Next Sunday

At the heart of our passage this week (2 Corinthians 7:5-16), Paul writes, “godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” The grief he is speaking of refers to what one feels when they have been ‘found out’ or reprimanded for their poor behaviour or sin. None…

The apostle Paul cared so much for the truth of the gospel and for those who had received it that he was at pains to demonstrate both the integrity of his ministry and the sincerity of his love for the believers. The long list of hardships and trials that he patiently and lovingly endured was…

This week, among the many great gospel truths contained in our passage (2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2), we will hear Paul urge the Corinthian believers, “Do not receive the grace of God in vain.” What a terrible thing it would be to hear and receive the gospel of Christ, and there be no fruit of it in…

What answer do we have for those who think a Christian’s life is dowdy, defeatist and unsuccessful? Some so-called smart teachers in Corinth are saying that Paul and his message are inferior to what they have to offer. This is much the same as the atheists and sceptics are saying about us Christians now! Paul…

We find in 2 Corinthians 4 that, not only is Paul ‘very bold’ because of the sure hope of the new covenant in Christ, no matter what is thrown his way, he does not lose heart. He refuses to compromise the gospel or his integrity, and instead, persists in speaking the truth openly, commending it…

We continue through the rest of 2 Corinthians 3 this week where Paul highlights the surpassing glory and the permanence of the new covenant, of which he has been called and commissioned to be a minister. It is the sure hope of the new covenant in Christ that gives Paul confidence and boldness in proclaiming…

Having spoken much of ‘comfort’ early in his letter, and then defending his change of plans to visit them on his way to Macedonia, Paul now writes much of ‘pain’ as he explains the main reason why Paul chose not to visit the Corinthian believers. He did not want to cause the Corinthians any further…

Sharing in the sufferings of Christ richly qualifies us to comfort others with the comfort that we have experienced from God. Paul, no stranger to suffering, puts this principle into practice a number of times in this letter, in which he shares more of his struggles and afflictions than in any other letter, demonstrating again…

The Scriptures make it very clear that the promised Messiah would be king, and that his throne would be established forever. There was great hope and expectation regarding this king to come, as we see in the gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth. However, the coming of the Christ was a fearful and troubling event for…

In declaring that Jesus is our great high priest the writer of Hebrews is confirming the absolute necessity and adequacy of His role as our mediator before God. As Son of God who has fully entered our humanity and has suffered under temptation He can sympathize with our weaknesses, giving us great confidence to approach…