WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.480
Day 328 or November the 24th. You can get what

00:00:05.480 --> 00:00:09.619
you expect. Our thoughts today are rooted in

00:00:09.619 --> 00:00:13.619
2 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 5. They exceeded

00:00:13.619 --> 00:00:17.260
our expectations. They gave themselves first

00:00:17.260 --> 00:00:20.359
of all to the Lord and then by the will of God

00:00:20.359 --> 00:00:25.739
also to us. And now the big picture surrounding this

00:00:25.739 --> 00:00:29.780
verse. Paul tells the Corinthians that they are

00:00:29.780 --> 00:00:32.920
to be motivated by the love that Christ has so

00:00:32.920 --> 00:00:36.159
lavishly spread amongst them. This will keep

00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:39.219
inspiring them as they witness to the message

00:00:39.219 --> 00:00:42.939
of reconciliation that is available only in Jesus

00:00:42.939 --> 00:00:46.859
Christ. Then there are a few stern verses in

00:00:46.859 --> 00:00:49.799
this letter that warn them not to be yoked together

00:00:49.799 --> 00:00:53.310
with unbelievers. In the early days of the Church,

00:00:53.490 --> 00:00:56.509
this was a particularly big problem, because

00:00:56.509 --> 00:01:00.310
Gentiles were able to amend and mix their religions

00:01:00.310 --> 00:01:04.030
with impunity, and now Paul is telling them not

00:01:04.030 --> 00:01:07.189
only do they need to keep pure in doctrine, but

00:01:07.189 --> 00:01:10.609
also in practical things like marriage. Over

00:01:10.609 --> 00:01:13.530
the centuries, this has been the advice offered

00:01:13.530 --> 00:01:16.409
to a couple who were seeking marriage when only

00:01:16.409 --> 00:01:19.510
one of them was a committed Christian. It seems

00:01:19.510 --> 00:01:23.310
the unbeliever's influence almost always wins

00:01:23.310 --> 00:01:29.349
in such duos. And now, our action step for today.

00:01:30.109 --> 00:01:33.189
Paul tells the believers in the south, in Corinth,

00:01:33.489 --> 00:01:36.230
about their brothers and sisters in the churches

00:01:36.230 --> 00:01:40.719
of Macedonia, up in the north of Greece. He relishes

00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:43.260
the opportunity to brag about their dedication

00:01:43.260 --> 00:01:46.180
and the willingness of the Macedonian believers

00:01:46.180 --> 00:01:50.299
to support others financially. How often do you

00:01:50.299 --> 00:01:53.359
brag about your fellowship? I have preached in

00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:56.280
churches where I have been full of positive expectation

00:01:56.280 --> 00:01:59.640
after talking to the leaders before the service.

00:01:59.959 --> 00:02:02.359
They really were proud of their fellowship, and

00:02:02.359 --> 00:02:06.000
I sensed it. On the other hand, I've been presented

00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:08.699
with the exact opposite by being told what a

00:02:08.699 --> 00:02:13.000
hard, inflexible lot this congregation is, and

00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:16.580
they were. Expectations are often moulded by

00:02:16.580 --> 00:02:19.819
what we hear. It works with families and friends

00:02:19.819 --> 00:02:23.460
too. Expect good things and you're more likely

00:02:23.460 --> 00:02:27.060
to experience them. It's more than positive thinking,

00:02:27.259 --> 00:02:31.080
it's seeing the best in others. Try it for yourself.