(2 Cor. 11:16-33)

From different points of view, the same information can have dramatically different impacts. For example, a national election can bring results that cause some to feel euphoric and others to feel doomed. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he talks about their idea of foolishness versus his own understanding. He uses sarcasm quite a bit in these chapters, so if you’re fluent in that language, these passages are easy to relate to. But what he says is that they love to listen to people who are actually fools while calling Paul a fool for his devotion to the cause of the Gospel. Paul’s example is challenging to us all. In order to live anything like he did, we have to grapple with our own ideas of what is wise and foolish and we would have to leave behind what seems wise to this world. Paul’s bragging here is what he labels as foolish, but he needs to help the Corinthians open their eyes to the ways that their ‘spiritual conversations’ with these new leaders have actually dragged them into foolishness. If we can learn from this, it can help us from believing we are being wise while we are actually turning into fools.

Camouflage was first officially invented in France in 1914. Of course, armies have been using some form of it since warfare began. The concept is pretty simple: if your enemy doesn’t know you are there, they cannot attack you. And they cannot effectively defend themselves. Paul talks about our spiritual enemy, Satan, using the same tactic. In fact, Paul says that Satan disguises himself as an ‘angel of light.’ That seems like that would make it pretty difficult to identify him as an enemy. And these stakes are so much higher than life and death. Eternity is at stake. Make no mistake; we are in a spiritual war. But it often feels like just moving through life, choosing whatever seems good, and never realizing that we are being deceived. Today, we’ll look at what we can learn from Paul’s words on our camouflaged enemy

Have you ever been in a place where you felt blinded by despair? Are there times that you forget about God's ability to do the impossible? In these verses, we will look at how Jesus took extraordinary steps to prove who He was and how His disciples responded. Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and forevermore. Let us fix our eyes on how He moved in this text and how it can give us a blueprint for today.

Virtually every ad you see invites you to compare yourself with someone else. The advertisers know that comparison is a natural driver for our desires and choices. If we see someone enjoying a vacation, we compare our situation with what we think the person in the ad is experiencing. Social media influencers embody this principle even more powerfully. They recommend product with the same kind of comparison: imagine what your life would look like if you had this product (compared to what your life looks like now without it). Paul addresses this way of thinking and the danger that lies within it. He even goes further to tell us that comparison is unwise, but that there is a way to measure our lives. Do you know how to tell as a Christian whether you’re living a life of lasting value and purpose? Let’s see what Paul has to say and let God’s Spirit speak to each of us!

We all know people who are full of confidence in a way that makes everyone else irritated. The self-focus of this kind of confidence seems to think everyone else matters less and is not worth their time. Many people – Christians included – assume from people like this that confidence is the same as pride. Basically, you have to have a big head to be sure of what you’re doing. However, in these few verses, Paul exudes confidence without surrendering his humility. He warns the Corinthians that he is coming to correct them if they don’t turn from their direction quickly. But this is not about Paul being higher or better. Instead, it is about recognizing that he can walk by faith since God has given him this calling. What callings have we clearly been given from God that need us to walk in confidence by faith?

In the series Cobra Kai, the iconic characters from the original Karate Kid come to life again. There is still a contrast in fighting techniques. And there are still bullies and those who need to stand up and fight back. But one of the subthemes of the story is that those who were powerless can become powerful by learning a different way to approach an unavoidable fight. The kids who get bullied at the start learn how to defend themselves. They also learn that their new skill can be used to bully back, creating some big questions about the nature of power and morality. As we head back into 2 Corinthians, we pick up at a big transition. Most scholars believe that this section was written after some news had arrived from Corinth and Paul is now directly interacting with the words of the false leaders who have tried to supplant Paul. Paul starts his part of the battle by noting that we do not fight like the world does. What does that mean and how does it apply to our lives? Let’s see!

The last word of our church's name seems to point directly to small groups. It certainly is our goal that everyone experiences and knows the joy and peace that come from deep and healthy community within our spiritual family. We've given away how high of a priority this is for us by putting it in our name. Is this unique to us? Are we being extreme? Or is this the God-designed way for a church to function. Let's go back to the start of the church and then read some words from someone who was very close to Jesus. We will see that our war on loneliness and isolation is the dead center of the target for our church because fellowship is God's prescription for every single believer.

The second word in our church’s name is “Christian.” In American culture, many people call themselves a Christian without really meaning what we mean. So what is the difference between someone who chooses a label and someone who is what the Bible describes as a Christian? We’re going to focus on one word today that describes real salvation: Grace. It is the grace of God that saves someone and makes them a Christian. This is more than just a label we choose or we wear. It actually influences our connection and relationships deeply. If we are going to war with loneliness and isolation, we have to understand the grace we’ve received and the grace we are called to pour out.

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