Ministry in the Mess - 2 Corinthians
Part 11: Difficult Conversations
March 17, 2024 • Pastor Luke Uran • 2 Corinthians 13
Most of us aren’t very good at confronting people, even when it’s a needed and godly response. With gentle wisdom and humility, confrontation can be one of the most loving things we can do for a fellow believer – or that they can do for us.
Part 10: Beware the Boasters
March 10, 2024 • Pastor David Creek • 2 Corinthians 11, 2 Corinthians 12:1–13
We can be so dazzled by someone’s giftedness and charisma that we miss trickery and treachery lurking behind. Paul challenges the Corinthians to consider the whole picture in both ourselves and others. There is indeed a place for boasting — but in our weakness, as a pointer to Jesus.
Part 9: When Critics Come Calling
March 3, 2024 • Pastor Luke Uran • 2 Corinthians 10
For Christians, especially leaders, criticism will come. Some of it will be unjust. In this section of his letter to the Corinthians, Paul exemplifies valuable principles for how to respond, or not respond, when our critics are wrong. And, he shows how to keep our focus pointed in a better direction.
Part 8: Kingdom Generosity
February 25, 2024 • Pastor Luke Uran • 2 Corinthians 9:6–15
Let’s get one thing straight: God doesn’t need our money. But by allowing him to deepen our generosity, it becomes our joyful response to the gospel. And, it’s a major way God builds his kingdom and releases his abundance to the world.
Part 7: The Road to Joy
February 18, 2024 • 2 Corinthians 7:2–16
The way to a joy-filled life is countercultural, both in Paul’s time and for us today. In a chapter that drastically changes the mood of this letter to the Corinthians, Paul maps out three steps to serve the Lord with joy. None are especially easy—but the rewards are great.
Part 6: Pick a Side
February 11, 2024 • Pastor Dave Creek • 2 Corinthians 6, 2 Corinthians 7:1
To whom do we grant authority in our lives, and why? What effect does this have on our faith, and on our ability to engage with those around us who need Jesus? Paul calls on the Corinthians—and us—to evaluate our close relationships in this light.
Part 5: Gospel Relationships
February 4, 2024 • 2 Corinthians 5
We all want to please other people. Sometimes this desire is good, but sometimes it can stand in the way of loving people as Jesus does—and telling them the truth. As our love for Jesus and our grasp of his gospel increases, so does our real, Christlike love for others.
Part 4: For Those About to Quit
January 28, 2024 • Pastor Luke Uran • 2 Corinthians 4
Ever feel like giving up? Like all that time and energy devoted to ministry just isn’t worth it? This sermon is especially for you. When we start to lose heart, Paul reminds us that Jesus’ light can shine brightly even through our messy, broken lives.
Part 3: The Smell Test
January 21, 2024 • Pastor Luke Uran • 2 Corinthians 2:14—3:18
Have you ever been placed in a role you felt unqualified for? Welcome to the Christian life — that is, until we remember that our job is simply to carry the aroma of Christ everywhere we go, and leave the results to him. Even in our human insecurity and brokenness, we can still do that — and it can change the world.
Part 2: A Matter of Trust
January 14, 2024 • Pastor Luke Uran • 2 Corinthians 1:11—2:13
Have you ever felt betrayed? Trust, or broken trust, always leads to the question of integrity. As the Apostle Paul addresses a misunderstanding between himself and the church at Corinth, he gets to the heart of what trust really means for us all, and how it is central to living as a follower of Jesus.
Part 1: The Way of Suffering
January 7, 2024 • Pastor Luke Uran • 2 Corinthians 1:1–11
This week we begin a series looking at 2 Corinthians – another letter from the Apostle Paul to this messed-up church with so much potential. We’ll look at how we can live as ambassadors for Christ in a broken, complex world. We start with a look at suffering—something guaranteed for us all, but often misunderstood.