Text: 2 Corinthians 1: 12-24

The Plain Truth: Jesus is God’s _______ to sin’s _____.

Three Principles Speak to our “Why” and Restore our Joy!

1. God never wanted his ______ to be __________.

2. God’s _______ in Jesus transforms your ______.

Here are some spiritual dysfunctions by author Peter Scazzero: a. We use _______ to run from God.

b. When I do God’s work to ___________ me and not him.

c. When my prayers are really about God doing ______ will, not my ______________________ to his will.

d. I exaggerate my accomplishments to _________ with others.

e. When I use scripture to __________ the sinful parts of my family culture and nation instead of evaluating them under the ______________ of Jesus Christ.

f. Dividing our lives in to sacred and ________ compartments.

3. Our mission is not to be _______ people but to be _______

disciples.

August 26 & 27, 2017

One Year Bible Reading August 27: Job 23:1-27:23, 2 Corinthians 1:12-2:11, Psalm 41:1-13, Prov. 22:5-6 August 28: Job 28:1-30:31, 2 Corinthians 2:12-17, Psalm 42:1-11, Proverbs 22:7 August 29: Job 31:1-33:33, 2 Corinthians 3:1-18, Psalm 43:1-5, Proverbs 22:8-9 August 30: Job 34:1-36:33, 2 Corinthians 4:1-12, Psalm 44:1-8, Proverbs 22:10-12 August 31: Job 37:1-39:30, 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10, Psalm 44:9-26, Proverbs 22:13 September 1: Job 40:1-42:17, 2 Corinthians 5:11-21, Psalm 45:1-17, Prov. 22:14

September 2: Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22, 2 Cor. 6:1-13, Psalm 46:1-11, Prov. 22:15

We will all leave something behind, a legacy, good or bad. Will it be said after we passed away that the next generation not only doesn’t acknowledge the LORD, but they don’t know about God’s ‘yes’ – the awesome things He has done for us? Lord, may it not be so. Not on our watch!

4. In closing, discuss (1) what brought you to Christ Church and (2) how is

Christ Church making an impact on you? How is the Lord calling you to share that message with a friend?

Why Do We Exist?

The apostle Paul certainly had his work cut out for him as he carried the Gos-pel to the western world. The letters he wrote to the early church in Corinth give insight into some of the difficult issues they faced. By recounting his own experience, he reminded them that though hardship threatens to undo us, our faith helps us stand firm (2 Corinthians 1:8-11, 24). Paul also chal-lenged them for allowing the sinful degradation of the surrounding culture to infiltrate their church. This made some angry, even hostile towards Paul, provoking doubt in the church regarding Paul’s authority as an apostle. But Paul stayed the course. Similarly, when sin, lies, and opposition attempt to derail us today, we must remember our reason for existing. Read 2 Corinthians 1:12-24 (for background read also 2 Corinthians 1:1-11) There were things the believers in Corinth were going to have to say ‘no’ to if they were going to live into God’s ‘yes’. They could not continue to live like the world around them. They had to say ‘no’ to lies, idolatry, adultery, and sexual promiscuity. Paul said, “Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning” (1 Corinthians 15:34a). He further explained that believers cannot waiver between ‘yes’ and ‘no’ as the world does. “For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between ‘Yes’ and ‘No.’ He is …God’s ultimate ‘Yes’, He always does what He says. For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding ‘Yes!’” (2 Corinthians 1:19-20a). 1. Our Plain Truth states: Jesus is God’s Yes to Sin’s Curse. Sometimes God

has to say ‘no’ because He loves us. It is not pleasant to be held account-able for sin. And yet, the Lord disciplines those He loves. When has the Lord held you accountable and told you ‘no’? God does not want His ‘no’ to be final. Looking back how do you see that His ‘no’ was because He wanted to give you a better ‘yes’?

In every promise throughout the Bible, it’s as though the Lord is whispering, “I hold you accountable because I love you. I have so much more for you! Turn from this path of destruction.”

Life Group Lesson Week of August 27

2. What do the following Scriptures say about God’s ‘no’ for a greater ‘yes’? Ezekiel 18:23-32 2 Peter 3:8-13 2 Chronicles 7:14 Sin is held accountable so that sin does not begin to dominate, take over, and wreck our lives. As believers in the Body of Christ, we must constantly say ‘no’ to sin so that we can say ‘yes’ to the greater purpose God has for us. When repentance and forgiveness is not preached, proclaimed, studied, and taught, we forget our mission and why we exist as a church. God redeems us to be-come Kingdom-focused. 3. In Christ all of God’s promises are fulfilled. His ‘yes’ for you is healing, joy,

and life. What is holding you down? Are you still living with unconfessed sin and pain? How can you know? Below are some flags to look for. Discuss areas where you struggle—

Are you using Christian activity to escape from pain? Deep down, are you doing God’s work to satisfy you? Are your prayers

really all about your will being done? Do you exaggerate your accomplishments for God in order to somehow

compete with others? Are you jealous, competitive? Do you use Scripture to justify your own sin (or that of the culture) instead

of evaluating it under the Lordship of Jesus Christ? Do you divide your life into compartments of sacred and secular? Are you doing for God instead of being with God?

Our mission is not to be a yes-people – always trying to please and appease those around us. Sometimes we must say ‘no’ to certain people, places, or things. We need God’s wisdom, and the Lord promises to give us discernment when we ask Him about when to say ‘yes’ and when to say ‘no’ (James 1:5). Narrowing our focus and giving our undivided attention on our new relation-ship with Christ is not meant to be mean or self-centered. It is so that we may become a yes-people to what really makes an eternal difference – to build a yes-Church full of faithful followers whose ultimate desire is to live into the mission of our Lord. The leadership of Christ Church is prayerfully (and joyfully!) launching our Leg-acy 210 campaign this fall. The prompting came through a haunting passage of Scripture found in Judges 2:10—

After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not

acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things He had done for Israel.