2 Corinthians 2:12-3:3 - Tim Smylie“In Christ’s triumphal procession”: Even the weakest of us can be effective servants of the gospel (2:12-16a)“A letter from Christ”: Changed hearts are reliable evidence that God is at work through us (2:16b-3:3)

2 Corinthians 1:23 - 2:11 - Tim Smylie
 
We honour Christ and defy Satan when we show love that:
I. Takes the state of the church seriously (1:23-2:4)
II. Takes both sin and forgiveness seriously (2:5-11)
 
 

2 Corinthians 1:15-22 - Tim Smylie
We must be committed to faithfulness… (vv15-17)
because our God is faithful… (vv18-20)
all his promises are fulfilled in Christ
And he has equipped us for faithfulness (vv21-22)
by giving us his Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 1:8-14 - Tim Smylie
There is no trouble that puts us beyond the reach of God’s life-giving power (vv8-10)
Our relationships with one another are seriously significant for our experience of God’s life-giving power (vv11-14)

2 Corinthians 1:1-7 - Tim Smylie
God our Father is our all-sufficient source of comfort (vv1-4a)
We are to be channels of God’s comfort (vv4b-7)

Luke 16:19-31 - Tim Smylie
What are your “good things”? (vv19-26)
Don’t wait for God to get your attention – he has said and done enough (vv27-31)

Luke 16:1-13 - Tim Smylie
Learn from the manager’s:
Smartness – use the resources you have cleverly and creatively, with eternity in mind (vv1-9)
Foolishness – don’t expect true riches if you’re being untrustworthy with the lesser riches God has entrusted to you (vv10-13)

Luke 13:13-34 - Tim Smylie
Don’t trust in what you have (vv13-21)
- you can’t keep it, and it can’t satisfy you
Don’t get anxious about what you don’t have (vv22-30)
- God will provide what you need, and more
 Instead, live for what you can’t lose (vv31-34)
- God’s kingdom lasts forever

Isaiah 66 - Tim Smylie
Be a Word-trembler, not a Word-sampler (vv1-17)
- keep trusting God’s Word – even when other “Christians” don’t
Be a world-harvester, not a world-hater (vv18-24)
- keep proclaiming God’s glory in Christ – as the only hope for the nations 

Hebrews 12:14-29 - Tim Smylie
Live for your inheritance (vv14-17)
Think about your inheritance (vv18-24)
Invest your life in unshakeable things (vv25-29)

Isaiah 65 - Tim Smylie
 
 “All day long I have held out my hands”: the fairness of the great divide (vv1-16)
“I will create new heavens and a new earth”: paradise is God’s provision for his servants (vv17-25)
- fullness of life and fullness of peace
 

Isaiah 63:7 - 64:12 - Tim Smylie
“They are my children”: God’s commitment is the foundation of our intercession (63:7-14)
“You are the potter”: God’s re-creating power is the goal of our intercession (63:15-64:12)
“Look down”: We call on the one who is perfectly able to help us (63:15-19)
“Come down”: We ask him to do what we cannot do (64:1-12)

Isaiah 62:1 - 63:6 - Tim Smylie
“I will not keep silent” – we are called to join Jesus the Messiah in his work of intercession (62:1-12)
- until the wedding day comes
“I have trodden the winepress alone” – only Jesus the Messiah can complete the work of redemption (63:1-6)
- so the wedding day can come

Isaiah 61 - Tim Smylie
A time of God’s grace
Jesus the Messiah proclaimed its arrival and provides its blessings (vv1-3)
The broken made beautiful
The people of Jesus the Messiah proclaim its presence and enjoy its blessings (vv4-11)

Isaiah 60 - Tim Smylie
Your light has come: the Church of Jesus Christ is where God’s new creation has begun (vv1-2)
Nations will come to your light: the Church of Jesus Christ is where the world’s longings are fulfilled (vv3-14)
The LORD will be your everlasting light: the Church of Jesus Christ will enjoy eternal perfection and security (vv15-22)

Luke 18:9-17 - Tim Smylie
Understanding ourselves: none of us deserve God’s acceptance – we need his mercy (vv9-14)
Understanding Jesus: child-like trust in Jesus is the only way to receive God’s mercy (vv15-17)

Isaiah 58 - Tim Smylie
When is serious, self-denying worship unacceptable to God? (vv1-5)
- when it’s not accompanied by serious, self-denying care for others.
What are the blessings when our worship spills over into serious, self-denying care for others? (vv6-14)
- close, refreshing fellowship with God and priceless joy in God.

Isaiah 56:9 - 57:21 - Tim Smylie
How not to wait for God’s new world (56:9-57:13a)
Being irresponsible with our responsibilities (56:9-57:2)
Living like God isn’t able to satisfy us (57:3-13a)
The way of repentance is the way forward (57:13b-21)

Isaiah 56:1-8 - Tim Smylie
Sabbath people:
Have found our salvation and rest in God, and are committed here and now to the justice and righteousness of his new creation (vv1-2)
Include all those who match the description in point 1 – no exclusions! (vv3-8) 

Isaiah 55 - Tim Smylie
Come to me and be satisfied – you can’t afford it, but Jesus has paid the bill (vv1-5)
Come with total commitment – to receive my gift you must leave everything else behind (vv6-9)
Come and find your greatest joy in glorifying me (vv10-13)

Isaiah 54 - Tim Smylie
Because of the Servant’s work, God’s people are:
Beyond barrenness (vv1-3)
Beyond abandonment (vv4-10)
Beyond defeat (vv11-17)

Colossians 2:8-15 - Tim Smylie
True freedom is only found in Jesus Christ (vv8-10)
He frees us from our present slavery to sin and our past record of sin (vv11-15)

Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12 - Tim Smylie
Successful through suffering (52:13-15)
Despised and rejected (53:1-3)
Pierced for our transgressions (53:4-6)
The willing Lamb (53:7-9)
Successful, exalted, and interceding (53:10-12)
 

Isaiah 51:9 - 52:12 - Tim Smylie
Wake up:
To the truth that:
God is committed to us (51:9-16)
God has removed his condemnation from us (51:17-23)
God has a new life for us to live (52:1-12)
a life of royal status, praise, and purpose

Isaiah 50:1 - 52:8 - Tim Smylie
The Servant is the model for every disciple (50:4-9)
- he listens to, obeys, and trusts the LORD
The Servant is also the master of every disciple (50:10-11)
Like the Servant, disciples look beyond temporary troubles to eternal blessings (51:1-8)

Isaiah 49:1-50:3 - Tim Smylie
The Servant’s reward is a people gathered from the ends of the earth (49:1-13)
Our greatest honour is to be part of the Servant’s reward (49:14-50:3) 

Isaiah 48 - Tim Smylie
The LORD is not defeated by human hypocrisy and stubbornness (vv1-11)
The LORD’s blessing comes to those who trust and obey him (vv12-22)

Isaiah 46-47 - Tim Smylie
Carrying your idols vs being carried by the LORD (Chp 46)
A miserable end vs final splendour (Chp 47)

Isaiah 44:24 - 45:25 - Tim Smylie
God’s methods will often be mysterious to us (44:24-45:8)
We could not improve on God’s methods! (45:9-14)
Focus instead on the purposes God has made clear (45:15-25)

Isaiah43:22-44:23 - Tim Smylie
Weary of worship? (43:22-24a)
The antidote to worship-weariness – remembering the worth of the LORD (43:24b-44:23)
 New beginnings and true refreshment come from the LORD alone (43:24b-44:8)
When we turn from the LORD we’re just feeding on ashes (44:9-23)