Latest / Journey Elgin / Journey Through Scripture -2 Cor 2-7
Transcript
- Phillip Thomas: Hey, it's good to see you today. My name is Philip Thomas, Pastor of Journey here in Elgin, Texas, and we are continuing our chronological journey through Scripture. And we are in first ⁓ 2 Corinthians today. We'll be looking at 2 Corinthians chapter 2, starting about verse 12, ⁓ through ⁓ 2 Corinthians ⁓ chapter yes 7. 7. All right, so 2nd Corinthians 2 through 7. All right, so This is kind of an interesting section. It ⁓ talks about Titus and and then it ends with talking about Titus. ⁓ it some people think that this may have actually been another letter that was inserted ⁓ here at some point. Again, to me that's not all that big of a deal. There's no doubt that this is Paul writing to the Corinthians, whether it was part of this letter or was later merged from a few different letters into one is is not really that big of a deal. But what we have here is Paul is ⁓ again, there's there's always issues you can tell from what Paul is dealing with, with ⁓ authority, with you know, kind of who gives you the right to say these things. and again, Paul is pushes back on that ⁓ in different ways. and and and here he he talks about it. ⁓ in a in a kind of unique way. It starts off there in in chapter two of Second Corinthians, ⁓ the end of s chapter two, verse fourteen. It says, Now thanks be to God who has always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of his knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death and the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not so are so as so many peddling the word of God, but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ. So he you can tell there's some people that are don't want to listen to Paul and are probably trying to start up some controversy. And Paul says, listen, we are just preaching ⁓ the gospel message. To those who don't want to hear it, it's going to sound like death. To those who do, it's going to be sound like life. ⁓ that that is our authority. It's not on our own authority. We are preaching what is true. And then in chapter three talks about ⁓ commendations and commendations, letters of commendations. This was common in that day. It would kind of give you authority. Here's my commendation letter, you know, that someone else has written that was connected with the group that you were going to. So it would kind of Give you your your your bona fides, if you will, you know, that okay, this is who they say is. Well, Paul knows the Corinthians, they know him. He he doesn't need a letter of commendation. ⁓ and so, but he starts talking about that because again, clearly that's being used to try to cause some division. ⁓ he says, ⁓ do we need, ⁓ chapter three, verse one, do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendations from you? ⁓ it's and then he goes on verse five. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of any anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, right? Who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of the spirit. For the letter kills, but the spirit gives life. Well I'm talking about spiritual things. ⁓ and listen or don't, but that that is ⁓ where his authority is coming from, is coming from God. starts talking kind of about the new covenant that there are many ⁓ Jews who are having trouble ⁓ believing that Jesus is the Messiah. Verse twelve, therefore since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech, unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away, but their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But w we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror. the glory of the Lord are being transformed to the same image from the glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. How cool is that. You know, he he's again, he's trying to connect with the the Jews, 'cause he considers himself still Jewish. So he's trying to connect with them and he's trying to say, just you're you're reading things still veiled as Moses was veiled after he went ⁓ and received the Ten Commandments because the people were too scared that 'cause he reflected the the glory of God in a ⁓ in a limited way, and that the the people were too scared to look upon that. He says it is through Christ that that veil is removed. And that it that is and that is where where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We are freed from ⁓ from the the bondage, freed from slavery. We are freed to live life in Christ. ⁓ Chapter four talks about the light of the the gospel says therefore Since we have this ministry, as we as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. We but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God dis deceitfully, but by manifestations of the truth, committing ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. So they are committed to giving the the gospel the gospel message. ⁓ verse seven, ⁓ I love this verse. It says But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed. We are perplexed, but yet not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed, always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake. That the life of Jesus also may be manifest in our mortal flesh, so that then death is working in us, but life in you. So it so y even though that they are going through the challenges and the difficulties, they are doing it so that they can preach life. ⁓ we ⁓ you c continue going ⁓ there at the end of chapter four, verse ⁓ sixteen. Says, therefore we do not lose heart, even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we do not look at the things which are seen, but the things which are unseen. For our things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Again, having a proper perspective on things of of that which is temporary. And that which is eternal. Are you willing to do what is right, even if it may cause discomfort here and now? But you do what is right because that is the the right thing to do in God in Christ. ⁓ Then he he kind of that leads him to talking about the resurrection, assurance of the resurrection. Chapter five For we know that if our earthly house ⁓ is destroyed, we have building from God a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ⁓ verse six, so we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home or in the body, we are absent from the from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased, rather to be absent from the body than to be present and to be present with the Lord. And so so even whenever we experience death, we are now present with the Lord. Again, having that perspective ⁓ is is vital to to experiencing the things of God, the joy that comes from knowing God. ⁓ those things are ⁓ vital to have that perspective. All right. As we continue on it it c goes on it go is he kind of keeps this theme of what's going to happen to us 'cause you know, there's some challenges that are happening to them. It doesn't mean life is going to get easier. ⁓ he says ⁓ verse nine, therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body according what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord who We persuade men, but we are well known to God, and I also trust you're well known to your consciences, right? That that what we do matters, right? That that it it it does matter. ⁓ now thankfully God ⁓ through Christ our sins are forgiven. But that doesn't matter that we're still not going to stand before God. And then he talks about being reconciled to God, verse thirteen, for if we are beside ourselves it is for God and Or if we are of sound mind, it is for you, for the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus that if one died for all, then all died, and he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again. Again, just recognizing who Christ is, what he has done, and how that starts to impact our lives and and ⁓ dictate how we should live our lives. ⁓ verse seventeen, therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God who has been reconciled to us through Jesus Christ, and he has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is that is that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has not and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God, for he made him who knew no sin to be sinned for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. That we we begin to live as new creations because we are, so that we can then share that to others so that they can be reconciled to God as well. What a what a wonderful picture. I I I I love that verse. therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old is gone, the new is come. Set aside those things and leave them in the past and become the person that God desires for you to be. chapter six, he talks about ministry, the marks of ministry, how is ministry is not e ⁓ easy. ⁓ verse three, we give no offense in anything that our ministry may not be blamed, but in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God, in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, and distresses, and stripes, imprisonments, and tumults, and tumults, and sh ⁓ labors, in sleeplessness, and fastings, by purity, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left. By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report, as deceivers and yet true, as unknown and yet well known, as dying, and behold we live, as chastened and yet not killed, as sorrowful, yet also rejoicing, as poor, yet making many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. They says being a minister of God you have all of that, right? Positives, negatives, it's just things hitting you from every side, but yet being a minister of God. of Christ is worth it. Living your life in Christ is worth it no matter what may come. Okay. Talks about being holy, do not being unequally yoked to unbelievers. Do not allow unbelievers to be be pulling you away from Christ. ⁓ chapter seven, he's calling the Corinthians to repentance. Verse five, for indeed when we came to Macedonias our body had no rest, but we were troubled on every side, outside were conflicts, inside were fears. Nevertheless, God who comforts the downcast comfort us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming, but also the consolation with which he was comforted in you when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more. Verse eight For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it. For I perceived that the same epistle made you sorry. There only for a while. Now I rejoice. Not that you were made sorry, but that their sorrow led to repentance. So you can tell Paul he wrote this harsh letter, ⁓ you know, reprimanding them, calling them to repentance, and he didn't feel good about having to do that. but yet he did feel good because it did lead to their repentance. ⁓ and and I think that that is important that that we do need to make sure that ⁓ that that we hold each other accountable, ⁓ that we that we are ⁓ willing to repent when we have fallen short, and and that we make sure that God does care how we live our life and how we live our lives does make a difference. and we are all ambassadors of Christ. We are all his ministers in the way that we live our life. We should live as a new creation. Alright. So we're gonna end there. Let's do 2 Corinthians chapters eight and nine. Let's go eight through thirteen. So 2 Corinthians 8 through 13. Alright, we'll see you on the thanks.