Who Is Sufficient for These Things?

Reading:  2 Corinthians 2:12-17
    
    Having sent the tear-soaked letter to Corinth, Paul is on pins and needles waiting to hear how the church received it.  “When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there.  So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia”(2 Cor 2:12-13).  Paul is so distressed about this situation that he turns away from an open door for evangelism in Troas.  What normally energizes and excites him cannot give him peace.  

    While he only hints at the answer he gets (he will describe it more fully in 2 Cor 7:5ff), Paul clearly receives good news.  “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spread the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere”(2 Cor 2:14).  Paul pictures the triumphal marches of the Roman emperors, who would parade through a town with a procession of the prisoners they have gained in the battle.  Paul is in this procession as a slave, yet shares in the triumph of Christ and helps him spread his “fragrance.”  “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.  Who is sufficient for these things?”(2 Cor 2:15-16).  The fragrance smells different to different people, just as the gospel looks different depending on the heart of the listener (1 Cor 1:18, 23-24).  Some learn Christ and smell life, others death.  Yet all of it hinges on the followers of Jesus, who spread this fragrance.  What an awesome responsibility!  Who is sufficient for these things?

    “Who is sufficient for these things?” is Paul’s humble question.  Working alongside God in growing his kingdom is a tremendous honor.  We do not deserve it nor do we have sufficiency—strength, wisdom, holiness—in ourselves.  The closer we come to God’s work, the more our unworthiness shines through.  We are insufficient in ourselves, yet “our sufficiency comes from God, who has made us sufficient”(2 Cor 3:5-6).

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One Thing to Think About:  Do I consider it an honor to work for Jesus?

One Thing to Pray For:  God’s empowerment to accomplish his work
 

Satan’s Schemes

Reading:  2 Corinthians 2:6-11
    
    While the details are unclear, someone in the Corinthian church has sinned and Paul has written them to address the problem (2 Cor 2:4-6).  The wording implies that the man has harmed Paul specifically (see v. 5, 10).  Yet here Paul urges forgiveness and reconciliation.  “For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.  So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him”(2 Cor 2:6-8).  The church has “punished” the man—evidently by withdrawing from him—and Paul says that it is now time to “forgive and comfort” and “reaffirm your love.”  They should accept him again and restore the bonds of fellowship.  Presumably the man is willing to change his behavior so that this situation will not recur.

    Paul gives more insight into his thinking when writing to the church.  “For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything”(2 Cor 2:9).  Some divine expectations are very difficult to fulfill; they “test” us and our commitment.  He also reassures them that he is over the problem himself:  “Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive.  Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs”(2 Cor 2:10-11).  Forgiveness is important because it keeps us from being “outwitted by Satan.”  Satan has “designs” or schemes geared toward our spiritual defeat.  We must rally around each other—and let go the wounds of the past—or we will fall into his traps.

    Paul’s perspective here is healthy because it reminds us that we face a crafty adversary.  He will use even our moments of obedience to “outwit” us into growing overly severe.  Similarly, he can lead us to grow proud of our humility, confident in our own strength, and blind to our faults.  But forgiveness is essential because when we fail to let go of the hurts of the past, we can fall into sin by our response to others’ sins.  We sorely need God’s help, wisdom, and people to overcome Satan’s schemes.

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One Thing to Think About:  What does Satan have planned for me?

One Thing to Pray For:  A heart to let go of the hurts of the past 
 

Love Hurts

Reading:  2 Corinthians 2:1-5
    
    There is history behind these verses.  At some point between 1 Corinthians and this letter, Paul has made a “painful visit”(2 Cor 2:1) to Corinth in which someone there made attacks on Paul (2 Cor 2:5-8).  (Some suppose this is the incestuous man from 1 Cor 5).  After the visit, Paul wrote a letter prompting the group to act against the man (2 Cor 2:3-4).  Here Paul frankly describes his emotions as the problem unfolded.  “For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you.  For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained?”(2 Cor 2:1-2).  This is the reason for Paul’s altered travel plans:  rather than the joy of reunion, Paul would find the pain of rejection.  More, Paul is worried about causing them pain by coming (2 Cor 1:23, 2:2).

    He also gives a window into his emotions while writing the letter.  “For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you”(2 Cor 2:4).  Letters (and emails and texts) often veil the true emotions of the writer.  We can come across as stern or cold.  However he may have sounded, Paul wants them to know that he felt “anguish of heart” and that “many tears” soaked the page.  The reason is that he knew his words would pain the ones he loved so much.  He wanted to challenge them, but also to “let you know the abundant love that I have for you.”  Love hurts.

    There is a side of love that our culture often ignores.  Love hurts—not because those we love disappoint us or betray us.  Love hurts because it sometimes involves confrontation, hard honesty, challenge, rebuke, warning, and concern.  When we care about people, we say important things to them even though they may hurt.  Meanwhile, it hurts us to see the effect our love has.  We are caught between the rock of saying what is needed and the hard place of causing pain.  To truly, deeply love, we must embrace this pain.

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One Thing to Think About:  How have I experienced love causing pain?

One Thing to Pray For:  The courage to love others even when it hurts them and me 
 

Yes and No

Reading:  2 Corinthians 1:15-24
    
    Here we get our first indications that some of the Corinthians are unhappy with Paul.  He insists that he has behaved “with simplicity and godly sincerity”(2 Cor 1:12).  The issue is his travel plans: either the plans he had to visit them (1 Cor 16:5-7) or some other plan fell through.  The Corinthians, stung, accuse him of being dishonest; his “yes” is not “yes”(see Matt 5:37).  “I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea.  Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this?  Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say ‘Yes, yes,’ and ‘No, no’ at the same time?”(2 Cor 1:16-17).  Some in Corinth are implying that Paul has lied or is perhaps scared to come see them.

    Paul gives several explanations.  His plans involved multiple visits that just didn’t work out (2 Cor 1:16).  He did not actually commit to coming (2 Cor 1:18).  He defends his honesty, which they have benefited from:  “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes”(2 Cor 1:19).  Paul is trustworthy in preaching the gospel; changing travel plans are a different matter.  But the most important reason why Paul did not visit them:  “But I call God to witness against me—it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth”(2 Cor 1:21).  He changed his travel plans because he did not want to reopen fresh wounds prematurely, causing “another painful visit”(2 Cor 2:1).

    Jesus teaches us honesty and forthrightness.  He wants us to keep our word.  Yet it is also essential that we not impugn our brothers’ motives simply because plans change.  These verses remind us that even in the time of the apostles and the early church, relationships have always needed patience and maintenance.

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One Thing to Think About:  How can dishonesty hurt others?

One Thing to Pray For:  My “yes” to be “yes” 
 

Burdened Beyond Strength

Reading:  2 Corinthians 1:8-14
    
    2 Corinthians is remarkable for Paul’s willingness to show vulnerability despite significant opposition within the church in Corinth.  Here he opens up about his emotions during a time of great distress.  “For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia.  For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.  Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death”(2 Cor 1:8-9).  It is unclear what Paul’s “Asian affliction” refers to; some identify it with the riot in Ephesus against him (Acts 19:23-41).  Yet he had been certain that he would die because he was “so utterly burdened beyond our strength.”  When Christians feel completely overwhelmed and unequal to the tasks of the moment, we are in good company.

    Yet this is not the end of Paul’s story.  “But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.  On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again”(2 Cor 1:9-10).  God saved Paul from the immediate danger, quieting all his fears.  He also sees a lesson in the experience:  “to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”  When we are burdened beyond our strength, God shines.  Paul also requests ongoing prayers (2 Cor 1:11), knowing that this is also a way of relying on the God who controls the outcomes.

    The culture of some Christian churches often involves putting on a brave face and acting as if our lives are completely under control.  We seek to manage others’ impressions of us, fearing judgment or rejection.  Yet Paul shows us that it is entirely appropriate to declare to one another that we are in way over our heads, that we are not in a good place, and that we have a lot to learn.  Only when we communicate our burdens to one another can we pray effectively or bear one another’s burdens.  

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One Thing to Think About:  Am I willing to be vulnerable with my brothers?

One Thing to Pray For:  Reliance on God, not myself