How To Hang In There!

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

A place I used to hang out in college had a mechanical bull. Above the bull there was a sign that said: Hang In There! You know, as much as the people watching might have wanted the bullrider to "hang in there." And as much as the bull rider himself wanted to "hang in there." The fact of the matter is, it takes more than desire and good wishes from the spectators to stay on the bull! You got to have some determination. And it doesn't hurt to have some people rooting for you. But successful bull riders "hang in there" Because they have learned how!

God calls to us to continue on for the Lord despite the trials. You can't just determine to do it and succeed. And, even though it is nice to have people encouraging you to live for God, they can't keep you doing it! You have to "know how."

2 Corinthians 4:1–18 ESV

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

I don't suppose there is anyone more qualified to teach us how to "hang in there" for the Lord than Apostle Paul. Here is a man who endured some of the greatest hardships possible for Christ. He was hated by both Jews and Gentiles. He was misunderstood and attacked even by other Christians. He was eventually executed for nothing more than preaching Jesus Christ. And yet, at the eve of his life, he was able to record, I have fought a good fight I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.

And I believe 2 Corinthians 4:1-18 tells us how Paul did it.

Paul had…

ACCEPTED THE MINISTRY GOD GAVE HIM.

Paul's was not an easy ministry

He was not accepted by the other Apostles for several years. He was constantly challenged and questioned by those who knew him as Saul, even by the other Apostles throughout his ministry. He suffered shipwrecks and beatings and stonings and jaillings, on a regular basis. But he accepted the ministry God gave him. Paul completed understood that God had a plan, purpose, and place for his life. And even though he had suffered many things he trusted that God was working through him and on him. He accepted what God was doing because he knew God loved him more than anyone else.

Paul wrote these verses in part due to the many trials he faced because of his ministry.

In chapter 3, Paul answers the question as to whether or not he needed to have a letter of commendation from the other Apostles. Paul's ministry was being attacked by some within the Corinthians church. And yet, despite all that, he simply writes, seeing we have this ministry... we should continue on. Paul did not lose heart . He did not act cowardly, but rather courageously, in the face of seemingly insurmountable barriers.

We would do well to learn from this to accept whatever ministry we have!

Sometimes all of us get to looking around and wishing we had it like someone else has it! We wish we could be like a great teacher. We wish we could be the speak publicly like the pastor. We wish we could be the teen leader. We wish we could sing as well as the some who have talents in music. If we want to continue for the Lord, the first step has to be, to accept the position that God gives us in the work of the Lord! We need to come to the place where we accept whatever ministry God chooses to give us personally. God knows you…he made you…and even though you may not see it now God knows where you are going to have the greatest impact for the church. God made you He knows where you are going thrive, grow, and make the greatest influence.

We even have a hint in verse 1 how to do that: "... as we have received mercy of the Lord, we should not lose heart." The truth of it is, whatever position we have in the plan of God for the church and for His ministry, IS A MERCIFUL POSITION! Cause we could be the ones who are outside. We could be like so many lost persons with no hope, no knowledge of purpose, no ministry to find fulfilling, and experience of a perfect love. Accept what God has given you.

The next thing I see in this chapter is that Paul had…

A PROPER PERSPECTIVE OF HIS PROBLEMS

verses 8-9

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

These were the verses that got my attention in preparing this message. You have a choice on how you view life…half full or half empty…burden or blessed. Paul make four contrasts here;

Troubled - not distressed

The word troubled means to be crowded, pressured. The word distressed means to be in calamity. If I can, He is saying that he is squeezed, but not squished!

Perplexed - not in Despair

The word perplexed means "at a loss" The word despair means "completely lost"

Persecuted - not forsaken

The word persecuted means "hunted" The word forsaken means "deserted."

D. Struck down - not destroyed

Knocked down but not put down

The Message records these words like this:

We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we're not demoralized; we're not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side; we've been thrown down, but we haven't broken.

What Paul is saying is, "Sure, I got problems, but I am not defeated!" "I have fallen a few times, but I have always been able to get back up!" "I have had some times when I wasn't sure which way to turn for a while, but I have never been so lost that I couldn't eventually God couldn’t lead me out it!" Paul recognized that the trials had not completely overwhelmed him. If we are going to hang in there. We too, must come to the place where we recognize that the trials we face, are not totally devastating! They may hurt. We may not enjoy them. We might have wished we hadn't had to go through them. But there isn't a one of them that has to destroy us! In fact, for the Christian, even the ultimate trial, the of losing our life, isn't really a defeat, but a victory!

Now, we face trials from many different angles.

Physical trials. When our bodies suffer. Medically or mentally.. Social trials. When we suffer maybe at work or with our relationships outside of church

Spiritual trials. When we suffer because of our faith, and for our faith, and in the service of our faith.

But we need to keep them in perspective and remember, THEY COULD BE WORSE! God is gretaer than anything he face.

Paul kept on going for God, and finished his course, because he kept his problems in the right perspective and didn't allow them to overwhelm him.

The third thing I saw in 2 Corinthians was that Paul had…

HIS EYES FIXED ON THE RIGHT THINGS.

Paul begins verse 18 by saying So we fix our eyes. In order not to lose heart, the believer needs to shift his or her focus from that which is seen to that which is not seen. So many times the problems we face in life is because we are focused on the wrong things. Ourselves, our jobs, our problems. And when we focus on these things eventually we weakened to the point that we can no longer hang in there.

There are things I want to point out to you in these verses, in reverse order from how they are listed in the chapter: Things we need to focus on.

We need to…

A. Look at the Eternal, not the Temporal.

verse 18

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

So many of our troubles could be resolved if we had our eyes on heaven, not earth.

I understand how difficult that is. I struggle with it every single moment of my life. And all Paul was saying was that we ought to look for the heavenly/eternal things, not the earthly/temporal things! Jesus said Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal . What he was saying was that we ought to look for the heavenly/eternal things, not the earthly/temporal things.

Much of the reason we struggle with the Christian life, and one of the reasons some give up on their course, is that they get their eyes fixed on how things are today. Right now.

If that is how Paul looked at things,

He wouldn't have been willing to give up his career in the Pharisee's religion for Christ.

And he wouldn't have been willing to give up his freedom to be a blessing to the poor saints in Jerusalem And he wouldn't have been willing to give up his life, to keep his testimony for Jesus Christ!

Paul could hang in there because his eyes were fixed on heavenly/eternal things, not earthly/temporal things! He was content to suffer some losses here in order to have more rewards waiting in heaven!

A few weeks ago during the Handbell concert I noticed that Olivia Williams was extremely focused on her sheet music. There was nothing or no one else around for her at that moment. We need that type of focus on the right things.

We need to

B. Look at others, not self

Verse 12

All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people

Paul was willing to go through the trials that he did, and hang in their for the Lord Because he was concerned more for others than he was for himself. Paul was the one who went so far as to say that he could wish himself accursed from Christ that his kinsmen, the Jews would be saved. Paul said he became all things to all men that he might by all means save some. Paul's concern in life was not for himself and how he faired physically, but for others and how they faired spiritually! He was willing to suffer any trial any hardship any difficulty so long as he was still seeing souls being saved and given eternal; life in Jesus Christ! Physically, mentally, financially, time-wise, Paul was willing to give it all so that others could benefit.

Some years ago, I remember learning an acrostic for the word joy.

J Jesus first O Others second Y Yourself last

I understand that is the opposite of what every thing in this world tells you. But lasting, and completing joy comes from putting Jesus first, other next, and ourselves last! That helps us keep our problems in perspective too, when we see how others are doing! THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE WHO HAS IT TOUGHER THAN YOU DO! Find them, and help them, AND YOU WILL FIND NOT ONLY JOY, but the strength to hang in there and finish the course God gave you.

And finally We need to…

C. Look at Christ's Living, not dying.

verse 11

because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.

One thing that I have never seen in a Baptist church is a cross with Jesus still hanging. We use a empty cross. While we do not want to minimize what Christ did when He died on the Cross we also don't want to get stuck there.

Christ not only died and was buried... HE ROSE AGAIN HE ROSE TRIUMPHANT HE ROSE VICTORIOUS, and HE ROSE GLORIFIED And His triumph translates to our triumph today His victory translates to our victory! Last Sunday was a day of celebration, a celebration of the fact Christ is living. He died for our sins but he arose and we have the hope, the encouragement, and the strength to hang in there.

If all we leave Christ hanging on the cross... We will have a dead and defeated faith. But if, whenever we see Christ, we see him as Stephen did, IN HEAVEN AND STANDING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD!

We have a faith that is alive powerful, and filled with promise and hope! And that is the number one tool to keep you, Hanging in there!

The Message closes verse 18 with these words

There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.

As we close this morning…

If life seems overwhelming to you this morning, it may be you have yet to tap into the ultimate source of love, support, encouragement, and strength. Jesus offers you all these things. He offers you more than meet he eyes. For with these things to hang in there He offers you eternal life.

Maybe this morning you know Christ as your savior but your focus has been on the things on this world, the temporary. Come this morning and put your focus back on Christ living, the ministries God has given you, and the eternal home Jesus is preparing for you.