Strength Through Weakness: Style or Substance

Preacher: Alan Cameron

Verses: 2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Strength Through Weakness: Style or Substance

Alan Cameron

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The novelist John Updike’s critique of organized religion being “like Coca-Cola billboards: they promote thirst without quenching it” is apposite with regards to Paul’s opponents at Corinth.  They were strong on style, weak on substance.  They dismissed Paul as wishy-washy and weak in comparison.  Little wonder then that Paul twice in this chapter, once at the beginning, the other at the end, reiterates “Therefore we do not lose heart” (vv1,16).

The Price of Holiness

Preacher:Lincon Hardouin

Verses: 1 Peter 1:13-21

The Price of Holiness

Lincon Hardouin

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I want you to imagine with me for just a second, what the last few hours of Christ’s life must have been like. Being beaten and flogged to within an inch of His own life, skin being torn away from His own body, being forced to walk the road towards Golgotha, with the weight of the world’s sin bearing down upon His own body. Imagine for a second standing in the crowd as Jesus walks by. Imagine listening to the people standing next to you as the shout at Christ, as they cheer for Him to be crucified. Imagine the shouts of pain as Christ is lying there on His back on the cross, nails being driven through hands and feet, the sound of steel crashing against steel, wails of grief rising up as His family stands there and watch as He’s about to be crucified. Imagine being on the cross, feeling absolutely helpless at that point in time, looking down and seeing your loved ones standing at your feet, being in such immense pain, hanging, unable to breathe, being separated from the Father. Can you imagine that, can you picture that? Can you picture in your minds how horrific that moment in history must have been?

Strength Through Weakness: Captive and Competent

Preacher: Alan Cameron

Verses: 2 Corinthians 2:12-3:18

Strength Through Weakness: Captive and Competent

Alan Cameron

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Several years ago the comedy “Twins” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny De Vito depicted two polar opposites: the one super-sized marvel of humanity, the other short and dumpy, something of a misfit.  In comparison to the ‘super-apostles’ of Corinth.  Paul was similarly written off as a wimp and ineffective.  Moreover, in their eyes he was unreliable.  He changed his travel plans at the drop of a hat.  Whilst his letters were bold and brash, his person was wishy-washy and non-descript.

Strength Through Weakness: Love Hurts

Preacher: Alan Cameron

Verses: 2 Corithians 1:12-2:11

Strength Through Weakness: Love Hurts

Alan Cameron

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“This will hurt me more than it hurts you” said Mom reaching for the wooden spoon.  Sounds familiar?  Now that corporal punishment has been banished from schools, and increasingly questioned whether appropriate in the home, these words may well become a distant memory.  Be that as it may, love by its very nature hurts.  There are times when authentic love needs to inflict pain for love’s sake.  The boomerang effect impacts both parties.

The unkindest cut of all is the accusation that one simply does not care, that one is indifferent to the plight of others.  This was the accusation levelled against Paul.  He didn’t really like the Corinthians.  He isn’t bothered about them, if he were, he would have visited them as he promised.  His nasty letter and cancelled visit simply underscored his disdain for them.  They would be better off without him.  After all he is wishy-washy, not a proper Apostle you know.  He doesn’t have the right papers.  His gifts don’t measure up.  He’s just a charlatan, a fake.  This was the accusation Paul faced from his opponents who had negatively influenced a substantial number of house churches in and around Corinth.