God had a special mission for the Apostle Paul—to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. He has a mission for each of us as well, and as we study 2 Corinthians, we can learn more about Paul's mission—and ours.

2 Corinthians is not just a dry theological treatise. It's more like a journal—brimming over with joy and sorrow, disappointment and hope. In it, Paul challenges and encourages us. Paul wrote this most personal of his letters to an urban church. Given the homogeneity of today's society due to the media, chain stores, common fads and fashions, pervasive stress, and spreading violence, it's hard to escape urban influences. In even the smallest town, we must learn to share our distinctive message in a way that speaks to an urban mentality.

In each lesson, we'll consider some aspect of Corinth in Paul's time. comparing it with my hometown of Los Angeles today. "We'll also look at the missions of thirteen different women who have been examples to me.

Our mission, like theirs, is to be servants. James Thompson points out in his Living Word commentary on 2 Corinthians that "Paul uses the word servant {diakdiws) and related words like 'ministry' {diakonia) more in 2 Corinthians than in any other book." Special appreciation to Thompson for his commentary and encouragement and to John Wilson, IraJolivet and Randy Chestnut for answering my questions on Corinth.

Contents

	Comfort: 2 Corinthians 1:1-11	3
	The Good Life: 2 Corinthians 1:12-2:11	11
	Family Resemblance: 2 Corinthians 2:12-3:18	19
	Success: 2 Corinthians 4:1-15	25
	Permanence: 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10	31
	Motivation: 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:13	37
	Separation: 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1	43
	Good Grief: 2 Corinthians 7:-16	49
	Generosity: 2 Corinthians 8:1-24	55
	The Rule of the Garden: 2 Corinthians 9:1-15	61
	Confidence: 2 Corinthians 10:1-18	67
	Identity: 2 Corinthians 11:1-12:10	75
	Self-Examination: 2 Corinthians 12:11-13:14	81