1. Verses from 2 Corinthians If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here! God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

2. God reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them

3. 2 Corinthians Paul’s second letter to the new church at Corinth... or was it? 1 Corinthians 7:1 ‘Now, for the matters you wrote about...’ –Paul’s letters were part of a two-way correspondence –2 Cor 2:3 ‘I wrote as I did so that when I came...’ –Paul wrote other letters not preserved –So 2 Corinthians might actually be Paul’s 4 th letter to them!

4. Messed-up church What a place for God to inspire Paul to plant a church! –Division over leadership –People who boasted of their spiritual powers –Incest –Greed –Cheating –Loose living and sexual immorality –Believers suing each other –Turning the Lord’s Supper into a drunken feast –Competing for spiritual gifts –Doubting the resurrection

5. Paul thought a short visit would be able to help sort out their troubles So planned to revisit – 1 Cor 16 (first reading) –But his previous visit made things worse –Other ‘apostles’ had arrived (from Jerusalem) contradicting God’s message through Paul, of salvation by faith not works So Paul does not go back again –and is then accused of being a light-weight and changing his mind (2 Cor 1)

6. Messy church Museum of saints? No, hospital for sinners! Paul’s letters – especially 1 and 2 Corinthians –Inspiring verses and passages for us –But also reassurance that church is for real, messed-up people –Like all of us –So we, like those in Corinth, need to be on the lookout for each other

7. Comfort in troubles Forgiveness in failure Consistency and encouragement in frailty Motivation in ministry Strength in weakness Can you comfort, forgive, encourage, motivate or strengthen somebody today?

8. The church – the body of people – where we develop these gifts and skills Not in our own strength – doesn’t work But as part of God on earth – Christ’s body God’s Spirit filling us individually but also corporately

9. When disagreements occur We do our best for the good of others Like Paul we won’t always get it right Communicating is hard work Need to take criticism and occasional sharp words and not dwell on them –We are all human and have character traits and weak moments –Not take umbrage –Not take resort in factions –Have a right but balanced respect for leaders Get the job done!

10. –Don’t let side issues detract from spreading the Good News and growing disciples ‘Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves... with integrity and godly sincerity’ (2 Cor 1:12)