I.
Are you ready for this week’s “exam”?

Paul offers some “study questions” for our upcoming exam.

As you notice his insistence that his readers “examine yourselves,” what holds your attention?

II.
2 Corinthians 13:5-11 (NRSVue)

Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed. But we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth but only for the truth. For we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong. This is what we pray for, that you may be restored. So I write these things while I am away from you, so that when I come I may not have to be severe in using the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Be restored; listen to my appeal; agree with one another; live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

III.
Is Paul asking his readers to take seriously the life God has called them to?

• “Examine … test … fail … not failed … not do anything wrong … appear to have met the test … do what is right … may seem to have failed … restored …”

Consider for a moment that this correspondence is addressed to you.

Consider that you might be asked to sit for this test.

How would you feel about that? Would you face the test with confidence or might you worry you might not be up for the exam?

Or, would you ignore Paul’s invitation to self-examination?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}