Lesson 397 - Junior

Memory Verse

"Not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth" (II Corinthians 10:18).

Notes

Heavenly Commissions

One day Jesus appeared to Paul the Apostle in a shining light from Heaven. When Paul responded, saying, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" the Lord gave him a commission, or an assignment, to preach Jesus "before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel" [ACT:9:15]).

Jesus appeared to Moses and called to him out of the midst of the burning bush in the desert of Midian. When Moses said, "Here am I," the Lord gave him a commission to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage.

Jesus appeared to Peter and Andrew as they were casting a fishing net into the sea. When they immediately left their nets and followed Jesus, He commissioned them to be fishers of men.

Your Commission

There comes a time in the life of everyone when Jesus appears to him in some form. Has He appeared to you? It may have been only in the still, small voice of conscience, but He made you know that He wanted you to give up your sinful ways; and if you responded as these people did, and said, "Lord, I will," the Lord saved you and commissioned you to do something for Him.

When you have an opportunity to do any little kindness or service for another, for your mother and father, for a friend, for your teacher, for your pastor, remember that Jesus has commissioned you to do it, and it will be a joy to you.

Paul's Apostleship

We know that all the words recorded in the Bible are true; they are God's words. So when we read Paul's letters in which he speaks of himself as "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ," and as in today's lesson, "I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles," we know he was truly an Apostle appointed by the Lord Jesus Christ. "For the seal of mine apostleship," he said at one time, "are ye in the Lord" [1CO:9:2]). The many people who were converted under Paul's ministry were proof that his call to preach the Gospel was of God.

To Establish Unity

Paul loved the people of the church of Corinth. He had suffered and prayed much to establish them in the Gospel, and now he knew that in his absence false apostles had come to Corinth to draw away disciples after them.

In order to preserve unity in the church, Paul felt compelled to show plainly his position as the true Apostle and minister of the Corinthian church in contrast with that of the false apostles. He wrote beseeching them "by the meekness and gentleness of Christ" to consider his authority.

Warfare

The false apostles considered Paul as walking according to the flesh, or being unsaved. Paul's reply was that though he did have a natural body, yet he did not war after the flesh, or as unsaved people do.

In the Book of James we read about the warfare that ungodly people engage in. The question is asked them: "From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts [strong desires] that war in your members?" People who are not saved are likely to be selfish. They have strong desires for things for themselves, and envy those who are blessed of God.

They fight and quarrel, and are not happy, because they do not submit themselves to God and ask help of Him. They think it is all right to harbour thoughts of resentment toward people who may not have treated them right. That is the human reasoning which exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

Spiritual Weapons

Those of us who are saved are engaged in a warfare, too, but our fortifications -" our weapons -" are the spiritual experiences God gives us. The experience of salvation enables us to withstand temptation. Sanctification cleanses our hearts so the temptations are only from without. The baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire fill us to overflowing with the love of God.

These spiritual fortifications enable us to pull down the strongholds of the devil. We obey the Word of God, laying aside "all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speaking," and follow the example of Jesus, "who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously" [1PE:2:1], [1PE:2:23]).

Capturing Thoughts

The Bible says of man, "As he thinketh in his heart, so is he" [PRO:23:7]). We all want to be good Christians -" boys and girls in whom the Lord will be well pleased. Our lesson today tells us how: Bring "into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

Every thought that comes to our mind is to be rejected or entertained, according to whether it is pleasing to Jesus. If it is an evil thought, an unkind or critical thought, it should be rejected; and in its place should be planted a pure thought, a lovely thought, a thought of good report, as the Bible tells us to do [PHL:4:8]).

Simplicity of Christ

The people of Corinth saw the good outward appearance of the false apostles, but God saw Paul's faithful heart, his real concern for the people. Paul was jealous over them with a godly jealousy. He wanted them to be truly sanctified so they could be with him in the First Resurrection -" the blessedness of being united with Christ when He would come for His own.

Paul feared lest they should be beguiled or deceived by the subtle tricks of the devil, trying to divert their minds from simple obedience to Christ. Would the teachings of the false apostles seem better to them than Paul's preaching?

False Accusations

The false apostles had to admit that Paul's letters were weighty and powerful, but said, "His bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible." But what was the evident truth? The influence of Paul's presence in Corinth was so very strong that his preaching of the Gospel was the foundation of their faith. His speech was so very forceful that when he was in Athens, Paul was invited to speak on Mars' Hill, the highest court of the city. When he appeared before King Agrippa, the king trembled under Paul's preaching, saying, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian" [ACT:26:28]).

It would seem that Paul did not often speak as the learned man he was, because he said, "Christ sent me . . . to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect." And in his first letter to the Corinthians, he wrote, "I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."

Paul No Burden

Paul prayed for his converts and preached to them because he loved them. Though some had come looking for financial gain from the people, Paul worked among them without receiving pay. He worked as a tentmaker when he first came to Corinth; and when he was in need the brethren from Macedonia helped him, so he was never a burden to those in Corinth. He said, "I seek not yours, but you."

God's Measure

The false apostles were measuring themselves among themselves and thought they were doing quite well, but the true measure for anyone's life is the Word of God. Paul's authority as the minister of the Corinthians church was his patience, and the signs and wonders and miracles that the Lord performed as Paul preached the Word [MAK:16:17-20]). These others gloried in the fact that they were Israelites -" children of Abraham " and claimed to be ministers of Christ. Paul gloried in trials and infirmities, for when he was weak he leaned on the Lord and was strong in Him.

Paul was beaten and stoned, was shipwrecked, was in perils in the wilderness, in perils among false brethren, was weary and in pain, hungry and thirsty, in prayers and fastings often, carrying upon his heart the trials of the people in all the churches. If anyone was weak, he felt that weakness. If anyone was offended, he felt the hurt, too.

Commendation

Paul mentioned the glory of God and revelations that God had shown him from Heaven; but in these he did not glory, for he knew that "not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth."

Questions

1. Why did Paul feel compelled to defend his apostleship and ministry?

2. What did he call those who had come in to draw disciples after them?

3. What kind of warfare was Paul accused of engaging in?

4. In what kind of warfare do Christians engage?

5. Why is it very important to bring "into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ"?

6. How do we know that Paul's bodily presence was powerful and his speech forceful?

7. Why did Paul minister to the people of Corinth without charge?

8. Why is it not wise to measure ourselves by ourselves?

9. What were the signs of Paul's authority as the true minister of the Corinthian church?

10. In what did Paul glory? Why?