Satan's Design vs Jesus' Triumph
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Welcome & release Kids
Review
Paul & Corinth
Sweet fruit through suffering
Comfort - received and given
Understanding and application of the gospel empowers reconciliation when we experience conflict with a believer
Our theology (what we believe about God) impacts our practice (how we relate to one another in community)
This is coming into a clearer and clearer focus as we move through this letter
Transition
Satan has a plan, an intentionally designed strategy for the church in Corinth, and by extension, gospel communities like ours as well.
At the same time, has already provided the victory - BUT WILL WE...
Walk in the procession of God's triumphant victory
OR will we foolishly assume immunity and in ignorance to those designs, fall prey to Satan’s schemes?
This is the question and consequence facing us this morning in today's passage?
READ PASSAGE
SATAN’S DESIGNS
SATAN’S DESIGNS
PAIN &PUNISHMENT
PAIN &PUNISHMENT
CONTEXT
older commentaries tend to say -
A Man sleeping with his Mom or Stepmom
Pays Says, “And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.”
Modern scholars day this was someone who has opposed Paul during his visit
regardless
Someone was in the wrong
there was division
Church discipline was exercised
PAIN
The pain of division and disunity exist
the challenge is then addressing the sin
The pain of addressing sin
Pain in exercising church discipline
SATAN’S DESIGNS: DIVISION AMONG COMMUNITY (HOW?)
steal, kill, and destroy
Lacking Love - (what does it mean to reaffirm our love (feeling and action)
Thoughts on church discipline...
Lacking Comfort (same word…)
PUNISHMENT
PUNISHMENT
Past definition...
Church discipline
PUNISHMENT
by the majority
That means there was also a minority - not perfect unity (idealized view vs reality)
They cannot celebrate the Lord’s table together
They cannot worship together
SATAN’S DESIGN: COMPLACENT TOWARD SIN
Allowing sin to exist within the community to go unaddressed is harmful to the whole.
We cannot comfort our sin and expect purity in the body
Imagine you’re making some homemade bread. You’ve made the dough and what to knead it on the counter but you see that the counter is dirty. The cat knocked over a potted plant and its covered in soil and leaves.
You decide it doesn’t really matter so you begin kneading the dough on top of the dirt and the soil works it way throughout the dough.
You bake the bread and serve it to your family. Thoughts on their response.
The same ridiculous scenario is true when we leave sin unaddressed within the body and bride of Jesus and present her to the world.
PURPOSE
Restoration, not sides
Forgive and Comfort
Reaffirm your love - turn toward them
Is there love? Does an outward expression match the inward conviction of love toward a brother who once was wrong?
This isn't like just telling your kids - say your sorry, now tell them you love them...
Not overwhelmed, not alone
SATAN’S DESIGNS: Isolation of weak Christian (HOW?)
Unforgiveness
Lacking Love - (what does it mean to reaffirm our love (feeling and action)
Lacking Comfort (same word…)
Past definition… not just that everything is going to be OK
BUT… genuine help, support, concern, drawing alongside
Leaving people isolated with excessive sorrow
APPLICATION
1) Be Alert- Don't incorrectly assume you or we are somehow immune to the devil’s schemes
2) Address Sin- Let us not allow sin, wrongfully assuming one one persons willful sin won't impact the whole
3) Restore the Repentant - Don't turn your back on th mode who are walking in repentance
4) Cary one another's burdens- even when that burden may have been self-inflected but there is now repentance
RESTORATION
RESTORATION
Turn toward:
Forgive and Comfort
Not overwhelmed, not alone
How?
Reaffirm your love
Is there love? Does an outward expression match the inward conviction of love toward a brother who once was wrong?
Why? …
Satan has a design for us. A plan for our community. He has a strategy in motion.
Are we being outwitted or wise?
Are we ignorant or aware of his designs?
SATAN’S DESIGN
SATAN’S DESIGN
COMPLACENT TOWARD SIN
Allowing sin to exist within the community to go unaddressed is harmful to the whole.
We cannot comfort our sin and expect purity in the body
Imagine you’re making some homemade bread. You’ve made the dough and what to knead it on the counter but you see that the counter is dirty. The cat knocked over a potted plant and its covered in soil and leaves.
You decide it doesn’t really matter so you begin kneading the dough on top of the dirt and the soil works it way throughout the dough.
You bake the bread and serve it to your family. Thoughts on their response.
The same ridiculous scenario is true when we leave sin unaddressed within the body and bride of Jesus and present her to the world.
DIVISION AMONG COMMUNITY
Unforgiveness
Lacking Love - (what does it mean to reaffirm our love (feeling and action)
Lacking Comfort (same word…)
Past definition...
ISOLATED WITH EXCESSIVE SORROW
We are crushed as we try to carry the weigh on our own.
PAUL’S TRAVEL
PAUL’S TRAVEL
WHAT I WANT TO SAY
WHAT I WANT TO SAY
In these 2
I want to say...
Paul wanted to stay in Troas but after praying and discernment the Lord led Paul to continue traveling to Macedonia.
Paul laid aside his feelings and followed God’s leading
WHAT THE TEXT SAYS
WHAT THE TEXT SAYS
God opened the door
Paul kept going because he had unrest in his heart because his friend wasn't there so he kept going
The answer: I don't know
And maybe that is even more comforting considering the next verses - and considering my own experiences
Because...
I’ve struggled to discern God’s direction - I tried to make the best decision - do we travel today when bandits have been reported, do we return to Chad, do we take that job in Orlando, do we buy this home or that one… the list goes on and on
then I would wonder - what if I made the wrong decision - will Good still be with me. Will his still bless our family.
QUESTIONING OUR DECISIONS
QUESTIONING OUR DECISIONS
The answer: I don't know
And maybe that is even more comforting considering the next verses - and considering my own experiences
Because...
I’ve struggled to discern God’s direction - I tried to make the best decision - do we travel today when bandits have been reported, do we return to Chad, do we take that job in Orlando, do we buy this home or that one… the list goes on and on
then I would wonder - what if I made the wrong decision - will Good still be with me. Will his still bless our family.
Real Life - we relate in our own experiences and then we keep reading...
Paul felt uneasy… But (contrasts) thanks be to God...
Who in Christ always leads us...
God remains in control, fully powerful, maintaining full authority over our lives and the world, regardless of our decisions.
Jesus continues to go before Paul, leading Paul,
Even though Good has opened the door in Troas, and Paul decided to continue in to Macedonia.
God went before Paul, led Paul - no abandonment, no lightening bolt our big fish
There was no willful disobedience
NOT ONLY THAT, but also...
JESUS’ TRIUMPH
JESUS’ TRIUMPH
But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.
GOD’S OPEN DOOR vs PAUL’S SPIRIT
God is sovereign and directs our steps
2 cor. 2:14
TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION (Historical)
TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION (Historical)
Initially during my study, I quickly passed over a very important phrase that really helps us understand the whole context… TRIUMPHANT PROCESSION
Cultural term - following a major battle and victory. Think of the biggest parade you can imagine (Marti Gras, Macy’s, SuperBowl Winners, etc)
Everything in the parade was meant to bring glory to the triumphant victor
General
He would be would be on a chariot that was pulled by horses.
All sorts of things would be on display to show the significance of the victory
Parade & Parts
Booty & Captives
Wagon loads of treasure from the land that was just conquered
Heaps of the armour from the opposing army
Captives would chained and enslaved walking behind the victorious general. These would be soldiers and the opposing army’s generals. They would be chained the chariot of the general.
Roman soldiers would be singing songs making fun of the general
Sounds strange but it was suppose to keep him humble so the gods didn’t get jealous and kill him
People would be carrying painting of the defeated the city or of the battle feeds.
Freed Slaves
Sometimes there would be thousands of the freed captives. Roman citizens who we freed and now brought back to Rome.
10-15 years
Burning Incense
Hundreds of people would be in the parade, directly preceeding the victorious general, carrying incense.
Ancient Historian, Appian, wrote, “Next came a lot of incense bearers, and after them the general himself on a chariot embellished with various designs, wearing a crown of gold and precious stones. “
Fragrance of Life to those who have been freed
Fragrance of death to those taken captive
For others - the fragrance of death
TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION (Spiritual)
TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION (Spiritual)
Paul is drawing on this imagery, depicting himself as an incense bearer and he proclaims Jesus as victor.
Jesus is the victor
Paul is being led through the world under the victorious banner of Jesus.
Parade for the glory of God as believers walk through life
Were are the burning incense - loving sacrifice - burning for the sake of his name
“Through us spread the Fragrance”
“We are the aroma of Christ”
The aroma is not just something we carry with us - namely thinking the gospel message
We are the aroma - a people who have been changed, Transformed, freed from the captivity of sin, by Jesus.
The gospel is news - you are a living witness of the gospel’s reality
As you go through life...
As you walk through open doors
OR keep walking because of unrest in your heart
through it all, Jesus leads you in triumphal procession
HOW DO YOU SMELL?
HOW DO YOU SMELL?
Who is sufficient for these things? - ANSWER: NO ONE
Do you feel overwhelmed - what do I smell like?
Do I smell like Jesus or do I have some worldly body odor going on
Do I need to shower, act better, be better, do more
The application is NOT - go be a better person so you smell like Jesus, wear the WWJD bracelet and t-shirt while listening to 88.3
It's is immeasurably more and impossible on our own. This is an impossible task
HAVING THE AROMA OF Christ is a byproduct, not something we manage.
Homes have a smell and my kids love the smell of their grandparents house - not because it smells a particular way but it reminds them of being loved and cared for in ways that are only possible from their grandparents.
They gave us a bed from their house along with some sheets and the kids jumped on our bed to smell it
My mom didn't spray anything special on those sheets - it is just the culmination of who they are
SO IT IS WITH JESUS -
Spend enough time with him
Walk with him
Sit use his teaching
Talk like him
Allow him to clothe you in his righteousness
Feed you his teaching
Walk where he leads and do what he instructs
before you know it- you start smelling like Jesus - smelling like like his house
You start to smell like the good news we proclaim - people say something is different - they notice
For some - this smells like life, freedom, comfort and they want to draw near
Others -this smells like death, judgement, discomfort so they lash out or run away
SMELLS FADE
Our bed doesn't smell like my parents house any more
Time and distance - now the smell is gone
Christians sometimes experience the same thing
PEDDLERS vs. SINCERITY
Peddlers
Self-seeking
Personal profits - preach for money, a paycheck
Mainly, these are people who treat Jesus’ work on the cross as a means to their own end.
Men of Sincerity
meaning of the word - sun's heat, I judge
People who have been purified by the work of Jesus -
SINNERS - to win Good did not turn his back, but he turned toward them in love
MERCY - God did not give us the punishment of death that we deserved. Rather, God placed on Jesus the punishment of God's searing and consuming wrath, till Jesus uttered his final words, “IT IS FINISHED!” Payment was satisfied
GRACE - converting us in the perfect righteousness of Jesus, a righteousness we did not deserve and did not earn
Sincere & Saturated
Commissioned by God
In the sight of God
In Christ
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
BEHOLD
BEHOLD
Who does God claim to be in the triumphant procession?
Jesus is triumphant
The gospel changes us
This should impact our lives
REFLECT
REFLECT
How does God’s triumph impact the way you treat Christians who are walking in repentance after significant sins?
We can forgive repentant sinners
What does it mean for you to be the fragrance of Jesus to God?
We can trust the God leads us
We can trust the God leads us
We smell like Jesus
MEMORIZE
MEMORIZE
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.