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This Lord’s Day we begin a new sermon series that will take us through the Gospel of Luke. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the “synoptic Gospels” because that have a shared perspective on the life of Christ. Though their content overlaps in places, Luke has more unique material than the other two. This material comes from the diligent research conducted by Luke so that he could provide “an orderly account” of the life of Jesus. He constructed this account of Jesus’ life with accuracy so that his first reader (Theophilus) and all subsequent readers can “have certainty concerning the things” that occurred in His life. Plan to be with us as we follow Jesus From Bethlehem to Emmaus.

Paul concludes his letter in a familiar way. He lists a series of final commands, offers greetings, and pronounces a benediction in the form of a prayer. Though familiar, his words are neither routine nor wasted. They give both direct and indirect guidance to help the church move past the immaturity and disobedience that made this painful letter necessary.

The apostle Paul brought the letter to a conclusion in 2 Corinthians 13:1-10. He spoke directly, warning of discipline for those who reject the truth. He called for self-examination, counseling the Corinthians to implement biblical change or face severe consequences. He desired the former outcome but stood prepared to launch the latter. From this passage we learn that the biblical assembly maintains discipline to protect its members and preserve the truth.

The sermon text (2 Corinthians 12:11-21) for this Lord’s Day serves as an “epilogue” to Paul’s “fool’s speech” (chapters 11-12). He summarizes the main point of the lengthy speech just concluded (11-13), declares his devotion to them (14-16a), insists on the integrity of his ministry among them, corrects their misconception of his “defense,” and begins preparation for his third visit to them (20-21). Embedded in all this, verse 19 contains a profound explanation of his actions that gives us insight into the true nature of ministry in the local church: It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved. Paul remembered two important truths that shaped his ministry: 1) God was always watching and he is the one whom we must please. 2) He spoke “in Christ,” that is, he was commissioned by Christ and served under the authority of Christ.

In the sermon text this Lord’s Day, Paul concludes what some call his “fool’s speech.” Since 11:1, he has “boasted” about his credentials as an apostle. However, unlike his opponents in Corinth, his boasting focuses on his own weakness. At the climax of this speech, he explains why weakness is his supreme credential.

In the sermon text for this Lord’s Day, Paul advances his argument against the false teachers troubling Corinth. The section that has been called “The Fool’s Speech.” He steps into his opponents’ arena, laying out his credentials in contrast to theirs. Like them, he foolishly “boasts,” however, he does not boast about his heritage, character, or accomplishments. Paul’s qualifications for useful service were his weakness. His point is that God displays his glory by working through frail, weak servants.

In 2 Corinthians 11:1, the apostle Paul pleads with the church in Corinth, “bear with me in a little foolishness.” As he closed out chapter 10, he rejected self-commendation. Yet, the situation in Corinth was such that Paul could not defend his authority, and thus his message, without presenting his own credentials. He calls his own self-commendation “foolishness.” In 11:1-15, he presents three arguments as to why the Corinthians should stand with him and obey his teaching.

With biting sarcasm, Paul calls out his opponents in Corinth for their self-promotion. In contrast, Paul’s desire for commendation from Christ alone shaped his philosophy of ministry in ways that we will explore this Lord’s Day

Paul launched a defense of his authority in the church in the tenth chapter of 2 Corinthians. In the first six verses, he revealed the true nature and power of his authority. In the sermon text for this Lord’s Day (2 Corinthians 10:7-11), Paul explained that the Lord gave him this authority and he exercised it through his perceived weakness.

The apostle did not conform to worldly patterns of leadership or submit to the expectations of worldly people. He exercised authority with two clear complementary goals in mind: He sought to please Christ, his Lord, and he sought to love the church, Christ’s people.

This Lord’s Day we will focus on 2 Corinthians 10:1-6. This passage begins Paul’s renewed defense in which he takes aim at his opponents in Corinth who were trying to undermine his authority and his message in the church. His defense will occupy the rest of the letter. In it, Paul encourages the Corinthians to step up and stand with him in the conflict.

Several important themes appear in this text and throughout the remaining chapters. First, the issues at nature of the conflict was spiritual rather than personal; spiritual warfare was being waged in Corinth. Second, the weapons Paul used in the conflict, though only alluded to in this text, are spiritual—specifically the truth of God’s word. Finally, the battleground in the conflict is the local church. In Paul’s worldview, everything hinged on the well being of the assembly.