Introduction: Are you discouraged today?

 

 The Promises of God [34:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this passage, Paul defends his decision to not visit the Corinthians, as planned and appeals to a key concept about the promises of God.

Explanation of Paul’s decision:

Explanation of God’s Promises:

A Few Promises:

• John 4:14: “But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst,.  But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
• John 11:25: “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me. Though he may die, he shall live.”
• Acts 1:11: “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into Heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into Heaven.”  Angel at the ascension of Jesus
• Romans 8:28: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose.
• Romans 8:37: Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us
• I Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
• Hebrews 4:1: There since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.
• James 1:12: Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
• 1 Peter 1:3-4: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through tthe resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.
• I Peter 5:7: Casting all your care upon Him, for He care for you.
• 2 Peter 1:3: As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.

Introduction: Acts 18 - the account of Paul’s time in the city of Corinth.  God commands Paul to speak: ““Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, or I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”

2 Cor 1:12 - For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.

 

 Paul''s Conduct [25:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“The Testimony of our Conscience”

“Simplicity”

“Godly Sincerity”

“Not BY fleshly wisdom but BY the Grace of God”

Conclusion: “Why do we do when we fail?”

Gossip is on the rise in our country - that is a fact. We can see it in the News media and talk shows. The faster information can spread, the more we see Gossip. While our world does that, we should not fall under the World’s influence and therefore need to practice God’s type of speech. This treatment is short, but powerful and builds the framework for our speech. The verses quotes are only a few of the many Bible verses of this most important topic. I know that I fail in this area far too often, so may the LORD help me practice Good speech.

Three principles of speech:

Speak Truth:
Exodus 20:16 - You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor
Ephesians 4:25 - Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

• What is your standard for truth?
  
• How does it compare to God’s?

God’s standard is two or three witnesses, if you have not met that standard, then you need to be careful how you present the facts of a case. This one eliminates almost all forms of gossip. Keep in mind, three sources who are all secondhand from the same primary source is not two or three witness to the real event. Two or three people who saw the actual events is the standard. We ought to always practice God’s standard.

Speak Love:
Ephesians 4:15: Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is Christ

• Is your speech done in love: both to the hearer and the one it is about?

It should be your goal to only speak in love and for love. This means that you have good intentions toward the person you are speaking about. The truth does hurt, but it can still be present in the Love of the Christ.

Speak edification:
Ephesians 4:29: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

• How is your speech building up the hearer and the one it is about?
• What part of edification does the hear have toward the one you are speaking about?
  

Word can do much destroying - it is so easy to harm with your words. Instead, we - as believers in Christ - should be wholly committed to building other and ourselves up. There are times when we seek help on behalf of someone else, and therefore might share something sensitive about that person. Seeking advice is one thing, hurting the reputation of another as the goal is a problem.

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 The Hope of Comfort [28:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Introduction: The Battle for Iwo Jima

Paul’s Hope, verse 7: Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

Paul’s Struggle: verse 8: or we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.

Paul’s Reliance: verses 9-10: 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. 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.

Paul’s Plea: verse 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.

I love the psalms for the vast encouragement they give to almost every single area of life. In this Psalm, it starts with these words of encouragement: “The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!” It surprises me in life, that I often fail to stop and think about the Lord reigning. I forget to think as the winds of trouble blow that our LORD is reigning. He is in charge - there is nothing outside His control. I like to put myself into these shoes: how would I behave before the president of the United States? Would I come before this mere man with trembling? While we might want to think otherwise, his office would almost dictate that we have a sense of respect and awe to him. How rare is it to come before the president? How many men and women have come before His presence? I would suggest that the office of our God - as one “enthroned upon the cherubim” ought to stop us in our tracks more often than it does. When life’s troubles come, we should tremble before His throne - not wail and complain at Him, which I so often do.

The psalmist encourages the people of God to a Holy fear by suggesting that even the earth - this solid planet of ours - will quake before Him. We ought to quake before Him as well. Think of how you prepared for your last worship service with God. I know that the last several weeks my mind has been assailed by thought of doubt and worry. I was about to go in to the presence of God and yet I was more concerned about other things. I should have been mediating on the greatest, awe and holiness of my Great LORD.

In the story of the resurrection of Lazarus (John 11), Christ makes an extremely profound statement: “roll away the stone”. The complaint comes, “but he stinks”. Here those gathered had such troubling doubts and worries - as I think we all would - that they took their eyes away from God and complained about the circumstances. Christ’s answer humbles me: “Did I not tell you that you would see the Glory of God if you believed?” Wow - what a statement! Christ is reminding them that the Lord is reigning. He says, “I’m in charge here - trust me.” In my life, I need to remember that when it is the darkest the Glory of God’s power shines the brightest. I feel unfit to the task before me and I think that is just how God wants it - so that He receives all the glory. That’s right how things ought to be - “Let the peoples tremble.”

Today, my young daughter taught me something. I forgot to apply the story of Abraham as I should have to my own heart. I taught her and some other young kids the story of Abraham’s call by God, back when his name was still Abram. You know the story - Genesis 12:1 says “now the LORD said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you . . .’

As I taught the kids, I pointed out the Abram had to leave everything behind by the command of God to go to a land, that was not yet his. God promised him many things: kids, fame, a nation, and the land. Yet before he received any of that, Abram obeyed and trusted in God to delivered His promises. What an amazing picture of God’s plan for his people today!

Christ tells his disciples to be willingly to forshake all and fellow Him. He tells us our reward will be great in Heaven. He tells us He has gone to prepare a place for us. He tells us we are part of God’s nation. Yet how many times do we begin to worry and fret about THIS life? I know that I do too many times. It was my daughter in the car that brought all of this out. She spoke about Jesus coming to take us to Heaven, the crown that He will gives us, and that someone else we be able to live in our (earthly) house. Her theology isn’t prefect, but boy did what she say affect me.

She’s right - someone very likely will live in my house after I’m gone. The house I’ll then have is going to be much, much better. The joy of Christ’s presence will be far better than anything that I can image. Life is to be lived for Christ, not for goods. May God grant me - and all His people - a view of this life like Abraham - let’s leave all to follow after Christ.

O to have the faith of a child!

Text: 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 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. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

The Paul, having just written a very difficult rebuke to the Church at Corinthians, praises God for the comfort He has bought. He develops for us a mini-theology on comfort in the most beautiful language.

The consider of this passage leads us to three applicaitons:

• Importance of need for unity for comfort (Phil 2)
• To think of others as comfort
• Give attention to a means of comfort

Text: Matthew 19:23-30

Two Questions from the Disciples

1. Who can be saved?

All things are possible with God

Lesson: Our focus should not be on riches - which are a burrden

2. What shall we have?

Many blessings in the life to come

Lesson: It is not loss to give up earthly things for Christ

Conclusion: The Rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)