A Sincere Confession • 2 Cor 1:8-24
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1. Paul’s Explanation of His Ministry chp. 1 – 7
1. Paul’s Explanation of His Ministry chp. 1 – 7
Paul Explains His Change of Plans in Ministry Ch. 1:9-2:12
Paul Explains The Philosophy for Ministry Ch. 2:14 - 6:10
Paul Explains His Exhortation from His Ministry Ch. 6:11 - 7:16
Review & Overview
Review & Overview
1. Previous Study’s Review
1. Previous Study’s Review
Last time we finished up Paul’s Introduction to this 2nd letter of Corinthians.
It was all about God’s Comfort & Consolation.
We learned that the words Comfort & Consolation is the exact same Greek word: Parakaleo.
Meaning to come alongside someone & when someone comes along side us we are encouraged, helped, and empowered to keep going.
The Person of Comfort & Consolation - Which God, God brings comfort to us when we need it the most!
We shouldn’t look for comfort from the world.
The Purpose of Comfort & Consolation - To produce fruit. So that we can bring comfort to others when they need it.
The Pattern of Comfort & Consolation -
2. Current Study’s Overview
2. Current Study’s Overview
Now as we come to our portion of scripture today we begin a section where Paul gives an explanation of his ministry, Ch. 1-7.
Here is where he explains his change of plans, the philosophy for ministry, and his exhortation in light of ministry.
Today and next week we will hear Paul’s explanation for his change of plans.
Apparently the Corinthians accused Paul of lying when he did not visit them as promised. Read...
As you can see in our quick reading of today’s scripture Paul here begins to explain his change of plans regarding why he did not visit the church as promised.
There are several things we want to look at as it pertains to Paul’s Explanation For His Change of Plans:
Paul’s Change of Plans Involves Tribulation Vs. 8-11
Paul’s Change of Plans Involves Truthfulness Vs. 12-24
1. Paul’s Change of Plans Involves Tribulation Vs. 8-11
1. Paul’s Change of Plans Involves Tribulation Vs. 8-11
1.1 Paul’s Desire for the Church Vs. 8
1.1 Paul’s Desire for the Church Vs. 8
Ignorant: agnoeo, 22, agnostic... not to know... not to understand...
Paul could be talking about his 3rd missions trip in Acts 19: while in Ephesus with the riot because of Demetrius the silversmith & the temple of Diana... or Artemis...
APPLICATION: Point: Paul wants us to understand that no matter how dire our situation is... no matter how desperate our circumstance may be... God will not only Comfort us... but God can Deliver us...
David understood that God Delivered him, 1 Sam.17:37 God delivered me from lions, tigers & bears.
37 Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”
What a good thing that is for us to understand as well...
1.2 Paul’s Dependence on God Vs. 9
1.2 Paul’s Dependence on God Vs. 9
We can all agree that trusting in ourselves is a huge problem not only in the world but in the church...
We trust in our own brain & our own brawn... rather then trusting in the Lord who raises the dead...
turn 2 Cor.3:4-6... we can trust that the Lord will make us sufficient for whatever comes our way...
4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 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.
7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
in other words we’ll Trust in Him...
Seems like we’re always coming back to...
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
1.3 Paul’s Deliverance by God Vs. 10-11
1.3 Paul’s Deliverance by God Vs. 10-11
Trusting in God involves 3 separate aspects of Time in our lives:
Past: delivered us, aorist tense... God has already delivered us from sin, death & hell...
The moment we’re saved He’s delivered us from eternal separation from Himself...
Present: does deliver us, present tense... the Lord is presently, continually delivering us from the enemy
Future: will deliver us, future tense... we can look back at God faithfulness to deliver us from this or that
He’s going to continue to be faithful...
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
in fact His faithfulness is not depended upon our faithfulness...
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
And as we’ve seen in vs.3-11, the Lord has gifted us with great Comfort... & great Deliverance...
The Lord comforts us in all of trouble regardless of what it is... & He has delivered us from sin, death & hell...
So how else can we respond... what else can we do... but to Give Thanks to the Lord Vs. 11...
Thank You Lord for saving my soul... Thank You Lord for making me whole... Thank You Lord for giving to me Thy great salvation so rich & free...
2. Paul’s Change of Plans Involves Truthfulness Vs. 12-24
2. Paul’s Change of Plans Involves Truthfulness Vs. 12-24
2.1 Paul’s Truthfulness Vs. 12-18
2.1 Paul’s Truthfulness Vs. 12-18
Paul’s Truthfulness Involves His Actions Vs. 12 - Paul’s conscience was clear that he was not Depending on the Flesh... he wasn’t using Fleshly Wisdom...
but He was Depending on God... he was using Spiritual Wisdom... seen in 2 ways:
Simplicity: haplotas, 8, of one mind or singleness of mind... antonym: duplicity or double minded...
It carries the idea of being free from Pretense... free from Hypocrisy...
Godly Sincerity: is a really long Gk word, 3... pure... not soiled... clean when looked at in the light...
And it’s all done through the Grace of God...
Now the Grace of God is for salvation... Eph.2:8-9 saved by grace... Rom.3:24 justified freely by grace...
But the Grace of God goes far beyond salvation... here it’s for living a life of simplicity & sincerity...
Act 20:32 build up. Rom.1:5 obey. 5:2 stand. 2 Cor.4:15 thanks. 2 Tim.2:1 strong. Titus 2:11-12 live godly. Heb.12:28 serve. (1 Peter 5:5, James 4:6 humility).
Paul’s Truthfulness Involves His Words Vs. 13-14 - Paul’s words were clear... there was no double meaning... he wasn’t trying to trick them or deceive them...
Paul not only spoke clearly to them... but he spoke clearly about them... as he boasted to others about them growing & maturing as believers...
Paul’s Truthfulness Involves God’s Faithfulness Vs. 15-18 - On Paul’s 3rd missionary journey he stayed in Ephesus for 3 years, he heard of the problems in Corinth so he wrote 1 Cor. & said he was going to spend the winter with them, 1 Cor.16:6... but his plans changed...
But that doesn’t mean that Paul was flaky or wishy washy... or that he couldn’t be trusted...
Paul was Confident that he was going to see the Corinthians... but things changed...
APPLICATION: We all understand that things change... we have a change of mind... or a change of heart... or something changes that’s totally out of our control... which means 2 things:
We need to have total Confidence in the Faithfulness of God to work out any changes that come about.
Absolutely confidant that God knows what He’s doing...
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
We need to be totally Flexible to God’s changes in our lives... believing...
11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
Pastor Chuck Smith: blessed are the flexible for they shall not break...
Also notice there in Vs. 18 Paul uses the Faithfulness of God as a great example...
APPLICATION: point: just as God is faithful, so too am I...
And God is always faithful... back in vs.10 we saw God’s faithfulness, He has deliver us, is delivering us & will still deliver us...
God is Faithful: past, present, & future...
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
And you know His faithfulness is not dependent on our faithfulness...
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
APPLICATION: What a great example for us to follow... James 5:12 let your yes be yes & your no be no...
Yet understanding that God can change our plans...
2.2 Jesus’ Truthfulness Vs. 19-24
2.2 Jesus’ Truthfulness Vs. 19-24
Jesus’ Truthfulness Involves His Message Vs. 19 - Paul argues that his actions were not untrustworthy because the Savior he preached was the divine, who doesn’t change.
The argument is that no one who preaches the Lord Jesus in the Spirit could possibly act the way his critics had accused him.
“Paul’s argument here could have been used by a hypocrite, but no critic could ever have invented it.”
How could he preach a faithful God and himself be unfaithful to his own word?
Jesus’s Truthfulness Involves His Promises Vs. 20 - We might say all of God’s promises are for sure going to happen... we can count on... trust in it...
We don’t have it in our English Bibles but in the Greek text the definite article is used before the words Yes & Amen...
So it’s not just any Yes & Amen... but Thee Yes & Thee Amen...
Amen doesn’t just mean that the message is over... it’s an affirmation that what is being said is true...
And notice at the end of Vs. 20 When we put our faith in & act on the Promises of God... it will bring Glory to God...
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Jesus’s Truthfulness Involves Security Vs. 21-22 - Sealed: to secure... to keep safe... to protect... which is accomplished by the Holy Spirit. Eph.1:13 we’re sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise... So the H.S. empowers us... & protects us...
Notice there at the end of VS. 22b where the H.S. lives?... in our hearts... the moment we get saved God gives us His H.S....
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Jesus’s Truthfulness Involves His Witness Vs. 23-24 - The word witness means someone who sees an event and reports what happened
We see God witnessing Paul’s life and his humility…
There in Vs. 23 Paul loved the Corinthians... & wanted to come to the Corinthians... but he didn’t...
Not because he was wishy washy... not because of a wrong attitude...
no, Paul no doubt wanted to give them time to repent... he wanted to give them time to get right with God before he came...
Paul is saying: God is my witness that I’m not lying... because if I am let God take my life... my soul...
APPLICATION: This is an important truth for us... because we’re pretty good at hiding things from other people...
We can pull the wool over the eyes of our friends & families... they’re not too smart...
But we’re certainly not hiding anything from God... Heb.4:13 all things are naked...
3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.
And then here in Vs. 24a Even though Paul was hand picked by Jesus Christ to His apostle & messenger for the Gospel...
He didn’t lord it over them... he didn’t exercise his apostolic authority in dealing with them... on the contrary... he came along side of them... he said, we are fellows workers...
APPLICATION: This is another good reminder for us, because even though the Lord has called us & anointed us to do a work, we need to be careful not to lord it over others...
25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.
vs.24b, They were standing by faith in the promises of God... not in Paul’s leadership...
vs.24b, They were standing by faith in the promises of God... not in Paul’s leadership...