Épisodes

  • 2 Corinthians 2:16b-3:6 - Letters from Christ, Written by the Holy Spirit (Rev. Erik Veerman)

    2 Corinthians 2:16b-3:6 - Letters from Christ, Written by the Holy Spirit (Rev. Erik Veerman)
    Feb 16 2025
    2 Cor 2:16b – 3:6 Letters from Christ, Written by the Holy Spirit Please remain standing for the reading of God’s Word. Our sermon text this morning is 2 Corinthians 2:16 to chapter 3:6. You can find that on page 1146 in the pew Bible. We are going to start with the second half of verse 16. You may notice that we read the last 2 verses of chapter 2 last week. I decided to include them again because of the question asked. The question is “who is sufficient for these things?” The apostle Paul is asking, who is sufficient to be the aroma of Christ? More specifically, he’s asking about his ministry as an apostle. Who is sufficient to be an apostle and to spread the aroma of Christ? As I read, listen for the answer. Reading of 2 Corinthians 2:16b to 3:6 In 1948, a professor from Carnegie Mellon wrote one the most famous reference letter ever. This professor, Richard Duffin, was asked by 19-year-old John Nash Jr, to recommend him to Princeton. You see, Nash was hoping to pursue a PhD in mathematics. You may or may not recognize or remember the name John Nash Jr, but the movie Beautiful Mind highlighted his life. In fact, over his lifetime, Nash received many accolades for his work, including a Nobel Prize. Well, on February 11, 1948, Duffin wrote a letter to Princeton in support of the young Nash. The reference simply had 5 words. “He is a mathematical genius.” That’s quite the reference. Wouldn’t we each want something like that said of us. “She’s a brilliant lawyer. He is a renowned chef. She’s a musical virtuoso. He’s a master mechanic.” And what about the apostle Paul? Couldn’t it be said of him, “There’s none like him.” or “His ministry skills are unparalleled.” Or “he’s the greatest of greats.” And it would be true. Even among the apostles, Paul stands out because of his tremendous ministry. Many things could be said of him. But when it comes to the question, who is sufficient? Or who is qualified? Paul actually rejects the need for a reference letter. Rather, there’s something better. There’s something more important. To be sure, Paul is not saying that letters of recommendation are bad. No. The whole book of Philemon is a reference letter. Paul wrote it to commend Onesimus. But when it comes to ministry qualifications… When it comes to evaluating Paul’s sufficiency as a minister, there is something far greater. The greatest testimony of Paul’s ministry is the testimony of the Holy Spirit’s work in those to whom he ministers. That is what these verses are about. They testify to God’s work through his Spirit in Paul’s life and in the life of the Corinthians. These verses really center on God. They center on God’s work in us, as his Spirit transforms our hearts. And in doing so, they teach us the means through which God ministers. To boil it down, Paul is making two parallel arguments. First, he is defending his ministry by testifying to the work of the Spirit. And second, while Paul is defending his ministry, he is also revealing the way that God fulfills his promises in us. He changes us through his Spirit and not his law. By the way, I don’t know if you saw it, but I was able to get a sermon outline in the bulletin this week. You’ll see it on page 4. Those two points are the two things that Paul is emphasizing. · #1 - His ministry credentials. I’m calling that first point Living Letters from Christ · And #2, God’s covenant ministry with us and in us. I’m calling that point, Written by the Spirit of the Living Lord. Those ideas are parallel, because if Paul is a true minister, then the focus of his ministry will be God’s ministry. And the results of Paul’s ministry will prove that God himself is the one at work through the Holy Spirit. So, that is where we are headed. And let me make one more introductory point. These truths are very important. If we think that God transforms people through his law and not his Spirit, then our ministry to others may actually lead them to death. I don’t think I’m overstating that. In verse 6, Paul said, “the letter kills (meaning the letter of the law) but the Spirit gives life.” 1. Living Letters from Christ (Paul and the apostle’s ministry credentials) Ok, let’s begin with Paul’s credentials. #1 - Living Letters from Christ. We’ve talked about the situation in Corinth a lot. The reason is, it helps us understand why Paul says what he says. Remember, some people were trying to undermine Paul. That has come out a couple times so far. They questioned the legitimacy of Paul’s ministry because of his suffering and because of his changing plans. These people, which Paul later calls “super apostles,” were trying to elevate themselves by critiquing Paul. He alludes to them in chapter 2 verse 17. Look at how he puts it: “For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word.” Do you hear his underlying critique of them? Some people were out ...
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    29 min
  • 2 Corinthians 2:12-17 - Our Triumphal Procession in Christ (Rev. Erik Veerman)

    2 Corinthians 2:12-17 - Our Triumphal Procession in Christ (Rev. Erik Veerman)
    Feb 9 2025
    2 Corinthians 2:12-17 Triumphal Procession in Christ Please remain standing for the reading of our sermon text. This morning, 2 Corinthians 2:12-14. That can be found on page 1146 in the pew Bibles. Thank you to Coleman for preaching last week. In the verses that he worked through, Paul further explained his change of plans. He didn’t want to make another painful visit. That would have been hard on them. Instead, because of his love for them, he thought it best to write a letter and send Titus. Also from last week, Paul exhorted them to forgive a brother of his sin. What an encouragement to hear. One of the men stirring up controversy had repented. Paul encouraged the church to receive this man back into full fellowship. As Coleman put it, repentance and forgiveness are the Most Precious Remedy Against Satan’s Devices. OK, that brings us to chapter 2 verse 12 through the end of the chapter. In our verses today, we learn (1) where Paul went next and why, and also (2) from where he draws his strength. Reading of 2 Corinthians 2:12-17 Prayer One of my seminary professors said to our class once. “If you can do anything else, do not be a pastor.” At the time, I thought, “that is ridiculous.” In fact, I was doing something else. I was working full time in a career and taking classes in the evenings and weekends. And furthermore, I thought, any one of these guys in seminary should be able to do something else. I didn’t realize what my professor meant until becoming a pastor. It’s not the work-load. Being a pastor is like any career – it often requires long days and unplanned things that come up. Furthermore, he was not talking about work politics. Any job requires navigating difficult dynamics. Rather, my professor was telling us that being a pastor comes with burdens unlike most careers. Loving and caring for sheep often requires carrying their burdens. It means weeping with them in grief. It means yearning to see change and pleading with the Lord to see reconciliation in families and marriages and in the church. It means suffering with and alongside others. Now, to be sure, we all carry those burdens for our friends and family. But being a pastor is like multiplying that by 100. My professor was saying “being a pastor is a special calling because of those things.” To be sure, I am not saying “do not come to me or Coleman with your burdens. No, it is a privilege and honor to minister God’s grace and carry them with you. The reason I’m bring this up is because the apostle Paul carried many many burdens. For him and the apostles, take the burdens of a pastor and multiple that by 100. Paul not only carries the weight of the people he’s ministering to where he is. But he carries the weight of all of the churches that he helped establish. And that’s a lot Look back up at chapter 2 verse 4 and you’ll hear what I mean. “I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.” Anguish of heart. Many tears. Abundant love. What a pastoral heart. He was in Ephesus when he wrote the painful letter he’s talking about. His heart was in Ephesus, for sure. But his heart was also in Corinth. He sent that letter with all those emotions – tears and anguish and love. And as I mentioned, he sent that letter with Titus. Titus’s objective was to deliver the painful letter to the Corinthians and help them see their need to repent. Then following that visit, Titus was to travel to Troas where he was to meet Paul and give an update. That was the plan. Now look at verse 12 “When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, my spirit was not at rest (why?) because I did not find my brother Titus there.” You see, Paul had left Ephesus and travelled north to Troas, which was also in Asia Minor. And when he got to Troas, as he put it, there was a “door opened for me in the Lord.” That’s a phrase Paul has used before. The city was ripe for Gospel ministry. There were believers there and many people were open to hear about Christ Jesus. By the way, in Acts chapter 20, it is in Troas on this same trip that Paul preached late one night. He went on and on. There was a young man Eutychus who was sitting in the window. He fell asleep and then he fell out of the window 3 stories down to his death. But God used Paul to revive Eutychus back to life. So, Paul is there in Troas, and he is ministering… but his heart is not settled. Titus didn’t show up. You see, Paul was still carrying a great pastoral burden for the Corinthians. The anguish and tears for them were still there. Maybe Paul thought that Titus was detained in Corinth because they weren’t listening… so maybe Titus needed to stay longer. Paul didn’t know for sure… but the burden was too much. He couldn’t stay in Troas. No, Paul needed to find Titus. So, as ...
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    31 min
  • 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11 - The Most Precious Remedy Against Satan's Devices (Rev. Coleman Erkens)

    2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11 - The Most Precious Remedy Against Satan's Devices (Rev. Coleman Erkens)
    Feb 2 2025
    32 min
  • 2 Corinthians 1:12-22 - A Change of Plans; Plans that Never Change (Rev. Erik Veerman)

    2 Corinthians 1:12-22 - A Change of Plans; Plans that Never Change (Rev. Erik Veerman)
    Jan 26 2025
    2 Cor 1:12-22 Change of Plans and Plans that Never Change Please remain standing and turn to 2 Corinthians 1:12-22. That is on page 1145 in the Pew Bible. In these verses, the apostle Paul explains three things. First, his own manner of life as it relates to the Corinthians. Second, Paul explains his change of plans. And third, he explains that the promises of God never change. Listen for those three things as I read. Reading of 2 Corinthians 1:12-22 Prayer “Who moved my cheese?” That question is the title of a 1998 book that has sold over 30 million copies. Maybe some of you have read it. It’s about 4 characters who live in a maze. Day in and day out they are looking for cheese. Well one day, the cheese is not in its usual place. And one of the characters, in frustration, exclaims, “who moved my cheese?” It’s really a book about change. We are creatures of habit. We like things to stay consistent. We like our plans to work out the way we planned them. When things don’t go as expected, we resist or we blame, or we make bad assumptions. Or we worry about the future. Well, the apostle Paul moved the Corinthian’s cheese, so to speak. You see, Paul had told the church in Corinth that he planned to visit them, but those plans changed. In fact, Paul’s plans to visit had changed two times. First, at the end of 1 Corinthians, Paul told them that he planned to visit them after travelling through Macedonia. Well, that didn’t work out. Second, he mentions here, in 2 Corinthians 1 verse 16 that he had hoped to visit them twice, but he didn’t. Further, if you remember from a couple of weeks ago, Paul had made an emergency visit to them. That was an unplanned trip. And following that visit he wrote a painful letter, as he described it. So, Paul had set expectations with the church in Corinth, but over the prior few months, he made multiple changes of plans. What if Sinclair Ferguson, well-known Scottish preacher, promised to visit us? We had him scheduled to preach. But he had to back out. So, we rescheduled. And again he had to cancel. Then one day Sinclair Ferguson did show up, but his visit was unplanned. We had to scramble to accommodate him. How would you feel about that? Now, I know it’s not the same. Sinclair is not an apostle, nor do we know him personally. But the Corinthians did know Paul. And he did promise to visit. And because of his changed plans, they were frustrated. We get that sense in verses 17. Paul uses the word “vacillating.” They thought he was wishy washy. In that same verse he asks whether he makes his plans according to the “flesh.” That word flesh is often in Scripture used to indicate sinful desires and actions in contrast with living according to the Spirit. Because his plans changed, some believed he was therefore not walking by the Spirit. So, all these questions were swirling about. And I want to remind you about the group that had been undermining Paul. The reason Paul defends himself in this letter is because of their accusations. This group was using Paul’s change of plans to undermine his authority. They were in essence taking advantage of the Corinthians’ doubt and assumptions and unmet expectations and using those thing against Paul. Paul moved your cheese, how can you trust this guy? After all, he says one thing, but he does another. His “yes” is not “yes,” his “no” is not “no.” That is not how someone led by the Spirit would act. No, this Paul guy is being led by the flesh. With all his vacillating, can he even be an Apostle? And some of the Corinthians were persuaded. So, Paul wants to clear things up. That is the premise and purpose of these verses. And as I mentioned up front, he does that by communicating three things. · First, in verses 12-14, Paul reminds them about the testimony of his own life and his love for them. That’s really important for them to remember. · Second, verses 15-17, Paul explains that his plans do not undermine his love for them nor his ministry · and then, third, verses 18-22, he tells them that there’s something that never changes - God's promises fulfilled in Christ. So, that is where we are headed this morning. #1 Paul’s Life and His Love So, again, #1, in verses 12-14, Paul begins by testifying to his own life and his love for them. By the way, it’s not just his life, it’s also those who were with him, like Timothy. Now, let me ask you this. When someone questions your decisions, what is your first response? Do you get defensive? Sometimes I do. Do you dismiss the person? Do you turn the tables on them and start questioning them? Those are the kinds of things that we tend to do. Right? Well Paul doesn’t do any of that. No, instead, he lovingly responds. Look at verse 12. Paul begins with a reminder about their time together. He and Timothy modelled “simplicity” and “godly sincerity” in their lives. You can see those words ...
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    30 min
  • 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 - Delivered by God, Sustained by Prayer (Rev. Erik Veerman)

    2 Corinthians 1:8-11 - Delivered by God, Sustained by Prayer (Rev. Erik Veerman)
    Jan 19 2025
    2 Corinthians 1:8-11 Delivered by God, Sustained by Prayer Please remain standing for the reading of our sermon text – 2 Corinthians 1:8-11. That is on page 1145 in the pew Bibles These verses continue the theme from last week. The apostle Paul was expressing the comfort of God to the Corinthians. He wanted them to be comforted by the comfort of Christ in their suffering and also share that comfort. These verses, 8-11, continue that theme. Paul now gives them an example - a life threating affliction that he experienced. Reading of 2 Corinthians 1:8-11. Prayer There is strong evidence that most of the apostles were killed for their faith… for their gospel ministry. We call that being martyred. For example, James, the brother of the apostle John, was executed by king Agrippa. We know that for sure from the book of Acts chapter 12. That is the only one recorded in the Bible, but we have other historical testimonies from the early church fathers. They wrote about how Peter was crucified upside down in Rome. How Thomas was killed in India. How Andrew was crucified in Greece on an X shaped cross. And how Paul was beheaded under the persecution of Nero. Other accounts exist as well. And while we can’t absolutely verify the details, the evidence supports those accounts. Some of you will know this, but before the apostle Paul’s radical conversion, he was the one persecuting and even killing Christians. Yet God transformed his life. He was confronted by Jesus himself on the road to Damascus. Even though he was temporarily blinded, God opened the eyes of his heart, he could now see the truth clearly. Instead of being a persecutor he became one of the persecuted. In fact, at the time of his conversion, God revealed to Paul, what he must suffer. God told a man named Annanias to find Paul. Annanias was hesitant because he knew Paul’s history. But listen to these words spoken by the Lord to Annanias. “Go, for he [that is, Paul] is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” And suffer, Paul would. In the book of Acts we have account after account of Paul’s imprisonments, beatings, and other persecution. And we don’t even know the half of it! Later in 2 Corinthians, chapter 11, Paul lists many more than we have recorded elsewhere. Five times he received what was known as 40 lashes minus 1. That is whips on his back. Three times he was beaten with rods. One time he was stoned. He had been left for dead. You see, Paul and the other apostles endured intense persecution because of their Gospel ministry. And eventually would be martyred, I’m telling you all this because when we read 2 Corinthians, it’s important to understand and apply this book correctly. And we can do that on three levels. · First and foremost, Paul is defending his apostleship. The apostle’s ministry was patterned after Christ’s ministry of persecution unto death. The affliction and martyrdom that Paul and the others endured testified to God’s special call for them. So, the first layer of application is to affirm their apostleship and this word from God and to therefore reject false teachers and false apostles. · Second, the call to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth still applies today. And while there are no more apostles, capital A, yet God still calls many to bring the love of God in Christ to places that have never received the good news of Jesus Christ. And it is a sacrifice. There are those, today, who give their lives for that great cause. Martyrs, who in their frontier mission work, testify in their life and death to the risen Christ and hope in him. That is the second level of application. Those being persecuted for their faith receive a special comfort from these verses. You with me, so far? The first level application, again, is the apostle’s persecution and affliction which testifies to their apostleship. The second level of application is in the affliction and comfort of those who are afflicted because of their faith. Now, some people draw the line there. They say that those are the only two levels of application here. In other words, they say we should not extend the application to the other kind of suffering… like sickness, hardships, emotional or relational pain, or grief. But I disagree with that. · I want to make the case (like many others have) for a third layer of application in 2 Corinthians. If you have your Bible open to 2 Corinthians 1, look at verse 3 from last week. God is to be worshiped because he is the God of “all” comfort. That is pretty broad... “all.” And if you look at verse 4, the word “all” is used again. Then Paul says that they want to comfort others who are in “any” affliction. Again, it’s a very broad application of comfort in affliction… “any.” Here’s what I am saying… the...
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    32 min
  • 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 - The Comfort of Christ in Our Affliction (Rev. Erik Veerman)

    2 Corinthians 1:3-7 - The Comfort of Christ in Our Affliction (Rev. Erik Veerman)
    Jan 12 2025
    2 Corinthians 1:3-7 The Comfort of Christ in Our Affliction Please remain standing for the reading of our sermon text. We are continuing in 2 Corinthians chapter 1. This morning, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7. That is on page 1145 in the provided pew Bibles. As a reminder, last week, Paul emphasized his apostleship. He was writing to them, to the church of God in Corinth, as an apostle of God. Paul had been appointed by God in this special role. The reason he emphasized that point is because some in Corinth had been questioning Paul’s legitimacy. As we read, we are reading the Word of God given to us through the apostle of God. As you hear this Word, know that it is the very Word of God. Reading of 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 Prayer Why has God allowed this suffering in my life or my loved one? What are his purposes in it? Does my trial mean that God is displeased with me? Will it ever end? Every one of us, in some way or to some extent, struggles through these questions. And we generally struggle through them on two levels. On the one hand, the intellectual questions... Why does God allow suffering and affliction? What do the Scriptures teach about it? And then on the other hand are the questions of the heart. Why am I or why is someone I love enduring this? God, where are you? Questions of the mind and questions of the heart. In 1940, well-known British author and Christian philosopher, CS Lewis, wrote the book, the Problem of Pain. It’s a philosophical analysis of why a loving and omnipotent God allows pain and suffering – questions of the mind. Lewis seeks to answer by working through questions of God’s nature, his justice, the fallen state of the world, heaven and hell, and the purposes of pain. But 20 years later, in 1961, Lewis wrote a very very different book on suffering. A Grief Observed. You see, in 1957 Lewis married Joy Davidman. They had developed a deep friendship with one another over the years through letters and visits. Joy was from the States. Eventually that friendship turned into a deep love for one another. But Joy developed breast cancer and it metastasized into her bones. Nonetheless, they loved one another, so they had a small wedding ceremony in a hospital room in Oxford, England. Joy lived for three more years. They endured the ups and downs of her cancer. They grieved and cried together. Lewis significantly reduced his writing and speaking engagements to be by her side. Joy passed away in the summer of 1960 at the age of 45. In the months after her death, Lewis wrote A Grief Observed. In it he shared his sorrows, his confusion, and doubts. He wrote about the struggles of maintaining his faith in God through it. But he shared how he came to find deep meaning and healing in the grief and sorrow and suffering. Through it, he experienced the love of God in Christ in a way he had never before. In short, Lewis experienced in his heart what his mind knew. What we find in 2 Corinthians is that very thing. It was one of the apostle Paul’s goals in writing to the church. He wanted them to understand the intellectual side of affliction and suffering, but also for them to apply it to their hearts. Let me explain. You see, the theme of suffering and comfort runs throughout 2 Corinthians. It’s not the only theme, but the apostle Paul comes back to it many times and in different ways. And the reason Paul addressed affliction and suffering over and over was to correct them - to first, correct their thinking. I mentioned last week that there was a group trying to infiltrate the church. Paul called them “super-apostles.” And one of the ways that they were attempting to sway the church, was by undermining Paul. Do you know what their main critique of Paul was? It was the suffering that he was going through. They were saying something like, “Hey, church in Corinth, look at that guy, Paul. You know, the one who calls himself an apostle. Look at all the suffering that he has and is going through. He’s been persecuted. He has this physical ailment and God hasn’t healed him. His speaking ability is weak. He’s suffered many things. You see, there is no way that this guy Paul is a true apostle. No, God would not allow someone with such an important role to go through all of that.” That’s what they were saying. We’re going to get into those details in chapters 10-12. But it’s important to understand why Paul writes these opening words here. He wants them to understand clearly that suffering and affliction are part of the Christian life. But that’s not the only thing. In fact, there’s something greater that Paul explains. You see, in the Christian life, God gives comfort and joy and hope in our trials and afflictions. Let me put it this way. A big part of Paul’s letter teaches us a foundational theology of suffering. It’s a theology that we can understand in our minds and apply in our hearts. And when we do, not only will we understand the problem of pain, to use CS Lewis’...
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    30 min
  • 2 Corinthians 1:1-2 - Grace and Peace to Corinth and Beyond (Rev. Erik Veerman)

    2 Corinthians 1:1-2 - Grace and Peace to Corinth and Beyond (Rev. Erik Veerman)
    Jan 5 2025
    2 Corinthians 1:1-2 Grace and Peace to Corinth and Beyond We are beginning a new series today - the book of 2 Corinthians. And we’ll just be considering the first 2 verses this morning. Chapter 1 verses 1-2 and you can find that on page 1145. As you will hear, this book is a letter written by the apostle Paul to the church in Corinth. In his opening greeting, Paul includes that this letter is also from Timothy. Now, that does not mean that Timothy is a co-author. Most of the book is written using the first-person singular, “I.” …and throughout, Paul talks about his own travels, his relationships, and his struggles. Rather, Paul includes Timothy because Timothy was with Paul. And Timothy was very much known by the church in Corinth. Paul is saying that he and Timothy are unified in this letter that he is writing. Let’s now come to God’s inspired and inerrant Word. Reading of 2 Corinthians 1:1-2 Prayer Over the last century, several books have been written about The Lost Art of Letter Writing. And as you would imagine, these books lament how people today no longer sit down to write thoughtful and engaging personal letters. Or when we do communicate, we are not sensitive or thoughtful about our words. Salutations and concluding words are sparce. Etc. etc. You would probably agree with those assessment. And if you think back over the last 100 to 150 years, there have been remarkable changes in communication technologies. We’ve gone from the telegraph, to the telephone, to email, to the cell phone… then came instant messenger and texting, and now video calls. As the technology has advanced, it has led to helpful and unhelpful communication habits. But there is something special about an old-school letter written in pen and on paper. A letter with many personal elements. Life updates and feelings and struggles. Hopes and dreams. A letter that recalls times together and plans for the future. A letter with intentional thoughts about important matters. One that conveys love and care and longings. A letter that you can hold in your hand and read and ponder and read again. Well, 2 Corinthians has it all. It is a letter of letters. I would say, out of all the New Testament letters, which we call “epistles,” 2 Corinthians is the most personal and engaging. What I mean is that 2 Corinthians contains more details about personal matters and events and relationships than the other letters in the Bible. Now, to be sure, I am not minimizing the other letters. Each is engaging and thoughtful and has a context. But there’s something special about 2 Corinthians. In it, the apostle Paul conveys his love and care for the church in Corinth; he works through difficult things that he has gone through; he defends his calling and teaching; and he applies the truths of God in Christ to the situations that they are experiencing. In all of it, Paul encourages them, directs them in truth, and challenges them. It’s beautiful. Are we allowed to have a favorite book of the Bible? I think so. As long as we are not minimizing the relevance and authority of the others. Well, if so, my favorite book is 2 Corinthians. And my hope is that over the next few months you will likewise come to love 2 Corinthians… and you will also be challenged as we apply it to our lives. So let’s dive in. And this morning, as an introduction to the book, we’ll touch upon the city, the situation, and the significance. The city (what do we know about Corinth), the situation (what was happening in the church and what were the reasons Paul wrote this letter), and the significance (what does it say and why does it matter). 1. The City Alright, Corinth. Please turn to the back of you bulletin. I thought it would be helpful to include a map. The arrows represent the apostle Paul’s travels on his third missionary journey. We’re going to come back to that shortly. But first, notice Corinth. It’s right there on the southern part of Greece. And actually, the circle there for Corinth should be a little northeast of where it’s positioned on the map. That’s because Corinth sat between two inlets. On the east side of Corinth, there was access to the Aegean sea. Ships would travel back and forth between Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) and Greece, going to both Athens and Corinth. And on the west side of Corinth, was access to the Adriatic Sea. Italy is not pictured in this map, but it’s right there off the map west of Greece. So, Corinth was strategically positioned. It was an access point between the two seas, allowing ships to avoid the often treacherous Mediterranean. A couple of years ago, Caleb and I were helping at a missions conference on the island of Crete. Some of you were also there. You can see Crete there on the map. Well, on our way back, we took a ferry to Athens. And let me say, it was rough going on the Mediterranean. The winds were very high, and the waves just hammered the ferry the whole trip....
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    31 min
  • Reformation 7

    Reformation 7
    Feb 17 2025
    47 min