2 Corinthians 2:1-11 Evidence of Your Love

Intro

A couple of years ago I got sucked into reading a crime novel

It was one of the Dan Balducci’s series

I usually read them during the summer or on vacation

It’s a nice escape from the other types of reading that I do every week

In these crime novels, in the midst of all of the intrigue, the detectives are all about uncovering the evidence

You can’t convict someone if the evidence is circumstantial

It has to be rock solid and that often takes a lot of work

Paul talks to the Corinthians about the evidence of his love for them

His love wasn’t just in words but in deeds as well

If detectives were to look at your life would they find evidence of your love for others?

Read 2 Corinthians 2:1-4

Transition

In 1 Corinthians Paul had found out that one of the men in the church was involved in an affair with his stepmom

It was so offensive that even the pagan Corinthians were looking at the church asking “What is going on?”

Yet, the Corinthian church was celebrating in its liberty

Paul chastised the leaders and told them to rebuke the man and if he doesn’t repent kick him out of the church

As you can imagine the guy didn’t take to kindly to what Paul said and he challenged Paul’s leadership

It’s amazing what lengths people will go to to defend their sin

The situation got so bad that Paul made an unscheduled visit to Corinth in hopes of resolving the issue

That went sideways because the man stood up to Paul and the people in the church didn’t say or do anything

He then wrote a painful letter which is what he addresses in vs. 1

We don’t have that letter but we do know that it worked

The man repented

Through this issue we see Paul show the evidence of his love for the people

Love is more than an emotion or feeling, it is an action

Paul shows us eight ways that are evidence of our love for others

I. Show Tough Love vs. 1-2

The first piece of evidence of our love is that we show tough love

Paul had the hard conversation with the Corinthians

He told the leaders to deal with this guy who was living in sin

He wasn’t going to make another painful visit but he did write a painful letter

1 Cor 5:6-7 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed

Sometimes the loving thing to do is to tell people the truth in love

If someone is headed off the path we need to love them enough to have a talk with them in hopes of bringing them back

This guy in Corinth demanding that he get do what he wanted under the guise of liberty was leading the church and its witness astray

Paul had the hard conversation and showed the tough love

Sometimes showing tough love will make things worse

It didn’t go well at the time but the church came around disciplined the guy and they were thankful for Paul

II. Find Joy in Others vs. 3

The second way that we show the evidence of our love is to find joy in others

In spite of the difficulties Paul found great joy in the Corinthians

The church was growing spiritually

Paul had the tough conversation so that when he was around them next time it would be joyous

He looked at all of his churches as a doting father and found great joy in them

1 Thess 2:18-19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

The evidence of your love is you can find joy in others, even if you have problems with them

This isn’t accentuating the postive

It is seeing them as God’s creation and looking at them through the eyes of grace

You won’t be able to do that if you aren’t truthful with them

III. Abundant Love Flows from You vs. 4

The third evidence of your love is that abundant love flows from you

Paul’s love wasn’t conditional with the Corinthians

That is a danger with people who we are not happy with

Paul had abundant love for them because his source of love came from the Holy Spirit

Romans 5:5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

The work of God’s grace should bring peace in your life (vs 1) and then the Holy Spirit then pours God’s love into your heart

That is the love you show to others

1 Cor 13:4,8 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.Love never ends.

Love never ends because you have tapped into an unending source

You may not be happy with a person but you can still show them love

Our love should never be based on our feelings or emotions, but on the love Spirit has put into our hearts

IV. Feel Others Pain vs. 5

The fourth piece of evidence is that you feel others pain

The Corinthians are feeling bad because they caused Paul so much heart ache

There was some fallout due to this wayward guy in the church

The city of Corinth looked at the church with a skeptical eye

A power hungry false apostle seized upon this wayward guys anger and used it to challenge Paul

The church didn’t stand up for Paul and now they were ashamed

Paul turns it around and says he felt bad because of the pain caused to the church

Paul felt more pain for what they were going through than what he was

True love bears others pain

1 Cor 13:7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

You show evidence of your love for others by feeling their pain

V. Forgive & Comfort vs. 6-7

The fifth piece of evidence is that you forgive and comfort

Here is where this story take an interesting turn

This is second Corinthians, but actually the third letter

The issue with the wayward guy has been dealt with

It actually produced some fruit because the guy repented

Now he wants to be part of the church but they are shunning him

It’s not like he has anywhere else to go

There is not a second church in Corinth

He is going to the church services and everyone is ignoring him

Paul tells them to forgive and comfort the guy

Our actions should always be to produce repentance

Once that happens we need to restore them to full fellowship

Colossians 3:12-13 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Forgiveness is hard but so important

It keeps unity in the fellowship and it provides key protection

VI. Reaffirm Your Love vs. 8

The six piece of evidence is that you affirm your love

Paul wanted the church to take the next step and reaffirm their love for this man

When the act of restoration takes place there has to be

VII. Your Obedience is Tested vs. 9

The seventh piece of evidence is that love tests your obedience

VII. Your Forgiveness is Protection vs. 10

The final piece of evidence is that this love protects you from Satan