The Ultimate Paradox

Introduction

Well, good morning church family. Are you ready to study your bibles? Good, if you have yours open it up to , if you don’t have one there should be a blue one near you, take that one home with you.

Pastor Steve has begun to ask us to rise for the ready of God’s Word recently and I absolutely love that. It’s something I did growing up in church and even as unbeliever who was raised in church his whole life this practice sort of implemented a reverence for the Word of God even if I didn’t want to believe the Word of God. I had a fear, a holy fear that we didn’t play with the Bible. You could play and joke around with just about anything in my house but the Bible was a no-no. And I believe that the simple practice of standing for God’s word to be read aloud help instill that in me, so if you wouldn’t mind standing for God’s Word and a prayer after with me now.

2 Corinthians 4:7–18 ESV

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.

Prayer

God you are holy and just. You are patient and kind. You draw near to us and call us towards you through your Son Jesus’ death. God may the cross of Christ be at the forefront of our hearts and minds. Gift me with clarity, conviction and control as I die to self to preach your Son, and may the listeners hear me with attentiveness, focus, and an open heart. My your Son be glorified.

In Christ’s name,

Amen.

Setting Up the Frame