I have so much time for second Corinthians, it's just wonderful and delightful to get into such a hefty and amazingly deep letter to the Corinthians in such a short time, but such is life. We have looked through Philemon already, didn't we? Does anybody remember that we've looked through Philemon? Any hands? Are you still awake? Yes, do you need to stand on your tables with your hands? Are you still awake? Yeah, some of you? Well, some of you can sleep, but please don't snore. That's the only standard I have here, no snoring. Philemon and second Corinthians have something very important in common, and that is these are the two letters where Paul puts his whole person into encouraging Philemon, in one hand the Corinthian church on the other, with his whole example, his life example, to encourage them to come to a point of reconciliation, which I have already noted here, as the unifying theme for second Corinthians. A call and appeal to reconciliation is the main aim of second Corinthians. Now I need to say a few words about the particular context and situation of second Corinthians. When you look at second Corinthians, you see very soon, perhaps you already read it, I hope you did, that Paul changed his mind on his travels. He says here that in chapter 1, verse 23 of second Corinthians, I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. So there's a change of plan, and the scenario is this, and you can look again at your chronological outline page 16. After first Corinthians is written from Ephesus, Paul stays in Ephesus. And I believe on page 17 here that Paul made a sorrowful visit to the Corinthians, which occurred around 55 AD. What he refers to in second Corinthians 2, I believe, is this visit. And that was this, while he was in Ephesus, he made a round trip journey to Corinth, there and back. So it wasn't a missionary journey. It does not figure in the first, the second or the third missionary journey. It's a short little trip across the Aegean Sea from Ephesus to Corinth and back. Now recorded explicitly in other sources, but second Corinthians seems to imply that. Now Paul is setting out on his third missionary journey, and originally he had planned to have his third missionary journey start in Ephesus across to Corinth, up through Greece and Macedonia, back down to Ephesus. That he changes. He does not go back to Corinth, as he says, what I've just quoted, but he goes up to Troas, over to Macedonia, down to Corinth. Before he arrives in Corinth, he writes, second Corinthians, from Macedonia, and says, there's a reason. Why did not go directly back to Corinth, but why I rather went up north, came across Macedonia, and now am on route to visit you for the third time. He says for the third time elsewhere, and later part of second Corinthians. So you need to understand that Paul had a change of itinerary. It is possible that there was some snickering and some back talking in the Corinthian church of, look, Paul didn't really come back. He is changing his mind. He doesn't really know what he's all about, what he's doing. And so Paul has to defend himself by saying, I honestly can tell you, I did that on your behalf. Now, if this hypothesis, which I think is correct, is right, that Paul went to a brief visit to Corinth, the sorrowful visit. There was pain, there was woundedness, there was injury done both to Paul and among the Corinthian church, and we see that in chapter two of second Corinthians. That had to get some time. And Paul decides, rather than to go right back and deal with it right away, he would allow some time for their sake, not for his sake, and travel the other way. And then writes second Corinthians from Macedonia, and then visit them and certainly to deal with all things. So this whole call to reconciliation, in second Corinthians, possibly, at least partially is to be seen against the backdrop of a very painful time, in which Paul continued the challenges that he faced with people saying we do not want to follow your call, you're teaching. And so what we have just discussed on first Corinthians is being fought against in parts of the Corinthian church. So that by way of situation is briefly the sketch that, perhaps from Philippi, we don't know exactly where Paul writes second Corinthians in anticipation of his visit in among the Corinthians. I believe also is the occasion for writing to say this is the reason why I did not come to you earlier, and now let me call you to reconciliation before I arrive. And for that call to reconciliation, Paul follows a particular process, and that is what I want to give you now in terms of the outline of second Corinthians. In the first major part of second Corinthians, Paul wishes to give the Corinthians that he is soon to visit for the third time, which is to give them an explanation of his conduct in chapters one and two. Let's make it a little simple, not with all the detailed verses so that you have a basic concept. And his appeal is that far from Paul being unsure and indecisive about how he should go about his dealings with the Corinthians, he thought on their behalf to change his plans. So the cause of his change of plans is being discussed in chapters one, fifteen to two, two, and also the purpose of his last letter. So what we see is that there was a letter written between first and second Corinthians. It probably was a letter connected with a painful visit. It probably dealt with a person, maybe a leader of a minority group in Corinth that discredited Paul, that questioned Paul's authority. And Paul had to write concerning that, and now this is being dealt with in chapter two, and it seems like that particular leader in that situation is willing to turn. The church has said, you must turn. You cannot do your own thing. You must turn to the gospel. So he's dealing with that and gives the purpose for his last letter. And then comes a major second section, and that is so amazing in chapter two to five, two to five. And Paul here gives, in anticipation of a major appeal for reconciliation, a reflection on his ministry. Why? Because he is building the platform for his appeal for reconciliation. He is speaking about the source of his ministry. He is speaking about the message of his ministry. He is speaking about the cost of his ministry and about his perspective. So the source, the message, the cost and the perspective, he gives an account. He describes his ministry. So here we get an inside perspective into how Paul understood his ministry. Wonderful. Because of the great challenge that he faces from the Corinthians, he feels compelled to give an account of the source, the message, the cost and the perspective of his ministry. And then comes the climax of this letter, the second Corinthian letter, namely an appeal to the Corinthians for primarily reconciliation that there are other aspects in there. The appeal from chapter six to thirteen, and basically reconciliation. And some fruits connected with that reconciliation. The point connected with that is the willingness to donate funds for the collection, chapters eight and nine, and the acceptance of apostolic authority, chapter ten. So the major appeal for reconciliation has consequences in donations and apostolic authority. But actually the main focus, the main thrust particularly of the second section, points towards the call to reconciliation. So let's look a little more in detail then at second Corinthians. It is a wonderful letter and we'll just keep this outline in our minds as we reflect a little bit on what Paul is presenting here. The main point that I find both in the explanation and in the reflection culminating in the appeal is this that Paul uses himself as an instrument of sanctification, an example and instrument. Paul uses himself as an example and instrument of sanctification. It is not only that Paul says because I'm a apostle, let me tell you what you need to do. He says, look at how I live. And let my life be a challenge and an exhortation for you to reconcile among each other, to turn to the ways of God and to accept apostolic authority. So I think that would be a very important insight in terms of second Corinthians to understand Paul's apostolic ministry as an example and instrument of sanctification. But you see that as Paul does this, he does not defend himself and that's the fine line. He does not feel hurt in his identity and his own self-understanding, he simply is concerned that the Corinthians would follow the passage of God, the purposes of God. And let's look at one particular passage, second Corinthians 133, where that could be drawn from. Here he says, on my return, I will not spare those who sent earlier or any of those others since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. So there is a demand from the church in Corinth that Paul justify himself but he very much says, I am not justifying myself, I am presenting what I am called to present to you. Second Corinthians 4.5 says, for we do not preach and we would be Paul and the others, we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your servants for Jesus sake. Second Corinthians 4.5. So here you have to be very careful. Here you have to remember what I said in the beginning of this evening, that Paul has to be very healthy in his dealing with the church. So he does not react and deal with the Corinthian church because of what he feels in his heart, but that he acts according to what the Corinthian church needs. He does not preach himself but the Lord Jesus, that means if you are in a position of responsibility and you are wronged, you experience injustice, you experience backfiding and backtalking, you experience political maneuvering etc., etc., you will be tempted to react. What Paul is doing, he is taking a step back and he is saying, what is my identity in Christ, what is my purpose, what is my calling towards this church and then he reminds them and himself, I am a messenger of the gospel, I am not preaching myself, I am not defending myself, I am here as a messenger of the living God. I have a commission, I have a commission to bring you from point A to point B in your gospel growth and I cannot muddle the waters with my own little petty unresolved problems. So if you are in responsibility, the first thing you must do when there is a problem, deal with yourself. Don't get involved, don't jump right in there and say, okay, we need to straighten out this mess. That is a big job also in parenting, in all kinds of areas of life that I feel challenged with. First, to step back, say, what is happening to me, how am I responding to this in my heart, how am I reacting, what is going on, what are the problems, how do I feel, I want to respond, get that all clearly out on the table and talk about it with somebody else. And then reflect, what does this situation require from God, what is necessary here? If you read Second Corinthians 2, how Paul deals with the discipline of this person that has cost a lot of grief to the church there and to him, he says there has been enough punishment for this person, simply by the church to say this is wrong. He was publicly ostracized in some way, probably the majority said, hey, you can do that wrong, turn. Paul says that's enough, what this person now needs Second Corinthians 2 is grace and support, encouragement. So you see, Paul is not interested to get even, he's interested to measure the amount of discipline this situation needs for the sake of reconciliation and healing, not for the sake of executing punishment. He is disciplined, he measures his means of discipline by the outcome, which is reconciliation, which is return, which is repentance. And oh, how I wished I would have that gift in times when it's hot, when I feel like I've got to get right in there and straighten out the situation. What a great gift of God to have the measure of the hand, such that it's not too heavy, not too light, that it's conditioned by the outcome of reconciliation rather than by your own sense of straightening the situation now. By what a big challenge that is, what a challenge for us, and what an example Paul says that we would be in such a state of personal healing and in such a state of discernment, such a state of service to that situation that we would be able to fine tune our weight, our discipline, our challenge to a particular situation thus. My tendency is to wash my hands and say, I didn't hear that, didn't notice that, have no clue about what's going on, wash my hands like pilot, or get right in there and straighten that porcelain store out with all my elephant time graces. So fast and so quickly that everything is numb, and neither produces obviously that measure of return, change, repentance, moving into the ways of God that it should. So we learn an enormous amount here from Paul who deals not out of his own affect but out of the need of the Corinthian church, and I believe the Corinthian church challenged Paul more than any other church to exercise this. Part of the reason why God had Paul plow the Corinthian soil is for him to be thus led and for us to see what pastoral care, what counseling care, what care for somebody else implies. We can look over the pastoral shoulder of Paul in second Corinthians, more than anywhere else besides by leaving, and see how he measures and carefully adjusts what he says, how he does, how he relates to them for the purpose of reconciliation. It's fantastic and fascinating how he proclaims the message and deals with that church for the purpose of sanctifying for the purpose of growth. He is selfless in the sense that he is not busy with himself. Like a driver who knows where the brakes are, who knows where the blinker is, he knows all the little buttons to touch, he can look out. A bad driver is somebody who is mostly busy looking at the various things of where the clutches and where the brake and how the gears go, and occasionally there's a glance out and then there's back in here. You can't minister that way. You've got to be an elegant driver that just does this kind of work here left handedly so that you can be busy out there. And often we are in our own lives such drivers that are still studying the dashboard. An enormous challenge, how to deal with the problems of a church, and thus Paul ministers as an agent of reconciliation, ministers as a minister of the new covenant and approaches the Corinthians as a servant leader. Second Corinthians 124 says this, not that we lord it over you, over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith, you stand firm. So actually second Corinthians is filled with indication and hints of how to approach major problems in human relationships and in dealing with churches, how to deal with that problem so that there is actually joy and maturity at the outcome rather than great frustration. I would like to look at one passage just very briefly. I know I have only a few minutes left and that is the passage. Second Corinthians 6-1-13. Let me just very briefly look at that. A wonderful passage that belongs to the beginning of the major appeal. Second Corinthians 6-1-13. Here Paul appeals after having spoken about the explanations for his change of plans and after reflections on his ministry. Here he appeals to the Corinthians for an open heart. That is so amazing. Second Corinthians, where is it? Let me look here quickly at the end. Second Corinthians 6-13. Second Corinthians 6-13. It says, well let me start with 12. We are not withholding our affection from you Paul says in his appeal, but you are withholding yours from us as a pharynx change verse 13-6. I speak as to my children open wide your hearts also. This is perhaps one of the most compelling deepest heartfelt parts of this appeal of Paul for reconciliation for softening. That they would say, I want to learn about sexual morality. I want to learn of how I should be married. I want to learn of how to conduct myself in the church. I want to learn of how to think. I want to learn how I can bring Christ into all areas of my life. I am willing. I want to turn. I want to soften. Paul says in this appeal here at the end of these verses and then we'll look at the beginning just briefly. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours. We have opened our hearts widely to you. They remain open to you. And perhaps some of you who have teenagers could repeat that sentence and say that in your relationship with your sons and daughters. We have opened my heart widely. Respond. Give some indication that you are alive. Somebody once said that hugging a teenager is like hugging a telephone post and there is some truth to that. But you know that is the situation of the Corinthian church. There is just what is in there for myself. How can I get the good of the gospel and still maintain my little area. There is just a lot of that scheming and maintaining and holding on to. And Paul says, you know what? My cards are all on the table. I have laid it all out. I have explained to you my life. I have explained to you how I conduct it. I don't have any bone to pick in terms of any chip on my shoulder. I don't have any agenda, any hidden agenda. This is the gospel. I am throwing myself in. Please respond. I appeal to you with an open heart. Respond. Open your heart widely. Signal that you desire the fruit of the gospel to grow in your life. And so Paul in these first verses goes through the challenges that he has experienced himself as a servant of God in great trouble, in hardship, in distress, in beatings, imprisonment, riots, in hard work, sleepless nights, hunger, purity, understanding, patience and kindness. The Holy Spirit and in the sincere love in truthful speech and in the power of God with weapons of righteousness in the right hand in the left through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report, genuine, yet regarded as imposter's known, yet regarded as unknown, dying and yet we live on beaten and yet not killed, sorrowful, yet always rejoicing poor, yet making many rich, having nothing and yet possessing everything. I'm not holding anything back. That's why Paul can say, I do as Christ, you do as I. It's a dangerous line, but it's very true because Paul is giving himself to the service of God, and so he can encourage those who resist the purposes of God to take him as an example. Now Paul could burn himself out doing that, except he has one secret, and I want to leave you with that secret. Let's turn to the beginning of second Corinthians, this very briefly I know our time is up. Here's a secret, why Paul is not burning out in putting all of himself on the line. I praise God who comforts us, verse 4, chapter 1 of second Corinthians, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. We need to meditate on that verse, because Paul is sincere that he is receiving true comfort from the living God, and he's passing on that comfort to the Corinthians, that message of reconciliation, that ability to lay himself out, so he is not a martyr, he is not burning out in his ministry, because he passes on what he has received. And he knows his source, and he knows the source to be the comfort of God, the gospel that he has received. So let's meditate on that, so that we do not go out and just burn ourselves out in surrendering in this way to the ministry. No, it is what God gives us, what we are receiving that we can then pass on and be a means of reconciliation and passing on that grace which God has showered us with.