TEACHING

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2022
10:30 AM (in-person + livestream + kids! + communion & prayer)
SECOND CORINTHIANS SERIES
The Gaze
2 Corinthians 5:11-21
“Gaze” is a visual word used to speak about power, repression, and distorted human relationships. How we “gaze” on others, reveals our biases and assumptions, often our personal and social blindspots and sins of our cultures and families. Fascinatingly, in this text, the Gospel confronts the "Gaze" nearly 1900 years before 5:16 "we no longer see...”
The church has often been co-opted by various visions and views that are not in line with Jesus, sometimes so much so that it ceases to be the church. Join us as we explore Paul's attempt to persuade these ancients, and us, to get a new view, to change our gaze on others.​
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FLIGHT
The Impelling Love of Christ 2 Corinthians 5:11-15 Motivation for Ministry

BIG IDEA:

2 Corinthians 5:11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people, but we are well known to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may be able to answer those who take pride in outward appearance and not in what is in the heart.
 

• Motive and power behind all Christian sharing Jesus  - partly the fear of the Lord (5:11) but principally the love of Christ 5:14.

2 Corinthians 5:13 For if we are out of our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 

• Three “Out of our minds” possibilities:

2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ controls(compels)* us, since we have concluded this, that Christ died for all; therefore all have died. 

• *συνέχω: to exercise a constraining influence on...
  • (1)”C's love for us”; Could also mean, (2) “our love for Christ”; or a (3)plenary genitive - meaning BOTH!
  • Love of Jesus working, impelling, within Paul and us.

2 Corinthians 5:15 And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised. 

• Who is the “All”? 

The Ministry of Reconciliation, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
The Consequences of Paul’s Ministry

BIG IDEA:

2 Corinthians 5:16 So then from now on we acknowledge no one from an outward human point of view*. Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view, now we do not know him in that way any longer.
 

• Paul is not rejecting the historical J here as some progressive scholars maintain, rather, in encountering a post-ress J his way of knowing has changed.
  • "He no longer knows anyone, including C, along the usual lines of sense perception. His insight now allows him to see beyond physical, political, and historical circumstances that crucified the J of history. Now he can discern the act of God in bringing the new creation out of the old" (Shillington, 129).

 

• Lit. οἴδαμεν κατὰ σάρκα “flesh knowing/seeing” could mean: (1) from a purely human POV as a failure not being a warrior king throwing off Roman rule; (2) by worldly standards; (3) *from an outward POV.

2 Corinthians 5:17 So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come!
 

• A new universe is in the works.
• ​Debate: This is not so much about personal rebirth - but rather "a kerygmatic statement the advent of the new creation 'in Christ', the dramatic recovery of the world" (R. Martin, 1986:146; cf. Shillington 130).

OR, 

2 Corinthians 5:18 And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation. 19 In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation. 

2 Corinthians 5:20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making his plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!” 

2 Corinthians 5:21 God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.
 

• Most profound and compact statement of atonement.

LANDING

FINAL WORD AND COMMUNION

Read the home church questions BEFORE home church this week. And be ready to break the ice with this question “Have you ever had a first impression of someone and it turned out to be wrong in a small or big way? Can you tell the story?”

​For Reflection and Discussion

1. Have you ever had a first impression of someone and it turned out to be wrong in a small or big way? Can you tell the story?
2. Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 Why does Paul behave the way he does, in ways so different from what the Corinthians were expecting?
3. 2 Corinthians 5:16 Paul uses this language “worldly point-of-view” or “according to the flesh” or NT Wright “a merely human point-of-view”.
4. Jesus is creating an entirely new world that is no longer decaying. He is establishing something beyond what we can build on our own. What does Paul say has been changed (this whole passage) because of Jesus coming?
   What does it look like to be a “new creation” 5:17?
5. How is this final part a discussion of Paul’s ministry and job description?
   
   Pray: Spend time thanking God for all the things in your life that have been made new. Then, prayer for friends and family who are not yet reconciled to God.