Bragging on Jesus [Part 1]

Pastor, author and Bible teacher Alan Wright. Variety is about the comparison to other CS Lewis said it well. Pride gets no pleasure out of having something only out of having it. Then the next person will welcome to another message of use will help you see your life in a whole new light on pedal Britt excited for you to hear the teaching today.

In the series victorious living is presented in an old church in North Carolina.

If you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire program to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now. It's a book written by pastor at cold God moments it can be yours for your donations this month to Alan Wright Ministries as you listen to today's message go deeper as we send you today's special offer. Contact us@pastor.org that's pastor out.O RG or call 877-544-4860 that's 877-544-4860. More on this later in the program right now. Let's get started with today's teaching here is Alan Wright notice. You don't have to spend your life boasting about yourself. You've got Jesus and so you can boast in Christ. The move from being always on your own mind and feel like you always have to somehow elevate yourself. The move from that finding that you can be free from thinking about yourself all the time and boasting in Christ is one of the most precious, liberating, joyful moves in the spirit did you get ever make. And that's what Paul is talking about today when second Corinthians as we continue our study of this amazing epistle in which Paul is addressing at least in part to the complaints and criticisms that he's gotten from some so-called super apostles who must have loved to boast about their own spirituality and boast about their own accomplishments, and Paul's got some strong words to say today about this in an image of deep insight for us into the gospel is first point of second Corinthians chapter 10 verse 17. This is one verse second Corinthians 10 verse 17 Paul says let the one who boasts boast in the Lord and then turn you to just the next chapter chapter 11 second Corinthians 11.

In verse 34. Paul writes, if I must boast I will most of the things that show my weakness when you come back and read a good bit more this text, but that's where I wanted to begin today. It was very interesting.

Daughter was in a speech national spatially for four years of high school and I got to listen to many many diverse we do not have our own daughter.

But sometimes have the privilege and challenge of being a judge at these speech contests in the sit there and you try and decide who got the best speech in one of the categories is called to impromptu where you just come in to the room and there on the table or some pieces and some cards turned upside down. You select one of those cards and on the other side of it is a word or phrase four minutes to prepare six minute speech that just about that word or phrase and you had no idea it was amazing as it impromptu speaking and as you can imagine it's it's hard to always have something meaningful to say and to get organized and just thinking about it for Hormuz, some of the kids are just incredible. But I was judging.

One of the regional tournament and the young man turnover is his card and he began his speech this wild thing of the best one ever. I just delighted in it. He said I have been an athlete and I want to talk to about semi athletic prowess is that I was a hurdler he said I know my first meet, where I jumped over every hurdle and realize I was way ahead of everybody and I got over the last hurdle and I began to celebrate I was so excited that I had one the hurtling race and my coach was yelling at me from the sideline. I said what identity was young and while he was yelling at me all the other hurlers came and they raced past me and I realized that once you go to the last hurdle you still have to run the finish line and I didn't know that. And so I came in last place he pulled up his card so I have been given the success since I want to talk to you about success and why it is overrated and it went on to list all the failures of his life and how somehow God and uses the light. It was just absolute with something like that. Paul insane. Corinthians chapter 11 where he is listing out all of these failures and what we see today is a beautiful transformation and then they can take place in our lives where we get liberated. It's what Tim Keller calls the freedom of self forgetfulness.

It is the ultimate expression of worshipful life where instead of thinking about yourself and how you're measuring up and how you compared everybody else you're lost in wonder at who Christ is and you find such security and him. It is a is a wonderful, wonderful, liberating transition that if you've never really made this in your life. I want to show you something about that today it's it's very powerful. Paul began his ministry and a very humble way and I'm quite identified with him because it seemed like especially in all my early ministry positions but God had a way of letting me be humbled. As I began my very first job out of college was a youth ministry position. I did this two-year program called tithes of life and there were about 20 of us. I think that were a participating we place in churches all around the nation.

I was somehow just ready to get to work and I had a vision of being involved in big and busy church and going into the office and having no collegiality but it was actually a program things into a small church and church. I worked, or if we didn't have a building yet it was a new church and we didn't have many youth and I remembered us feeling like where's my where's my office where's my what do I do and I remembered us feeling quite humbled by that my second real ministry job ever had was at first Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. We were going to have summer internships during seminary and a lot of people want to go to first present land because Paul Apple was a pastor and Paul is one of the finest preachers I ever knew, and and so I really wanted to go there and I went and interviewed with their committee and to my great delight was offered that position and afterwords as Paul was introducing me some time.

He said you know we don't select the person that is the most gifted or talented or whatever like that that we dislike the person we could help the most and house. I thank you for actual appreciate that, but none of this compares to my spacious beginning pastor in Durham. I don't know maybe I have share this and I I don't know if I ever have shared this absolutely humiliating beginning to my ministry but I will share it briefly. It could be a very long story, but it went like this, we interviewed with way too many churches at the conclusion of seminary sore afraid.

Like you won't have a job and so we interviewed places we knew we were really called to and yet we just are interviewing all these places and so we did have some opportunities that people lives to go and and there were some nice associate positions in nice places and there are some of all that, but we we're attracted to do was little church in Durham and we read about it in something and it had just ignited a sense of hope in our heart that this little church could have promise for growing and impacting its community. And so we met with them and we had the most delightful time interviewing with this committee and we love them and it seemed that they loved us, and the chairman of the committee.

Jeff he called me after the interviews and he said that we just love you very much and always there will we love you guys to have thought he was getting ready say so would like to extend the call to you but instead he said the problem is we've already extended this call to another pastor. I said no because it will why were we interviewing with you. Then they said because the other pastor has not said yes or no.

Yet and so we counter covering our bases here and they went on to say what would like you to do is rely for you to just hang on for a while and see if the other guy says yes or no and that this is the kind of thing that my wife goes what we don't do what and I say well I would go seek the Lord about this because you know I feel like the Lord called us to this and if so, then the other gal say say no and they'll call us well.

He says will be about a week or so after about a week or two because of the other guy that he needs some more time. Can you hang on for a while as it will. I've got other opportunities in advance.

A note to the other opportunities in this doesn't work out then you know we won't have anything they so understand that you know we do love you and that so we said will hang on and eventually beloved. What happened was we said no to every single other opportunity and are by also celebrating all their new pastorate job they were.

I have and everything we're just waiting to see if the other person they already offer the position to it's going to say no and then when they got a call that indeed he had said no.

Okay they said so come on to Durham where have you preach in a neutral pulpit committee will meet with you where I okay will go up there will work out all that place I went up and I preached in a neutral pulpit.

The committee was there and operational. Psalm 23. How can you go wrong with Psalm 23.

I mean, Psalm 23 you can you know how is Psalm 23 and I preach my heart out and that we are so excited because we were going to meet at this bed-and-breakfast in Hillsboro for lunch.

They had a big family-style buffet there and we want to go and he eats and celebrate with the committee and what were eating, I noticed the committee was this, Eli is real slow and long faces. I knew we were in trouble when we got to the Apple cobbler at the M and thereby do said they just want to pass, but it's included. You know like I'm in and we went back. I am telling the truth is how my ministry began. We went back to little room and we met and I'm lying what is why the long faces and turn out just the chairman committee.

He said I'm still not sure this is again where for up to my wife she said and I walked out so we just sat there. I'm looking at and and I'm just telling the truth. This is what the committee began fighting amongst themselves in front of us. This is exactly what happened and so who it was Elvin look lower and led to believe that the bill will emerge as a young man not demand that said I quit.

He quits the committee so I'll start equipment committee and finally one lady is allowing us pray about this and what is in their life. I don't think there's a very professional way to do this right front mechanic was made you the only mall and pray about it and they prayed and at the end of it. Jeff he said well to me during the prayer and I think you're the one we like to write and then after arguments and everything and he came up to me. A week later.

So is it all and he said the other guy with more experience than you, so we're gonna reduce the salary from what we originally had listed and I said it. I can't wait to get started here also hold talent will have more teaching moment to D important series facing a problem when well-meaning Christian friends said something like that. The problem was such an expectation. Of course, is that telling someone that doesn't actually help the person have more faith once more faith. What can we do to get more faith in his highly acclaimed book, God mimics Pastor Alan Wright describes one of the most important typical pathways to building your faith, remembering God's presence in your life when you see God's faithfulness yesterday. You'll find it easier to trust him tomorrow you like this phone of God moments and through Alan Wright's teaching series and book treasure map to help you discover them off when you make a gift procedure.

A very special friend of Alan Wright's faith building but God moments the album series that he is preached on the subject things you both.

When you make your gift, it's time to discover your God mimics from yesterday and be filled with fresh fish for collar 877-544-4861 come to our website pastoralan.org days teaching now continues here once again is Alan writing.

It was Saul of Tarsus had stuttered under studied under Gamaliel, one of finest teachers in the ancient world.

He was really want to much erudite man and he was a Pharisee of Pharisees he was and a place of leadership amongst the religious elite and he had taken it upon himself personally to try to stamp out this new movement of the followers of the way of Jesus, and he was on his way to Damascus, there to arrest and imprison some Christian and as he was making his way. There was blinding glorious light that came the whole account is reported in acts chapter 9 it says in verse once Saul still breathing threats and murder against the disciples, Lord went to the high priest and asked him for letters. In other words he wanted to have official documentation that he had carte blanche to arrest, imprison, persecute Christians letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that he found Annie belonging to the way men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem and go bring them a shackles and bring her back to Jerusalem for their punishment as he went on his way he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around them and falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, why are you persecuting me. They said who are you, Lord, and he said I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But ride and enter the city and you will be told where to do that.

Verse seven. The men were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one in Saul rose from the ground, although his eyes were open, he saw nothing, so they let him by the hand and brought him into Damascus for three days he was with outside and neither Kate drank the understand. Maybe if you've been with outside for your whole life. You learn how to cope you learn how to do this is sudden blindness. It is, and he is been overwhelmed by this and he doesn't need is a drink and is fighting Saul is getting visitors who come in like with authority to arrest anybody wanted all his power and now he comes and he's is like led by the hand, stumbling, and he can even see the people that he formally thought that he was in a common arrest that was the auspicious beginnings of Paul.

The apostles ministry that would change the whole world never, ever, ever, did Paul forget that he mentions that initial encounter with Jesus over and over and over. Is there something about who God is in the way that he wants to use our lives that he can really really move in the midst of deep understanding of our need for God of our own humility and this is what happen for Paul and is such a powerful scene that sets the context for everything Paul has to say in second Corinthians 11. Remember, there are the so-called super apostles that are evidently criticizing Paul. He's not dazzling enough. He has had too many weaknesses in seemingly failures and too many just too many moments in his life. We doesn't seem to be this grand apostle and so that others are trying to assert themselves and their boasting all the time and I think what Paul is here as he essentially just rolls over and really into sarcasm. I mean, you know we need so far we don't know the tone that he really meant to have here, but I really think that's what the tone ultimately is here lately reading it in the second half of verse 21 and second Corinthians 11 but whenever anyone else dares to boast of speaking of the supervisor time speaking is a fool, said also dared about that switch starts out like a candidate here boast about their Hebrew lineage, so he starts out with that one day he was so my Israelites, Ohio. They also have a RAM so my and elsewhere Paul describes a in the Hebrew of Hebrews and got a perfect lineage of that's important to you. These apostles who is a Gantt important to follow Jesus you member the Judaizers. He had to address in the Galatian heresies and he said you know yet if he were saying yes, even Jesus would also need to be Jewish.

Also need to be circumcised apologists so mad about that because he didn't want people to be separated because of their lineage because their ritualistic practices or the heritage, but people boasting – right in it are missing the gospel when it is a set time on Iran is so my and then get are they servants of Christ, better one.

It's almost like right here where you would expect Paul would say, I've had more miracles through my ministry. The night had I have had more churches that I have planted. I've had people except Christ. I have had more people who have discovered their desire to get going with that.

I've preached a bigger crusade to get going with all of that right but instead it just pivots right here and he says a better one initially privileges. I'm a madman I'm talking like a madman with far greater labors and then he just starts to get sarcastic if the listing all his accomplishments. He started listing all the difficulties far more imprisonments with countless beatings, often near death five times I received at the hand of the Jews 40 lashes less one 40 was the legal limit within Judaism and so there are always 239 because if the person who was administering the punishment went over the legal limit.

Then they broken along and they replenish just 239 three times I was beaten with rods.

That's the Roman form of punishment. Once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked night and day. I was adrift at sea on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from Robert danger hormone people danger from Gentiles danger in the city danger in the wilderness dangerously danger false brothers, the dangers and toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night and hunger and thirst, often without food cold and exposure apart from other things.

There's a daily pressure on me. My anxiety for the churches in the thing that on top of all of this is that I care so much.

All the churches, Newsweek, and I'm not weak who is made to fall and I'm not indignant if I must boast verse 30 I will boast of the things that show my weaknesses, five near-death experiences that US danger everywhere truth in matters great leaders are humble, my very dear brother parishioner here in a very dear friend when Hayes went home to beautiful his wiki and his colleague Mike, written a book for leaders: start with humility in which they say that both the Greek and Latin word for humility have essentially this connotation. Not far off of the ground not getting too much in the ivory tower getting too far away, and Heisei humility is humanness vulnerability. Keep in one's accomplishments and talents in perspective.

It's not low self-esteem is not an inability to assert yourself, but humility is is is they say not becoming so high on yourself that you will lose touch with who you really are. When you see someone who is in a position that could be lofty, who yet keep their feet on the ground, so to speak is on the removing about all of that show the undercover boss or watch undercover boss what it takes like an executive in a big corporation. They goes incognito like one of the workers at the ground level of the organization is so funny because oftentimes I go in there and that they might run the company, but only know how to use the forklift they go and they'll know how to make the doughnut or whatever it is and it's funny to want to be sort incompetent, but it's it's really moving to see it because what we're seeing is someone who could try to stay above everything. Instead comes and is within that's incense what abilities all about Helen right and I'm a fan of the show to talk more about this in a moment from today's teaching bragging on Jesus stay with us. Alan is back with additional insight on this for your life in a final word. As we continue in our series on second Corinthians in every moment nearly escaped from danger and having them you were surprised by blessing and having them check the direction to take you is to first listen moments of God's grace.

Perhaps they been covered by the sands of time just gone unnoticed in the rush of life. Your life is full of God moments when you make a gift procedure with special bundle pastor. I went hearts during birth God moments feeding them containing all his idea messages on the subject. They can't get to start your spiritual treasure.

I'm coming to a how you remember yesterday will determine how you live tomorrow gospel is shared when you get to Alan Wright Ministries. This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you get today. We will send you a special offer. We are happy to send this to you as I banks from Alan Wright Ministries, seven 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website pastor and dialect. Helen is titled today's bragging on Jesus were to pick back up. It certainly is amazing to see how he served how he the King of all came down and the and was acquainted with grief manage sorrows it. It is this is and again a message Daniel where we are drawing distinction between the sort of warm theology that says oh I'm nothing and think that humility is thinking less of yourself, and establishing what true humility really is. It's more about taking us out of the picture where it's not so much thinking less of ourselves of it is it is thinking of ourselves, less less on our own minds, less preoccupied with self. That's the kind of freedom that Paul experienced and which God is inviting us into and there's really only one way is to see that way out of this is by new system that your self-assessment is not really based on the affirmation of others, or even your own self-affirmation but it is the grace of the gospel of the new covenant, and this is where we healed. This is where were set free from performance mentality so you can have a way we can be truly humble and that doesn't mean you get a poor self-esteem.

It just means that your life is shifted to where you're excited so much about what Jesus has done is very important. Today's good news listener supported production Alan Wright Ministries