II Corinthians Chapters 1 – 3

II Corinthians 1:1-11 ~ The Preface and The Preparation for Ministry

"That is the ministry. If you want to be used by Christ, you can expect affliction. Because our ministry of the things of Christ to others comes from experiencing Him.  It is not just our head knowledge of scripture or quoting scripture at people.  It is literally experiencing the afflictions that come with walking with Christ.  He also called them the sufferings of Christ.  Realizing that when you walk with Christ, not only are you walking in His resurrection power, but we are also walking in the fellowship of His sufferings. They go hand in hand. While I experience the afflictions that accompany walking with Christ, I also experience the comfort and compassion that the Lord has for us."

II Corinthians 1:12-14 ~ The Prerequisite, the Procedure, and the Purpose for Ministry

There is a saying in theology that there are no extrapolations with God. An extrapolation is an architectural term that means once you have point A and point B, you can draw your line from point A through point B and extrapolate or project out and find point C. But with God, there are no extrapolations. You cannot project what God is going to do. We can use the subjunctive approach to life. We can say, "I think the Lord is going to have us do this and do that, if He should permit, and if He should will." But if He does not, the whole point is being open. We have no right to take control and schedule our own life. God is the one scheduling things. It is as if every morning, if God gives us another day to live, we check in with the Scheduler to say, "What is on the docket today? What is the plan?"

II Corinthians 2:1-11 ~ The Participation of Ministry and the Principles for Restoration

The Lord says, "Where two or three are gathered in My name, I am in their midst.  And where two or three are in agreement in My name."  The word "agreement" is the word for “symphony."  What divides fellowship and function within the body of Christ is our offense and sin against one another.  Jesus said to get it settled to restore unity and harmony.  In fact, because Jesus said, “If I find two or three people in harmony and functioning together, everything is clear between them, and everything is set right, I can move."  Agreement does not mean if you and I agree and make it happen.  It means, if we are in harmony, God’s spirit will move and accomplish His purposes in our midst.  So, the Lord's message was on unity and the offense and sin that breaks that unity.  Get it settled, bring unity back, bring harmony back together.  So, discipline is for the purpose of restoration and unity.

II Corinthians 2:12-17 ~ The Procession of Victory

Salvation is not just something that God bestows on someone, and destruction is not something that God bestows on someone.  A person actually goes through the process of receiving the conviction and testimony by God’s Spirit about the truth in Christ.  They actually have a response.  Depending on the condition of the heart, it will either respond with death, or it will respond with life.  If that person’s heart was dead towards the things of God and wanted to be, they will reject the fragrance of the knowledge of the truth of Christ.  If their heart wanted life and had a heart for life, they would be receptive to the things of Christ. 

II Corinthians 3:1-11 ~ The Sufficiency of Christ Part 1

What an awesome concept to realize. The word of God is being inscribed, engraved, upon our minds and upon our hearts. Not for memorization so much, as it is for change and transformation. We do not have to quote it. We are living letters.

That is, you and I affect everybody that we come in contact with. The only thing that makes me sufficient to be a minister of Christ is the Lord's work in your heart. Period. If the Lord does not work in your heart and touch your life through my life I have nothing to say.

But even if there is no ministry, I am affecting you no matter what. Paul is making it clear that people are "reading you." People are coming to know you and the message that the author Jesus Christ is writing in your life. You are being read and known by all men. 

An awesome awareness coming to realize that it is not our words. We are not salesman going out reaching people for Christ. Our hearts have been engraved, not in stone like the Ten Commandments were, but on the heart of flesh. Not with ink on paper, but engraved by the Spirit of the living God.