Joy and Sorrow

1
Joy and Sorrow

• 2 Corinthians 7216

2
What has happened?

• Paul plants the church (AD 5052)
• First letter lost
• Second letter 1 Corinthians (54/55)
• Second (painful) visit (55/56)
• Third (severe) letter lost
• Fourth letter 2 Corinthians (56/57)
• Third visit (AD 56/57) Acts 203

3
The painful visit

• Some disciplinary issue
• Ongoing problems with idolatry?
• Continuing immorality?
• Accusations against Paul?

4
Pauls concerns in 2 Corinthians

• Defending his ministry as an apostle of Jesus
  Christ
• Defending the authentic gospel
• Mending strained relationships with the
  Corinthian church

5

• Now this is our boast Our conscience testifies
  that we have conducted ourselves in the world,
  and especially in our relations with you, with
  integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so,
  relying not on worldly wisdom but on God's grace.
  . . .

6

• . . . For we do not write you any-thing you
  cannot read or under-stand. And I hope that, as
  you have understood us in part, you will come to
  understand fully that you can boast of us just as
  we will boast of you in the day of the Lord
  Jesus.
• 2 Corinthians 112-14

7

• I call God as my witness and I stake my life
  on it that it was in order to spare you that I
  did not return to Corinth. Not that we lord it
  over your faith, but we work with you for your
  joy, because it is by faith you stand firm. . . .

8

• So I made up my mind that I would not make
  another painful visit to you. For if I grieve
  you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I
  have grieved? I wrote as I did, so that when I
  came I would not be distressed by those who
  should have made me rejoice. . . .

9

• . . . I had confidence in all of you, that you
  would all share my joy. For I wrote you out of
  great distress and anguish of heart and with many
  tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the
  depth of my love for you. . . .

10

• Another reason I wrote you was to see if you
  would stand the test and be obedient in
  everything. Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. .
  . .

11

• And what I have forgiven if there was anything
  to forgive I have forgiven in the sight of
  Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might
  not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his
  schemes.
• 2 Corinthians 123 211

12

• Therefore, since we have these promises, dear
  friends, let us purify ourselves from everything
  that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting
  holiness out of reverence for God.
• 2 Corinthians 71

13
Four aspects of right relationships

• Affection (2-3)
• Joy and comfort (4-7)
• Repentance (8-12)
• Encouragement (13-16)

14
Affection
15

• We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and
  opened wide our hearts to you. We are not
  with-holding our affection from you, but you are
  withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange I
  speak as to my children open wide your hearts
  also.
• 2 Corinthians 611-13

16

• Please open your hearts to us. We have not done
  wrong to anyone, nor led anyone astray, nor taken
  advantage of anyone. Im not saying this to
  condemn you. I said before that you are in our
  hearts, and we live or die together with you.
• 2 Corinthians 72-3 (NLT)

17
What affection needs to work

• Withdrawal of affection from the wrong things
  idolatry (614-18)
• Trust in the other persons integrity
• Affection to be reciprocated

18
Joy and comfort
19

• I have great confidence in you I take great
  pride in you. I am greatly encouraged in all our
  troubles my joy knows no bounds. . . .

20

• . . . 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. . . .

21

• . . . But God, who comforts the downcast,
  comforted us by the coming of Titus, 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.

22
Three sources of comfort and joy

• The arrival of Titus at last
• The news of the churchs welcome to Titus
• The news of the churchs response to Pauls
  severe letter

23
Repentance
24
An emotional journey

• Distress caused by the letter (v.8)
• Regret over writing something which hurt, but
  only briefly (v.8)
• Happiness because the letter generated the right
  kind of sorrow and did not cause harm (v.9)

25
Two kinds of sorrow

• Godly sorrow
• Repentance
• Salvation

• Worldly sorrow
• Regret
• Death

26
Worldly sorrow

• imagined guilt
• Exaggerated guilt
• Manipulative guilt
• Crisis-induced remorse
• Ritual repentance
• Self-pity

27

• I have no regrets or guilt about my behaviour .
  . . Guilt and regret are both a kind of morbid
  vanity.
• Julie Burchill,Interviewed in Third Way,
  September 2007

28

• I find it hard to believe people who said 'I
  don't regret anything I've ever done and if I had
  a life to live over I wouldn't change anything.'
  I would change 95.
• Dustin HoffmanInterviewed on Parkinson (ITV, 25
  November 2006)

29
Godly sorrow

• Appropriate to the circumstances
• God-centred
• Leads to practical changes

30
Real change

• Earnestness
• Eagerness to clear yourselves
• Indignation
• Alarm
• Longing
• Concern
• Readiness to see justice done

31
Encouragement
32
Why Paul is encouraged

• The Corinthian reponse obedience
• The way Titus was encouraged

33
Real change

• Why are we often moved, but we do not move?
• How do we really feel about our sin?
• How concerned are we to mend strained
  relationships?
• How prepared are we to make practical changes?