Youth under the Spotlight
n
Goodwill Baptist Church of Arcadia will have a Youth Program on Sunday, Nov. 30
at 11 a.m. The public is invited to hear the church's youth minister deliver the word
and enjoy song and dance. Dr. James Rudd is the church 's interim pastor. For more
information, please contact the church at 336-764-3930. Goodwill Baptist is at 548
Goodwill Road in Clemmons. *
Lesson
from page B9
message. The first epistle (AD
57) to them addressed the
unity issue quite bluntly but in
love. The second epistle (AD
58) concerned itself with the
false teachers and their claims.
The false teachers questioned
Paul's authority as they pre
sented themselves as superior
to him. Some of the
Corinthians were impressed
with their outward appearance
and credentials. Paul
addressed their error with his
own brand of foolishness
(boastfulness). To dispel their
acceptance of these false ideas,
Paul shared his testimony as a
parallel to the "super apostles"
(vs. 5). By all means, read the
first 16 verses of the chapter.
Lesson: Paul begins to
answer the accusation in chap
ter 1 . Paul When he speaks of
foolishness, he is referring to
bragging about one's deeds.
He defends his authority given
by God. He denies their claims
that he exploited them. The
Macedonians supplied him
with his needs during those 1 8
months (vs. 9). Paul states that
he is a Hebrew (Jew), Israelite
and a descendant of Abraham.
In Philippians 3:5, Paul claims
that he is the Hebrew of
Hebrews! The Jerusalem
Church validated him as one
of the ministers of Christ. He
lays out all that he has done for
the sake of the Gospel in vers
es 23-30. To mention a few,
the apostle was beaten, stoned
shipwrecked three times, had
deadly encounters, whipped
by fellow JeSvs, been cold,
hungry, thirsty and, of course,
imprisoned. With credentials
like these, how could- -the
Corinthians believe the false
teachers? God is concerned
about the welfare of His
Church; Paul values their spir
itual conditions as well. At this
point, he shares his personal
weaknesses. When the church
is in danger, Paul feels weak
and vulnerable. He agonizes
over their sins and well being.
* Through all of his experiences,
Paul remains humble and
meek, recognizing that it is
God's Grace that sustains him.
Now his boasts are not foolish
but a testimony to the mercy
and Grace of God. When faced
with his own weaknesses (see
verse 7) he asks for deliver
ance. God's response to him
was "My grace is sufficient for
thee for My strength is made
perfect in weakness."
Application: Too often we
put one another down in order
to elevate ourselves. This
worldly practice is unneces
sary because God doesn't
make junk! Don't act like the
false teachers. Trials / troubles
will come in this life. You
can't run or hide from them;
instead learn from them. What
do they teach? Troubles build
character in that they force us
to examine ourselves. Trouble
also leads us to Christ or they
strengthen our faith in Him.
Trouble also gives us hope for
the future because we know
God's faithfulness in the past.
Like Paul, whatever we've
gone through there is no need
to boast unless it is to give God
the glory. Yes. at times we
must stand up for ourselves
and the Gospel, but we are still
human. According to Echoes
Adult Teachers Commentary.
"Grace is the refinement of our
character that frees us from
sin. It is not reactionary but
life altering that gives the vic
tory."
What does this mean for
the New Community? God can
take our little, seemingly
incomplete ideas and actions
and make them great impact
ing others. Whatever is lack
ing, God's Grace will make the
difference! Amen, amen.
^4
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