Back in the 90’s the Washington Post ran an article entitled “Working it out.” It was a focus piece on couples who were headed towards divorce but ended up—as the title notes—working it out.
Part of the article zeroed in on one couple who was brought back together with the help of a divorce lawyer, of all people. Glenn Lewis was his name. Lewis related the story: The wife had left the house. She had no desire to be in the picture or remain with the family. She filed for the divorce and submitted the paperwork. She was ready to move on with her life. But not so with the husband. He loved her, and he was earnest to win her back.
He made every attempt to keep in touch with her and bring her back. When his personal and private attempts showed no fruit, he enlisted the help of others. That is where the lawyer entered the picture. Lewis wasn’t any run of the mill divorce lawyer. A lot of divorce lawyers will just file the papers, push through the legal, and cut the ties once and for all. But Lewis was described as a family friendly divorce lawyer. He worked on behalf of the husband to avoid ending the marriage. He would meet with the wife and her legal representation. He would reason with them and seek to persuade her that reconciling would be so much better than divorcing. He would lay out all the different reasons why divorce was such a bad option and he would zealously make the case that returning to the relationship would be better. Lewis even said that there were times where he played hardball with her. He didn’t give any details as to what that meant, but you get the jist that he used some aggressive tactics and pulled out all the stops.
It didn’t happen overnight, but over the course of time the husband prevailed upon his wife. After all the pleas and petitions, after having been entreated so many times and through so many channels she was persuaded to return to her husband and be reconciled.
Lewis said in that article that the greatest compliment that he has ever been paid was from that man, who said to him, “You got my wife back.”
It is a love story. A love story that parallels the love story of our God and his church. The story Lewis tells of his client is so compelling because it is exactly what we see in the gospel. We see it right here in this passage of Scripture when it says: Be reconciled to God.
Those words remind us that there is supposed to be a deep relationship between us and the Lord. But we have strained that relationship by turning our backs on God and walking out on him. But what you see here is that there is a passionate love that still exists on the part of God. The Lord is passionate to win us back and works to convince us to leave off our sinful ways and return to him. He even recruits some of the most unlikely people to help Him bring about this reconciliation. He uses the Apostle Paul and Timothy and all the other ministers in the world to go out and persuade the wayward people of the world to turn back to him.
And when we look at a passage like this we find that our God does act like that husband. He pleads with sinners to be reconciled to him. And we find how beautiful this plea is.
The first thing we should note is that this is, in fact, God’s plea.
I. It is a divine plea
You will note that that is exactly what Paul emphasizes in verse 20. He reiterates over and over how this is God making the plea.
He first points out the fact that he is an ambassador for Christ. He uses a political analogy. An ambassador is an official representative of a king or nation. They state the claims of the king and in no ways act on their own. Everything they do is considered the work of the king.
Then he goes on to really define his ambassadorial role by saying “God is making his appeal through us.” And then he adds to that, “We implore you on behalf of Christ.” We might also note that chapter six begins with Paul saying, “Working together with him.”
Again, four times he emphasizes that he is merely a conduit through which God speaks. It is not his appeal so much as it is God’s appeal.
And notice that it is not just God speaking, but God is speaking in a certain way. It is God’s pleading. The verbs here are dramatic. He says, that God is “making his appeal through us.” “We implore you.” The words used here have the idea of beseeching, pleading, and even begging.
Now this is not a picture with which many may be comfortable. The idea of God begging. Certainly we don’t want to make God into a wishy washy figure—like someone who feels they can’t live another day without you. But we should recognize the intensity of the words that are used here. God asserts in the most passionate way his interest in having you turn back to him.
I think that John Wesley, the famed 18th century evangelist, sums up this passage well. He says:
What unparalleled condescension and divinely tender mercies are displayed in this verse! Did the judge ever beseech a condemned criminal to accept of pardon? Does the creditor ever beseech a ruined debtor to receive an acquittance in full? Yet our almighty Lord, and our eternal Judge, not only vouchsafes to offer these blessings, but invites us, entreats us, and with the most tender importunity solicits us not to reject them.”
Importune is not a word that we often use. But it means to press and ask with a passionate persistence. The greatest image of importune is found in the parable of the persistent widow. There is an unjust judge and a woman comes to him for justice. She is told to scram, but she simply won’t. She just becomes all that much more insistent. She comes back time and time again asking for her case to be reviewed and that justice be done in the matter. She implores that crusty judge over and over, until she finally breaks him down.
Now that parable was given to instruct us on how to pray. But I want you to think about it differently.
That is the essence of what this is saying: God is importuning you to reconcile. He is imploring you and beseeching you and begging you to come to grips with what he is offering you.
Not only is it God’s plea, but it is an urgent plea that he makes.
II. It is an urgent plea
In the first verse of chapter 6 I think Paul is a little worried that the Corinthians won’t take him seriously. He tells them not to receive the grace of God in vain. In other words, they hear what Paul says but don’t really believe it or act upon it. So in the second verse Paul notes what the Lord says in the OT: he says, "’In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
He makes the plea that much more pressing by noting that it demands action right now. Now is the day of salvation. Don’t wait until tomorrow. You shouldn’t procrastinate and put it off until the 11th hour.
Paul is emphatic that every minute is crucial here. God has given us only a limited amount of time. Christ could come back or you could drop dead. And when that happens it is too late. There is no second chance to be reconciled to God.
There are a lot of people who want to say that God will indulge us after death. The Mormons do this and a lot of people paint God in this way. The Mormons say that after you die you go to a holding cell where you are given another chance to repent and be reconciled to God. And I have met many others who would say, “Well, God loves too much to allow anyone to go to hell. And certainly after I die we’ll have another chance.”
That’s usually just an excuse people make to remain in their sin. But the Scripture is clear on this: It is appointed for man to die once, and then face judgment. And really, understanding this presses the urgency of coming to terms with God.
If you see someone traveling rapidly towards a cliff, you try to get their attention. You tell them that they need to put the brakes on right now. You make certain that they know that soon it will be too late and that it is important to embrace the moment afforded to them.
Over the last several weeks we have been reminded of how fleeting life is. We’ve witnessed loved ones pass away. My own daughter was in an accident that thankfully wasn’t fatal. But it is a reminder that any moment life could be stripped from us and we could stand before our Maker. And at that moment our eternity is sealed.
While at the hospital last week I came across some writings of Samuel Davies. He was an early American Presbyterian minister and church planter. He was a great preacher in his day. I came to find that he also wrote poetry. I perused some of the things he had written. And I happened to come across a poem he wrote on the occasion of the death of one of his parishioners.
He opens the poem by saying,
Of my dear flock one more is gone. To appear before th’eternal throne.
The poem then goes on to be something of a motivational speech to urge him to be faithful in his duties as a shepherd.
Thus while I'm dreaming life away,
Or books and studies charm the day,
My flock is dying one by one;
Convey'd beyond my warning voice,
To endless pains, or endless joys;
For ever happy or undone.
He’s reminded that each one only has a limited time here on earth—as does he. And he must be fervent to remind them of the need to be reconciled to God.
The poem should be a motivation for us too. That we realize there is never a moment that should be wasted.
Especially for you young people: let it sink in that you are called to Christ and that he has afforded you his favor. It may seem like you have many days still ahead of you (and, you very well may). But you must recognize the importance of this very moment. The hour is drawing nigh when we shall be called into His presence. And if you have not put your faith in Christ, make sure that you understand how very important it is to do it right this very minute.
Now is the favorable time, today is the day of salvation. Do not let it slip by.
There’s one other point that needs to be made though. We’ve notice that this is God’s plea and that this plea is urgent. But I want you also to see how pastoral it is too.
III. It is a pastoral plea
It is targeted at specific people
You’ll notice that it says “We appeal to you” & “We implore you.” We usually hear this passage applied to unbelievers and people outside the church. We use it evangelistically and say we need to go out and get those heathen people. But Paul was addressing people like you and me.
The Corinthians had already professed faith. They were members of the church. To be sure, they believed in God. There’s no doubt that they were very “Christian”: They were probably regularly attending church services and participating in midweek studies. We know that they fawned over their different leaders and loved their times of fellowship.
However, their relationship with God was suffering. They were not living in true fidelity. They were strangers, despite living in the same house.
I mentioned Samuel Davies a few moments ago. He has another gem I’d like to share. This one comes from a sermon which he preached on this passage. He addresses this idea of being estranged in the heart, and how this is the sore spot of the church goer.
Look into your own hearts, and you will find it so: you will find that this, and that, and a thousand things in this world, engross more of your thoughts, your cares, desires, joys, sorrows, hopes, and fears, than God, or any of his concerns. Is it not therefore evident, even to your own conviction, that you do not love God at all? and what is this but to be his enemy ? To be indifferent towards him, as though he were an insignificant being, neither good nor evil; to feel neither love nor hatred towards him, but to neglect him, as if you had no concern with him one way or other; what a horrible disposition is this towards him, who is supremely and infinitely glorious and amiable, your Creator, your Sovereign, and Benefactor; who therefore deserves and demands your highest love; or, in the words of his own law, that you should love him with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
It would not be right if we just said that this was an appeal to people who never attended church or lived profligate lives. This verse—this call to be reconciled comes to you: the people of this church. It is a call that you leave off your atheistic life. It is a call to you to turn away from the secret sins that keep you from God and to let your hearts not be disaffected any more.
Paul is very pastoral in that he targets his message to specific people. But you also notice that he specifically targets the heart.
That’s the shepherd’s job. And you see Paul do this in verses 3-13.
It is specifically targeted at the heart
He even begins verse 3 by saying, “We put no obstacle in anyone’s way.” In other words, I’m not going to do anything that would get in the way of you’re relationship with God. And then he goes on to talk about the kind of ministry that he has had. He’s had hardships and calamities. He’s been in riots; he’s lost sleep. Of course, all of this was for the sake of the gospel—that people might come to faith.
He goes on to list many more defining features of his ministry. But I want you to look at verse 11. He sums it all up by saying, “Our hearts are wide open.”
It is a way of talking about his love for them. He’s essentially saying, “You know how much we’ve endured. You know we’d do more. We’d die for you if we could.”
He’s attempting to express the depth of his affection and he’s showing that real heart that a true pastor.
Then, in verse 13, he says that they must in return “open wide their own hearts.” Again this enlargement of the heart is a way of talking about one’s love and affection. Paul has said, I’ve shown you how much I love you, do the same for me. I’ve sought to do everything I could for you, you must do the same for the Lord. Listen to him and submit yourself to him.
Paul again, is so pastoral here because he goes the distance in showing what this means. Back in verse 1 he said he was afraid that they may receive the grace of God in vain. In other words, they might listen to him. They may hear of God’s call to redemption. They may understand what Christ did to bring about that reconciliation, but they may not fully receive it.
You can receive it, but not give yourself over to it. It is like what James says about belief in Christ. He said even Demons believe. But demons do not believe in the truest sense of the term.
Paul’s saying, don’t just open your hearts a little, make sure they are wide open. Make sure you don’t just acknowledge the gospel mentally or with your lips. Make sure you really enter into this relationship with true faith and real love.
Conclusion:
I began this message by talking about the reconciliation of the couple that had been separated. One thing I did not mention was that this couple separated 3 times over the course of 13 years. The wife would leave, and then come back. She’s stay for a while, and then leave again, only to be convinced to return again. But the relationship still was on the rocks.
What made it work out the third time? Why was it that they remained together and were able to begin to see real happiness in their relationship once again?
The article doesn’t specifically say, but here is my guess: It is because there was true love from the heart. Her heart was opened wide and she began to be determined to devote herself to him and to working through the problems. I can only believe that she decided to no longer peruse her own interest and ways, and began to pursue him and his interests.
That is, at least, how happy marriages develop.
And that is God’s call to each of us. He pleads with us and urges us to take heed to the time we have. And we are called to open wide our hearts to Him and respond to His gracious offer of salvation with love.
Part of the article zeroed in on one couple who was brought back together with the help of a divorce lawyer, of all people. Glenn Lewis was his name. Lewis related the story: The wife had left the house. She had no desire to be in the picture or remain with the family. She filed for the divorce and submitted the paperwork. She was ready to move on with her life. But not so with the husband. He loved her, and he was earnest to win her back.
He made every attempt to keep in touch with her and bring her back. When his personal and private attempts showed no fruit, he enlisted the help of others. That is where the lawyer entered the picture. Lewis wasn’t any run of the mill divorce lawyer. A lot of divorce lawyers will just file the papers, push through the legal, and cut the ties once and for all. But Lewis was described as a family friendly divorce lawyer. He worked on behalf of the husband to avoid ending the marriage. He would meet with the wife and her legal representation. He would reason with them and seek to persuade her that reconciling would be so much better than divorcing. He would lay out all the different reasons why divorce was such a bad option and he would zealously make the case that returning to the relationship would be better. Lewis even said that there were times where he played hardball with her. He didn’t give any details as to what that meant, but you get the jist that he used some aggressive tactics and pulled out all the stops.
It didn’t happen overnight, but over the course of time the husband prevailed upon his wife. After all the pleas and petitions, after having been entreated so many times and through so many channels she was persuaded to return to her husband and be reconciled.
Lewis said in that article that the greatest compliment that he has ever been paid was from that man, who said to him, “You got my wife back.”
It is a love story. A love story that parallels the love story of our God and his church. The story Lewis tells of his client is so compelling because it is exactly what we see in the gospel. We see it right here in this passage of Scripture when it says: Be reconciled to God.
Those words remind us that there is supposed to be a deep relationship between us and the Lord. But we have strained that relationship by turning our backs on God and walking out on him. But what you see here is that there is a passionate love that still exists on the part of God. The Lord is passionate to win us back and works to convince us to leave off our sinful ways and return to him. He even recruits some of the most unlikely people to help Him bring about this reconciliation. He uses the Apostle Paul and Timothy and all the other ministers in the world to go out and persuade the wayward people of the world to turn back to him.
And when we look at a passage like this we find that our God does act like that husband. He pleads with sinners to be reconciled to him. And we find how beautiful this plea is.
The first thing we should note is that this is, in fact, God’s plea.
I. It is a divine plea
You will note that that is exactly what Paul emphasizes in verse 20. He reiterates over and over how this is God making the plea.
He first points out the fact that he is an ambassador for Christ. He uses a political analogy. An ambassador is an official representative of a king or nation. They state the claims of the king and in no ways act on their own. Everything they do is considered the work of the king.
Then he goes on to really define his ambassadorial role by saying “God is making his appeal through us.” And then he adds to that, “We implore you on behalf of Christ.” We might also note that chapter six begins with Paul saying, “Working together with him.”
Again, four times he emphasizes that he is merely a conduit through which God speaks. It is not his appeal so much as it is God’s appeal.
And notice that it is not just God speaking, but God is speaking in a certain way. It is God’s pleading. The verbs here are dramatic. He says, that God is “making his appeal through us.” “We implore you.” The words used here have the idea of beseeching, pleading, and even begging.
Now this is not a picture with which many may be comfortable. The idea of God begging. Certainly we don’t want to make God into a wishy washy figure—like someone who feels they can’t live another day without you. But we should recognize the intensity of the words that are used here. God asserts in the most passionate way his interest in having you turn back to him.
I think that John Wesley, the famed 18th century evangelist, sums up this passage well. He says:
What unparalleled condescension and divinely tender mercies are displayed in this verse! Did the judge ever beseech a condemned criminal to accept of pardon? Does the creditor ever beseech a ruined debtor to receive an acquittance in full? Yet our almighty Lord, and our eternal Judge, not only vouchsafes to offer these blessings, but invites us, entreats us, and with the most tender importunity solicits us not to reject them.”
Importune is not a word that we often use. But it means to press and ask with a passionate persistence. The greatest image of importune is found in the parable of the persistent widow. There is an unjust judge and a woman comes to him for justice. She is told to scram, but she simply won’t. She just becomes all that much more insistent. She comes back time and time again asking for her case to be reviewed and that justice be done in the matter. She implores that crusty judge over and over, until she finally breaks him down.
Now that parable was given to instruct us on how to pray. But I want you to think about it differently.
That is the essence of what this is saying: God is importuning you to reconcile. He is imploring you and beseeching you and begging you to come to grips with what he is offering you.
Not only is it God’s plea, but it is an urgent plea that he makes.
II. It is an urgent plea
In the first verse of chapter 6 I think Paul is a little worried that the Corinthians won’t take him seriously. He tells them not to receive the grace of God in vain. In other words, they hear what Paul says but don’t really believe it or act upon it. So in the second verse Paul notes what the Lord says in the OT: he says, "’In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
He makes the plea that much more pressing by noting that it demands action right now. Now is the day of salvation. Don’t wait until tomorrow. You shouldn’t procrastinate and put it off until the 11th hour.
Paul is emphatic that every minute is crucial here. God has given us only a limited amount of time. Christ could come back or you could drop dead. And when that happens it is too late. There is no second chance to be reconciled to God.
There are a lot of people who want to say that God will indulge us after death. The Mormons do this and a lot of people paint God in this way. The Mormons say that after you die you go to a holding cell where you are given another chance to repent and be reconciled to God. And I have met many others who would say, “Well, God loves too much to allow anyone to go to hell. And certainly after I die we’ll have another chance.”
That’s usually just an excuse people make to remain in their sin. But the Scripture is clear on this: It is appointed for man to die once, and then face judgment. And really, understanding this presses the urgency of coming to terms with God.
If you see someone traveling rapidly towards a cliff, you try to get their attention. You tell them that they need to put the brakes on right now. You make certain that they know that soon it will be too late and that it is important to embrace the moment afforded to them.
Over the last several weeks we have been reminded of how fleeting life is. We’ve witnessed loved ones pass away. My own daughter was in an accident that thankfully wasn’t fatal. But it is a reminder that any moment life could be stripped from us and we could stand before our Maker. And at that moment our eternity is sealed.
While at the hospital last week I came across some writings of Samuel Davies. He was an early American Presbyterian minister and church planter. He was a great preacher in his day. I came to find that he also wrote poetry. I perused some of the things he had written. And I happened to come across a poem he wrote on the occasion of the death of one of his parishioners.
He opens the poem by saying,
Of my dear flock one more is gone. To appear before th’eternal throne.
The poem then goes on to be something of a motivational speech to urge him to be faithful in his duties as a shepherd.
Thus while I'm dreaming life away,
Or books and studies charm the day,
My flock is dying one by one;
Convey'd beyond my warning voice,
To endless pains, or endless joys;
For ever happy or undone.
He’s reminded that each one only has a limited time here on earth—as does he. And he must be fervent to remind them of the need to be reconciled to God.
The poem should be a motivation for us too. That we realize there is never a moment that should be wasted.
Especially for you young people: let it sink in that you are called to Christ and that he has afforded you his favor. It may seem like you have many days still ahead of you (and, you very well may). But you must recognize the importance of this very moment. The hour is drawing nigh when we shall be called into His presence. And if you have not put your faith in Christ, make sure that you understand how very important it is to do it right this very minute.
Now is the favorable time, today is the day of salvation. Do not let it slip by.
There’s one other point that needs to be made though. We’ve notice that this is God’s plea and that this plea is urgent. But I want you also to see how pastoral it is too.
III. It is a pastoral plea
It is targeted at specific people
You’ll notice that it says “We appeal to you” & “We implore you.” We usually hear this passage applied to unbelievers and people outside the church. We use it evangelistically and say we need to go out and get those heathen people. But Paul was addressing people like you and me.
The Corinthians had already professed faith. They were members of the church. To be sure, they believed in God. There’s no doubt that they were very “Christian”: They were probably regularly attending church services and participating in midweek studies. We know that they fawned over their different leaders and loved their times of fellowship.
However, their relationship with God was suffering. They were not living in true fidelity. They were strangers, despite living in the same house.
I mentioned Samuel Davies a few moments ago. He has another gem I’d like to share. This one comes from a sermon which he preached on this passage. He addresses this idea of being estranged in the heart, and how this is the sore spot of the church goer.
Look into your own hearts, and you will find it so: you will find that this, and that, and a thousand things in this world, engross more of your thoughts, your cares, desires, joys, sorrows, hopes, and fears, than God, or any of his concerns. Is it not therefore evident, even to your own conviction, that you do not love God at all? and what is this but to be his enemy ? To be indifferent towards him, as though he were an insignificant being, neither good nor evil; to feel neither love nor hatred towards him, but to neglect him, as if you had no concern with him one way or other; what a horrible disposition is this towards him, who is supremely and infinitely glorious and amiable, your Creator, your Sovereign, and Benefactor; who therefore deserves and demands your highest love; or, in the words of his own law, that you should love him with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
It would not be right if we just said that this was an appeal to people who never attended church or lived profligate lives. This verse—this call to be reconciled comes to you: the people of this church. It is a call that you leave off your atheistic life. It is a call to you to turn away from the secret sins that keep you from God and to let your hearts not be disaffected any more.
Paul is very pastoral in that he targets his message to specific people. But you also notice that he specifically targets the heart.
That’s the shepherd’s job. And you see Paul do this in verses 3-13.
It is specifically targeted at the heart
He even begins verse 3 by saying, “We put no obstacle in anyone’s way.” In other words, I’m not going to do anything that would get in the way of you’re relationship with God. And then he goes on to talk about the kind of ministry that he has had. He’s had hardships and calamities. He’s been in riots; he’s lost sleep. Of course, all of this was for the sake of the gospel—that people might come to faith.
He goes on to list many more defining features of his ministry. But I want you to look at verse 11. He sums it all up by saying, “Our hearts are wide open.”
It is a way of talking about his love for them. He’s essentially saying, “You know how much we’ve endured. You know we’d do more. We’d die for you if we could.”
He’s attempting to express the depth of his affection and he’s showing that real heart that a true pastor.
Then, in verse 13, he says that they must in return “open wide their own hearts.” Again this enlargement of the heart is a way of talking about one’s love and affection. Paul has said, I’ve shown you how much I love you, do the same for me. I’ve sought to do everything I could for you, you must do the same for the Lord. Listen to him and submit yourself to him.
Paul again, is so pastoral here because he goes the distance in showing what this means. Back in verse 1 he said he was afraid that they may receive the grace of God in vain. In other words, they might listen to him. They may hear of God’s call to redemption. They may understand what Christ did to bring about that reconciliation, but they may not fully receive it.
You can receive it, but not give yourself over to it. It is like what James says about belief in Christ. He said even Demons believe. But demons do not believe in the truest sense of the term.
Paul’s saying, don’t just open your hearts a little, make sure they are wide open. Make sure you don’t just acknowledge the gospel mentally or with your lips. Make sure you really enter into this relationship with true faith and real love.
Conclusion:
I began this message by talking about the reconciliation of the couple that had been separated. One thing I did not mention was that this couple separated 3 times over the course of 13 years. The wife would leave, and then come back. She’s stay for a while, and then leave again, only to be convinced to return again. But the relationship still was on the rocks.
What made it work out the third time? Why was it that they remained together and were able to begin to see real happiness in their relationship once again?
The article doesn’t specifically say, but here is my guess: It is because there was true love from the heart. Her heart was opened wide and she began to be determined to devote herself to him and to working through the problems. I can only believe that she decided to no longer peruse her own interest and ways, and began to pursue him and his interests.
That is, at least, how happy marriages develop.
And that is God’s call to each of us. He pleads with us and urges us to take heed to the time we have. And we are called to open wide our hearts to Him and respond to His gracious offer of salvation with love.