Daily Devotions
2 Corinthians
"He lives by the power of God."
Text: 2 Corinthians 13:4
THE GLORIOUS EXAMPLE OF CHRIST
The Lord Jesus Christ was always at the centre of Paul’s life and ministry. The Lord was ever the Example, and the inspiration of his life.
“For though He was crucified in weakness,
yet He lives by the power of God.
For we also are weak in Him,
but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.”
2 Corinthians 13:4
1. “For though He was crucified in weakness”
a) Paul cited Jesus as the glorious example of ministry.
b) He was crucified in weakness.
i) Apparently, Jesus appeared to be weak and powerless.
ii) But he was not weak in any way.
iii) It was God’s plan for mankind’s salvation that Christ Jesus was crucified.
2. “Yet He lives by the power of God”
a) The power of God was upon the Lord Jesus when the Spirit came upon Him.
b) That power was always present with Him in life and ministry.
c) Indeed, He lives by the power of God.
i) He is our risen Saviour.
ii) He is at the right hand of God (symbolic expression of power supreme).
3. “We also are weak in Him”
a) By identification.
b) By choice to live for Christ.
4. “But we shall live with Him”
a) Our life is hidden in Christ.
b) We have every reason to rejoice in our life with Christ the Lord.
c) We also have a future hope in heaven.
5. “By the power of God toward you”
a) We have the promise of power from the Lord (Acts 1:8).
b) This power is for both life and ministry.
c) Paul was able to find empowerment for ministry in Corinth.
d) The power of God in Paul should have been very obvious.
Sadly, the Corinthian church did not know how to appreciate their founding father.