2 Cor 4:1-6 Light of the Gospel

Light of the Gospel

2 Corinthians 4:1-6

Call to Worship: Pslam 34:3

Prayer

burdened

mercy

peace

show us how to be your people

Cause us to look to you

transform us and the world in which we live.

Read Text

Darkness of the past few weeks. On top of everything else we have been dealing with as a result of the Corona Virus, recent days have proven to be deeply discouraging and disheartening. While there are many things that we can and must say in light of racism, riots, and political unrest, we must rest in the hope of the gospel and make the gospel known.

Main Idea: As his servants, we press on proclaiming the light of the gospel, trusting God to open the eyes of the blind.

As his servants, we press on proclaiming the light of the gospel.

Motivation for pressing on...Paul shares his motivation in light of his critics and at the same time includes all believers in

we do not lose heart. exhausted, utterly spiritless. spiritual weariness (repeats v. 16)

1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.

What ministry? see 3:6

by the mercy of God…not earned or deserved.

“Mercy” cannot be attained by discipline, strength, virtue, or works. (Seifrid 191)

“simply one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. (Seifrid 191)

having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. From the verses that follow we see that to lose heart meant at least two things: (1) Paul did not give in to the temptation to use deceit in his ministry, and (2) he did not crumble to the pressures of persecution and hardship. (Pratt 334)

2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways.

Truth is both spoken by by Paul and his team as well as lived.

We refuse to practice cunning craftiness, trickery.

“evangelist” tricking kids to raise their hands.

or to tamper with God’s word, falsify or dillute

Make it more digestable or suited to the age.

but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

similar to 2:17

2 Corinthians 2:17 ESV

17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

Unlike the tangled webs woven by false ministers, authentic Christian ministry weaves a tapestry of motives, actions, and fruit that presents a consistent picture of integrity before self, before others--whether a particular community or people in general--and before God. (Guthrie 238)

Most importantly, the gospel is made clear…we trust God with the results

As his servants, we press on proclaiming the light of the gospel, trusting God to open the eyes of the blind.

3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

Why do some people not respond even though we are clear with our life and our lips? As Hodge puts it poetically, “The sun does not cease to be sun although the blind do not see it.” (Guthrie 239)

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel

There are multitudes so charmed by the world that the good news of salvation is screened off. (Naylor 173)

They see and hear a different gospel…god of this age…satan is not God, he does not have the power of God but he does have the power to deceive. In Ch. 11:14, he says he disguises himself an angel of light.

Genesis 3:1–5 ESV

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

He still deceives by seeking to

get you to question the Word of God...

to see yourself as god.

to believe in Self salvation.

Moralistic Therapeutic Deism

A God exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth.

God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible, and by most world religions.

The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.

God does not need to be particularly involved in one’s life except when God is needed to resolve a problem.

Good people go to heaven when they die.

(From The National Study of Youth and Religion)

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

blinded the minds of unbelievers....

I’m bored.

to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

The light emanating from the gospel is the same as the glory emanating from Christ. (Guthrie 241)

Christ who is the image of God

Colossians 1:15–20 ESV

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

Being liked was not Paul’s primary motivation… “One wonders how Paul would have fit into today’s Facebook culture. At this point, there were few in Corinth who “liked” his message, and fewer still who were willing to “friend” him.” (Seifrid 199)

We do not lord over people or make ourselves important or famous.

We are servants for the sake of Jesus. servants=duolos=slave. We have been bought with a price. No longer slaves to ourselves or others.

The purpose of our lives is to display and proclaim that Jesus is Lord!

1 Corinthians 2:1–5 ESV

1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! (Ps 115:1)

6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Creation

Genesis 1:3 ESV

3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Same power that spoke the world into existence and called forth light has called us from darkness to light...

New Creation

Isaiah 9:2 ESV

2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

God dispels darkness at both creation and re-creation; he eliminates the darkness in the physical realm by means of the created sun and the darkness in the spiritual sphere through his uncreated Son. (Kistemaker 143)

Work our way back through the text...

God had shone in our hearts to give the light of the glory of God in Christ

We proclaim Jesus is Lord.

Though the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, we know Jesus is Lord.

We proclaim the truth of the gospel without tampering with message, using deception or underhanded ways...

we stick to this ministry received by mercy and we do not lose heart.

So What?

In light of current circumstances, are we pressing on proclaiming the light of the gospel as his servants?

Current circumstances

Covid 19 and restrictions…rising unrest surrounding

Horrendous acts toward Ahmad Arbery and George Floyd…that quickly escalated from protest by those concerned for justice to riots by opportunists and the angry.

world that desires to press people into a single narrative out of shame.

Illus: Christianity emerged during Roman world domination. Polytheistic…believed in multiple Gods. The persecution began during seasons when everyone was expected to make sacrifices to the gods to win their favor. The Christians refused and were publicly humiliated and executed. Yet Christianity spread…why?

Romans 1:16–17 ESV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

There is not another solution for the world. The light has come.

2 Corinthians 4:5–6 ESV

5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Prayer and Response

Song

Giving explanation outside and inside

Available after the service.

Sending...

Matthew 5:14 ESV

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Dismiss by row...

END