Look Up #3 - Look Up for Restoration
2 Corinthians 2:5-11
Russ Brasher
Part of Look Up—September 9 - December 10, 2023
September 22, 2023

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Message Notes and Group Study Guide

Date: September 23-24, 2023
Speaker: Russ Brasher
Series: Look Up
Message: #3 - Look Up for Restoration

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Scripture

5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. —2 Corinthians 2:5-11 (NIV)

Notes

Study Guide

Step One: Icebreaker (Optional)
Have you ever had a valuable possession that was broken beyond repair? What was it? How did it
make you feel in that moment?

Step Two: Open
Ask someone in your group to pray to open your time together. Ask another person to read 2 Corinthians 2:5-11.

Step Three: Discuss

  1. What stood out to you the most in this weekend’s teaching? What was challenging, encouraging, or confusing to you?

  2. In this passage, Paul addresses a situation where someone has sinned against him and the church in Corinth. Even though the situation was serious, Paul avoided naming both the person and the situation. What lesson can we learn from this?

  3. The offender in question is said to have caused “grief” or “pain” to the community. Based on this
    passage, how did the community react to this person? How do you tend to react when someone grieves you?

  4. Read Matthew 18:15-20. What does this passage teach us about dealing with offense? What should be the goal of church discipline?

  5. Paul instructs the church to “forgive and comfort him.” What does this teach us about what true restoration looks like?

  6. Re-read verses 10-11. What does this verse teach us about Satan’s schemes in the church? How can we best guard ourselves?

  7. Unfortunately, forgiveness and restoration are not always a one-time event. Consider Ephesians 4:32. Where does our ability to forgive and restore relationships come from?

Step Four: Close in Prayer
Ask someone in your group to close in prayer.