The exercise of love and compassion can sometimes require decisions and actions on our part that are quite difficult and painful, for us as well as for those we care about. Rarely are they understood or appreciated at the time, and almost never are we given any assurance or guarantee of a positive outcome. That is simply the nature of tough love. The evolving crisis in the church at Corinth had forced Paul to make a difficult change of plans and take painful actions, that had opened the door to both harsh criticism from his opponents and misunderstanding from those he cared for. In 2 Corinthians 2:1-13, Paul defends that change of plans as being what can only be described as “A Severe Mercy”, as he shares the difficult but redemptive reason and purpose for why God had clearly and specifically redirected him.
Author Archive for Jill Chan – Page 24
The power leaders, angling for control of the Corinthian church, had taken direct aim at Paul. In a concerted effort to undermine his spiritual authority, they had raised a number of serious questions and concerns about his credibility and the legitimacy of his calling. One of which had zeroed in on Paul’s change of itinerary regarding his long-anticipated return trip to Corinth, which they suggested was clear evidence of his duplicity and insincerity. In responding to their criticism, Paul gives us a rare, inside glimpse into his personal life and ministry, motives and purposes. 2 Corinthians 1:12-24 is an up-close and personal look at “A Profile in Integrity”. Read ahead and come prepared to worship together.
Scripture Reading
Sermon
We began our study of 2 Corinthians last Sunday with an introduction and overview of the letter. As we saw, the occasion and purpose of the letter centers on the emergence, within the congregation, of an opposing leadership, whom Paul will later refer to, rather tongue in cheek, as “super-apostles”. High-powered ministers who flaunted their image, impressive credentials, giftedness, and abilities, offering a ministry much more appealing to the Corinthians secular notions of successful leadership. These opposing leaders, in addition to promoting themselves, had launched a concerted campaign to undermine Paul, both in terms of his credibility and calling as an apostle. And one of their principal criticisms had focused specifically on the degree and extent of his personal sufferings. Instead of downplaying those sufferings, or trying to explain them away, Paul made use of the introduction of his letter to respond to their criticism, right out of the gate, by fully embracing those sufferings, not as a disqualifying mark against his ministry, but as fundamental to the very nature of ministry itself. We’ll consider that introduction together, in a message entitled, “Taking the Shame Out of Suffering”, from 2 Corinthians 1:1-11.
Scripture Reading – 2 Corinthians 1:1-11
Sermon
In his preface to one of the great puritan classics, The Reformed Pastor, William Brown wrote, “There is no class of the community on which the prosperity of the church of Christ so much depends as on its ministers”. In other words, as goes the ministry, so goes the church. Given that, each of us should have a personal, vested interest in the state and condition of that ministry, since it so directly impacts not only the care and feeding of our own souls, but also the souls of those whom we love and care about most deeply. John Stott has wisely written, “The ministry you get is the ministry you deserve, and the ministry you deserve is the ministry you demand!”. Yet few seem to know, or be able to explain, what exactly constitutes a good minister, or the kind of ministry that we ought to expect. Nowhere is the heart and soul of pastoral ministry more clearly articulated or more passionately defended than in this important letter. We begin this week with an introduction and overview of the letter entitled, “A Church that had Lost its Way”, looking at selected scriptures from the Corinthian correspondence.
Scripture Reading – 2 Corinthians 6:3-13, 11:1-15
Sermon
Signs of the Times
Scripture Reading – Mark 13:5-31
Sermon
The Providence of God
Scripture Reading – Genesis 45:1-8; 50:15-21
Sermon
The Message
In our advent series we have traversed the Christmas story by way of the first three of our four gospels, through the principal characters of Joseph, Mary, and as we saw last week, John the Baptist. Each of them has spoken to us in very unique and specific ways and has offered us the opportunity to ready our hearts and prepare our minds for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. We come this Sunday to the fourth and final of our gospels and the culmination of our series, as we turn our attention from the principal characters surrounding that story, to the principal subject of the story himself. In John 1:1-18, “The Message”, we come to one of the most significant and captivating passages in the whole of scripture, as John offers us a rare and profound glimpse into the meaning, significance, and purpose of the mystery of the incarnation. Taking us on a journey from Christ’s eternal pre-existence to the gift of individual personal new birth.
Scripture Reading
Sermon
The Messenger
Each of the four gospels presents a unique perspective on the mystery of the incarnation, God’s “being made in human likeness” (Phil 2:7) in the person of Jesus Christ. Matthew and Luke are our only sources for the Christmas stories, giving detailed accounts of Jesus’ birth through the intimate personal experiences of both Joseph and Mary. Mark, on the other hand, considered by most to be the earliest of the gospels, contains no birth narrative. Mark begins his gospel with the advent of John, John’s sudden appearance, preaching in the wilderness. John factors largely as one of the principal characters in both the Christmas story and the gospel story, the details of his birth being second only to Jesus himself, and all four of the gospels recording, in harmony, that his ministry served as both the prelude and preparation for the inauguration of Jesus ministry. Yet, in both stories, John remains possibly the least known and least understood character of all. In Mark 1:1-13, The Messenger, we’ll look together at this important figure of whom Jesus would later say, “among those born of women, there is no one greater than John” (Lk 7:28).
Scripture Reading
Sermon
The Handmaiden of the Lord
We turn this week to the gospel of Luke, whose account comes to us through the lens of the life and intimate experience of Mary, the mother of our Lord. In Luke 1:26-45, “The Handmaiden of the Lord”, we’ll look together at the distinctive and singular role of Mary, how we should rightly understand her place within the salvation story, and what she has to teach each of us about the life of faith in submitting to the Word and will of God.
Scripture Reading
Sermon
A Man For All Seasons
Over the next four Sundays we devote ourselves in worship to preparing our hearts and minds to celebrate the joy and wonder of our Savior’s birth. In so doing, through what is inarguably the fullest, busiest, most demanding stretch of the year, we declare along with the great hymn writer, “Let every heart prepare him room”. This week we begin an Advent series of messages entitled “A Birth Like None Other”. We will take a fresh look at the miracle of Jesus incarnation, in successive weeks, from the unique vantage point of each of the four gospel writers. We begin this week with Matthew 1:18-25, “A Man For All Seasons”, as we consider the personal impact of these momentous events, through the lens of the life and intimate experience of Joseph the husband of Mary.
Glorifying God by Encouraging
All People to Pursue a Lifelong,
Joyous Relationship with Jesus Christ