Wednesday, September 2, 2015
2 Corinthians 6:1-13 NIV
1 As God's co-workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 2 For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange--I speak as to my children--open wide your hearts also.
OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Other than the Apostle Paul, who was writing to the believers at Corinth and what were they urging them to do? Why? (v.1-2)
2) What have the apostles refrained from doing to those they ministered to? Why? (v.3)
3) How did these "servants of God" commend themselves to the Corinthians? (v. 4-10)
4) What did Christ's ministers do for the Corinthians and ask them to do for them? Why? (v.11-13)
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) Have you ever had to seek the counsel, or help, of the spiritual leader(s) of your local church?
6) If so, why did you trust them to help you?
LIFE LESSONS
7) The Lord brings overseers of our souls to help us navigate our individual Christian journeys.
8) The Lord often sends mature believers into our lives who have gone through the same challenges and struggles that we face in this life.
Showing posts with label Ministers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ministers. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
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)
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.
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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