Competent in Christ

Imagine you're moving town. You're looking for a new church. Out of these five options what would you say is the most important thing to look for? A) Super cool pastor with a Phd B) Awesome music ministry C) They serve fresh coffee and Danish pastries D) There's a celebrity in the congregation E) A pastor who loves his people and teaches the gospel. I love pastries, but of course the top priority is E. We'll see that in our passage today. But the priority of the gospel wasn't so obvious for the Corinthian church. Corinth was a very hip place to be, and the church was very image conscious. Appearance was everything. So answers A, B, C and D would probably have come above E.

Paul had started the church in Corinth but while he had been away problems emerged. The problem we'll see Paul tackle today is the false apostles. The false apostles had pitched up in Corinth with a false gospel. But they were impressive, slick communicators. Paul in comparison looked a shambles; he was unimpressive.
So the false apostles called into doubt Paul's authority because of his image. How could Paul represent God? He was constantly being beaten up. He was thrown out of cities because of his message of a crucified Christ? How was he competent to speak for God? He wasn't a good a communicator as they were! I suspect sometimes we have the same worries about ourselves: are we competent? So as we read Paul's defence of his ministry we'll see some good news: God's people represent Christ, and God's people are competent in Christ.

We're going to dive into 2 Corinthians where Paul is waiting for news from the Corinthians. He's told them to turn from certain sins. Will they listen to him? Paul is expecting news from Titus. Let's see what happens in 2v12:

Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-by to them and went on to Macedonia.

Paul leaves Troas to Macedonia to find Titus. Why? Because he's anxious for news.
Paul the beaten up church planter seems weak. He's got no peace of mind. Can he really represent God?

At this point Paul pauses in his story to defend his ministry. So the point I want to make is

God's people represent Christ.

Paul looks a disaster outwardly, but God was leading him to triumph. Look with me at verse 14

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.

In Paul's time victorious Roman Generals, after a successful campaign, would return to Rome with all their soldiers, prisoners and prizes in tow for a big parade. In a similar way, Paul says, although it doesn't look like it, God leads his people in triumph, and through them spreads the gospel. At victory parades they'd burn fragrance. When a fragrance is smelt, so a person is known. Sometimes we can recognise people by their distinctive fragrance. God uses his people to spread the fragrance of the gospel, so people can know him.

Let's quickly apply this. Turn round and have look at each other.

What do you see? You're looking at Christ's representatives in Gateshead. If you're trusting in Jesus, along with our other brothers and sisters in other churches, you are God's plan A for getting the fragrance of the gospel out. If you're following Jesus, you are his representative. It's not optional; it's who you are!

But it gets better. When we trust in Jesus we become the aroma of Christ to God. That is he delights in us, like he delights in his son. We are like perfume to him. If you're feeling far from God this morning, be encouraged by verse 15

"For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

Hold onto the fact God delights in you because not everyone will. Paul says God's representatives and their gospel message divide people. The gospel message is like marmite. Look at verse 16

To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?

A smell is unseen but its effects are unmistakable. Think back to your changing room at school. Even when it was empty it was stinky…all those sweaty socks!

Smells are unseen yet powerful! Likewise, the word of God is unseen yet causes a powerful reaction. To unbelievers the gospel is something to be rejected like a dead corpse, be it politely or impolitely. To those who are being saved, the gospel is like perfume. There are only two responses to the gospel: to accept or reject it, there's no middle ground. If you know this morning you are refusing Jesus's offer of rescue, please feel Paul's urgency. It's a matter of eternal life and death. Only Jesus can make you beautiful to God. Trust in him for life.

The false apostles were spreading their false gospel for money and prestige. In contrast, as we see in verse 17, Paul was sent by God to spread to God's gospel.

Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.

Paul isn't just referring to himself when he says we're sent by God, he's referring to the ordinary believers in his mission team. You see all God's people are his representatives, sent by him to speak his message.

Think of it like this. Who knows who this is? No one! His name is Matthew Barzun. He looks unimportant, but if he rings up the Prime Minister he can get an invite. Why? He is the U.S. ambassador to the U.K. It's because he was sent by Barack Obama to communicate his message. It's serious to represent your country. Your job is more serious than Matthew Barzun's! God has sent you to communicate his message.

I bet when Matthew Barzun sits down with the Prime Minister his confidence comes from the fact he carries the President's message. It comes with power. So often we lack confidence when sharing the gospel. We forget whose message it is! When we share the gospel be confident – it's God's message. It comes with power!

Representing God is quite a responsibility. As Paul says in verse 16: "who is equal to the task?" Paul shows us that God's people are competent in Christ. That's my second point: God's people are competent in Christ.

The false apostles carried letters of commendation to give to the Corinthians. It was a bit like a C.V showing off how impressive they were.
Paul says he doesn't need one. His letter of commendation is quite different. Look with me at verse 1:

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody.

Paul's letter is written on his heart, known and read by everybody. Paul's letter of commendation is his love for the Corinthians. The false apostles looked flash but they did not love. Paul looked a shambles but he loved them. God had changed Paul's heart. In 8.16, he says "I thank God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you." What God did in Paul's heart qualified him to represent God.

If you're following Jesus, the Spirit turns your hearts upside down to love God and his people. That's what qualifies us to represent God. This is great news! It's not your education, your sense of humour, your accent, your age that qualifies you to represent God. It's what God has done in your heart. We're not here to look good, but to love. Isn't that a relief? We can experience this the other way too. Sometimes we don't do stuff because we worried we won't look good. We duck out the evangelistic opportunity because we're worried that we'll look silly if we can't answer every question. We avoid getting involved in an area of service because we're worried about what others think if we're not super slick. Whether your temptation is dazzle or you're worried you won't dazzle we need to change our thinking. Paul shows us representing Christ is not about looking good, but loving others.

Paul has another letter of commendation for the Corinthians. It's the Corinthians themselves. Look with me at verse 3:

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

The Corinthian church is the result of Paul's gospel ministry. Their new hearts are like a letter written by the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament God promised to write his law on people's hearts, so they would love him and know him. That promise is fulfilled by the Holy Spirit at work in the hearts of those who accept the gospel. The gospel transformation seen in the Corinthians commends Paul's ministry. So in 1 Corinthians 6:9, Paul writes:

Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Paul loved these folks. He loved them by telling them the gospel. And it totally transformed them. It shows he was sent from God with God's message. We too have been sent by God; we too have the same message.

So keep on keeping the gospel message central as you meet in home groups and women's fellowship. That's the message that transforms us. Keep the gospel message central as you reach out to the community at the Rock and Mum's and Toddlers. That's the only message that brings eternal life.

So God commends Paul by his Spirit born love for God's people. He commends Paul by the Spirit born fruit of his ministry. Do you see who makes Paul equal to this task? It's God. Paul makes it really clear in verse 4:

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--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Unlike the false apostles Paul claims no competence of his own. His power isn't in slick speeches and looking impressive. No, his confidence, and competence is through Christ before God. The false apostles' false gospel killed, but Paul's gospel gave spiritual life. Does anyone have the competence to give spiritual life? No! That power comes from God. God's people are only competent in Christ.

Let's think it through. Last week I was chatting to a friend. She said she had some friends "who were highly unlikely to become Christians." Why do we think like that? And we all do! Because like the Corinthians we slip into thinking people follow Jesus because of our persuasive power. No! People follow Jesus because of the awesome power of the gospel. So don't write people off. Don't think God isn't powerful enough.

Sometimes we can fall into the habit of thinking God has not made us competent to tell the gospel. When we say, "I'm just not cool enough to share the gospel with him," or "I could never read the bible with her, what if I didn't know all the right answers?" We so often say these things in our heads don't we? I know I do. When we say these things we're saying God has not made us competent. We need to be cooler and smarter for people to trust in Jesus. His power is not sufficient.
It's just not true.

Training in how to share the gospel is important. Understanding how the gospel fits together is important. Pick up a '2 Ways To Live' or 'Know and Tell the Gospel' if you feel you want more on that. But I suspect for many of us that isn't necessarily the issue; the issue is our confidence in the gospel. Paul shows us that God's people are competent in Christ. That's so liberating: the power of the gospel isn't in us; it's not to do with how smart we are or our image. The power is in the gospel.

Let me close by asking you a question. How competent do you feel about representing Christ? Give yourself a mark out of 10. 0 being not confident and 10 being most confident.

If you're not confident pick up a book or 2WTL. But most of all – and I say this to myself as well - stop worrying about your own competence, and look to Christ who makes you competent. Stop worrying about the power of your intellect or your image, and start looking at the power of the gospel. Because if you're trusting in Jesus you represent Christ. And you have been made competent in Christ.