The Big Read – 2 Corinthians

Powerpoint Pictures: Tree Trunk; Ant; Jelly; Bull; Baby; Chain; Hulk Hogan; Twig; Picture of Cup Cake that looks like an ice-cream

Are the following things weak or strong? [Tree trunk; Ant; Jelly; Bull; Baby; Links in a Chain; Hulk Hogan; Twig; Jesus on the cross].

In 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul is writing to the church in Corinth to warn them about a group he calls the ‘super-apostles’.  The super-apostles were false teachers who seemed to be very impressive compared to Paul.

But Paul tells the church that they shouldn’t listen to these ‘super-apostles’ because unlike him, they are not genuine apostles.

Paul says that he is a genuine apostle because his preaching is about Jesus and his ministry is like Jesus’ too, and that is why he seems to be weak and unimpressive.

Jesus appeared to be weak.  Paul said he was meek and gentle, he became poor, and he suffered and died.  To the world those who follow Jesus will appear to be weak too.

But things aren’t always what they seem.

Look at the picture.  What do you see? [An ice cream].  However things aren’t always what they seem, because in fact the picture is of a cupcake.

That’s true of Jesus in 2 Corinthians.  He appears to be weak but in fact He is actually really strong.  He can reconcile us to God, He bears our sin and makes us righteous, He is powerful enough to turn us into new creations:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Does this sound to you like someone who is weak?

And Jesus does all this as men and women who are weak preach the good news about Him who is strong.

As Paul writes to warn the church about the ‘super-apostles’, we see a Jesus who is strong and powerful even when He appears to be weak.