I'm So Happy
Matters of the Heart • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro:
1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
Tonight, we will continue our series entitled, [Matters of the Heart]. The subject of my message is, [I’m So Happy].
Before we study chapter four, I want to review where we are in 2 Corinthians. Paul wrote this letter to a church he deeply loved. However, he was concerned for them.
After his first letter, he was discouraged to hear that some in the church ignored the instructions, while others took it to the extreme. Therefore, Paul wrote to provide clarity.
The underlying problems in Corinth was not the people, it was the leadership. There were self-appointed leaders who did all they could to undermine Paul.
They questioned his integrity, his call, and his ministry. To remedy the negative atmosphere, he wrote from the heart. He strips any pretence and speaks to them about how their actions affect God’s heart and his heart.
He let them know the heartache they caused him. However, he had hope in the heartache, knowing God would heal the hurt and help the church to move forward.
He taught them how to be triumphant in chapter two. They would triumph when they learned to forgive each other and when they learned to have faith in God’s supernatural power.
Should they choose to do that, they would emit a fragrance that would attract people to Christ.
He spoke of his personal need for the Holy Spirit in chapter three. He wanted them to understand how the Lord can supernaturally help through the Holy Spirit.
Tonight as we look at chapter four, the thought came to my mind, [I’m So Happy].
It reminded me of being a child. My grandfather went to heaven when I was eight, but I have distinct memories of him. When my sister was a toddler, she was less than happy. She frequently would get cranky, which quickly spread through the family.
Grandpa would say, “Hannah girl, you have two choices, you can have a good day or you can have a bad day. Let’s have a good day!” Some days she made the right choice!
Then when I was nineteen, I held a revival in Tennessee. The pastor had two daughters in the church. One daughter had a son named Bradley. He was three years old.
At some point, he threw a little fit and got mad. I told his aunt Rebecca, Bradley seems to be a little mad. In deep southern wisdom, she remarked, “Well Bradly can get in his glad pants just as quick as he got in his mad pants!”
These two stories are cute because they are about toddlers and the fits they throw. However, we would find them less cute if someone told them to us when we got upset.
Especially if we were to get upset in our walk with God. We might resent sharing our burdens with a Christian friends, only to have them tell us to get in our glad pants… no matter how bad we need to hear it from them!
But the fact is, as Christians we SHOULD be happy! We should have joy. We should be thrilled simply for the fact that we are saved and on our way to heaven.
If anyone had a reason and a right to complain or get upset, it was the Apostle Paul. But notice his reasoning, we have MERCY, so we will not lose heart.
Because of God’s great grace and love upon us, no matter what may come our way, no matter what circumstances we face, we can declare, I’m So Happy!
Why should I say, I’m So Happy? Three reasons, [I Am Saved], [I Am Sent], and [I Am Secure].
Let’s begin
1. I Am Saved
1. I Am Saved
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. 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 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.
Why would Paul declare, we do not lose heart? Because false teachers in Corinth had stooped to low levels to discredit and get people to question Paul.
People do not enjoy hearing lies spread about them. However, Paul knew the source, Satan, who is the father of all lies. Sure the people were shamelessly crafty, but that is the nature of bullies.
Weak people will always whisper lies and mistruths behind someones back. Rarely do they go to the source, instead they are content with distorting the truth through shameless gossip.
While Paul did not condone the actions of these people, he would not allow their insecurities to diminish his confidence and his position of Christ.
No one could change the fact that Paul was saved. Because he knew the truth, he spoke the truth, never resort to live a double life!
Because Paul was saved, he understood the source of the attacks. Who was the source? Satan! Paul did not have to resort to tactics of fear or manipulation, because he knew the truth.
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
The veil was moved from his eyes on the Damascus road. Now he wanted the Holy Spirit to use him as he helped pull the veil from other people’s eyes by preaching the truth.
The veil was moved from his eyes on the Damascus road. Now he wanted the Holy Spirit to use him as he helped pull the veil from other people’s eyes by preaching the truth.
He wanted the light of God to shine through him as he depended on the Holy Spirit to confirm the word of God with signs following. The false teachers promoted themselves, but Paul promoted Jesus!
He determined to preach Jesus and Him crucified. Knowing the power of Jesus helped Paul stand in the face of false accusations and shameless rumors.
Did they lies and gossip hurt Paul. Possibly. But he could declare, I’m So Happy, because I am saved and the lies of Satan cannot change that.
2. I Am Sent
2. I Am Sent
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 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. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
Paul compares himself and those who serve the Lord as earthen vessels or jars of clay. In ancient days, people would store valuable treasures in plain, unadorned clay jars.
The jars were fragile, could chip, and even break in places, but it gave insight to what was in the vessel. Paul compares the gospel as a treasure concealed in a vessel.
Within him is the power of the gospel. Sure he might not be much to look at on the outside. He may seem unimportant and insignificant, but God chose to use the ordinary person to spread and share the gospel!
From his conversion, he knew that he was sent by God to proclaim the truth. But was that always easy?
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 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. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
I absolutely love verse eight. Paul described how we will feel as earthen vessels, {afflicted}, {perplexed}, {persecuted}, and {struck down}.
Think about all Paul faced:
He had to leave Damascus after his conversion because the Jews wanted to kill him
He had been stoned and left for dead by another group of Jews
They hunted him everywhere he went wanting to silence him for preaching the gospel.
He was afflicted, which indicates intense pressure.
He was perplexed, having no logical explanation for the intense situations that followed him.
He faced intense persecution everywhere he went, being continuously struck down. But notice, Paul did NOT stop. For to stop was to fall into the trap of the enemy.
Instead, he knew he was sent. Sure he was afflicted and hard pressed, but he was not crushed. Sure he was perplexed, but he did not despair. Sure he was persecuted, but God never forsook him. Sure he was struck down, but nothing could destroy him.
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
He partnered with Jesus and he knew that included suffering. However, if suffering meant that he could spread the gospel and see more people saved, it was worth it all, he was sent!
Because he had faith in the resurrected Christ, he believed that God would come through for him. If the Lord sent him, he would make a way. If the Lord called him, God would honor His word!
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
Paul referenced a Psalm that was familiar in both Christian and Jewish circles.
8 For You have delivered my soul from death, My eyes from tears, And my feet from falling. 9 I will walk before the Lord In the land of the living. 10 I believed, therefore I spoke, “I am greatly afflicted.”
Psalms 116:8-1
The Psalmist was delivered from death and he trusted in God. He knew that he would walk in the land of the living. God removed the tears from his eyes, he kept him from falling.
Therefore, in deep affliction, he called out to God, having FAITH that God would hear. Paul knew the Corinthians would know this Psalm.
His point, sure people have tried to stop me and discourage me. But, I have faith that the same God who raised Jesus from the dead is the one who will stick with me as long as I stay close to Him!
Was Satan relentless in his attempt to stop Paul. Yes. But Paul could declare, I’m so happy because I am Saved, I am Sent, and...
3. I Am Secure
3. I Am Secure
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Let’s read that in the New Living Translation:
16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
What hope and what strength in Paul. We will not give up and we will not relent in our pursuit of God’s plan in our lives. Sure we may be dying, but our hope in eternity exceeds our adversity in the present!
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Paul was convinced that Jesus is coming soon. He spent much time teaching the church on the truth of Jesus’ soon return. Because of his ardent faith in this core doctrine, he could weather the storms.
In light of eternity, what he faced in the present was small. It was little. He would keep working knowing that the eternal weight of glory would eclipse the affliction, persecution, perplexity, and being struck down!
He was secure in Jesus because He chose to stay close to Jesus. How could he keep this perspective? Notice verse eighteen, we do not look at the things which are seen, but the things which are unseen!
If he focused on the attacks and the afflictions, he would have been a basket case, unable to do anything. But he understood, there is an unseen realm where God works.
Sure I may be sick, sure I may be attacked, sure I may be discouraged, but I am happy knowing that my feelings are temporary, but God’s greatness is forever.
Last week Bekah and I were praying about something and our hearts were heavy and burdened. After a couple days of prayer, I felt the Lord speak to me. I said, “Bekah, we have to remember that our feelings do not change the facts. The fact is God is on the throne and the feelings we have will change and God will give us the victory. Let’s just keep trusting Him!”
When we get it into our hearts, what I am facing, while painful, difficult, and hard, will not last forever. I am not secure in my feelings. I am secure in my faith, knowing that if I stay focused on God, and live for Him, He will make a way and He will help!
Close:
I’m so happy. Say it with me, I’m so happy. Why? Because I’m saved, I am sent, and I am secure!
Satan loves to attack God’s people. What is his goal? Jesus told us in:
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Satan’s plan for us is destruction. One of the ways he wants to do this is by stealing our joy and causing us to be unhappy Christians.
Let me survey? Who in your Christian walk has faced a hard season? Who has faced one recently?
But here is the followup question, Who made it through and saw God’s faithfulness?
Our adversary wants to do ALL he can to stop us, but we can look at him in the face and declare, you will not steal my joy, because I’m so happy.
People may wonder, how can you be happy, you have all these problems, people are talking about you and lying about you, how can you be happy?
I am happy because I am SAVED, I am SENT, and I am SECURE!
Something we must remember, before every testimony is a test. Before every healing is a sickness. Before every resurrection is death. And before every crown is a cross.
Therefore, we remember it is God’s track record to DELIVER US! We stand with the Psalmist, “I believed, so I spoke!”
God delivered Lot from Sodom
God delivered Joseph from prison
Israel deleivered
God delivered the Israelites from Egypt
Daniel from the lion’s den
Jonah from the fish
Jesus from the grave
Peter from prison
Paul from afflictions, attacks, and perplexities
and He will deliver us from whatever plagues us!
That is the faith we have, the treasure in these earthen vessels! Therefore, when the hard times come, let the gift of faith rise up in us and declare my problems are temporary, God is eternal!
People may see one thing, but I choose to look from God’s perspective.
When I lose, Jesus wins.
When I am weak, Jesus is strong
When I am last, Jesus is first
When I am dependent, Jesus is dependable
When others see death, Jesus sees life
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—
So no matter what I feel, the fact is this, I AM SO HAPPY, and here’s the reason why, I AM SAVED, SENT, and SECURE!
God will give me His grace in all things and I will fulfill His plan for my life!