March 1, 2026

Luke 19:11-27 ESV

As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?  Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’  And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’  ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’”

Discussion Questions:

This is a complex parable in which there seem to be two themes that run throughout.  Instead of taking this parable verse by verse, I think it will be helpful to take one theme one week and the other theme the following week.  Hopefully, by the end of our study we will have a well-rounded understanding of this parable.         

Theme:  Establishing a timeline for the disciples

In verse 11, Jesus said that he spoke this parable to show that the kingdom of God was not to appear immediately.

In this context, how are we to understand the following?

·       verse 12:  the journey to receive the kingdom

·       verse 14:  delegation of citizens that followed him

·       verse 15:  return having received the kingdom

·       verse 15:  dealing with his servants

·       verse 27:  dealing with enemies (delegation)

Discussion Summary:

This parable was spoken by Jesus to his disciples, but the meaning of the parable (verse 11) was not understood until after Jesus had been crucified and the holy spirit had been given.  Luke supplied the meaning which believers at his time (40+ years after) understood the parable to be teaching.  This parable then only fully explained what had already happened to the disciples.  It also prepared them and us for the future that we still don’t fully understand.

This story is based on true events that took place around the time of Jesus’ birth.  When King Herod the Great died, his son Archelaus inherited the territory that his father had ruled.  But he did not inherit the title of King and so he went to Rome to receive it.  The people of the region also sent a delegation asking for autonomy instead.  They were denied. This parable then is not teaching us a chronological timeline of events.  This parable is using history to teach us how events must take place in conjunction with each other.  We discussed 3 concepts.

The first is that the kingdom comes in various stages.  Even though Jesus was proclaimed a king at his birth (Luke 1:32,33) and he preached that the Kingdom of God was at hand, he still had to die and be resurrected and ascend to the Father before legally receiving the power to reign.  His reign could not take place until the proper time, after his bride would be selected and the time for the restoration would come.  Until that time he would remain in heaven (Acts 3:21).

The second is that judgment of both his servants and his enemies would take place at his return (Revelation 11:17,18; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10).  During the interval between his ascension and his return these two classes of people are being manifested.  His servants are being tested as to whether they are good stewards of what they have been given.  His enemies are being tested as to the degree with which they oppose his authority.

The third is that his enemies must answer for their opposition.  We see that the religious rulers during the time of Jesus opposed him (Matthew 27:9,10).  We see prophetically the political rulers opposing the kingdom throughout this interval (Psalm 2:1-6).  We see prophetically the religious rulers opposing the kingdom throughout this interval (Revelation 18:1-3).  All this opposition will be dealt with in a just and thorough way during his kingdom (1 Corinthians 15:24-26).

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February 25, 2026

2 Corinthians 8 ESV

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord,  begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—  and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.  For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.  For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.  As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord.  With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man. And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you.  As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.

Discussion Questions:

In chapter 8 the Apostle Paul turns to the topic of the collection for the poor in Jerusalem (“relief of the saints” verse 4).

1)  In verses 1-15 the Apostle Paul is appealing to the brethren in Corinth to contribute.  How does the Apostle Paul encourage them to give generously?

2)  In verses 16-24 Paul informs the Corinthian brethren that three brothers will be coming to Corinth to collect the money.

·      Titus

·      Brother “A” (verses 18-21)

·      Brother “B” (verse 22)

    Why are three brothers commissioned to do this work?

Discussion Summary:

Verses 1-15:  Paul appealed to the Corinthian brethren to take up the collection for the poor brethren in Jerusalem.  He gives them the example of the brethren in Macedonia in northern Greece.  These brethren were poorer than the brethren in southern Greece but they gave generously.  The brethren in Corinth had worked through many of their issues and Paul recalled the positive things that they were known for in verse 7.  He told them that they excelled in many things and they should excel in giving.  Paul reminded them of how generous Jesus had been in coming to earth as their saviour.  Their giving should be an outpouring of their heart for what Jesus had done for them. Paul also used an example from the Old Testament in Exodus 16:18.  This refers to the gathering of manna every morning by the Israelites while in the wilderness.  Even though they could not gather more than one day’s worth, and even though some gathered more and some less, everyone always had what was needed.

This collection is often referred to by other words such as “grace” in verse 1.  While this has the meaning of generosity, it also can have theological implications.  This shows that the collection meant more than just money for brethren.  It was a way to establish unity and brotherhood between the Jewish and gentile brethren.  It made them see themselves as one body of Christ.

Verses 16-24:  Three brothers were appointed by Paul to handle the collection of the money.  In this way they were witnesses that the funds of which Paul was ultimately responsible for, were being handled properly.  We also read in 2 Corinthians 11:26 that bandits were a problem that Paul had dealt with in the past.  He was assuring the brethren that these funds would be safeguarded on the way to Jerusalem.

No one knows exactly who these two brethren accompanying Titus were.  We do know that they were part of the brothers that accompanied Paul and helped him in his ministry.  In Acts 20:4 we are given some of the names of these brethren.

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February 22, 2026

Today we cancelled our regular study in order to join a Canada-wide online meeting. We discussed if “recognize them by their fruits” is the same as judging others.

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February 18, 2026

2 Corinthians 7 ESV

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one.  I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy. For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.  For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.  So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. Therefore we are comforted. And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.  For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you was true, so also our boasting before Titus has proved true. And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. I rejoice, because I have complete confidence in you.

Discussion Questions:

Up to now Paul has been trying to establish with the Corinthian brethren why they should have confidence in him personally and in his ministry.  Now Paul states his confidence in the
Corinthian brethren so that they can partner together in the Lord’s work. 

1.  What are the reasons for this confidence that Paul gives in verses 1-12? 

2.  What was Titus’s assessment of the situation and why does Paul mention it in verses 13-16?

Discussion Summary:

The brethren in Corinth had many issues that needed to be dealt with.  There were problems with their meetings, problems with their leaders, problems with how to live a Christian life, and problems with immorality.  To resolve these issues, Paul had sent a letter and then visited Corinth with little result.  He then sent a harshly worded letter which was delivered by Titus.  This finally resulted in the brethren acknowledging to Paul, that they had been in the wrong, that they had a desire to change, and the steps they were taking to correct their behaviour and restore order.  The brethren in Corinth also recognized that they had grown distant and estranged from the Apostle Paul.  This caused them sadness and they wanted to restore their affections and be fully united in their hearts.  Finally the Corinthian brethren were responding properly to correction (Psalm 141:5).

Titus would be returning to Corinth with this very letter.  It was important then that Titus confirm to the Corinthian brethren that he felt the same way as Paul.  Both had full confidence in the brethren.  Both rejoiced in their response (Luke 15:7).

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February 15, 2026

Luke 19:1-10 ESV

He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Discussion Questions:

We now come to an account that is only found in the Gospel of Luke.  We want to find the deeper meaning that Luke is bringing to our attention.

In order to answer this, we would like to explore the following aspects that Luke gives us:

·       What is the significance of Zacchaeus climbing a tree?

·       What are we to conclude by Zacchaeus’ claims in verse 8?  (Is he already doing these things?  Is he pointing to his own righteous works?)

·       What are the specifics of Jesus’s response in verses 9 and 10?

Discussion Summary:

Zaccheus was a rich tax collector.  His physical shortness prohibited him from seeing Jesus in the crowd.  We read that he climbed a tree in order to see Jesus.  This incident shows us the necessary character elements that one must have when seeking after God.  There has to be a desire, a longing to see.  One must have persistence and make an effort and overcome obstacles and opposition even if it results in ridicule.

Zaccheus recognized his smallness.   This pointed to the fact that the entire nation of Israel had fallen short of God’s requirements to be found faithful.  They were unable to recognize that Jesus had been sent to them (John 1:11).  John the Baptist had started to renew their national spirit (Luke 3).  Jesus’ ministry expanded this work of regeneration.  Zaccheus responded to this message and desired to be unburdened of his guilt.

Jesus called him down from the tree by name, reminding us of the earlier calling of the apostles in John 1:48,49.  Jesus invited himself to Zaccheus’s home.  The crowd reacted with scorn that Jesus would join such a disreputable man.  Once inside his home, Zaccheus declared his reform.  These claims of righting past and future wrongs showed that as a consequence of Jesus’ visit his heart was already taking these actions and would do so in the future.  We note that these statements were made in response to the crowd, but to Jesus in the privacy of his home.  Jesus alone needs to hear the declaration of our consecrated hearts.  Everyone else will be able to see our transformed life.

In verses 9 and 10, Jesus again uses the picture of something lost (Luke 15:1-10) to refer to the nation of Israel (Ezekiel 34:11,16).  Zaccheus’s demonstrated faith showed that his heart had been renewed.  His faith was now like his “Father Abraham” (Isaiah 51:1-3, Romans 4:19-22).

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February 11, 2026

2 Corinthians 6 ESV

Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says,“In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day ofsalvation. We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,  beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;  by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;  as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.We have spoken freely to you,Corinthians; our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me,says the Lord Almighty.”

Discussion Questions:

Even though we are studying one chapter at a time, we want to remember that Paul is writing a letter in which each thought builds on the one before. 

Verses 1-10

In the last chapter Paul urged the brethren to be reconciled to God.  Now he is adding to this exhortation by saying “don’t take the grace of God in vain” (verse 1).  And he once again connects this message to his experiences as an apostle (verses 3 – 10).

What does Paul mean by “taking the grace of God in vain” and how does his lifestyle support this message?

Verses 11-18

Paul then speaks very frankly to the Corinthian brethren as to how they are taking the grace of God in vain.  He uses the imagery of being yoked to unbelievers. 

What can this picture refer to?

Discussion Summary:

The grace of God refers to the undeserved kindness or mercy that was extended to believers by Jesus.  Paul quotes the messianic prophecy of Isaiah 49:5-8 that foretold of this grace.  It refers to being in a condition of reconciliation with God.  Paul is addressing those in Corinth who are not living up to their professions.  He points to his own experiences to show that they cannot have a superficial belief in salvation.  For their belief to be real, it must affect their lives so that unbelievers would notice a difference.  All believers have a responsibility to act on what they hear and what they believe.

The word picture of being unequally yoked is of two different types of animals being harnessed together.  One will be larger and stronger than the other.  It is not fair to both animals and the job itself will be hindered.  Paul wants the Corinthian brethren to see themselves in this picture.  In many ways they were not in partnership with Christ or with other believers.  In his first letter to Corinth, Paul addressed some of these problems (1 Corinthians 5 – entering into marriage with unbelievers, immorality; 1 Corinthians 6 – believers taking each other to court instead of settling disputes among themselves; 1 Corinthians 8,10 – participating in pagan rituals even though they did not believe in those gods).  As we read this exhortation we want to examine who we enter into partnership with.  Are our goals the same?

In verse 12, Paul tells the Corinthians that they were not returning his affection.  He invites them into a closer relationship with him.  He implies that they should yoke themselves to his apostleship.

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Luke 18:35-43 ESV

As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.  And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”  And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

Discussion Questions:

We have already seen Jesus perform miracles to prove that he is from God.  And so, to have a similar miracle placed here, we know that it has to have an additional layer of meaning.  But, from a casual reading it is not so obvious to see what that deeper meaning is.

This miracle of healing the blind man is found in the three synoptic Gospels.  However, in each one of the accounts there are seeming inconsistencies and much has been written to show how these can be harmonized.  But for our study, I would like us to try to focus exclusively on the account written in Luke, assuming that he only included the details needed to bring out what he saw as the lesson. 

The general question before us today is: What is the deeper meaning that Luke is trying to bring to our attention?

In order to answer this we would like to explore the following aspects that Luke gives us:

• What is the significance that Jesus is first referred to as “Jesus of Nazareth”, the blind man calls him “Son of David” and then the blind man addresses him as “Lord” (Gr. kyrios)?
• What is the significance of the blind man making such a commotion that the crowd rebuked him which made him cry out all the more?
• What is the significance of Jesus asking him, “What do you want of me?”
• What is the significance of the Greek word “sozo” in verse 42 meaning “well” (ESV translation)?

Discussion Summary:

This short account is full of meaning on many levels.  It taught the crowd about who Jesus really was and how he fulfilled prophecy.  It taught the apostles what following Jesus really meant.  It teaches all believers the elements of true faith:  the mind, the heart and actions.

The crowd called Jesus, “Jesus of Nazareth.”  They saw him only on the human level – at best, a prophet.  The blind man called him “Son of David” because he saw him on a spiritual level.  He recognized Jesus as the Messiah (Luke 1:69, Jeremiah 23:5).  This man who could not see, “saw” more than the religious rulers at the time who could not understand how the Messiah was David’s son and David’s Lord (Matthew 22:41-45).  This man also showed his loyalty and allegiance to Jesus by addressing him as “Lord.”

The apostles had just seen the rich, young ruler walk away because of his wealth (18:18-23).  Now they were seeing a man who had nothing, not even his sight, doing everything in his power to follow Jesus.  They saw his persistence in not letting the opportunity pass him by to regain his vision so that he could walk after him.  Jesus saw beyond the man’s social status.  He saw the man’s heart.  The apostles had to learn this lesson.

All believers see in this story what true faith consists of.  The blind beggar had the understanding of who Jesus was.  His heart wanted to follow Jesus and so he asked for the impediment of his blindness to be removed.  His words and actions showed that he was looking for more than “healing.”  He wanted to be “made whole” in the deepest sense of the word “sozo.”  He was looking to be delivered, to be saved.  In God’s eyes all believers are blind beggars.  We are all in filthy rags of our own righteousness.  We all need the healing power of Jesus’ sacrifice so that we can follow our Lord Jesus.

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February 4, 2026

Today we had a meeting of praise to our Heavenly Father. We shared our testimonies of how the Lord has been evident in our lives.

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February 1, 2026

Luke 18:31-34 ESV

And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. ³² For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. ³³ And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” ³⁴ But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

Discussion Questions:

1)  Jesus has already foretold his death twice before (Luke 9:21-23; 9:43-45).  Why does he tell the apostles again at this point in his ministry?

2)  What were the prophetic sayings?

·       “delivered unto the Gentiles”

·       “mocked and spitefully treated”

·       “spitted upon”

·       “scourged”

·       “put to death”

·       “the third day he shall rise again”

3)  In verse 34 Luke tells us in three different ways that the apostles did not understand.  Why is this such an important point?

Discussion Summary:

In Luke 18:28-30 the apostles were praised for their actions, but Jesus knew that they were still going to be tested as to their faithfulness to him.  Jesus’ betrayal and death would cause all of his disciples to forsake him in one way or another (Matthew 16:56).  He is foretelling these events for the third time to encourage, strengthen and warn them.  All of us use repetition to emphasize something of importance.  Jesus wanted this message to “sink into your ears” (Luke 9:44).  We know that after these things were accomplished, they remembered these words (John 2:22) and it was a further confirmation of his care for them (Hosea 6:1-3).

These words also pointed back to prophecies from the Old Testament, confirming that all these things were supposed to happen and that God’s words are true.

·       “delivered unto the Gentiles” – “For dogs have compassed me:  The assembly of the wicked have enclosed me:  They pierced my hands and my feet.”  Psalm 22:16

·       “mocked and spitefully treated” – “All they that see me laugh me to scorn:  They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, ‘He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him.’” Psalm 22:7

·       “spitted upon” – “I did not hide my face from scorn and spitting.” Isaiah 50:6

·       “scourged” – “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5

·       “put to death” – “He was cut off from the land of the living.” – Isaiah 53:8

·       “the third day he shall rise again” – “And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” – Jonah 1:17-2:1-10, Matthew 12:40

Even though the apostles had been told multiple times that these events would occur, they could not understand, the matter was concealed from them, they did not recognize it.  On their part this was because their hearts were not yet fully cleansed and they did not yet have the Holy Spirit enlightening their minds (John 16:12,13).  On God’s part, this secrecy was all part of his plan.  Nothing would be allowed to hinder all these things befalling Jesus in line with prophecy (Matthew 16:20-23).

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January 28, 2026

2 Corinthians 5 ESV

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,  for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.  From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Discussion Questions:

In chapter 5 Paul continues to describe how his present sufferings are able to be endured because of the glory that is to follow.  Paul uses a series of word pictures to describe this process.

1)  In verses 1-10 what does Paul mean by: “tent”, “building from God”, “naked”, “unclothed”, “clothed”?

2)  In verses 11 to 21 Paul returns to the topic of how his ministry differs from other “apostles” in Corinth.  How is his ministry different and what is the Gospel message that he preaches?

Discussion Summary:

Verses 1-10:  In comparing a “tent” and a “building in heaven,” Paul is comparing the earthly temporary life with the eternal permanent life as a spirit being (John 14:2,3).  This reminds us how the Israelites first worshiped in the tabernacle which was a tent that moved with them as they wandered through the wilderness.  Later King Solomon built a stone temple which was called the house of God. 

At the present time while in our fleshly body, once we believe, we become a “new creature” (verse 17).  We understand this as the spirit begetting of our will to no longer follow our interests, but the Lord’s.  This new will develops and upon the death of our bodies will be born on the spirit plane of existence in a spirit, heavenly body (1 Corinthians 15:38).

To be “naked” or “unclothed” refers to the condition of “sleep” that believers enter upon death until the return of Jesus.  They are waiting their resurrection change.

Verses 11-21:  In verse 13, Paul is contrasting his ministry with the ministry of the other teachers in Corinth.  The other teachers were emphasizing the gifts of the spirit (particularly speaking in tongues).  While Paul did have the gifts of the spirit, the majority of his preaching was through discourse, explaining the salvation of Christ and what it brought to believers (1 Corinthians 14:2, 19).

Paul’s preaching was doing the work of Christ in the heart of believers.  Jesus said in Luke 7:35, “Wisdom is justified in her children.”  This means that the way you know which is method is correct is by the results.  Paul’s preaching, which we still read today, has been proven correct.

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