Humble Yet Invincible

2 Corinthians 4

J Vernon McGhee said that he climbed a glorious mountain in chapter 3 and would climb even higher in ch. 4......it is a basic continuation of doctrine, with the encouragement not to lose heart!

The doctrine is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but the teaching of the ministry is about a few things....

Courage and Boldness In the face of trials, accusations, and disappointments.

To continue, even when it looks hopeless

Understanding this is not of man, but of God. He will perform His glorious work through His faithful servants.

This last one, really belongs on the first, but there will be earthly struggle!

This teaching is lived by Paul......He was accused by some of those who were trying to gain control over the church at Corinth..........In order to be believed, in order to become the gurus they want to become in that church, they have to, of course, eliminate the reigning teacher who is Paul. And so, they begin with an assassination of is character. They hit him on a number of fronts. They accuse him of having a secret, hidden life of iniquity and shame, which he denies earlier in this chapter. They accuse him of being a deceiver, someone who comes with deception, and who is really after their money or sexual favors from women; one who lies about his successes in the past, misreports his effect and his impact on other places. They say he comes without credentials; he has no papers; he doesn’t represent the proper elite structure of Jerusalem, etcetera, etcetera. They have assaulted him every way possible.

But as we come to this section, he is addressing one particular part of their assault on him which I find to be most fascinating. They basically are saying about him that the reason so many people reject his preaching, and the reason he starts riots in towns wherever he goes, and the reason that there’re just a few people who believe, and the main group of people in every city and town reject, is because of his ineptness as a preacher, his lack of oratorical ability, and because of his very offensive persona. They say, in fact, that he, in his person, is utterly unimpressive, and his speech is downright contemptible. He is nothing to look at. He lacks charm. He has no marketing savvy. He offends his audience. He is far too plain for Greeks who want something mystical. He is far too simple for Jews who want something ceremonial and Mosaic. He comes in with this preaching the cross, and Jesus is Lord, and it’s too plain; it offends everybody.

Basically, 1 Corinthians 2:1–4 “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:”

Vs. 1......”The ministry”.......This is the new covenant of Jesus Christ, given to Paul to deliver to the Gentiles.

The only way that it was given was by mercy......In other words, it is of God not of man’s power.

It is the Goodness of God that Paul has the Gospel of Jesus Christ to preach! Not adequacy.

Confidence in God as the Almighty, Everywhere, All-Knowing God is the reason we do not lose heart.

Vs. 2...........”the hidden things of dishonesty/shame”.....basically that secret sin that they said he had..........he had long ago turned away from sin and was not deceiving people, nor handling the word deceitfully.

The word “deceitfully” would of meant something to his audience.....it carries the idea of “tamper with”. It was a non-biblical word used for dishonest business practices.

Such as......diluting the wine with water and selling it....this is what they accused Paul of....’

It was nothing but truth that Paul presented, ministered by the Spirit.

He commends himself by laying out the gospel plainly for everyone to judge for themselves.

How they assess this gospel will determine how they will be assessed by God.

Vs. 3........The hiding/veiling has nothing to do with the particular way Paul communicates the gospel—that it is too cryptic, too heavy, or too lackluster. It has to do instead with the fundamental nature of a gospel that strikes Greeks as foolishness and Jews as scandalous.

It is the aroma of death of those who do not believe!

Vs. 4.......The god of this world is satan.........Ephesians 2:2 “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” .............John 16:11 “Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.” ....John 12:31 “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”

Blinded the eyes......John 12:39–40 “Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.”

Satan blinds the truth of men by the world system.....without a true Godly influence man left to himself will follow that system!

The light of the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is hid because the world system (the flesh) is presented as more attractive than it really is!

Jesus incarnate carries the image of God!! He it is Who we gaze upon!!

Vs. 5....The false teachers accused Paul of preaching for his own benefit, yet they were the ones doing so......

I have noticed how true this is with politicians......with hindsight being 20/20, I can see where they would accuse us of what they really were.

The gospel that he preached was not about himself but about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the working of Christ in us!

....Only here does Paul speak of himself as the slave of his converts. His qualification “because of Christ” makes it clear, however, that he is not a slave of two masters. Being the slave of Christ who died for them (see 1 Cor 3:5; 4:1; Rom 1:1; and Phil 1:1) makes him their slave as well.

Vs. 6....God as creator is the One Who called the physical light to shine and it is He himself that has made the knowledge of His glory shine through Jesus Christ in our hearts....Not Paul, but God!

No reason to speak of yourself only God through Jesus!

Vs. 7......”Earthen vessel” ....Clay pots......Baked clay........they were cheap, breakable, and replaceable, yet they served a purpose. Some say that a lot of folks used them for garbage or even human waste.

By using frail and expendable people, God makes it clear that salvation is the result of His power and not any power His messengers could generate.

The messengers weakness is not fatal to what He does; it is essential....2 Corinthians 12:9–10 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

Vs. 8-9.......Humble but Invincible.....

These 4: troubled, perplexed, persecuted, cast down, these all represent how fragile the “earthen vessel” is......it is a cracked pot still in use.....

Although the cracks are there, it is still useful!

when troubled.....Not distressed/hindered

perplexed/at a loss.......not in despair

persecuted........not forsaken

Cast/struck down.....not destroyed

Vs. 10-12......Read from MacArthur’s commentary......

Vs. 13-14......Psalm 116:10 “I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted:” ....with the same spirit of faith as the Psalmist.......

Trusting fully in the power and the promise of God through Jesus Christ!

Paul says, “If in preaching the truth I’m persecuted, so I’ll be persecuted. If in preaching the truth I’m killed, so I’ll be killed. That’s not an issue.” He was so bent on the fruit; he knew you had to preach the truth so that the elect could believe. And so, he preached the truth, whatever the cost. He was humble, invincible, sacrificial, and fruitful.

He’s saying, “Look, if nobody listens to me, if nobody believes me, if nobody is transformed, if they persecute me, if they stone me, beat me with rods, and kill me, I will still preach because this is what I” – what? – “I believe.”

Vs. 15.......All things that he has went through and all ministers, believers or ministries go through are for everyone’s sakes that more people will come to faith and give glory to God!

Vs. 16......we do not lose heart........the outward man is in the process of decaying and will eventually die.....

but the inner man.....the spiritual growth of the believer is constantly occuring! Growing into Christlikeness!

It is not about what the outward looks like......The outer man is not the basis, but the inner man!

you will endure when you value spiritual strength over physical. You will endure when you value spiritual strength over physical. Verse 16: “Therefore we do not lose heart” ........You see, the first reason that Paul was able to endure anything that came to him in the physical realm was because he was more concerned about what was happening in the spiritual realm.

Vs. 17.........affliction “intense pressure, humanly experienced”..........cannot be compared to the spiritual glory!

Momentary vs. Eternal

Human affliction vs. the Glory of God

Put them on a scale and see how it measures out......

Vs. 18.........Paul explains now, that our eyes of faith should only view what is eternal, which cannot be seen versus what is not seen which is temporary.

Endurance is based on our faith and trust in God to be able to “look”, which is rely on or depend on or to live for, what is not seen, even when all we physically see is trouble, distress, hurt..........the eyes of faith at that point takes over and sees the tremendous weight of glory!