Saturday, August 23, 2014

Open Wide your Hearts

Sunday, August 24, 2014

2 Corinthians 6:1-13,  2 Corinthians 7:2-4

1 We then, [as] workers together [with him], beseech [you] also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 
2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now [is] the accepted time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation.) 
3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 
4 But in all [things] approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 
5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 
6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 
7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 
8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and [yet] true; 9 As unknown, and [yet] well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 
10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and [yet] possessing all things. 
11 O [ye] Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. 
12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. 
13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto [my] children,) be ye also enlarged. 

2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. 
3 I speak not [this] to condemn [you]: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with [you]. 
4 Great [is] my boldness of speech toward you, great [is] my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What was the Apostle Paul asking the church at Corinth to do and why? (v.1)
2) What had God said through the prophet Isaiah (see Isaiah 49:8)? (v.2)
3) How did the Apostle Paul, and his colleagues, conduct themselves and why? (v.3)
4) How did the apostle, and other disciples of Christ, show that they were true ministers? (V.4-10) 
5) Please list at least four (4) specific ministerial traits that the apostle wrote about (v.4-10).
6) What happened to the hearts of the apostles as they ministered to the church at Corinth? (v.11)
7) What was Apostle Paul asking the Corinthians to do and why? (v.12-13)
8) What else was the apostle asking of the Corinthians and why? (v.2)
9) What did the apostle say that he was not doing and why? (v.3)
10) Why was the Apostle Paul comforted by the Corinthians and joyful despite his trials? (v.4)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
10) How do you typically conduct yourself around those who are less spiritually mature than you, and/or those whom you disciple?
11) Have you ever discipled a younger brother, or sister, in the Lord? If so, please describe your heart attitude toward a younger disciple of Christ.
12) Have your efforts at discipling younger believers always been well received or honored? If not, please describe one such incident and what you did to correct the situation.

PRINCIPLES
13) To make disciples we must first become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
14) Despite our personal trials, the Lord expects His ministers to disciple to the young in faith.
15) It is impossible to disciple a young believer and not possess the love of Christ for them.

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