Épisodes

  • 2 Corinthians 11:1-15 - A Sincere and Pure Devotion to Christ (Rev. Coleman Erkens)
    34 min
  • 2 Corinthians 10:8-18 - Boasting in God and His Work, Not Ourselves or Our Work (Rev. Erik Veerman)
    Jun 22 2025
    Boasting in God and His Work, Not Ourselves or Our Work Please turn to 2 Corinthians 10. Our sermon text is chapter 10 verses 8-18. That is on page 1150. As you are turning there, be reminded that the apostle Paul has been defending his apostleship over and against the false apostles. This morning’s reading continues the contrast between true and false apostles. These verses focus on boasting and comparing. In whom should we boast and with whom should we compare ourselves. Listen for those things as I read. Reading of 2 Corinthians 10:8-18 Prayer As I was studying this passage, I realized that it’s pretty relevant for our church’s 5th anniversary. I promise I didn’t pick this text for that purpose. And then as I studied it, more, I realized, oh this is actually pretty convicting. I was reflecting back on all the feelings I was going through when we were organizing. This is going back to 2019 and early 2020. A big one was fear of failure. I had read that something like 80% of church plants don’t make it. That was hard to consider. My temptation, like other pastors, is to connect my identity to the success or failure of the church. When things are seemingly going well, it’s tempting to think that somehow it’s due to my gifts or leadership. And on the other side, when things are seemingly not going well, the temptation is to feel like a failure instead of turning to Christ and relying on him. So that was one thing. But also, I had feelings of rejection. Like when a person or family was exploring churches, but decided to go to another church, it was (and it still is!) easy to feel a personal rejection. Related to that, it has been tempting to compare myself with other pastors or compare our church with other churches. I have struggled with those but especially when we were beginning. I’ve had to ask myself some hard questions. 1. Is my identity wrapped up our church instead of Christ? That’s a hard question for any pastor. 2. Do I have a worldly understanding of success and failure? That’s another hard one. Am I focused on numeric growth or, instead, spiritual growth? 3. Am I comparing myself with others or looking for affirmation from others instead of from Jesus? Those are hard things to ask. The reason I’m bringing these up is because our text this morning asks and answer some of these very questions. Now, to be sure, none of us are apostles. No, Paul had a special ordained role as one of the apostles called by Jesus himself. Moreover, the office of apostle concluded in the first century when the Scriptures were complete. However, even though none of us are apostles, the foundation that Paul laid for the church, and the pattern that he modelled as a faithful shepherd certainly apply to us today. In these verses, as Paul compares the true apostles to the false apostles, we can see the pattern. On the one hand, God glorifying, Christ exalting ministry and on the other, man-centered, self-exalting ministry. As we work through this, my hope is that we, as a church, can hear and apply these words to us. In the outline provided, you’ll see 3 questions. 1. Whose standard are we using? 2. Whose glory are we seeking? 3. Whose message are we proclaiming? Actually, I want to extend that third question. Whose message are we proclaiming and what mission are we pursuing? Pencil that in. Again, whose standard, whose glory, whose message, and what mission. 1. Whose standard are we using? So, #1 whose standard? We’ve already considered that the impostors in Corinth critiqued Paul because he appeared weak in the flesh. Look at verse10: “For they say, ‘His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.’” There are really three critiques here. 1) Paul was physically weak or at least he came across as wimpy; 2) his speech was unimpressive. In other words, because he didn’t use all the rhetorical devices of the era, he was therefore sub-par... and 3) he was self-contradictory. His letters were strong but that wasn’t matched by a strong in-person impression. That last one is addressed directly in verse 11. Paul writes, “Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present.” He was saying to them, you may have an impression of weakness when we are in person, however, we are living out our boldness in our lives when we are with you. And make no mistake, we are prepared to speak with the same boldness if necessary. What was the false apostles standard? How were they evaluating Paul? And the answer is, they were using the world’s standards. They were comparing Paul to what they considered superior. Verse 12 gets to the heart of their problem. It says, “Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” They were measuring ...
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    30 min
  • 2 Corinthians 10:1-7 - Weapons of Warfare (Rev. Erik Veerman)
    Jun 15 2025
    2 Corinthians 10 1-7 The Weapons of Warfare Please turn to 2 Corinthians 10. You can find that on page 1150 in the pew Bible. This is the last section of the apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth. It runs through the final 4 chapters. Before we read, I want to remind you of two things in 2 Corinthians. First, Paul has been emphasizing his authority as an apostle. That emphasis began all the way back in chapter 1 verse 1. In the very opening words of the letter, he identified himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ. His defense continued throughout chapters 1-9 in different ways. For example, in chapter 3, he identified himself as a minister of the new covenant through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In chapter 5, he stressed that the apostles were ambassadors of Christ. And in several places, he has emphasized that the apostle’s ministry is patterned after Christ’s ministry. Just like Jesus suffered and died so to the apostles have and would continue to suffer and would die for the Gospel. So that’s the first thing – Paul was a chosen ambassador of Christ as an apostle. Number 2, the whole reason that Paul emphasized his true apostleship is because there were false apostles in Corinth. They taught a false Gospel – Paul said that they were tampering with God’s word. They used cunning practices, he said, and were blinded by the god of this world. That’s pretty strong. These false apostles had been attacking Paul’s credentials. That is why Paul defends his apostleship. And that is also why he corrects several misguided beliefs (like suffering and God’s Covenant promises and grace in giving). So again, #1 Paul is a true apostle of Jesus Christ and #2 false teachers were trying to blind the church. Those two things are important because in these last 4 chapters, the apostle Paul doubles down on them. You’ll hear that in our text this morning. Let’s turn our attention to 2 Corinthians 10:1-7 Reading of 2 Corinthians 10:1-7 Prayer On the wall of my office is a picture of the USS Maryland. It was a battleship. The picture was taken in 1945 as it was on its way to the battle of Okinawa. The reason that I have it on my wall is one of the Navy sailors in the picture is my grandfather. The battle of Okinawa was the most intense and decisive battles in the pacific theater of World War 2. 180,000 US troops fought in that battle. One of those soldiers was a man named Desmond Doss. Just to be sure, Doss was not my grandfather. He was a different soldier who likewise enlisted to serve his country. The interesting thing about Private Doss is that he refused to carry a weapon. He wanted to serve but he held strong convictions and would not carry a gun. Because of that, his fellow soldiers harassed him. They called him a coward and considered him a liability. One soldier threw his boots at Doss while Doss was praying. Another threatened him, “I’ll make sure you don’t come back alive.” Nonetheless, Doss continued to serve and became his unit’s medic. Well, Doss was part of the 77th infantry division deployed to Okinawa. His regiment attacked the enemy forces at a 400-foot cliff on the southern part of the island. That cliff is known as Hacksaw Ridge. Maybe you’ve heard of it. It was a very brutal battle. Many many soldiers were killed. The US forces had no other choice but to retreat. However, Doss stayed behind. Under the darkness of night, Doss rescued 75 wounded men. He dragged each soldier to the cliff’s edge, he had a makeshift harness, lowered each down with a rope and a pulley system. And every time, he prayed that God would help him save one more. Doss rescued some of the same men who had earlier mocked him. In several ways, Private Doss is a picture of the apostle Paul here. On the outside, Paul looked weak. His detractors critiqued him for his small stature and for not being an eloquent speaker and for his humble demeanor. Yet, despite their perception of his weakness, the apostle, in reality was a formidable warrior. And like Doss, Paul risked his life to save others. In Paul’s case, the battle was spiritual, and he was rescuing their souls. Really, this whole chapter, chapter 10, is about perceptions and reality. Some of the Corinthians had a faulty perception that Paul was weak and he was therefore “walking according to the flesh” (verse 2). But the reality was quite the opposite. So, this morning, we’ll be re-orienting our perceptions to reality. That is what the apostle Paul is seeking to do. 2 points this morning related to that. 1. Reorienting our disposition to the meekness of Christ. Our disposition is our attitude or our posture in relation to others. Reorienting our disposition to the meekness of Christ. That is in verses 1-2. 2. Reorienting our warfare to the power of Christ. That is in verses 3-6. Reorienting our warfare to the power of Christ. 1. Reorienting our disposition So, first… reorienting our disposition. Now, let me ask, what was ...
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    31 min
  • 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 - The "Grace Cycle" (Rev. Coleman Erkens)
    38 min
  • 2 Corinthians 8:16-9:5 - Faithful Stewardship, Disciplined Giving (Rev. Erik Veerman)
    31 min
  • 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 - The Grace of Giving (Rev. Erik Veerman)
    May 25 2025
    2 Corinthians 8:1-15 The Grace of Giving Our sermon text this morning is 2 Corinthians 8:1-5. You can find that on page 1149 in the pew Bible. As you are turning there, let me note some things. 2 Corinthians 8 shifts to a new matter. There was a need in the broader church. At that time, when the apostle Paul wrote this inspired letter, the church in Jerusalem was very poor and they needed financial help. As you will hear, the churches in Macedonia helped out and Paul encouraged the church in Corinth to respond likewise. The basis of the Macendonians’ generosity was the grace of God. As I read, listen for the word grace. It is scattered all throughout these verses. Grace is the Greek word Xaris. It means an act of kindness or an unmerited favor or gift. Reading of 2 Corinthians 2:1-15 Prayer As you probably know, money is often a taboo topic when it comes to the church. There are many reasons for that. Sadly, some churches have experienced financial scandals. Other churches and leaders are manipulative when it comes to donations and tithing. Some claim that you will reap financial blessings if you give. And then there’s just the general sensitivity of our personal finances. All of that has made many people inside and outside the church suspicious about tithing and giving. Several years ago, I was reminded about this perception. Before becoming a pastor, my very last work project involved a team of about 10 people for a couple of years. Our task was to build a software platform for a rather large company in downtown Atlanta. We enjoyed working with each other. At times, we spent long days and nights to meet deadlines. We overcame challenges. We celebrated successes. Through it all, we became close friends. They were all aware of my Christian beliefs. Two of them were also believers, which was encouraging. At times, we were able to share our hope in Christ with our colleagues. Well, then the day came. I called a team meeting and I shared that I was leaving the industry to become a pastor. It sparked some other good conversations. A few weeks later we had a little celebration. I bought them each a nice Bible as a gift. And we looked at a few Scripture passages together. Well unbeknownst to me, they got together and bought me a gift. It was more of a gag gift… and I brought it today. The got me an offering plate… and they even had it engraved to me with their names on it as well. We got a big laugh about it. By the way, it also says on it “to God be the Glory in all things.” That was a nice touch. But it was a not-so-subtle illustration about the underlying skepticism about money and the church. Well, I hope that today, and really over the next three weeks as this theme continues, that we all will be reoriented to a Biblical view of financial giving in the church. I think you will find it refreshing and challenging. Let me say a couple more things up front before we dive in. · First, I do not have access to see your individual contributions. I asked not to have access because I do not want to know. By the way, neither do our elders. Honestly, I don’t want the temptation to be consciously or unconsciously partial to you based on your giving. My relationship to each of you and our elders’ relationship to each of you is based on the call we have to spiritually care for and love you in Christ. Though we fulfill that imperfectly, it is our desire. · Second, Amy and I seek to be faithful in our giving and tithing to the church. We are participants with you in supporting the mission to which we are called. Now, to be sure, these verses are not about tithing. Tithing is a Biblical concept. You know, giving of your first fruits. The word tithe is the Hebrew word for a tenth. Rather, this passage is more broadly about giving. In fact, it’s about giving beyond the needs of the local congregation to support the financial needs of the broader Christian community. Ok, with all of that said, let’s now draw our attention to this text. There is a sermon outline. It was a little difficult to find a place in the bulletin to fit it in, but you can find it there on the bottom of page 5. Three points: 1. The Grace of Giving Modelled 2. The Grace of Giving Received 3. The Grace Behind the Grace of Giving. Really, it’s the same grace. I’ll explain that in a few minutes. 1. The Grace of Giving Modelled (8:1) So, number 1, the Grace of Giving Modelled. Lets start with some quick reminders. The apostle Paul had written a difficult letter to the Corinthians and he sent it with Titus. The plan was for Paul to then rendezvous with Titus in Troas. However, when Paul arrived in Troas Titus did not show up. And that deeply concerned Paul. So, he left Troas and travelled west to Macedonia. The region of Macedonia included churches like Philippi and Thessalonica. They were in the northern part of ancient Greece. And two things happened when Paul got there. Number 1, his dear brother in Christ, ...
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    33 min
  • 2 Corinthians 7:2-16 - Good Grief! (Rev. Coleman Erkens)
    34 min
  • 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 - Living Set Apart as God’s Covenant People (Rev. Erik Veerman)
    May 4 2025
    Living Set Apart as God’s Covenant People Please turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthains 6. We’ll be looking at verses 14 through chapter 7, verse 1. You can find that on page 1148. In the first half of chapter 6, the apostle Paul called the church in Corinth to return to him and Christ. He pleaded with them to open their hearts - to turn their affections back to the true Gospel – salvation in Jesus Christ. The question that remains is “what does that mean?” What needed to happen in the church for them to be restored? And that question is answered in our verses this morning. Reading of 2 Corinthians 6:14 to 7:1 Prayer #1: Be not unequally yoked (6:14) Do not be unequally yoked. You’ve likely heard that phrase in verse 14 before. But what does it actually mean? And how does it apply? Those are the two critical questions in this text. Being yoked is not used much in our common vernacular today. And that’s because the term is a farming term used back when animals powered the farm equipment. If you go to a modern farm today, you will likely find massive tractors. They have air conditioning. They are driven by GPS. The farmer can be working on other business in the cab while his combine is harvesting the crop. But of course, that is not how it used to be. No, before the tractor, animals like oxen, or horses, or mules would be hitched together. A wood harness was carved with neck shaped holes that would fit over two animals. That wood harness was called a yoke. The yoke would have ropes or cables that would attach to other devices, which would either pull a wagon or a plow or some other farming implement. The whole purpose of the yoke was to balance the load so both animals would equally pull the load behind them. However, if a farmer tried to put a horse and an ox together, or a horse and donkey or a mule and ox, those animals would be unequally yoked. That’s where the phrase comes from. And it didn’t work well. The farmer would have a big problem. Even if a horse and an ox had similar strength, they have different gates, different heights, different temperaments, and different speeds. It would be difficult to plow in a straight line. The yoke itself would dig into the necks of both animals. It often caused them to be restless and could result in chaos, especially if one of the animals started bucking or kicking or biting. So to be unequally yoked is to be mismatched in a way that is untenable. It’s unworkable. It ought not be done. In verse 14, the apostle writes, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” Now, I’m guessing that many of you have heard this verse before. And likely you’ve heard it applied to marriage. Right? However, there’s nothing in the entire book of 2 Corinthians about marriage. There’s only one reference to a husband and that is in chapter 11. But that reference is explicitly about Christ as our husband, betrothed to us, his bride, the church. In other words, when Paul wrote verse 14, he was not explicitly writing about marriage. Now, to be sure, a second or third layer of application could be about marriage. After all, marriage is the most intimate partnership between a man and a woman. So, verse 14 would certainly have relevance. And we do learn elsewhere in the Bible that we should only marry “in the Lord.” My point is that the context of verse 14 is not about marriage. You ask, then, what was the apostle Paul referring to in verse 14? Well, think about this. We’ve been studying 2 Corinthians now for 4 full months. What has been the big issue in the church in Corinth? The big issue has been false teachers. There was a group who claimed to be apostles, but who were teaching “a different gospel” (as Paul put it) and whose lives did not display godliness. So, with whom should the church in Corinth not be yoked? They should not be yoked with this group. And in verse 14, how does Paul refer to them? He calls them “unbelievers.” They had been received into the church… at least by some… but they should not have been. And Paul calls on the church to separate themselves from partnering with them. Let me make one more contextual comment. In our 2 Corinthians study, we’ve also considered the city of Corinth. Corinth, if you remember, was very religious in a pagan sort of way, and also culturally diverse. The temple of Aphrodite overlooked the city – she was the so-called goddess of love. Corinth had a big prostitution problem and had many idols. In Paul’s first letter to the church there, he addresses many of these sins. In fact, the language in our text this morning shares many parallels to 1 Corinthians chapter 10 … especially in regard to idols and partnering with demons. The Corinthian church was not be unequally yoked with either the false teachers or the broader secular and pagan community. Furthermore, we’re not just told “to be not unequally yoked,” but we’re also given some explanation. Look again at verses 14-16,...
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    33 min