Rev. David Holwick I 2 Corinthians sermon series
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
March 7, 1999
2 Corinthians 3:1-6
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SERMON SUMMARY: Letters of recommendation are common, but often flawed.
Christians are letters from God. How do our neighbors read us?
We need to have a "heart" religion.
I. It's not who you are, but who you know.
A. True story of a doctor who moved to New York state with glowing
recommendations.
His patient skills were emphasized.
He got the job.
A few weeks later, hospital is in the news.
The doctor was moving because he was convicted in NJ [?]
The charge was molesting female patients, and he was out on
appeal.
None of the letters mentioned his legal troubles!
[I was not able to pin down the exact details, even after much
searching, but am convinced this is pretty accurate. Anyone
know the exact facts?]
1) Letters I have to do - truth about [a young man in church].
B. What is the best way to represent who we are?
1) These letters can cut two ways:
a) They might lie about us, make us look good.
b) They might tell the truth about us. Yikes!
2) What do people really think of you?
a) What does GOD think of you?
II. Letters of recommendation.
A. Common in ancient world, too.
1) Best NT example is for Phoebe in Romans 16.
a) Also letter of Philemon, and Apollos in Acts 18:27.
2) Reflected in Baptist practice of letters of transfer.
B. Paul's opponents were flaunting their letters of recommendation.
1) Appear to have been made up, fraudulent.
a) Like impressive diplomas you can buy on internet.
2) Not-so-subtle hint Paul doesn't measure up.
C. Drawbacks of letters.
1) A man once asked Diogenes, the Greek philosopher, to write
him a letter of recommendation.
Diogenes responded:
"That you are a man he will know at a glance.
But whether you are a good or a bad man he will discover if
he has the skill to distinguish between good and bad.
And if he is without that skill, he will not discover the
facts even though I write to him thousands of times."
William Barclay, Corinthians, p. 186
2) Paul has something better to commend his ministry.
III. People make the best letters.
A. Paul's heart is a letter written by them.
1) (Some mss. read "your hearts" but this seems original.)
a) He poured himself into them and loves them.
b) Their lives reflect the effectiveness of his ministry.
c) Brilliant response - if he is a fraud, how did they
get their faith?
2) Our best fruit is what we leave with others.
a) Parents are especially concerned about what they pass
on to their kids.
b) Pretty much all the future will know about us is what
our kids tell them.
c) What message do you pass on?
B. Known and read by everyone.
1) Rev. Ron R. Ritchie was in an orphanage from age 11 to 19.
Years later he was asked to speak at their 75th
anniversary.
Since he was actually expelled from the orphanage, he could
hardly believe the invitation when he received it.
He had to double check it to make sure it was for him.
Ron had a marvelous time speaking there, but felt a lot of
stress the whole time.
His best friend from high school, Dale, was sitting in the
back of the auditorium, reading him during the three
days of the celebration.
Ron wondered over and over if the friend was reading
the old Ron or had he seen something new about Ron.
He prayed, 'Lord, please let him see you in me. The old
me is dead. I'm a new creature. Let him see that.'
After the last session Dale came up to him and said,
"Ron, it's real," then he walked away.
Dale had not seen a perfect man, but he had seen enough to
know there was a difference in him.
IV. Letters come in all varieties.
A. "Dear John" letters... [Ask how many received one. Then ask
how many SENT one. Gets a nice response from congregation]
B. You are a letter of Christ.
1) Development of thought - they are not just letters of Paul,
but of Christ.
a) We worry about what people think of us.
b) Do we worry what they will think of our Jesus?
2) Your impact on people is more important than the brilliance
of your message.
C. What kind of letter are you?
1) Some Christians seem like poison pen letters.
There is a story about a woman who heard the imminent
return of Christ was at hand.
He was going to knock on her door at 3:00 p.m. that day
for a short visit.
She prepared herself and her house for such a royal visit.
At 3:00 p.m. the bell rang.
She ran enthusiastically to the door, and she was
disappointed because there stood an angry, bitter, cold,
frowning, grotesque-looking person.
She shouted out, "Who are you?"
And Jesus said, "Didn't you expect me to be here?"
She said to him, "You can't be the real Christ."
He responded, "You are absolutely right, I am not.
I'm the Christ everyone sees in you."
#2239
2) Better to be a love letter from God.
Herb Miller tells about a trial that was beginning many
years ago at the courthouse in a small county-seat town.
When officials prepared to swear in the first witness, they
could not find the old Bible they had used for years.
A quick search of the courthouse revealed nothing.
Finally, the judge called the bailiff forward and whispered
in his ear.
"Go down to the county clerk's office and get Ed," he said.
Ed had been an elder in a local church longer than anyone
could remember.
He was a shining example of what the Christian faith is
all about.
In a few minutes, the bailiff approached the bench with
Ed in tow.
The judge said, "Ed, you have communicated more of the
Bible to more people than most of the Bibles in this town.
You will make a good substitute for the one we can't find."
And so the first witness placed his hand on Ed's head,
swore the oath, and the trial began.
#2315
3) If they knew you claimed to be a Christian, would they
be shocked, or impressed?
V. Heart vs. stone.
A. An allusion to the Ten Commandments.
1) Written by finger of God.
2) But easily smashed.
B. The future of religion.
1) Prophet Jeremiah predicted a better way. Jer 31:33-34
2) Hearts changed from stone to flesh. Ezekiel 11:18-20
3) What they predicted, Jesus can deliver.
C. Christianity is a heart religion.
1) More than rules and limits.
2) Not just emotional, but living and dynamic.
3) How much of your faith is inherited, and how much
personally experienced?
VI. Show your content.
A. Be transparent.
1) Paul is stressing his integrity.
B. Be confident.
1) We have a mission, a message.
C. Be consistent and conscientious.
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
#2239 "Do You Have A Forgiving Spirit?" by Rev. Eric Ritz, Dynamic
Preaching, Seven Worlds Publishing, April 7, 1992.
#2315 "Searching For A Lost God" by Rev. Duncan King (?), Dynamic
Preaching Disk, March 2, 1992.
These and 4,500 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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