1. Sunday 23 rd November 2014

2. I hope you will put up with a little more of my foolishness. Please bear with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband - Christ. 3 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. 4 You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. 5 But I don’t consider myself inferior in any way to these “super apostles” who teach such things. 6 I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I’m not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every possible way.

3. 7 Was I wrong when I humbled myself and honored you by preaching God’s Good News to you without expecting anything in return? 8 I “robbed” other churches by accepting their contributions so I could serve you at no cost. 9 And when I was with you and didn’t have enough to live on, I did not become a financial burden to anyone. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that I needed. I have never been a burden to you, and I never will be. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, no one in all of Greecewill ever stop me from boasting about this. 11 Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows that I do. 12 But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours.

4. 13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.

5. Sunday 23 rd November 2014

6. Commentary on 2 Cor 10:1–11:15 In this part of 2 Corinthians Paul turns to answer the biting criticisms of the new ministers and their supporters within the Corinthian church. It is clear from what is written that Paul, his ministry and his doctrines were under wholesale attack. For his part he viewed with the utmost seriousness the presence of these ‘apostles’ among the Corinthians. It is not too much to say that Paul’s very apostolic relationships with the Corinthians was now at stake, to say nothing of their future as a Christian congregation. Barnett, Paul: The Message of 2 Corinthians : Power in Weakness. S. 156

8. NOT......what looks good...what feels good...what sounds right...what’s to my/their advantage...what fits my systems/controls...what doesn’t disturb my comfort BUT... (v4)...keeps Jesus central...is in line with the Spirit...is in line with the message

10.  Christ centred(Christian)  Bible based(Evangelical)  Spirit led(Charismatic)  Another Jesus?  Another Spirit?  Another gospel?

12.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (Gal 5:25)  Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor 14:1)

13. Number 1: “The Bible clearly says...”

14. Christian life (Acts 2) v38 starting out:  Repent  (believe)  Be baptised  Receive the Spirit v42 live devoted to:  Apostle’s teaching  Fellowship  Breaking bread  Prayer  (miraculous, sharing, worship, salvation) Christian teaching (Heb 6) v1-2 ‘the foundations’  Repent  Belief  ‘Baptisms’  Laying on of hands  Resurrection of the dead  Eternal judgement

15. What are you devoted to? “pure & simple/undivided devotion to Christ”  What else competes? What determines your steps?  What you think/feel?  What looks good?  What God says? What’s your next step?  Come to Jesus  Get baptised  Be filled with the Spirit  Invest in relationship... (prayer, Bible, worship)  Connect/commit to fellowship  Engage in service  Partner in mission