her. I ran ahead and finally got to the top and saw the deep blue expanse of water shimmering in the setting sun, framed by slopes of sand and I couldnt control myself I yelped for joy and immediately turned back to my mom and shouted, Keep coming! Its worth it! Its worth it! And then all the connections between the vision of Christs beauty began running through my head. Its just an example to show you how you can seize any opportunity to worship Christ. Recently I watched Gran Torino and while some might say the acting wasnt good or the story was too predictable and while there are many ways in which Clint Eastwood is not like Jesus Christ I couldnt help after watching that movie thinking to myself, Wow! I love Jesus! A subsitutionary sacrifice that actually defeats those who think theyre winning! Brilliant! It made me worship Christ. Ever been to Gettysburg and gotten goosebumps and pondered the precarious nature of human history, the solemnity of sacrifice, the nobility of a cause? All of these are themes that easily run to Christ and can be used to fill you with awe. Go to Getttysburg, watch movies, get out into nature.

But more importantly nature, novels, looking for Christ in the nooks and crannies of common life, stories, ideas general revelation and common grace would be impossible apart time spent soaking in special revelation the means of grace. Ive talked before about how you can get struck by lightning anywhere, but your best bet is drenching yourself in water and climbing on top of a tall building in a thunderstorm. Last week I said you can get sun just walking down the street on a cloudy day, but your best bet is finding where the rays are bright and laying out in them. Similarly if you want to be captivated and behold Christ you need to look where he is clearly displayed. And that is first and foremost in the Bible. Its all about Jesus! As Paul says in 1:19 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are Yes in Christ. And so through him the Amen is spoken by us to the glory of God. All the promises of the OT find their fulfillment in Christ. The whole book is meant to fill out the glorious picture of who Jesus is and what he has done. Read it every day. Commit portions to memory. Meditate on it. And meditating on Scripture doesnt have to mean sitting for hours in an uncomfortable position mulling over verses like a mantra. Read books that delve into Biblical passages or themes. I recommend the Puritans, people who lived before TV and internet and therefore had more time and attention to gaze upon Christ more intently and can help you with vivid descriptions and perceptive insights into Christ. They stir your affections. Theres also a new book out by Milton Vincent called A Gospel Primer for Christians: Learning to See the Glories of Gods Love thats really helpful.3 We live in an age when we can get books, sermons, seminary classes on MP3s. As Richard Sibbes says, We must set some time apart to fix our meditations upon excellent things in the gospel.4 One of the ways the Word works to drive us to Christ is by acting as a mirror, showing us our sin. As we see our sin we repent and believe the gospel look to Christ in faith. For example, as we read about the super-apostles in 2 Corinthians we see something of ourselves, our self-centered boasting and ambition. And we read It is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends (10:18). And we think, How can I be commended by the Lord? And we see Christ standing in Gods presence saying, Here. Hold onto me and I will commend you to the Father. And then we read Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. 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 (3:4-6). And we worship God. And in this way we are changed from glory into glory; inwardly we are being renewed day by day (4:16) so as to be less selfaggrandizing. And finally, we behold Christ in his body the church. Churches, these things were talking about planting more of are actually places where, through Word and Sacrament, Christ is displayed to the eyes of faith. We want to plant churches, not just hold crusades or start campus ministries, because we want to see communities of people banded together served by pastors who each week implore [them] on Christs behalf: Be reconciled to God (5:20), where the Word is rightly preached and the ordinances are rightly administered. Sibbes is excellent on this. I really commend him to you. He says in one place If we attend upon the ordinances of God and the communion of saints, the Spirit of God will slide into our souls in the use of holy means.5

Weve gathered together for this weekend to spend time together in fellowship around Christ and his mission. The Word has been opened up to you today. And now we have the chance to participate in and witness together both of the ordinances: communion and baptism. May these visible words paint the gospel boldly before your eyes. The Lords Table 1Cor. 10:16, 11:23ff Baptisms Rom. 6:3-4 Benediction May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2Cor. 13:14)

This sermon was addressed originally to the people at Immanuel Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, by Pastor Nathan Carter at the Summer Retreat on Sunday morning, July 19, 2009. It is not meant to be a polished essay or substitute for personal Bible study. The vision of Immanuel Baptist Church is to transform sinners into a holy people who find fulfillment for their hunger for beauty, meaning, and eternal satisfaction in the glory of Christ alone. Richard Sibbes, Glorious Freedom: The Excellency of the Gospel above the Law (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 2000 [1639]), 72. 2 Ibid., 73-74. 3 Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer for Christians: Learning to See the Glories of Gods Love (selfpublished, 2008). 4 Sibbes, 92-93. 5 Sibbes, 52.
1