Tim's Sermon Notes

Selfless love is the expression of grace. Paul here is talking about the collection for the poor and oppressed Christians in Jerusalem. It may seem like this is off topic from the previous discussion of grace, forgiveness and discipline, but in fact these both flow from grace.

He begins with the example of the Macedonian churches, who suffered greatly for Christ, but who also gave generously to Christians they had never met. They were in the midst of an economic downturn driven by Roman exploitation, and yet that did not dampen their enthusiasm for giving.

It evokes the story of the rich young ruler, who followed all the commandments, but was deeply attached to his possessions rather than Christ. The Macedonian churches, though, were attached to Christ.

Note also that Paul never tells the Corinthians how much to give. The Macedonians gave beyond their ability, but what Paul wants the Corinthians to imitate is not the amount or the proportion but rather their eagerness in giving. They did not see it as a financial obligation but rather as a ministry opportunity. It takes so much grace to be a Christian.

At this point, you have to imagine that the Corinthians were throwing up their hands and saying “fine, Paul, I give up – I suck, they don’t. Just tell me how much to give and I’ll do it.”

But Paul specifically disclaims that, refuses to command them or name a sum, and instead says that he wants to test their earnestness and selflessness. Then he goes on to cite the greatest example of selfless love of all, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Imitating this act of sacrifice is not the ideal, but rather it is the job description. It takes so much grace to be a Christian.

American believers focus too much on “how much should I give, and how much should I keep?” We are so attached to our possessions. But Paul is not looking for the Corinthians to feel guilty about how much they are not giving. We should not feel guilty for what we do not have to give.

Paul is not trying to institute some sort of biblical socialism, because the giving is specifically not mandated, not commanded. He is calling the Corinthians to selfless love, not to a specific amount of money or percentage of income. It is not a rule, because the crucified body of Christ mocks our ability to follow rules. Plan wants the Corinthians to be so overflowing in joy that the giving flows outward in enthusiastic generosity. Selfless love is Gospel-oriented.

We don’t come to God to get stuff. We come to God to get God. The grace of God is both our goal and our enablement. Selfless love is a symptom of satisfaction of the soul in God. As John Piper writes, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

The problem for us that we often give sporadically, either out of whimsy or need-based reaction. We are not wired for selfless giving. We are wired to look out for ourselves and for our immediate family. We are not naturally joyful when we give away resources.

We cannot create that feeling within ourselves. No amount of giving or religious action can create it. It is a work of grace. It takes so much grace to be a Christian.

– Sermon Notes, Brian Bailey, Seed Church, Lynnwood, WA, April 29, 2018

2 Corinthians 8:1-15

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In 2 Corinthians 6:11, Paul calls on the Corinthians to “open wide your hearts.” He returns to that theme here, having in the meantime noted the promises God has made to us – to dwell in us, be our faster and cleanse us of our sins.

This is why Paul is writing – not to change their behavior or make them agree with him, but to bring them to salvation and transform them.

This chapter also marks a transition from talking to those opposing him to those in his camp. In verse 2, he asks the Corinthians to receive him, or to make room in their hearts for him. This is not just a pleasantry, but something he is specifically seeking from those Corinthians who are defending him. They, he goes on to say, are in his heart. In Paul’s mind, this association is a serious business, a distillation of the greatest commandment, and the deepest form of friendship. They will die together, in Christ, and live together, in Christ. The mutual connection in Christ brings them into each other’s hearts.

Paul here, as he acknowledges, is being very bold in his statements of affection, given his tumultuous history with the Corinthians, but, as he will go on to say, that history and the repentance he has seen, has in fact served to strengthen that bond.

Specifically, their response to the Severe Letter Paul sent previously brought him joy. Paul’s confrontation of the Corinthians is a model of confrontation, making the confronted feel valued, being intentional about the method, and clear about the issue that needs addressing.

Paul knew that his letter would provoke grief, but he also knew that the grief would be temporary. Not only that, but the repentance of the Corinthians and grace of Christ would redeem even their sin such that there would be no regrets but only joy in their transformation.

Now, not all grief is necessarily Godly grief. Worldly grief brings death – we see contrasts in this grief between Judas and Peter. Both betrayed Christ in one form or another, but Judas’ grief brought him to suicide while Peter’s brought him to repentance and his place as the rock of the church.

Godly grief will cause indignation at our behavior, eagerness to make things right, and a deep desire for justice.

Paul is not out to get anyone, nor is he even seeking to directly restore those wronged (the repentant Corinthians will take care of that) but rather to demonstrate to the Corinthians the unity that exists in the body of Christ. He seems them to be as confident in that unity as he is.

Titus serves as another illustration of this, and his joy is ultimately the fruit of the repentance of the Corinthians, itself the fruit of Paul’s confrontation and the open hearts of the Corinthians.

This open-heartedness, this prioritization of other’s physical and spiritual needs, this unity, is how we are supposed to live. But so often, we don’t. Why is that? For one, it’s difficult. For another, we are, today, told to invite Jesus into our hearts, with very little attention given to commands like these to open our hearts to others. Opening our hearts also opens ourselves to being hurt – especially if you are in an environment where godly confrontation is not happening, but rather worldly confrontation bringing worldly grief. Though Paul himself clearly opens himself up to the Corinthians himself before knowing if they would react in a godly or worldly manner.

When we feel justified in living with closed hearts, we should understand that we are depriving the community of the fruits of our own hearts. Remember the promises from the previous chapter – God wants not only to be our personal savior, but to join us together in unity as His people.

– Sermon Notes, Sean Davern, Seed Church, Lynnwood, WA, April 22, 2018

2 Corinthians 7:1-16

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This passage usually gets quoted in reference to dating or marriage, which is not actually what Paul is talking about in context. There wasn’t a lot of “dating” in Corinth, for one. It is not an unreasonable principle, though.

So what is the context? Paul has jumped rather abruptly from talking about the Corinthians reconciling themselves to God to them separating themselves from the idolatry in the culture. The darkness in the city is diametrically opposed to the light of Christ and the church. The temples of Aphrodite and Poseidon were diametrically opposed to the temples of God within each believer.

Paul then walks through four promises of God from the Jewish scriptures, from Exodus, Isaiah, Ezekiel and 1 Samuel. Like the Israelites leaving exile, the new believers in Corinth were to leave behind the idols of the land of their exile.

This means both the material things and the spiritual things that linked the Corinthians to the false idols in their city.

We don’t live in the city of Corinth with shrines to pagan deities and pressure to worship them. But we do have plenty of idols in our culture today. An idol has been called “a good thing that has become an ultimate running.” Tim Keller calls them something that we go to for things only God can provide.

Within the church, we can turn ministry success, doctrinal precision, even moral living into idols. Idols can appear to be satisfying and positive initially, but will never satisfy ultimately.

We are built to serve someone or something. We are built to look for something bigger than ourselves. For the Corinthians, the Greek gods presented real temptations to serve that role, especially with the world around them all oriented in that direction.

But Paul offered the alternative – the true God who lives within His people, and a true partnership with His people. We are yoked together in true community as we serve the only thing ultimately worth serving.

– Sermon Notes, Dave Lester, Seed Church, Lynnwood, WA, April 15, 2018

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

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Paul is writing to a church that he loves and that loves him, but with some detractors. He had written an earlier letter (1 Corinthians) to the church taking them to task for assorted problems. That letter was generally well received, but not universally. The early church didn’t necessarily meet in a single large group, but many smaller ones, and some leaders within those groups had destructive views of both the gospel and of Paul.

Paul has just been going over how the Corinthians are called to be ambassadors of Christ, working for the ministry of reconciliation. He then goes on, in chapter six, to lay out the job description that comes with that title.

He opens this passage with a prophetic text from Isaiah about the coming of Christ, about a unique moment in history. He is calling out the Corinthians passionately, much like he called out Peter in the past. Paul’s passion is most aroused when the gospel of Christ is being twisted to oppress others.

When he says that he “put no stumbling block” in front of anyone, he doesn’t mean to entirely avoid offense. Even a cursory reading of Paul’s epistles makes that clear. Instead, he means that there is a need to clear out whatever cultural baggage may make it difficult for people to come up God. In the case of Peter, that meant not commanding circumcision. In the case of Timothy, elsewhere, that meant getting circumcised.

In verses 4-5, he gets deeper into the job description, and starts with suffering. Suffering is not punishment – it is a necessary part of our role as Christians. Paul doesn’t just speak of suffering generally, but suffering specifically in the form of beatings received in punishment for sharing the gospel.

How is this possible? In verse 7, we see how – the power of God and the weapons he provides. Paul uses battle terms, to make it clear that the Christian life is like a war.

The job description goes on, running through a list of contradictions. Glory and dishonor, known and unknown, sorrow yet rejoicing. The Corinthians should expect hard times, but should also expect peace to come through that suffering.

Even when we share the Gospel and love people, they may not respond the way they should. The Corinthians had pelted Paul with many non-essential complaints – he wasn’t an original apostle, he didn’t have a proper letter of recommendation, and so on. But Paul still seeks to be opened wide to the Corinthians, even as they dispute around the margins.

We here at Seed Church are also called to be ambassadors of Christ, for the ministry of reconciliation. We’ve been charged, trusted, empowered with a valuable mission, one that is ultimately more meaningful than anything else we could do. We have meaning and purpose in a world that alternates between seeking it desperately and dismissing it sardonically.

Many of us have been hurt by people in the church, and so accepting the notion that we are on this mission with the church. Jeremiah gives us something of a model. He was called specifically to warn the Jewish people about their impending destruction, and was ignored, imprisoned and eventually killed without ever making a visible impact.

We are given an impossible task that is only made possible by the work of Christ and person of the Holy Spirit. We are not restrained by who or what or where we are, because we are enabled by God. We will fail and be taken advantage of, but we will be known by God.

Do we want this job? Do we need to take up this role as co-worker with Christ? Do we need to realign our priorities with the description of this job? The right time to act is now.

– Sermon Notes, Aaron James, Seed Church, Lynnwood, WA, April 8, 2018

2 Corinthians 6:1-13

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The atmosphere in Jerusalem was electric. Flooded with tourists and pilgrims, the city hummed with rumors about the itinerant rabbi who had raised a man from the dead, and was now headed their way. The people were excited and intrigued, while the Pharisees were more and more concerned about this destabilizing force.

The anticipation reached a crescendo as Jesus neared the eastern gate, riding on a borrowed donkey. Crowds rushed from the gate, shaking palm branches pulled off the trees lining the road to the Mount of Olives, a symbol of Israel’s righteousness and joy.

The people were attracted to the power of Jesus, to raise the dead and, presumably, overthrow the Romans and reestablish the Kingdom of David. Their cry “hosanna” means “save now,” a call for immediate action and salvation. The people believed that the coming messiah was a political creature, leveraging physical power to ring in the new physical kingdom.

Jesus rode a donkey, in fulfillment of prophecy, rather than a warhorse, but the donkey was still a common mount for royalty in the Near East. Note also that Jesus never rejects the praise and worship of the crowd.

Meanwhile, the Pharisees were already plotting to deal with this troublemaker. Any destabilization of the tenuous political situation threatened their power and the little empire they had carved out.

Jesus’ entire life was a threat to the Empires of the world, beginning with his birth and the paranoia of Herod. He threatened not just political empires, but religious and cultural empires, as well as the personal empires within every human heart.

Today, we live in the midst of a mighty empire, politically, militarily, culturally – and of course, personal. That homeless rabbi is coming for our empires. In Jerusalem, he went from the Triumphal Entry directly to kicking over tables in the Temple. As he marches towards your soul, what is at the heart of your personal empire that Jesus needs you kick over? Racism, greed, anger?

We build walls of justification around these personal empires, much of it bolstered by lies and assumptions from the cultural empires we live in the midst of. As in Jerusalem, Jesus is coming to upend things we have believed our entire lives. How will you welcome him?

– Sermon Notes, Dave Lester, Seed Church, Lynnwood, WA, March 25, 2018

John 12:12-19

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Paul begins by explaining that his ministry is driven by his understanding of the awesome responsibility he has to Christ. This is partly in response to his opponents who questioned his motives, capabilities and even sanity.

But Paul asserts that he is neither self-seeking nor insane. Instead, he is driven by a new way of living. He owes a life-debt to Christ, one that gives him both the privilege and responsibility to know, serve and spread the news of God.

It changes his entire worldview, not just of Christ but also of humanity as a whole. He had seen Jesus as a false messiah, but now sees him as the savior of humanity. That understanding changes his view of humanity as a whole – and of himself in particular.

That change is an understanding of the gospel, an understanding of our creation, fall, redemption and restoration. We ourselves are a part of this plan, even though we ourselves are the offenders.

The gospel means that God is not out there tallying up good things and bad things and weighing them together. Instead, he simply removes the bad things and sends us off as ambassadors to tell others about the opportunity. There is an intensity to this, a desire to see others redeemed and restored as we have been.

There should also be an intensity within our own life to live for Christ. Often, we see Christ like an expansion for the video game of life, where we can choose to play the base game when we don’t feel like tacking on the Jesus DLC.

The death of Christ opens a way for us to see others differently. No one, however horrible they have been to us, however awful they may be, however broken, is irredeemable. And we, with Paul, are called to communicate this to them. Are we motivated to participate in this mission of reconciliation?

This message has changed our lives, and we should be honored to share it with others. If we do not feel the same urgency that Paul does, the first step is to ask God to give us that desire and those opportunities.

– Sermon Notes, Jeff Krabach, Seed Church, Lynnwood, WA, March 11

2 Corinthians 5:11-21

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Here, Paul shares four ways the glory of God transforms our lives.

First, the glory of God transforms our lives so that there is an absence of cowardice and an increase in resilience. If anyone has a reason to be a coward and may motivation, it was Paul, given all that he had endured. But as the dangers and depredations of life increased, they drove him to mediation on Christ, which then bolstered his confidence in Christ and to serve Christ. The more the glory of Christ becomes preeminent in our lives, the less fear we will have about speaking about him.

Second, we renounce behavior that dishonors the Gospel and we refuse to mishandle the message of Jesus. Paul is being accused of both of these things, by opponents who were themselves using the gospel for personal gain and twisting its message. The gospel they were trying to impart was missing the cost of discipleship, while piling on the rules and regulations of the Mosaic Law, all while disconnected from the Apostles designated by Christ.

Third, the glory of God transforms our lives so that our proclamation and practice of the Gospel impact how people think about the Gospel.
It changes us so that others see Christ in our behavior and actions. Not all will see this – “the god of this world” blocks the those who need God the most from understanding His glory.

Fourth, the glory of God that transforms our lives becomes the motivation by which we proclaim the Gospel that saves our lives. As we get closer to seeing to seeing Jesus, God makes us look more like Jesus.

– Sermon Notes, Brian Bailey, Seed Church, Lynnwood, WA, February 18

2 Corinthians 4:1-6

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In these six verses, Paul shows us four important realities about Jesus. Paul is writing to the church in Corinth, a city that is morally autonomous and morally unmoored. The notion of the exclusivity of Christ was difficult for the culture to swallow, much as it is today. And there was a great deal of Corinth still in the Corinthian church. (Much as it is today.)

If Jesus is worthy, risk in relationships is unavoidable. Paul took a risk in his relationship with the Corinthians, and that relationship broke. They rejected his teaching and the wisdom of God in him.

In the American church, Jesus has become very ordinary, developing apathy, demanding nothing and enabling assimilation. We do not look much like the New Testament church, but rather look like the culture around us.

If Jesus is worthy, then life will be a paradox. Jesus is continually leading Paul as a captive to his death. Paul is providing a high definition picture of this paradox of life and death. Paul’s opponents would have called out how feeble, weak and pathetic Paul is – and Paul himself would boast in it, because it is in his weakness that Jesus is glorified and His strength is demonstrated.

If Jesus is worthy, then our words have weight in the world. God the Father delights in the worthiness and sacrifice of Christ, and does the same when Paul imitates Christ by giving up his life. But be because that fragrance is the fragrance of death, of giving up our lives as Christ did, those words frightens many off – those who are perishing. But for those who are being saved, those words are a path to salvation.

If Jesus is worthy, then we will be gripped by the gravity of the Gospel. Paul here calls out the false teachers who are gaining wealth by peddling the word of God in order to earn money. They did not feel the weight of the gospel.

Likewise, we must ask if the wealth and comfort that we live in is making the gospel seem less weighty. Jesus says that it is very difficult for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God, which means the vast majority of us in America are at a severe disadvantage.

God finds supreme satisfaction in His Son, and invites us to do the same.

– Sermon Notes, Brian Bailey, Seed Church, Lynnwood, WA, February 4, 2017

2 Corinthians 2:1-17

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