History, People, and Providence
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Comfort or Luxury?
Comfort or Luxury?
What do you think of when I say comfort?
Beds?
Couches?
Comfy jeans?
Levi's (I remember that old commercial for Levi's Jeans where the guy put his jeans through all this rough stuff so his significant other would think a new pair was his comfy pair because apparently she always stole his pants they were that comfy)
But God has an interesting definition of Comfort.
Comfort for him is when His children are crying and he comforts us. He bends down and picks us up.
How does he do that?
What does it look like?
These concepts are so important for us to grasp because the God of Christianity is one who is all powerful.
So, how do we balance God's providence with the pain's of this world?
Sin? Well, that explains part but then why do I suffer? I mean I'm a Christian a child of God, why does that pain follow me?
Let's Pray.
Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so through Christ our comfort also overflows. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is experienced in your endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will share in the comfort.
You don't have to give praise when none is deserved.
You don't have to give praise when none is deserved.
I know this is counter cultural. It is definitely counter generational for me. I was taught that the best way to lead was to always find something to praise. Then jump from the praise into the opportunity to grow.
Paul usually praises the Church that he is writing to.
Paul doesn't do that here. because they weren't deserving of his personal praise.
In most cases Paul does offer praise.
In most cases Paul does offer praise.
God comforts us in the midst of pain, He doesn't usually prevent it.
God comforts us in the midst of pain, He doesn't usually prevent it.
We don't like this structure but there are several reasons for this:
We would ignore his blessings if everything was good.
We better feel his blessings when compared to suffering.
We, as the Body of Christ, are part of His active comforting.
We, as the Body of Christ, are part of His active comforting.
For we don’t want you to be unaware, brothers, of our affliction that took place in Asia: we were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength —so that we even despaired of life. Indeed, we personally had a death sentence within ourselves, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a terrible death, and He will deliver us. We have put our hope in Him that He will deliver us again while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.
Paul, wants to share with them how bad it got for his ministry team.
Paul, wants to share with them how bad it got for his ministry team.
We shouldn't try and hide our hardships. It's tempting. And it doesn't mean like as the Pastor that I air out all my dirty laundry in front of the Church.
Which for the record, I do have dirty laundry, actually literally I really need to get that stuff done. But figuratively as well, I'm not perfect, Paul doesn't claim to be perfect. We are all imperfect and no pastor from Paul's time to today, and the future will be perfect except Jesus our Main Pastor.
The Christian should expect short comings from other people.
The Christian should expect short comings from other people.
Especially other Christians.
Now this is not primarily talking about sin/growth issues but rather persecution that is suffering.
Paul is equipped to help them through suffering because of his own experiences. They can strengthen him and comfort him.
Two questions:
Two questions:
1. Did Paul comfort them?
2. Have they made any move to comfort Paul or anyone else?
For this is our confidence: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with God-given sincerity and purity, not by fleshly wisdom but by God’s grace. Now we are writing nothing to you other than what you can read and also understand. I hope you will understand completely— as you have partially understood us—that we are your reason for pride, as you are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.
Paul did everything he could to comfort them, treat them with kindness, and prepare them for the future.
Paul did everything he could to comfort them, treat them with kindness, and prepare them for the future.
He was a fantastic spiritual dad.
He was a fantastic spiritual dad.
So to answer the question:
Yes, Paul had been comforting towards the Christians at Corinth.
Yes, Paul had been comforting towards the Christians at Corinth.
I planned with this confidence to come to you first, so you could have a double benefit, and to go on to Macedonia with your help, then come to you again from Macedonia and be given a start by you on my journey to Judea. So when I planned this, was I irresponsible? Or what I plan, do I plan in a purely human way so that I say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” simultaneously? As God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes and no.” For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—did not become “Yes and no”; on the contrary, a final “Yes” has come in Him. For every one of God’s promises is “Yes” in Him. Therefore, the “Amen” is also spoken through Him by us for God’s glory. Now it is God who strengthens us, with you, in Christ and has anointed us. He has also sealed us and given us the Spirit as a down payment in our hearts.
I call on God as a witness, on my life, that it was to spare you that I did not come to Corinth.
In fact, I made up my mind about this: I would not come to you on another painful visit. For if I cause you pain, then who will cheer me other than the one being hurt by me? I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn’t have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident about all of you that my joy will also be yours. For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart—not that you should be hurt, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you.
Paul is being criticized for not having visited them already.
Paul is being criticized for not having visited them already.
Paul gives no tolerance for such an attitude. Here he is doing ministry and all they can do is gripe about his methodology.
Who said the church is going through a new time? There is nothing new.
Paul made plans but he always viewed Jesus as the final authority on His plans.
Paul made plans but he always viewed Jesus as the final authority on His plans.
"Lord willing"
"Lord willing"
It's not a stamp of approval to one's plans. It doesn't guarantee them but rather brings to mind that Jesus has final say. You don't have to say it but God tells us to live it.
Have they made any move to comfort Paul or anyone else?
And the answer is no. We clearly see the opposite.
They should be concerned about Paul and his well being but instead they are whining that he didn't show up on time.
His delay was actually a blessing to them.
Sometimes people need to be given time to repent.
Sometimes people need to be given time to repent.
We as people want to force people but Paul sees that as being detrimental to them. But he also recognizes that if he had visited sooner then it would have been another reprimand.
The expectation of holiness was firmly set, teaching was repeatedly offered to teach them how to reconcile but instead it seems that they are still being an "anguish to his heart"
3 Reasons the church at Corinth was an anguist to Paul's heart:
They were criticizing Paul.
They were not forgiving.
They were not giving.
If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree—not to exaggerate —to all of you.
The Christian who criticizes, refuses to forgive, and doesn't give is not hurting other Christians but is crippling himself.
The Christian who criticizes, refuses to forgive, and doesn't give is not hurting other Christians but is crippling himself.
The punishment inflicted by the majority is sufficient for that person. As a result, you should instead forgive and comfort him. Otherwise, this one may be overwhelmed by excessive grief. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. I wrote for this purpose: to test your character to see if you are obedient in everything. If you forgive anyone, I do too. For what I have forgiven—if I have forgiven anything—it is for you in the presence of Christ. I have done this so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.
If someone repents no matter how heinous the crime, he must be forgiven and reconciled.
If someone repents no matter how heinous the crime, he must be forgiven and reconciled.
Restitution means that in some cases things can be forgiven but will require a process and time to heal and bring about a relationship that has been renewed practically as well as positionally.
Don't change the message
Don't change the message
The message never changes, style may, preacher/teachers will, but the message of the Gospel will never change.
The Corinthians needed to ask themselves:
Is the Gospel still central to our lifestyle?
Is the Gospel still central to our lifestyle?
Points of Worship
Jesus is the center piece of all time and space.
Reconciliation matters to God.
Jesus is providentially in control.