Treasure in Earthen Vessels

Gary DeLashmutt

2 Corinthians 4:7-18

Paul's analogy of his suffering compared to a clay jar with a great treasure presents the principle of life out of death. This process is initiated by God as He gradually breaks us so that the aroma of Christ can be manifested in our lives more and more. God will allow the sufferings we encounter to promote a deeper dependence on Him and less dependence on ourselves. As we encounter these trials, God calls us to focus in faith on His promises and live them out as He works in our lives.

Two Ways of Relating to God

Gary DeLashmutt

2 Corinthians 3:6-18

God's new covenant of grace and living by the Holy Spirit's power completely eradicated the Old Covenant of moral obligation and law. As opposed to trying to relate to God based on our own goodness or out of guilt, we are freed to live under the security of His unwavering love and acceptance of us through Christ. As we live under God's way of grace, more and more of who Christ is can be revealed to others as God works in our lives. This teaching includes a testimony by Travis Henderson.

The Afterlife

Dennis McCallum

1 John 5:13

Paul said to live is Christ and to die is gain. Paul thought he was going to live because he knew God still had plans to use him in the lives of others to share His gospel message. Paul was also secure that if he were to die then he would be going to heaven.

God's Triumph

Gary DeLashmutt

2 Corinthians 2:14-17

In Christian ministry, people respond in different ways to the message of Jesus' forgiveness toward them. Despite this, we have the ability to triumph through trusting God's ability to work in our lives to advance His purposes. As we learn to become more available to be used by God and rely on His adequacy for us, we can become an attractive fragrance to the outside world for Christ.

Meager Faith Richly Rewarded

Jim Leffel

1 John 5:13

The miraculous healing of Jairus' son and the unclean woman demonstrate that Jesus has the power to overcome death, and his resurrection gives purpose to our lives as Christians. Both Jairus and the woman approached Jesus from a position of weakness and trusted that he would be faithful to his promises to them, and since they acted in faith before seeing God's provision, they both grew in their trust and intimacy with Him.

Women, Men and Servanthood

Dennis McCallum

Galatians 3:28

Paul wanted the Corinthian church to maximize their witness within their culture, so he called for certain cultural gender norms to be followed as to increase the spread of the Gospel. God and Paul both taught equality for men and women, as different but equal beings. God called men to lead in sacrificial love in the context of marriage.

Goal Setting

Dennis McCallum

1 Thessalonians 5:14

Paul explains that boxers don't box without aim, and in the same way Christians shouldn't work without aim. Sluggards lust after their desires and don't give out love. God calls us to do His work with His power, but we need to be willing to act on His calling.

The Exodus: Lessons in Spiritual Growth

Dennis McCallum

Deuteronomy 1:2-3

Idolatry and pride hindered the Jews led by Moses out of Egypt, and these same issues were present in the Corinthian church. Often we don't accept God's provisions in our life because we wanted something else. This shows that we trust our own hearts more than God's plans and provisions for our lives.

Temptation

Jim Leffel

Deuteronomy 6:13

After Jesus' baptism, he went into the wilderness where he was tempted by Satan for 40 days. Satan offered him food, tried to force him into testing God, and promised him all the kingdoms of the world if only Jesus would worship him. Jesus denied Satan every time, creating a model for his disciples to follow. There will always be things that tempt us away from God, and Satan makes them sound legitimate, but God's provision and timing are always best. The decision we face is whether to trust in God and follow Him or be pulled away from doing so.