Sorrowing into Gods Wonderful Joy 

There is a bitter sweet sorrow which is the gateway into the joy of the Lord. 

This is the door opened by sorrow! 

Through this door the widow of Zarephath entered carrying her dead son 
The thief passed from death to life, the condemnation of the cross to the justification of Christ 
The door which separated the sorrow of broken hearts from the joy of broken bread in the home at Emmaus 
The door into the upper room which separated for ever the doubts of Thomas' unbelief and…

3 Description of the Christian revealing Christ: 

Sweet Savour of Christ (2:15) 

'savour of His knowledge' (2:14) 

Living Letter (3:2-3) 

'known and read of all men' 

Earthen Vessel (4:7) 

'light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ' 

3 descriptions of the Christian as: 

knowing God 
revealing that knowledge of God to others 
responsibility! 

The setting of 2:14-17 is that of suffering and persecution 

The whole epistle could be regarded as an exposition of 2 Co 1:3: 

The…

An interlude in an epistle of suffering 

The subject of 'joy' 

This is joy restored by repentance 

The endurance of Gods gracious discipline in the life of His people is given not to crush or destroy but to restore joy! 

Sin is separation 
Separation is from God 
God is the source of all true joy 

Psa 16:11 'Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.' 

The gracious discipline of the Father for His people may for a season bring…

'Living Letters' 

Surely one of the strangest descriptions of Christians? 

Many titles given to Christians in the NT: 

My sheep – John 10 
Little children – John 
Flock of God – Peter 
Saints Christians 
Followers of that way 

But here – living letters! 

Wherever I go – this letter is taken! 

This is not the kind of evangelism that places emphasis on bringing people to places, meetings or events but rather the kind of evangelism that recognises that God sends His messengers to the lost, and those messengers are…