Devotional on 2 Corinthians

2014 – Cape Meares, OR – in the fog

At the end of myself and at the beginning of God

2Corinthians 1: And heā€™ll do it again, rescuing us as many times as we need rescuing.

Since his first letter to the church at Corinth Paul has gone though some hard times. His words remind me of some of the Psalms of complaint when David thought it was all over for him. In words similar to what David used, Paul describes how he was crushed and sure that he was at the end. In his despair he realized he was out of options and that there was nothing he could do to save himself. At that low point, he remembered his greatest Resource. When he came to the end of himself he found himself at just the beginning of God. Throwing himself on the mercy of God is the smartest thing he ever did. After all, Paul reminds us, this is the God who even raises the dead. The Lord was equal to the challenge and, for Paul, the sun rose once again in his life, giving him a new lease on life. This journey to deathā€™s door and back, Paul says, has turned out to be a positive event in his life. These days heā€™s quicker to stop struggling and to start trusting in God to bring about a rescue in his life. This is a lesson I need to learn anew. I serve a God who loves me and who has the power to, when necessary, raise the dead. I may not like it when life brings me my share of uncertainty and even pain. At the same time, I can remember that the same God who has brought me through difficult times in the past can ā€œrescue me as many times as I need rescuing.ā€

Take Away: In an uncertain world the Lord remains my steadfast certainty.

Devotional on 2 Corinthians

2014 – Cape Meares, OR – in the fog

God is the God of Second Chances

2Corinthians 2: Getting you to take responsibility for the health of the church.

This is likely a reference to the situation described in the first letter. Apparently, one of the members of the congregation at Corinth was living in an immoral relationship with his stepmother. Now, Paul has received word that the church took action on this. There has been, first: discipline, and then, second: repentance, and now, forgiveness. Paul tells them that thatā€™s good enough for him. He stands by their handling of things and now counsels them to add a double portion of love for the one who had been involved in the immorality. Otherwise, he cautions, the enemy of their souls will use the situation to work against them, doing more harm than good. It seems to me that the church generally errs on the extremes of issues like this. Sometimes, weā€™re so open minded that we just go with the flow. People behave in immoral ways and ā€œwe just love them anywayā€ never getting around to pointing out that their behavior will destroy their lives and damn their souls. In other situations, the church is so intent on ā€œtelling it like it isā€ that we drive away the very people for whom Christ died. We think weā€™re being spiritual, but really weā€™re just being hateful. In the middle thereā€™s loving people enough to tell them the truth in such a way that they know we love them. God is a God of Second Chances and the church should be a Church of Second Chances.

Take Away: We need the help of the Lord to find the middle ground when dealing with sinners who are loved by Christ.

Devotional on 2 Corinthians

2014 – Cape Meares, OR – in the fog

My close, personal Friend

2Corinthians 3: God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone.

Paulā€™s ancestors placed the weight of their hope in God on the Law given through Moses. And not just his ancestors, Paul, himself, starts off here. Then, out in the wilderness on the road to Damascus he has a personal, transforming encounter with the Lord that forever changes his life. Never again will he base his relationship with God on what was written on stone tablets hundreds of years earlier. Now, his relationship with the Lord is just that: a relationship. He doesnā€™t have to check a rulebook to know how things are between him and God. Rather, he enjoys a personal, intimate relationship with his Creator. This ā€œface to faceā€ level of faith is what the Apostle wants for his friends at Corinth and itā€™s what the Lord wants to have with you and me. Listen, donā€™t ever settle for a book of rules when you can personally know God. Thatā€™s the offer he makes to us in Christ, who not only came to die for us, but also came to live with and in us in the Person of the Holy Spirit. For Christians, the Bible isnā€™t a book of rules to be followed. Rather, itā€™s a map that leads us to God and then helps us live in his personal presence.

Take Away: Donā€™t settle for rules when the reality of God in your heart is abundantly available in Christ.

Devotional on 2 Corinthians

2014 – Cape Meares, OR

Iā€™m just an old lump of clay

2Corinthians 4: All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you.

I wonder what Paul actually looked like. He describes himself as unimpressive, the kind of person you meet at a party but donā€™t remember the next day. Maybe heā€™s just being honestly humble here. However, he wants his readers to know that itā€™s his message that matters and not the power (or lack thereof) of his personal presence. He imagines himself to be a plain clay jar that holds a treasure of unimaginable value. To look at the outside no one would ever guess whatā€™s on the inside. Here he is: a plain sort of fellow sharing an extraordinary gift with all who will receive it. This is such an important concept and one that resonates with me. Itā€™s the message that matters. Other servants have other gifts, some quite impressive and often well used of the Lord. The bottom line, though, is that weā€™re all mere messengers, ā€œerrand runners.ā€ On the surface, weā€™re ordinary or less. What we have to give is a gift beyond imagination. For my part itā€™s good to be reminded of my place in this grand scheme. Iā€™m honored to be a ā€œplain clay jarā€ used in the service of the Master. As I realize that the message is bigger than this messenger Iā€™m reminded of my responsibility to never let my life get in the way of my message.

Take Away: The Message of God is more important than the messenger.

Devotional on 2 Corinthians

2014 – Pacific City, OR

Our number one motivation

2Corinthians 5: Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing.

Having described himself as a ā€œclay jarā€ the Apostle is well aware of his inadequacies. The day’s coming, he says, when these ā€œtentsā€ (that is our earthly bodies) will shut down and be replaced by bodies of heavenly construction. The weaknesses we deal with every day even to the point that we come to think of them as ordinary and acceptable will be gone forever, replaced by that which is amazingly superior. Paul says that we get just a taste of what it will be like as we enjoy the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As good as that is, itā€™s just a small sample of whatā€™s coming. With such exciting prospects youā€™d think that thatā€™s what Paul would think about all the time and that if heā€™s asked what motivates him his answer will focus on making the big move from the ā€œtent to the palace.ā€ Make no mistake; he likes thinking about it all. However, the big deal for him isnā€™t ā€œexile or homecoming.ā€ Rather, he declares, the big thing is pleasing God in all his life. His greatest motivation is the knowledge that thereā€™s a way to live in this life thatā€™s pleasing to God. Thereā€™s a possibility of standing before the Lord and hearing him say ā€œwell done.ā€ For Paul, the big deal isnā€™t pie in the sky as much as itā€™s pleasing the Father in this life. Going to heaven is huge, no doubt about it. However, pleasing the Lord, our Creator and Master, according to Paul, is even bigger.

Take Away: When we live to please the Lord weā€™re living as we were designed to live.

Devotional on 2 Corinthians

2014 – Pacific City, OR

Living unreservedly for God

2Corinthians 6: The smallness you feel comes from within you.

These are emotional words from the Apostle. He loves this church. Theyā€™re his dear friends. In fact, he considers them to be his children in Christ. At the same time heā€™s frustrated with the smallness of their lives. The infighting, bickering, competing attitude of theirs not only breaks his heart but it also limits their view of God and what he does in peopleā€™s lives. Without reservation Paul has given himself to them and to the Church in general. Heā€™s suffered physically for it but at the same time heā€™s been blessed beyond description. If the Corinthians feel their religion puts them in a straightjacket itā€™s their own fault. Thereā€™s so much more to being a Christian than trying to be first in line at church potlucks or getting to be the one who sings the special song. Paul calls them to a better way: a passionate life lived joyfully for the Lord. These words speak to church people throughout the ages. Am I going to make church about meetings and rules and authority or am I going to make it about living passionately for the Lord? The first binds and limits me. The second sets me free to live ā€œopenly and expansively.ā€

Take Away: The Christian life isnā€™t binding ā€“ rather, itā€™s wonderfully freeing.

Devotional on 2 Corinthians

2014 – Pacific City, OR

Tearstained letters

2Corinthians 7: I know I distressed you greatly with my letter.

The book of 1 Corinthians is almost painful to read. Itā€™s clear the there are some sick situations there and that this church is far from being a healthy congregation. The Corinthian church isnā€™t a prototype of what a Christian church is supposed to look like, although how Paul deals with them is a primer on how a spiritual leader is to deal with a difficult church situation. An insight in this passage is that as Paul writes to Corinth he knows the impact his words will have on the church. Beyond that, his words impact him as well. Administrating this strong medicine is painful for Paul too. The old ā€œthis hurts me more than it hurts youā€ line is literally true in this situation. Paul gets no pleasure in writing to his friends at Corinth as he does. Heā€™s frustrated with them and somewhat fearful for them. Still, he expects his strong medicine to bring about, in the long run, good results. Sometimes parents have to be disciplinarians. It would be nice to always feel warm and fuzzy about things but to do so isnā€™t what real love is like. In his first letter Paul steps up to the plate, telling them the facts of spiritual life even though, in his words, ā€œI felt awful at the time.ā€ Sometimes preachers have to be disciplinarians. As it is for Paul and as it is for parents, proper discipline should never carry with it a sense of pleasure in causing pain. I imagine tearstains on the parchment that contains what we think of as 1 Corinthians. In the same way, there should be tearstains on the sermon notes of a pastor who preaches a sermon that will cause some pain. Otherwise, that sermon should never be preached.

Take Away: Sometimes discipline must be done but it should never be done with pleasure.

Devotional on 2 Corinthians

2014 – Pacific City, OR – dory coming into the beach

Good business

2Corinthians 8: We donā€™t want anyone suspecting us of taking one penny of this money for ourselves.

Paulā€™s collecting an offering for the Christian poor in Jerusalem. The idea came from the churches in Macedonia but has now spread throughout the Gentile Church. Thereā€™s no pressure as to what individuals give. Paul just urges people to give the best they are able. He does note though, that in spite of the Macedonian Christians going through some hard times of their own that theyā€™ve set the giving bar pretty high. Now, Paulā€™s sending some folks to Corinth to collect their offering and take it to Jerusalem. Heā€™s quite business like in his approach and wants to assure them that Titus wonā€™t be alone in caring for this money but will be joined by another trustworthy individual in handling it. The Apostle adds that he doesnā€™t want anyone to have any reason to think heā€™s skimming expense money off the top of this designated offering. He wants them to be confident that everything they give will go to its designated purpose. As a pastor Iā€™ve always followed Paulā€™s approach in money matters. I try to stay away from handling church cash if at all possible. Also, in the church we deal with money handling issues using accepted business practices along with a dose of sanctified common sense. Like Paul, we want to handle money and other church assets in such a way that no reasonable person will have reason to question our honesty. Beyond that, of course, weā€™re well aware that the Almighty sees it all and that someday weā€™ll stand before him in Judgment.

Take Away: Good business practices are good business for the church.

Devotional on 2 Corinthians

2014 – Along Oregon Hwy 101 – north of Florence – Heceta Head Lighthouse

Hum ā€œFamily of Godā€ as you read this one

2Corinthians 9: God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.

In spite of Paul having written some pretty stern stuff to them, he remains confident of his good relationship with the Corinthians. In fact, he moves from the topic of his first letter to them to encourage them to be generous in their giving to a special relief offering heā€™s collecting to be taken to the Christian poor in Jerusalem. If you think about it itā€™s quite an impressive thing heā€™s doing. These Gentiles wouldnā€™t have given a second thought to some Jews living in Jerusalem just a few years earlier. They felt no connection to them and they certainly wouldnā€™t have considered sending them a relief offering. Now, though, itā€™s all changed. Their lives are now linked to the lives of people throughout the region. Before it was ā€œus and themā€ but now itā€™s all ā€œus.ā€ What has happened? Jesus! His presence in their lives has made them part of a family. These days, they not only know about fellow believers in distant Jerusalem, but theyā€™re willing to send them some of their hard earned cash to help them through hard times. What Paul began so long ago continues to this day as Christians send offerings to people in distant places in the Name of Jesus. Godā€™s people are the most generous people on the face of the earth. The reason, according to Paul, is that weā€™re behaving like our Heavenly Father whoā€™s the most generous Being there is. Weā€™re part of a great family and our Father has set for us a powerful example of giving. We give to all who are in need, but weā€™re especially willing to give, even sacrificially, to help our brothers and sisters. ā€œIā€™m so glad Iā€™m a part of the family of God.ā€

Take Away: Godā€™s people are wonderfully generous people.

Devotional on 2 Corinthians

2014 – Along Oregon Hwy 101 – north of Florence – Heceta Head Lighthouse

The voice of authority

2Corinthians 10: I write in the gentle but firm spirit of Christ.

Paulā€™s first letter was rather stern and was, in general, well received. Most of the church at Corinth took it to heart and responded positively to it. However, we see here that not everyone received it in the spirit in which it was written. Some complain that Paul should mind his own business and that ā€œthem and Godā€ will work things out. Others point out that there are leaders aside from Paul in their number who hold different opinions from him. Yet others say that Paul writes tough, but in person heā€™s not very impressive and his letters shouldnā€™t be treated as though theyā€™re the final word on anything. The Apostle takes all this on in this passage. He wants them to understand that heā€™s being as patient with those who oppose him as possible, but that his words arenā€™t his own, but carry with them the very authority of Christ. He hasnā€™t tried to manipulate them and he hasnā€™t avoided the more sticky points. He knows that thereā€™s opposition both outside and inside the church. After all, his teachings are radical and run counter to the worldā€™s way of doing things. Heā€™s not just putting band aids on severe wounds. Rather, heā€™s in a battle to the death with an ungodly culture that still has a foothold in the Church. All this he does under the direct authority of Christ. If they want to hear from someone with authority, heā€™s it! Paulā€™s self-assurance here is breathtaking. In spite of his obvious weaknesses he pulls no punches in claiming authority in this situation. Iā€™m sure thereā€™s a case to be made for humility and for letting people work things out between them and God. Here, though, Iā€™m reminded that sometimes God chooses to use unlikely people to state his message. This, I think, is different than a preacher taking a text and, using its authority, delivering a sermon. This kind of prophetic voice is seldom heard, but when it happens people tend to recognize it. Beyond recognizing it, weā€™d better pay attention to it.

Take Away: Itā€™s the Lord who gives authority to his message.

Devotional on 2 Corinthians

2014 – Along Oregon Hwy 101 – north of Florence
You get what you pay for

2Corinthians 11: My needs were always supplied by the Christians from Macedonia province.

One reason some of the members of the church at Corinth donā€™t value Paulā€™s ministry as much as they value that of others is that Paul served them free of charge during his time with them. Others have come their way with hard luck stories and claims of greater enlightenment. Theyā€™ve asked for and received offerings from the church there. Now, when Paul writes to them in authoritative tones they tend to discount his ministry to them because they didnā€™t pay for it. Paulā€™s about to join the traveling preachers in stating his credentials and sharing his hard luck stories, and both are much more impressive than those of the traveling preachers theyā€™re listening to. The Apostle wonders if he cheated them by letting churches elsewhere support his ministry during his time in Corinth. He thought he was doing them a favor, making it clear that he wasnā€™t in it for the money, but now he wonders if theyā€™d be more inclined to listen to him had they supported him during his time there. Paul makes it clear that heā€™s not sorry he ministered to them as he did, so I donā€™t want to make more of this than is there. Still, itā€™s a point worth consideration. Generally speaking, people value that which costs them something. If itā€™s just handed to them, they think itā€™s worth what they paid for it. In this passage, I see that, on one hand, sometimes itā€™s best to just give our ministry away, making it as easy as possible for people to receive it. On the other hand, though, itā€™s fair and right that people support those who minister to them and, in fact, their doing so increases the value of that ministry in their eyes.

Take Away: We tend to value that which costs us something.

Devotional on 2 Corinthians

2014 – Along Oregon Hwy 101 – north of Florence

Paulā€™s thorn in the flesh

2Corinthians 12: The weaker I get the stronger I become.

As Paul defends his ministry he describes a vision he experienced many years earlier. At least I think heā€™s describing a vision he had. His wording moves to third person, but the setting of the passage concerns visions and revelations given him by the Lord. Paul was lifted up into heaven and there heard things he was forbidden to share with others. The Apostle says that if he wanted to he could focus on such experiences and trump about anyone. Instead, though, he chooses to focus on his humiliations and, in fact has found his most troubling, humbling handicap (although he doesnā€™t tell us what it is) to be yet another great blessing. This handicap serves two good purposes in his life. On one hand it balances out the ecstasies he experienced in Christ, keeping him firmly grounded in the here and now. On the other hand, his weaknesses drive him to even greater dependency on the Lord. As he relies on the Lord rather than on his own experiences, as deeply spiritual as they might be, he finds strength. Blessings are, well, a blessing! However, they can also be a curse. If I think the Lord has made me a favorite because of some deep spiritual experience that experience can actually serve as a stumbling block in my life. Of course, the Lord knows this. I think he sometimes withholds some special intimacy from us for our own good. At other times, as it is in Paulā€™s case, the Lord works in our lives in wonderful ways but refuses to do something that would be precious to us to keep us from becoming so heavenly minded that weā€™re of no earthly good. We donā€™t know what Paulā€™s thorn in the flesh is, but we can see it as he does: as part of Godā€™s working in a life for the good of one he dearly loves.

Take Away: Sometimes the Lord does things for us because he loves us. Sometimes the Lord doesnā€™t do things for us because he loves us.

Devotional on 2 Corinthians

2014 – Along Oregon Hwy 101 – north of Florence

Not a warm and fuzzy conclusion

2Corinthians 13: I want to get on with it, and not have to spend time on reprimands.

The final portion of this second letter to the church at Corinth isnā€™t just a warm, friendly closing. Paul writes with apostolic authority to the church there. He lays it on the line, telling them that heā€™s soon to make his third trip their city and that heā€™s already warned them that if habitual sinners donā€™t clean up their act that in the name of Jesus heā€™ll clean up the church there. He tells those whoā€™ve been demanding proof that he speaks for the Lord that, unless things improve, theyā€™ll get more proof than they want. This is pretty strong stuff and itā€™s not just a bluff. Some years earlier, for instance, on the island of Paphos a sorcerer named Elymas opposed Paulā€™s preaching of the gospel. The Apostle turned to him, and without laying a hand on him struck him blind. When Paul tells those who oppose his gospel at Corinth that if they donā€™t straighten up theyā€™ll get plenty of reason to believe he speaks with the authority of the Lord heā€™s not just making a lot of noise. However, that isnā€™t how Paul wants it to be. His job is to bring people to the Lord so he can make them complete, not to strike people blind or worse. Paulā€™s approach here reminds me that spiritual things are serious and need to be handled carefully. Itā€™s dangerous to be flip and irreverent. It may seem that people get away with stuff like that, but Paul warns them (and us) that itā€™s possible to go too far for too long and that to do so has real consequences. At the same time Iā€™m reminded that thatā€™s not what Christian leadership is all about. Paul has shown a great deal of patience in this situation. Heā€™s prayed and pleaded and appealed to them as a father dealing with loved children. Heā€™d much rather help broken people find restoration in Christ and, in fact, the only reason he warns them as he does in this case is that his mission of reconciliation is being threatened by some insiders who oppose this ministry.

Take Away: Be carefully reverent about the things of God.