What does "we were the first to reach you" reveal about Paul's mission? Paul’s Pioneering Entrance • “We are not overextending ourselves, as though we had not come to you, because we were the first to reach you with the gospel of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:14) • Paul reminds the Corinthians that he, Silas, and Timothy (Acts 18:1-5) were the very first messengers of Jesus they had ever met. • That fact grounds all that follows: his authority, his deep concern, and even his correction flow from the reality that their life in Christ began through his labor. The Father-Child Relationship • 1 Corinthians 4:15 – “In Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.” • Because he birthed the church, Paul feels a father’s protective love. Like any parent, he refuses to abdicate responsibility to careless teachers. • His opening words to them—“Paul, called to be an apostle” (1 Corinthians 1:1)—are not bragging but reminding: your spiritual paternity is divinely ordered. A Mission Strategy Shaped by Scripture • Romans 15:20 – “I aspired to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.” • 2 Corinthians 10:16 will echo this plan: “so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you.” • By pioneering new ground, Paul mirrors the Great Commission pattern (Matthew 28:19-20): go, make disciples, move on, repeat. • His method was simple yet Spirit-powered: – Enter a city. – Proclaim Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). – Establish a gathering of believers. – Appoint local leadership (Acts 14:23). – Leave but keep writing, praying, and occasionally revisiting. Boundaries, Not Boasting • “We are not overextending ourselves” (2 Corinthians 10:14) shows Paul respected God-assigned limits. • Galatians 2:7-9 – the apostles “recognized the grace given to me” for Gentiles. Paul stays within that grace. • True apostolic authority never trespasses into another’s field for selfish gain; it operates where God has sent, confident that obedience brings fruit. Encouragements for Believers Today • Treasure pioneers. Local churches stand on someone’s sweat and tears—often unseen heroes. Honor them. • Guard the purity of the gospel. As Paul defended his original message, so must congregations test every new voice (Acts 17:11). • Embrace God-given lanes. Whether missionary, pastor, or lay worker, staying inside divine boundaries brings freedom and effectiveness. • Look “to the regions beyond.” Once established, healthy believers become launchpads for fresh outreach, just as Corinth was meant to be. Paul’s phrase “we were the first to reach you” is no casual memory; it is a window into a Spirit-directed, fatherly, boundary-honoring, ever-advancing mission that still shapes how the Church moves today. |
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