Introduction

2 Corinthians is one of the most personal epistles written by the Apostle Paul. We see Paul open his heart and his life in Christ, and it is overflowing with love for the Corinthians. During the 18 months that Paul served to build up the church, he poured himself out for them. The truth of the gospel had to be proclaimed, but the love of God also had to be demonstrated to a people whose normal way of life had been marked by sin, immorality, and pagan idolatry.

Despite the accusations and attacks brought against him, Paul’s love for them did not change. It was out of love that he grieved for them. It was out of love that he wrote to them. Even in his defense of his apostleship, it is love that governs his heart.

In today’s passage, Paul continues his defense as an apostle of Jesus Christ, and he does so by making his appeal to Christ. Even in defending himself, he exemplifies Galatians 2:20: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” He does not point to credentials, strengths, or success. He points to Christ. His defense shifts the focus toward restoring love, promoting repentance and forgiveness, and pursuing reconciliation within the church—and between himself and them.

Introduction

We’re currently going through the book of 2 Corinthians which was written by the Apostle Paul. For those of you who don’t know, Paul was chosen by Jesus Christ to be the apostle to the gentiles, the non-Jewish world. Paul became one of the greatest apostles whom the Spirit of God used to write 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament, almost half. And the church at Corinth was a church that he had given at least 18 months of his life to plant. Yet, it is this church that was attacking him.

Last week, we found the apostle Paul defending his authority and authenticity as an apostle of Jesus against the Corinthian church who were roused up by false teachers and others who joined them, and their genuine doubt of Paul because of how his life demonstrated weakness and suffering which did not meet their expectations of what an apostle of Jesus Christ should look like.

In today’s passage, Paul is defending himself against those who were now making accusations against his character.

Introduction

As you may know, 1 Corinthians was written in response to many problems and issues in the Corinthian church. 2 Corinthians is Paul’s response to other issues that later came up in the church—particularly regarding Paul himself and his authority and authenticity as an apostle of Jesus Christ. Their reasons for doubting his apostleship came from 2 reason: (1) false teachers were running amok in the church self claiming to be apostle; (2) the main reason is how the people of the Corinthian church were raised in the culture of the Roman Greco world.

Corinth was a major trade center of the Roman Empire, known for immorality and spiritual corruption. It welcomed many gods—the Greek and Roman pantheon, Egyptian deities, various cults, and emperor worship. This cultural and environment shaped their worldview regarding comfort and suffering.

Their worldview told them:

• power equals legitimacy and authority

• victory and success equal divine favor

• suffering equals weakness, and weakness equals shame

So when Paul shows up looking weak, beaten, afflicted, and unimpressive—while false teachers present themselves as “super-apostles”—it created confusion. Paul did not fit their expectations of what an apostle should look like.

Paul begins his response in verse 1 by grounding everything in the will of God. He is “an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.” In the same breath, he reminds them that they are saints and the church of God by that same will. Nothing about their existence is self-made. Paul’s authority is not self-appointed; it is rooted in the sovereign will of God.

That is why Paul begins this letter by talking about comfort and suffering because their issue with Paul comes from their misunderstanding of comfort and suffering in relation to the grace, purposes, and will of God.

Introduction

Last week, we looked at how Christ invites us to choose between the wide gate and the narrow gate (Christ Himself) and he invites us to walk the narrow path that leads to life. Today, Psalm 23 shows us what that path really looks like.

Many Christians stay with the first three verses because of the comforting images and promises. But David is illustrating a path. The path begins at green pastures and still waters, descends into the valley of the shadow of death, passes through the presence of enemies, and finally ends in the house of the Lord.

Psalm 23 was never meant to be read as a stand alone psalm. It forms a trilogy with Psalm 22 and Psalm 24, creating a path through the themes of each psalm. Psalm 22 begins, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” words Jesus Himself quoted on the cross. It describes what life may often feels like as you walk the narrow and difficult path: feeling abandoned by God; God has turned His back on your prayers, doubting His love - and what the Bible says is love, doesn’t feel like love, when you’re hurting.

But something changes between Psalm 22 and Psalm 23. It went from “My God why have you forsaken me” to “The Lord is my Shepherd” That something is worship. Then Psalm 24 reveals the fully glory of who the Shepherd is and the victory that God’s people receive through their Shepherd when they walk down the narrow path.

Introduction

Today’s passage comes from what is famously known as the Sermon on the Mount in Gospel of Matthew 5–7. If you are anything like me, you may have read these chapters almost like an instruction book on how God’s people should live. That is usually how we read things in our context. We move from A to B to C, from introduction to conclusion.

But Jewish thinking often works a little differently. It circles back. It repeats. It layers the same truth again and again. Instead of simply moving forward, it keeps returning to one central point. That is why sometimes reading Paul can feel confusing. And we find the same thing here in the Sermon on the Mount. It is almost as if God is saying, “This is important, so I’m going to say it again and again.”

So Matthew 5–7 must be read as one message. Jesus is not giving random teachings. He is pressing one central question into our hearts.

Introduction

Today’s sermon is part two of last week’s sermon on worship. However, let’s take a quick look at today’s main passage first.

The greater context of today’s passage in the book of Deuteronomy is Moses giving his final sermon to the Israelites as they near the end of their forty years of wandering in the wilderness. The first generation who rebelled against the Lord has passed away, and the second generation now stands ready to enter the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. Moses is reminding and renewing the covenant between God and His people, calling them back to love and faithfulness so that it may go well with them in the land.

Just before this passage in chapter 10, Moses recounts Israel’s failures—the golden calf and many other blunders. Israel broke the covenant again and again, yet it was God who sustained the covenant through His mercy and steadfast love.

Then the Lord invites His people to respond: to fear Him, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve Him with all their heart and soul, and to obey His commands. These are not separate tasks but one whole life. In other words, worship. And if you remember last week’s sermon, you’ll recognize that the same foundations appear in Romans 12:1–2.

Last week we talked about what worship is. Today I want to talk about why we worship.

God loves worship, but He does not need our worship. He does not need people to praise Him to satisfy insecurity or ego. Worship is not for God’s benefit but for ours—for our good, as Deuteronomy 10:13 says. God is already perfect and complete. Worship is His gift to us.

Introduction

Our vision statement for 2026 is Overflowing with a gospel-centered, missional spirituality. If you’ve been in church long enough, you’ve probably heard something along the lines of how everything we do is not done by our own strength, but by God’s strength. Every bit of that is true. Scripture shows us that there are really only two ways we live and serve: by God’s strength or by our own. The difference between the two is clear. God’s strength is infinite and sustaining, while our strength is limited and eventually leads to burnout.

The idea of overflow helps us understand this. We receive the strength, power, and grace that the Lord gives, and out of that abundance we pour into others and into the life of the church. This raises an important question: how do we receive the downpour of God’s grace so that our lives overflow? The answer Scripture gives us is worship.

Today, we are looking at Romans 12:1–2 to understand what worship truly is, so that we may begin to understand how we receive the downpouring of God’s grace.

Introduction

The Lord had placed a message firmly in my heart, but immediately following it my week turned really rough, and I was under immense spiritual attack. This is not unusual for me. It began with a cut in my eye that caused significant pain, and at the same time my heart began to burn with anticipation. The Lord spoke to me repeatedly, telling me not to look with my physical eyes, but to see with my heart and spirit what He was doing.

Although my situation consumed much of my time, it also gave me space to pray deeply. It became clear to me that there was resistance—someone did not want me here and did not want the word of the Lord spoken. Even so, though I could not see properly, that was okay. The Lord was writing His message clearly in my heart and mind.

On Thursday morning, I rose at dawn for prayer and worship and found no visible change in my eye. For a brief moment, I felt disappointment. I had hoped for healing or some sign of improvement. But the Lord immediately reminded me not to rely on what I see with my eyes, but to focus on what He is doing. As I reflected, I began to wonder if this mirrored the heart of our church over the past year.

The Israelites carried off into exile may have felt the same way. Their homeland lay in ruins. They were displaced, scattered, and discouraged by what they saw and heard. Even though they had received the word of the Lord, disappointment followed because their circumstances contradicted their expectations.

Perhaps some of you feel the same. You may still carry a sense of loss or disappointment because of what you have seen. Even with a new pastor, perhaps you wonder if you are being set up for another disappointment. This is not discernment or caution—this is despair. And despair is not the work of the Holy Spirit, who is the giver of hope.

It is to people in this very condition that God speaks through Isaiah. Isaiah 43 is a message of redemption, restoration, and hope.