reflections on the church & suffering © john stevenson, 2010

Reflections on the Church & Suffering

© John Stevenson, 2010

The Question of The Question of SufferingSuffering

• Why does God allow it?Why does God allow it?

• What is to be the Christian’s What is to be the Christian’s attitude toward suffering?attitude toward suffering?

• How does Paul develop this How does Paul develop this theme in 2theme in 2ndnd Corinthians? Corinthians?

Defending the FaithDefending the Faith

The Second Epistle to the The Second Epistle to the CorinthiansCorinthians

• The most biographical of all of The most biographical of all of Paul’s writings.Paul’s writings.

• This epistle is written some time This epistle is written some time after 1after 1stst Corinthians. Some of the Corinthians. Some of the problems in that first epistle had problems in that first epistle had been settled; some still remained.been settled; some still remained.– The legitimacy of Paul’s apostleship The legitimacy of Paul’s apostleship

had been brought into question.had been brought into question.– Another collection for the church in Another collection for the church in

Jerusalem.Jerusalem.

Occasions for the EpistleOccasions for the Epistle• Paul explains why he has not

returned to Corinth (1:15 – 2:4).• Restoration of a repentant

believer (2:5-11).• Encouragement to complete an

offering for the church in Jerusalem (8-9).

• To affirm his apostleship and teachings which have come under attack.

Personal Practical Personal

Chapters 1-7Chapters 1-7

A presentation of Paul’s apostolic ministry

Chapters 8-9Chapters 8-9 Chapters 10-13Chapters 10-13

An encouragement

of the Corinthians’

financial ministry

A defense of Paul’s apostolic

ministry

Outline of 2Outline of 2ndnd Corinthians Corinthians

Introduction (1:1-11)

Travel Plans: Why Paul didn’t come to Corinth (1:12 - 2:13)

Presentation of Paul’s Apostolic Ministry(2:14 - 7:16)

Collection of a Love Gift for the JerusalemChurch (8-9)

Defense of Paul’s Apostolic Ministry(10:1 - 12:10)

Travel Plans: Paul’s upcoming tripto Corinth (12:11 - 13:10)

Conclusion (13:11-14)

2 Corinthians 1:3-42 Corinthians 1:3-4Blessed be the God and

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 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.

2 Corinthians 1:8-102 Corinthians 1:8-10 8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; 9 indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves in order that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; 10 who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us…

2 Corinthians 2:1-32 Corinthians 2:1-31 But I determined this for my

own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again. 2 For if I cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful?

3 And this is the very thing I wrote you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy would be the joy of you all.

2 Corinthians 2:42 Corinthians 2:4For out of much affliction and

anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not that you should be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.

2 Corinthians 2:6-82 Corinthians 2:6-86 Sufficient for such a one is this

punishment which was inflicted by the majority, 7 so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, lest somehow such a one be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

8 Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.

2 Corinthians 2:14-162 Corinthians 2:14-1614 But thanks be to God, who

always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

15 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?

2 Corinthians 2:172 Corinthians 2:17For we are not like many,

peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.

2 Corinthians 3:1-32 Corinthians 3:1-31 Are we beginning to commend

ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you?

2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.

2 Corinthians 3:4-62 Corinthians 3:4-64 And such confidence we have

through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Old CovenantOld Covenant

The letterThe letter

New CovenantNew Covenant

The SpiritThe Spirit

Tablets of stoneTablets of stone Tablets of human Tablets of human heartshearts

The letter killsThe letter kills The Spirit gives lifeThe Spirit gives life

If the ministry of the If the ministry of the death, in letters death, in letters engraved on stones, engraved on stones, came with glory…came with glory…

How shall the ministry How shall the ministry of the Spirit fail to be of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?even more with glory?

2 Corinthians 3:12-132 Corinthians 3:12-13Having therefore

such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, 13 and are not as Moses, who used to put a veil over his face that the sons of Israel might not look intently at the end of what was fading away.

2 Corinthians 3:14-162 Corinthians 3:14-1614 But their minds were hardened;

for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.

15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; 16 but whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

2 Corinthians 3:17-182 Corinthians 3:17-1817 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and

where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:3-52 Corinthians 4:3-53 And even if our gospel is veiled,

it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake.

2 Corinthians 5:102 Corinthians 5:10For we must all

appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

2 Corinthians 5:112 Corinthians 5:11Therefore knowing

the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.

2 Corinthians 5:202 Corinthians 5:20Therefore, we are

ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 8:1-22 Corinthians 8:1-2Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, 2 that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.

Macedonia

● Corinth

2 Corinthians 8:6-72 Corinthians 8:6-76 Consequently we urged Titus

that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well. 7 But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.

2 Corinthians 8:8-92 Corinthians 8:8-98 I am not speaking this as a

command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

2 Corinthians 9:6-72 Corinthians 9:6-76 Now this I say, he who sows

sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully.

7 Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:8-92 Corinthians 9:8-98 And God is able to make all

grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as it is written, "He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness abides forever."

2 Corinthians 9:10-112 Corinthians 9:10-1110 Now He who supplies seed to

the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 10:12-132 Corinthians 10:12-1312 For we are not bold to class or

compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. 13 But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you.

2 Corinthians 11:2-32 Corinthians 11:2-32 For I am jealous for you with a

godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.

3 But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:42 Corinthians 11:4For if one comes and preaches

another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.

2 Corinthians 12:1-22 Corinthians 12:1-21 Boasting is necessary, though it

is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- such a man was caught up to the third heaven.

2 Corinthians 12:3-52 Corinthians 12:3-53 And I know how such a man--

whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows-- 4 was caught up into Paradise, and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.

5 On behalf of such a man will I boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.

2 Corinthians 12:7-82 Corinthians 12:7-87 And because of the surpassing

greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me-- to keep me from exalting myself!

8 Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

2 Corinthians 12:9-102 Corinthians 12:9-109 And He has said to me, “My

grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Look through these epistles Look through these epistles and look for principles on…and look for principles on…

Groups 3 & 4Groups 1 & 2

The Purity of the Church

The Unity of the Church

What happens when a church What happens when a church moves to one extreme or the moves to one extreme or the

other?other?

Unity Purity

reflections on the church & suffering © john stevenson, 2010

Documents

pauls writings

pauls upcoming tripto

travel plans

paul didnt

love gift

father of mercies

question of sufferingwhy

sentence of death