Prevail: 2 Corinthians Week 8 My Grace is Sufficient: Where is God when you need him? Focus: In a later letter to the church in Corinth, Paul humbly bares his heart and life as a follower and apostle of Jesus. Paul shares the sufferings, trials, difficulties, conflicts, and heartaches that have driven him ever closer to the comfort of his saviour, magnifying the power of Jesus as a witness to all. Study by: Ivan Cooper Sermons can be viewed on the Hope Valley Church YouTube Channel 1. Sharing Our Journey Praise, Thanks and Reflection Invite people to share from one or more of the questions below. It can be done as a whole group or in subgroups. It can also involve a worship song. What are you thankful for? Where have you seen God at work? How has God used you? How have you gone living out God’s Word since our last gathering? Where have you struggled to follow the way of Jesus? Where and with whom have you witnessed to the love and good news of Jesus? Care and Prayer In prayer, capture the things you have shared above after also inviting people to share any personal needs for prayer or support. 2. Opening God’s Word Setting the Scene Paul begins by describing the unspeakable revelations he had received from God in paradise above. Yet, in striking contrast, his earthly weaknesses and not heavenly knowledge would become the platform for receiving God’s power. In raw and radical honesty, Paul shares that he now delights in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when he is weak, then he is strong. This seeming paradox is seen in its fullest at the cross of Christ; when to the human observer all looked lost, God had actually won the ultimate victory. Paul makes no attempt to hide or deny the difficulty, suffering, or weaknesses we can face in life; he instead seeks to shift our focus from an earthly to a heavenly view of the crucified life. It is an invitation to a deeper faith; which is to look up, to look out—not in—and behold God, as described by the late A.W. Tozer. In similar style, the Roman Catholic monk Thomas à Kempis wrote more than 500 years ago in The Imitation of Christ, “When you think you are furthest from Me, often I am nearest to you. When you think that almost everything is lost, often your greatest reward is close at hand.” Paul allows the challenges and hardships of life to “push him to his knees” in prayer (as phrased in The Message) and drive him ever closer to God. They forced him to rely not on himself, but on God (2 Corinthians 1:9). The book of Job reveals how God can use the weaknesses, struggles, and sufferings we face to draw us into a deeper and more intimate fellowship with God; for God is close to the brokenhearted, He rescues those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18-19), and for those who love God He mysteriously works all things for good (Romans 8:28). His power works best in weakness. And in weakness, we are able to minister and share the comfort we receive with others (2 Corinthians 1:4). Read: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Take turns reading these verses from several translations. What first caught your interest or stuck out to you as you read these verses? Alternatively, what questions do you still want answered? What encouragement do you find in these verses? What do you find challenging? Can you describe a time that God has grown your faith when you faced weakness or hardships? How did He reveal his strength and power in a greater, deeper, or new way? How does God want you to live out the truth you have discovered today in your life? How can we change our attitude and mindset towards weakness or hardship? What would it look like for you? 3. Living out the Heart of God Who can you share God’s comfort and strength with this week? What situations or circumstances can you trust God’s power and strength to sustain you? Prayer for each other Break into 2s or 3s to pray. Pray for each other for any commitment you have made to live out what you have learned. Praying for your 5 (from your Relational Map – See ‘The Heart of God’ Study – Week 1). Pray that God would give us a new perspective in which our weaknesses become the opportunity for more of Him, more of His strength and power in our lives. Contacts If you would like more information or further help, please contact: scott.button@hopevalleychurch.com.au