2. 2 Corinthians 5:11-15 “11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to

3. answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;

4. 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” 2 Corinthians 5:11-15

7. KNOWING

8. II Corintians 5: 15 “15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

9. II Corintians 5: 15 “15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” Live For Ourselves Persuade

10. I Corinthians 15:1-4 “1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins

11. in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,”

12.  gospel I preached

13.  you received

14.  gospel I preached  you received  you have taken your stand

15.  gospel I preached  you received  you have taken your stand  you’re being saved

16.  gospel I preached  you received  you have taken your stand  you’re being saved IF

17.  gospel I preached  you received  you have taken your stand  you’re being saved IF hold fast to the word I preached to you

18.  gospel I preached  you received  you have taken your stand  you’re being saved IF hold fast to the word I preached to you unless you believed in vain

19. DELIVERED TO YOU AS OF FIRST IMPORTANCE…

20. 1)died for our sins

21. DELIVERED TO YOU AS OF FIRST IMPORTANCE… 1)died for our sins 2)buried

22. DELIVERED TO YOU AS OF FIRST IMPORTANCE 1)died for our sins 2)buried 3)raised on the 3 rd day

23. THE GOSPEL:  gave their life meaning and power…

24. In his 2 nd letter to Corinth, in chapter 5 Paul speaks of a knowing that extends…

25. SOME TEXTS IN II CORINTHIANS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN KNOW

26. 1)II Corinthians 5:1, “1 For we know that if the tent, which is our earthly home, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

27. 2) II Corinthians 5:6, “6 So we are always of good courage (“confident”, NIV). We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,…”

28. 3) II Corinthians 5:11 “11 Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others…”

29. 4) II Corinthians 5:16 “16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh.”

30. What is the thought running through these verses? It is more than simply..

31. I. KNOWING OURSELVES

32. 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 “1 For we know that if the tent, which is our earthly home, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent we

33. groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, we walk by

34. faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

35. It is God who:  has prepared us for this TRANSITION we’re making from the earthly to the heavenly

36. It is God who:  has prepared us for this TRANSITION we’re making from the earthly to the heavenly  gives us OUR CONFIDENCE as we make that TRANSITION

37. It is God who:  has prepared us for this TRANSITION we’re making from the earthly to the heavenly  gives us OUR CONFIDENCE as we make that TRANSITION  gives us His GUARANTEE! ?

38. Why is that important? II. KNOW OUR TENT IS TEMPORARY

39. 1)First, he says our physical bodies are being destroyed.

40. 1)First, he says our physical bodies are being destroyed. 2) Second, we will appear before the judgment of Christ.

41. 2 Corinthians 5:1 “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed,…”

42. 2 Corinthians 5:1 “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed,…” He doesn’t feel secure…

43. 1 Corinthains 15:30-31 “30 Why am I in danger every hour? 31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day!”

44. 2 Corinthians 4:11 “11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”

45. However, for most of the western world such extreme persecution is not likely…

46. 2 Corinthians 11:24-29 “24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from

47. Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.”

48. 2 Corinthians 5:1 “…we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

51. “eternal in the heavens”

52. III. KNOWING THE AROMA

53. If you were to die at this moment…

54. Yes, by the grace of God, He saved me for that purpose!

55. If you were to die at this moment… Yes, by the grace of God, He saved me for that purpose!  If I am not SURE, I’m giving off a STRANGE AROMA.

56. This whole text vibrates with confidence. Here are the facts!

57. This whole text vibrates with confidence. Here are the facts!  "we know" (5:1)

58. This whole text vibrates with confidence. Here are the facts!  "we know" (5:1)  "Spirit as a guarantee" (5:5)

59. This whole text vibrates with confidence. Here are the facts!  "we know" (5:1)  "Spirit as a guarantee" (5:5)  uses the word "good courage" (CONFIDENT) twice (5:6, 8)

60. Why such confidence? Can God save?

61. Why such confidence? Can God save? Can God prepare us….

62. II Corinthians 3:18 “18 transforming us into his likeness with ever increasing glory,”

63. II Corinthians 3:18 “18 transforming us into his likeness with ever increasing glory,” Sounds like preparation…

64. Ephesians 1:13-14 “13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

65. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 “21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

66. These 3 passages use a little Greek word “arrabon” - a)rrabw=na))))))).

68. IV. OUR DESIRE FOR THE HEAVENLY

69. II Corinthians 5:4 “4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.”

70. For most “LIFE” is happiness…

71. Google search for “happiness” yields 75 million results75 million results nearly 40,000 books 40,000 books

72. Why is that important? 2 Corinthians 5:8 “10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

73.  Are you in transition?  Is there a transformation taking place in your life?  If you were to leave your tent today are you ready and eager to go to be with Jesus?

74.  How are you doing with the aroma of Christ -- spreading the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere?