Week of November 24

“It’s as plain as the nose on your face” means that something is obvious. Sometimes it is so apparent we may overlook it! Paul wraps up the letter to the Corinthians with a powerful benediction, providing us with obvious ways to revive a church in distress. His message is as plain as the nose on our face, but do we see it?

The context in 2 Corinthians holds implications for many of our churches today. The people thought they were healthy, but there were several moral concerns needing to be addressed. Paul claims he will certainly make another trip to Corinth and that he would deal firmly with their sin in the power God provides (13:1-4). He concludes the letter with a series of short and crisp benedictory encouragements. These exhortations provide them with a checklist for spiritual health prior to his return (13:11-14). Let’s take them to heart as well.

Mend the nets of fellowship. Paul uses five imperatives to appeal to the Corinthian church. Paul concludes his letter with a “goodbye” (lit. “rejoice”) and offers all of us a reminder that, whether we are arriving or departing, our hope is for abundant joy to be resident in the church. First, churches should be moving forward toward “perfection.” This word is used elsewhere of fishermen mending nets, but here it has the idea of furnishing completely or restoring. Do more people slip out the back door of your church, to use an analogy, than those who enter in the front door?

Paul had already encouraged them to be restored to spiritual strength and wholeness, so the idea here would be the same (13:9). He plainly wanted them to become stronger disciples so that he had to exercise less control over them. In other words, grow up! Maturity meant they would break with all idolatry (6:14-7:1), show warm hospitality to the three guests he was sending, keep their word and give toward Jerusalem famine relief (chapters 8-9), and change their attitude toward him as their leader (chapters 10-13). 

Seek the sincere fellowship of Christ. Secondly, Paul encourages them to be comforted. Perhaps he is aiming for their comfort, as he expressed in his letter’s opening, but it is also possible that he simply wanted them to see the truth in his arguments. In other words, he desired for them to calm down and allow the truth to bring calm to their hearts and fellowship. He exhorts them to agree with one another in the Lord. This reminds me of the pivotal passage in Philippians 2:1-4, where the Philippians are encouraged to be of the same mind. The idea is not uniformity; instead, it is unity in Christ. They were to live in peace without divided loyalties (11:2, 3; 12:20; EBC). They had some work to do, as do many of our churches today. 

Pursue the peace of Christ. Finally, Paul calls for the Corinthians to live in peace. We may see that peace would naturally follow once they had implemented the things he has already called for them to do. If they were to heed these encouragements, then surely the God of peace would provide the richest blessings of peace by dwelling in their midst. Too many churches resemble more the clatter and chaos of an auctioneer’s cattle call, rather than the calm and comfort of the abiding God, as people rush from event to event. So, Paul prays in Trinitarian fashion that the Father, Son, and Spirit would pour out grace, love, and fellowship on the church. Amen! We do well to follow Paul’s checklist for spiritual well-being.

Have you seen the so-called “genius tests” on Facebook? These are the posts that claim a mastermind will spot a single number or a lone letter among dozens of possibilities. Supposedly, it is difficult, but the numbers or letters are often as plain to me as the nose on my face. Believe me, I am no genius, but I am often able to spot the “hidden” by looking for what does not look like all the other numbers or characters. Church health is not “hidden.” It is as plain as joy, restoration, comfort, unity, and peace.

1. Sometimes we export our own personal struggles, or home discord, to the church. Practice growing in spiritual maturity, and then ask God to use you to strengthen the fellowship within your church.

2. For Families: Model the principles stated above inside your home. Take a piece of poster board or use some notebook paper. Entitle the poster “Checklist” or “Health,” then draw a line down the middle. On one side write down several important “to do” items to maintain health. Research them online (for example: diet, vitamins, exercise, proper rest, and good relationships, or home harmony).

Then, on the other side of the checklist, write down the principles stated above. Take time at a family meal or during daily devotions to review the checklist with your children. Ask them where they may have fallen short (and you, as well!), and then pray together, asking God to help your family to abide in the love and peace of Christ.

May your paths be straight,
Larry C. Ashlock