A God of Comfort (II Cor. 1:3-8)

II Cor. 1:3-8

* II Cor. is 4th epistle of Paul to Corinthians.
1. Not to associate with immoral people. (lost)
v. I Cor. 5:9
2. 1 Corinthians
- put out the immoral people
* Paul Visited to Corinth
- Paul's Painful Visit v. 2 Cor. 2:1
a. immoral
b. division
c. mutiny
3. Severe Letter (lost) v. 2 Cor. 2:5-7
- brought by Titus
- many responded, but there are still minority who did not.
4. 2 Corinthians
- show love to those who obeyed
- addresed mutiny
- most personal and sorrow definition for his apostolic position

* Corinthians Claim
- Suffering is because of being sinful

* Paul's Response: Comfort in Suffering
v. II Cor. 1:3-7
1. Blessed v. Ps. 103:1, II Cor.1:3
- blessed for who God is
a. Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
- father of our salvation v. Eph. 1:4
b. Father of Mercies v. Ex. 34:6-7
c. God of All Comfort v. Is. 49:13; 66:13
* Nature of Comfort
- mere expression of sympathy
X elimination of one's suffering
- con fortis: with strength
- divine strength and fortitude to equip us in facing our sufferings
v. Ps. 119:50, Ps. 27:13, 2 Cor. 4:7-9

* Why should we be comforted v. 2 Cor. 1:4
- Adequately equip to comfort those who are in any affliction: fellowship

* Why don't we experience/enjoy comfort
- Construction worker in a ledge with a scaffold
1. blind to the help at hand
2. don't turn in to God's Word
3. look much to our own means in addresing to overcome a certain affliction
4. Haven't really known the God of all comfort
v. Rom. 5:6

v. Is. 55:12

Be Strong (Ephesians 6:10-24)

Ephesian 6:10-24

Be strong/strengthened.
1. God's Power is manifested in...
a. Christ's Glory
b. Christ's Church
v. Eph. 3:4-10
- new birth; building up of the church
2. How to be strengthened
a. Suit up: put on the full armor of God
b. Stand firm
c. Pray with watchfulness.

+ false doctrines
+ sinful desires (anger)

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Acts 13

Acts 13

Characteristics of a Sprit-Filled Church
1. Has spiritual leaders
v. Acts 20; I Tim. 3
a. Men who are able to teach.
b. Reflect the character of Christ.
- explicitly qualified; reputable with others: manage household well, care for flock, exemplary character, not lovers of money, lovers of men/hospitable, keen sense of accountability, exercise authority, edify the church
2. Stable/Steadfast
3. Well-taught Church
- solid doctrine
v. Rom. 10:7
4. Integrated/United Church
- Greeks & Roman; Rich & Poor; Jew & Non-Jew
5. Engage in Spiritual Activities
v. Phil. 3:3
a. spiritual worship
b. prayer
c. habit of fasting
- forgo food for a time; putting self in a spiritual mind
6. Concerned with the reaching of the lost of Christ

- God opened doors for the Gospel.
- By not loving God, we are prone to love the world.
- The more we stand for Christ, the hotter we will become.
- Attack: outside, within
- Unity is important in the church. Satan attacks it.
~ eg. Corinth; Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark

Why should we endeavor on preserving unity?
+ Godly Unity v. I Cor.
a. Displays Christ
b. Exalts the Church
c. Expresses Humility v. 1?
d. Shows Wisdom v. 2:1-16
e. Evidences Spiritual Maturity
f. Reflects Submission to God. v. 3:4, 16-20
- recognition of His ownership

* God's Preparation of Paul
- silent for many years
* Saul/Paul's and Barnabas' partnership
- second fiddler

* Paul's Recount
1. Truth of God that governs history
v. 16-22
- God's sovereign rule in every event or era
v. Job. 42:2; Is. 46:10
~ Theological Choosing/Election of God...
a. Theocratic Election
- God's choosing of a nation to be His people v. Deut. 9:6,7
b. Vocational Election
- God's use of people
v. James 4:7; Neh. 4:9
- put hope fully in God and His promises v. Rom. 8:39
- history recordings in the Bible: memorial; special identity of God's people; reminder of God's faithfulness
2. Truth of God's Overwhelming Grace and Long Suffering
v. Ex. 34:6, Num. 14:18; Ps. 86:15
LS: power of control which God practices himself to bear with the wicked and punishing them with endurance first
* Use God's model of patience soften our hearts towards others.
v. Col. 3:12
3. Culmination and Glory of God's Government is Christ Jesus
v. 23-37
a. lineage of Jesus
- Matthew: descendant to Joseph from David
- Luke: ascending from Mary to David even to Adam
b. John the Baptist: baptism and repentance
- Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah
c. Fulfillment of the Prophesy
- condemning an innocent man
v. Is. 53:3,4,7
- Crucifixion and Resurrection
v. 2 Cor. 5:15
d. Historical Fact of God's Resurrection
- God raised Jesus from the dead.
~ transportable,
~ audible and tangible
~ recognizable: visible and perceptible v. Rev. 1:12-17
~ imperishable v. Rev. 1:18
- Authenticity of Lord's Resurrection
~ supernaturalism
* People who object: Bible scholars
v. I Cor. 15:14
- empty tomb
- disciple and martyrs sacrificed their lives
- appeared to people: witnesses
~ Mary Magdalene: women's testimony is inadmissable
~~ not fabricating anything; actually first saw Jesus
~ John: bandages shaped of a human body v. Jn. 21:6
~ Peter: denied Jesus three times
~ Thomas
~ couple took bread; Emaus
~ James, brother of Jesus who didn't believe prior to death
~ more than 500 other people
* Himala: only one saw the vision
* Christ does live,so does we.
~ Paul: on the way to Damascus

God's Promise to David
v. 34... will give you the holy and sure blessings/covenant. Is. 55:3
v. 35... didn't undergo decay. Ps. 16:10
* Glorious Resurrection - historical fact, Biblical fulfillment, application
* Evangelion: bring good news
- God has forgiven and saved his people; proof: Resurrection

* Divine Forgiveness/Pardon
Rom. 4:7,8 - v. Ps. 32:1-2
1. idea of sins being forgiven
v. Heb. 9:28 - carrying the burden of ur sin; carrying one you murdered
2. idea of sins being covered
- high priest at the day of atone
- hiding and denying of sin x
- true punishing of sin through an innocent victim/substitute
3. idea of sins not counted for the sinner v. 8; Ps. 103:12
- will not be used against you in the future
* To be saved, we must believe it.

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Follow Christ (Luke 9)

Luke 9:23-26; 57-62

Follow him; Cost of Following Christ.
a. self-denial
- completely disown oneself v. 57
- deny personal comforts
- doesn't look back; moves forward
v. Mt. 8:18; 20:20-22; Jn. 7:53
b. self-sacrifice
- take up cross daily
- follow; no turning back
c. obedience
v. Mt. 28; Heb. 5:9; Jn. 3:36; Philippians 2:9-11
* Obedience linked to salvation.

Why Follow Christ...
a. Futile to live for this world
- living this life is short. vapor
v. Phil. 1:21
b. Futile to live for ourselves

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Acts 12

Acts 12

v. 6-12
1. Peter sleeping while caught by guards. v. 6; v. I Peter 5:6,7
-Casting all anxiety because he cares for you.
2. Peter's Deliverance
a. God's intervention came at the very last possible moment. v. 7-12
- God lets us wait and trust in him.
3. Some things are too good to be true but they could happen. v. 13-16
4. Importance of Prayer
v. James 4:2
* God's dealing with Peter and James
- shows sovereignty of God
* God ordained the means as well as the ends.
* Nature of Prayer
a. Praying to God
i. praying in public; social gathering
- not to preach to the Gospel
- hypocrites v. Mt. 6:5
- longer prayers in public shows shorter prayers in private
ii. Pray reverently, discreetly, and soberly in the will of God
b. Praying Together
- corporate, united prayer
- X seriousness, fervently
- hearts and minds of God's people are in one together
c. Earnestness of the Christian's Prayer
d. Praying Specifically
- for Peter
e. God answers prayers inspite of our sins.
- spirit of doubt and unbelief
v. Mark 9

v. 18-25
No mere mortal can take the glory of God. v. Prov. 11:8
- Herod
- Lucifer: covets the Most Hig
- Nebuchadnezar: v. Dan. 4:34
~ God allowed Him to regain His sound mind.
* Everything God does is significant.
- Men and woman take the glory of God.
*God gives you up to depravity.
v. Rom. 1
a. sexual impurity
b. sexual perversion/degrading passions
c. depraved mind
- allow us to justify our sins before God

Take praise to ourselves when it should go to God.
- No talent or gift that God has not given/source.
Tire and Sidon
- getting sufficient food for their stomachs
AntiChrist
- get the glory of all
- Christ will come and judge all that follow Him.
- Marytr: death will not be in vain
~ took their case to the Highest Court

Word of God is Flourishing because it is...
1. Effective
v. II Tim 3:16
2. Penetrative
v. Heb. 4:12
- division of soul and spirit
3. Life Giving
v. Is. 55:10-11
4. Eternal
v. Mt. 24:35
* All things that last are invisible.

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Righteousness (Matthew 5:17-20)

Mt. 5:17-20

1. What does Jesus mean?
2. Scribes and Pharisee Righteousness
v. Mt. 23:25-28
- external righteousness only/ full of hypocrisy
- righteousness from Law
3. Righteousness Jesus talking about
- Surpassing Righteousness
- qualitative kind of righteousness
v. Phil 3:1-9

v. Acts 15:1
Paul's Testimony
1. Count all goodness from Law as rubbish.

2 Types of Righteousness
1. Righteousness of Law
- r. of man
- Escubalon: offense to God
- human merit
- shows us our helplessness
v. James 2:10
- Law condemns the one who breaks it
2. Righteousness on the Basis of Faith v. 9
- comes from God
- divine grace
- justification by faith
- only r. acceptable before God
v. Mt. 5:48
* God looks at the heart.
* What motivates you to do righteousness

What does God Require
1. Law
a. fellowship; coming to church
- continue to go to church/come together
* Doing things just for the purpose of doing it.
2. God's Righteousness; sustain us till the end.

1. Results of False Righteousness:
- proud
- looks down on others
- based on own std not on God's std
- fall into perfectionism, legalism
- criticize, judge, impatient with others
- envy others
2. Results of Righteousness from God:
- humility
- dependence
- love and grace
- encourages
- patient
- do good in others
- X judge, legalism
* Right Heart and Response
* What a man does in his solitude is what truly matters.

Conclusion:
A. To those who are not yet in Christ
- salvation purely by grace, not of works
B. To believers
- continue doing righteousness from faith

* Even we fail many times, be encouraged for God's Amazing Grace.

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Mistakes of Praying to God/Rom. 16

Mistakes of Praying to God
1. Coming with a wrong notion of who God is
- prayer of Jabez
2. Wrong motive in praying
- to glorify God by nurturing full dependence on him
- prayer equals dependence
- bless us various ministries
3. Saying the wrong things in our prayers
a. proper apprehension of who God is, and how he stands
- Father who art in heaven
b. put ahead the cost of God before our concerns
- things of God should be pre-eminent
c. things pertaining to the soul should be predominate
+ 2 Matters
a. God own concerns
b. materials pertaining to our souls
4. Praying with the Wrong Idea of How God Answers Prayer
- yes, no, wait
a. appealing for God to remove the thorn of the flesh
- trials bring as closer to God
- God revealing himself in our prayers

Romans 16
Picture of...
1. Diveristy in unity
2.?
3. God's Family Members
- fellowship: common life together
- bring each and everyone
* If you love God, love the church.
Accountable:"
v. Heb. 13:16 - obey your leaders in the church
4. Good servant who works hard
to serve the Lord: very committed
* slaves vs. volunteers

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