Covenant Christian

Prepare: Look at life in the perspective of future glory.
Read: 2 Corinthians 3:1-18


We are in covenant relationship with God, the Father. Jesus is the mediator of the covenant. The Holy Spirit strengthens the covenant relationship. This unique relationship confers privileges and gives responsibilities. Paul in this passage compares the old covenant with the new. 


New covenant gives life: The old covenant was based on the law. The new covenant is based on the relationship created by the Spirit who gives new life. God is the initiator of both the covenants and offers salvation and freedom. Law offers salvation for those who fulfill its demands. But law is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who has become our mediator through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God delivers us from condemnation and imputes righteousness and life. 


New covenant promises glory: One of the blessings of the new covenant is the hope of eternal life. This hope delivers us from the fear of condemnation and death. We believe that we are going to share the Lord's glory. This hope gives us boldness. 


Those who turn to God have new hope of sharing the glory of God. This change into glory comes from the Spirit. Change occurs in the context if covenant relationship with God and fellowship in the local church.


Respond: Thank You Lord, for sharing Your glory with me. Master, help me today, to share Your life with others. 

Correcting Christian

Prepare: Restored fellowship resists Satan.
Read: 2 Corinthians 2:1-17

In this chapter Paul corrects the erring Christian. It was an important ministry for a new church where all of them were converts. We expose ourselves to criticism when we try to correct others. In our relationship with others, if we close our eyes to the mistakes of others, it is considered as though we are failing in our duties as Christians. This ministry needs to be done with great care. Paul, as a mature leader, gives us some principles of this important, but disappointing ministry.

Paul corrects out of love: The entire chapter expresses the strong emotions of Paul. His previous letter had grieved a member of the church. Paul had done this out of love for him and concern for the whole congregation. The intention of Paul was to bring the Christian back into the fellowship. Paul took the initiative and the whole church was involved in restoring the fellowship of the erring man.

Paul corrects to expose Satan's scheme: Paul looks beyond the mistake of an individual Christian. He realizes the cunning scheme of Satan to destroy true fellowship. He exposes the destructive schemes of Satan on the congregation and protects them from disintegration.

Paul discusses his ministry and the impossibilities of ministering without strong fellowship with other Christians. God, through the restored fellowship spreads the fragrance of the Gospel everywhere. Unrestored fellowship brings discredit to the Gospel.

Respond: Lord, let Your love motivate me and Your power strengthen me today to live for You.

Confident Christian

Prepare: Leadership grows out of life.
Read: 2 Corinthians 1:12-24

Sometimes, when we go to church, we realize lack of leadership there. Leaders with strong character are in great need everywhere. Paul faces many accusations. Trying to defend his apostleship, he exhibits marks of a committed leader. Charges of church members are not clear in this passage. But some of the principles of Christian leadership are clearly presented. A father or a mother is the leader at home. Leadership principle is the same for a mother and for the president.

Sincerity in relationship: Relationship is important in leadership. First, Paul did not keep himself out of the reach of his accusers. He faces the issues. Secondly, he does not build his relationship on hypocrisy. Thirdly, he does not want to use relationship to benefit him. His attitude is not exploitive.

Sealed in the Spirit: Christian relationship is very unique. The Triune God is at work to create and maintain our relationship. We are related to each other because of our relationship to our Father through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit seals the relationship. We belong to God, not to the world. Our leadership is an expression of this relation with God. Our security is the result of our deep relationship to the Triune God.

Respond: Lord, make me a confident leader in my house and in the place where I work.

Comforting Christian

Prepare: We are comforted when we comfort others.
Read: 2 Corinthians 1:1-11

We live in a hurting world. Actions and reactions of others, adverse circumstances, strained relationships and their factors hurt us deeply. We carry the hurts within us, unable to heal. Paul lived in circumstances same as ours. How did he manage to be a witness in a hurting world?

God is the source of comfort: Our God is a merciful God. Paul has experienced the comfort of God many times. God comforts us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We care comforted because of the sufferings of Jesus. Comfort is not the removal of suffering. It is not the assurance that everything will have a happy ending on earth. We experience comfort in spite of sufferings because of our living relationship to God through Jesus Christ.

Suffering is the path to comfort: Paul in spite of his dedication to God and commitment to the ministry, underwent suffering. Paul here speaks about a specific suffering which was very intensive. His suffering was not an expression of God's punishment. He asserts that suffering was the sign that he was truly serving God. God reveals Himself in the context of suffering as the God of comfort. We do not understand God as the source of our comfort, if we do not undergo suffering. Once we experience God's comfort,we become a source of comfort to others.

Respond: Make me O Lord, a source of comfort to others who live around me in this hurting world. 

God's Judgement on Pride

Prepare: God will change His plan for an individual when he disobeys.
Read: 1 Samuel 15:1-16

God's orders were clear, but Saul's motives were mixed. Saul was commissioned to destroy the Amalekite nation for their sins against the Israelites coming out of Egypt. This was in fulfilment of God's purpose stated about 500 years ago. Verse 9 describes Saul's disobedience to God's command which was to destroy utterly all that the Amalekites had, not sparing any man, woman, infant, suckling, ox, sheep, camel or ass. But Saul failed miserably. Saul and his army spared the Amalekite king and covered the best of the cattle and did not destroy them.

The Amalekites were a nomadic tribe who lived in the desert south of Judah. Saul is told to avenge their attack on the Israelites at the oasis of Rephidim during their journey from Egypt to Canaan (Ex.17:8-13). Amalek stands for the flesh and is the one who puts a stumbling block in our daily walk with the Lord. As they tried to prevent the Israelites from entering the Promised Land, even today the flesh fights against the spirit so that we lose heavenly blessings. As Moses vowed "war with Amalek from generation to generation" (Ex. 17:14-16), we too face spiritual battles till the end of out life.

Saul made a monument in his own honour to mark his victory over Amalek. He failed to realize his sin, and was celebrating his victory. Note the breach in Saul's relationship with God. He tells Samuel 'the Lord your God'.

Respond: Are you building monuments for yourself instead of glorifying God?

Ill - Timed Oath

Prepare: Too often we are quick to seek God's forgiveness for ourselves but slow to grant forgiveness to others.
Read: 1 Samuel 14:16-30

Five things happened to the Philistines, when the Lord was at work. 1. They trembled 2. melted away 3. beat one another down 4. tumult in the camp and 5. a great confusion. It must be the result of something supernatural  when sane, normal men of a common cause begin destroying one another.

In verse 21, the word Hebrews is used to distinguish the Israelites from the Philistines among whom they lived. It implies that many Israelites joined the Philistines against their brethren in order to escape death. But now, since God was giving His people deliverance, they rejoined their brethren. Like many today, they wished to go along with the victors and the majority, then change again when it was convenient.

Saul had pronounced a curse upon anyone who would eat that day before evening. This was a great hindrance to his own purpose, for had the people eaten freely, they could have fought better and there would have been a great slaughter among the Philistines. Saul tried to impress people with an oat, but Jonathan did what was necessary to fight the battle. Saul weekend the army; Jonathan strengthened the army and led it to new victories. Saul's lack of judgement and concern for the soldiers, was revealed by his oath and the whole army was in distress.

It was a wonderful day and had there ever been any day like that in all history a day when two men routed the whole army of one of the world's great powers.

Respond: Father help us stay committed when the going gets tough.

Farewell Speech

Prepare: The Bible has been faithful to speak of the success as well as the failure of men.
Read: 1 Samuel 12:1-15

Samuel's message was a combination of a coronation address and a revival sermon. Samuel was a little disappointed that the Israelites had asked for a king in his place. But God had told Samuel that the people had rejected Him and not Samuel (1 Samuel 8:7). So Samuel stepped down gracefully to make way for the king.

The people had rejected a proven godly leader for a man who had won only one victory and whose devotion to the Lord was as yet unknown. Samuel left office knowing that his conscience was clear. The hand of the Lord was with them when they obeyed, but it was against them when they rebelled. Verse 14 emphasizes the same secret of success that God gave to Joshua (Josh. 1:8). Rebellion became King Saul's besetting sin, and it cost him the kingdom.

Samuel could claim that he was upright throughout his career. The people affirmed that Samuel as priest and prophet had never exploited anyone to get an ox or an ass. He had neither cheated nor oppressed anyone. He had never taken any bribe from any one of them in order to condone any wrong. They had nothing against him. Samuel was a true and just judge and a godly leader.

Respond: Samuel had 60 long years of a blameless record life. How about your life?