What are you responsible for?

Only One Thing Causes Unhappiness

This is perhaps the major underlying motivation for adultery, infidelity, affairs, divorce and remarriage.

The reason our spontaneous human default is to "cling," is because "the human mind is a perpetual forge of idols" (Calvin, Institutes 1.11.8).

Anger (Mark Twain). Success (Gore Vidal).

Are compassion and criticism compatible?

Are you Seeking Comfort, Security and Safety?

Do you know how to stop?

How much are you affected by success or failure?

Forgiveness and Reconciliation. Desmond Tutu

"True reconciliation is not cheap. It cost God the death of His only begotten Son.

In forgiving, people are not asked to forget... Forgiveness does not mean condoning what has been done... It involves trying to understand the perpetrators and so have empathy, to try to stand in their shoes and appreciate the sorts of pressures and influences that might have conditioned them.

Forgiveness is not sentimental... Forgiveness means abandoning your right to pay back the perpetrator in his own coin, but it is a loss that liberates the victim..."

Bishop Tutu.

What John and Paul say about Christ (Jn 1:1-2, 14; Col 1:15; 2:9; Heb 1:3)

• "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:1-2, 14).

• "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation" (Col 1:15).

• "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form" (Col 2:9).

• "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being" (Heb 1:3).

Lift Up Your Hands in Prayer (Psalm 88:9)

"...my eyes are dim with grief. I call to you, Lord, every day; I spread out my hands to you" (Ps 88:9).

Hold up your left hand.

1. The thumb is closest to your heart--your family and friends. Pray for them 1st.
2. The index finger points the way to Jesus and God's will--teachers and leaders be wise in their own lives.
3. The middle finger, your tallest finger--people in authority who influence society. Lead with integrity.
4. The ring finger is pretty weak--the vulnerable, elderly, suffering, hungry. Meet their needs/draw them closer to God.
5. The last finger, pinky--you. OK to pray for yourself...last! Don't start there. Pray for everybody else 1st.

Your right hand.

1. Thumb, closest to your heart--first thing you pray for is. Guard your heart, because it controls your life (Prov 4:23). Everything flows from the heart! Confess your sin to get your heart right with him.
2. Index finger signals the number 1--pray for your priorities and schedule. What's most important to make it a priority in your life?
3. Tallest middle finger stands out--your influence. People see how God has worked in your life. Be an example of his love.
4. Ring finger--pray for your relationships--your friends, spouse, children, colleagues, supervisors, ministry partners, neighbors.
5. Little finger--pray for material blessings—it's just not the most important thing, so it's the last thing you pray for.

Piper's concentric circle of prayer:

1. Myself--the most needy person. Family, kids, grandkids.
2. Ministry, leaders one by one.
3. Specific people.

The Crucifixion (Fleming Rutledge)

Fleming Rutledge Preaching the Cross of Christ (Jan 2021). The Crucifixion, Advent and Preaching (2020). 10 Reasons to read Fleming Rutledge’s ‘The Crucifixion’.

1. The Passover lamb, 
2. the goat driven into the wilderness, 
3. the ransom, 
4. the substitute, 
5. the victor on the field of battle, 
6. the representative man—

each and all of these and more have their place, and the cross is diminished if any one of them is omitted. We need to make room for all the biblical images.

• "You have not yet considered the gravity of sin." Anselm. Scandalous Cross of Jesus [Barron on Rutledge, 9 min, 2016].

• "Your sin is the biggest problem in the world. Do you hate it? Do you make war on it?" – 
  @JohnPiper.
• Karl Barth specifically notes that sloth [spiritual laziness which is the prime deadly sin of today] gives rise to
• callous indifference, 
• racism and xenophobia, 
• increasing competitiveness [jealousy], 
• excessive consumption [appetites], 
• the desire for total security from threats [fear], and 
• a willingness to use violence to achieve one's ends [anger].
• Paul Tillich speaks of self-complacent [satisfied] finitude.
• One mark of godly Christians is that you fear sin more than you fear suffering or covid.

• A narrative sermon has a plot. It has
1. a beginning,
2. a destabilizing center,
3. a resolution. The resolution should come as a surprise, as a welcome surprise. Living words for life in the midst of death--every sermon ideally should be that. It should take the hearer from death to life.

• Preach a sermon that summons the congregation to an apocalypse, a revelation, something revealed, something new, something transformative. The purpose of the narrative is to lead the congregation from depression, despair, indifference into an eye-opening new way of understanding what God has done. God is the agent.

• Do sermons as dramas. I believe in that. The sermon is a drama, not a teaching. People say my sermons had beginnings, middles and ends. That's the best way to do it because the gospel itself is a story. The story of Jesus Christ is a story.

• There's a Jesus kerygma [proclamation; announcement; the preaching of the apostles as recorded in the NT] and there's a Christ kerygma. The NT is a Christ kerygma, which we often turn into a Jesus kerygma. That means if we tell enough stories about what Jesus did and summon people to do what Jesus did, that's a Jesus kerygma. But that's not the same as the justification of the ungodly, the phrase Paul uses twice, which is the center of the gospel.
• The justification of the ungodly is NOT a message about how we should try to be like Jesus. It's a message about what Jesus has done and his ongoing life.

• Preach every Sun about the ongoing life of Jesus in the community: "Look what we can do because of this ongoing life of Jesus." NOT "Be like Jesus," but "Listen for his voice, his living voice; listen for the gospel; listen for what God is doing and has done and will do. Even through you, this little Christian church / congregation, God is working even through you, even in the midst of this terrible, demonic plague, God is still working through little bodies of Christians." Look at what is happening through these little bodies of Christians, NOT "go and do likewise," but look at what Jesus is already doing, what God is already doing, what the Holy Spirit, the Trinity is already doing. In other words, not exhorting, but enabling, not just teaching [what 3-point tends to do]. Sermon is not just teaching; it is enabling---and enabling not only belief, but enabling action that arises out of the belief. So when Jesus says, "Go and do likewise," he doesn't mean "Copy me." He means, "Here is my power, living in my vine, my beloved, my chosen."

7 Characteristics of Liberal Theology.

• Liberalism is a diverse, but identifiable approach to Christianity, one that differs significantly from historic orthodoxy, evangelicalism and fundamentalism.  Liberals believe they are making Christianity relevant, credible, beneficial, and humane. Evangelicals like J. Gresham Machen believe they are making something other than Christianity--the dividing line a century ago, and the division persists.

• Lifting Jesus’ teaching above any claims about his person. The true religion is the way of Christ. Asserting that Christianity is essentially a life, not a doctrine. Cf. Traditional Protestant orthodoxies place the substitutionary atonement of Christ at the center of Christianity.

• Liberal theology is defined by its openness to the verdicts of modern intellectual inquiry, especially the nature and social sciences; its commitment to the authority of individual reason and experience; its conception of Christianity as an ethical way of life; its favoring of moral concepts of atonement; and its commitment to make Christianity credible and socially relevant to modern people.

• 
  The idea of liberal theology is nearly three centuries old. In essence, it is the idea that Christian theology can be genuinely Christian without being based upon external authority. Since the 18th century, liberal Christian thinkers argue that religion should be modern and progressive and that the meaning of Christianity should be interpreted from the standpoint of modern knowledge and experience. cf. the view of scripture as an infallible revelation and theology as an explication [vs. explanation] of propositional revelation.

• The movement in modern Protestantism which during the 19th century tried to bring Christian thought into organic unity with the evolutionary world view, the movements from social reconstruction, and the expectations of ‘a better world’ which dominated the general mind. It is that form of Christian faith in which a prophetic-progressive philosophy of history culminates in the expectation of the coming of the Kingdom of God on earth.

𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙉𝙤 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝘽𝙚 𝙃𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣

Do you want: 

• All your desires to be known?
• All your secrets exposed? Or remain hidden?
• To sit through a video of every detail of your personal life?

None of this would be a revelation to God "to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid." 

𝒀𝑶𝑼, 𝑰, 𝑾𝑬 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘...

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑴𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆

Who is the sexiest man in the Bible? Put your money on King David. He's got it all. He's a real man's man, and a woman's man too: handsome, glamorous, magnificent in statecraft, a lion on the battlefield, a brilliantly gifted musician and poet, a flamboyantly physical presence yet deeply introspective and prayerful, a man of action and a man of contemplation ... just recounting these traits makes me go weak in the knees.

The final chapter of King David's life is as pathetic as the rest of his life is titanic. He has become so feeble that he cannot leave his room, and he shivers constantly. His servants and family pile covers on him, to no avail. Finally, in desperation, they resort to a stratagem appropriate to an Eastern potentate--they put a young woman into bed with him to keep him warm. This may sound exciting, but since he has become impotent, it is not even the last flickering of a once-brilliant flame, but a pitiful dying away into ashes--precisely the kind of death we all dread.

Excerpts from a sermon by Fleming Rutledge: God on the Move (Lk 1:26-33).

4th Sun in Advent 1996; St. John's Church, Salisbury, Connecticut.

Published in Advent. The Once & Future Coming of Jesus Christ, 2018.

How far can you go?

Practice God's Presence (Brother Lawrence)

"The holiest, most common, most necessary practice in the spiritual life is the presence of God, that is to take delight in and become accustomed to His divine company, speaking humbly and talking lovingly with Him at all times, at every moment, without rule or system and especially in times of temptation, suffering, spiritual aridity, disgust and even of unfaithfulness and sin."  [Practices necessary to attain the spiritual life.]

Critics of Paul in Corinth

Paul's critics/opponents in Corinth commended themselves and denigrated Paul according to their:

1. commanding presence (2 Cor 10:1, 10).
2. concrete displays of power and authority (2 Cor 11:19-20).
3. impressive speech (2 Cor 11:20-21).
4. worthiness to accept full compensation (2 Cor 11:7-11).
5. Jewish pedigree (2 Cor 11:21b-22)).
6. endurance of hardships (2 Cor 11:23-29).
7. mystical visions (2 Cor 12:1-6).

David E. Garland. 2 Corinthians. The New American Commentary. 1999. 454.

Graphe (2 Tim 3:16). Logos (Heb 4:12). Rhema (Eph 6:17)

—Graphe – (Written Word) – The Holy Scriptures. 51 x (1 Cor 15:3, 4).

¡"All Scripture [graphe] is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness" (2 Tim 3:16).

—Logos – (Meaning of the Word) – A Bible message. 331 x (Jn 1:1, 14; 5:24; 1 Cor 1:18; 2:4; 15:2; 1 Ti 1:15; 2 Ti 4:2; Jas 1:22-23).

¡"For the Word [logos] of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any two-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Heb 4:12).

—Rhema – (Spoken Word) – A word God speaks to you from his written word.  A word that 'leaps off the page' into your heart. 70 x (Mt 4:4; Lk 1:38; 3:2; 4:4; 5:5; Jn 6:63, 68; 15:7; 2 Cor 12:4; 1 Pet 1:25).

¡"Take … the sword of the Spirit, which is the word [rhema] of God" (Eph 6:17).

Christ Crucified (Horatius Bonar, 1808-1880)

Slaves Need Liberation-Exodus 1-2a

• Are you truly free? Why precisely does God want you to be free?
• What does it mean to you to be free and liberated? Is the U.S. truly "the land of the free"? Why or why not?
• What rules do you practice daily? How do you obey God?
• Is your fear like that the king (Exo 1:9-10) or of the midwives (Exo 1:17)?

* What rules do you live by? Why did I decide to study Exodus? Why should we study it? A short answer is that I/we need [absolute and non-negotiable] rules in life to live well, and Exodus contains the most famous and most important rule of life--the Ten Commandments (Exo 20:2-17). Tom Brady, age 44, won 7 Super Bowls and is the undisputed GOAT in football. He has great skills. But he disciplined himself to live by certain rules daily regarding his diet, sleep, hydration, pliability, etc, which he keeps year round even in the off season. [He avoids the "W's": white sugar, white bread, white pasta, white potatoes, white rice, white milk.] I have my-7-rules-to-not-gain-weight-and-have-a-belly. When I break the rules, I gain weight, but if I keep them I maintain my weight and/or lose what I gained. It involves a conscious act of the will daily. Likewise, to live well as Christians, we need rules to live by. If we break them, as the Isrealites did, we'll suffer consequences/punishments, but if we keep them, we'll experience God's blessing. What "rules" do you practice daily?

* 10 Commandments. "And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant--the Ten Commandments" (Exo 34:28b). The 10_C is the most important moral code in world history, and the central moral code of the Torah [teaching, instructions, law]. It's the great climax and point of reference of all biblical literature. Together with the Israelites' exodus from Egyptian slavery, the revelation of the 10_C at Mount Sinai are 2 of the most important events in world history. If people lived by those 10 laws alone, the world would be almost devoid of all man-made suffering.

* Freedom and obedience MUST go together. People, even Christians, misunderstand freedom. "I'm free to do whatever I want." Do that and you'll lose your freedom. To be truly free [as a Christian] you need to obey the Law [of God]. If you don't obey the Law, you're not free but a slave of yourself or someone else. The Israelites were liberated for the explicit purpose of serving God, and NOT freedom for freedom's sake.

* Obedience. "Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant..." (Exo 19:5a). Exodus stresses throughout the importance of obeying God, which lies at the heart of the covenant relationship (Exo 19:8; 24:3, 7). Moses was initially reluctant to obey. Pharaoh stubbornly refused to obey. The Israelites had to obey God's instructions exactly regarding the Passover. Then after the exodus from slavery in Egypt they had to newly learn obedience to God who delivered/saved them from bondage. But...

...human obedience doesn't create the covenant relationship with God, since God is the one who first acts/initiates; obedience merely maintains it. When the Israelites later made and worshipped the golden calf they were punished for their disobedience and the covenant relationship with God was broken. How is your personal obedience to God?

Liberation with Exodus as a paradigm. Exodus inspired a branch of theology known as "liberation theology." It's emphasis is that God is particularly concerned with the poor, oppressed and enslaved. Since God worked to liberate the Hebrews, generations have expected that God will do the same for them. Thus, this story, as told in the Passover liturgy, has comforted Jews through all kinds of persecution. It has comforted African American slaves. It comforts the poor in Central and South America. The liberating God offers more than spiritual liberation. God's freedom is political, economic, and social; it is a form of re-creation. But, liberation in divine terms is not synonymous with independence of doing whatever you want. God always frees people from serving others by inviting them to serve God instead. Exodus defines true freedom as living and serving in God's kingdom. (See Matthew.)

* Fear God, Civil Disobedience. "The midwives, however, feared God..." (Exo 1:17). [Rules/Laws, Liberation/Freedom, Obedience/Civil Disobedience.]

God's agenda, masterfully narrated in Exodus, forms the outline for the book itself:

• "Let my people go, so that they might worship me!" (Exo 7:16).
• The Passover. God is to be known as the creator and the redeemer of all things.
• Ten Commandments is for creating a good neighborhood.
• God's identity revealed: a forgiving and longsuffering God
• Tabernacle: God's "dwelling" in the midst of the camp.

Outline (The New Interpreter's Study Outline, 2003)

1. The Power of the Lord in Egypt (1:1-15:21). Liberation.
1. The Egyptian Oppression (1:1-2:25) sets the stage.
2. The Commissioning/Call of Moses (3:1-7:7) as the hero of the story.
3. The Conflict between the Lord and Pharaoh (7:8-15:21) recounts the events leading to deliverance from Egypt.
2. The Presence of the Lord in the Wilderness (15:22-40:38). Relationship (Covenant).
1. The Wilderness Journey (15:22-18:27). Is the Lord among us or not? God is present.
2. The Revelation of the Law at Mt. Sinai (19:1-24:18). The charter of a holy nation.
1. (19:1-25) At Mount Sinai.
2. (20:1-17) The Ten Commandments.
3. (20:18-21) Moses as Mediator.
4. (20:22-23:19) The Covenant Code.
5. (23:20-33) Conquest of Canaan Promised.
6. (24:1-18) The Covenant Ceremony . 
   
3. The Sanctuary of the Lord (25:1-40:38).
1. The pattern of the tabernacle (25:1-31:18).
2. Sin and restoration (32:1-34:35).
1. (32:1-35) The Golden Calf.
2. (33:1-23) Moses Seeks Assurance.
3. (34:1-28) Renewal of the Covenant.
4. (34:29-35) Moses' Shining Face.
   
3.  Israel's obedient work (35:1-40:38).
1. (35:1-36:7) Materials for the Tabernacle.
2. (36:8-39:43) The Work of Construction.
3. (40:1-33) Moses Finishes the Work.
4. (40:34-38) The Glory of the Lord.
   

Walter Brueggermann, 1994. 4 themes. The God who Liberates: http://popchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Class-One-Handout.pdf

1. Freedom [sociopolitical liberation] from oppression. A narrative.
2. God's will for all aspects of [Israel's] personal and public life. Sinai law.
3. The Sinai covenant is binding. Israel and the Lord are intimately, profoundly and non negotiably committed to each other.
4. God establishes an enduring presence in Israel's midst through the structure of the tabernacle.

James Bruckner, 2008. 6 perspectives.

1. Freedom to serve God--NOT freedom for freedom's sake--is the purpose of Exodus [exit]. The Exodus is missional (Exo 3:18; 5:1; 6:6-8; 13:21-22; 19:4; 20:2). Fully, 1/2 of Exodus focuses on worship of the Creator and Redeemer God (ch. 20-40).
2. Bless the world through Abraham's descendants. God fulfils his promises in Genesis.
3. Grace of deliverance. The exit from Egypt and God's victory at the Red Sea is God's grace on which the law at Sinai was based. The law is for a good and healthy community life for those God had already chosen, delivered, blessed, redeemed and saved, and with whom God had entered into a personal relationship. The law was NEVER a means of salvation. Grace always precedes the law.
4. Formation of an emerging people of God. God didn't accomplish everything for God's people at once, nor negate his promise of blessing when they rebelled against God after their deliverance. God redeemed them [again] even from the self-destructive worship of the golden calf. God delivers them not just from an oppressor, but from their own sin as well. Even their rejection of God won't drive God away. God's presence would positively affect every aspect of their lives.
5. God invited people into a cooperative venture for the 1st time in the creation of the tabernacle. God's glory was first manifested in the beauty of creation, and then in the cloud, fire, manna and mountain. God's glory would be accessible daily, since God would dwell in their midst in the tabernacle through the clouds of presence.
6. Give God's people hope for the future by remembering God's acts of deliverance in history/in the past. In Deuteronomy, Moses continually looks back to the events of Exodus as a source of inspiration and hope.

INTRODUCTION. The story of Yahweh's rescue of the Hebrew slaves from oppressive slavery under Pharaoh in Egypt has inspired people all around the world for millennia. According to popular author Bruce Feiler, the Exodus narrative is especially foundational to and serves as a recurring narrative in American history. "Even a cursory review of American history indicates that Moses has emboldened leaders of all stripes, patriot and loyalist, slave and master, Jew and Christian." But long before it became a recurring theme in politics, the story of the Exodus was a recurring theme in the Bible. Exodus, the 2nd book in the Torah, tells the original story of how a group of enslaved people in Egypt escaped into the wilderness and became a new people, the people of Israel. The prophets tell the story again, reminding the people of how they have forgotten their liberation and their promises, the Psalms celebrate the story, and in the NT, the story is repeated and reworked in the sacraments–baptism and Communion–and in our commission to be a light for the world (Exo 19:6). In John, Jesus is equated with a bronze serpent Moses held up to save the people from serpents in the desert, and when Jesus commanded that his disciples remain rooted in the vine. Perhaps most of all, Matthew draws upon the Exodus narrative as Matthew frames Jesus as a 2nd Moses figure, ushering in a new era of liberation and a new kingdom, the kingdom of God. One can't really know the Bible without knowing the Exodus story, nor fully understand who Christ was to his Jewish followers either. The Bible and Jesus' life tell us that God's business is to liberate us from things and people that enslave us.

Why study Exodus? Exodus is to Jews what Jesus' death and resurrection is to Christians. In the OT, > 100x God is referred to as "the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." Exodus is God's mighty redemptive act to free His people. To this day, the Passover is their commemoration/celebration of their deliverance from Egypt. This mirrors Christian's celebration of the forgiveness of sin in the Lord's Supper.

Genesis--the account of creation, an intro to God: creation, Fall, Noah and the Tower of Babel in Ch. 1-12. Ch. 13-50 is the story of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Exodus begins where Genesis left off.

Exodus means "way out, exit" Exodus is God's power and sovereignty over the most powerful country, Egypt. God provides a way out of dire circumstances of His chosen people. " No temptation has seized you except what is common to man, And God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a 'way out' so that you can stand up under it" (1 Cor 10:13). God still provides a "way out" for His people.

The story of the Jews is our story. Their journey is our spiritual journey. Their freedom from slavery by God's mighty hand is our release from the bondage of sin by the mighty sacrifice of Christ. Their journey in the wilderness is our individual journey of the reality of Jesus in our lives. Their entering the Promised Land through battles, victories/defeats, is our faith journey with the ups and downs of our commitment to Christ. Their division of the land of promise and time of peace is our receiving the inheritance offered to the saints and the peace promised through Christ. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (Jn 14:27).

How are we all to inherit the Promised Land? Entering heaven after death, but we can enter a dimension of the Promised Land here on earth. The Hebrew's story helps us see the sign posts to enter the rest of God, the peace of God and the joy of God here on earth as it is in heaven.

Is the account of the Exodus real? Did it really happen, or is it a story to support Biblical claims? Ancient historians conclude that a group of nomadic people called the Habiru came into Egypt from the east escaping a famine. From Genesis, it was a famine that drove Jacob and his sons to seek asylum in Egypt. Historians also agree that slave labor was used for Egypt's massive building projects. In Exodus 1 the Jewish slaves, as Pharaoh's property, were the backbone of his work force.

Which Pharaoh was it? Most historians think it's the reign of Ramses II in the 19th dynasty ~ 1270 BC. In Egypt today, you see the grandeur of that in ancient times. At the time of Exodus, the pyramids would've been built. Egypt was a mighty world power with a high level of learning and sophisticated engineering feats we still haven't figured out. The city of Aswan has temples to the goddess Ibis that are elegant and beautifully adorned with artwork. Up the Nile to Luxor, you can see the ancient city that stood proudly over the Nile. Egypt, with great wealth and power, used brutal slave force to achieve the remarkable structures we see today. It was a land of many gods; Pharaoh himself was considered a god. Exodus shows how The Living God of the Jews used His power against the gods of Egypt to show His supreme sovereignty to a world in darkness.

How did this Living God become known to the Jews? Spiritually all was in darkness. The Fall caused the world to be a dark place, hence the Flood. After the flood, one candle was lit--Abraham. Though he lived in an idol worshiping world, his heart was open to the one Living God. Once the light was lit in the darkness, it passed on to Isaac, to Jacob, to the 12 tribes of Israel. The Jews were the only people in the ancient world who worshiped the one true God, and these nomadic people were given the responsibility of carrying the light into a dark world.

After 400 years of bondage in Egypt, Moses carries the light passed on by Abraham and becomes the vehicle by which God will free his people from slavery and begin the journey to becoming the nation of Israel. Throughout Exodus God takes actions that are a portent of things to come in the person of Christ. What's hinted at in the OT becomes fulfilled in Christ, who is the Light of the World. With the reality of Jesus and faith in Him, God puts the Holy Spirit lighter fluid on a world stuck in darkness. It ignites and the world has never been the same.

• https://www.sjd.org/am-site/media/study-guide---lesson-8.pdf
  
• Walter Brueggerman Exodus 1 sermon [2017]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxc9b9Ln51g Civil Disobedience. Rom 12:2.
• James Bruckner [2020]: 613 laws in Exodus; 175 about community. The laws are to structure life together and not for salvation, which the Pharisees thought: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DthZyVFtoGI 15 categories of laws:
• 42 - how to handle meat
• 22 - prevent infection
• 14 - washing
• 42 - sex, incest
• 19 - domestic violence
• 45 - resting for the whole community
• 32 - giving gifts; 13 giving to those who lack

Reference:

1. James K. Bruckner. Exodus. New International Bible Commentary. 2008.
2. John Goldingay. Exodus & Leviticus for Everyone. 2010.
3. Robert Alter. The Hebrew Bible. A translation with commentary. The Five Books of Moses. 2019.
4. Dennis Prager. Exodus. God, Slavery, and Freedom. The Rational Bible. 2018.

Change a Bad Wrong Attitude

My sentiment and attitude for most of my life--even after becoming a Christian--which all my 4 children unfortunately experienced was "Go ahead, make my day." What my children felt about my attitude was "as if I didn't give an f... about what people felt or thought." Sadly, I didn't mind it and sometimes still do not, due to my own stubborn insistence on my own rightness.

But over the past decade or so, I am intentionally trying to change that, based on:

• "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Rom 12:18), and
• 
  "For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man" (2 Cor 8:21).

Yet a favorite verse of mine is

• "I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me" (1 Cor 4:3-4).

My life should not be affected by what others think of me, since I should be more concerned about what God thinks of me. So, yes, I shouldn't care how others judge me. But I do judge myself, for I'm often acutely aware of my sins, which never entirely goes away. So my conscience does bother me and I can only avail myself to God's judgment and God's mercy.

Even as I fail often, I desire to live with a heart of "fear and trembling" before God (Phil 2:12), and with "humility and tears" (Ac 20:19), and by my faith and conviction of one "who loved me and gave himself to me" (Gal 2:20).

What do parents "impress" on their kids? (Deut 6:6-7)

What do parents "impress" on their children today?

• Be safe?
• Fear and doubt?
• Anger?
• Make money?
• Be whatever you want?
• Do what I say, not what I do?
• Love God (Dt 6:5)?
• Trust God (Prov 3:5-6)?

The Sins of a Man after God's Own Heart

• 
  Can a man after God's own heart commit horrific sins?

If you don't consistently do what you should, you'll eventually and increasingly do what you shouldn't.

1. He didn't do what he should have done (2 Sam 11:1)--his mission, perhaps rationalizing that he had worked hard enough for so long, and needed a break.
2. He slept in with nothing to do. When you have "nothing to do," you'll end up doing something you shouldn't be doing (2 Sam 11:2).
3. He gave in to lust (2 Sam 11:3). He should stop looking at Bathsheba, but then he had "nothing else to do."
4. He committed adultery (2 Sam 11:4). He "forgot" he was married. But then he had "nothing to do." 
5. He concealed his sin, instead of confessing his sin (2 Sam 11:8, 10).
6. He made Uriah drunk (2 Sam 11:13).
7. He was blind to Uriah's loyalty and faithfulness (2 Sam 11:11), being consumed with hiding his sin.
8. He sent Uriah to his death (2 Sam 11:14-15, 24-25). It was premeditated murder.

My 7 Rules to Not Gain Weight and Have a Belly!

Get Fit. The TRUTH:  The "ONLY" way to loose weight is to decrease calorie intake.

As a foodie I love to eat. But I'll gain weight, which I hate, which is then very hard to lose. So I have 7 RULES to not gain weight and not have a belly:

1. * Weigh myself daily. Don't go over 160 lbs. I prefer 150 lbs. but that seems impossible.
2. No breakfast. Only black coffee.
3. No sugar, no carbs, no "W's" (Tom Brady):
• no white sugar,
• no white rice,
• no white bread,
• no white potatoes,
• no white pasta,
• no white milk.
• [I also avoid pop, pizza crust, ice cream, doughnuts, cookies, chocolate, etc. But I cheat and break this rule maybe once a week!] Eat more vegetables and protein.
4. Intermittent fasting for 12-16 hours every day. No calories after dinner the night before till lunch the next day [for eg. from 8 pm to noon -- 16 hours].
5. Drink lots of water. 8 cups or more every day.
6. "Enjoy" hungry feelings. I don't have to eat just because I feel hungry, which happens throughout the day every single day!
7. Stop eating before I feel completely full.
8. [Not recommended but it works for me on occasion.] A shot of bourbon--which has no carbs--to delay lunch for a few hours.

You Need to Obey Rules to be Free (and to loose weight). We like freedom: "I'm free to do whatever I want." So we don't like rules: "Do this, don't do that." But freedom without rules will lead to a loss of freedom (and weight gain).

• I don't keep these rules rigidly but I am always conscious of them when I break them, so as to make up for them...especially to loose the weight after I've gained a few lbs.
• Exercise is important, but exercise is not primarily for weight loss but for building muscle. Those who exercise might excuse and justify themselves to eat more.

Deceptions in Genesis

Genesis contains story after story of deception. The deception at times may be justified and at other times is sinful. If this book of the Bible were not named Genesis, it might well be named "Deception."

1. 
   [The serpent deceives Adam and Eve.]
2. Abraham deceives Pharaoh.
3. Abraham deceives Abimelech.
4. Lot's daughters deceive Lot.
5. Jacob deceives Esau twice.
6. Jacob and Rebecca deceives Isaac.
7. Laban and Leah deceive Jacob.
8. Jacob deceives Laban.
9. Rachel deceives Laban.
10. Simeon and Levi deceives the Shechemites.
11. Joseph's brothers deceives Jacob.
12. Er deceives Tamar.
13. Onan deceives Tamar and Judah.
14. Judah deceives Tamar.
15. Tamar deceives Judah.
16. Potiphar's wife deceives Potiphar.
17. Joseph deceives his brothers.

Reference: Dennis Prager. The Rational Bible. Genesis. God, Creation, and Destruction. 2019. Page 442.

The Life Jesus Wants for His People (Eberhard Arnold)

• "Outdo one another in showing honor (Rom 12:10) 
• Live in harmony with one another (Rom 12:16) 
• Admonish one another (Rom 15:14) 
• Greet one another with a holy kiss (Rom 16:16) 
• Wait for one another (1 Cor 11:33) 
• Have the same care for one another (1 Cor 12:25) 
• Be servants of one another (Gal 5:13) 
• Bear one another's burdens (Gal 6:2) 
• Comfort one another (1 Th 5:11) 
• Build one another up (1 Th 5:11) 
• Be at peace with one another (1 Th 5:13) 
• Do good to one another (1 Th 5:15) 
• Put up with one another in love (Eph 4:2) 
• Be kind and compassionate to one another (Eph 4:32) 
• Submit to one another (Eph 5:21) 
• Forgive one another (Col 3:13) 
• Confess your sins to one another (Jas 5:16) 
• Pray for one another (Jas 5:16) 
• Love one another from the heart (1 Pet 1:22) 
• Be hospitable to one another (1 Pet 4:9) 
• Meet one another with humility (1 Pet 5:5)"

― Eberhard Arnold, Called to Community: The Life Jesus Wants for His People.

Called before Conception (Jeremiah 1)

"The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations'" (Jer 1:4-5).

• Review Isaiah 6.
• What was the God that Isaiah saw like (Isaiah 6:1, 5)? What/Who is God like to you? How do you feel about Him?
• How would you explain your own conversion/salvation (Isa 6:5-7)?
• What is God calling you to do with your life (Isa 6:8)? How do you understand God's call?

1. What role did "the word of the Lord" play in Jeremiah's call (Jer 1:2, 4, 9, 11, 13; 15:16; 20:9)?
2. What role does God's word play in your life and your calling (Ps 1:2; Isa 66:2b; Jn 6:63; Ac 17:11; 2 Tim 3:16-17; Heb 3:7, 15; 4:7, 12)? How does God's word define
• who you are?
• what you are to do?
• how you are to do it?
3. To respond to God's word/God's call why do you need
• ears (Jer 1:2, 4, 11, 13)?
• eyes (Jer 1:11, 13)?
• mouth (Jer 1:9)?
• courage (Jer 1:8, 17-19)?
• heart (Jer 4:19; 9:1)? What was Jeremiah known as?
4. What does it mean to you that God
• "formed you" (Jer 1:5a; Ps 113:13-16)?
• "knew you" (Jer 1:5b; Gal 4:9; 1 Cor 8:3)?
• "set you apart" (Jer 1:5d; Jn 15:16)...
• ...even "before you were born" (Jer 1:5c; Eph 1:4; 2 Tim 1:9)?
• "appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jer 1:5, 10; Mt 28:19; Mk 16:15)?
• What would you do differently knowing the above [the primacy of God]?
5. What was Jeremiah's excuse (Jer 1:6)? God's rebuke (Jer 1:7)? God's promise (Jer 1:8, 18-19)? Do you have objections to God calling you?
6. How was Jeremiah enabled and empowered (Jer 1:8-9, 17-19)? Do you experience the power of God (Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 1:18)?
7. What are the two visions about (Jer 1:11-16; Isa 6:11-13)?

Big idea:

1. God appoints his servants to difficult tasks but empowers them with his presence. So they don't cop out or bail no matter the difficulty or opposition.
2. God does not choose us because we are good. But because God chooses us He makes us good.

Key Themes:

• The word of God plays a critical role in Jeremiah's call.
• God choose Jeremiah to be his prophet even before he was born.
• God reassures Jeremiah by promising the power of his presence.
• The word of God Jeremiah proclaims will bring both destruction and restoration.
• God's presence will deliver Jeremiah from those who will oppose him and his message.

A Fire in My Bones. "But if I say, 'I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,' his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot" (Jer 20:9).

Aspire to be a Leader in the Church

It is good to desire and aspire to leadership. It is good and honorable work (1 Tim 3:1). While doing so, one should always guard one's heart from selfish ambition (Jer 45:5; Mt 18:1; Mk 9:34; Lk 9:46).

1. How consciously aware are you that God chose you (Jn 15:16)?
2. How do you live in a manner "worthy of God's calling" in your life (Eph 4:1), a life "worthy of the gospel" (Phil 1:27)?
3. Can you distinguish between what you want to do and what God wants you to do, between being self-centered and God-centered (2 Cor 5:15)?
4. Do you sense God probing your heart and training you (Ps 139:23-24)? How do you live by the Spirit (Gal 5:16, 25)?
5. What ambition, direction and goal for your future do you have as a Christian (Mt 6:33)?
6. What preparation do you need to grow and mature as a leader (2 Tim 2:15)? How is your daily devotion and discipline?
7. What does it practically mean for you to be a servant (Mk 10:42-44)?

Reference: Oswald Chambers. Spiritual Leadership. 1967. 2007.

Test Yourself (2 Cor 13:1-14)

Threatening strong action on his 3rd visit (13:1-10 ), for when Paul comes again, he'll not spare offenders. If they want proof that Christ is speaking through him, they'll get it! Just as Christ was crucified in weakness but now lives by the power of God, so too he (Paul), though sharing the weakness and suffering of Christ, will act with the power of God when he deals with them. As they demand proof, Paul responds by challenging them to prove themselves to see whether they are holding to the faith. He assures them he could never act contrary to the truth.13

"This will be my third visit to you" (2 Cor 13:1a).

1. 1st visit--Paul's pioneer evangelism in Corinth (ad 50-51).
2. 2nd--the 'painful visit' (ad 55) after writing of 1 Cor.
3. 3rd visit (ad 56-57) has been foreshadowed several times (2 Cor 10:2; 12:14, 20-21, where Paul is prepared for a showdown.

"Every matter must be established by the testimony of 2 or 3 witnesses" (2 Cor 13:1b). Paul slightly abbreviates Dt 19:15 (lxx). Accusations supported by at least 2 witnesses was stressed in 1st-century Judaism. Jesus re: church discipline (Mt 18:16), and elsewhere (Jn 8:17; 1 Tim 5:19; Heb 10:28; 1 Jn 5:8). Paul assures them that he'll take disciplinary action when he arrives according to Jesus' instructions and the judicial procedures accepted by the churches, supported by several witnesses from within their church. Paul could also be challenging them that if they bring charges/accusations against him, they must provide evidence from 2 or 3 witnesses. Thus, it's not only they who are under scrutiny (by Paul), but also Paul himself (by them) (13:5-10).

"I already gave you a warning when I was with you the 2nd time. I now repeat it while absent" (2 Cor 13:2a). Paul repeats his warning and pinpoints the time when he first issued it--his 2nd visit--the 'painful visit,' when he was attacked by the offender (2 Cor 2:5; 7:12). Before concluding his 2nd visit, Paul uttered dire warnings to those who were still unrepentant about their previous sins.

"On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others" (2 Cor 13:12b)--referring to the unrepentant sexual offenders (2 Cor 12:21; 1 Cor 6:12-20), and possibly also to those who condoned the sexual offences (1 Cor 5:2, 6), or other members of the church. Paul warns, "on my return I will not spare them." Paul had threatened that on his 2nd visit he'd take disciplinary action (1 Cor 4:18-21), but he withdrew without doing so, preferring rather to write a 'severe letter.' But now, ready to make his 3rd visit, he warns them that he'll not spare them this time. What's the nature of the disciplinary action? It's not specified, but could include excommunicating the offenders or some supernatural affliction (1 Cor 5:3-5; Acts 13:8-11).

A reason for the threat that 'I will not spare those who sinned' (2 Cor 12:2b): "since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me" (2 Cor 13:3a). They wanted proof that Paul functions as Christ's 'mouthpiece.' Influenced by his opponents, they adopted various criteria for testing the validity of apostolic claims. One was that through a true apostle the word of Christ should be heard, and there should be evidence to prove that this was so--such as an impressive presence and powerful speaking ability (2 Cor 10:10), and the performance of signs and wonders (2 Cor 12:11-13). Paul would not have objected to the view that through true apostles Christ speaks, but would have taken strong exception to the proofs of this demanded by his opponents and them. He learnt that the power of Christ is on the weak, and that Christ spoke through his servants when they proclaim the gospel, NOT because of their impressive personal presence, high-sounding words, or even accompanying supernatural signs.

In response to the demand for proofs, Paul threatens to provide evidence of Christ's speaking through him, but it will be evidence that his audience will not find to their liking. He will not spare them. He will be severe in his use of apostolic authority (2 Cor 13:10). In this regard he warns them: "He [Christ] is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you" (2 Cor 13:3b). Christ had worked powerfully by the Spirit among them when Paul performed the signs of an apostle in Corinth (2 Cor 12:12; Rom 15:18-19). But in the present context the power of Christ is in disciplinary action against those who persist in their sins. What does Paul have in mind? 'That is why many among you are weak and ill, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment' (1 Cor 11:30-31).

"For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power" (2 Cor 13:4a). Christ who now lives by the power of God was once crucified in weakness, taking on himself the weakness of mortal human flesh in the incarnation. This is a paradigm of the paradox of Paul's own apostolic ministry: "Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him in our dealing with you" (2 Cor 13:4b). Paul's many weaknesses (2 Cor 1:3-11; 4:7-12; 11:23- 29) shouldn't blind them to the fact that Christ's power is manifest through him. While acknowledging his weakness in Christ, Paul threatens to use the disciplinary power of Christ when dealing with them.

• "The parallels established between Christ and Paul in 13:4 show how Christ's power is made perfect in Paul's ministry (2 Cor 12:9). His primary purpose as an apostle is to mediate through his suffering in Christ the knowledge of God and the transforming power of the life-giving Spirit (2:14-3:18; 4:1-15). This is the way in which Paul usually mediates the power of Christ's resurrection. But toward those who reject the cross and the power of Christ as embodied in his suffering and endurance, the resurrection power of Christ will be made known through his acts of judgment within the church. If Paul is an agent of God's redemption, he must also be an agent of God's judgment (2 Cor 2:15-16a; 4:4; 6:1-2)." [Hafemann.]

Not a true believer? "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves" (2 Cor 13:5a). Paul emphasizes that they should be examining themselves rather than him. "In the faith" is to hold to the truth of the gospel, or living as true believers. Urging them to examine themselves imply that they might find they were not true believers. But what he says next reveals this wasn't so, as does the way he addresses them throughout the letter. Paul expects from their self-examination that they were in the faith, and his urging them to do so was that they'd conclude that the one who led them to faith in Christ must be a true apostle.

"Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test?" (2 Cor 13:5b). In 1 Cor Paul stressed the presence of the Holy Spirit in the church and the individual believer, and its moral implications (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19-20). Now, where moral failure on their part has raised Paul's concern (2 Cor 12:21), the ethical implications of the presence of Christ by the Spirit is implicitly invoked by Paul's question: "Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you?" They appear confident that Christ was in them, so Paul's question should reawaken in them the moral implications of that great fact.

"And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test" (2 Cor 13:6). Just as Paul emphasized that they test themselves to ensure that they're holding to the faith, so he stresses here, by the emphatic pronoun we, his hope that he and his colleagues will be found not to have failed the test. This is a surprise, for the context leads us to expect that Paul's hope would be that they'd be the ones found not to have failed the test. But by testing themselves and concluding that they do hold to the faith and therefore Christ is in them, they'll at the same time acknowledge that Paul and his colleagues have not failed the test. For if they hold the true faith and are indwelt by Christ, that is so because of what they received through the ministry of Paul and his fellow workers, and that in turn proves that Paul is a true apostle, one who has not failed the test. Paul assumes that they'll give themselves a "pass" on their self-audit and hopes that they'll clearly perceive the indissoluble link between their "pass" and his "pass."

"Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong" (2 Cor 13:7a). This reveals his concern for them, but is also an exhortation to them. The wrong he prays they'll avoid is failure to hold to the faith (2 Cor 13:5) and falling back into immorality (2 Cor 12:21).

Paul's reason for praying is "not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed" (2 Cor 13:7b). Though Paul hopes they'll find out that he hasn't failed the test (2 Cor 13:6), this isn't his main concern. He wants them to avoid wrongdoing, not because his reputation would suffer, but because he wants them to be found doing what is right. Calvin paraphrases Paul: '"I have no anxiety", he says, "for myself or for my reputation; my only fear is that you should offend God, and I am ready to be as a reprobate myself, if only you are free from all blame" - a reprobate, that is, in the judgment of men, who very often reject those who are worthy of the highest honour.'

Those who deem Paul to have failed the test probably do so on the grounds that he failed to provide proofs that Christ spoke through him--he lacked an impressive presence, his speech was of no account (10:10), and there was little evidence, as they thought, of spiritual power in his ministry [visionary experiences and the performance of signs and wonders; (2 Cor 12:1, 11-13)]. In his 'fool's speech' Paul provided such evidence as they demanded, even though he gave it his own special twist. As far as he was concerned, legitimization of his apostleship belongs not with such displays of power, but is seen in the changed lives of his converts. When they pass the test of holding the faith, and that finds expression in moral renewal in their lives, then the genuineness of Paul's apostolate will be confirmed (2 Cor 3:1-3).

Lest his statement 'though we may seem to have failed' (2 Cor 13:7b) should be misconstrued as an admission that he has acted wrongly, Paul adds, "For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth" (2 Cor 13:8), i.e. the gospel. What Paul asserts is that he could never act in a way that is contrary to the gospel or its implications.

"We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong" (2 Cor 13:9a). This reinforces 2 Cor 13:7, for Paul is prepared to appear to have failed as long as they do what is right. Now, he says that he is prepared, even glad, to be weak if that means strength for his converts. In his ministry, Paul discovered that weakness in himself was the concomitant of God's power at work in others (2 Cor 4:11-12; 12:7-10), a fact God uses the weak things of this world to achieve his purposes (1 Cor 1:26-29). The sort of strength Paul looked for in his converts was commitment to the gospel and the outworking of that commitment in moral renewal.

Not self-justification. "And our prayer is that you may be fully restored" (2 Cor 13:9b). A mark of the Paul's Christian maturity and commitment to the purposes of God is that in the face of the defection of his converts, and their calling into question of his apostleship, his overriding concern is not self-justification, but their restoration, that their moral failures should be put right.

Paul sums up the purpose of his letter: "This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority" (2 Cor 13:10). This fits well with the content of ch. 10-13 where Paul repeatedly threatens a severe use of authority (2 Cor 10:5-6, 11; 12:20; 13:1-4). Despite repeated threats, Paul hopes all along that it'd not be necessary to carry them out (2 Cor 10:2; 12:19-21). The purpose of ch. 10-13 was to recall them to their senses so that they'd reject the false gospel and false claims of Paul's opponents and also live out in their lives the moral implications of the gospel and so forestall a severe use of authority by Paul.

Paul describes his authority as "the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down" (2 Cor 13:10b). Elsewhere Paul speaks of an exercise of authority which could be seen as a tearing down [handing people over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, (1 Cor 5:3-5; 1 Tim 1:20)], nevertheless the primary function of that authority was for building up Christ's church. This is stressed again and again in this letter (2 Cor 10:8; 12:19).

Theology. Paul defended his integrity in financial matters in the light of accusations that his refusal to accept support was a smokescreen behind which he was exploiting them through the collection. Though his policy was not to accept support from those among whom he was presently ministering, he defended the right of others to do so. This underlines 2 things:

1. gospel ministers deserve support, but may waive the right if they wish; 
2. financial integrity is vitally important to prevent one's ministry being ill spoken of.

To correct false impressions in this matter is not merely a matter of self-defence, but is necessary to ensure that one's efforts to strengthen the church are not rejected.

They wanted proof that Christ spoke through Paul. For them it seemed that his sufferings, persecutions and weaknesses militated against his claim to be an apostle, the mouthpiece of Christ. Paul emphasized that weakness did not invalidate his claim, but was in fact the concomitant of the power of Christ at work through him. This is both

1. a warning against a triumphalist approach to ministry and 
2. an encouragement to remember that God's power is made perfect in human weakness.

The authority of the minister is for the building up not the tearing down of God's people. Calvin's apposite comment: 'Since the Gospel is by its own nature "the power of God unto salvation" (Rom 1.16) and "the savor of life unto life" (2 Cor 2.15, 16) and is only contingently "a savor of death," the authority conferred upon ministers of the Gospel ought to be used for the salvation of those who hear them, for if it turns out to their destruction, that is against its nature.'

Final exhortations and encouragement (13:11-14). Ancient letters typically conclude with final words of exhortation and encouragement, followed by a benediction invoking God's blessing on them. "Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice!" (2 Cor 13:11a). Rejoice could also be translated 'farewell' [nrsv]. "Strive for full restoration, encourage one another" (2 Cor 13:11b). Paul wanted them to

• reject the different gospel of his opponents (11:1-6),
• recognize his rightful claims to be their apostle (10:13-18; 11:21-23; 12:11-13), and
• make sure no immoral practices were allowed in their midst (12:20-21).
• He's already appealed to them to examine themselves and amend their ways so that when he comes he will not have to be harsh in the use of his authority (12:5-10 ).

"Be of one mind, live in peace" (2 Cor 13:11c). Disharmony had marred the church (1 Cor 1:10-12; 3:1-4), and was still a source of trouble in the church (2 Cor 12:20). "And the God of love and peace will be with you" (2 Cor 13:11d). This promise isn't a reward for obeying Paul's exhortation, but an encouragement to those who obey, indicating the source of power which enables them to do so.

"Greet one another with a holy kiss" (2 Cor 13:12; Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20; 1 Th 5:26, 1 Pet 5:14)--a sign of greeting and respect. Jesus reproached Simon the Pharisee because he gave him no kiss when he entered his house (Lk 7:45). It's also a symbol of gratitude, as the woman who, being forgiven much, kissed Jesus' feet repeatedly (Lk 7:38, 45). It's an expression of love when the father of the prodigal embraced and kissed his wayward son when he returned home (Lk 15:20). [The kiss was a greeting, a sign of peace and Christian agape with no erotic overtones. In post-NT times the holy kiss is found in early Christian liturgies, especially the Eucharist. But quite early there were objections voiced against the practice because of the suspicions of non-Christians and because of the danger of erotic perversion.]

"All God's people here send their greetings" (2 Cor 13:13). All God's people, whose greetings Paul conveys, are to be understood as either all the Christians of Macedonia, or those Christians in the particular Macedonian city from which he wrote this letter.

Benediction (2 Cor 13:14). The closing invocation of God's blessing is especially significant because of its triadic formulation. It is the only place in the NT where God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are explicitly mentioned together in such a benediction.

1. "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ." Paul wrote, 'For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich' (2 Cor 8:9). This is the nature of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ which Paul invokes upon them, a grace completely undeserved, yet overwhelmingly generous and astonishingly committed to the well-being of sinful human beings.
2. "And the love of God." The love of God is a major theme in Paul's theology. It was demonstrated supremely when God provided, and was involved in, the great reconciliation effected by Christ so that human beings might live at peace with God (2 Cor 5:18-21; Rom 5:6-8). This is the nature of the love of God which Paul invokes upon them. Again, what is involved is completely undeserved and astonishingly generous.
3. "And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." Koinonia is 'participation'. This means either participation in the Holy Spirit where the Holy Spirit is understood as the one in whom Christians share (objective genitive construction). Or a fellowship created by the Holy Spirit (subjective genitive construction). Both are true (1 Cor 12:13 where Christians are said to have been both baptized by one Spirit [en pneumati ] into one body, and made to drink of one Spirit). Christians can share 'objectively' in the Spirit only if the Holy Spirit himself as subject makes that participation possible.

Theology. Paul's appeal for 'full restoration' calls upon them to:

1. recognize his role as their apostle, and 
2. be done with immoral practices. 

The former involves acceptance of the truth of the gospel he preaches, and the latter entails the abandonment of sinful practices. Both of these things are crucial in the restoration of truly harmonious relationships in the church.

The unique trinitarian benediction is Paul invoking the blessing of God upon them, highlighting the immense privileges of believers:

1. they are recipients of the grace of the Lord Jesus who became 'poor' so that they might become 'rich';
2. they are the objects of the love of God who gave up his only Son, making him 'to be sin for us,' so that in him we might be 'made right with God'; and 
3. they share in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

Reference:

1. Charles Hodge. 1 & 2 Corinthians. A Geneva Series Commentary. The Banner of Truth Trust. 1857, 1859.
2. Colin Kruse. 2 Corinthians. Tyndale NT Commentaries. 1987, 2005.
3. Geoffrey Grogan. 2 Corinthians. The Glories & Responsibilities of Christian Service. 2007.
4. David Garland. 2 Corinthians. The New American Commentary. 1999.
5. Paul Barnett. The Message of 2 Corinthians. 1988.

2 Cor 10-13:

• (10:1-6) An earnest appeal. Their criticism: Paul's weapons are worldly. Christian consistency (10:1-11).
• (10:7-11) Responding to criticism. Paul's apostolic authority.
• (10:12-18) Boasting within proper limits. Missionary comparisons. God sets limits to Paul's work.
• (10:12) Comparisons are odious.
• (10:13-15a) Limits set.
• (10:15b-16) Evangelization expanded.
• (10:17-18) Commendation by God.
• (11:1-6) Their gullibility. Paul the 'jealous father.' I promise you to Christ (11:1-4). The super-apostles (11:5-6).
• (11:7-15) The matter of financial remuneration. Your money (11:7-11). False apostles masquerade as Satan (11:12-15).
• (11:16-13:14) The weak fool. The fool's speech (11:16-12:13).
• (11:16-33) Christ's fool. Paul's constant sufferings.
• (11:16-21a) Accept me as a fool.     
• (11:21b-33) Paul's Jewish ancestry and apostolic trials/sufferings. His weakness (11:30-33).
• (12:1-10) Visions and revelations. Paul's thorn. Really an apostle? (12:1-13).
• (12:1-6) A special experience.
• (12:7-10) A sore trial.
• (12:11-19) It's for you.
• (12:11-13) Signs of an apostle. Outward signs and inward character.
• (12:14-18) Paul refuses to burden them. His fatherly love for them.
• (12:20-13:10) The final visit: test yourselves.
• (12:19-21) The real purpose of Paul's fool's speech. Moral deterioration. Paul's concern for their holiness.
• (13:1-10) Paul threatens strong action on his 3rd visit.
• Power in weakness (13:1-4). 
• Test yourselves (13:5-10).
• (13:11-14) A wonderful conclusion.
• (13:11-13) Final exhortations and greeting
• (13:14) The benediction. Final prayer.