Lessons from 2nd Corinthians

Transcription

1 Lessons from 2nd Corinthians 2014 New Jersey F.C. Camp

2 Lesson 1 - Scars Intro. A. Do you have any scars? Every scar has its story 1. Tell a story behind a scar you might have if you want. 2. I heard from Paddy Kendall-Ball of an African man in Zimbabwe who killed a leopard ` with his bare hands. He had scars all over his body from the battle. He was admired? a. So, some scars can be "heroic." Have you heard of any "heroic" scars? B. The book of 2 Corinthians tells us much about scars the apostle Paul had! They are significant! I. Paul's scars in 2nd Corinthians - Read chapter 11: Then focus on verses highlighted below A. Verse How many times did Paul receive 39 lashes? 2. Do the math, How many total scars would that have left on his back? B. Verse 25a 1. How many times was he beaten with rods? * No limit here as with the Jews It was done by Gentile authorities. 2. We know once when it happened Philippi Read Acts 16:22 3. Happened on two other occasions we know nothing about * The book of Acts tells us a lot. But there's much that it doesn't tell us! C. 25b - 1. How many times was Paul stoned with rocks? * Are talking little stones? Or, big chunks of rock? 2. Read Acts 14:19 * What did the mob think they had done to Paul? * Can you imagine what it would be like to see someone stoned with rocks? Bones breaking, blood spurting out 3. What kind of scars would this stoning have left on Paul? * Would he have only been scarred on his back? 4. Read Galatians 5:17 a. What did Paul bear on his body? *. Can you imagine Paul s body? Scars everywhere! D. Of course Paul not the only follower with scars other apostles 1. Read Acts 5:40 - What was done to the 12 apostles here? a. Who knows how many other times this happened. b. Collectively they had hundreds and even thousands of scars on their bodies E. Just as Jesus suffered beating beyond comprehension (John 19:1; Matt. 27:26), So his followers had to suffer beatings and scars. F. Thought questions: * Did God want Jesus and his followers to suffer these barbaric beatings? * Did He want them to have hundreds and even thousands of scars? * Why do you think God wanted this? What good could come from them? * What do the scars of Paul and other apostles say about their testimony? Do you think they would suffer such torture and abuse for what they knew to be a lie? II. What do scars say? It's as if each scar had lips to talk to us. A. I m telling you the truth! 1. No one would willingly accept such torture for a lie! 2. If you re going to lie, you re going to receive some benefit from it! 3. If Paul and other apostles had not really seen Jesus alive after his death a. When they were tied up and shown the instruments of torture, they would have said, No, I really didn t see anything. 4. As the apostles received each blow I am saying the truth. 5. If someone asked them, How do I know you re telling the truth? What could they have pointed to on their backs? B. I love you Do you think the apostles knew their scars and suffering would help others? 1. Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 Notice the description of the life of an apostle a mixture of great persecution, torture, hope, spiritual joy.

3 2. From verses 8 and 9 - Fill in the blanks but not but not but not but not 3. According to verse 10, what was manifested in the flesh (body) of the apostles and why? * See the point? The hatred that resulted in scars for the apostles resulted in life (through faith) for those who accepted their testimony! 4. According to verses 11, 12, What benefit came from the apostles constantly being given over to death? 3. Read 4:13-15 For who's benefit was all of this? C. Further thoughts 1. Read Isaiah 53:5 What do Jesus' stripes do for us? a. Every blow he received, every open sore was to help in my spiritual healing b. We sometimes ask, How did Jesus tolerate such torture, such spiritual torture? c. By thinking of how those stripes were going to help others in so many ways, including by helping them believe! D. Read chapter 6: What in these verses most grabs your attention about the suffering of Paul and other apostles. E. Thought questions * We correctly think most about the suffering of Jesus as God's demonstration of love. How much should we also appreciate the scars of His witnesses, His ambassadors? * What are some holidays in which our country demonstrates appreciation for the soldiers who have fought in it's armed forces? (Though I don't agree with many things done in the military, and frankly don't believe Christians should join the military, I do admire individual sacrifices made by some soldiers.) * How much do we appreciate the torture and scars of the apostles, soldiers of Jesus Christ? On a scale of 1-10, How much do you appreciate them? Conclusion - Personal thought questions A. Do you think that Paul and other apostles thought that the life, death and resurrection of Jesus was real? Or fiction? Why? 1. How does their certainty about Christ that led to their many scars help you to believe that there is something more meaningful in life than money, fun and human achievement? A. When you think of personal goals for your life, which of the following have priority in your mind? Number them according to what you think is most important! 1. Getting a good education 2. Getting a good job 3. Finding a good spouse and having a good family. 4. Making a good living 5. Having a lot of fun! 6. Dedicating my life to God and suffering scars for His kingdom B. In 50 years, which of these goals will be meaningful? In 100 years? C. What can you do right now to guide your life from the shallow goals and concepts that govern most people in the world to have a meaningful life like that of early Christians. Check the two of the things you think you need to do more than anything else. 1. Change my goals 2. Spend less time with shallow, worldly friends and seek friendship with Christians. 3. Spend more time in prayer and Bible study (by phone if necessary) with others. D. Have a prayer asking God to help us to do what is necessary to seek Him an have a meaningful life here with hope of heaven.

4 Lesson 2 - Challenging Authority in 2 Corinthians Intro. A. Thought question - How would traffic work with no authority or "uncertain" authority? No traffic lights, stop signs, policemen, tickets, etc? 1. Anyone in the class seen driving in Santo Domingo? Describe it for the class! (Or, describe driving in Brazil, any Latin American or Third World country) 2. Why does confusion reign spiritually (just like it reigns in traffic) when there is no clear concept of authority? I. God gave his authority to the apostles, including the apostle Paul. A. Authority to the apostles 1. Read John 16:13 - What did Jesus promise that the Spirit would do for the apostles? Guide them into truth. 2. Matthew 28: What three things did Jesus tell the apostles to do? 2. 2 Corinthians 5: What did Paul call himself and the other apostles in verse 20? Thought questions: What is an ambassador? Who does he represent? Why should an ambassador of a powerful country be respected? Why should ambassadors of Christ (the apostles) be respected. B. Paul was included in the apostles and deserved the same respect 1. What was Paul called in chapter 1 verse 1? 2. Read 12:11,12 According to verse 12, what indicated that Paul had the same authority as any other apostles? 3. According to 1 Corinthians 14:37, Paul's teaching was in actuality what? II. Questioning Paul's authority as an apostle A. Ringleaders in the rebellion 1. Paul doesn't address them directly, but from his response to them we can tell that they were probably Jewish and emphasized their ties to the twelve apostles in Judea. a. They evidently didn't make direct attacks on Paul, but rather tried to subtlety undermine his influence Thought question: Why do most who attack the authority of the Bible, parents and godly teachers who defend the Bible, not usually attack openly, but indirectly? 2. What are some things we can tell about those who tried to undermine Paul? a. What type of letters did they bring with them? (3:1) Letters of b. What does Paul imply that they did with the word? (2:17) 3. What were some ways they tried to discredit Paul? a. When Paul changed his plans about visiting them, what did they evidently say about his message to imply it was contradictory? (1:18) He said both and. b. What did Paul not receive for the Corinthians that evidently made some act as if his teaching were of little value? (11:7-9) * Have you ever seen someone give more respect to a "full-time" preacher who was wrong, than a faithful self-supported Christian who was right? Why is it wrong to value teachers and preachers on the basis of money they receive? c. From 12:11,12 what did they accuse Paul of not really being? An * Why would this have been an easy accusation to make? d. From what Paul said in 10:10 11:6, what did he evidently not do as well as some? B. Thought questions about "ringleaders" who cause problems in families, schools, churches, etc. 1. Do you have any negative people in your classes at school or in Bible classes that constantly whine about the teachers or the school and tries to discredit them?

5 2. Have you seen people in churches that constantly whine about the preacher, the teachers, etc. (Preachers and teachers aren't equivalent in authority to the apostles, but if they're teaching the words of Jesus, they deserve respect.) 3. Do you have a brother or sister who tends to whine about your parents' authority? Do they tend to affect you and make you negative? Are you sometimes a negative whiner? Be honest! 4. When we whine and rebel about apostolic authority, parental authority or scriptural authority, who are we really rebelling against? III. How to deal with attacks on authority? A. Acknowledge that humans are nothing in and of themselves! 1. Were the apostles adequate or competent in and of themselves? (3:5) Where did their strength come from? * Why is a proud spirit among Christians so absurd? 2. What did Paul and the other apostles not preach? (4:5) What did they preach? What were they? 3. Where did the light come from that shone out of the message? (4:6) B. The strength is in the message deposited in "earthen vessels" "jars of clay" (Read 4:7) * God is comparing human beings (the apostles) to little clay lamps that gave light. They' were fragile, but essential for giving light. 1. Why did God choose to deposit His great truth in weak humans (the apostles? * And yet the "earthen vessels" were very important! The Corinthians needed to respect Paul! Thought questions and applications * Did the apostles have weaknesses? What were some of them? And yet, did they need to be respected? * Does your father or mother have weaknesses? And yet, does God want you to respect them and not rebel against them? C. Remember who truly loves you! So often those who would rebel against a careful approach to Bible authority, against parents and against careful Bible teachers don't really love you. 1. Questionable motives of those who try to slide away from God's authority a. What three things did Paul call these ringleaders in 11:13? b. What did they do with the word of God (2:17) 2. Paul's motives a. How does Paul describe how he was among the Corinthians (1:12) b. Why didn't Paul need letters of recommendation? (3:2) (He knew them, had converted many of them and loved them!) c. How much did Paul love them (7:3) d. (Read 6:11-13) What did Paul appeal to the Corinthians to do? Applications: Think and discuss * There are always young people in schools or in the world who will try to get you to rebel against the principles taught to you by your parents or your brethren. Who has sacrificed more for you? Your parents and brethren? Or, your fun-loving friends from school? Your parents? Or arrogant professors? Who really has your best interests at heart? * Why do young Christians sometimes want to rebel against their parents, their brethren and God who loves them so much, to do what their shallow, fun-loving worldly friends want?

6 D. Defend the apostles, defend the scriptures and good family and brethren! 1. Evidently many of the Corinthians didn't attack Paul, but they tolerated those that did! a. What did Paul say they tolerated? (11:20) b. Do you know some religious people who tolerate this from "pastors" and other religious leaders." Give examples. c. Worst than all, they tolerated attacks on a godly messenger of Christ! 2. Why do you think people are quiet when godly people are attacked? a. The authority of the apostles and the scriptures? b. Godly preachers and teachers? c. Christ himself? Conclusion - * On a scale of 1-10, how rebellious do you sometimes feel regarding the concept of authority or people in authority (parents, teachers, elders)? Do you have a lot of "rebel" in you? * What can you do to avoid this danger in your life? * On a scale of 1-10, how quick are you to defend the authority of the scriptures and others to whom God has given a measure of authority (parents, teachers older people, elders?

7 Lesson 3 Giving in 2nd Corinthians 8, 9 Intro. The essence of Christianity is giving. God gives to us and we learn from him to be giving to others. The enemy of all this is selfishness. A. Thought questions 1. When in your life have you been most inclined to be a giver? When in your life have you been more inclined to be selfish? B. In 2nd Corinthians 8,9, Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to give to needy Christians from Judea. He gives many principles from God that help us to be better givers, Keys to being better givers I. Consider good examples! A. Read verses Who does Paul use as a good example for the Corinthians? The 2. What does he say that God has given them? * It is grace from God to be given a giving spirit. 3. According to verse two, what did the Macedonians overcome to be such givers? 4. How does Paul describe their giving in verse 3? 5. What did they request of Paul? B. Read verse 9 1. Who is the best example of giving? 2. What did he become for us in spite of unimaginable riches? 3. Through his poverty, what do we become? C. Thought questions: 1. Write a list of some things besides money that we should be willing to give to God * Which of these is more difficult for you to give? 2. Why are those who are poor economically often very generous. Can you think of examples of Christians from third world countries who are very generous? 3. What keeps us from giving more generously and joyfully? Check what most affects you. * I have some electronics (smartphone), or a car I won't be able to get if I'm overly generous. * I want to keep things for myself * I fear that we I be left without things I need. II. Give ourselves first to God A. Read verse 5 1. Who had the Macedonians first given themselves to? * Thought question - How had they done that? How do we do that? 2. Then, who had they given themselves to? B. Thought questions 1. When you see "taker" Christians, or those who try to avoid giving, you can tell that they really haven't given themselves to whom? 2. Why does giving ourselves to God also imply giving ourselves to projects that glorify God, such as the contribution to needy saints in Jerusalem? * The only way that we can have this camp is that some people have sacrificed to pay for some who cannot afford it. What can we do to thank them? III. Join in with others in Giving A. Read 8: What did God put in the heart of Titus? * Did this happen "miraculously" or through good influence on an honest heart?

8 2. What about Titus showed his good heart according to verse 17? 3. What two motives did Paul have in participating in this gift according to verse 19? B. Thought questions 1. How does the generosity and enthusiasm of others encourage you to give your time, money and energy to others? 2. What can you do, like Titus and Paul, to encourage others to be more giving? 3. Is it possible to discourage a giving spirit in others? How? IV. Remember the law of sowing and reaping A. Read chapter 9:6 1. How will one who sows sparingly reap? * The illustration is from farming. If you don't plant much seed, you're not going to harvest a lot of food! * Is Paul saying that God will give material blessings or spiritual blessings to those who are generous? (Some unscrupulous preachers try to talk about receiving money back from God if you give to "their ministry." B. Read 9:7 1. How does God not want us to give? 2. Why does it do us no good to give just because we feel pressured? C. Read 9:8-11 Paul elaborates on the law of sowing and reaping 1. According to the last part of verse 8, God will make it possible for givers to abound in what? 2. What does the righteous man described in Psalm 112:9 do? 3. What will God enlarge according to verse 10? D. Read verses According to verse 13, What will men do when they see the generosity of Christians? * Have you seen examples of this happening? Why might we not see as many examples of this as we ought? 2. What would God be giving them when they were generous? (vs. 14) Conclusion: A. Think of your own generosity Which of the following do you think you can do to be more giving? Check several 1. Give more time to calling, visiting and serving older Christians. 2. Give some time to call young people here who might be encouraged by a phone Bible study. 3. Make a commitment to give a portion of any income I have to the church. * If you have any income at all, why wouldn't you give? 4. Make a commitment to give a portion of my income to elderly Christians, or needs in third world countries. 5. Ask teachers and preachers I know more often about needs that they may be aware of. 6. Write below some things you might be able to do to be more generous and giving B. Prayer

9 Lesson 4 - Thorns, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Introduction Have you ever heard any Christians or religious people imply that God will take away all of our problems on this earth? Why is this concept wrong? I. Analyzing the text Read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 in it s entirety and then answer questions from each verse A. Verse 7 1. According to Paul, why was he given this thorn? 2. Ir was a messenger of whom? * Thought question - Paul had just revealed some special blessings and revelations that God had given him in verses 1-6. Does the danger of pride sometimes accompany great spiritual ability or blessings? B. Verse 8 1. How many times did Paul ask God to remove the thorn? * Thought question Do you think he just mentioned this 3 times briefly in prayer? Or, might we be talking about three long sessions of prayer? C. Verse 9 1. Did God promise in this verse to remove the thorn? 2. What was sufficient for Paul instead of removal of the thorn? 3. How is God s power made perfect? More later on this 4. What would Paul then do when he was in affliction? D. Verse When was Paul strong? II. What was Paul s thorn in the flesh? A. Some theories based on Bible texts Read the following verses and see if you can see why some people think they might have been referencing a thorn that Paul had. Write down what they might suggest. 1. Galatians 4:15; 6: Corinthians 2:2 B. Other theories on physical defects Headaches, stomach problems, malaria C. Still more theories 1. 2 Timothy 4:14 Who caused Paul a lot of problems? 2. Romans 9:1-3 - How did Paul feel about the rejection of Christ by the Jews? D. Bottom line God did not want to specify what Paul s thorn was! 1. If he had specified what the thorn was, we might have problems applying these principles to our own thorns! Right? III. What are some thorns that we have? A. Physical thorns 1. What are some painful physical defects that some people have? 2. If you could change one thing physically about yourself, what would it be? You can write it if you want, or just think of it. B. Emotional thorns 1. On a scale of 1-10, How deep do you think emotional scars would be from the following types of emotional trauma? Divorced parents Abandonment by a parent or parents Sexual abuse as a child Severe shyness Seeing a loved one die 2. Without getting too graphic, what are some other traumas that can leave emotional scars? 3. If you want to write down, some trauma that has left you with an emotional scar, write it down. Or, if you prefer just to think about it, that s fine.

10 C. Spiritual challenges Thought questions 1. Have you ever known anyone who wanted to serve God, but who had an extreme temper? a. What are some things they should do to battle their thorn? 2. How difficult is it to battle addiction to pornography or drugs? D. Problems with people On a scale of 1-10, write down how much pain you have received in your life from the following: Companions in school Neighbors People at work Parents brothers and sisters. You don t have kids yet, but often they provide much pain for their parents! E. Summary After thinking about all of this, what do you think is the biggest thorn in your life? Write it down if you want, but don t feel obligated. Do you have a second thorn? IV. How did Paul deal with his thorn and how does God want us to deal with ours? A. Did not blame God for it! 1. Who did Paul say that the throrn was a messenger from? (Vs. 7) 2. These are deep waters, but I believe the best explanation is that as a part of this imperfect world God allows Satan to cause us to suffer (I don t always know how) knowing that we can learn patience (James 1:3) and humility from it. 3. Have you known people who blame God for their suffering? (Tell about it without giving names in you like) Why is this not helpful? B. Worked on it himself 1. How many times did Paul ask God to remove his thorn? 2. Why should prayer be a big part of dealing with our thorns. How can you make it a bigger part? 3. Are there other things you can do to help deal with your thorn? C. Accepted that he would have to live with it! 1. Thought question What are some ways we see that our society doesn t like the idea of learning to live with what is unpleasant? Regarding marriage? Regarding pain? Etc.? 2. What did God say was sufficient for Paul as he lived with his thorn? 3. How can we rejoice in this, even as we suffer from our thorns? D. Accepted blessings that came from his thorn. 1. What good things came from Paul s thorns? 2. Can these things come from our own thorns? 3. How can God s power be demonstrated in weakness? a. Have you ever known a Christian with a painful thorn, who was very strong spiritually? Share with class b. Do you tend to pray more when suffering? Or, when things are going well? c. How can you work so that your thorn will become a source of trust in God and spiritual strength? E. Boast about them! Be content with thorns (This takes a lot of trust) 1. How open do you think you can be in talking about your thorns if you think that can help others? (If it won t help others, don t do it. Sometimes discretion is good.) Conclusion A. What have you learned from this lesson that will help you in dealing with your thorn? B. Prayer for God s help in dealing with thorns. Studies in 2nd Corinthians

11 Lesson 5- What Motivates Spiritual Sacrifices? Intro. A. Write down three amazing accomplishments (sports, music, history, etc.). Then write down what you think was the motive behind them. Accomplishment by Motive B. Remember lesson 1 and all the scars and mistreatment that Paul and the others suffered? 1. Today's lesson analyzes why they were willing to suffer so much. I. Belief in God (Read chapter 4 verse 13) A. The quote is from Psalm 116:10 in which David thanks the Lord for saving him. 1. Do you see why this would be an appropriate Psalm for Paul to quote? B. Read Acts 4:20 - What did Peter say he and the other apostles could not help but do? Thought questions 1. Have you ever had something exciting happen in your life that you talked about for so much that your friends finally asked you to be quiet about it? 2. Why did the apostles believe so strongly? 3. Why does our lack of spiritual accomplishment reflect a lack of belief? 4. What are some things you can do to strengthen your faith? II. Belief in Eternal Life (4:14) A. What event helped Paul and the other apostles believe so strongly in their own resurrection? 1. Was there any doubt in their mind about Christ's resurrection and their own eventual resurrection? 2. Do you see why they were willing to go through so much torture and pain? B. Read 5: What does Paul have in mind when talking about "this earthly tent? 2. What do we have when it is destroyed? 3. What do we often do in this earthly "tent." * To be "naked" I think refers to being before God in judgment without being clothed in Christ, to use the language of Jesus, to be without a wedding garment (Matt. 22:11) C. Read 5: Who are we away from when we are in the body? * Not in every sense. Christ is with us (2 Tim. 4:17), but we are not in His immediate presence as we will be after we die (Phil. 1:23). 2. What do we live by? By not by. * But it is a faith grounded in powerful testimony! 3. What did Paul want to be away from? Where would he then be? * Notice the dual nature of man! (body and soul) When he dies, he is away from the body. He's not just body (as Jehovah's Witnesses teach), he exists away from the body. Lots we don't understand here, but we know that we exist, "absent from the body!" (Some say we could even be described as with three natures: body, soul and spirit, but the later two are used almost interchangeably. Won't get into that here!) 4. On the basis of what will we be judged? * Yes, we are saved by grace! But does what we do have something to do with whether we receive that grace or reject it? D. Thought questions 1. It's hard to believe in life after death! Did Paul or the other apostles have any doubts about

12 it? Why not? How can their faith help ours? 2. When have you thought most about life after death? Why? 3. When do you think least about it? Why? 4. List some things you think you (and the group) can do to believe more in it and be more confident of it. III. Inner Renewal (3:7-18; 4:16-18) (Perhaps a result, as well as a motivation.) A. Chapter 3:7-18 was the text of the lesson Sunday night 1. Read verses a. What happens to the veil that hindered Jews from seeing God's glory when people turn to the Lord? b. Into whose likeness (image) are we transformed when we look upon the Lord's glory? 2. Thought questions - * Do you know some people who have really become transformed into Christ's image? They are like Christ? Write down some names - * Are they beautiful people? * Does their transformation motivate you to want to do good things? B. Read chapter 4: What happens to our inner man (soul) even though outer man (body)is decaying? * Do you know of any Christian who is going through serious physical illness or hardship and yet seems to be becoming stronger spiritually? 2. After reading of Paul's sufferings in 11:24-29, How could he call off his sufferings "light"? 3. What was Paul and other Christians focusing on? (vs. 18) C. Thought questions 1. Who generally has more character and inner strength? Christians who suffer little? Or much? 2. Are you more interested in your inner man (your soul) or your outer man? a. How much time and money do you spend on your outer man? (makeup [girls], gym, clothes, etc.) compared with how much you spend on your inner man? IV. Summary - the Love of Christ - Read chapter 5 verses 14,15 A. Short answers 1. What controlled or compelled Paul and the other apostles? * Read several different translations on the word "control" (NAS) or "constrain" The NIV and NKJV says the love "compels" us which may be easiest for us to understand. The idea is that it forces us, motivates us strongly, 2. Since Christ died for us, who should we live for? B. Thought question 1. Isn't the short answer for what motivated the apostles, "Christ's love"? 2. Have you ever felt tremendously obligated to do whatever you could to help someone else? 3. What keeps us from feeling "compelled" to giving ourselves to Christ? Concluding thoughts questions * Be honest, If you could write down one thing that you really have been living for in the past year, what would that be? * Is what you wrote down anything but Christ, is what you wrote down truly a basis for a meaningful, hopeful life? * You may not have to be beaten 5 times with whips and three times with rods, but if you decide to give your life to Christ, you will have to suffer. Will it be worth it? * If you give your life to anything else, will it be worth it? * Prayer