Expository Sermons

Subject: “Motivation in Ministry & Encouragement in Suffering” 2 Corinthians 1:1-7:14……….THE KEY WORD IS: “ASPECTS” OF PAUL MINISTRY. I. The Ministry’s COVENANT explained, 1:3-7:14. 1. Its Calling, vss. 1-2. God has CALLED his messenger, v. 1. The apostle Paul and the brother Timothy v. 1a. The church and the saints, v. 1b. God has BLESSED his people, v. 2. i. Jesus Christ gave grace, v. 2a. ii. God the Father gave peace, v. 2a. 2. Its Comfort, vss. 3-7. From God to us, vss. 3-4. All encompassing, v. 3. He is the Father of Jesus Christ (all mercies). He is God (all comfort). From us to others, vss. 5-7. Mutually sharing in Christ: Suffering & Comfort, v. 5. Cause and Effect: our affliction-your comfort, v. 6. Purpose: hope firmly planted, v. 7. 3. Its Communicated Experience, vss. 8-11. Affliction experienced: Beyond capacity to the point of death, v. 8. Affliction produced faith that relies in God, v. 9. Affliction is met by God’s deliverance: Past, Present & Future, v. 10. Affliction prompted: Intercessory prayer, Thanksgiving prayer & Answered prayer, v. 11. 4. Its Calendar, vss. 12-22. Conviction of Ministry, vss. 12-14. Complexity of Ministry, vss. 13-19. Confirmation of Ministry, vss. 20-22. 5. Its Chronology, vss. 1:23-2:4. Paul spares Corinthians, v. 23. Paul seeks to edify in his ruling, v. 24. Paul avoids another “painful visit”, vss. 2:1-2. Paul writes instead, v. 2:3. Paul letter show his love, v. 2:4. 5. Its Call to forgive, vss. 2:5-11. Restore amid pain, vss. 5-7. Reaffirm all the love, v. 8. Reflect obedience, v. 9. Resist Satan, vss. 10-11. 6. Its Conquests, vss. 2:12-17. Success in Evangelism: open door in Troas, vss. 12-13. Success in Missionary work: Christ leads triumphantly, vss. 14-17. 7. Its Credentials, vss. 3:1-3. Question : Expectating commendation letters?, v. 1. Answer 1: Evidence of changed hearts, v. 2. Answer 2: Existence of Corinthians Christians, v. 3. 8. Its Confidence, vss. 3:4-6. Confidence in God, v. 4. Sufficiency in God, v. 5. Purpose in the New Covenant, v. 6. Letter kills. Spirit gives life. 9. Its Comparison, vss. 3:7-11. Ministry of death carved in stone versus Ministry of Spirit greater glory, vss.7-8. Condemnation = glory versus righteousness > glory, v. 9. Former glory (temporal) surpassed by new glory (permanent), vss. 10-11. 10. Its Consequent Effects, vss. 3:12-18. Confident hope, vss. 12-13 Christ removes veil, vss. 14-17 Communion with God, v.18. 11. Its Clear Gospel, vvs 4:1-6. Remains constant, v. 4:1. Rejects crooked ways, v. 4:2. Rebukes the lost, v. 4:3. Restrained by the god of this world, v. 4:4. Represents Jesus Christ, v. 4:5. Reflects His light of knowledge in our hearts, v. 4:6. 12. Its Cloaked Power and Glory, vss. 7-12. Redirects people to God, v. 4:7. Results in a resilient career, vss. 4:8-9. Relies on Christ, v. 4:10. Rises again with Jesus, v. 4:11. Real cost of empowering others, v. 4:12. 13. Its Congregation at Work, vss. 13-15. A Pilgrimage partner, v. 4:13. A Permanent promise, v. 4:14. A Praise produced, v. 4:15. 14. Its Christian worker at Rest, vss, 4:16-18. Renewed inner vitality, v. 4:16. Readiness through affliction, v. 4:17. Riches reserved, v. 4:18. 15. Its Celestial Hope, vss, 5:1-5. Restored house, vss. 5:1-2. Robe well fitted, v. 5:3. Resurrection, v. 5:4. Relying on God, v. 5:5. 16. Its Constant Courage, vss. 5:6-10. Reminded we belong to God, v. 5:6. Realization of spirituality, v. 5:7. Reminder repeated, v. 5:8. Resolution to please God, v. 5:9 Receiving of rewards (BEMA seat), v. 5:10. 17. Its Commitment Convictions, vss. 5:11-15 Christian: Call, Commendation and ‘Craziness’, vss. 5:11-13. Christ: Compelling and Creed, vss. 5:14-15. 18. Its Commitment Carried Out, vss. 5:16-21. The New Consideration, v. 5:16. The New Creation, v. 5:17. The New Connection, v. 5:18-19. The Call of messenger, v. 5:20. The Content of the message, v. 5:21. 19. Its Collaboration and Calamities, vss. 6:1-10. 20. Its Commitment to the Corinthians, vss. 6:11-13. Its Compatibility, vss. 6:14-7:16. Compromise, vss 6:14-15a. Communion, vss. 6:15b-16a. Command, vss. 6:16b-7:1. Its Comfortable Approach, vss. 7:2-16. 21. Its Collaboration with Churches, vss. II. The Ministry’s COLLECTION exercised, 8:1-9:15. 1. Collaborating Church, vss. 8:1-7. 2. Command to Give, vss. 8:8-15. 3. Commending a Christian Crew, vss. 16-24. 4. Collecting for Christians in Jerusalem, vss. 9:1-5. 5. Comparing Cheerful to Compulsory Giver, vss. 9:6-15. III. The Minister CONFRONTING enemies, 10:1-13:14. His Composure, vss. 10:1-6. His Confidence, vss. 10:7-17. His Comparison, vss. 11:1-11. His Charges, vss. 11:12-15. His Cost of Apostleship, vss. 11:16-32. His Comeback, vss. 12:1-10. His Concern for the Corinthians, vss. 12:11-18. His Confrontation of Opposition, vss. 12:19-13:4. His Command to Consider, vss. 13:5-10. His Closing Statement, vss. 13:11-14.