Introduction

Good morning. Today, we embark on our study of 2 Corinthians. The backdrop to this book is particularly illuminating. After much pastoral care, Paul had managed to turn around the Corinthian church, which had been corrupted. However, in the process, we have lost a very important letter, known as the Middle Epistle to the Corinthians. Paul wrote a total of three letters. After writing 1 Corinthians, the Corinthians did not heed Paul's advice at all. They had already corrupted their faith, and reading it was of no use.

Later, Paul wrote another letter, called the Middle Epistle to the Corinthians. Although it is not included in the Bible, it is a very important letter. Paul spoke very sternly in it, and as a result, the Corinthians repented. To put it nicely, they would not repent unless stern words were used, which is quite remarkable. This letter was carried by Titus, while the first letter was carried by Timothy. Timothy's personality was rather weak. This Titus is not the famous historical general Titus, but this Titus was also very capable, flexible, and sharp. He took the Middle Epistle to the Corinthians to see the Corinthians and somehow turned them around.

The specifics of what happened are not recorded in the Bible, but 2 Corinthians reveals that the Corinthians had turned around. We can roughly guess that Paul wrote very sternly in this letter. I imagine that after Paul finished writing, he was worried all day long. I can deeply relate to this, sometimes worrying that I have spoken too harshly, causing the brothers and sisters in the church to stumble and be hurt, which makes things very difficult for myself. Later, Titus returned and reported to Paul that the Corinthians had listened, so Paul wrote 2 Corinthians.

The theme of the first chapter of 2 Corinthians is Not relying on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead. If you listen to my Bible study, you will hear a very important concept, which is faith. But this faith is not a joke. Some people say they believe with their mouths, but they do not believe in their hearts. Today, we believe in the God who raises people from the dead. As long as we trust in Him, no situation is insurmountable. Precisely because we rely on the God who raises the dead, I practice this in every situation. Not according to fear, but according to faith. So, everyone must know that a person with faith is a remarkable thing.

If you believe in the God who raises the dead, then you become a divine being. Everyone must know that deviating from faith is a tragedy. 2 Corinthians reveals the transmission of faith between the lines. Today, let's pat ourselves on the chest and ask if we believe in the God who raises people from the dead. If so, there is nothing to fear. All worries and anxieties can be guided by God. If you want to boast, boast about my God. This is the creed that I believe in again and again.

Some people say that my sermons and Bible studies repeat the same things every time, which is meaningless. Although this sounds quite annoying, he is right. All my sermons, Bible studies, and prayers are actually about faith. After listening, you feel more comfortable because the faith inside is raised. Trusting in God will not bring shame, and those who trust in themselves will definitely be caught by demons and will definitely fall. People should not establish their own righteousness, nor should they be clever on their own. They should learn to trust in God. This sounds very straightforward, with nothing new. But when implemented in life, people's reactions are varied. The fearful and timid cannot enter the kingdom of God.

If I say this, some people will start to struggle with their timidity, which means they still do not have faith. So, starting today, clean up what you are thinking inside and see if you are a person who practices faith. If not, you cannot walk this path. If you walk the path of life in faith, it will become very simple; otherwise, it will become extremely complex. What I have been saying is that living is a very simple thing, which is said in faith. Some people cannot understand faith. In fact, faith is a choice. How difficult is that?

I. Relying on the God Who Grants All Comfort

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all his saints throughout Achaia: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:1-3).

Our brothers and sisters must be careful. Walking the path of service can be hurtful. But it doesn't matter if you are hurt. Are you relying on yourself or on the God who raises people from the dead? If you rely on this God, He will definitely grant all kinds of comfort. The Corinthians were on the verge of falling apart with Paul, just like my pastoral care of our brothers and sisters was about to collapse, but it turned around. My heart is very comforted. It turns out that God is a God of comfort. Watching things come to an end, not working out, is really very difficult. However, if you have a heart of stone inside, you will not be troubled. It does not matter if anyone falls. However, Paul has a very vivid heart, with flesh and blood.

I understand this very deeply. I am heartbroken when anyone falls, and it is not just a little pain to see people walking on the path of unbelief and heading for corruption. But thank God that because of the faith in me, things often develop in a very strange direction. Seeing the results, my heart is comforted. This is the God who grants all kinds of comfort. Do not think that I am judging you when I say you are selfish. I want to pull you out of selfishness. Saying that you are indulging in the flesh is not to label you and then ignore you. I want to pull you out of indulging in the flesh.

The God I serve is the God who gives me comfort, and I often see God doing wonderful works in us. There is a sister who often works hard for three days and then slacks off for two. She always likes the idea of a loser's counterattack. After a period of seclusion, she thinks that she will appear again in a brilliant way and let me praise her. After a series of operations, what comes out is still a little mouse. But she did not give up on me, so I continue to serve her without giving up. I know what kind of person she is in my heart, and she is also very troubled and struggling in her heart. I believe that among us, these weak brothers and sisters deserve more beauty. This is what Paul said in 1 Corinthians. Because of them, we have received a lot of comfort. Recently, this sister has slowly begun to become sensible. After ten years of grinding a sword, I finally see what the sword looks like. I encouraged her to summarize her sales experience. She wrote very well. You can tell that she has read a lot of novels and it was not a waste of time.

Everyone should serve God with faith, not with disgust because someone is extremely selfish. That is not what I taught. Instead, we must have God's compassion because what God asks of us is to act justly and love mercy. God wants to manifest His glory, His mercy, and His justice in us. After so many years, every testimony is my comfort. Every time I serve, I say that how I serve you today is how you will serve others in the future. But having said that, there are really not many people who are willing to walk this path with me. Because the selfishness in people's bones is still very strong, but that does not matter. I still trust in my God because my God is the God who raises people from the dead and can lift a person up from the garbage heap.

If you are someone I have served, or someone a small pastor has served, and your situation has turned around, we have been comforted and have received God's grace. You must remember that you must also become a person who receives grace. You cannot let yourself get caught up in your work all at once and lose everything else. It is such a grace to have the opportunity to serve God and work for God in this life, because our God is the God who gives comfort.

II. Suffering More of Christ's Sufferings, Receiving More Comfort Through Christ

Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:4-7)

This is interlinked with the previous point. Do you understand? It is not because you are suffering because you owe money from playing p2p, nor is it because you are selfish and suffering from investment failure, nor is it because you have cancer or arthritis. It is suffering more of Christ's sufferings. Christ did not suffer from cancer and receive chemotherapy and radiation. Christ suffered to save the world, to heal our diseases, and to bear our curses, willingly going to the cross.

As a Christian, are you willing to walk this path? Are you willing to bear these sufferings? The people you serve may throw you away like a broken shoe again and again, which is normal. Suffering more of Christ's sufferings, receiving more comfort through Christ. God is really a God who comforts people, because over the years I have witnessed a lot. On the one hand, I witnessed people's unbelief, and on the other hand, I witnessed God's comfort. I often experience the pain of reproduction in my heart, which is really not ordinary pain.

Everyone must not think that I am celebrating with champagne here when someone leaves Chinese Mingding Destiny. That is just self-comfort. I am heartbroken when anyone falls. My colleagues say that my heart is very soft, which is definitely not a lie. Because only with a soft heart can you serve God; a hard heart will not do. Of course, because of the softness, I also shed many tears. Paul also shed many tears in the Book of Acts. Seeing people living hard and living in curses, are you not moved? What many people lack is faith in Jesus. They do not know that the God we believe in is the God who raises the dead; they do not know that the God we believe in is the God who grants all kinds of comfort; they do not know that we suffer more in Jesus Christ and receive more comfort.

The church has come step by step, with tears, and my heart is really in pain. I am afraid of hurting people if I speak too harshly, and people will not change their bad habits if I speak too lightly. Recently, I have been serving a brother whose child died of meningitis. Parents will definitely be in pain when they have such an experience. But how to say this really takes a lot of consideration. I say some obscure things, but it is still the same thing. Have you reflected on so much experience? If you are still纠缠 that you are a good person, why this happened to you, then you will suffer more. In fact, the devil will not find the wrong person, and God will not make a mistake. It is we who make the mistakes.

Seeing brothers and sisters rushing into curses, my heart hurts. I always want to say something but stop, because as soon as I say it, it will conflict with your inner logic. I have to weigh whether our relationship has reached that point, otherwise you will hate me after I finish speaking, and I will hate myself. It is difficult to tell the truth, but seeing brothers and sisters desperately take their little things so seriously and put God down all the time, my heart is really uncomfortable.

III. Relying Only on the God Who Raises the Dead in Despair

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us (2 Corinthians 1:8-10).

What does it mean to have no hope of living? Paul's words are very real, and he further explained them in the later chapters of 2 Corinthians.

I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. (2 Corinthians 11:26-28)

Paul said here that he had no hope of living because false brothers betrayed him and he faced the danger of being killed. He served so hard, but what he got in return was the risk of false brothers. We do not know what happened at the time, but he said that even if there is no way out, do not rely on yourself. If you only seek three meals a day and three full meals and two sleeps, you can definitely rely on yourself. However, have you experienced God's grace in despair and still trust yourself? No matter how crazy a person is, he is really desperate in despair. But those of us who have faith will also experience God in despair, because He is the God who raises the dead.

Paul was able to win in the arena with lions and beasts in Ephesus and escape safely from such danger. This is not an ordinary miracle. Trusting in God is really incomparably good. Some of us are still timid, have little faith, or do not believe. We need to clean up and raise our faith. If you are weak, it is because your faith is weak. You feel unbearable after sweating all over from doing some work. In fact, if you persevere with faith, nothing will happen. People say that they cannot do it anymore and are about to die, but they are still far from death. If you really die, then it will be okay. From then on, you do not have to sweat anymore, and you do not have to collapse. Everything is completely solved.

Therefore, in despair, you can only rely on the God who raises the dead and raise your faith, because our God is the God who raises the dead. No matter how desperate the situation is, nothing is impossible with God. With faith, living becomes extremely simple, and if you suffer more of Christ's sufferings to serve others, the more you serve, the more comfort you will receive. When I tell testimonies, I do not want everyone to treat me as a divine being, but to treat me as a person of faith, because I know clearly that my God is the God who raises people from the dead, so I have come all the way and am full of testimonies. It sounds like everything is fine in an instant. Once I went to see an old man, his thumb was sore, and I grabbed it and prayed, and it was fine. It is difficult to snap your fingers, sometimes it takes me a long time to serve before it gets better, but he got better all of a sudden.

I am grateful that God accomplishes things for me according to my faith. This is God's grace, a wonderful thing. When I see others despair, I do not despair because I have God. Seeing people living in despair, falling back into bad habits, you may despair, but I will not. I only have hope, knowing that one day our brothers and sisters can live out the image of God, for it is God's will. Today, I once again share with you the faith that does not rely on oneself but on God who raises the dead.

Nothing can hinder God; what is impossible for man is possible for God. Even in despair, my God is still the God who saves me. I do not rely on myself; if I am to boast, I will boast that I am a person who does not rely on myself. Some say, How can a teacher as intelligent as you not rely on yourself? Yes, I rely on God, and by relying on God, I become intelligent. With God, all things are possible. Miracles and wonders are my life's entertainment; every time I see God's work, my heart receives great comfort. You see that what I do are very specific and trivial things, but at heart, I am someone who trusts in God.

IV. This is Our Testimony

The first chapter of 2 Corinthians, written by Paul, is like it was written to me. This is the testimony of us walking on the same path. From Paul's experiences, I often see my own shadow, except that I have not experienced the despair he did. But I know that the God Paul believed in and the God I believe in are the same God; what Paul experienced and what I experienced are the same. This is our testimony.

For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and all the more toward you. For we are writing to you nothing other than what you read and understand and I hope you will fully understand just as you understand us in part, that in the day of the Lord Jesus you will boast of us as we will of you. (2 Corinthians 1:12-14)

After reading this passage, I am deeply moved. What I boast about to the brothers and sisters is my conscience. My conscience has not been corrupted. Seeing the hard work of the brothers and sisters, I do not label them as Corinthian villains. I deeply believe that every brother and sister I serve will experience God's miraculous works and will have the same testimony as I do. Testifying that we behave in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not relying on ourselves, not relying on human wisdom, but relying on the grace of God.

If your faith is lifted up after listening to my current Bible study, the best grace I can give you is not to rely on your own intelligence, but to rely on the grace of God. Even if you have wronged me in the past, I still have hope for you. The words I write to you now and the words I usually shepherd you with are nothing more than these repeated over and over again. If I am to boast, I will boast of my faith and what God has done in me. I long for the day when I see the Lord to see everyone present, and then I will be deeply comforted. But I really cannot help you with this decision; I cannot coerce faith through controlling you. I do not want to control your faith, nor do I want to make choices for you, but I hope you can make your own choices.

Just as we boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ, if you boast of me, saying you know Teacher Liu, then I will boast of you. Seeing you also present in the day of the Lord Jesus, I thank God. This is our testimony. As you walk along the way, is your testimony a testimony of trusting in God? Is it a testimony of God being with you? The path of faith is actually easy and not so easy, but God wants to be with you, God wants to be your testimony.

V. This Trust Has Never Been Vacillating

Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a second experience of grace. I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea. Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say Yes, yes and No, no at the same time? (2 Corinthians 1:15-17)

But I call God to witness against me—it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth. (2 Corinthians 1:23)

Paul said these words to show that his character has never been vacillating. He spent his life running on the path of faith, not only to the Corinthians, but also to the Ephesians and anyone else, serving with faith and hope. Actually, why would Paul go to Corinth when the relationship was so strained? It's no fun being snubbed. It seems like he was going one moment, and not going the next, and when he wanted to go, it seemed like the opportunity was not ripe. Then the Corinthians wrote a letter saying that Paul was a vacillating person, wanting to go and not go, not going and wanting to go. However, Paul said that he did not go to Corinth to spare them, otherwise going there would completely break the relationship and cause heartache.

If you don't have some wisdom, you won't be able to read the meaning in Paul's letter. Once you serve God, you will be able to read it. This is not from the flesh, but from faith. It is not vacillating, but delaying again and again, waiting for the opportunity to come. Sometimes after I finish serving, I can't go on, so I slowly wait. Besides waiting, I can't actually do anything. Everyone must remember that the path we walk on has never been vacillating. Not to mention you, even the people who walk in from the roadside, we serve them just as we serve God.

There is no vacillation, just often needing to be patient for a long time, and waiting a little longer, waiting for God's work, waiting for the opportunity God bestows. Otherwise, besides scolding him harshly, your service will have no effect. My colleagues often say that they see me as being very gentle every time I serve others, but that is because the relationship has not reached that point, so I cannot but be gentle. But thank God, I have many sets of ways of speaking inside. Actually, all of these services are not vacillating, but are with hope. Hoping that one day you will live out God's glorious image, hoping that you will come out of loving the world, and be released from oppression. Many things are actually just a person's thoughts and intentions.

VI. God's Promises, No Matter How Many, are Yes in Christ

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. (2 Corinthians 1:19-20)

This passage speaks of my faith. I know that in Jesus Christ, no matter how many promises God has, they are all yes, they are all faithful. All I have to do is bring everyone to God's promises through all my service. I do not want to see brothers and sisters living in corruption, living until their finances and bodies are in trouble, so I have to say even the harshest words. God has so many promises, but God's discipline is even more. God also leads us with this heart so that we can be like the prodigal son returning home.

Today we are drawing on too few of God's promises, but in the days to come, every one of our brothers and sisters will walk into God's promises. Be strong, tidy up, and remove the disbelief and small faith in us. Let us believe that our God is the God who raises the dead, and believe that in Jesus Christ, God's promises, no matter how many, are ours. Finances are trivial matters, and physical pain is the same, nothing great. Actually, I have been quite moved recently. One of the brothers I served was once sent to My Utmost for His Highest, but he and his mother took his aunt to pray every day and persisted for more than half a year. His aunt is 75 years old and has been unable to work due to crutches. Because of his and his mother's service, she has recently been able to discard her crutches and go to the fields to work.

If it weren't for God's promises, where would we get such miracles? He is not a very great brother; he is also very petty in his heart. But it doesn't matter, God can still use him. Remember, if I talk to you about career planning, it is only at the technical level. If the level of being blessed is resolved, it doesn't matter if the technical level is not resolved. God's promises are not just gold and silver mountains, they are life, it is the gospel that raises people from the dead and allows them to live out God's glorious image.

Everyone should believe well, God's promises are drawn on by faith, not by your actions. Because your faith can save you by God's grace and God's power. I believe that in the days to come there will be more testimonies. Last Sunday because there were too many testimonies, the speaking speed was increased technically, and it was a little unclear. You need to know that your hand has already touched the treasure, your work and degree are not treasures. Of course, you may be confused when I say this, but it doesn't matter, I still want to tell you about faith today. If people believe, will the power of God raising from the dead fall on your body? Is there anything difficult for you? You cannot think according to human logic, you must think according to God's logic, and miraculous things will definitely happen. Gaining a heart that loves God and a heart that trusts in God are both things that people under heaven are not worthy of.

VII. So We Do Not Lord it Over Your Faith

And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. But I call God to witness against me—it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith. (2 Corinthians 1:21-24)

It is not that I control you, tie you up and bring you to the path of faith. The heart cannot be tied up. I sometimes say that no matter what, I will bring you to God's promises, even if I tie you to the wings of an airplane, I will bring you to the Promised Land. But when the plane lands, they have all become mummies, so what's the point of bringing them in? This is just talk, just talking about my inner desire. Only you can make the choice for yourself, so that you can stand firm in your faith.

Even today, some brothers and sisters often say that I control them. My feelings are really too similar to Paul's. Actually, I can't control you. I really hope you get joy, and I can't wait to share this faith with you and let you get joy. How good it is for people to live happily, why do they have to live in entanglement by relying on themselves? Relying on God and not relying on yourself, but relying on God who raises the dead, that is such a joyful thing. Some say, isn't it more suffering of Christ? This suffering calls for more comfort.

So we must raise up our faith again, because you can stand firm in your faith. Look at what kind of faith is in me, can't God control praying in tongues? Can't God control all kinds of tongues and various discernments? That is lack of faith. Everyone remember that traditional theological system often corrupts people's faith. God can hold the universe in his hands and can also hold you, a small person. God can help Daniel become the prime minister of Babylon, and hold Joseph to be the prime minister of Egypt. God can hold you as a small cadre. Do not be afraid, there is no need to create a lot of unhappy things, and we will become more and more free, more and more confident, and more and more able to see God's glory. Serving will also become more and more powerful, and we will have a clearer and clearer understanding of God.

Walking according to God's word is infinitely good. One of our sisters is very interesting, and told me that she is going to get a house recently. Her cousin doesn't like taking care of her parents, so she outsourced the care of her parents to our sister. As a result, our sister likes to work, and she is a very faithful sister. She takes a bus from the village to attend Sunday meetings, three hours to go, three hours to return, two hours for the meeting, and she never misses a meeting. I have heard of such people, but I have not seen many. She went to take care of her cousin's mother, and her cousin gave her the farmer's house. At that time, the house was not worth much, and she didn't like it. Later, it was demolished and she was given a house in a great location.

In the eyes of people, it seems to be a loss, but it is often a bargain. Giving out is such a wonderful thing. Calculate how little work you do every day, spending time with the old people, this is grace. We often think it is a loss, but it is a bargain; we often think it is dying, but it is resurrection. We often think we are in despair, but we are experiencing God, the God who experiences raising people from the dead.

I hope everyone will put down their little calculations and pick up God's calculations again, calculate according to God's logic, and many problems will be solved easily. Don't worry about whether you have money or not, there are golden houses in God's word, there is a sea of glass in God's word, there are all kinds of gems in God's word, everything you can think of. So now do you have a heart that trusts in God? If you do, start now and persist in this faith for a few more days. May God bless you all!