Summit View "Compelled by Weakness" 2 Corinthians 11:1-12:10

CG Coaching for Week #12 of 2 Corinthians: A Church Compelled 

Sunday, August 23rd sermon by Pastor Kyle Van Tine  

"Compelled by Weakness" - (2 Cor 11:1-12:10)

Listen to "Compelled by Weakness" at this link 

Growing deeper

The biblical picture of the Church in the Bible is a bride. We are the Bride of Christ. Paul sees himself as the father of the Bride, protecting and preparing her to be presented to her Bridegroom, Christ Himself, when He returns to claim His Church. As a father, Paul is ready to defend his daughter the Church from the false doctrine that has threatened to turn her from the path to the altar before the Lord. Satan is always ready to lure the Church away with false promises that our sinful human hearts seek – health, prosperity, power, autonomy, heaven in the here and now. It’s easy for us, the waiting betrothed, to get anxious and seduced by the promises of a different “gospel” as our Bridegroom prepares a place for us. Satan’s seductive and beautiful light distracts the Church from the truth of the Gospel. We must not be tempted to follow artificial light. Beware of messages that claim we can have it all now. Our home is not the here and now. Christ’s life is our example. Paul’s boasting is in his weakness and sufferings for the Gospel. His sufferings were aimed at pointing to Christ’s work reconciling sinners with God. There is nothing else to authenticate the truth of the Gospel. The Christian life is a life that embraces everything counter culturally – weakness, suffering and a sacrificial love for others, so they might be saved. The Church is a place for the weak and lowly and broken - that is its strength.

Read 2 Corinthians 11- 12:10, John 3:16-36, 2 Peter 2 

The Gospel is strange and out of step with the world. When we try to twist the Gospel into the world’s idea of power it becomes useless. The Gospel is not elitist. The end goal of the Gospel is the reconciliation of people with God and with each other. Any message that changes that is false. 

Discuss how the Gospel message is one of reconciliation.

How do counterfeit gospels seek to distort that message?

Evaluate what are some possible counterfeit gospels you might be following in your life. Test those messages against what God’s Word says. 

How are you preparing for the coming of your Bridegroom, Christ?

Summit View "Compelled by Obedience" 2 Corinthians 10:1-18

CG Coaching for Week #11 of 2 Corinthians: A Church Compelled 

Sunday, August 16th sermon by Pastor Kyle Van Tine  

"Compelled by Obedience" - (2 Cor 10:1-18) 

Listen to this week's sermon here

Questions for Discussion "Growing deeper"

Jesus didn’t strut onto the world stage like a Hollywood star. He came meekly into the world as a baby born in a barn, lived his childhood in obscurity, ministered while homeless and died a humiliating death on a cross. Yet His divine power was unimaginable. He contained His power to become the sacrificial Lamb that saved us. Meekness is strength submitted to the proper authority. Paul writes strong words against those who want their showiness to be interpreted as authority and power. Their super-apostle strength was all show with no real power. Their authority was devoid of God’s truth, and Paul outlines ways to not be deceived by their error. Paul wasn’t looking for man’s approval; he knew he wasn’t impressive by man’s standards. Paul wasn’t willing to compromise the gospel because he sought God’s approval only. He did not want the false elitism and improper boasting of the few to stop the many in the Corinthian church from growing in faith and maturity. Like the Tower of Babel, some had built citadels to their own works, believing in their own power to save rather than God’s. They were measuring themselves by the world’s standards, looking to impress. We must be careful not to muddy the gospel for approval. The only criteria we should measure ourselves, and others who claim truth, is Christ - His character, His meekness, His deeds, His words, His suffering, His resurrection. Our boast is in Christ alone. 

Read 2 Corinthians 10:1-8, Galatians 1:6-12, Philippians 2:1-11.

Biblical meekness is a submissiveness towards God. Our pride is laid at the feet of Jesus. We must test true gospel messages to see if they are submitted and pointing towards the Gospel.  No matter how impressive a speaker, a vision or a miracle is, if it doesn’t point to Christ it is useless. We need to become people of The Book. 

Who are you seeking approval from?

How does what you are impressed by line up with God and His character? 

What are some points of pride in your life you need to surrender to God?

Who in your life do you need to humble yourself and serve?

Sunday, August 2 "Compelled by Generosity" 2 Cor 8:1-24

Pastor Kyle Van Tine at Summit View Church Heritage Park Campus

Listen to this Sunday's sermon by "Compelled by Generosity"

Summit View Church - CG Coach Week #8 - 2 Corinthians 7:2-16

Sunday, July 26th  -  Pastor Kyle Van Tine  -  "Sorrow and Repentance"

Growing Deeper

Depression is often called the common cold of the soul. Eventually, most people catch it. Even Paul catches it. He was afflicted from within and without. Quarreling and conflict dogged him. Paul had followed God willingly into the fray of spiritual warfare and now was paying the cost of the battle. He was fearful for the church he had planted and he was exhausted with a troubled soul for the people he loved. But comfort was coming; God sent Titus. Titus’ visit is a slice of God’s comfort for Paul. His joy is doubled by the news of the repentance of the Corinthians.Paul gains strength in the well being of others and finds joy when others repent. Worldly grief weeps for our losses. Godly grief weeps for sin against God. It produces repentance.Joy and sorrow are often linked in our Christian lives. Sorrow comes when we recognize sin. Joy celebrates when repentance and spiritual prosperity are present within the church. We need to be like Paul-- other-focused and seeking the spiritual prosperity of the church body through the repentance of its members. We need to be infected by a yearning for one another’s spiritual health. To learn how to walk beside and love others to godly repentance. To support others as they join God in the battle against sin. The Christian life is a life lived before the face of God. We must strive to reflect God’s goodness in the way we grieve, mourn, comfort and repent. 

Read 2 Corinthians 7:2-16; Psalm 51, I Thessalonians 3:6-13.

Repentance means to turn around. It is a sincere decision to forsake selfish sin and to value what God desires. It isn’t self-disgust, it is sorrow.

What are your joys and your sorrows? 

How do you respond to a loving rebuke?

What are the characteristics of a trusted person who can listen to another person’s deep longings and secrets with care and love?

Is there someone you need to encourage to be strong in the battle against sin? 

Recommended reading: Side by Side by Edward Welch 

Compelled to Serve 2 Corinthians 4:1-15 Summit View Church

CG Coaching for Week #4 - 2 Corinthians 4:1-15

Sunday, June 28th  -  Pastor Kyle Van Tine  -  2 Corinthians: A Church Compelled
"Compelled to Serve" (2 Corinthians 4:1-15)

Listen to "Compelled to Serve" here

GROWING DEEPER

Being exposed to God has a compelling transformative power. As Moses’, face was physically transformed to shine when exposed to God’s glory, likewise, our hearts are transformed. For us, though, it is a permanent glory that does not fade. When we accept Christ as Lord our lives are forever changed. Daily, as we think on the gospel, God is doing a heart-work in us, sculpting us and unveiling to us His truth so that we do not lose heart when we see the word of God being distorted and watered down. We must be bold in our faithfulness to the gospel and in our prayers for those whose hearts are veiled to the truth. We must not be tempted to change our message for the hearers. John Calvin clarifies that “the blindness of unbelievers in no way detracts from the clearness of the gospel, for the sun is no less resplendent because the blind do not perceive it.” We must continually point the blind to Christ as the light they need in their lives to rid themselves of their blindness. We are fragile clay vessels that show, from our joy in the face of suffering, the everlasting power of the Creator God who does not abandon us but sustains us with his Word. God’s light grows as our weakness does. It is a strange and magnificent paradox that our weakness invites the strength of God. In our weakness we can reveal God’s light of grace into a dark and perishing world.

Read Revelation 7:9-10

• Paul’s boldness and joy in suffering for the gospel comes from his focus on the future hope of eternity with God. Do you live today with a future hope that sees eternity as our ultimate destination?
• How have the Scriptures come alive and been life changing to you? What might need to change in your life to allow this to happen?
• How have you personally experienced the unique challenges of the Christian life that Paul highlights in verses 8-9?
• How are you being daily transformed by Christ?
• How has your weakness glorified God and displayed his power? (John 12:24-26)
• How have you seen or experienced the spiritual blindness that Paul mentions in verse 4 either in yourself, your family or in the world?

"Compelled to Reflect God to Others" 2 Corinthians 2:13-3:18

2 Corinthians: A Church Compelled 

"Compelled to Reflect God to Others" 2 Corinthians 2:13-3:18

Sunday, June 21st 2015

Listen to "Compelled to Reflect God to Others" here 

Sunday, June 21st Care Group Coaching with Pastor Kyle   

"Compelled to reflect God to others" 2 Corinthians 2:13-3:18

Growing deeper

We are all ministers. True ministry starts when we accept Christ as our Lord. As receivers of the New Covenant, which has been inscribed on our hearts, all believers are equipped to be ministers because God has given us the Holy Spirit who brings us inward joy and guides us to a deeper life in Christ. A new heart, along with a new relationship, a new knowledge and true forgiveness is the promise of the New Covenant (Read Jeremiah 31:31-34). God is not looking for strength, but instead is looking for those weak enough to let him lead. True ministry comes when we die to our self, trust God in all circumstances, remember God is the source of all power and ability and then faithfully carry our message of hope to the people in our lives. Paul’s beautiful visual of aroma is hope-filled for those who carry God’s message of grace into a hostile world. Odors are pervasive. They can travel for miles and cling for days. The “sweet aroma” of our message of hope and the delight we take in Christ should give us boldness and confidence to proclaim our message to the world even if some reject it.

Read Philippians 1:19-21 and Matthew 16:24 -26.

• Think about dying to self. There is a tension between being God’s joyful captive slave being led to our deaths in God’s triumphal procession (2:14) and being alive in Christ (Colossians 2: 13). 
• What does fullness of life in Christ look like as we die to self in our ministry to others, both inside the church and out?
• Do a heart check. What are your motives for ministry (2:17)?
• Paul says that we are the “aroma of Christ to God” (2:15), meaning God delights in us and in our lives. What does knowing that our lives as Christians are a delight to God mean to you?
• What is the aroma of Christ to you? How do you delight in Christ?
• What weaknesses are you hiding behind that you need to release to Christ’s sufficiency to help you minister (3:4-6)?

CG Coaching "Compelled to Reflect God to Others" 2 Cor 2:12-3:18

"Compelled to Integrity and Forgiveness" 2 Corinthians 1:12-2:11

Sunday, June 14th  -  Pastor Kyle Van Tine  -  2 Corinthians 1:12-2:11 "Compelled to Integrity and Forgiveness"  

Listen to "Compelled to Integrity and Forgiveness" Here

Growing deeper

There are several themes that flow together in this passage - integrity and confidence, discipline and love, mercy and grace, forgiveness and restoration. Each theme is grounded in the others. Paul knows that by following God’s wisdom for life, he can be confident in a clear conscience that is fully dependent on the triumph of God’s grace.

Christ’s character is Paul’s character, and our own character.When we say “Yes” to Christ in our lives, we are saying “Yes” to a life of integrity, confidence, sincerity and power centered on a reliable and gracious God. God is the God of truth and restoration. He fulfilled all His promises of the Old Testament Covenants (Genesis 9, 12, Exodus 19, 2 Samuel 7, Jeremiah 31) in Christ.

God disciplines us lovingly, mercifully warning us of our sin and patiently waiting to restore our fallen standing with Him (2 Peter 3:9). He makes us His people, guarding and protecting our faith, giving us His Holy Spirit and granting us full inheritance when we accept Christ as Lord.

Now, as recipients of the New Covenant, we must, in obedience, grant forgiveness and restoration to repentant fellow sinners with whom we are bonded together in Christ, for both the health of the individual and the church body. In our new life, acknowledging our own weakness and sin, we must passionately pursue integrity in prayer, Bible study and intentionally move forward as we stand firm in Christ.  

Read 2 Peter 1:2-4

Integrity comes from the Latin word for wholeness or completeness. How does the knowledge of the character of God create wholeness in us?

What does merciful love look like biblically?

What are ways God has been faithful, loving and merciful to you?

Do you have anything for which you need to repent and seek forgiveness?

What does the restoration of repentant sinners look like, according to Paul?

Is there anyone in your life who is repentant that you need to forgive and restore?

Prayer is a powerful tool in our Christian lives. God listens. Take some time to bring your struggles to God and seek His wisdom.