Untitled Sermon (5)

Erased

Jars of Clay

Erased: to remove from existence or memory as if by erasing. To nullify the effect.

Galatians 2:20-21 (NLT) 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

Ø We Are Called to Reveal the Truth (vs 1-4)

2 Corinthians 4:1 (NLT) 1 Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up.

2 Corinthians 4:2 (NLT) 2 We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.

2 Corinthians 4:3 (NLT) 3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (NLT) 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

Ø The Truth is found in Christ (vs 5-6)

2 Corinthians 4:5 (NLT) 5 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake.

2 Corinthians 4:6 (NLT) 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

Ø We Are Now Filled with the Spirit of God (vs 7-9)

2 Corinthians 4:7 (NLT) 7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NLT) 8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

2 Corinthians 4:10 (NLT) 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

2 Corinthians 4:11-12 (NLT)

11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

§ Vs 7 says that the treasure that we are filled with reveals the POWER of God to others

§ Vs 8-9 When we face persecutions and hardship (vs 8-9) we are not overcome because of the Spirit of God living on the inside of us.

§ Vs 10-12 We carry the death of Jesus so that Christ’s life is revealed through us

¨ People should notice the life on the inside of you!

¨ When you are at

Ø We Must Speak What We Believe (Vs 13-14)

2 Corinthians 4:13 (NLT) 13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.”

2 Corinthians 4:14 (NLT) 14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.

Ø Fixing your Eyes on the End (vs 15-18)

2 Corinthians 4:15 (NLT) 15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.

2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (NLT) 16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. Persecution leads to reaching more people (vs 15)

§ We are being Renewed Day by Day even if our bodies are wasting away (vs 16)

· The church was being physically beaten and persecuted and their bodies suffering but they were brand new each day inwardly.

Ø We are not living for Today (vs 17-18)

2 Corinthians 4:17 (NLT) 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!

2 Corinthians 4:18 (NLT) 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.

· Our troubles don’t compare to the glory we receive

· So we fix our eyes on living for heaven, not for today

Colossians 1:27 NLT

For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.