Greater Joy
2 Corinthians 7:5-7
5For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.
Fishing
Did you find out if fishing is really fun or not? Go, try fishing. You will realize if you want to go fishing again, if you catch fish or not. Sometimes, fish are not biting and you wait. What can you do while you wait for catch?
Read books, meditate, take pictures or videos, compose songs, poems or nobles, plan for dinner, your next project at home or your bucket list. You can also spend time exercising or just simply take a nap.
But when you finally catch one big fish, you will be glad. The struggle to secure and bring the fish next to you, that is glorious feeling. You take videos or pictures of your catch and publish them in your social media. You appreciate it. Certainly, your followers and friends will appreciate them too.
After you go fishing, you’ll appreciate why the Lord called fishermen as disciples. Together, let’s reflect on what it narrated in Mark 1:16-18,
16As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18At once they left their nets and followed him.
Before we go fishing, we prepare: fishing tools, fish baits, chair, hat, reading materials, food and drinks. We make sure also that our cellphone or camera has fully charged batteries. But when we go fishing for people, we pray to be inspired by the Holy Spirit. He leads us to potential believers elected to listen to our testimony and believe the good news of Christ.
Personal testimony includes personal reason we trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. What old behavior, habit, lifestyle did Christ save us from? After we trusted Christ as Lord, what adventure we explored? If you’re not sure how to share the gospel of salvation in Christ, use evangelism tract.
When we talk about faith in Christ and lead someone to reconcile to God through Christ, we sense glorious feeling. Where does glorious feeling originate from? Christ declares in Luke 15:10, 10I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
If we’ve special occasion in our home, are we not eager to join the celebration? Personally, are you eager to join the celebration in heaven? Whenever we lead someone to reconcile to God through faith in Christ, it causes rejoicing in heaven. Heaven is our home forever and ever, amen.
We should always be prepared as we wait for Christ to come again.
1. Come
5For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within.
Sadly, the Corinthian church was confused by spiritual conflict. They were divided by preferred leaders who may have confused their doctrines and beliefs. Apostle Paul addressed the problems of division in his letter to the church in Corinth. Somehow, the Corinthians grew matured spiritually. Paul and his team rejoiced overflowingly despite troubles they endured.
Previously, Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 7:4, 4I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.
And as practical illustration to all their troubles, Paul recalled that they’re harassed in Macedonia at every turn. Conflicts outside the church may have scared the believers, especially in Philippi when Paul and Silas were imprisoned. Actually, Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia begging for help, and they travelled to Philippi. Reflect on what it narrated in Acts 16:9-10, 9During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Apostle Paul must be prayerful when he believed that the vision he saw was divine prompting from God for them to proceed to Macedonia. They traveled and came to the city of Philippi and started a church. They also planted another church in Thessalonica subsequently. Both Philippi and Thessalonica were prominent cities in the district of Macedonia.
Interestingly, the Philippian believers were the most faithful in sending their mission support to Apostle Paul. And the Thessalonian church was also described by Paul as a model to believers in Macedonia and Achaia.
Reflect on what Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8, 6You welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.
Suffering was instrumental for the Thessalonians to welcome the message of reconciliation to God. How about you? What need caused you to believe in Christ? Why did you trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? What probable personal reason that you punctually attend church faithfully?
Missionaries
It was told that Asian Missionaries came to the Philippines and gave reliefs to typhoon victims and started churches. People attend church as long as the missionaries gave freebies. But after the missionaries moved on to another mission point many church attendees stop attending church.
They attended church because they can get material things. It’s really sad reality but what is important? Spiritual seed of faith had been planted.
Let’s reflect on what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:6-8, 6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.
Missionaries and evangelists are called to plant spiritual seeds. And prophets or preachers, pastors and teachers are called to water spiritual seeds. But God make things grows. So, what ministry is greater than the other? We pray that God reveals which ministry he wants us to excel from.
If you enjoy music, participate in worship. If you enjoy cooking, lend a hand in the kitchen. If you enjoy teaching children, join Kid’s ministry. There are different ministries we can explore where God wants us to excel. But sometimes when frustration attacks, immediately seek God for comfort.
2. Comfort
6But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7aand not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him.
Interestingly, Apostle Paul testified that God comforted them when Titus came. Wherever Paul and his team preached the gospel of salvation in Christ, they endured difficult troubles. The divisional confusion in the Corinthian church added heavy burden to Paul being their spiritual father.
Titus joined Paul in his missionary travels after he spent some time in Corinth. Titus told Paul also that many Corinthians longed to see him again. Paul was comforted that somehow the Corinthians have matured spiritually. They may have heeded and practiced his advice in his first letter to them.
How should we explain what it says in Proverbs 17:21? 21To have a fool for a child brings grief; there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.
As guarantee that we enter heaven when Christ returns, God gave us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation.
We trusted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and God saved us from the penalty of sin. We pray for loved ones to trust Christ. Otherwise, they’ll be eternally tortured. Learn how the father responded to the older brother in Luke 15:30-32, 30“When this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!” 31The father said, “My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”
The younger son took and prodigally squandered his inheritance with prostitutes. When he returned home, his father celebrated. Of course, the older son did not want to join the celebration. So, his father explained that the younger son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.
In the eyes of God, spiritually lost people are dead. They are dead and lost spiritually, why? They have no faith in God. They have not received eternal life in Christ. They don’t have the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of wisdom. They don’t know that they’re spiritually dead, lost and cannot enter heaven.
They don’t understand this reality, but it won’t change what God had decreed in Romans 8:11-13, 11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. 12Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
Why is it important to be sure that the Holy Spirit of Christ lives in us? The Holy Spirit assures us that we will live in heaven forever. He reminds us to live righteously. Our obligation as citizens of heaven is to make sure the Spirit of Christ lives in us. He inspires us pray for relatives or friends to be reconciled to God so that we are concerned of their eternal destiny.
3. Concern
7bHe told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.
Paul was concerned of the spiritual being of the believers in the city of Corinth. Despite ministry struggles that Apostle Paul endured, his joy was exceedingly greater than ever when Titus told him that the Corinthians were concerned about him and his wellbeing. They also yearned to see him again. And, Paul visited the Corinthians. How many times did he visit them?
He wrote in 2 Corinthians 13:1, 1This will be my third visit to you.
As spiritual father to the Corinthians, Apostle Paul prayed that they matured spiritually. He also prayed for their well-being. He sternly rebuked them also of their mistakes . Most, if not all of us are concerned of our loved ones. Actually, one of the most requested prayer items during Midweek Prayer Meeting is salvation and welfare of loved ones here and abroad.
Together, let’s reflect on 1 Samuel 12:22-24, 22For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. 23As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. 24But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.
Lead to Pray
One time I attended Prayer Meeting, I found myself in a small group with the pastor and chairman of the board. And they told me to lead in prayer. I suppose that’s my initiation to publicly pray and express my faith in the Lord. My life was changed for the better after that. I think that attending Midweek Prayer Meeting was very instrumental to my spiritual growth also.
Actually one Wednesday, I had a few bottle of beer after work, but I still attended the Midweek Prayer Meeting. A church leader looked happy to see me and greeted me. Then, she’s very quick to avoid me. She smelled alcohol from me, I supposed. At that time, I was embarrassed and I realized my addiction to alcohol. So, I asked God to cleanse me from bad vices.
Praise God, he purified me by the blood of Jesus shed on the cross. Interestingly, the same church leader became my classmate years later in doctoral study in the seminary. Reflect on what it declares in 1 John 1:7,
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
Before Jesus Christ came into my life, I was a drunkard. I had terrible escapades I won’t publicly specify them. But after Jesus Christ transformed my life, he saved me from abusive vices. He inspires me live a life pleasing to him. Praises God for adventurous life I explored as citizen of heaven.
Do you want explore more of your best life adventure in Christ? Pray that you discern where God prepared for you to explore and experience much of his grace and love for you specifically. Pray that you attend Prayer Meeting regularly. Praying with other believers helps spiritual growth.
Surely when praying for one another, we sense greater joy in Christ.
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