Working Together Through Pain By Jeremy Anderson (2 Corinthians 1:12-2:4)

``Right? Look. We all know that we we saw Jesus who we thought was a yes. Go to the cross. We thought he was a no, and it turns out he is in fact yes. The no was never a no. And Paul is saying, listen. My apparent no of my travel plans and all of this that's going on is not actually no. It's actually yes. [00:17:09] (23 seconds)  #YesInTheNo

The honest conversations say, listen, we gotta lock in. God's given us a mission. He's given us this privilege that we get to serve one another. We get to minister on behalf of the gospel. We don't deserve that, but God allows it for us that he's given us this privilege. And by the way, when you do that, be prepared because plans are probably gonna change. [00:05:12] (25 seconds)  #MissionOverPlans

He really is the one that the prophets have have spoken of. He really is the promised one. Going all the way back to Genesis three, like, he's he's it. Right? Jesus is really it, and people are getting excited about this, and people are rallying behind Jesus, and then and then Jesus goes to Jerusalem. You have Holy Week. You have Jesus arrested. He's tried. He's beaten, and he's hung on a cross, and he dies. I thought Jesus was the yes. And in that moment, all the people thinking that Jesus is the yes are like, it's over. He's a no. [00:15:05] (51 seconds)  #YesDespiteTheCross

Won't you give us the benefit of the doubt? Because I I recognize that plans have changed, I recognize that that changed you. We didn't meet your expectations and all that, but but can't you trust that we're not just trying to be deceitful and manipulative? Can't you trust because you know us that we have godly intentions in mind? We have your best interests in mind. You know that's our heart. That's what Paul's getting at. [00:10:48] (27 seconds)  #GiveBenefitOfDoubt

And he's like, we've got a clear conscience, and we've also been consistent in this because at the end of verse 12, he says that we've done all this not by earthly wisdom, but by the grace of God and supremely so toward you. In other words, what Paul is saying is you've seen it. You of all people to the Corinthians, we've been ministered with you. We've spoken with you. We've spent time with you. You know us. [00:09:37] (26 seconds)  #GraceDrivenIntegrity

You Corinthians, if you're gonna discredit us, if you're gonna write us off, there's an inconsistency in your decision to do that with who we are. This is what that means. Paul is saying God's the one who's established us as he's established you. God's the one who has anointed us and set us apart as he's anointed you. God's the one who has sealed us as he's sealed you. So to discredit us is in some way in the same token to discredit God's work that he's done in your own life. [00:21:16] (38 seconds)  #RespectGodsWork

You do them by building credibility not in the moment of crisis, but now. Right? Paul doesn't, in this moment of crisis, start saying, well, well, look at all the things I'm doing right now. Paul, in the moment of crisis, looks back and says, look at all that we have. Look at the history. Look at the deposits that have been made over time so that in this moment of difficulty, you've got a track record that you can trust. So if you're gonna engage in ministry here and now before the moment of crisis, make those deposits. Work with people. [00:18:50] (38 seconds)  #BuildTrustNow

We use this authority to to come alongside, to work with you. It's actually the word that where we derive our English word synergy from, is to work with. That that's what Paul is saying that this authority, this leadership is really all about. It's it's actually for the good of the Corinthians. It's it's for their benefit to partner with them for their joy, not to just come and beat people over the head with a hammer and say, listen. God's given us authority. Because with that authority, Paul recognizes comes a lot of responsibility to care and shepherd and lead, to give an account for those things. [00:23:58] (39 seconds)  #LeadershipIsService