The Benediction

Temple Baptist Church - 2-4-2009

2 Corinthians 13:11-14

Introduction:

A. I hate to close out the Corinthian Epistles as they have been a blessing to this pastor. I have enjoyed studying as much as preaching through these two books. There has been more help available in these two books than we can every imagine.

B. Paul—through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost—corrected, exhorted, encouraged, edified, bragged on, and loved these precious people.

C. I have learned much about the love of God in these books. God’s even loves the carnal believer! Often times, believers are very hard on other believers. We hold others to standards that we are not willing to personally live us to. We expect God to chastise the “disobedient” while remaining very gracious, good, and gentle with us.

D. Paul dealt with the Corinthians with the same graciousness, goodness, and goodness that God displayed toward them and the result was a good church in the end. I believe that many of God’s men take disobedience and carnality personally thus giving up too quickly on the church that does not quickly adhere to the teaching.

E. Paul loved this church as did our Lord and, in his benediction, expresses to them God’s continuing presence in Paul’s absence. I am glad that when I am gone, God is not!

F. Paul said:

1. When I am Gone, God’s Love Will Still Be With You

a. God’s Love Is An Incomprehensible Love - Titus 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Ephesians 3:17-19 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Psalms 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

b. God’s Love Is An Inseparable Love - Romans 8:35, 38-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?... 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he [it is] that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

2. When I am Gone, God’s Peace Will Still Be With You – Psalms 29:11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.

a. Promised Peace - John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

b. Perfect Peace - Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee.

3. When I am Gone, God’s Grace Will Still Be With You - 1 Corinthians 1:4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

a. God’s Grace Is Sovereign - 2 Corinthians 9:8 And God [is] able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all [things], may abound to every good work:

b. God’s Grace Is Sufficient - 2 Corinthians 9:8-9 And God [is] able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all [things], may abound to every good work: 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

4. When I am Gone, God’s Spirit Will Still Be With You - 1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

a. He Is A Communing Companion - 2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, [be] with you all. Amen.

b. He Is A Constant Companion - John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

5. When I am Gone, God’s Faithfulness Will Still Be With You – “Amen” – Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

a. God Is Faithful To His Promises - 1 Peter 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls [to him] in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in him [are] yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

b. God Is Faithful To His Person - 2 Timothy 2:13 If we believe not, [yet] he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

Conclusion: Paul is telling the Corinthian believers this: “When I am gone and everything else fails, God will be there with and for you! What a Promise! What a blessing! What a comfort!