211017 2 Corinthians: Christ's Ministry of Suffering

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OPENING SLIDE

What is the source of discouragement in the life of the believer? PAUSE Why are we anxious, impatient, irritated, angry or disheartened? What is it about this world that seems to make believers sad or depressed? PAUSE

Well, there’s lots of reasons we could speculate on. Perhaps it is the current economic climate - people losing jobs, being forced out of jobs. Maybe its the double-talking heads in the news room that cannot help but spin facts to make their case...Maybe it is the fact that our politicians are growing ever more corrupt. Creating unjust laws and failing to enforce good laws. Maybe its physical pain, that doesn’t stop, ever.

Maybe its more spiritual… We don’t see our friends and neighbors and family coming to Christ and it makes us sad, it discourages us. Hey, maybe we are just battle weary, tired, we’ve been here on this earth too long and we are just … done.

Maybe a surface level analysis of what we have encountered over the last week or month or year or years would tend to make us think, “yes, its some or even all of those things....” How could it not be, right? Those are all bad things that are discouraging but I don’t think that they are the root cause...

There is a root cause, there is an underlying reason why we as believers are disheartened and its not the news cycle, economic conditions or health considerations that are sapping us of strength and leaving us discouraged… Discouragement, sadness, anxiety are consequences, they are effects or outcomes of something that new Christians and old Christians are all prone to.

What is the primary source of discouragement in the life of the believer? Failing to maintain a correct eternal perspective. When we take our eyes off of Christ and focus on the pandemonium around us it is easy to get distracted and when that happens we quickly become discouraged.

Are you discouraged today? PAUSE LOOK AROUND You are most welcome here. My goal today is build you up, encourage you by helping you to understand your situation, my situation, our situation in light of eternity. INTRODUCTION SLIDE

Having an eternal perspective clarifies so many things for the believer. It puts joy into ministry and soaks up the tears of disappointment and discouragement. PAUSE An eternal perspective rooted in a proper understanding of the Word of God puts gladness back into life.

While there are still hardships to endure, the anxiety and stress are removed and the burden is lifted.

I don’t know about you but an eternal perspective sounds lovely, so let’s have some right now to whet our appetite for what we are to learn later this morning. SLIDE

God’s word is true, inspired and infallible and trustworthy - we can bank our eternity on what we read in it. SLIDE

God’s word tells us about His Son, Jesus Christ - the exact representation of God. Jesus is God, He is enthroned and in charge… and everything is proceeding according to His divine and sovereign plan SLIDE

His plan which including sending His own Son to endure the punishment for sin that we deserved. His love for us is immense, infinite and eternal. As Jesus was preparing to endure the cross and speaking with His disciples, He told them of the hardships to come but told them to take courage! Why take courage, they were about to be hunted, hated and despised by the world… Take courage because Jesus has overcome.SLIDE

And not only has He overcome the world, but as He has sent us out into the world to carry out our commission He has promised that He will be with us. PAUSE LOOK AROUND

INTRODUCTION SLIDE

Having an eternal perspective releases us from fear and frustration because it keeps us from assuming responsibilities that we have no idea how to manage. When we get discouraged because of what we are seeing with our eyes, especially with regard to our own ministries we look with faith toward Christ and His Word and we are assured that He is still on the throne. Having an eternal perspective gives us joy, courage and makes those things that are hard to understand... acceptable, because we do so through faith.

Today we are going to be studying in 2 Corinthians. A book authored by the Apostle Paul. Paul as some of you know endured untold hardships and yet did so with joy and confident faith because he maintained an eternal perspective in spreading the Gospel.

Here is the main point I want us to get today. MAINPOINT YOU NEED TO SPEAK SLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Gospel, boldly proclaimed in the midst of suffering, hardens the rebellious, is embraced by the faithful, gives God maximum glory and produces an eternal weight of glory in us - therefore, do not lose heart!

The point of this message is to remember that we have a job as believers… that is to boldly tell our friends, family, neighbors of Jesus Christ no matter what circumstances we might find ourselves in… Some will reject it, some will embrace it but no matter how it shakes out, no matter what suffering we are to endure in spite of it - our patient endurance gives God maximum glory and which He has promised will produce in us an infinitely valuable weight of glory in us as well… So, take courage and don’t lose heart. BLANK SLIDE

Let’s pray,

PRAYER

Father God, it is such a privilege to come before Your holiness, unafraid because of Your Son. Thank You for Jesus. We thank You for Your graciousness toward us. Even though we are nothing but sinners You have decided to incorporate us into Your plan for Your glory and not only that to share with us an eternal weight of glory. Please give us an eternal perspective that we can carry through the days ahead that You are sovereign and enthroned above. Develop our hope and faith in You this day, I pray, amen.

MAP

Please open your Bibles to 2 Corinthians 4 and while you are flipping there I will fill us in on the context.

2 Corinthians was written during Paul’s third missionary journey recorded in Acts 18:23-21:17 while he was in Ephesus. He had established the church on his second missionary journey and after he left CONTEXT the church things had turned south within the body. Their relationship is strained, strained because … CONTEXT

After Paul left Corinth, several different people began to exert their influence in the church, seeking to develop themselves socially at the cost of demeaning Paul as well as the Gospel.

Corinth at that time was a relatively new Roman colony, strategically located on the Peloponnese peninsula MAP. Corinth was the place where one could develop themselves and social ladder climbing was rampant there. It was possible to promote oneself in Corinth to a degree not possible in other Roman cities.

Many tools were used to develop one’s standing in society at that time, you could prove you were elite by displaying your wealth, demonstrating that you could speak very well and if you lacked these things you could just try to make yourself look better by putting others down.

After Paul had left these ladder climbers and detractors have begun to elevate themselves by demeaning Paul and the Gospel CONTEXT

Paul has written this letter in order to justify his ministry, defend himself against his detractors and provide clarity to the Corinthian church as to what the implications of the Gospel really are.

In this passage Paul lays out many different facts about the Gospel that are so refreshing, they provide incredible eternal perspective and will be quite encouraging.

Again, the main point is MAINPOINT YOU NEED TO SPEAK SLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Gospel, boldly proclaimed in the midst of suffering, hardens the rebellious, is embraced by the faithful, gives God maximum glory and produces an eternal weight of glory in us - therefore, do not lose heart!

Paul is going to defend himself and through his defense, explain our role in our ministry. Verse 1 SLIDE

I. The Christian's Ministry

A. The Open Proclamation of the Gospel (4:1-2)

1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, 2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

Paul had quite a bit to be discouraged about - detractors, persecution… but this is not the tone that we hear coming out of him. He is bold! Bold, but not arrogant, in his open proclamation of the Gospel. He is not conceited like those that are undercutting him in his absence. He knows the truth and he is reminding the Church in Corinth of what really matters, and its not style...

Paul, didn’t have to rely on underhanded techniques of manipulating people or their emotions… He is not a sneak… He is not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God… He is giving it to them straight… The pure word of God… The Lord’s sheep hear the words of the Good Shepherd. They know His voice and they follow Him.

Perhaps, that is why when I hear preachers that have canned sermons and know how to wave their arms at just the right time and how to get laughs out of their congregations it just turns me off. I don’t want to hear the perfectly tuned highs and lows of practiced speeching… They just sound like another politician if their is no reality in their life... So what if they are a persuasive speaker? Are they just entertainers? Who wants religion as entertainment.... Give me life, that’s what I want. Give me the earnest and courageous Gospel truth, that’s what I am interest in, not fancy preaching.

Can I give us a little application point… Paul has a great perspective in his ministry one which we need to remember… APPLICATION POINT SLIDE

Application Point 1

Finesse in delivering the Gospel is not required, so don’t worry about it. If you are dedicated to having the most polished delivery but there is no reality in your life then the priority is all wrong… Finesse in delivering the Gospel is not required but faithfulness is… Be bold. Don’t worry if you are not the most persuasive speaker. Don’t worry if you are not the most experienced Christian. You have a commission and the Lord is with you, do it bravely and leave the results up to Him.

If He is powerful enough to change your mind, and mine, He is certainly able to change others using our own weak, inarticulate giving of the Gospel…

Don’t be discouraged if people are not jumping all over themselves to come to Christ when you give them the Gospel, do it anyway with boldness like Paul… Why? Why not be discouraged? Because the ones that are perishing are lost just like we were, blinded and only the Lord can change their minds. Verse 3 SLIDE

B. The Blindness of the Lost (4:3-4)

3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Having an eternal perspective, anchored in the Gospel, means that we understand that God has chosen to save some, before the beginning of time, to manifest the glory of His grace. It also means that some are chosen to face the full wrath of God to demonstrate the glory of His justice. When those we witness to blow us off, do not lose heart. It has to be this way, God has allowed satan to blind them so that His justice can be understood… They are blind they cannot understand the glory of the Gospel, they cannot understand the glory of Christ. They cannot because it’s foolishness to them. VERSE SLIDE

The scandal of the cross, using death to defeat death, using an inglorious Messiah that defied Israel’s expectations that the Christ would restore their prominence - this was foolishness to Gentiles and outrageous to Jews. Unless the Lord opens people’s eyes they will never understand this… You cannot convince a dead person to wake up… Only God can make that which is dead, alive.

Gain confidence in Him and have an eternal perspective… It is not your job to save anyone, they are all perishing, you cannot, I cannot save anyone only God can but, but, but the Lord has chosen to include us in His ministry. He has chosen to send us to every corner of the planet to fulfill His commission… So boldly preach the Gospel to the blind and perishing as you were told to.

Why? Why should we do that? Why should we boldly preach the Gospel to those that are doomed to hell… PAUSE Because He told us to… Because we are not our own, we who are believers, we have been bought with a price, we are not our own. We are now bondservants of each other and slaves to Christ. He tells us what to do.... Verse 5 SLIDE

C. Christ as Lord, Ourselves as Slaves (4:5)

5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.

The focus of Paul’s ministry, was not like his detractors… it was not about self development but the preaching of the Gospel… It was about serving the churches that he had help found.

PAUSEIt is the wise Christian that can discern those preachers that have developed a personality cult. It is the aware believer that recognizes when pastors do not preach the whole council of God, preachers that are more concerned with numbers and fame than the simple truth of the Gospel.

A great test for those preachers is, “who are they serving?” Because everyone has a master, who are they serving?

Who does Kenneth Copeland serve? Who does Joel Osteen serve? Who does Benny Hinn serve? Jesse Duplantis, Creflo Dollar.... The combined net worth of these men is just south of a billion dollars… Billion with a “B.” Whom are they serving? Do they look anything like Christ? PAUSE Whom do they serve…? It is quite obvious that the god of this age is whom they serve and they are doomed apart from the grace of God.

Again, the test of a preacher… if you hear a preacher saying “I, I, I…” there’s a problem…

PAUSE Paul says, “we do not preach ourselves, we are not developing a cult, we are developing the prestige and pre-eminence of Christ Jesus as Lord over all. We do this not to magnify ourselves but to humbly serve you! develop you! and equip you! as believers to do the work of ministry…

Corinthians! Because of Jesus we are serving you! GO EXCRUCIATINGLY SLOW

What about us? Are we dedicated to serving our Lord and Savior by developing His church in Vernonia Oregon? Are we using all of our God given spiritual gifts and talents to build up this body? PAUSE Whom do we serve?

Service, is one of the highest forms of worship that any person can perform because it is acting like Jesus. VERSE SLIDE John 13 tells us that Jesus served and He served so we would know what service looks like. He said “if I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.”

Jesus said that, right after He scrubbed the sweaty dusty grime off His disciples feet as an example for us to follow. This is not a posture of power like Paul’s detractors who wouldn’t deign to lower themselves by serving the poor or slaves in Corinth. But that is the posture we are to have - if we don’t have a servants posture then it is time to repent of our pride and correct.

Well, let’s keep moving… Verse 6 SLIDE

II. Shown as Weak So God May Be Glorified

A. The Treasure of Christ (4:6-7)

6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.7 But we have this treasure (IE CHRIST) in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;

The god of this age operates differently than our Heavenly Father - satan blinds, but not our God who gives light… VERSE SLIDE Jesus said in John 8:12... “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

Jesus Christ is this treasure, the light of life, and miraculously, He has chosen to be Immanuel, God with us. His very own Spirit is in the believer, renewing us, conforming us to the image of Jesus Christ. Think of the scandal of using us weak people with our own problems and insecurities to bring the greatest message of hope to this dying world!?!?

SLIDE

Why would God allow us to take part in His redemptive plan, why would He involve us in the spread of the Gospel.... Well, it’s not so that we can look great! It is so that He can be glorified through the revealing of Christ.

Verse 7 is a wonderful verse to memorize

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;

God is not magnified if we are.

To take the focus off of us and make this clearly about Him He will allow us to become weak, to suffer, so that the Gospel can be clearly seen. See, our suffering, our pain, our affliction has a point. It is not meaningless, there is a reason, it is so that God alone can be glorified. When we understand this we enjoy an eternal perspective that our unbelieving acquaintances could never grasp, but which fills us with hope and peace Verse 8

SLIDE

B. The Gospel Clearly Seen in Suffering (4:8-12)

8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you.

In the midst of Paul’s affliction and difficulty, he is not hopeless, he has been chosen and he has been loved by his Creator enough to die for him. Paul has an eternal perspective.

He knows something that we need to know. Our faith in the reality of the Gospel cannot be truly seen by us or others until we go through the grinder. SLIDE Just two chapters down in the letter in chapter six Paul lists some of what he has endured, affliction, hardship, distress, beatings, imprisonments etc. In chapter 11 he gets even more specific… He has been whipped by the Jews on five different occasions, beaten with rods three different times. He has been stoned, shipwrecked, been in constant danger from rivers, robbers in hunger and hardship. Through all of this he is not despairing, not struck down. He has the hope of the Gospel that he clings to. He has an eternal perspective about all these things…

Here is a second application point APPLICATION POINT SLIDE

Application Point 2

Suffering shows the surety of our faith. There is no better way to demonstrate what we believe than through affliction and hardship. The world will never know the veracity of what we claim unless they see us cling to it through thick and thin. This is how they will know what we truly believe.

In chapter 12 of Paul’s letter he adds another perspective to suffering which helps us understand that there is a point to suffering - God’s power is most evident when portrayed against the backdrop of weakness.

In chapter 12 he discusses his thorn in the flesh, which was likely a physical ailment, which he asked the Lord that it might leave him and this is what the Lord told him… SLIDE

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 | 9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

In the midst of our weakness and suffering we can rightfully expect the Lord to do mighty things through us not the least of which is prove to us that we really believe in the truth of the Gospel and that is what compels us to tell others. Let’s continue in verse 13. SLIDE

C. Compelled Through Faith (4:13-15)

13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14 knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.

Paul truly believes the Gospel, as a result he is compelled to tell others the truth of liberty from sin and relationship with God. He is driven to tell the world that death has been defeated. Paul has an eternal perspective! Despite all the distractions, all the pain and suffering he knows his ultimate purpose is to spread the good news of the grace of God so that He might be glorified…

Do we know this?

Oh, believer if we know this then the anxiety and worry, the discouragement slips away because we understand that God’s master plan is in full effect and He will bring it to its conclusion. Because of this we have assurance that we will be raised just as Christ was raised from the dead. Such assurance is available to those who take God at His word, so hold fast to it, verse 16 SLIDE

III. The Resurrection Hope

A. Hold Fast (4:16)

16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

Paul has looped back to that phrase used in verse one, “do not lose heart!” Since we have this ministry, as we have received the mercy of God we do not lose heart. Even though we may suffer trials and hardships we are not discouraged! Even though we will physically die, Christ has made those that trust in Him, alive in Him.

We are being changed daily, ἀνακαινοῦται, here translated as “renewed.” This word is a verb in the present passive indicative. Meaning, that Christ is re-establishing us in a new and often improved manner. That present passive indicative I find super helpful. It is descriptive of something happening to me, now...

It is not me pulling myself up by my bootstraps, telling myself to get tough and not be discouraged. No, if you got that from this message I have failed you… No, we don’t have to be discouraged because Christ is the One who began a good work in us and He will complete it. He is making it happen. Therefore do not lose heart...

Let’s get one final point of view on the eternal perspective before I conclude. Let’s look at verse 17. SLIDE

B. The Eternal Perspective (4:17-18)

17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

If we are suffering today we need to remember that our pain and hardship is momentary, light, comparatively small in relation to eternity. That is hard to swallow when we are eating pills just to cope with the pain. But that is what God’s Word says… It says this little bit of pain and hardship we currently are enduring we are going to exchange for an eternal weight of glory!

We often rightly think of the glory of God. His brightness, splendor, radiance, His renown because His glory the purpose of our existence. But His graciousness is so infinite that He not only redeems us from sin and death, He not only brings us into His family, He not only gives us the very Spirit of His Son, as if those things were too light, too small He also allows us to share in His glory.

Our pain has purpose, our trials have meaning. They are not pointless, our trials are producing within us an eternal weight of glory far beyond anything we can fathom.

NODDING Believer, you have a truly generous God and when we set our eyes on Him in eternity, we will understand His magnificent grace and we will return any rewards to Him. We will know that we deserve nothing and it is all about Him. Let’s look at our final application point before we conclude.

Application Point 3

Having an eternal perspective eliminates anxiety. I think I already made a case for why we should not be anxious so I am not going to beat this to death, only to affirm that our God given tool to deal with this is through taking all things to Him in prayer.

Philippians 4:6–7 | 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Boy, is that a recipe for a removal of anxiety. Take all your cares and cast them before Him and leave them there before Him. Have an eternal perspective, stay in your lane and don’t worry about things which are not your responsibility. Your responsibility, my responsibility is to obey our Great Commission and leave the results up to Him.

CONCLUSION

In this life we will have tribulation, just as Jesus suffered we will suffer for His sake. This should not demoralize us - especially if we have an eternal perspective.

Suffering has eternal value, it is producing in us a validation of our testimony, it is an encouragement to our fellow believers, it is a hardening agent for those that are condemned and it produces in us an eternal weight of infinite glory which we will ultimately be able to return to God in thanks for all that He has done for us - because of all of these reasons and more, do not lose heart, believer. God has chosen to gladly give you access to His kingdom.

Please stand and let us bless Him