Series: Forgiven
Message: Can We Forgive and Forget?
Preacher: Japhet De Oliveira
Refresh: Open with prayer. Read or listen to Psalm 25:1-7.
Read: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 - As you read in the NLT translation, note 1-3 insights/questions that arise.
Reflect: Frank Viola, in his book The Untold Story of the New Testament, continues on pages 126-127 with this detailed introduction regarding provocation:
“Paul encourages the church to forgive the man who defied him. He shares his heart about why he wrote the “painful” letter (CORINTHIANS C). Paul responds to the charge that his word cannot be trusted and clarifies why he changed his travel plans (chapters 1–2). (The letter digresses into a parenthesis from 2:14 to 7:4.) He responds to the charge that he has no letter of commendation and compares his life-giving gospel with the death-giving gospel of his opponents (chapters 3–4). Paul exhorts the believers to not yoke themselves with unbelievers and becomes very autobiographical about his emotions behind writing the severe letter. In doing so, he exhorts the church to be reconciled to him and to the Lord (chapters 5–7). Paul then encourages the church to resume the collection for the Jerusalem relief fund (chapters 8–9). He urges Titus to visit the church along with another brother “whose fame in the gospel has spread to all the churches” (probably Luke) to help the Corinthians complete the collection. Titus and Luke willingly accept Paul’s appeal. In the last three chapters (chapters 10–13), Paul addresses the major charges the Jewish “super apostles” have employed in an effort to take over the Corinthian church. To Paul, the process of defending his apostleship is utter foolishness. But he does so anyway to save the church from accepting a false gospel. And in doing so, he exposes the fleshliness of the “super apostles” in very strong terms. Paul sends the letter with Titus and Luke.”
Recalibrate:
Respond: Pray for wisdom.
Research: Watch Brene Brown