Sermon Tone Analysis

OPEN TEXT TO 2 CORINTHIANS 4:16-18

Introduction

DILBERT

In a Chicago Tribune profile about the creator of the syndicated comic strip “Dilbert,” Jane Meredith Adams writes:

In an office just slightly bigger than a cubicle, Scott Adams transforms tales of idiotic bosses and meaningless empowerment teams into Dilbert, the chinless comic-strip hero to millions of cubicle-confined workers.

Since Adams published his Internet address (scottadams@aol.com), he has been deluged with questions from readers who wonder how he knows the exact level of ineptitude with which their company operates.

It’s because he has been there.

Adams endured 17 years of cubicle employment—most recently as an applications engineer with Pacific Bell, a job he left last year after six years of “Dilbert” syndication.

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget what it feels like to sit in a cubicle,” says the cartoonist, “and realize you’ve been there for eight hours … and everything you did today will become unimportant in the next reorganization.”

Scott Adams expresses a feeling we’re all familiar with.

We want what we do to last.

Our work (and even our life) doesn’t seem important if it is only temporary.

The sure hope we have in God is that all we do for him has eternal significance.

Context of the Text

The text begins with word “therefore”.

It indicates the conclusion of his discourse on the resurrection and it also links that discussion with what follows in 5:1–10 about our living either in our earthly body or with the Lord [NTC].

It resumes the sentiment of 4:1 and extends the argument 4:1–15 to what follows [NIC1, NIC2].

It sums up everything he has said in 4:7–15 and returns to the idea of 4:1 [AB].

It looks back to the faith that Paul expresses in 4:13–14 [ICC2].

It looks back to 4:1 and to 4:14–15 and gives Paul’s reasons for not giving up, which are his commission to be a minister of a superior covenant, the hope of the resurrection, and his concern for the welfare of the Corinthians [EBC].

Paul is saying that he is not discouraged because of the hope of the resurrection mentioned in 4:14 [EGT, HNTC, ICC1, Lns, My, WBC].

Paul is confident because he knows that God raised Jesus and will raise him, and because of the renewal that happens day by day [SP].

Paul is confident because of the hope of the resurrection and because he knows that his suffering and labor will advance God’s glory [Ho].

It links 4:16 with what was just said in 4:15, which is that they don’t lose heart because God’s grace is spread to more people [TH].

Paul is saying that he does not lose heart because of the renewal of the inner man [TNTC; NAB].

Abernathy, D. (2008).

An Exegetical Summary of 2 Corinthians (2nd ed., pp.

171–172).

Dallas, TX: SIL International.

Paul has been arguing that the Christian Ministry is not easy, but, it is worth fighting for.

Why?

Because it has eternal significance.

The fact that he brings up the issue of quitting, suggests the seriousness of the matter.

He says twice in this chapter “we do not lose heart” (v.1, 16); in this sense, it means to not be or become discouraged or disheartened, to lose enthusiasm, to become tired or weary and to neglect one’s duty.

Has there ever been a time, in ministry, where you were just ready to give up?

Can anybody testify that “I almost let go”.

What is it that threatens to make the people of God to lose heart and give up?

THE SERMONIC CLAIM

This text is tailored to teach us that focusing on temporary things causes us to lose sight on eternal things.

In order to keep from losing heart we need an eternal perspective.

Perspective: a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view

ON HOW WE VIEW OUR OUTER MAN

What does Paul mean by ‘outer man’?

It is the outwardly visible, mortal frame [SP], the physical part of human existence [Ho, TG, TH], the visible bodily nature with its phenomenal existence [My], the physical aspect as opposed to the higher, spiritual life [ICC2].

It is the body and the physical powers with the emotions and appetites [ICC1].

It is that aspect of man’s mortal physical nature which experiences hardships [AB], it is the outward, physical self of this age which is subject to decay and death [HNTC].

It is his life as a mere man, that which is mortal [WBC].

It is the self in its mortal creatureliness, and which is of this age [EBC], that ‘clay jar’ which experiences the ‘dying of Jesus’ and which belongs to this physical world that is passing away [NIC2].

It is the natural life as it exists in the outer world [Lns].

It refers to the body as an entity and is that which is exposed to temptation, danger and decay [NTC].

is decaying - this serves as a reminder that “we ain’t got long to stay here”.

To decay is to decompose (v.) — to undergo the physical process of breaking down and wearing out; whether by becoming older and less healthy or rotting after death.

With this knowledge, we should seriously consider the amount of attention we give to him.

Mark Twain, became morose and weary of life.

Shortly before his death, he wrote, "A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle;...they squabble and scold and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages over each other; age creeps upon them; infirmities follow; ...those they love are taken from them, and the joy of life is turned to aching grief.

It (the release) comes at last--the only unpoisoned gift earth ever had for them--and they vanish from a world where they were of no consequence,...a world which will lament them a day and forget them forever."

Abernathy, D. (2008).

An Exegetical Summary of 2 Corinthians (2nd ed., p. 172).

Dallas, TX: SIL International..

ON HOW WE VIEW OUR INNER MAN

What does Paul mean by “inner man”?

It is the heart, the new person [WBC].

It is the new person of the age to come [EBC, HNTC].

It is the higher spiritual life [ICC2].

It is the believer’s regenerate spiritual existence [Lns], the spiritual part of his being [TG].

It is the heart, the source of will, emotion, thought and affection [TNTC].

It is the moral personality which is self-aware, thinking, and willing and the life-principle of spirit [My].

It is the spiritual nature, the higher nature, the soul as the subject of the divine life [Ho].

It is the new creation spoken of in 5:17 [AB, NCBC, TH].

It is that part of us that communes with God and is strengthened by the Holy Spirit [NTC].

It is the part of our immaterial being that is opposed to worldliness and is rooted in God, and which can be the home of the Holy Spirit and ruled by him [ICC1].

is being renewed: What is the renewal?

What is the renewal?

It is growth in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness [NTC].

It is gaining new strength [Ho, My, TG, TH].

It is a daily act of faith that receives and appropriates the life of Jesus [AB].

It is the renewal of Christian existence which requires continual contact with Christ [HNTC].

It is a continual and ever-increasing re-creation in prospect of the coming age of glory [NIC2].

It is the increase in strength by divine grace that continues until death [ICC1, Lns].

It is the gradual transformation in Christian character into the divine likeness, of which he spoke in 3:18 [ICC2].

The renewal occurs because of the hope of the resurrection [WBC].

WHEN most people think of Thanksgiving, they think of a turkey.

But my first love isn’t the turkey.

My first love is the stuffing inside the turkey.

The dressing gets jam-packed inside the turkey.

It is filled with its own herbs- and, spices and so takes on a flavor all its own.

The dressing gets stuffed inside the turkey and put inside the oven.

While both the turkey and the stuffing cook, the flavor of the stuffing slowly permeates the turkey, making it more flavorful than what it would have been on its own.

The turkey becomes tastier because of the effect of what is on the inside.

While most of us are interested in the turkey, God is interested in the stuffing.

He is interested in making the inside tasty and letting the internal flavor affect the outside.510

[Character, Importance of; Spiritual Maturity]

1 Sam.

16:7

See 1 Sam.

16:7

Abernathy, D. (2008).

An Exegetical Summary of 2 Corinthians (2nd ed., p. 173).

Dallas, TX: SIL International.

ON HOW WE VIEW OUR AFFLICTION

Momentary

Light

as producing for us an eternal weight of glory (far beyond all comparison)