In this day and age, many people are “deconstructing” their faith.  Entire podcasts (garnering huge audiences) are detailing the negative impact that abusive church leadership has had on the faith of a generation.  Almost every day you can open a newspaper or scan social media and find evidence of another awful situation that has played out in a church.

We must first admit that though we have a perfect God and an amazing Savior, the church is an imperfect place, because it is made up of sinful people like you and me.  Everything from grievous sins and abuses (on one end of the spectrum) to unwise decision-making (on the other) can creep into churches and impact their congregants in profound ways.

But why are the decisions of church leaders and their responses to these sinful situations so impactful on their congregants?  And why should church leaders be held to such a high moral and ethical standard (if all sin and fall short of the glory of God)?  This is the subject of 2 Corinthians 1:12 – 2:4.  In these verses, the Apostle Paul addresses a few complaints he has received from the Corinthian Church … complaints that apparently led some in Corinth to believe that Paul was unfit to be an Apostle or a spiritual leader.  Some Corinthians were complaining that Paul was flaky, non-committal, hard to understand, too worldly, and too harsh.  That is quite a string of accusations against the man who God used to write half of the New Testament!  

Rather than just ignoring these criticisms, or squishing the Corinthians with his apostolic authority, Paul was compelled to lovingly and pastorally address them.  Why?  Because if people could not trust the messenger, why would they trust his Message?  So Paul addresses their concerns over 16 verses … the same 16 verses we are going to be looking at in our sermon this Sunday at Wildwood Community Church.

As we continue to talk about how God is preparing us for the mission He has called us to (in part two of our “Mission: Prep” series), we will see the importance of integrity and motivation in our connections with others.  Hope to see you Sunday at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 … and bring friends!

On Sunday, January 8, 2023 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 1:1-11.  This message was part 1 in the “Mission: Prep” sermon series.  Below you will find questions related to this message for personal reflection or group discussion.  You will also find the sermon audio/video to listen to/watch, download, or share.

Sermon Questions:

1. Pray
2. Read 2 Corinthians 1:1-11
3. Do you have an example from your life where a time of “loss” prepared you to help someone else in the future?
4. Paul talks about the people in Corinth as “the church of God” and “saints.”  Given what we know of their struggles and behavior (from 1 Corinthians) how does this help you understand the grace of God toward you and me (who also have lots of struggles)?
5. What are some examples of general affliction you are experiencing right now … or even “suffering” right now you might be experiencing because of your connection with Jesus Christ?  What are some ways “the Father of mercy and all comfort” is caring for you in this season of your life?
6. How are you relying upon the “God of reality” not just the God of a textbook of theology today in the midst of your struggles?
7. Who in your life is struggling right now that God may want to use you to administer comfort (through your presence, encouragement, and prayer)?  What is one thing you can do this week for this person to encourage them?
8. Using 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 as a model, take some time praying for a brother or sister in Christ the the Lord has laid on your heart (who is experiencing difficulty).  After you pray for them, send them a note of encouragement today, letting them know you are praying for them.
9. What is one particular application you took away from this passage/message?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

 

To listen offline, click the link to download:

Mission: Prep #1 1.8.23

 

To listen online, use the media player below

 

To watch the service, use YouTube online:

 

 

What is the difference between “money lost” and “tuition paid”? 

I am not sure where I first heard this analogy, but it is not original to me.  It contrasts money that is flushed down the drain, and a payment that is made to learn something new.  In my life, I have paid tuition at the University of Oklahoma for my undergrad, and at Dallas Theological Seminary for both my Masters and Doctoral degrees.  In total, tens of thousands of dollars were invested in tuition at these institutions … but that money was not “lost.”  My experiences both places helped grow me more into the person I am today.  

So to summarize, when we “pay tuition” we may lose money, but we gain an education/“preparation for future impact” in return.

The point of the comparison, though, is not simply to reflect on formalized education.  The point of the comparison is that in life, we often learn a lot through painful experiences.  Painful and costly experiences can actually prepare us for something more.

While I don’t remember where I first heard the “tuition vs. loss” analogy, I DO remember where I learned that “experience prepares us for service.”  I learned that from 2 Corinthians 1:1-11.  In these verses, the Apostle Paul writes to his friends at the church in Corinth and instructs them that when we go through difficult circumstances … when we suffer … when we experience “loss” … the God of ALL COMFORT comes to us and comforts us.  Not only does He comfort us, but He has designed His comfort to be portable – that we might share it with others going through similar circumstances.

The suffering we go through is not loss, but tuition.  The comfort we receive is not intended to be only for us, but to flow through us into the lives of others.

God is not a God who is distant and uncaring.  He is the Father of all comfort and mercy, and He comes near to the brokenhearted and the hurting.  He did so in the time of the Bible, and He will do so today.

This Sunday at Wildwood, we will begin a year long study of the book of 2 Corinthians.  This study will help us understand the Mission we are on … and who is in Control of that mission.  From January 8-22, we will kick off this study looking at “Mission: Prep,” how God prepares us for the Mission He wants to work through us in the world.  This preparation involves a calibration of our motivations and attitudes, a willingness to extend forgiveness to those who have hurt us, and (in this week’s message) how God prepares us to comfort others through the comfort He gives to us in the midst of our troubles.  We will be in part 1 this week looking at 2 Corinthians 1:1-11.  Hope to see you there in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 service … and bring friends!