HEADING BACK TO CORINTH

This Summer, we'll be spending time in 2 Corinthians ... which is a complicated book. Complicated in the sense that some relationships can only be summed us as "it's complicated". While we'll be in 2 Cor 1:1-11 this Sunday, to get a grasp on the nature of their relationship, it's probably best to look at Acts 18-20 first. So here we go, first to Acts 18 then to 2 Corinthians 1 ... 

ACTS 18:1-5

1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus.

• "AFTER THIS" - If you read back in Acts 16-17, you'll read words like "seized, dragged, blows, prison, uproar, disturbed, mob, mocked." Realizing that Paul has already traveled for as long as a year and over 1,500 miles, how do you think Paul felt when arriving in Corinth?

• "AQUILA/PRISCILLA" - Despite his weariness (or perhaps because of it), God provides Paul with two Jews who were recently kicked out of Rome (a point corroborated by a Roman historian). What does this provision of companions along with Silas and Timothy's arrival show us about our need for partners in ministry?

ACTS 18:6-11

6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. 8Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

• "CRISPUS" - Up til now, there hasn't been much to be encouraged about by the Jew's overall disposition to the gospel. How does this story about Crispus change that narrative?

• "DO NOT BE AFRAID" - God gives Paul the encouragement to stay (and stay he does for 18 months!). What does God tell Paul about why he doesn't have to fear? Are there any OT passages this reminds you of?

2 COR 1:1-2, and 8-9a

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ ...

8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death.

• "PAUL & TIMOTHY" - So, Paul and Timothy are now writing a letter ... and the timing of this is gonna get weird. We call it "2 Corinthians" ... but oddly enough, there are many folks who would actually consider this 4th Corinthians (with as many as 2 other letters being lost to history). We'll talk about this more as we unpack things, but for now. Just notice - Paul has Timothy with him again in this writing.

• "GRACE AND PEACE" - Paul wrote 1st Corinthians from Ephesus during the 3 years Paul stayed there (see more on that below). But while Paul was there, there had been some serious dialogue and conflict between Paul and the Corinthian church during that time. Beyond that, look at verses 8-11 above ... Paul's life in Ephesus had been hard! And yet, despite this drama with Corinth and struggles in Ephesus, Paul's letter to the Corinthians begins with kindness. What can we learn about this example from Paul? 

• "FROM ACHAIA" - After Paul left Ephesus, he headed north for Philippi, and that's why we read "Achaia" and not "Asia Minor" his greeting. (See this map for a visual reference.) It's there that he likely wrote 2 Corinthians then from Philippi before visiting Corinth again. How do you think Paul was feeling about seeing the Corinthians again? (For "extra credit", read Acts 20:1-3 ... this brief, 3-month 2nd visit to Corinth ("to Greece" in 20:2) doesn't get much attention in Acts except for one thing. What do we learn about this last visit to Corinth?

2 COR 1:3-7

3 Blessed 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. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

• "BLESSED BE" - Ever heard someone talk about their struggles as a prelude to why they can't love (or follow or believe in) God anymore? Despite how real those trials are, look at how Paul begins his letter. Paul's not going to ignore his traumatic past, but re-read verse 3 ... how does he identify the God who allowed it?

• "COMFORT (x?)" - Paul says that the "God of all comfort comforts us..." And if that sounds redundant, it's not aimless. Paul leans into the repetition! How many times do you count the word comfort in this paragraph?

• "AFFLICTION" - But "comfort" isn't the only repeated word. Paul describes affliction along with another synonym for that as well. How many times does that concept get repeated in this paragraph? How does this co-mingling of comfort and suffering hit you as you read it?

• "SO THAT" - If you're not confused yet, hang on ... because Paul doubles down on the co-existence of comfort and suffering. Verse 4 seems to imply that God allows suffering to share His comfort with us, but He also has a "so that" to it all ... repeated later in the word "for" - which could be translated as "since" or "because". According to this paragraph, what seems to be God's intended pattern for His suffering Church?

2 COR 1:9b-11

9b But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

• "THAT WAS TO MAKE" - If it feels like Paul is being unsympathetic with your plight, remember that he's writing as one who suffered. In fact, returning to his testimony of life in Ephesus (see 1:8-9a above), Paul says God allowed them to feel the death sentence of ministry for one purpose. What is that purpose from verse 9b?

• "DELIVERED/WILL DELIVER" - God has been faithful to Paul and He would be again. This was Paul's confidence and hope (see verse 10). So, what does Paul ask for from the Corinthians as he concludes this section? How can this request help us to think about the believers around the world who are laboring under persecution right now?

Fighting for faith with you,

Pastor Darren