Journal 2 Cor 11 (all references are from the ESV unless noted otherwise; changes in punctuation are mine)
Scripture: “And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” (2 Cor 11:28)
Observation: Sometimes a person must scrape for something to write about…today, I have something I will be anxious writing…
Analysis: Quickly scanning ESV.ORG and the ability to use a computerized concordance, I think I have found that the New Testament Romans through Revelations does not talk about the “lost” much at all.
In fact, Romans through Revelations is written with the health of the Church in mind more than anything else.
It appears that Paul is validating himself not being a Rock Star Preacher, but a weak, ill-spoken, but literate Apostle of the Church and the Gospel in this chapter. Beaten, poor, hungry, pursued, imprisoned, etc., over all the maladies Paul has gone through concerning the Gospel, what is the biggest thing? The “daily pressure on (him) of my anxiety for all the churches.”
I think: “What an appropriate place for Paul to talk about the lost: “…my anxiety for all the lost…”, but he doesn’t. It appears (from a blunt reading of the text) that the Holy Spirit (speaking through Paul’s letter) may be more concerned with the health and growing maturity of the local church than the expansion of the local church.
Ephesians is another Letter not so much about the “lost” but of the “Church.” All Paul’s epistles emphasize the church more than anything else. Note: I am not even attempting to be exhaustive here, these are statements of quick observations of the text.
Prayer: Father, I don’t want to be continually wringing my hands concerning what I should be focusing upon. Convict my heart and lead me into the Way that you want me to pursue.
Amen.
Ricky Two Shoes