I Will Give Thanks

I Will Give Thanks

10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” 2 Corinthians 1:10-11 NIV

Intro: The Apostle Paul had visited the city of Corinth and had started a church there.

After he left to continue on his missionary journey

there was a lot of division in the church at Corinth.

He wrote several letters to them which became the book of 1 Corinthians.

One member was living with his step mother.

Some members question Paul Apostolic Authority

There were still some who practiced the pagan sexual rituals to Aphrodite.

Others wanted to isolate themselves from all outside influence like living in a monastery.

The problems and the conflict were not solved

The divisions were not healed

And less than a year later Paul visited Corinthians again.

That visit was very painful for Paul and it was very painful for the church at Corinth.

Paul talked about being disciplined and spiritual and not being puffed up.

To forgive and comfort those who were willing to make changes.

Even after his second visit things still did not get much better

and Paul planned to visit Corinth a third time

but he was not able and so he wrote the letters of 2 Corinthians instead.

In these early verses of 2 Corinthians chapter 1 Paul uses the words trouble, suffering, danger, death, or dying, at least 10 different times.

Paul says that he himself knows what it is like to be in trouble.

Paul explains that he has suffered in many ways.

Paul has often been in danger.

Paul has faced death many times.

He is no stranger to problems and conflict and difficulties.

So Paul is giving some advice to the church on how to get well spiritually and win the spiritual battles.

Paul does something here that makes him vulnerable.

I think we need to learn a lesson from Paul.

That it is ok to show our weakness when we are doing it to show others the strength of God.

Paul bares his soul and tells the church he loves them.

But then he says, you have not been trusting in the power of God

You are not turning things over to the source of help that you need to deal with your troubles.

You don’t have an attitude of dependence on God.

Problems are designed to drive us toward God not drive us away from God.

John Wesley was on his death bed when he said,

“Children, as soon as I am released, sing a Psalm of praise to God.”

Everywhere we go, in everything we do, in whatever state we are in,

let us sing a song of praise to the One who made us,

the One who sustains us,

the One who will see us through.

I have always felt sorry for people who are born in pessimism.

They look for the dark and gloomy side of life,

never able to do much of anything but grumble and criticize.

It is easy to have a disapproving spirit in our lives.

But we are not called to be critics, to be negative, or live in doom and gloom.

We are called to praise the Lord from whom all blessings flow.

There is story about two taxidermists who stopped at a window in which an screech owl was on display.

Immediately they began to criticize the way it was mounted.

Its eyes were not natural.

Its wings were not in proportion to the head.

The feathers were not neatly arranged

and the feet could be improved.

They looked at each other and said, “You know, whoever did this job didn’t do a very good one.”

As they continued their critique, the old owl turned its head and flapped its wings and flew away.

Learn this lesson: Praise God wherever you are!

No matter what your circumstance.

The Apostle Paul says: 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again.

On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,

God has delivered us before.

God will deliver us again.

We solve our problems by staying in touch with God.

We overcome our troubles by coming into the community fellowship in church and worshipping God.

We get better by accepting the altar as a place to repent, pray, receive forgiveness,

and to give our thanks and praise and worship God who is our help.

There is nothing better than knowing that no matter what I have to face,