God's people are called out of violent empires who live for pride and use violence to accumulate wealth— to join those who mourn — and to become a kingdom of priests who follow the lamb who was slain who gathers a people of every tribe, tongue, and nation around the throne of heaven.

Nathan and Caitlin explore how Paul's self-presentation as a suffering fool echoes the Old Testament prophets and serves as a model for us.

Paul compares his example — he embodies the message of the cross — with the super apostles to demolish their false Gospel.

Paul invites the church to be partners in generosity — not just funding Gospel work, but as Gospel work that produces equality.

Paul's vision for church is not just we share one mind — shaped by the Gospel of the crucified Jesus, but one heart, shaped by the Holy Spirit. God's ministry of reconciliation restores us to relationship with him, and to one another.

As we join Paul and his team, we join God's mission — compelled by the love of Jesus to be ambassadors of God's ministry of reconciliation — where sin is dealt with and we become participants in his justice and righteousness because the Spirit unites us in Jesus.

Paul's model for glorious ministry is built on the life-giving work of the Spirit — who dwells in us and transforms us into glorious humans who can reflect the image of Jesus in the world; carrying around his death in our bodies so that his life might be made known.

Paul wants to bring his readers out of being captivated by the "super-apostles" and their worldly vision, into being captivated by the example of Jesus and those sent by him to bring the aroma of life.

Note: talks from the last two weeks were not recorded.

Paul ends his letter unpacking the theology of the body behind the cross-shaped ethic he calls the church to; a cross-shaped ethic is made possible by a resurrection shaped hope.

Paul uses 'the body' as a metaphor to address both the disunity occurring in the church in Corinth, and to describe the way of life the church is called into in Jesus, by his Spirit — the most excellent way of love.