Untitled Sermon (2)

Background

written around 56 AD (between 54-58) about a year or so after 1 Corinthians.

We believe this is the 3 and perhaps 4th letter to the church in Corinth that Paul wrote - we don’t know but there is some manuscript evidence that this may be two letters lumped together at a later date. There is another missing letter that Paul refers back to but we don’t have it.

We discussed some of the timeline that we should review again.

Paul hears about some things happening in the church and writes to them to correct some issues. He is sending Timothy to deal with those issues and represent him. timothy comes back to Paul and says things are worse, so Paul changes his plans and leaves for Corinth at once and there is a deeply heated exchange. Paul then leaves and instead send Titus. Titus goes either with a letter or after another letter and starts to smooth things over and reports back to Paul, but there are still some issues in the Church. Namely he is once again being challenged in his apostleship and authority by some Judaizers who were beginning to have influence in the church and so Paul sends this correspondence to once again deal with the issue.

This time is different from the last time in that Paul dealt with his authority to some degree but was really dealing with the arrogance and self-centeredness of the congregation. So Paul was trying to build unity within the body by promoting selflessness. Not to mention the people who had been speaking out against Paul were within the congregation and we may have a glimpse as to who the rabble rouser was to an extent by some comments of Paul in 2 Corinthians but now Paul’s authority is being challenged by Judaizers. They were challenging his authority based on their “jewish” credentials but also because he had suffered so much, and if you suffer that much then God must be punishing you.

So Paul is appealing to this congregation to be united with Him and trust him and his apostolic authority.

He also spends some time talking about an offering that they said they would collect (1 Corinthians) but had not followed through)

English Standard Version Chapter 1

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is a classic opening for Paul.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

In these 5 verses Paul begins to lay out an argument in favor of his Apostolic authority, but also an argument against the basic foundation of what he deemed as an inappropriate understanding of suffering.

Just in these few verses Paul says the word “comfort” 10 times and suffering/afflicted in 7 times and they are used comparatively. When things are repeated and compared, that typically means they are important.

So Paul’s first salvo into corrective language is to get them on board with the idea that suffering does not disqualify his Apostolic authority nor does it mean that anyone is less of a believer than anyone else.

So here is is wearing his suffering as a badge of honor.

We see what Paul often shares as a part of his value system, that when we suffer for the Gospel we are sharing or modeling Christ’s suffering and in that we can take comfort because ultimately his suffering has brought us comfort and our suffering is to bring that same comfort to others

English Standard Version Chapter 1

8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Paul then elaborates on some recent suffering that he and his companions have faced. But while testifying of God’s provision he, even if unintentionally or not, encourages other believers who are suffering for the Gospel that God is faithful to deliver.

We do see in verse 8 an example of being oppressed to the point of despair. I think we always have the picture of Paul and Silas in the prison worshipping and we should because it happened. But we also need to understand that these were very human people and they despaired.

That word exaporeo means to be in doubt to lose ones composure. They thought they were going to die. Later in 2 Corinthians we will see how much Paul has endured up to this point. But Paul did face despair and doubt.

And that feeling, that emotion led them to a place of complete submission.

This is incredibly important for us to keep in mind. That there are moments in our life that God will use that are very unpleasant. He will use these moments to draw us closer to him. And for Paul he counted it as God’s faithfulness because it ultimately caused Paul to come to complete submission in God’s sovereignty.

The New International Version Chapter 1

12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity w and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace. 13 For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, 14 as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Paul is addressing some accusations about his character here. Everything is focused on verse 13. Paul is essentially saying that he has been straightforward and clear with the Corinthian church, implying that there was accusations about him being a bit dodgy, cryptic, unclear, in his letters to them. But Paul is assuring them that his conscience is clear. He has been straight forward.

This may have stemmed from him changing his plans and coming to them sooner than they were prepared - this is all conjecture on my part. But at the end of 1 Corinthians Paul made clear his plans and why. He was collecting an offering but didn’t want to collect it when he came so he was giving them some time. But because of what was happening in the Church, he came earlier than expected and so there may have been some criticism that stated that Paul says one thing but does another so you can’t trust him. Paul’s response was listen, I didn’t make that decision lightly or flippantly. Just as Christ is true to his word, so are Paul and his companions.

So he came sooner then left and hadn’t come back which hadn’t gone unnoticed to the church.

The New International Version Chapter 1

23 I call God as my witness—and I stake my life on it—that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. 24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.

2 So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3 I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.

Then he explains why he made the change and that was for their benefit. Because Paul was so angry and didn’t want to deal with them harshly or make matters worse so he stayed away.

This is where we see that his last visit didn’t go very well and there was a blow up of some sort. And Paul wrote a letter instead (this is the missing letter that we talked about). But it had been taken in a way that it wasn’t intended.

The New International Version Chapter 2

5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

This is where we see, potentially, what happened. What we think is that this man had a blow up with Paul and was actively working against him to the point where he needed to be disciplined.

Paul, however is saying that listen I am fine, but I know that it hurt all of you as well because they opposed what he (the man who was causing all the trouble) was doing.

Paul is saying your opposition is enough punishment, it’s time to let it go and forgive him. Love him, welcome him into the community , restore him. When you forgive him, I forgive him and when I forgive him I do so because of the redemptive work of Christ and for your benefit so that Satan will not divide us with his schemes.