Restored Hope
2 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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I. Through Prayer
I. Through Prayer
Paul shares 3 prayer requests that he prays on behalf of the Corinthian church.
A. They Do No Wrong
A. They Do No Wrong
B. They May Do What Is Right
B. They May Do What Is Right
7 Now we pray to God that you do no wrong; not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved.
8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.
30 There is no wisdom and no understanding And no counsel against the Lord.
C. They Are Made Complete
C. They Are Made Complete
9 For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete.
Made complete or perfected is the goal of Christ for each of us in the faith.
Used of fishermen mending their nets. Not making new ones or adding to their nets, but mending or putting in order what already was there. That is what the Corinthians needed to mend what was in their midst. They needed to put things in order in the church. But the verb is passive. They needed the Lord to mend them.
a. Through Suffering
a. Through Suffering
Sometimes God must allow suffering in our lives for Him to perfect us.
10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
b. Through Each Other
b. Through Each Other
11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Twelve: Three to Get Ready! (2 Corinthians 12:11–13:14)
Someone has said that you can no more raise one Christian than you can raise one bee.
We need each other as believers. We learn from each other as we grow and mature in the grace of God.
II. With Love
II. With Love
10 For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.
This is the theme verse of the book! This is why Paul is writing. He wants to spare them from discipline.
You shouldn’t need to drop a rock on your foot to know it will hurt. When you tell someone, “don’t drop that rock on your foot, it will hurt.” It would be the hight of foolishness to say, “oh yeah, we’ll see about that.” and then have them drop it square on their foot braking every bone in it. You don’t have to learn the hard way unless you refuse to learn the easy way.
God want to spare us the pain of self inflicted wounds. It is because of His love that He instructs.
11 Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Twelve: Three to Get Ready! (2 Corinthians 12:11–13:14)
Since ancient times, the kiss has been a form of greeting and a gesture of love and fellowship. However, it was usually exchanged between members of the same sex. The early church used the kiss of peace and kiss of love as evidences of their affection and concern for one another. It was a “holy kiss,” sanctified because of their devotion to Jesus Christ. Members of the early church often kissed new believers after their baptism and thus welcomed them into the fellowship.
The "holy kiss" mentioned in the New Testament was a sign of mutual fellowship, love, and reconciliation among early Christians[1][2]. It represented more than a social custom, serving as a token of joy, peace, and communion that believers shared in Christ[1]. This practice was common in early church meetings, with men kissing the minister and each other, especially during the Lord's Supper celebration[3]. The kiss was described as "holy" to distinguish it from erotic or deceitful kisses, emphasizing its pure and morally blameless nature[4]. It was particularly significant in bridging divides between Christians of different backgrounds, nationalities, and genders[1][2]. While some modern Christians might feel uncomfortable with this practice due to cultural differences, the essence of the command is to express mutual love in a way appropriate to one's time and community[1][3]. In the early church, the holy kiss was often exchanged when Christians met, including during worship gatherings, and it served as a sign of unity and acceptance between different house churches[5].
[1] Garland, D. E. (1999). 2 Corinthians (Vol. 29, p. 554). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[2] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2003). 2 Corinthians (p. 486). Moody Publishers.
[3] Packer, J. I. (1995). Introduction. In A. McGrath (Ed.), 2 Corinthians (2 Co 13:12). Crossway Books.
[4] Got Questions Ministries. (2002–2013). Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered. Logos Bible Software.
[5] Johnson, A. F. (2004). 1 Corinthians (Vol. 7, pp. 319–320). IVP Academic.
Is this just cultural? Well, verse 11 is not cultural and verse 13 is not cultural. It would seem strange for verse 12 to just be a cultural command.
It is also commanded in…
26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
20 All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to you all who are in Christ.
I remember visiting a church in Russia in the early 90s. I was greeted at the door by two men who asked my interpreter who I was and when they found out I was a believer from America, they gave me a bulletin and a quick kiss on the cheek. I have to say it made me feel like I was one of them and not an outsider.
Should we enforce it? “Get back here you spiritual slacker, you didn’t greet anyone with a holy kiss!” No. I do think it should be
13 All the saints greet you.
The saint from Macedonia where Paul wrote 2 Corinthians.
How did the Corinthians respond to Paul’s letter? The fact that the letter was circulated after it was delivered to the Corinthian church is a huge indication that they listened to and responded to what Paul wrote.
Will you listen and obey the words of this letter to the Corinthians? It is also a letter to you.
For Next Time…
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
