Kaleo Church Podcast

We often hear Paul’s call to “examine yourselves” as an invitation to be harder on ourselves— to dig deeper into our failures and shortcomings. But what if that’s not what he meant at all? In this powerful sermon from 2 Corinthians 13:5–10, Pastor Tim reminds us that self- examination isn’t about seeing how sinful we are, but about seeing who is in us — Jesus Christ. When we learn to look inward and find Christ instead of condemnation, shame loses its power, and the gospel takes its rightful place at the center of our hearts. Come be reminded that in Christ, your sin no longer defines you — your Savior does.

2 Cor 13:1-4

Have you ever tried to help someone only to be accused oftrying to take advantage of them? Despite all that Paul had done forthe Corinthians, they continued to demonstrate their distrust byfalsely accusing him of things. Nevertheless, Paul responded to them by spending and being spent for their souls. In this message, we will consider what it looks like to gladly invest in the eternal souls of others and how we are able to continue to love even those who have turned against us.

It is very natural to try to mask our insecurities with accomplishments. What happens when our reputation is challenged? Is being in Christ enough? Listen and hear how the gospel frees us to find all of our worth in the person and work of Christ.

Have you ever found that your love for someone ended up bringing suffering into your life? In this passage Paul reveals that the greatest suffering in his life flowed from his love for others. And yet instead of trying to hide his heartbreak or pull back in order to avoid letting it happen again we find that Paul actually boast about the pain that love had brought into his life? What did Paul understand about love and about suffering that allowed him to keep his heart open despite the pain that he knew it would inevitably cause? 

Whose approval are you really looking for? Yourself? Others? A voice from the past? We are often tempted to compare ourselves with others in an effort to find something in ourselves worthy of commendation. Yet, when we do so we stray from our gospel hope in Jesus Christ. There is only one place where commendation is certain, and the approving face of a loving Father is sure to shine. We find the commendation of our Lord by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. In Christ, you have all the approval and commendation you’ll ever need so you are free to live a hidden life of love and humble service toward others without comparison.

 What happens when the joy of our salvation encounters the extreme brokenness of this world? In this message we will see how the Gospel enables us to have a joy so great that it overflows in a wealth of generosity even in the worst of circumstances. How is that possible? That’s the question this sermon will address.

As far as friendship goes, where does it rank amongst the different types of love? In an age where friendship is declining, where people are more easily offended than ever, is friendship something we are all longing for? Listen and hear how the gospel forms us into friends of Jesus and friends to one another. 

   Pursuing reconciliation is hard, especially with those who have hurt us. In this passage, Paul models for us what it looks like for the offended party to pursue reconciliation. Everything about what Paul does in these verses appears risky and unnatural. And yet the closer we look at this passage, the more it becomes clear that Paul was simply trying to treat the Corinthians the way that Jesus had treated him. The hope is that this message will remind us all of the way our Savior has treated us and open our hearts to grow in the way we treat each other.

Sometimes God gives us a glimpse of something so great that we fear. Some may try to convince us that we should give up faith because it is too good to be true, or that we should be afraid of something so magnificent. However, godly fear doesn't drive us away from God but to him. It is this fear of God that brings holiness to completion in our lives driving us to respond to the promises and presence of the living God by drawing near to the Lord Almighty. He is our joy. He is our peace. He is our fear.  

  How do you keep your heart open to loving people after having it broken? In 2 Corinthians 6:11-13, Paul responds to being hurt by the Corinthians by telling them that he is going to keep his heart wide open towards them, regardless of the suffering it may lead to. Where does Paul find the courage to keep his heart open to people who have hurt him? And why does Paul believe that keeping his heart wide open is so important? In this message, we will explore the essential connection between love and vulnerability. We will also see how seeking to limit our vulnerability will ultimately restrict the love we can both give and receive.