THE PATIENT CHRISTIAN

January 7, 2020 (1 Tim. 2:1-6)

Reading to the hearer: 2 Corinthians 2:1-17

The Purpose of His Former Letter

“But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.

2     For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?

3     And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

Solicitude for the Church

4     For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.

5     But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.

6     Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

7     So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

8     Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

Apostolic Authority

9     For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

10      To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;

11     Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Open Door

12     Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,

13     I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.

Paul’s Ministry

      14     Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

15     For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

16     To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

17     For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.”

The Purpose of His Former Letter

  1. THE PURPOSE—vv. 1–4
  2. Sorrow—vv. 1–2. Paul, writing to Christians, has sorrow in his heart because the way the Christians were living and acting.
  3. Shame—v. 3. While Paul was away, the people went back into sin. Paul warns them to straighten out their lives and live according to God’s Word.

Solicitude for the Church

  1. Showing—v. 4. Though he was very strict, Paul always spoke with love and compassion. You may be bold and yet do it in love.
  2. THE PATIENCE—vv. 5–11
  3. Punishment—vv. 5–6. Those who encouraged sinning (1 Cor. 5:1–13) “It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3     For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8      Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12          For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person”, were punished. The people join with Paul in his disapproval of these people.
  4. Plan—v. 7. Forgive those who were wrong, but have seen their wrong and have repented. Regardless of the past, forgive and forget!
  5. Patience—v. 8. Forgiving shows maturity and understanding. It shows God’s love within you.

Apostolic Authority

  1. Purpose—vv. 9–10. Paul is seeing how much the people will forgive. An unforgiving spirit is sinful.
  2. Problem—v. 11. Never retain bitterness within you.

Open Door

III.     THE POWER—vv. 12–17

  1. Preaching—v. 12. Paul visits Troas on his second and perhaps third Missionary journey.
  2. Problem—v. 13. Paul could not find Titus.

Paul’s Ministry

  1. Power—v. 14. God using man to accomplish His work.
  2. Prospect—vv. 15–16. Death to the Christian means the start of everlasting life.
  3. Purpose—v. 17. The purpose of Paul, and all other ministers giving God’s Word, is a DIVINE CALL UPON THEIR LIVES.
  1. Three Amen from Romans chapter 16:

 

16:20 – Paul predicts victory for believers when the God of peace soon will crush Satan.

16:24 – Paul makes a prayerful pronouncement.  He summons “the grace of our Lord Jesus to be with you.

16:27 – Glory in God’s ability.