2024-11-10 Sermon Notes
💡Big Idea
Takeaways and Next Steps
📖Bible Passage
I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?
Points
- In 2 Corinthians 12-13 Paul keeps returning to a particular problem with the church in Corinth
- 2 Corinthians 6:13:
- Paul is concerned that these church members are now turning away from the Gospel.
- Shepherding: we have a responsibility to shepherd those around us:
- Parents have a responsibility to shepherd their children
- Pastors have a responsibility to shepherd the church.
- The first part of verse 15 is what every righteous pastor gives:
- "I will gladly spend and be spent": Paul gives of himself selflessly to the church in Corinth.
- Paul was showing them the love of Christ.
- Paul not only spent for others but he gladly spent. He did so with a cheerful heart.: 2 Corinthians 9:7
- How can you be spent? This is not talking about money or property. It is talking about energy, time, and giving your self to others.
- Most pastors live on a fixed salary, that may go up with inflation but not much more. Most pastors gave up opportunities for other work where they could have made more money and had opportunity for promotions. They spend and are spent.
- Why would a pastor give up so much? 2 Corinthians 5:14 The reason why is because the love of Christ compels them.
- This is what Christ did for us. He spent and was spent for us.
- Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. (John 13) He did this knowing that these same disciples would betray Him.
- ❓: Think back to your childhood. Who spent and was spent for me and my soul?
- Do I love that person more or less when I think about how they spend and are spent for me?
- ❓: Now ask yourself: Who am I spending and being spent for?
- ❓: Ask yourself: Do I give with a cheerful heart? Do I not only give myself to others, but do it gladly?
- In the second part of verse 15, Paul shows what the pastor gets back in return for his selfless giving to them: the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
- In 2 Corinthians 10:10 the church nitpicks Paul and complains that he's not a very good speaker, and that he was small:
-
For, "His letters", they say, "are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised."
-
- 2 Corinthians 11:4-5: The corinthians rejected Paul and gave their loyalty to other teachers, false teachings, and a false gospel.
- This is how people are treated in business and industry. People are valued only when they are beneficial and productive. But the moment that they are not performing well, they are discarded and put on the scrap heap.
- This ruthless culture is spreading to families, medicine and throughout society, and even to how the church treats pastors.
- This ruthless culture leads to more distrust. We now treat with suspicion anyone who comes with true and sincere, genuine motives. This hurts the spread of the Gospel
- There are indeed false teachers whom we should be suspicious of, but not everyone.
- 2 Corinthians 11:28-29: Paul was deeply concerned for the people of his congregations. It hurt him to be rejected by them.
- Ministry leads to disappointment and rejection. It is hard work.
- Jesus:
- He saves us gladly. He is not reluctant to give Himself for us. He loves us greatly.
- But how much was Christ loved when He was on the cross?
- Matthew 27:42: Instead of love Jesus received mockery. That is what we gave Him in return for His love. The more abundantly Christ loved us, the less He was loved.
- If you do not know this Christ, then I beseech you today, come to this Savior.
- In 2 Corinthians 10:10 the church nitpicks Paul and complains that he's not a very good speaker, and that he was small:
Application
Further Study
💬Discussion Questions
2024-11-10 Sermon Notes
Interactive graph
On this page
💡Big Idea
Takeaways and Next Steps
📖Bible Passage
Points
Application
Further Study
💬Discussion Questions