Acts - The Unstoppable Church - 2 Corinthians 4-5

Homiletics                                             Study – Acts & Letter of Apostles

Lesson     A-3                                          Passage: 2 Corinthians 4-5

Content (List of Topics or Events)

Light shining out of darkness from Jars of Clay (2 Corinthians 4:1-12) a. Word of God proclaimed without distortion (4:1-2) b. Those perishing are blinded to the gospel  (4:3-4) c. Christ-focused preaching giving light of God’s glory  (4:5-6) d. God’s treasure in us challenged but not overwhelmed (4:7-9) e. Life of Jesus is “death to self” for glory of God (4:10-12)

Our purpose is to please God; living by faith not sight   (2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10 ) a. Same Spirit of faith will raise us with Jesus (4:13-15) b. Fix our eyes on eternal and daily inward renewal  (4:16-18) c. Earthly tent will pass and eternal heavenly dwelling is life (5:1-4) d. Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing what is to come (5:5) e. We make it our goal to please God; living by faith not by sight (5:6-10)

Compelled to God’s ministry of Reconciliation  (2 Corinthians 5:11-21) a. It is Christ’s love that compels us to ministry (5:11-15) b. If in Christ a new creation (5:16-17) c. Reconciled through Christ to ministry (5:18-19) d. Ambassadors appealing to be reconciled to God (5:20-21)

Divisions (Main Blocks of Thought)

Light shining out of darkness from Jars of Clay	2 Corinthians 4:1-12
Our purpose is to please God; living by faith not sight	2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10
Compelled to God’s ministry of Reconciliation	2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Subject Sentence (Summarizes the contents of the Divisions – No more than 10 words

Fragile Jars pleasing God living by faith bringing reconciliation

Aim (Main Teaching Point of the Passage)

CTATLT we are to live by faith and not by sight bringing Christ’s reconciliation to dark world.

Specific Application Questions

1	What distorts the message you share about Christ?  What specifically needs to change?
2	How can I fix my eyes more on eternal things?  What gets in the way?
3	What things compel you? Is your message of Christ clearly presented in you?

Principles to Remember

1	Power is from God
2	Our goal is to please God
3	The New is here

Characteristic of God

Righteous Lord

Theme

God guarantees what is to come to those who live by faith.

God’s Word  - What’s happening?

God’s Heart – What does God care about?

Today’s World – How does this connect to what is happening in my world today?