6-9-24 Sermon "Speaking Boldly From Brokenness" - 26 Minutes (Sermon and Elise Baptism)

2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1

This morning I'll be reading 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 13 to chapter 5 verse 1. And I'll be reading from the Holman Christian Standard Bible. 2 Corinthians 4:13–5:1 In the verses leading up to this,,, Paul had been speaking about the trials that they had to endure and how they were able to hold up under this pressure because of Jesus Christ living in them. It is this faith in Jesus that allows him to speak as well. 2 Corinthians 4:13–5:1 (HCSB) 13 And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, we also believe, and therefore speak. 14 We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and present us with you. 15 Indeed, everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving to increase to God’s glory. 16 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 1 For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwelling is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands. The word of God for the people of God,,, thanks be to God! God bless the reading and the hearing of your word this morning. Let us pray: Dear Lord,,, as we begin this morning,,, with everyone here today and all that are listening and watching by video,,, we ask that you open our ears to hear and our hearts and minds to receive the message that you have for us today,,, In Jesus' name I pray,,, Amen. ___________________________________ Last Sunday we looked at 2 Corinthians 4:5–12,,, and we learned that Paul is showing the Corinthians,,, that the suffering that he goes through is all done for the benefit of the people,,, and he uses Jesus' suffering and death as an example to help them see where he gets his strength.

If Jesus can go through everything that He went through for him,,, then Paul's suffering is nothing when compared to that.

And it's the same for us!

Jesus gave His all for us,,, it only seems fair that if we encounter suffering while doing the job that He has given us to do,,, then we can endure that suffering with joy.

Not joy for suffering,,, but joy that we have because we know that nothing can cause us Jesus to leave us!

We know that He will be with us through it all!

And when our lights shine because of "brokenness",,, the world can see,,, and that will make them take notice.

As I've told you before,,, our actions,,, the way that we live our lives day by day,,, speak louder than any words that we can ever say!

And that will lead people to Christ,,, all because,,, of our "brokenness",,, that allows,,, God's love,,, to shine through!

This morning we will look at these verses in 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1,,, and see how they help us in our walk with God this week.

___________________________________ Verse 13 said: 13 And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, we also believe, and therefore speak.

Paul had been talking about the constant struggle that we have because of the weakness from our physical bodies and the fact that we must rely on God’s power to do the job that God has for us to do.

In this verse he is answering the question that you might have up to this point about whether he is ready to give up considering the circumstances,,, and of course we see that the answer is no!

And the reason for that answer is faith in Jesus Christ.

He knows that no matter what is done to our earthly body,,, we are heading toward our heavenly destination,,, and nothing,,, or no one,,, can stop us from reaching heaven,,, and eternity with Christ.

Paul is quoting from the first part of Psalm 116:10 (KJV 1900) — 10 I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted:

My commentary says that even though Paul doesn’t use the end of the verse,,, it is believed that his listeners would have understood that he was talking about being “greatly afflicted”,,, because of their knowledge of this verse,,, and his previous words spoken earlier in the chapter.

___________________________________ Verse 14 said: 14 We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and present us with you.

Paul could speak of his suffering and death without worry because he was convinced that God would deliver him.

This confidence was founded on the resurrection of Jesus,,, and the guarantee of resurrection for all who place their faith for salvation in Him!

___________________________________ Verse 15 said: 15 Indeed, everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving to increase to God’s glory.

Paul realized that the more he suffered,,, the more the grace of God was made available to others.

The more people who were saved,,, the more thanksgiving ascended to God.

And the more thanksgiving ascended to God,,, the more God was glorified.

The Living Bible seems to capture the spirit of the verse in this paraphrase: These sufferings of ours are for your benefit. And the more of you who are won to Christ, the more there are to thank him for his great kindness, and the more the Lord is glorified.

___________________________________ Verses 16-17 said: 16 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.

Paul had been explaining that he was willing to undergo all kinds of suffering and danger because he had faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ and hope in the resurrection.

Therefore he did not give up.

Although on one hand,,, his physical body was constantly being destroyed,,, on the other hand,,, there was a spiritual renewal which enabled him to go on,,, in spite of every problem or trial that he went through.

The fact that the outward man is perishing needs little explanation or comment.

It is all too evident in our bodies!

But Paul is here rejoicing in the fact that God sends daily supplies of power for Christian service.

If you think about all of the terrible things that Paul went through,,, beatings,,, jail,,, hardships from travels,,, ship wrecks,,, etc. it’s hard to imagine him talking about “momentary light afflictions”.

But what Paul was comparing his hardships and trials to,,, made them seem “light”,,, when compared to the glory that he would receive once he made it to heaven.

___________________________________ Verse 18 said: 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

This knowledge and hope in things to come,,, sustained Paul in the midst of the temporary sufferings that marked his ministry.

As he had reminded the Corinthians earlier in 1 Corinthians 7:31,,, the world and its present sufferings are passing away.

What is seen (the material) is temporary,,, but what is unseen (the spiritual) is eternal.

The temporal will be replaced by a “glory that will never fade away” (1 Peter 5:4),,, and,,, an “eternal glory in Christ” (1 Peter 5:10).

Therefore,,, Paul said,,, believers should look not on what is seen but,,, instead,,, on what cannot be seen.

What the inner man “sees” goes way beyond,,, what the physical eyes can see.

___________________________________ Chapter 5:1 said: 5:1 For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwelling is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands.

Paul had referred to his mortal body as being destroyed in verse 16,,, now he compares it to a temporary earthly dwelling that is destroyed.

But,,, we shouldn’t worry because,,, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands.

My Bible Knowledge Commentary says the words that Paul used in this verse,,, were in remembrance of the words of Jesus’ own description of His resurrected body as a temple after He had cleared the temple and the religious leaders were questioning Him in John 2:18–22(HCSB) — 18 So the Jews replied to Him, “What sign of authority will You show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered, “Destroy this sanctuary, and I will raise it up in three days.” 20 Therefore the Jews said, “This sanctuary took 46 years to build, and will You raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was speaking about the sanctuary of His body. 22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this. And they believed the Scripture and the statement Jesus had made.

So we can see,,, just as the disciples remembered these words and were strengthened by them,,, that we should remember them and be strengthened as well,,, and by doing that,,, we have nothing to worry about either,,, because,,, there is nothing that can come between us and God’s love and keep us from eternity in heaven with Him.

We will have trials and hard times,,, sure,,, but these will be nothing compared to the glories in heaven,,, that we will enjoy forever!

___________________________________ Paul is continuing to teach the Corinthians what they need as they live their days in this world,,, just as we must do as well.

We learned last week that God's light shines out of us through our "brokenness",,, and now we can see that because of God's light in us,,, we have all that we need to successfully complete our journey through this world.

And we have the confidence to "speak boldly from brokenness" because of the love that God has for us!

That's something that Paul doesn't want us to miss!

That's why it's so important to obey the words of Jesus,,, and be sure that we follow His words in Matthew 28:19-20 ,,, that says: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

This morning we will have the baptism of Elise,,, Adam and Katie Beth's daughter,,, as they will strive to raise her in a Christian environment and teach her to live for Christ!

It's this type of dedication that we need to continue to grow in this world.

Paul is telling them,,, and us today,,, that we have the power and strength that we need,,, if we will just take advantage of it,,, and let God show us the way,,, and we do that through our obedience to God's word!

God gives us the strength for "speaking boldly from brokenness" when we follow His commands,,, and rely on His power and strength!

___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Introduction: Brothers and sisters in Christ: Through the Sacrament of Baptism we are initiated into Christ's holy Church. We are incorporated into God's mighty acts of salvation and given new birth through water and the Spirit. All this is God's gift, offered to us without price. ----------------------------------------------------------- PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES: This morning we have the pleasure and privilege of welcoming Elise into the family of God through baptism. She is brought forward by her parents, Adam and Katie Beth, her big sister Merritt, and her grandparents Glenda Faye and Ms. Susan. ----------------------------------------------------------- RENUNCIATION OF SIN AND PROFESSION OF FAITH: - The pastor addresses parents and other sponsors: On behalf of the whole Church, I ask you: Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of your sin? (I do.) ----------------------------------------------------------- Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves? (I do.) ----------------------------------------------------------- Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, put your whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as your Lord, in union with the Church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races? (I do.) ----------------------------------------------------------- Will you nurture Elise in Christ's holy Church, that by your teaching and example she may be guided to accept God's grace for herself, to profess her faith openly, and to lead a Christian life? (I will.) ----------------------------------------------------------- Pastor addresses the congregation, and the congregation responds: Do you, as Christ's body, the Church, reaffirm both your rejection of sin and your commitment to Christ? (We do.) ----------------------------------------------------------- Will you nurture one another in the Christian faith and life and include Elise, now before you, in your care? With God's help we will proclaim the good news and live according to the example of Christ. We will surround Elise with a community of love and forgiveness, that she may grow in her service to others. We will pray for her, that she may be a true disciple who walks in the way that leads to life. ----------------------------------------------------------- THANKSGIVING OVER THE WATER: (Pour the water as we say this prayer responsively) Continue responsively as we pray together: The Lord be with you. And also with you. Eternal Father: When nothing existed but chaos, you swept across the dark waters and brought forth light. In the days of Noah you saved those on the ark through water. After the flood you set in the clouds a rainbow. When you saw your people as slaves in Egypt, you led them to freedom through the sea. Their children you brought through the Jordan to the land which you promised. Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Tell of God's mercy each day. In the fullness of time you sent Jesus, nurtured in the water of a womb. He was baptized by John and anointed by your Spirit. He called his disciples to share in the baptism of his death and resurrection and to make disciples of all nations. Declare Christ’s works to the nations, his glory among all the people. Pour out your Holy Spirit, to bless this gift of water and Miles who receives it, to wash away his sin and clothe him in righteousness throughout his life, that, dying and being raised with Christ, he may share in his final victory. All praise to you, Eternal Father, through your Son Jesus Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns forever. Amen. ----------------------------------------------------------- BAPTISM: Elise, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. ----------------------------------------------------------- laying hand on the newly baptized: The Holy Spirit work within you, that being born through water and the Spirit, you may be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Amen. ----------------------------------------------------------- Pastor: Now it is our joy to welcome Elise in Christ. Through baptism you are incorporated by the Holy Spirit into God's new creation and made to share in Christ's royal priesthood. We are all one in Christ Jesus. With joy and thanksgiving we welcome you as members of the family of Christ. ----------------------------------------------------------- COMMENDATION AND WELCOME: Congregation stands Pastor: Members of the household of God, I commend Elise to your love and care. Do all in your power to increase her faith, confirm her hope, and perfect her in love. The congregation responds: We give thanks for all that God has already given you and we welcome you in Christian love. As members together with you in the body of Christ and in this congregation of The Methodist Church, we renew our covenant faithfully to participate in the ministries of the Church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service and our witness, that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. Pastor addresses Elise and family: The God of all grace, who has called us to eternal glory in Christ, establish you and strengthen you by the power of the Holy Spirit, that you may live in grace and peace. ----------------------------------------------------------- Remembrance of our baptism: At this time each of you will have the opportunity to come forward, (if you desire), and participate in a remembrance of baptism. This is not, rebaptism. This is a chance to remember as we thank God for His saving grace in our lives,,, for something that could not have been accomplished,,, without God! ----------------------------------------------------------- Acts of confirmation or reaffirmation of faith are not acts of rebaptism. >Here water may be used by the candidates as the pastor says: Remember your baptism and be thankful. Amen. In services of the baptismal covenant, water should be used generously as a sign of the abundance of God’s grace, cleansing, life-giving and life-renewing power. Appropriate ways persons being confirmed or reaffirming their faith may use the water include the following: a) You may touch the water and make the sign of the cross on your own forehead. b) You may scoop up the water and let it fall back into the font. c) You may use it on your head, or hand, or to refresh your face. As the pastor, and others if desired, place hands on the head of each person being confirmed or reaffirming faith, the pastor says to each: Name, the Holy Spirit work within you, that having been born through water and the Spirit, you may live as a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Amen. 13 Acts of reaffirmation are not acts of rebaptism. When there is a congregational reaffirmation of the Baptismal Covenant, the congregation may be invited to use or receive the water as or after the pastor says: Remember your baptism and be thankful. Amen. Appropriate ways persons may use the water include: a) Touching the water and making the sign of the cross on their own foreheads; b) Scooping up the water and letting it fall back into the font; c) Scooping it over their heads, or hands, or to refresh their faces. < d) Or, a deacon, the pastor, or other assistants may use an asperges, evergreen branch or other means to sprinkle small amounts of water toward the congregation. This parallels sprinkling with hyssop for purification (Exodus 12:22 ; Psalm 51:7) and sprinkling as a sign of renewal (Ezekiel 36:25 –26). ----------------------------------------------------------- Benediction: ----------------------------------------------------------- ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Hymn: 337 - Oakdale Hymn: 337 - Seminary Benediction -----------------------------------------------------------