Grace Auburn Church Podcast

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This week Pastor Matt Dean continued in 2 Corinthians 8, where we see Paul explaining to the church that financial integrity matters to Christ. He calls giving to others a grace, based on the grace that Jesus showed. Therefore, when we are not giving generously to Christ, His grace is not at work in us. Beyond our tithe, there are moments and opportunities to freely give, and when we have first given ourselves to the Lord, and keep our hearts open to God and others, it is much easier to keep our finances open, too.  Would we be people marked not by our riches, but by the richness of our willingness to be joyful in generosity. 

This week, Pastor Lee Cadden gives us a picture of Paul’s state of mind while writing 2 Corinthians, and practical application that applies to us today. In 2 Corinthians 7:1-16, Paul's state of mind varies between deep despair over the weight of his pastoral burdens and care for others, and his unparalleled joy over the repentance of believers and the joy of his brother Titus. In light of all of this we see Paul preach the hope of the Gospel to the Corinthians but also to himself. The letter turns toward a message of unity in Christ through Authentic Gospel Community: a small picture of Christ's Kingdom. It's why gathering for worship, gathering in homes, and even gathering in parking lots is so important. Our grief and our joy alike are meant to be shared with one another, all to His glory.

This week Pastor Matt Dean takes us through 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1. Some in the Corinthian church were blending in with the culture around them, and Paul offers them practical guidance in light of the gospel at work among them. He confronts these followers of Christ to live consecrated lives and to not participate in the rampant idolatry among them; as new creations in Christ they were - and we are today - to live as salt and light, distinctly different than unbelievers. This, indeed, is an incredible invitation to embrace God's dwelling among us as His temple, as His sons and daughters, as His chosen people.

This week Pastor Matt Dean continued with 2 Corinthians 6, verses 1-13, where Paul, with a pastor's heart, makes every effort to remind the Corinthians what Jesus has done for them, and how His ministry among them was for the singular purpose of knowing Christ. We must recognize and remember what He has done, and that His mercy is readily available to us, in times of plenty and in times of hardship alike.

This week Pastor Matt Dean continued our teaching in 2 Corinthians with chapter 5. He began by asking what motivates us and what gives you courage for the day; in other words, what are you living for? In verses 11-21, Paul encourages us to look to Christ and His Gospel for the foundation of our lives and purpose. There is no aim higher than living for Him.

This week Pastor Jeff Hollis helped us work through Paul's teaching about death, judgement and resurrection from 2 Corinthians 5:1-10. We learn that as believers we have hope in the age to come and live in the tension and longing of eternity with Christ. We face the limitations of our human bodies but God is glorified through the pain and suffering we experience. Ultimately, we don't have to fear death because it is not the end. Christ has secured our future for us. In his death we have life.

This week Pastor Matt Dean takes us through 2 Corinthians 4, verses 7-18. In this passage Paul encourages the Corinthians to not lose hope in our light and momentary afflictions, because in affliction is an eternal value and significant process underway; one that has purpose and reason.The beautiful reality - our treasure in jars of clay - is that our frailty and weakness is an invitation to the strength of Jesus. So if your whole-life response to Jesus is costing you time, money, sleep, comfort - there is beauty in the offering. Press forward in perseverance, knowing that His strength will be made clearer in us when we fall short.

This week Pastor Caleb Farrow takes us through 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, Paul's continued guidance of the Corinthians toward the truth of Christ. Just like Paul, we have a calling to proclaim Christ, to make disciples, to seek Jesus earnestly and live in his coming Kingdom here and now. We do not proclaim ourselves, but we proclaim Christ crucified. It's not something we do in our own strength, but through Christ.  Every aspect of Paul's life had the name of Jesus stamped on it. Is that true of you? Since God has saved you, does your life reflect into a dark world the light of Jesus? 

This week Pastor Matt begins 2 Corinthians 3 by providing the covanental framework for Paul’s letter. He starts in the Old Testament with the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, where Moses comes down from the mountain with his face shining. Ultimately, the Israelites were unable to keep the requirements of the old covenant. We too are unable to keep these old covenant requirements, but knowing this, God gave us a new covenant through Christ, and when we behold Christ, we also reflect his glory to others just as Moses did.

In the remainder of 2 Corinthians 2, we see Paul reveal yet more of his weakness to the Corinthians while desiring to point them to the sufficient strength of God in Christ. Pastor Lee Cadden reminded us that despite how continuously Satan is seeking to destroy everything that is good and right in our lives, we have already triumphed over him because of Christ's atoning sacrifice on our behalf. From this authority, we are to permeate the world with the aroma of Christ, the good news of the Gospel of Christ - that the Kingdom of God is available now to those who have ears to hear. 

This week Pastor Matt teaches on forgiveness. The primary message is that forgiveness is not optional. This can be hard to hear, but we have a clear picture of forgiveness from the scriptures. Parables, stories, and messages from Jesus all teach of forgiveness. Not only those, but Christ himself has shown us the ultimate example of forgiveness in his life, death, and resurrection.