Sacred Selfie 1

2 Cor 1:3-9

Sermon series about our identity this is not a series intending to help you find yourself.

The Greeks had a saying “Know Thyself”

Americans perfected it.

60s find yourself

Look up the origin of "finding yourself."

Progress to 2 Corinthians

The apostle Paul wrote 2 Corinthians from Macedonia around A.D. 55/56. This was approximately a year after he wrote 1 Corinthians and a year before he wrote his letter to the Romans. This is the fourth letter he had written to the Corinthian church (in addition to 1 Corinthians, see the letters mentioned in 1 Cor. 5:9 and 2 Cor. 2:3–4).

Paul started the Church of Corinth

The church began a carnal rebellion

Paul writes I Corinthians

Paul visits the church (some suggest)

The church response with a letter (some suggest)

Writes 2 Corinthians

Part l - Reconciliation

Paul will not just come and shake hands. There is a way of thinking that alludes the saints of Corinth. So this letter is Paul pushing the upside down thinking of the Kingdom.

Open illustration: use selfie mode Vs panorama setting.

This upside down of looking at this life is new to disciples. Remember the call of Matthew 5:3-10

Matthew 5:3–10 KJV 1900

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Not thinking the way God does was a major part of Pauls correction in l Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 3:1–3 KJV 1900

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Paul will illustrate a disciples view of what God is doing.

Our everything starts with Christ.

The person of consolation and comfort (1:1–3)

Paul describes the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as “the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us.”

God is Orienting our life to dependence on Christ.

The purpose of consolation and comfort (1:4–5)

The root (1:5): The more we suffer, the more God comforts us.

The fruit (1:4): The more he comforts us, the more we can comfort others.

Expound:

God is equipping us in our experiences to benefit others.

The pattern of consolation and comfort (1:6–7): Paul offers his own experiences as an example of this tremendous principle.

Watch the pattern

Vs 9-10

Here is how the Christian finds an identity.

We meet what God seams fit for us to face.

We see him work

We identify with his work

Hey Paul your gonna die in Asia.

Well consider me dead. Your lookin at a dead man.

Hey Paul you didn’t die, Yeah but I have a death sentence anyways.

What we find a lot of believers doing.

God humbles them and works on them.

In the area of:

Sacrifice

Service

Sanctification

Love

peace

joy

Patience

Self control

Six moths later they live as if they learned nothing. They live as if they’ve never see God move heaven and earth to help them.

They need a job. He gives them jobs. They aren’t praying anymore they aren’t going to church reading the book or in the church building prayer partners. They forgot the lesson God taught them.

Why because they don’t see themselves as the one who depends on God. They are manager of arbys or the cashier at such and such.

Paul would’ve said, I’m not the president of fill-in the blank. He would said, I’m fully leaning on Jesus. Because he lived the life of an upside down Disciple.

Part 2 -