2 Corinthians 2:14 – 17 Ministers of a New Covenant
- Looking Back at Church Discipline
- What Church discipline is not?
- Ordering People to get in line.
- Making people follow man made rules which are adding to the Bible.
- What it is.
- Finding those who are trapped by their sin and setting them free. Galatians 6: 1
- Finding those who are in fire of hell and pulling them out. Jude 22
- Finding those who have been blinded by the the god of this age 2 Corinthians 4: 4
- Attitude of those coming to others
- Realize we have a board in our own eye Matthew 7: 3 – 5
- Those who are spiritual should restore them.Galatians 6: 1
- Who are the spiritual? Galatians 5: 22 -26
- Those who are willing to extend mercy Jude 22
- Gently restore them 2 Timothy 2: 25 – 26
- What about treating those like a sinner who refuse discipline? Matthew 18: 17
- How did Jesus treat tax collectors and sinners?
- 2 Corinthians 2: 8 reaffirm your love for them
- Colossians 4: 5, 6
- Live wisely among unbelievers
- Conversation gracious and attractive
- Have right response
2. Triumphal Procession Vs 14
- Paul was worried about about what was happening in Corinth Vs 13
- We are not immune to the attacks and concerns of life around us.
- The problem they were experiencing affected the whole church.
- This could be the prosecution that was beginning in the area
- Other than that, we do not know what was happening
- Paul heard what was happening from Titus in Macedonia and was encouraged
- We have triumph in Christ
- In Roman times captives were lead behind the victor in a parade
- We are those captives (Trophies in Christ conquest of sin, death, and hell)
- In a parade incense and flowers where cast in front of the conquering general
- We have that aroma in our lives because of Christ.
3. We are the aroma of Christ Vs 15, 16
- We do not possess the aroma, we are the aroma.
- We cannot turn it on and off at our will
- We don’t give out the truth of Jesus, we are that truth being lived out in front of others.
- We don’t just give out words, we live out the essence of Christ
- We are part of the being of Christ because we do not possess an aroma ourselves
- Two results of those around us.
- To the unsaved
- Every contact is a change in their lives.
- We are brining them closer to this knowledge or farther away.
- Hebrews 4: 6, 7 Do not harden your hearts
- Proverbs 29: 1 hardened hearts will be destroyed.
- To the Believers
- Challenge of entering all the way and not falling short.
- We don’t willfully say no to Christ, we just don’t do anything.
- Knowledge of aroma is not necessarily through more teaching, but through a spiritual awakening through following Christ.
- As we follow, we are the aroma to others.
- Who is equal to such a task?
- We are sharing repent or face judgement wherever we go
- We need the Holy Spirit to be able to live this life out.
- Repentance and obedience
- To the unsaved
4. We do not peddle the gospel Vs 17
- We are not trying to trick people and get notches in our Bible
- The gospel is not a popularity contest.
- People who are using the Bible for financial gain will not confront those caught in their sin.
- We have to have our inner motives checked by the Holy Spirit
- Knowledge that we are in the presence of God constantly.