2 Corinthians 8.13-15

13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, 15 as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little."


Verse 15 quotes from exodus 16 when the Israelites were wandering in the desert and God was sustaining them with mana from heaven. God instructed each family to pick up an omer for each person. Thus each person ended up with an equal share of God’s sustenance. God wants us to share the responsibilities of the church as equally as they divided the food. Taking another person’s share of mana would mean they went hungry, but all too often a small percentage of the church is in charge of everything. Not only is it the pastor’s job to preach on Sunday, but to arrange to have the drippy sink fixed. While not all contributions to the church look the same, everyone is called to contribute equally. It isn’t God’s plan for anyone to take too much or too little of the burden. What is your role in the church? Are you taking your share of the load?

2 Corinthians 8.8-12

8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

10 And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.

How many times do we say I’m going to start doing this or that, give more time or money? We always have good intentions but rarely act on them or finish what we have started. As Christians we need to do what is within our means. Make sure that if we say we’ll do something that we try our best to stick with it and finish it. It is possible to do; we just need to be as passionate as we were when we started it.

2 Corinthians 8.1–7

1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord's people. 5 And they went beyond our expectations; having given themselves first of all to the Lord, they gave themselves by the will of God also to us. 6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving.


I live in a land of abundance where the overwhelming majority has never felt what it is like to face severe oppression or deep hunger. Consequently, this bounty has caused the masses to disregard the still viable parts of existence in need of charity. Oh! How hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom! And yet, the Macedonian churches were quite the opposite. Paul says their generosity was caused by poverty and overflowing joy. If these two factors cause “rich generosity,” perhaps we, though surrounded by abundance, should acknowledge the parts of our existence that lie in poverty as well as ask ourselves if our joy in Christ is manifested in our daily lives.

2 Corinthians 7.13–16

13 By all this we are encouraged.

In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. 14 I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well. 15 And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling. 16 I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.

Have you ever recommended to your friend something you enjoyed and then later found out that he didn’t like it at all? It’s a pretty disappointing feeling. In many ways, when that happens it can make one feel like their opinions are not dependable; that they are untrustworthy. However, that is not what happened with Paul and Titus concerning the Corinthians. Paul says he boasted about the Corinthians to Titus and his boasting was validated. He says he felt encouraged and delighted when this took place. It is no small truth that when our convictions are attested to by others whom we trust, our hearts are strengthened and we grow more confident. Nevertheless, let us not begin to believe that our opinions, though confirmed, are worth much on their own. Only when combined with faith in the Son of God can our opinions hope to safely reside in the truth.

2 Corinthians 7.8–13

⁸ Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— ⁹ yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. ¹⁰ Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. ¹¹ See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. ¹² So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. ¹³ By all this we are encouraged.

In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.

A prayer:

I ask You, O Lord, to keep me from willfully sinning. For I know these sins scar Your son and defile my preparation for the kingdom. But if I do sin, chasten me as You would one of Your dear children. Teach me and instruct me so that I am not led down that path again. Bring me to repentance by striking my heart with guilt over disobeying Your righteous command. May tears flood my bed at night in hope that Your everlasting love would forgive me. Let me not sorrow as the world, for the world sorrows at the mere consequences of sin rather than sin itself. The ugliness of sin is revealed when it is understood that it is a direct violation of Your very Personhood. I’m sorry for hurting You, Father, by adding to my Lord’s pain, but forgive me and renew my heart in purity so that I mat once again seek Your everlasting ways.

2 Corinthians 7.5–7

5 For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.

I’m sure there have been many times when you’ve felt like Paul did in this passage. Like finals week when the stress of studying for all your finals can seem overwhelming. Or maybe you’ve had a close relative or friend pass away. These times in life can be very tough to get through on your own. It’s always nice to have someone like Titus in this passage to encourage you and lift your spirits. Someone you can talk to and let out all your frustration or sadness. If you have a person like this in your life, then you know how valuable they are, so I encourage you to be a Titus to someone you know that might be hurting. Show them God’s love by taking them out to lunch and listening to what they have to say. This can make a huge difference in someone’s life and it’s a perfect way to show God’s love to unbelievers.

2 Corinthians 7.2–4

Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you. I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.

One of the most intriguing things about Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church is precisely that a first preceded it. Take a quick glance through 1 Corinthians and the multitude of problems facing the Corinthians pile up quickly: leadership, incest, lawsuits, idols, what not to eat...the list could go on. Paul’s response was to, point by point, meet each challenge head on with what the rapper Chuck D would call “truth bombs.” Taken as a whole, 1 Corinthians represents Paul’s most vigorous effort to set a church on the right track.

It goes without saying that such efforts would be met with some resistance, as 2 Corinthians proves. Has anyone ever confronted you when you were wandering from the straight and narrow in your life? Then you know what the Corinthians must have felt when reading Paul’s letter.

This time around, though, he is on the defense, explaining his ministry and motivations. Despite the sternness of his first letter, Paul wants the Corinthians to know that whatever he writes is motivated by a deep concern for their continued growth in Christ. “Make room for me in your hearts!” Paul writes. Even though I’ve had to take a tough line with you in the past, your faith encourages me and makes me proud. I don’t do the things I do to tear you down, I do them to build you up!

This makes me wonder: do I have another Christian like Paul who will candidly and lovingly speak truth into my life even when it is difficult to hear?

2 Corinthians 6.14–7.1

¹⁴Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? ¹⁵What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
¹⁷"Therefore come out from them
and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you."
¹⁸"I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

¹Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

Camps are great at using the old game of three-legged races. You know the ones where two or more people get tied together and then are asked to run a race, compete in a relay, or run an obstacle course in tandem. If everyone tied together works diligently, working in unison, the task gets accomplished and the goal is won. If those tied together don’t work together, at best our efforts are compromised, at worst they are completely futile.

As we run the most important race, to whom have we tied (yoked) ourselves? As we forge ahead are we tied most closely to those who are pulling in the same direction or have we linked up with those who are trying to drag us off course?

Today, take a look at your closest relationships. Take a look at who is impacting you most. Make sure these are the ones who are heading in the right direction.

2 Corinthians 6.2–13

2 For he says,
"In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you."
I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation

3 We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also.

What motivates your actions? Is your life focused on money, comfort, entertainment, acceptance, and pleasure? It is easy to slip into a self-centered lifestyle without even noticing it. After all, the world will not usually question a person living life for selfish reasons. It is not at all strange to live selfishly. However, our God is worthy of more. Paul reminds us that we should live our lives with others’ spiritual journeys in mind. We must examine our actions and make sure that our lives bring people toward the Kingdom of God instead of pushing them away. This will mean that we must make sacrifices. However, God will fill us with joy when we live according to his Spirit. Open your hearts wide to those around you! There is much more to Jesus’ death than individual salvation. There are millions of people who are living in eternity’s lobby. Let us live in a way that encourages them to move toward God!

2 Corinthians 6.1–2

1 As God's co-workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 2 For he says,
"In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you."
I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.

In chapter 5, Paul wrote that God has made us His friends. What a wacky and unbelievable revelation! Imagine the Holy, Holy, Holy God of the Jews, desiring friendship with all the people of the world, with me and you? Wow. There is no comparison between us and God’s majesty. As the song says, “Amazing love, how can it be that you my King should die for me?” It is in light of this overwhelming compassion that Paul urges the Corinthians to not receive God’s grace in vain. “Listen! I saved you!” God might say, “I gladly give you my greatest treasures, even my Son! Take, and live a NEW life.” As a lifetime church attendee, I understand that oftentimes grace seems like a worn-out cliché, but it is when we come to the cross, when we contemplate the glory of God that we remember once again how great is His love!

2 Corinthians 5.16–21

16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Trust. It is difficult to build, but easy to destroy. It is also the foundation of all good relationships, from families to friends to coworkers. Any betrayal of trust, no matter how small, damages the relationship. Suppose you found out that your best friend borrowed your car without asking and then wrecked it. Even if they repent and you forgive them, your relationship is still not the same as it once was. The bitter aftertaste of guilt and betrayal remains. It takes a great deal of time to rebuild the trust and truly reconcile the friendship again.
When God first created us, the relationship was pure, pristine, and happy. We trusted God, and he trusted us. When we sin, we betray God’s trust. In order to restore the relationship, a high price had to be paid. Jesus shed his blood to erase the stains of guilt and betrayal and to reconcile us to God. Through him, the relationship is restored to the joy of all who experience it.
Unfortunately, too few know the joy of reconciliation that could be theirs. They do not know that all the stains of their past deeds can be cleansed, that the mistakes can be erased, that the old can go and the new can come. That is where we come in. Verse 20 says that we are Christ’s ambassadors, carrying his message of the promise of reconciliation to the whole world. Do you know someone in need of this message of God’s promise? Fulfill your duty as an ambassador: tell them.

2 Corinthians 5.6–10

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.


When Carrie Underwood sang “Jesus, take the wheel,” I’m not certain that she knew the extent of what she was asking. I know that the sentiment is nice and that most Christians would agree that “giving control to Jesus” is a way of life worth aspiring to. But what if saying “Jesus, take the wheel,” is simply and excuse to jump out of the car?

As Christians, we run the risk of misusing Jesus’s promise of a heavenly future as a motive for checking out of our “mundane” daily lives. Even though Paul’s desire is to be “away from the body and at home with the Lord,” he was not about to let that desire detract from his calling to form the love of Christ more perfectly in himself and his churches. Paul’s goal in life was to please Christ, no matter what the circumstance.

Paul did not want the Corinthians driving blindly through the world without a thought to anything but their future in heaven. He wanted their eyes so wide open and focused on the finish line that they couldn’t help but see the desperate need of the world around them. Because even though Paul lived “by faith,” this did not exempt him from the inevitable judgment of Christ.

Are you driving with blind faith through the world, or does your faith in Jesus and what he accomplished inform every action you take?

2 Corinthians 5.1–5

1Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Have you ever gone camping? When I read this passage it reminds me of the times that I spent "camping out" as a child. While I was only 50 feet from the house, I was still scared that something would come and destroy my tent, rendering me alone and helpless in the night. A tent made from mere cloth and poles was certainly not as satisfying as a shelter as a brick house would be. Why then, do we confuse this mere tent we call Earth as our home and shelter?

This passage encourages us to remember that the world is not our home and that God has a much better home for us in Heaven. We get so caught up in worldly events and physical possessions that we forget that they are made by human hands and are nothing compared to what God gives us. Take a moment today to say a prayer for those who don't know about the majestic home God has for them in Heaven.

2 Corinthians 4.16–18

16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

How do we fix our eyes on what is unseen?
Over the Christmas holiday, I’ve found a new toy to use to entertain my puppy – a laser-pointer. Now, he’s a smart puppy, catching on quick that the dot on the floor and the object in my hand are somehow related. As soon as I grab the laser-pointer, he knows its time to play; he even anticipates the dot before I’ve hit the button!
My dog’s particular breed has a nickname, the Velcro dog – known as such for the attachments they make with their owners. Training is quite easy for this breed, and they have a reputation of being some of best hunting dogs. This Velcro effect can be attributed to one characteristic…trust. They trust their owners, and I believe – and have seen – that they also trust their own instincts. This, if it can be put into one word, is what it means to fix our eyes on what is unseen. Trust.

2 Corinthians 4.13-15

13 It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

The Apostle gives us two foundational premises for the Christian walk,
which is to be for the glory of God. The first is Faith—“we also believe and
therefore speak”. Hebrews 11: 6 defines Faith as the belief in God’s
existence Justice. It is important that our manner of conduct as Christians be
Faith-based i.e. based on our belief in God and His Justice. But Faith in God is
not the luxury of the Christian; non-Christians also have Faith in God’s
existence and Justice. This leads to the second point the Apostle raises, namely
Faith in the Resurrection of Jesus. This Faith is what defines a Christian. Do
you believe in the Resurrection of Jesus? If you do, then the Apostle says that
the same Power of God that raised the lifeless body of Jesus will work in and
through you towards others for God’s glory!

2 Corinthians 4.1–6

1Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

The sun is our main source of light. Relative to the earth, the sun is in a fixed position. Whether or not we receive the light depends on many things. One is the position of the earth relative to the sun. Are we on the part of the earth facing the sun? Are there any atmospheric conditions blocking the light? Are there any man-made things, such as buildings, blocking the light? Do we even have our eyes open? Regardless of all of these factors, the light is always there and always shining.

Paul, in comparing the message of the gospel to light, says the same thing. The message is always there, and it’s always clear. But, there are things in this world, some within our control and some outside of our control that work to obscure it.

What is blocking you from the light? What do you need to do to remove it?

II Corinthians 3:12-18

Back when my nephew was just a year old, I was sitting with him on my grandmother’s couch. My uncle Max was sitting on the other couch. As we sat there, my nephew kept peeking around me, keeping an eye on Max. He wasn’t quite sure if he could trust him or not.

I understood what he was going through. When I was a little kid, I was terrified of Max. Max is about 6 feet 6 inches tall, had a thick black moustache, and a deep, gravelly voice. He was very intimidating for a small child. But, with Max, the intimidation is purely physical. He’s one of the nicest people I know. While he still looks intimidating, I’m not afraid of Max anymore.

God can often seem intimidating and unapproachable. But, as he showed us through Jesus, he is very approachable. The veil has been torn and we are able to go to him without fear.

What’s keeping you from approaching God?

2 Corinthians 3:7-11

Fading Glory vs. Increasing Glory

We spent a lot of time last semester reflecting on the differences between the old covenant and the new covenant. Paul addresses the subject of old vs. new in this passage by speaking in terms of glory. When Moses descended the mountain after conversing with God, he held in his arms the law (the Ten Commandments), and his face shown with the glory of the Lord. The glory that radiated from Moses was so amazing that the people could not even bear to look at him! You can read more about this in Exodus 34:29-35.

Even so, this glory quickly began to fade. It was only temporary.
Paul makes a point here that the new covenant established by Christ is quite different than that of the old covenant. It’s glory and power does not fade or become dull; it increases, and it is everlasting.

What is your understanding of a glory that fades vs. a glory that increases?

2 Corinthians 3:4-6

4 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Someday, I plan on going skydiving. Skydiving, of course, is very tricky and dangerous. It takes a lot of knowledge to do it correctly. However, anyone can go skydiving. You just have to do a tandem jump with an instructor.

In a tandem jump, you can honestly say that you went skydiving. But, ultimately, it was the instructor who took care of all of the skill part. You still did it, but you didn’t really do it. Paradoxical, yes. But either way, you get to experience the rush of a lifetime.

This is sort of what Paul is getting at. We can do anything, yet we can do nothing. We can do it because God is doing it. But the cool part is that we get to take the dive with him, and even though it is God and not us, we get to experience all of the rush.

What plane is God calling you to dive out of? What’s keeping you from doing it?

2 Corinthians 3.1-3

1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

A friend of mine died the other day. While she will be missed, I’m pretty sure that she was ready. Most would say that she didn’t do much of significance. She spent most of her life in a small town, just miles from where she was born. Most of her life she was a stay at home mom making sure that the daily duties were taken care of. She loved to work in the kitchen, she was a whiz at gardening, and her home was always open to anyone who dropped by. It was during those “drop by” times that God taught us lessons. She would always be ready to talk about her family (her daughter and her family are in Haiti) serving as missionaries. She would love to talk about what was happening in the church. Her concern for her guests and her concern about others needing to know Jesus always seeped out of every conversation.

I wish that you could have known my friend. She never wrote any books and there likely won’t be any books written about her. But when you were around her, she was a letter written from Christ, who wrote upon the tablets of her heart.

Today, take some time to get away. Get away and spend some quality time with the one who has poured out his Spirit upon us.