Faithfulness, Judgment, and Restoration: A Call to Examine Yourself

Devotional

Day 1: Examine Yourself: Are You in the Faith?

Paul urges believers to honestly examine their hearts and lives to see whether they are truly living in the faith, not just outwardly but with Christ dwelling within. This self-examination is not meant to induce fear, but to invite repentance, restoration, and a renewed relationship with God. It is easy to drift, to follow false teachings, or to become complacent, but God calls each person to test themselves, to seek His truth, and to allow His Spirit to reveal any area that is not aligned with His will. The goal is not perfection, but faithfulness and a willingness to be transformed by Christ’s presence within. [34:48]

2 Corinthians 13:5-6 (ESV)
"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you sense you may be drifting from God’s desires? Will you ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal where you need to realign with Christ today?

Day 2: In Our Weakness, God’s Power Is Made Perfect

The message of the cross is that Jesus, though crucified in weakness, lives by God’s power—and so too, in our own weakness, we are made strong through Him. Admitting our struggles and failures is not a sign of defeat, but an opportunity for God’s strength to be displayed in us. When we confess our need and repent, God’s grace covers us, and His power enables us to live faithfully. This is not about self-reliance, but about surrendering to the One who conquered sin and death on our behalf. [31:41]

2 Corinthians 13:4 (ESV)
"For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God."

Reflection: Where do you feel weak or inadequate in your walk with God? How might you invite God’s power to work through your weakness today?

Day 3: Restoration Comes Through Repentance and the Blood of Christ

True restoration is not achieved by our own efforts or by following religious rules, but by turning away from sin and returning to Jesus, trusting in His sacrifice. When we repent, God forgives us and restores us—not because of anything we have done, but because of the blood of Jesus poured out for us. This restoration is a gift, freeing us from guilt and shame, and inviting us into fullness of life with God. [37:40]

1 John 1:9 (ESV)
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Reflection: Is there a sin or burden you need to bring to Jesus today? Will you trust Him to forgive and restore you completely?

Day 4: The Message of the Cross: Power to Save and Transform

The cross is not just a symbol, but the very power of God to save those who believe. While the world may see it as foolishness, for those who are being saved, it is the source of hope, transformation, and new life. The cross calls us to live with kingdom eyes, seeking God’s purposes above our own comfort or self-interest, and to remember that our salvation is entirely by His grace. [38:43]

1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV)
"For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

Reflection: In what ways are you tempted to seek self-affirmation or comfort over the way of the cross? How can you choose to live with “kingdom eyes” today?

Day 5: Compelled to Care: Sharing the Gospel with a Dying World

Recognizing the reality of judgment and the gift of salvation, believers are called not only to examine themselves but also to care deeply for those who do not yet know Christ. It is not enough to know that people are lost; God calls us to be moved with compassion and to take action, sharing the hope of the gospel in our neighborhoods and around the world. Our response should be shaped by love, urgency, and a willingness to be used by God to bring others home. [39:44]

Romans 10:14-15 (ESV)
"How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!'"

Reflection: Who in your life or community needs to hear the hope of Jesus? What is one step you can take this week to share God’s love with them?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered as a community of grace, recognizing our own brokenness and celebrating the immeasurable gift of God’s Son, who gave His life for us. We reflected on Paul’s words to the Corinthians, where he reminds us that each of us will one day stand before God—not to be measured by our achievements or status, but by our faithfulness and our relationship with Christ. Paul’s warning is not meant to instill fear, but to call us to honest self-examination and repentance. In a world that often blurs the lines between right and wrong, Paul draws a clear distinction: those who are found faithful in Christ will live, and those who reject Him will perish.

This is not a message of condemnation, but of hope and restoration. Paul urges us to “examine ourselves,” to test whether Christ truly lives in us. This is a deeply personal call—no one else can answer it for us. It’s easy to drift, to become distracted by self-interest or led astray by false teachings. Yet, in our weakness and confession, God’s strength is made perfect. When we repent, we are not met with shame, but with forgiveness and the power of Christ’s sacrifice, which covers all our failures.

We are also reminded that this gift is not just for us. There are countless people around us—neighbors, friends, even family—who do not know the saving grace of Jesus. The question is not only whether we recognize this, but whether we care enough to act. Our calling is to be compelled by Christ’s love to reach out, to invite, and to share the hope we have found. As we come to the Lord’s table, we remember that His body was broken and His blood poured out for us, and we are invited to live in the fullness of that grace, both for ourselves and for the world around us.

Key Takeaways

1. True self-examination is a spiritual discipline that requires honesty before God. Paul’s call to “examine yourselves” is not about self-condemnation, but about opening our hearts to the Spirit’s searching and being willing to see where we have drifted from faithfulness. This is a continual process, not a one-time event, and it is essential for genuine spiritual growth. [34:29]
2. God’s power is revealed in our weakness, not our strength. Just as Christ was crucified in weakness but raised in power, we too are invited to bring our frailty and failures to God, trusting that His grace is sufficient. Our restoration and strength come not from our own efforts, but from the blood of Jesus poured out for us. [31:41]
3. The reality of judgment is not meant to produce fear, but to awaken us to the urgency of repentance and the hope of restoration. Paul’s reminder that all will be judged is paired with the assurance that forgiveness is available to all who turn to Christ. This is a call to live with eternity in view, making choices that reflect our true allegiance. [33:35]
4. Our faith is not a private possession, but a calling to care for those who are spiritually lost. Recognizing the spiritual need around us is only the first step; genuine compassion moves us to action. We are called to be agents of grace, inviting others into the life and hope we have received in Christ. [39:29]
5. Restoration is always God’s initiative, not ours. Whether we have wandered far or simply grown complacent, the invitation is always to return—to be fully restored by the love and sacrifice of Jesus. Our role is to surrender, to confess, and to trust that God’s desire is not to tear us down, but to build us up for His glory. [35:23]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[25:52] - Opening and Mission: Compel Them to Come In
[27:02] - A Church of Grace and Gratitude
[27:25] - Slime Time Recap and Community Outreach
[28:22] - Prayer and Setting Our Hearts
[28:55] - Paul’s Warning and the Reality of Judgment
[30:43] - Faithfulness vs. Rejection: The Two Paths
[31:41] - Weakness and Strength: The Power of the Cross
[33:00] - The Call to Repentance, Not Condemnation
[34:29] - Examine Yourselves: The Test of Faith
[36:34] - Personal Reflection and Faithfulness
[38:24] - The Message of the Cross: Power and Foolishness
[39:29] - Caring for the Lost and Our Response
[42:33] - Communion: Remembering Christ’s Sacrifice
[52:31] - Q&A with Koku and Yvette: Ministry in Togo
[67:21] - Creative Partnership and Global Mission
[72:21] - Prayer for Missionaries and Closing Song

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

2 Corinthians 13:1-10 (ESV) — > This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them—since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God. Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for. For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

Psalm 139:23-24 (ESV) — > Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV) — > For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Observation Questions

According to Paul in 2 Corinthians 13, what is the purpose of examining ourselves? What does he say is the test of true faith? [34:29]
In the sermon, what distinction does Paul make between those who are “found faithful” and those who “reject Christ”? [31:01]
How does the Psalmist in Psalm 139 model the kind of self-examination Paul is calling for? [36:13]
What does Paul say about the source of our restoration and strength? Is it from ourselves or from somewhere else? [37:40]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul urge the Corinthians to “examine yourselves” rather than simply trust in their past experiences or achievements? What does this reveal about the nature of faith? [34:29]
The sermon says that God’s power is revealed in our weakness, not our strength. How does this challenge common ideas about what it means to be “strong” in faith? [31:41]
Paul’s warning about judgment is described as a call to hope and restoration, not fear. How can the reality of judgment actually lead to hope instead of anxiety? [33:35]
The sermon points out that recognizing the spiritual need around us is only the first step; genuine compassion moves us to action. What might keep someone from moving from awareness to action? [39:44]

Application Questions

Paul calls us to honest self-examination. What is one area of your life where you sense you may have “drifted from faithfulness”? What would it look like to bring this honestly before God this week? [34:29]
The sermon says that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. Is there a weakness or failure in your life that you have been hiding or ashamed of? How might you bring this to God and trust Him for restoration? [31:41]
When you think about the reality that “all will be judged,” does this produce fear, hope, or something else in you? Why? How could you use this awareness to make a specific change in your daily choices? [33:35]
The message emphasized that our faith is not just for ourselves, but for others who do not know Jesus. Who is one person in your life who does not know Christ? What is one practical step you could take this week to show them Christ’s love or invite them into a conversation about faith? [39:29]
The sermon asked, “Do you care?” about those who are spiritually lost. Be honest: do you find it easy or hard to care about the spiritual state of others? What might help you grow in genuine compassion? [39:44]
Paul says restoration is always God’s initiative. Is there a place in your life where you have tried to “fix yourself” instead of surrendering to God’s grace? What would it look like to surrender in that area? [35:23]
As you come to the Lord’s table (communion), what does it mean for you to “live in the fullness of grace” this week? Is there a specific way you can remember Christ’s sacrifice in your daily routine? [42:33]

Sermon Clips

So Paul begins with this kind of reminder for the church in Corinth. When I return this third time, you will be held accountable. And it's the truth for all of us. We realize that one of two things is going to happen in our world. First, Christ is going to return. And when he returns, he's going to come to judge everybody. Or second, we're going to stop breathing here on earth and we're going to go to be judged. [00:30:00] (28 seconds) #JudgmentIsCertain

And this judgment is not based or predicated on what we've done or what we've accomplished or how far we've gotten in life. But it's going to be based solely on our faithfulness, on our love for God, on our love for a God who sent his Son to die on our behalf. And there's really just two answers to this. And in a world today where everything is gray, there isn't really a yes and a no, but today in the text, there really is. All those found guilty will perish. All those found faithful will live. [00:30:28] (37 seconds) #FaithfulnessOverWorks

Paul's reminder for the church in Corinth isn't a beat down. It's not desire to cause them anxiety or fear or trepidation. His reminder for the church in Corinth was maybe, just maybe, you have swayed in your following and your faithfulness. Maybe, just maybe, you've gotten so focused on yourself that you've lost sight of what God has done on your behalf. [00:32:48] (30 seconds) #RefocusOnGod

In our weakness and saying, you know what, I'm a sinner. I'm struggling. This is difficult for me. I know I'm not living in the manner that God desires for me. That is a weakness posture. But we're also reminded in that weakness, God in his powerful way through his son Jesus Christ says, you know what? When you repent and ask forgiveness, you are forgiven. [00:33:50] (22 seconds) #ForgivenInWeakness

Test yourselves. Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? And the way we know that is Christ in you. If he's not in you, you are not a follower of Jesus Christ and you will perish. If he's in you and you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you will live. [00:35:50] (22 seconds) #RethinkYourPath

Am I truly living according to the word of God? Or am I pursuing after the things of this world that my flesh desires? Am I truly living and searching with kingdom eyes? Or am I looking through a lens of self, affirmation, self protection, self comfort? [00:38:03] (25 seconds) #PowerOfTheCross

We have our own opportunity this morning to test and see, and we're going to take communion here in a minute and kind of search ourselves as we go through this and repent and ask forgiveness. But there's also a ton of people in our world that are dying around us without the knowledge and understanding that they are already separated from God by their own sinfulness. [00:39:17] (19 seconds) #LifeInChristOnly

Heavenly Father, I thank you for these folks that are ill-equipped, just like all of us. Lord, but you do the equipping. You take a guy who has a thorn in his side and is able to do miraculous things. And you support him with a wonderful bride. Who is able to encourage him along the way and do ministries herself. [01:12:23] (26 seconds)

Lord, that we would be a church that supports. That we would be a church that comes alongside in a partnership as brothers and sisters and as family members. And Lord, that you would bless their time here in the United States. And also, Lord, as they return home. That they would be received with good news of all that you've done there while they're away. And Lord, that your ministry would just abundantly pour out into the streets and into the towns. And that they would be transformed by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And that your love would be revealed in mighty ways through the witnesses there. [01:12:51] (32 seconds)

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