Perplexed But Not In Despair
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· 3 views10/2/2022 Morning Worship
Notes
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Introduction
Introduction
Good morning and welcome back!
This morning if you will, start turning in your Bibles to the book of 2 Corinthians, chapter 4.
The Lord began to lead me to this passage a few weeks ago and it has been on the “back burner” if you will for several weeks now.
However, as I was preparing myself for this week’s message the Lord told me that it was time to revisit 2 Corinthians 4, so this morning that is what we are going to be doing.
And before we get into the meat of the passage we need to spend a few minutes talking about 2 Corinthians and why Paul wrote it to begin with.
The book itself is called 2 Corinthians, but in all actuality is the 4th letter that Paul wrote to the church at Corinth.
The first letter which was referenced in 1 Corinthians 5:9, was lost, then the second letter was what we know as 1 Corinthians, but there was also a 3rd letter in between 1 and 2 Corinthians that Paul wrote which has also been lost.
And we get this from Paul’s references in 2 Corinthians 2:1-11 and 2 Corinthians 7:8, which you can go back and read as you have time.
But for those curious about it, 1 Corinthians was delivered by Timothy from Ephesus and then Paul actually made a visit to Corinth.
After this visit, he returned to Macedonia, where he received a good report from Titus about the Corinthians repenting and returning to Christ, so he writes this last letter to them as both a letter of encouragement and as a challenge to continue steadfastly in the faith.
And I really believe God has led us here this morning because 2 Corinthians was written during a very hard time in Paul’s life and the life of the Church.
During this time the church at Corinth had been dealing with a lot of division, a lot of quarreling and backbiting.
They had also been struggling with internal sin and having the very core fabric of their faith both questioned and tested.
In fact, Paul himself had been under attack about the validity of his own authority to deliver the Gospel.
And through all of this both Paul and the Church not only survived, but they had begun to thrive.
Which is why Paul is continuing to urge them on to press forward.
And here we are this morning in this church at a crossroads—a time of transition.
A scary time.
A time when we don’t know what will happen.
But it’s also a time when, if we can tap into what Paul has for us here we can not only survive, but also thrive.
So this morning it may get a little rough but it’s necessary for us to understand and apply the Word to what God has for us today.
So, if you are able I’d invite you to stand with me as I read.
Again, we are in 2 Corinthians 4, and I will be reading starting in verse 7.
Paul writes . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
Ministry Through Mercy
Ministry Through Mercy
Now, I read here the crux of Paul’s message of encouragement to the Corinthian church in this 4th chapter.
But Paul did not start the conversation in this manner.
So, let’s back up to verse 1 and see where the conversation actually begins to manifest.
He starts the chapter this way . . .
Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
Now, I want to stop right there with the first verse really quickly and talk about what Paul is really saying here.
Paul is saying he has received his ministry—his calling from God through the mercy of God—in SPITE of his past so he knows without a doubt that God is with him, so he does not lose heart.
So, first question I have to ask is, what is your calling? What is your ministry? What has God called you to do?
And that is more important for this church in this day than it ever has been.
Face it, you will have to step up and step into new roles—roles that you have been putting off and making excuses about for a long time.
And the great and glorious thing about all of this is God wants to use you IN SPITE OF YOUR PAST.
Whatever that past may be.
Whether it was a past of sin or a past of refusal to be involved in the ministry of the church.
God has called and you need to pick up the phone.
And not only pick up the phone but step into the calling of God on your life BOLDLY AND ASSURED that God continues to be with you.
Because here’s the thing: If you have a clear vision of God’s work in your life you can carry on EVEN THROUGH TRIALS.
And here’s the second point about that as well—just like God has shown all of us mercy, we should be extending that same mercy to others as well!
So, first challenge—are you going to be like Paul and rise up, or are you going to be like the world and throw in the towel and quit?
And if you are resolved to rise up, then be sure you are like Paul in verse 2 . . .
But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
In a nutshell, what he is saying in this verse is shoot hard and straight with the gospel.
Don’t sugarcoat it.
Don’t water it down.
Don’t diminish it for fear of being rejected by the world.
Be sure that you are delivering the Word in such a way as you can hold you head up with a clear conscience.
Minds Blinded by the World
Minds Blinded by the World
Which Paul uses as a springboard to explain why those in the world both cannot understand and also reject the Word.
Look at what he says next in verses 3-4 . . .
But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
So, what Paul is saying here is that the reason you face opposition from those who reject the truth of Jesus Christ—the truth of the Gospel.
In fact the truth of the WHOLE Bible and every aspect of it—and let me be clear.
You either believe it all our you don’t believe any of it.
There is no middle ground, no wiggle room, no “well I believe this part, but I don’t believe that part.”
You either take it all or take none of it.
And all of this garbage out there of people watering down the message to soothe the ears of those living in sin, needs to stop.
Either that or they need to stop calling themselves churches.
Because if it don’t preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified, it ain’t a church—its a social club.
And all of these “churches” try to based all of their work on religion and not relationship with Jesus Christ-it ain’t gonna work either.
You can have all of the religion in the world, but if your heart doesn’t belong to Jesus and if your work is not directed by the Holy Spirit, who is supposed to be residing in you—it is wasted time and wasted energy—because God ain’t in it.
But the problem is the enemy—Satan, the devil, whatever you want to call that lunatic, has blinded their minds.
He has lied, deceived, and defrauded the gospel to the point that people don’t know up from down.
Don’t know right from wrong.
Don’t know religion from relationship.
And he does it through worldliness and fear.
People are so afraid of rejection that they begin to adopt worldliness and compromise, just to fit it.
Or they begin to craft and draw up their own version of religion that abandons the Holy Spirit drawn relationship to God.
They make it “easy.”
Just follow our rules.
Just do it our way, and everything is okay.
And I am harping on this because Paul says that those who fall for this are perishing.
They are dying lost and undone, apart from God and will end up in the pits of hell.
And we always go back and say, “well, this is just for those outside the church—those sinners.”
No, this warning is for everyone—inside and outside the church.
Because, and I posted this on Facebook the other day—when we stop listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit, He will depart.
And when he’s gone what are you left with?
A void.
And a void must be filled.
And the enemy is all to happy to fill it with lies and deception.
He will make it look all good and “religious,” but again, without the Holy Spirit, it is false and it is deception.
Which is why it is vital that all believers are operating under the power and authority of the Holy Spirit.
And THIS CHURCH needs to understand this because in this time of transition, you had better believe the enemy will try to attack.
And you have to decide how you will respond to that attack.
Will you be deceived?
Or will you stand firm in the Spirit, knowing the difference between a veil of religion or a relationship through the Holy Spirit?
So stay centered and stay true to the Gospel of Jesus Christ—always and without compromise!
In verse 7, Paul says . . .
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
He is reinforcing here that we are fragile, easily broken vessels that God has chosen to use to carry the Gospel message, this precious message.
And the reason God has chosen us is so that there is never any question who the message is from.
It is so through our weakness God can be magnified and glorified.
And it makes me sick to see these slick lipped preachers up here strutting around like roosters bragging about this and that.
That’s not a man of God, that’s a salesman and all they are selling is snake oil.
Folks, when you see someone and they are bragging more about themselves than God, get away from them.
By anyway, Paul is using verse 7 here to really transition into the next topic, the meat of what we are here for this morning.
Why All of the Suffering?
Why All of the Suffering?
And that meat has to do with the suffering we endure in this life.
He says starting in verse 8 . . .
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
So, first, why do we suffer?
Why do we have to endure?
Why doesn’t God just magically take it all way and we live our lives in “sunshine and roses?”
Because we have to be broken before God can be seen through us.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.
Our will and our spirit has to be broken before we can allow the Holy Spirit to move in and take over.
And listen, this isn’t just some theological concept I’m up here telling you.
I’m telling you from experience.
If you want to experience the Holy Spirit and a full indwelling of the Spirit in your life, let God break your spirit.
Let God have full control.
But be careful because when you pray for that, I don’t know what will happen to you.
But I do know that Paul says that . . .
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—
And why?
Because God is with us.
Because God is in us.
Because . . .
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Because . . .
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
And all of this garbage about “God will not give you more than you can handle....”
That’s a load of bologna!
People use 1 Corinthians 10:13 for this and they totally misinterpret that verse.
Here let’s look at it . . .
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Notice, this says NOTHING about hardship.
It is about TEMPTATION.
Being tempted to sin.
Look, hard times come on us all.
And we are not going to escape the hard times.
But GOD WALKS WITH US THROUGH THEM.
And we come out stronger on the other side because God WAS with us and IS with us.
And people trying to use scripture any other way, need to shut up and read their Bibles.
One more before we move on.
In 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 Paul says this . . .
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
And the point is—trouble will come, but God’s grace is sufficient!
Lean on God and let God lead.
Because no matter how bad it is, through Christ, it CANNOT destroy you.
Do Not Lose Heart/Altar-Challenge
Do Not Lose Heart/Altar-Challenge
So, with that in mind, Paul says in verse 16 . . .
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
Our bodies are wasting away and aging.
Physically we die a little bit each day.
But what about spiritually?
Are we also dying spiritually?
Is our spirit man/woman drying up and dying?
Paul says it should not be this way.
He says we should be renewed day by day.
Every day our spirit man/woman should be renewed.
And how is that done?
By the Holy Spirit, through releasing ourselves to Him, to His control.
By faith in the unseen, in the eternal.
So, do not lose heart—keep pressing toward the mark instead.
But to do that your spirit has to be joined with God through the Holy Spirit.
Can you say that this morning?
What is your spiritual condition today?
Are you ready for this season of transition?
Because it’s here, whether you are ready or not.
And I’m trying to help you be ready.
Let’s pray . . .