TEACHING
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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2023
10:30 AM (kids! + communion) The Devil in Our Midst with Shel Boese 2 Corinthians 11:1-15 Last week there was a blow up over a demonic themed Grammy performance. Should this worry the church? Or perhaps there is a much closer Satanic influence in our midst? In 2 Corinthians, Paul says that in the church there are those who masquerade as “Angels of Light”. Sunday we look at the Devil in Our Midst. PRE DEPARTURE: Opening Tales
TAKE OFF: the Text The Message Version on screen together. Then I will teach through it in the NET2nd Ed. version Backgrounder
b. Paul’s Godly Jealousy 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 c. (The Foolishness of) Bearing with False Teachers 2 Corinthians 11:4
b. Accusation 2: Paul Preaches Free of Charge 2 Corinthians 11:7-9b c. Paul's Commitment to His Pattern of Ministry 2 Corinthians 11:9c-12 d. The Deceitful Character of the False Apostles 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
Pause for the Cause: Jesus Collective Jesus Collective statements: - Please visit: https://jesuscollective.com/ to learn more about one of our core partner networks. Five Core Commitments we share with our Jesus Collective network: 1. God always looks like Jesus, and all scripture is properly read through him. (Jesus-centered) 2. To be saved includes belonging to a community under Jesus called to live the life of the future now. (Kingdom-focused) 3. Evil is overcome through the power of suffering love. (Peace-making) 4. The Holy Spirit empowers us to partner in God’s work of reconciling all things. (Spirit-driven) 5. The Church is defined by our shared center, not by the lines we draw. (Centered-set) CRUISING: Through the Text 1. Bear with Me, Not Them 2 Corinthians 11:1-4; a. A Plea: Bear with Me! 2 Corinthians 11:1 11:1 I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me! b. Paul's Godly Jealousy 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve by his treachery, your minds may be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. c. (The Foolishness of) Bearing with False Teachers 2 Corinthians 11:4 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus different from the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the one you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it well enough! Whenever we find that our religious life is making us feel that we are good - above all, that we are better than someone else - I think we may be sure that we are being acted on, not by God, but by the devil.-C.S. Lewis 2. Paul and the “Superapostles” 2 Corinthians 11:5-15 a. Accusation 1: Paul Is an Inferior Public Speaker 2 Corinthians 11:5-6 5 For I consider myself not at all inferior to those “super-apostles.” 6 And even if I am unskilled in speaking, yet I am certainly not so in knowledge. Indeed, we have made this plain to you in everything in every way. b. Accusation 2: Paul Preaches Free of Charge 2 Corinthians 11:7-9b 7 Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you could be exalted, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you free of charge? Pause: Fools discourse - he demonstrates their absurdity by being absurd. Wiki summary: reductio ad absurdum (Latin for “reduction to absurdity”), also known as argumentum ad absurdum (Latin for “argument to absurdity”) or apagogical arguments, is the form of argument that attempts to establish a claim by showing that the opposite scenario would lead to absurdity or contradiction. This argument form traces back to Ancient Greek philosophy and has been used throughout history in both formal mathematical and philosophical reasoning, as well as in debate. 8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so that I could serve you! 9(a) When I was with you and was in need, (b)I was not a burden to anyone, c. Paul’s Commitment to His Pattern of Ministry 2 Corinthians 11:9c-12 (9c)for the brothers who came from Macedonia fully supplied my needs. I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.
11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equals in the things they boast about.
He (the devil) always sends errors into the world in pairs--pairs of opposites...He relies on your extra dislike of one to draw you gradually into the opposite one. But do not let us be fooled. We have to keep our eyes on the goal and go straight through between both errors. We have no other concern than that with either of them. -C.S. Lewis d. The Deceitful Character of the False Apostles 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions. Whenever we find that our religious life is making us feel that we are good - above all, that we are better than someone else - I think we may be sure that we are being acted on, not by God, but by the devil. -CS Lewis If devils exist, their first aim is to give you an anesthetic -- to put you off your guard. Only if that fails, do you become aware of them. -CS Lewis
The generous-hearted liberal who hates to say anyone at all is wrong can easily fail to spot real evil. The narrow-minded conservative who hates to say anyone else is right can easily label good as evil, We should not mistake Paul for one of the latter. He was involved in a battle for the gospel: would the message of Jesus be turned into a local variation on the prevailing philosophical and religious culture, or would it remain the agent of God's new creation? -NT Wright DESCENT: To do, To be, To affirm LANDING: Final Word and Prayer Sources:Conflict and Community in Corinth: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians, Ben Witherington; Believers Church Commentary, V. George Shillington; NIV Application Commentary; The Letters of the Corinthians, William Barclay; Second Epistle to the Corinthians: New International Commentary on the New Testament (NICNT), Paul Barnett; Wisdom Commentary, 2 Cor, Antoinette Clark Wire; The Story of God Com., 2 Cor, Judith A. Diehl; 1 and 2 Cor., Craig S. Keener; The Anchor Bible, II Corinthians, Victor Paul Furnish; Feasting on the Word; Others. For Reflection and DiscussionGoing Deeper (NT Wright, Paul for Everyone Studyguide, others)
Paul uses the analogy of marriage in his role with the church and God. In the Jewish world of his time most marriages were arranged by parents (still common for those of us from South Asia). Paul uses the image of a bride with cold feet after everything and everyone agreed.
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