2 Corinthians: Authenticity + Affliction

2 Corinthians 11: 16 - 33

When we think of the way the Christian life is often described, what comes to mind? Sometime we focus only on the sweet elements (peaceful, fulfilling, powerful, secure), but Paul in 2 Corinthians 11 testifies to the bitter elements (dangerous, painful, feeling weak) of walking with God as the marks of authenticity. The American vision tends to preach living one’s best life now and basking in God’s blessings. In response, Pastor Scott gives ten reasons why authentic Christians will suffer.

2 Corinthians: How to Navigate Deceitful Teaching

2 Corinthians 10

The problem of people being deceived by teaching is more relevant now than ever. A flood of information comes at us through social media, TV, and YouTube, and so much of it is biblically messed up. Many Christians fall for the persuasions, falling away from the true gospel. In 2 Corinthians 10, Paul defends the validity of his gospel preaching and calls out the false teaching going on in the Corinthian community. Given that this issue persists through every generation, Pastor Scott ends this message with practical tips for how to stay grounded in the truth of the gospel in the midst of deceitful teaching.

2 Corinthians: How to Cultivate a Lifestyle of Generosity

2 Corinthians 9: 5 - 8

The stress of dealing with money in our time—it’s real. Sometimes we operate out of a shame state or a scarcity mentality when it comes to managing time or money. But contact with Jesus can heal this worry within us. He takes us from an exacting compulsory life to a spacious life of grace. In this message Chris Waugh shares life stories to help listeners imagine where God may be calling us to expand our capacity to be generous. 

2 Corinthians: The Importance of Generosity

2 Corinthians 8

The practice of generosity is a huge part of our spiritual formation and even combatting spiritual warfare, as giving is the antithesis to a culture that hoards money and fears of not having enough. Reading about the church in 2 Corinthians 8, Pastor Scott shares what it looks like to be wise with money while giving much in light of what we have. The posture of giving can be an act of worship, of grace, and can shape us into the people God is calling us to be.

2 Corinthians: Repentance that Brings Joy

2 Corinthians 7:8 - 13

What does it look like to have a healthy process of repentance and growth in your church community? It involves church leaders addressing sin instead of ignoring the problem, to respond to discipline with “godly sorrow,” and to commit to loving people instead of ostracizing them, hanging in there for the whole process of salvation. Mark Skillin unpacks several nuances to this type of dilemma as referred in 2 Corinthians 7, including what it means to find salvation when one is already a Christian.

2 Corinthians: In All Our Troubles My Joy Knows No Bounds

2 Corinthians 7:2 - 16

2 Corinthians 7 gives a snapshot into the life of the apostles who endured suffering through their travels and gospel teaching, yet their love for the local church and hearing about the Corinthians’ growth in repentance magnified their joy that could not overshadowed by troubles. Mark Skillin goes through the backstory of this passage and from it gleans wisdom about suffering, joy in the Lord, and why learning from the apostles is important.

2 Corinthians: Fellowship with God

2 Corinthians 6: 14 - 7:1

God calls us to be fully in communion with Him. As Christ followers we can’t have one foot in the world, one foot with God. Yet throughout the centuries, determining what it means to be separate from the world and fully aligned with God has been challenging for the Church, and sometimes this separation has gone to the extreme. Pastor Scott sorts through what it means in chapter 6 v. 14 to not be “equally yoked” with nonbelievers, what to do with rules upon rules in legalistic circles, how to interact with our culture, and how to address internal shame in the process of pursuing holy communion.

2 Corinthians: Open Your Heart

2 Corinthians 6:1 - 13

Is there any part of your life that you’re holding back from God, and why is that? God continues to dole out grace, yet believers can neglect to tap into His treasures. Pastor Scott challenges listeners to “open wide” their hearts to God, in the context of Paul displaying His wholeheartedness to Christ and the Corinthian church through sorrow and joy.

2 Corinthians: Be Reconciled

2 Corinthians 5: 16 - 21

As Christians, we are “new creation[s].” Jesus has given us a new identity. The challenge is to keep walking the path of reconciliation in the redeemed identity. Pastor Scott unpacks the complex themes in 2 Corinthians 5: 16 - 21 about being reconciled to God, what it means to take sin seriously and walk toward righteousness, especially in a contemporary culture that’s normalized lukewarm faith.

2 Corinthians: Our Motivation for Doing Good

2 Corinthians 5: 9 - 15

What motivates us to do the things we do? In Corinthians 5, Paul highlights that his motivation for doing good, sharing the gospel, and working for God’s kingdom is that he will be rewarded by Christ after death. There is an underrated theme of divine reciprocity in the Bible. What Christians do with their lives to honor God is accounted for by God and will reap a reward. This is in the context of paradoxes. Because Christ died for our sins, we must die to ourselves; Christians no longer live for themselves but for Christ’s motives, and living for Christ alone is rewarded. Listen to one of our elders Mark Skilllin as he unpacks these multi-faceted themes in 2 Corinthians 5: 9 - 15.