What place should the church have in the life of the believer? Making it more personal, what place should the people of God have in your life? Is the church to you simply a group of people with whom you gather in the same large room on Sunday mornings never to think about again until you see them the next week? If so, is that the way that it is supposed to be? Is thinking that the church should be more to someone some kind of lofty thought that really has no ground in Scripture and no place in our day? Is it simply some legalistic notion to think that the people of God should have a higher place in one’s heart that simply being those people who all go to the same Sunday morning gathering?

In order to answer these questions I want us to look at the apostle Paul in our text this morning. As we have seen, 2 Corinthians is a letter in which Paul reveals who he is and what he is about in a more personal way than he does in any other letter. It is a letter which is more biographical in nature than the others that the apostle pens. For this reason this letter is helpful to us in allowing us to see what Paul is alike, where his affections are, and what he values. And this text specifically is helpful in answering our questions about the place of the church because Paul shows us the place the church holds in his life.

In short, Paul reveals in this text that he loves the church immensely. The church is not something that occupies his thoughts on Sunday alone but throughout all of life. In fact, as he listed his sufferings at the end of chapter 11 Paul reached the climax of that list by declaring, “And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:28). That which weighed most heavily on his mind was the church.

Therefore, even as we have seen throughout this book, I think this text is helpful for us in imitating the heart of the apostle. For I do not think that the Spirit inspired Paul to pen these words simply so that we might know more about the apostle but in order that we might understand how it is that we are to value the church. As we look at the text this morning, then, I want us to see once more how it is that Paul loved the church, that is, how he demonstrates his love for the church in order that we might see as well how we need to love those for whom Christ has died and who live by his life.

Paul shows his love for the church in wanting only what was best for them (12:14-19)

Paul opens this section of the writing letting them know that he is going to visit them a third time (12:14). As we might remember from the first sermon in this series, Paul had visited the Corinthians for the first time in order to evangelize them. He then stayed a year and a half and planted a church. Then, only a few years later, having heard that they were under the influence of some outsiders threatening their allegiance to Christ and the gospel Paul visited the Corinthians again in hopes of easily winning them back. This, however, proved to be a painful visit which led to him penning this letter to the Corinthians which we have now been looking at for nearly four months. Therefore, Paul opens this section with an announcement that he is ready to visit them for a third time. And he wants them to know yet again that he does not seek to burden them in any way. Rather, he opens his heart and declares his love for them. He declares, “Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?” (12:14-15).

Paul wants them to see in these verses that he has great love for them. The thought of wanting to burden them and take from them is the last thing on his mind. Rather, he is like a father caring for his child. He wants to be able to bless them, spend his life building them up, and loving them even as they may not reciprocate that love.

He then points out that they thought he has deceived them, and so he addresses that in writing, “But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?” (12:16-18). Thus, not only had Paul loved them, but Titus and the others sent to them loved them as well. Therefore, Paul finally writes, “Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of god that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved” (12:19).

Paul declares his love by making clear that his concern throughout the letter has not been defending himself as if he can’t stand to think that people don’t think well of him. He knows many will question him and many are against him. No doubt a few stonings leads one to realize some might be against him and not particularly care for his thoughts. Paul assures them he is not writing merely to defend himself. However, we might note, Paul has been defending himself throughout the letter in many ways. So why has this been his task?

Paul had been about defending himself (in a sense) simply because that is what was necessary for their good. They needed to believe Paul was genuine and his message powerful or they would be in danger of dismissing their only hope for salvation. But he wants them to know that he has only tried to defend himself because it would result in their edification. If Paul could have done good for them without fighting for himself he would have gladly done that, as we will see later in the text. Therefore, Paul demonstrates his love for them first in showing that he is dedicated to seeking their edification and overall good above anything for himself.

I think such an attitude and affection for the church flies in the face of the culture in our day. Even Christians think of the church merely in terms of what others might do for them. They become depressed and angry because others do not serve them enough, notice their needs quickly enough, or draw enough attention to them. If people throughout our nation were to list reasons why they joined a certain church the list would not doubt include services offered to them. I wonder how many lists, though, would include the fact that an individual joined simply because he wanted to pour his life into the upbuilding of those who made up that church. Doubtless few would declare as a top reason for joining a church the fact that they wanted more than anything to labor for the good of their brothers and sisters who made up the church.

However rare the thought might be in our day, it was Paul’s motivation. He did not go to Corinth, stay there a year and a half, make a painful second visit, write this letter, and plan on making a third visit because he simply couldn’t find a more entertaining way to spend his time. It was because he wanted to see the church built up and edified. I pray that we too might have such love for God’s people and demonstrate it in the same fashion. And yet Paul gets even more descriptive of his love for the church in the second section.

Paul shows his love for the church in being humbled by their sin (12:20-21)

Now at first this may sound odd, so let’s first look at the text and try to understand what Paul is saying, then we can return to how this is a display of his love for the church. In verses 20-21 Paul writes, “For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.”

Paul begins by declaring that when he visits he is fearful that both the Corinthians and Paul will find the other to be as they do not wish. Paul is fearful that perhaps he might find the Corinthians in all kinds of sin. He fears he will find gossip, slander, sexual immorality, and more. That is, seeing how they’ve been quick to question the gospel which he brought to them he fears that they might as quickly have questioned the moral commandments he has brought them. And Paul then fears the Corinthians will find him as they would not want to, namely, needing to come and discipline them for their sin.

Then, however, Paul lists another fear as he says he fears that when he comes again “God may humble [him]” before the Corinthians as he mourns over the sins of many. What does Paul mean here? I think Paul means that he would be humbled by their sin because he would see such as a reflection of his own failure. That is, Paul would be humbled before them by their own rebellion, for he has labored against that. It would be like a parent watching his or her child run wild into rebellion. A father who loves his son and understands his own role who finds himself in such a position does not think, “He’s going to get it, and I’m just glad I’m much better than him myself.” No, rather, he’s humbled before his own son. He could stand before his son who is walking in rebellion and weep, for he feels that in some way it reflects his own failure. That’s how Paul loves the church. And yet even should that happen, Paul knows that God would bring about his own sanctification, humbling him and making him more like Christ. That is what Paul means by saying he fears that God might humble him before the Corinthians by Paul finding them in sin.

I’ve used the illustration of a parent toward his or her child because it seems to be the only illustration I find fitting to communicate Paul’s affection toward the church. His love for the church is simply that great. And, again, I believe that this should be a challenge to us.

Should we delight in the church’s failures it is a clear indication that we do not have the same love for the church that Paul did. It is a clear indication that we have not thrown our lives into laboring for the good of the church the way Paul did. It is a clear indication that we have been unwilling to allow ourselves to become too closely tied to the good of God’s people as Paul did. It is a clear indication that we do not love the church as we should. And if it is true that we demonstrate our love for Christ in our love for his bride, then it could very well be a clear indication that your affection for Christ himself is lacking. Therefore I would urge us all to pray that God might increase our affection for his people, his bride – the church, even as we see in Paul. And yet Paul shows more of how he loves the church.

Paul shows his love for the church in his willingness to discipline them and to call them to examine their lives (13:1-6, 10)

Paul makes clear in the beginning section of chapter 13 that he is willing to discipline them, if necessary. He writes in 13:1-3a. He writes, “This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them – since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me.”

Paul makes three things clear in these few verses. First, he declares his willingness to discipline them, if necessary. He will not spare those in sin if he comes and does not find repentance. Second, he shows that he has been more than fair in handling the situation. He quotes Deuteronomy 19:15, a text showing that if one is charged there must be evidence given by two or three weaknesses. That was a law given so that one is not unjustly punished. So, Paul quotes that because he wants to show he has not been unjust. He has warned them enough already , and this will now be his third visit. Third, he shows that his willingness to discipline is a demonstration of the power they are crying out for him to show. They have ridiculed him for appearing weak and longed for him to flex his muscles. Paul declares, in essence, you may get more than you ever wanted.

However, just at the point that the Corinthians may want to twist his words and declare, “See, Paul, that’s exactly right. The Christian life is about power, not weakness” Paul reminds them of the weakness and power of Christ in writing, “[Christ] is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God” (13:3b-4). Paul shows them that Christ voluntarily put himself under the power of death (i.e. demonstrated weakness) and then rose in power. Therefore, if we are to model Christ, we must be raised with his in power and share in his sufferings.

And it is there that Paul asks them to examine themselves in writing, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test” (13:5-6).

With this, Paul has put them in a predicament. He has shown them that to follow Christ means to be raised in power and to share in the weakness of sufferings. Then, he asks them to examine themselves. If they reject weakness, then they cannot be said to be followers of the one who in weakness died for them. Therefore, they would have to say that they failed the test, and then they would be in no position to condemn Paul. If, however, they see a willingness to follow Christ in suffering and in power, then they would have passed the test. However, then they would have to see that Paul’s labor had indeed been useful for them, for they have come to know Christ (which is why Paul ends writing, “I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test”).

Again, we see Paul showing his love for them in his willingness to discipline them and to call them to examine themselves. Paul does not want to have to do this. He does not want to come and discipline them. He makes that clear in 13:10, writing, “For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.” He does not delight in confrontation and seeks to avoid it if possible. And the fact that some of the Corinthians might not know Christ does not bring delight to Paul in that he might say, “See, you’ve been coming against me, and you don’t even belong to Christ.” That would be crushing to him. However, he’s willing (if necessary) to discipline and to call them to examine themselves because he wants what is best for them. Again, it is even as a father would do with his son whom he loves dearly.

And so we see again a love for Paul that is difficult at times to see in our day. If you’re going to be willing to go through the discomfort of discipline and the confrontation of calling one to examine himself to see if he really knows Christ it will be either because you’re warped in mind and love confrontation (which I think is extremely rare) or because you really love the individual. Paul did this because he really loved the church. And, again, it is a call for us to see if we love the church as Paul did. Yet there’s more.

Paul shows his love for the church in praying for their good even if it means difficulty for him (13:7-9)

Paul writes in 13:7-9, “But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for.”

Paul knows that if he does not find sin among the Corinthians when he visits that he will not discipline them, and so many might say, “Look he is weak. Here he is again talking about what all he will do and coming in weakness.” However, Paul wants more for the Corinthians to be holy and pleasing to God than he does to pass the tests of those judging him by worldly standards. He will not discipline just to show his power, for he cannot do anything against the truth. He does not care if he appears weak, for he simply wants their restoration. His care is for them, not his reputation.

What would the church look like if her members (and especially her labors) cared only for the good of one another and not their own reputation? We would find believers truly looking for what would be best for one another regardless of themselves. Indeed, such an attitude may be difficult to find in the church today, but it is not because anything less is expected.

Finally, Paul shows his love for the church in exhorting them to holiness and encouraging them in grace (13:11-14)

Paul ends the book writing, “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (13:11-14).

Paul ends exhorting them to holiness and encouraging them by reminding them that God’s grace will be with him. This is yet another way our love for one another should be demonstrated in the church.

In short, in our text this morning we see Paul’s immense love for the church demonstrated in his seeking of their good, being humbled by their failures, being willing to discipline, his prayer for their good even if it means difficulty for him, and his exhortation to holiness and encouragement therein. As we survey the church in North America and even more specifically Cornerstone Community Church, these things might be absent in part or altogether. This is not because it is a ridiculous expectation or because we are called to love Christ’s bride only a little. It is because selfishness is far easier to pursue than self-sacrificial love and it is easier to live for ourselves than for the one who died so that we might live. Therefore, this morning I pray that we might ask God for his grace to love the church as should in order that we might see her grow and that we might truly be said to love our Lord. Amen.

AN APOSTLE's AFFECTION AND OURS - A CALL TO LOVE THE CHURCH