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[0:00] In 2 Corinthians chapter 10, I trust that you have had a good past week, you've had a good weekend, and you look forward to the day ahead of you. The Lord has blessed us with this day, and what a joy it is to be gathered together. We just continue to make our way through the book of 2 Corinthians. Last week, we looked in the 10th chapter, in the first six verses. This week, we're going to pick up in verse 7, and we'll go down to the end of the chapter, which is just the verse 18. If you're physically able and desire to do so, I'm asking if you'll join with me as we stand together, and we read the word of God with one another, found in 2 Corinthians chapter 10, starting in verse 7. If you remember, just kind of in context really quick, first six verses, Paul is beginning here not just to defend his concern for the church and believers at Corinth, but also just to defend his position of who he is as an apostle and who he is. He does this for the 10th chapter and on into the 11th chapter, but we pick it up here in verse 7. You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ, so also are we. For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you,

[1:13] I will not be put to shame, for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters, for they say his letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive, and his speech contemptible. Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent such persons, we are also indeed when present. For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves, but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure to reach even as far as you. For we are not over vexing ourselves as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ. Not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men's labors, but with a hope that as your faith grows, we will be within our sphere enlarged even more by you, so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another. But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord. Verse 18. For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends. Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much for this day. So thankful for the opportunity we have of gathering together as a church. Thankful for times of worship and song and worship and fellowship and giving. Thank you for the matters which have been shared with us already today. But Lord, we pray as we have read your word and heard your word, now that you would speak clearly to us from it. Lord, we pray that there would not be a hindrance, but that we would take time to be still. We would spend time in your presence to hear a word from you that would impact our lives on a daily basis. May it not be the wisdom of man, but may it be the very word of God that has a direct impact upon our hearts and minds for your glory and yours alone. We ask it all in Christ's name. Amen. You may be seated.

[3:23] I want you to see this morning from our text that we have before us, the commended of the Lord. Those that are commended of the Lord. If you are making plans, and I hope that you are at least praying about the matter of going on our family fall retreats at the end of this month, there's a sign-up sheet in the fellowship hall. There are brochures that will be coming very soon.

[3:48] Our theme there this year will be the book of James, key verse, James 1-12, and it'll be those who are approved, an approved faith. That fits perfectly together with the text that we have before us that was not done intentionally. That just seems to be how the word of God is speaking to us.

[4:04] But we see here of those who are commended of the Lord. As Paul says in that last verse, it is not those who commend themselves, but those whom the Lord commends that are worthy of admiration.

[4:19] Now in context, if we want to put it in its historical setting, and we want to always do that, because we can make any portion of scripture say anything if we twist it in certain ways. So we always want to make sure that we take the text and we keep it in its original context so that we can understand the application that transcends time, and we can understand the truth.

[4:38] Because every text, we've said it before over and over again, contains numerous applications. That is, you can go to any text and find an application that goes across time demographics, goes across geographical boundaries, it goes across every other matter.

[4:54] The application of the text is unlimited. But there is but one truth of every text. And the challenge of accurate Bible study is to find that truth.

[5:05] Even if the text is not very clear in it, and it is a challenge, we are not those who shy away from it, because we want to do those who do the work, right? We want to be those who are like the church in Berea, who study the word of God, to ensure that these things are there.

[5:20] We want to be those who get into the word of God, not that we can puff our chest and gain a little greater intellect, but so that we can know what it is the word of God is accurately declaring to us.

[5:31] So the goal and the challenge for us is to find the truth of the text. And to find the truth, we need to understand the context. Paul has spent a number of months, even a year and a half, at the city of Corinth, implanting the church at Corinth.

[5:47] It is after raising up pastors and elders that he leaves the church and he continues on his missionary journey. We know that he writes back to that church after hearing reports that the church has very quickly kind of faded away and began to look more like the city than they did like the church.

[6:04] We have that letter recorded for us in 1 Corinthians. It is a letter of rebuke and a letter of correction. It is a letter that has a lot of weight to it. We do not miss the reality that Paul refers to them as the saints which are at Corinth.

[6:19] That is how he opens it up. We said when we went through the letter of 1 Corinthians that you would be hard pressed to find a more wicked church than the church which is at Corinth in all of the New Testament. And for that matter, you would be hard pressed to find a more wicked church even in today's standards by what we find going on.

[6:36] Now we don't mean wicked in like unsaved ways. We mean worldliness, right? The world had begun to creep in. The world had begun to take hold. So much so that a man had his father's wife as his wife.

[6:48] Not his mother, but he had taken his father's wife as his wife. And the implication of the text was that his dad was still alive. There's immorality. There's idolatry. There's all matter of things that are going on in the church at Corinth.

[7:02] And Paul writes back. When he pens the second letter, those matters have been corrected. Thankfully, the Lord had used the hand of Paul in writing a letter to a church that called them back to repentance.

[7:17] But as was the case most often with Paul's journeys, when Paul left, other people came in. Paul would establish a church. It's amazing, really, if you think about it.

[7:28] He'd stay there just a little bit over a year. He would teach the church. He would equip the church. He would raise up pastors and elders within the church. And then he was assured that the church was healthy enough to exist on its own.

[7:42] And he would raise up what we would call a new church. And then he would empower it to be the church. And empowering it would be to be declarers of the gospel in that region, planting other churches.

[7:54] And as what happens in most cases, while the church was healthy enough to do the matters Paul had entrusted with us, other people began to come behind Paul and ride on the coattails of Paul.

[8:08] Many of these were Jewish believers or people who had converted from Judaism. And they wanted to add legalism to the faith. We see these matters being worked out all throughout the New Testament.

[8:18] Really, the pinnacle of it is in Acts chapter 15. That's where you have the Jerusalem Council, first church council ever called, by the way. And it's dealing with these matters of legalism with faith.

[8:30] Now, you need to understand that because that's what Paul is writing to combat. These men who had come in after Paul were really undercutting Paul. They were really belittling his ministry.

[8:43] They were talking about how Paul sends the letter. He has so much weight and so much force. I mean, in 1 Corinthians, he said he's handing such a one over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, but the preservation of his soul.

[8:55] But yet when he was with them, he was in humility and gentleness. And he says the meekness of Christ. So these people were seeking to undercut the ministry of Paul to the very church which he had planted by the grace of God through the work of Christ.

[9:12] So in context, Paul is not defending himself because he feels like he has to. Paul is defending himself so that the people would have an assurance of the foundation which he laid and they could have the confidence to continue to be the church Christ had called them to be.

[9:31] Because if you undercut the foundation, then you are beginning to belittle the impact of the congregation. Right? He wanted to assure the church that they were built upon a good foundation of which he was one of the stones.

[9:45] Not the chief cornerstone because there is but one cornerstone and that is Christ. But Paul was one of those stones. And he is trying to assure them of the reality. Now he does that with this great truth.

[9:59] He had been commended by the Lord. Maybe not by men, but by the Lord. And the commendation of the Lord God Almighty matters so much more than the commendation of the people who will come.

[10:13] Because those who came after him would come with great fanfare and great commendation. I mean these are people who studied at the feet of some of the greatest instructors and greatest teachers.

[10:24] These are people who graduated from the greatest universities. We would say that they walked around with more letters after their name than the alphabet. Right? They had diplomas. They had doctors.

[10:34] They had all these things. Not that those matters are wrong. But it is those matters in which they were trusting in and those alone. It is these matters which were bringing them the confidence that they could stand before the church and say this is what you need to do.

[10:46] Paul says my commendation. By the way if you ever want to discount or discredit Paul's past you can go back and see that he did study at the best schools. He did sit at the feet of Gamaliel. He was a Pharisee of the Pharisees.

[10:58] But then he also had those three and a half years in the wilderness where he was at the feet of Christ. His commendation was not found in worldliness but rather it was found in the commending of the Lord.

[11:10] So our ambition and our goal is we want to be those who are commended of the Lord. What does that look like? Long introduction so that you can have it.

[11:20] Now you know the truth of what Paul is addressing. Let's see if we can find the application. Because if we want to be quite honest. In that great day. That day where we all stand.

[11:32] And I believe the Bible is very clear that everyone will stand before Jesus and give an account. It will not matter what other people say about you. It will not matter what other commendations you have. All that will matter will be the commendation or the judgment of the Lord.

[11:47] What does it look like to be those who are commended of the Lord? Number one. There is a calling. There is a certain calling. Look at what it says. You are looking at things that are outwardly.

[12:01] You are looking at things as they are outwardly. What accusation did they bring against Paul? Well his eyes are a little bit dim. His speech is unbecoming. His mannerisms.

[12:11] His appearances. Some would say in history that he was kind of hunched over. We don't really know about this. Some say that he was not of great stature. He was a little bit of a shorter individual. That that encounter on Damascus Road left a permanent scar.

[12:24] Paul himself said he had a thorn in the flesh. We know that he was not very well pleasing to look upon. But do you forget my friend. That even our Savior the Bible tells us in the book of Isaiah.

[12:34] That all men would turn their face away from him. We paint Jesus as a beautiful radiant one. And he is. There was one moment in which the glory of Christ radiated from within him. And that was on the Mount of Transfiguration.

[12:46] But during the rest of those times he was seen as someone who apparently looked much older. You are not yet 50. That's what they declared. Yet here he was nearly 30. And we know the book of Isaiah said that he would be beaten.

[12:58] And his face would be marred beyond recognition. That all men would turn away from him because he would be unbecoming. And yet Paul is saying you're judging me by the very same standards. You're looking at me externally.

[13:08] Friend it really does not matter the external appearance. The realities are those which dwell on the inside. It is the inward realities that testify to the commendation of the Lord.

[13:20] The Bible declares to us. Paul says you are looking at things as they are outwardly. You are trying to judge me because I do not appear to be what everyone else is. But he says if anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ.

[13:33] This is a good place to stop right here. You need to have the confidence that you are in Christ. The Bible declares this to you. That is we refer to it as an assurance.

[13:47] I believe in the assurance of the believer. The Bible does not want you walking around going well I hope that I know Christ. Or I hope that I'm saved. Or I hope that I'm redeemed.

[13:57] Over and over again. See there are other religions that say that. That if you do this you might be saved. If you do these matters you may be okay. If you do these matters that hopefully in the end you're good. Outweighs you're bad.

[14:07] And the scales are tipped in your favor. Not so with Christianity. The Bible declares to us that we can know. John says what? In the end of the Gospel of John. These have been written so that you may know that Jesus Christ is the Savior.

[14:19] And believing in him may have eternal life in his name. You open up the book of 1 John. The book of 1 John. The favorite word is that you may know. That you may know that you may know. That you may know. See the word of God is given to us so that we may have the confidence that we are in Christ.

[14:36] Friend if you are not confident in who you are in Christ. Then I'm not asking you to go talk to somebody. I'm asking you to get with the one who's called you to himself. And to get into the word of God.

[14:46] And find your assurance from the pages of scripture. Because if I can convince you of something. If I can convince you of it by persuasion. Then I can almost assure you that someone more eloquent or more fluent than me can come and persuade you of something totally different.

[15:01] Do not base your assurances upon others opinion. But base it upon what the word of God says. And if you get into the word of God. And you say well it tells me here that if I believe in Jesus Christ I will be saved.

[15:12] If it tells me these things over and over again. You say but I don't feel like it. Well friend I don't care what you feel like. I'm not trying to be mean. I'm not trying to be rude. But your feelings lie.

[15:24] Feelings are based upon external circumstances. And if I had to be honest. Right now I don't feel great. But that's okay. Because it doesn't matter what we feel like.

[15:35] In Christ we are made new. Right? In Christ we are redeemed. Go to the word of God. And find the promises from God.

[15:46] To declare to you some things you can be confident about. Don't tell everybody well I know I'm a believer because I did this and I did that. Don't tell somebody well I know. I'm on a side note.

[15:56] It's okay. You can take a little minute. I'll preach it out of us. Right? Don't tell somebody well I know I'm a believer because I prayed a prayer. Don't tell somebody well I know I'm a believer because I raised my hand. Don't tell somebody I know I'm a believer.

[16:06] Now you might have done those things. But you declare you know you are a believer because the word of God says. Whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

[16:17] The word of God declares that if you call upon Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior he will redeem you. See now you're putting your assurance based upon the promises of scripture. Not on the work of man. And that's a much safer place to stand because man will fail you.

[16:31] Even yourselves you will fail. Paul says if you are confident in Christ then know this. As you are in Christ so am I.

[16:44] See what Paul is saying is you cannot look at me externally and dictate to me who I am internally. You cannot tell me that because I don't fit the bill and I don't look the part.

[16:59] That does not mean that I am not in Christ. And Paul begins his defense of his position based upon the calling of his Savior. He says if you are in Christ.

[17:12] Now think about the irony here. If you are confident you are in Christ. You came to Christ because of the message I declared to you. So know for sure that as you are so am I.

[17:26] So also are we. Paul says. He says that we understand that we are commended of the Lord because we have answered the call of salvation.

[17:40] The Bible declares that there are many called but there are few that are chosen. And no one comes to the Father lest he be drawn to the Father. Again friend we say this with all sincerity.

[17:53] You do not accept Jesus Christ because you think it's a good idea. If you think it's a good idea go read Hebrews 11. And I don't mean the first part I mean the second part. Get to the people that were destitute.

[18:06] Living in caves. Sawn in two. Wearing sheep clothing. Those of whom the world was not worthy. In this life that's not a good idea. But in eternal matters those are grand ideas right.

[18:19] You come to Christ because he called you. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. And called us to himself. And we responded to that call.

[18:30] We know that we are commended because we have received and answered the call of salvation. What a beautiful position it is. He says if you're in Christ so are we. He says for even if I boast somewhat further about our authority.

[18:43] Paul says this calling comes with authority. We'll get to that authority in just a moment. He says because I'm called. Now it doesn't matter what I look like externally. The calling now brings with it a new position.

[18:56] That is I am in Christ. And that position brings with it authority. In case you ever missed this. When you are in Christ. You are in a position of authority. Matthew chapter 28 says what?

[19:07] Go into all the world. Baptizing them and discipling them and teaching them all things right. Not just to declare the gospel. You're to disciple them. Why? Because I am with you. And all authority has been given unto me.

[19:20] You have been given authority. Go to the book of revelations. To he who overcomes. It will be granted to him that he will sit upon my throne. Jesus says you can sit together with him on his throne. Go a little bit further in the book of revelations.

[19:31] You'll find that the throne that Jesus is sitting on. It's the very throne of God. That's no greater place of authority than that right. To he whom overcomes. They are granted to be able to sit upon the throne. When we are in Christ.

[19:43] We are in a place of authority. But it's for a purpose. We'll get to that. Understand here your commendation of the Lord comes first and foremost with a calling.

[19:55] Now the opposite is absolutely true. You may look good externally but be a mess internally. And if you have it all together on the outside.

[20:07] But it's not working out too well on the inside. It really doesn't amount to anything. We are not commended by how we appear. We are commended by the call we have answered.

[20:20] Number two. We see that this calling leads to a consistency. It brings about a natural consistency. Paul says for they say.

[20:34] This is a good place to put it. They say a lot. Have you ever noticed that? I'm not going to get on too big a horse here. But they say a lot. People always say well they say and they say and they say.

[20:46] I like the fact that Paul names the they's in some of his letters. Right? He likes telling you who it is that's saying it. Because when people talk about who they say. I like to tell them well they have names.

[20:57] So let's talk about the names. That way we can go talk to they. And we can have it out. And we can do the biblical thing. Right? We can go to one another. And we can work it out and be reconciled to one another.

[21:07] Paul names the names. But he says that they say. He gets a little bit later on to it. His letters are weighty and strong. But his personal appearance or his personal presence is unimpressive. And his speech is contemptible.

[21:18] What's Paul saying? He says what they're talking about is who I am. He says but let such a person consider this. Let such a person consider this. That what we are in word by letters when absent.

[21:35] Such persons we are also indeed when present. Now I love that. I love that because Paul here declares the consistency of his own life.

[21:48] He says what we are in word when absent. We are indeed when present. That is what Paul was saying was the same thing as what Paul was doing.

[22:01] Go to the book of Acts and you see that people were coming to Christ based upon what? What they saw and heard. It is the consistency of the believer that leads to the impact in the world.

[22:14] Too often we are one way in word and another way in deed. Or maybe we're pretty heavy on the deeds but we're not anything on the words. We understand that people come to Christ based on what they hear, right?

[22:27] They have to hear the gospel so that the heart can be open. But they also see the gospel. We understand that, friend, what is needed today is this rampant consistency of Christian living in the life of the called individuals.

[22:40] It ought not be that what we are indeed does not match what it is we say. Paul says I might not have to say the strong words when I come but I'm doing the strong deeds when I'm present.

[22:51] It is the consistency that leads to the authenticity of their reality. We will see that in depth as we make our way through the book of James. Some people say that James is in conflict with Paul.

[23:03] It would be kind of interesting when we get into it together in our retreat. I'm not going to hear it to preach it to you that the book of James seems to contradict Paul. No, what it is is the book of James is the other side of the coin in which Paul is on one side, right?

[23:15] You are redeemed and you are saved by faith and faith alone. Your righteousness is imputed to you in Christ. Flip the coin over but that righteousness changes who you are in life, right?

[23:28] You cannot have one without the other. If you take off one side of the coin then you do not have a complete package. There is a consistency in the living out of the believer and it is that which leads to the commendation of the Lord.

[23:43] It is the reality that your deeds match your profession. You are doing things as they ought to be and you're doing them in a consistent manner. Paul says I want you to understand this.

[23:55] You may bring accusations against me. You may make these things there but I want you to understand that my life is not one of being tossed to and fro as James would say. But rather is one of consistent application of the truths which I profess.

[24:10] May we live lives of consistency. Number three. Those who are commended of the Lord not only have a calling and a consistency. They have a concern. Because when we're called to Christ and we begin living a consistent life all of a sudden the concerns which we possess are changed.

[24:28] We begin to be concerned as Paul was about spiritual matters. Paul said he had been entrusted with authority. But did you notice the authority that Paul was entrusted with?

[24:39] Because some of us say well I can't wait to get that authority. Let me get to Christ so that I can get that authority. Look at what it says. He says they have been given authority. Look in verse 8. For building you up and not for destroying you.

[24:54] That is Christ had entrusted authority to Paul and those with him for the building up of believers. It's amazing isn't it? Even when Paul is writing a letter declaring that he's handing an individual over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh.

[25:13] It is so that the believers may be built up. It is not to cast judgment. Finish the rest of that. He handed him over for the destruction of his flesh and the preservation of his soul.

[25:29] It is to build believers up. Paul says I've been entrusted with this authority. And the authority is not just so that I can walk around with my chest pumped up. It's not so that I can tell people what they ought to do.

[25:41] The authority entrusted to me is so that I may build other people up. Friend listen. In Christ you've been given gifts. In Christ you've been given spiritual gifts. And the Bible declares that the spiritual gifts given to you in Christ are for the benefits of other believers.

[25:57] That is the exercise of your gifts are to be the building tools for other believers. I need you to exercise your gifts and you need me to exercise mine.

[26:08] They are not given to us so that we can say oh boy I can do that really good now. No they're given to us so that we can build other believers up with them. And it is a wonderful testimony of how the church gets put together.

[26:21] But Paul doesn't stop there. The first concern he has is to build others up. Those he's already poured into. But then when we go down. Verse 12 it says for we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves.

[26:33] But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves. They are without understanding. Did you notice they love a lot of themselves. In a easy way of saying it Paul says.

[26:44] They look good because they're only comparing themselves with one another. And I can promise you and we've said this before. You can always find somebody or some somebodies to put around you.

[26:59] That if you compare yourselves to just those some you'll be okay. And this is what they were doing. Very limited scope. Paul says.

[27:09] I don't need to compare myself with anyone. Because it really doesn't matter where I stand with my fellow man. Because his concern was what. This is where he starts getting into. I'm not over vexing and overstating the matter that we reached as far as you.

[27:22] Paul is saying we went to you first for the gospel. But we didn't want to stop there. We notice his concern. Look at what he says. He says that they want to be enlarged even more by you. Verse 15. He says we're hoping that as your faith matures.

[27:35] And as you grow in Christ. Here's the concern of Paul. That we can be enlarged. Not so that Paul can become a mega church pastor. What is he saying? So that we can preach the gospel beyond you.

[27:47] Paul says I want you to become a mature church. So that you continue to share the gospel in the regions that nobody else has reached. So that people can go further. So that more people can know Christ. So that more people can know Christ.

[27:58] So that more people can know Christ. Because Paul knew that when he sowed seeds in Corinth. He was going to be the reaper of the harvest that flowed from Corinth. Right? The concern of Paul would be that the gospel would continue to go further.

[28:12] It didn't have to be the impact of Paul. It was the impact of the kingdom. And he wanted it to go further. And to go further. And to go further. He wasn't so much concerned about building a large following.

[28:24] Or having this mega church around him. Rather he just wanted the church to mature. And the church to grow. So that the gospel could spread. See these are matters of spiritual concern. It is a concern to build others up.

[28:37] It is a concern to continue to proclaim the gospel where it's not been declared. It is a spiritual concern that is really the root of a high calling.

[28:48] So there's three. It's a calling. A consistency. And a concern. Fourth and finally. We notice that those who are committed to the Lord have but one confession. They have but one confession.

[28:59] These people were declaring that they were okay. Because they were just as good as everybody around them. They were comparing themselves with themselves. And really just everybody around them looked the same.

[29:11] But Paul says he's not going to do that. He's not so bold to do such matters. But look at what he says in verse 17. Now you ought to notice. Hopefully you have in your Bibles.

[29:23] The translations which you have before you. That the text font is different in verse 17. As it is a quotation from an Old Testament passage.

[29:36] And when you see that. It is really becoming. If you have a reference Bible to follow that translation. But I'll give it to you in just a moment. Verse 17 says.

[29:48] But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord. Here's the confession. But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord. That's a quote from Jeremiah chapter 9.

[30:01] Now if you want to narrow it down a little bit. You get to about Jeremiah 9 25 and 26. I believe it is. But don't limit yourself to that. Because if you really want to carry the weight of it.

[30:12] You need to read Jeremiah 9. And in context. Jeremiah 9 is speaking of a coming judgment. God is declaring. The Lord God is declaring to Jeremiah. Call out the professional mourners.

[30:25] Because they paid ladies to come cry. When matters were sad. Right? They had some professional mourners. The Lord declares. Bring out the mourners. Tell them to start weeping. Tell them to teach their daughters how to weep.

[30:36] Tell them to teach the other ladies how to weep. Because the men are going to be slain in the streets. The people are going to die. Judgment is coming. Jeremiah is writing. Judgment is coming upon my people for their rebellion.

[30:47] And he's saying it over and over and over again. He's telling them. Go ahead and mourn and weep. Because the discipline that is needed is coming. And then he stops. He says. But not let the wise man boast in his wisdom.

[30:57] Nor let the strong man boast in his strength. Don't let the rich man boast in his riches. This is good. But let he who knows me and my ways. Let him boast in the Lord.

[31:09] And in the Lord's loving kindness. In the midst of a declared judgment. Judgment. God tells you. There's only one who can stand. And with his chest up high. And say I've got something to boast about.

[31:21] It's not the rich man. It's not the strong man. It's not the wise man. Because they're going to be slain in the streets. The one who can boast. Is the one who knows the ways of the Lord.

[31:31] And knows that the Lord's loving kindnesses never cease. See the one who can boast. Is the one who knows that. Though judgment comes. God is greater than the judgment. The one who can boast.

[31:43] Is the one who knows the God of the judgment. He knows the one who is. The one who's going to call them from the judgment. The one who can boast. Is the one who knows the Lord. What Paul says here. There's a lot of people bragging about themselves.

[31:55] There's a lot of people who loves a lot of themselves. There's a lot of people who thinks. That they are all that and then what not. He says but I'm not anything. But I've got one thing to boast about. And the one thing I have to boast about.

[32:07] Is I know the Lord. And if I know the Lord. That's all that matters. Now he's going to go into his apostleship. In the 11th chapter. But he says the only thing that you need to know about me. The only thing that's good about me.

[32:19] Now this is Paul. The only thing that's worth even mentioning about me. I know the Lord. And I know the Lord's loving kindnesses never cease. So if I'm going to boast about anything.

[32:29] I'm going to boast about the Lord God Almighty. See friend listen to me. When you are commended by the Lord. You have been called in Christ. You are called in Christ.

[32:40] And the consistency lives throughout your life. As a concern for others. But the one resounding truth is. That in Christ. You know the only thing good about you.

[32:50] Is your Savior. The only thing you have to boast about. Is the one who loves you. You understand. That it's not you. It's not your works. It's not your efforts.

[33:01] It's not your abilities. The one thing you have to brag about. Is the Savior who's redeemed you. And set you free. And if you're going to boast. And everybody's doing it anyway.

[33:12] So you might as well. If you're going to boast. Then you might as well boast. In the Lord God Almighty. Because his loving kindnesses. Truly never cease. And if they were true.

[33:23] When judgment was coming in Jeremiah. If they were true. When judgment had already come. In the book of Lamentations. Read Lamentations chapter 3. In the midst of all that. And he says. But his loving kindnesses.

[33:34] Are new every morning. If the loving kindnesses of God. Were true then. Then they're true now. So if you've got anything. You want to brag about. Then brag about the Lord God Almighty.

[33:44] Because he's the only thing. Good about any one of us. Anyhow. And we see this. From 2nd Corinthians chapter 10. Let's pray. Lord we thank you so much. For this day. Lord in all honesty.

[33:57] And sincerity. We want to be those. Who are commended. Of the Lord. Lord it matters not. What other people say about us. But Lord God. It matters.

[34:07] Entirely. What it is. You proclaim of us. So Lord may we be those. Who have heard. The call of salvation. Maybe there's some here today.

[34:18] Hearing it for the first time. But would you call them. To yourself. Lord may we come to you. With broken hearts. And broken minds. Lord we would come to you.

[34:28] Anew. For those of us. Who already know you. As our Lord and Savior. We come to you anew. Saying Lord Jesus. You're the only good thing. There is about us. But that's all we need.

[34:41] You make us good. Because of who you are. You make us whole. Because of who you are. And that is more than enough. For though we need nothing. Besides you.

[34:52] Or in addition to you. And we ask it all. In Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[35:57] Amen. Amen.

[36:27]