Lesson 21 - 2 Corinthians - Part 1

If you really want to know Paul, study 2 Corinthians.  Paul’s world was falling apart.  He cared deeply for the church in Corinth.  While in Ephesus, in an effort to help the Corinthian church, Paul wrote Corinthians “A”.  The Corinthians wrote Paul back.  He then wrote 1 Corinthians (Corinthians “B”).  He sent Timothy and Erastus to work with the church … to no avail.  In order to “fix things” he then made a painful visit to Corinth – that didn’t work either.  Paul then wrote 2 Corinthians (Corinthians “C”).  He then sent Titus to help. Meanwhile Paul was run out of Ephesus.  While on the road he was criticized and minimized.  He endured a painful “thorn in the flesh” – possibly something in his eye.  He asked God repeatedly to remove it.  God didn’t.  The thorn remained to keep Paul from becoming conceited.  Paul never saw the healing of his own infirmity.  God said to him “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). How did Paul handle it when his world was crumbling?  He finds an ability to rejoice in the Lord.  He found purpose for his life before the Lord.