This is the 17th, and final, message in this series on Paul's second epistle to the church of Corinth. We began studying this epistle in January and, specifically, this last section of Paul’s letter at the end of March. Over the past three weeks we have been considering Paul's defense of his ministry and how that applies to our own ministries. We have considered Paul's call and his credentials. In those messages, we saw how Paul continually pointed the Corinthians to Christ. A truly called minis...
May 24, 2020
This is the 16th message in this series on Paul's second epistle to the church of Corinth; we began studying this last section of Paul's letter at the end of March. Over the past two weeks we have been considering Paul's defense of his ministry and how that applies to our own ministries. We have considered Paul's call and his credentials. In those messages, we saw how Paul continually pointed the Corinthians to Christ. A truly called minister of God would seek to glorify God by guiding those in ...
May 17, 2020
This last section of Paul's second epistle to the Corinthians deals specifically with the affliction that comes with "spiritual warfare." As we seek to serve Christ we will experience opposition. We are told in God's Word that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Eph 6:12) As we have seen, this battle is primarily directed against the g...
May 10, 2020
Approximately one month ago, we began considering this last section of Paul's second epistle to the church of Corinth. This last section deals specifically with the affliction that comes with "spiritual warfare." We are told in God's Word that we "do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Eph 6:12) As we have seen, this battle is primarily dire...
May 03, 2020
This message was presented using Zoom Teleconferencing as the 6th of our "Worship from a Distance" during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Over the past three messages in our study of Paul's 2nd letter to the Corinthians, we have been considering Paul's discussion of spiritual afflictions. The first, and foremost, of these Spiritual Afflictions is the attack upon the Truth of God's Word. In that battle, as Paul reminds the Corinthians, "we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare ...
Apr 26, 2020
This message was presented using Zoom Teleconferencing as the 5th of our "Worship from a Distance" during the COVID-19 Pandemic. In our study of Paul's 2nd letter to the Corinthians, we have been studying Paul's transition into a consideration of spiritual afflictions. Paul is reminding the believers of Corinth that the ultimate war that we are in is a spiritual war. Hence, we do not war according to the flesh. Prior to our week of Prayer and Fasting, we considered the spiritual discipline of fa...
Apr 19, 2020
This message was presented using Zoom Teleconferencing as the 3rd of our "Worship from a Distance" during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Last week, we began focusing on the next section of Paul's 2nd letter to the Corinthians. Throughout the letter, Paul has built his exhortations and encouragements around the central theme of believers living their lives within an atmosphere of afflictions. He began his letter discussing the purpose of afflictions and then sharing from his own life. He then provided en...
Apr 05, 2020
This message was presented using Zoom Teleconferencing as the 2nd of our "Worship from a Distance" during the COVID-19 Pandemic. We have spent the last two Sundays considering the subject of fasting and have spent this past week in a special time of prayer and fasting. As mentioned in those messages, what originally seemed to be hiatus from our series actually was an addition to our series. For today, we come to the portion of Paul's 2nd letter to the Corinthians where he will begin to take on p...
Mar 29, 2020
This message was presented using Zoom Teleconferencing as the 1st of our "Worship from a Distance" during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Last week we began a two-part consideration on the spiritual discipline of fasting. We are considering this topic in preparation for our week of prayer and fasting (this week), and as an extension of the teaching on Spiritual Warfare which we will have from 2 Corinthians 10:1-7, Lord willing, next week. As we saw last week, fasting, in its proper form, is when you abst...
Mar 22, 2020
We have been studying Paul's second epistle to the church of Corinth for the past two months. With our spring week of Prayer and Fasting coming up a week from now, I would like to present a little teaching on the subject of fasting. This is not a commonly taught on topic in the greater church anymore. Yet, it is a discipline that is assumed to be in the life of those who seek YHWH. At first, I considered this teaching to be a break from our teaching in 2 Corinthians, but as I meditated upon it I...
Mar 15, 2020
In the last message, we saw how afflictions reveal our faith. Within the context of that theme, Paul refers to the testimony of the believers in Macedonia who gave great evidence of their faith - in the midst of their affliction - by giving to the needs of the saints in Judea (cf. Romans 15:25-26). This abundant giving was founded on the fact that they had first given of themselves to the Lord. They understood that everything that they owned was actually under His stewardship and for His glory. ...
Mar 08, 2020
In his second epistle to the church of Corinth, Paul has been seeking to encourage the Corinthian believers regarding their position in Christ and the purpose of God as they face afflictions. Through afflictions, we have the opportunity to receive the encouragement of God and, subsequently, to dispense that same encouragement to others who are experiencing afflictions. Afflictions are a means by which we can give testimony to the greatness of our God! With this in mind, Paul transitions his exho...
Mar 01, 2020
In his second epistle to the church of Corinth, Paul has been seeking to encourage the Corinthian believers regarding their position in Christ and the purpose of God as they face afflictions. Through afflictions, we have the opportunity to receive the encouragement of God and, subsequently, to dispense that same encouragement to others who are experiencing afflictions. Afflictions are a means by which we can give testimony to the greatness of our God! Our relationship in Christ should effect how...
Feb 23, 2020
In the midst of Paul's teaching and encouragement to the Corinthian believers regarding dealing with afflictions in this world, he reminds them of their precious relationship with God in Christ. This relationship is a result of God's grace. The grace of God has been defined using the word itself as an acronym: G.R.A.C.E. - God's Riches At Christ's Expense. We see this grace portrayed in the "great exhange" spoken of at the end of chapter 5, "For He (God) made Him (Christ) who knew no sin to be s...
Feb 16, 2020
As we began our study of Paul's second epistle to the church of Corinth, we considered the purpose of affliction in the life of the believer. Through afflictions, we have the opportunity to receive the encouragement of God and, subsequently, to dispense that same encouragement to others who are experiencing afflictions. Afflictions are a means by which we can give testimony to the greatness of our God! Over the past two weeks, we have seen that at the core of "Embracing Afflictions" is the const...
Feb 09, 2020
As we began our study of Paul's second epistle to the church of Corinth, we considered the purpose of affliction in the life of the believer. Through afflictions, we have the opportunity to receive the encouragement of God and, subsequently, to dispense that same encouragement to others who are experiencing afflictions. Hence, rather than seeing trials as the world sees them - as hindrances and enemies to our happiness - we must come to embrace them knowing that our Sovereign God allowed them in...
Feb 02, 2020
As we began our study of 2 Corinthians, we considered Paul's "thesis statement" regarding the purpose of affliction in the life of the believer. Through afflictions, we have the opportunity to receive the encouragement of God and, subsequently, to dispense that same encouragement to others who are experiencing afflictions. Hence, rather than seeing trials as the world sees them - as hindrances and enemies to our happiness - we must come to embrace them knowing that our Sovereign God allowed them...
Jan 26, 2020
Last week, we began studying the second epistle of Paul to the Corinthians. As we began our study, we considered Paul's "thesis statement" regarding the purpose of affliction in the life of the believer. Through afflictions, we have the opportunity to receive the encouragement of God and, subsequently, to dispense that same encouragement to others who are experiencing afflictions. Hence, rather than seeing trials as the world sees them - as hindrances and enemies to our happiness - we must come ...
Jan 19, 2020
In 1981, Rabbi Harold Kushner wrote a book that would go on to be a "Best-Seller". It was called, "When Bad Things Happen to Good People." In his book, Rabbi Kushner debilitates God by reasoning that God does not cause bad things - afflictions - but is, as well, powerless to prevent them. Regardless of the theology of the book, it sparked a debate and conversation regarding the role of affliction in the life of the "righteous." Sadly, the terms "righteous" and "good people" are often defined fro...
Jan 12, 2020
