“Achievements” 2 Corinthians 4:5-12
I have not preached yet ANYWHERE
Today we celebrate your achievements as you have graduated from High School College
In today’s lesson we find Paul writing to the Corinthians sharing some achievements
These achievements are not his own but someone else’s.
1. The achievements Paul is sharing today are not his own But Jesus Christ’s
• One the achievements Of Jesus was our Reconciliation
• 6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
• Another achievement of Christ was our Redemption
• 4Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, 5But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities7He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth;
• he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
• Perhaps one of the greatest achievements of Christ His ability that made us Right.
• Paul claims,"25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification"
2. Paul claims because of these achievements of Jesus He Preaches Christ we do not preach ourselves
• Paul claims Jesus achieved something in his heart
• Jesus made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God
• Jesus was able to achieve a Humility in the heart of Paul all Power is
from God
• 7we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power
is from God and not from us.
• The Clay Jars had little value Here they represent Paul's human frailty and
unworthiness. All-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
• Paul said, " I have achieved Great Bravery because of Christ"
He says, "We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus.
3. Paul claims because of Christ He Achieves Resurrection.
• In Philippians 3: Paul writes 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
• Living Paul desires to achieve Daily Resurrection Life
• We are a weak vessel like clay Jars but there is a treasure in side Daily Resurrection Power
• 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. I achieve because Christ achieved
4. Inclusion, Christ certainly had many achievements you to will have many accomplishments in your life time
The most important achievements should be Humility “Never forget where you
came from”
• Paul could have boasted about his accomplishments circumcised on 8th day of the tribe of Benjamin Hebrew of Hebrews as to the law a Pharisee as to zeal persecuted the church under the law I was faultless, Education under Gamaliel.
• He boasted about Jesus 10But by the grace of God I am what I am ,
• May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
The next Important Accomplishments should Be One’s Faith in Christ
Faith in Christ is a valuable treasure
• Heather Holleman. Scripture contains several dozen “better than” statements. What’s better than fame? What’s better than wealth? What’s better than even life itself? I think about what I believe is “better than” being with Jesus. When I’m seated in Christ, I begin to believe that knowing Jesus and being with Him is better than any life I could design or even imagine for myself. Please always remember the most important accomplishment is to “HAVE FAITH IN CHRIST”
