Title: Joyful sorrow
sorrow to rejoice
2006-09-20
I. Background of the text
That is why 1 Corinthians contains a lot of painful reproofs. After some time passed, the Apostle Paul regretted that he had severely rebuked the members of the Corinthian church. because of. In the midst of such news, 2 Corinthians was written down. The apostle was at first grieved and strongly rebuked their sins. But through that rebuke, the Corinthian church deeply repented and repented, so they rejoiced on the contrary. So here we think of joyous sorrow.
II. sorrow to rejoice
All the worries of what to eat, what to drink, what to wear, and how to have more of the resources of this world, in this way, darken our souls, defile our hearts, and make us It is the sorrow that rots the bones of the body. But there are sorrows to rejoice in, which are sorrows that lead to life. That was the anxiety the Corinthian church had. Their concerns were largely due to two reasons.
A. For one's own sins
The first was the sorrow for their sins. In the past, when they were inclined to greed, lost grace, and had a dark heart, they did not know how serious their sins were. However, when grace seeps in, a life of self-centeredness becomes a life of God-centeredness. So, all my thoughts are crucified, and I am thinking, ‘What will the Lord think, what will the Lord’s heart be like?’
But think about it. Does our grieving over our sins restore our relationship with God in an instant? When we have fallen so shallowly in sin, when we are under the control of grace, once we exercise our spiritual quickness and weep deeply before God, weeping and praying, our body and mind become decrepit, and we again experience a sense of God's grace. Spiritual qualities are revived in us. On the other hand, when we are under the control of sin, even though we sometimes have deep penitence, the experience of penance does not bring us to the rule of grace at once. Therefore, when such earnest prayers of penance cool down, our hearts become dry again in a miraculously quick time. It shows the power of sin that has already prevailed in our hearts and souls.
In such a case, worrying about sin like this does not bring about restoration of the fundamental relationship with God. This heart is the heart awakened by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. The members of this Corinthian church had a great awakening in their hearts before the grace of great restoration came upon them. There was an awakening of sorrow over sin. That is why they were worried.
B. Because of the longing for grace
So, if children love God like this, they will have the heart to do what God pleases again. When we have a longing for grace, we become sorrowful. 'I've come a long way! Compared to the grace the Lord has bestowed on me, I have caused you so much pain! Concerns about these things arise. At that time, God will open the way to meet you again.
III. Conclusion and application
Beloved, it's not too late. Have we ever felt discouraged that it was too late after we believed in Jesus? It's not like that. Now is the time to pray for our children. But it doesn't even come. Because as time goes by, conversion becomes impossible. That is why we must pray earnestly for our children and knock on the door of their hearts. That is why we must earnestly invite souls to grieve for their children to reach conversion, to restore lost grace, to have longing, and to pray for their souls to be touched before God. Pray earnestly, pray, pray, and pray again... 2006-09-20