The Bible Series 2 Corinthians
Notes
Transcript
David as he pens the 19th Psalm he proclaims… Psalm 19:1 “The heavens are telling of the GLORY of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.”
He again would so richly express in Psalm 63:1–2 “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your GLORY.”
John as he introduces God’s plan for the ages declares in John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His GLORY, GLORY as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
These verses just scratch the surface of our God’s GLORY!!!… To serve and worship such a GLORIOUS God it should be no surprise as we approach our letter today of Second Corinthians that as Paul writes :
He shares some troubles on his heart
As he declares masterfully who we are and ways to live
As he battles for the truth and opposes false teachers
… we see him engaging the church to ULTIMATELY be focused on bringing GLORY TO GOD!
Letter Information
Letter Information
The opening begins a little different this time… Second Corinthians 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia:
Paul is an Apostle “by God’s Will”
They are defined as God’s Church
While in Ephesus Paul writes to this church he loves, to people he has cared for… towards end of third journey and Paul is aged and seasoned in ministry (BOLDNESS)
Yet this church has hurt him caused him emotional stress
this letter due to this feels the most raw and personal… it is Paul’s least SYSTEMATIC writing.
Paul quite possibly wrote some other letters other than what is recorded in scripture to deal with things and deal direct and harsh!
Titus was the one to carry this letter and message and Titus returned with the news that a
MAJORITY have repented 1-9
MINORITY have yet to repent falling away 10-13
False teachers with slick tongues have persuaded many of them…
Attacked Paul's style and authority as an Apostle!!!
Declared the gospel Paul taught is too simple (GRACE)… share greater wisdom, deeper truths (FALSE GOSPEL)
They were enslaving the saints and the leadership into works based theology (EARN SALVATION)
By attacking Paul’s Apostleship… the very message of SALVATION BY GRACE was under attack… leading to man’s glory rather than GOD’S GLORY!!!
Overview
Overview
Over 21 times in this letter Paul references GLORY to God!
GLORY or GLORIFICATION: It is speaking to a heaviness weighty, an awareness of God’s awesomeness… a recognizing of His Worth… the immense Wealth of God’s very being!!!! Seeing Him for WHO HE IS! It creates a PRAISE and WORSHIP not only in our being, our hearts, our minds… but GLORIFICATION is played out and lived out in our LIVES to the extent that God receives: (HONOR, DISTINCTION, PRAISE… HE GETS GLORY!!!)
As Paul pens this letter he continually points these people and US TODAY… to our great God!
Chapter 1- Paul’s Afflictions yet his attitude is fiercely to God’s Glory… 2 Corinthians 1:5
For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
Chapter 2- He is praising them for their repentance and the repentance of the one who was in sin but as we see ones repent their is a glorification to God when we forgive as well. Paul encourages them to extend that forgiveness
Chapter 3- Paul illustrates the GLORY of God with Moses as he receives the covenant of the law and the glory that shown on his face!!!
Paul shares how they would have to cover Moses face… the GLORY was hidden
Paul expresses the greater GLORY we now have in Christ! 2 Corinthians 3:15-18
But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person 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 we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Chapter 4- Paul carries on the theme of speaking to God’s glory and how we “as clay vessels” portray His Glory to those around us
CLAY: fragile, low value, made of earth, weak, designed to contain or be filled with… PORTRAY AND SHOW THE GLORY OF GOD!!! 2 Corinthians 4:7-10
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
Chapter 5- Paul writes them the perspective all followers of Christ as “CLAY VESSELS” should have… a focus on the eternal while glorifying God in the temporal… 2 Corinthians 5:6-8
Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight— we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
Chapter 6- Paul encourages this church not to minister in vain… REMAIN distinct not absorbed into the world and its philosophy and approach to life… glorify God as you minister for Him! DO NOT UNITE with the world system.
Chapter 7- Paul affirms his love and care for the church, his future plans with them, his love for the believers there. Moving forward!
Chapters 8-9- share the most extensive portion of scripture we have in the new testament on God’s Perspective on GIVING!
The Principles of Giving
The Purpose of Giving
The Policies of our Giving
The Wonderful Promises God gives when we give…
WE GLORIFY GOD so much when we give because He is a giving God!!!
You cannot out-give God
He gave His Son!
He gave His Spirit
We look like God most when we are giving...
The heartache of Chapters 10-13…
We learn a great deal about Paul in these chapters
He defends himself and his Apostleship
NOT FOR HIS GLORY… Rather
To give credence to the Gospel he teaches
To maintain that the Glory goes to God not man
To guard these sheep… a shepherd’s heart comes forth as FALSE TEACHERS attack the fold!
The shepherd’s “ROD & STAFF”… Hawaiian pidgin English Bible of Psalm 23:4
God, even if I go thru One real dark valley Wea can mahke dea, I no goin come sked Dat someting bad goin happen, Cuz you stay wit me. You carry one club Fo get me outa trouble, An one stick fo walk Fo show me wea fo go. An dat make me no worries Cuz eryting goin be okay.
Paul’s club came out due to the trouble… his stick was guiding the people back to the lush truth to feast on
Paul shares with them he has a thorn in the flesh, God given, … God assures Paul His Grace is sufficient! WHY??? Because it was not about Paul but God… and even through this God receives the GLORY...
Think on These Things
Think on These Things
Paul challenged his readers to through his letter to bring Glory to God in how they live, speak, act… and called these believers to LOOK AT HIM… EXAMINE HIM! How one lives demonstrates the Spirit within them… If it is not seen then you are NOT GLORIFYING GOD! He addresses this in chapter 13
God’s creation declares His Glory
God’s Acts declare His Glory
God’s Son declared God’s Glory
It is absolutely necessary that we His creation and His Children… display and demonstrate His Glory
Paul closes his letter to them assuring them that as they exhibit this in their lives there is an overwhelming peace present with us and there is His Grace seen and felt in our lives!
In the brief time we have in this life may we in these earthen vessels display and demonstrate HIS GLORY MAGNIFICENTLY!!!