Discerning the Lord's Banquet (BC 35; 1 Cor. 11:23-31)

When we come to the Lord's table we are reminded that we are coming into the Lord's presence. There is something frightening about Paul exhorting the Corinthians church and telling them that some have died because of their sin. Paul correlates the eating of communion to this death. This can make us terrified to come before our Lord and we can think that the elements have a magical power. However, what Paul is calling us and exhorting us to see is that we partake of Christ, we dine at his table, and we eat his supper. We are called to discern that we do not come to this meal because we are worthy, but because we are made worthy in Christ. It is the call to come to the heavenly banquet table in humility.

Redeemed by the Triune God (LD 8; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

The Apostle Paul closes his second letter to the Corinthians with an incredible greeting from the Triune God. Paul is writing to a church that is on the verge of denying the Apostolic Gospel, but Paul still greets them in the blessings of redemption. Paul does not just say the names of the Godhead, but he gives the blessings of our redemption that are given to us by our God.

Preached September 11, 2022 (9/11/2022)

Continually Confessing (2 Corinthians 13:5)

We can fall into a trap and think that once we believe the gospel we know the gospel. However, this is not what we find in the Corinthian church. When Paul writes his second letter to the Corinthian church they forgot the gospel. Paul exhorts them to examine themselves to see if they are in the faith. This is pretty strong that we are to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. How do we know if we are in the faith? Can we have assurance that we are in Christ? What is Paul's point and what is this standard?

You Are the Light (Matthew 5:14-16)

Our Lord says that you are the light of the world. This almost implies that we are call attention to our good works and the good things that we do.  This would mean that Christ is commanding us to be self righteous and to engage in a piety competition.  Are we really supposed to parade around our good works?  Why would Christ warn us about the outward pious acts of the pharisees?  How does being the light of the world humble us and exalt our God? 

Examine Yourself (2 Corinthians 13:1-9)

When we make a profession of faith we might think that we are in the church and we have arrived at the last step in our Christian walk.  We hear the Apostle Paul exhort us through the Corinthian church to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith.  Does Paul mean that when people make a profession that they are not in the faith?  Is the Apostle Paul saying that we just randomly loose our faith?  How do we live out this faith in Christ?