Comfort of God
2 Corinthians 4:1-18
Introduction
Prayer-
Good morning, we have been looking at how we can encounter God’s presence.
We have looked at the worship side and those times we enter into God’s presence by praise and worship.
We looked last week at encountering God by prayer and realizing that even though we do not always see God working He is working.
Cornelius, Acts chapter 10 praying and seeking God and Apostle Paul praying and understanding that God was opening up salvation to all not just the Jews and he had to put proud aside and God used both men to accomplish this task.
This morning looking to scripture to show us what God desires for the seeking heart and the servant of God.
In 2 Corinthians chapter 4, Apostle Paul records his prayer for comfort for the people of Corinth who are spreading the gospel and are discouraged his desire is to see them accomplish God’s will in their live as well as continue reaching others for Christ.
Paul’s plan… was to come to them both on his way to Macedonia and on his way back, but his plans were changed by circumstances.
Anyone have plans changed by circumstances?
Ever have things happen that were out of your control?
He brings them instructions and offers them encouragement knowing full well they live in fallen world and there will be times we go through tough times.
As a mentor and leader he wanted to take it away from them but knew that they would have to go through these things but was praying for God to not only intervene but help them through.
The Corinthian church could not understand why he didn’t return- why he didn’t do what he had intended or what they had planned.
1:23-“I call God as my witness- and I stake my life on it- that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.”
He tells the Corinthian church that they must keep a tender heart and not lose track of why they do what they do and lose sight of the gospel.
You must learn to forgive those who harm you, those who wreck plans and circumstances and you must happily preach the word of God.
He is not taking at a church board meeting, he is talking to the whole church of God.
To bring the saving word of God to those he came in contact with knowing full well that it brings some victories and some heartaches and grief.
(15) “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life.”
As we look to the text this morning,
it is my prayer that for those that feel right now that they are being crushed by circumstances and events that are out of their control, they sense instead His encouragement and His comfort.
2 Corinthians 4:1-18 Read from Bible
This is Paul speaking to the church of God admitting we have weakness in ourselves but strength in Christ.
It is Paul saying to the church that though we are pressured we are not to cave in to the world and its ways but let the light of Christ shine in the darkness to make a difference.
This verse is hope for those of us that are getting older and the bones and muscles do not operate as well as they use too. For those of us that not only need a soul lift but maybe a face lift or a tummy tuck.
“Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
They say you know that you are getting older when…
You and your teeth don’t sleep together.
You try to straighten out the wrinkles in your socks and discover you are not wearing any.
It takes twice as long to look half as good.
Outwardly these old bodies are fading, but Paul tells us that God continually wants to renew us from inside out.
Society today spends a lot of time and a lot of money preserving the outside but spends very little time renewing the inside. Repeat.
Quick tans
Procedures to make you look younger, bigger, smaller, taller.
Don’t like a part of the body you were born with… that the good Lord gave you. We can change it.
Some celebrities preserve so well, I cannot believe their age. Then there are others… their skin is so tight they look like they have been put in a vice. If Phyllis Diller is the look they were going for, they accomplished it.
Some of you will have to Google Phyllis Diller to see what I mean.
Today’s culture worships the body and God say’s worship Him.
So beside the aging process which is normal on this side of heaven- Paul shows us that as believers, we have God’s Spirit dwelling in us to encourage us and to build us up when the things of this world tear down.
(13) “It is written: I believed; therefore have spoken, since we have the same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.”
Paul directs us to focus not only on our bodies, this life, but on the eternal things-
The spirit of God dwelling in us to encourage us and cheer us in those times of struggle.
In accordance to what is written- I believed, so I spoke- and in our faith, I believe, so we also speak. The faith that sustained Apostle Paul is the same faith that will sustain you and I.
It is in the faith and belief that because Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead by God the Father, that as believers in His resurrection, we also will be resurrected from death unto life.
Outer decay but inner renewal- amen!
Illustration-
To me there is nothing more precious than watching two older people handing hands and slowly walking together. In our hurry up world, we miss the story behind that picture. Years ago they were the young couple hurry here and there, now they slowly moving but still reflect the love that they have for each other. As our bodies age and the world still moves at reckless speed, don’t forget the promises that this is not all there is- As Jesus was resurrected, so will be the saints of God.
I believe that is what Paul meant when he says that “we have this treasure in jars of clay to that this all-surpassing power is from God and not us.”
Jars that become brittle.
Jars that have a lot of dents and scars of wear.
Have some cracks that have been glued and fixed.
This is not all there is! - Those jars are still in use because of the all surpassing power of God working in their lives.
The future is often what is unseen.
Soul lift…inside instead of only about external things- think eternal things for the present.
Check this out-
(6) “ For God, who said, Let your light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”
We cannot be the light without God dwelling in us.
We cannot let the light shine in darkness unless God brings us to places where the light is needed to shine.
It means that in our suffering, the light of God in our lives shines to those that are watching our lives.
That God is the source of light and we are the vessels He uses, the jars of clay that invites others to the light of God.
We have a responsibility as believers of Christ to share the message of Christ because that light of God cannot and should be hidden under a bushel.
Check this out, this is good stuff-
We cannot and should not distort the word of God- but share the word of God-
(3) “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus sake.”
If we are preaching Jesus Christ, it is to be empowered by His spirit to our spirit.
We have a responsibility to the gospel. The same gospel that saved us has to be offered to those God brings in on our path.
Lastly this morning
(8) ”We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed.” Let’s repeat that!
“Perplexed, but not in despair.” Ready Repeat.
“Persecuted, but not abandoned.” Repeat.
“Struck down, but not destroyed.” Repeat.
It Ain’t over yet! Bad English, good thought.
“No weapon that is formed against you shall be able to prosper”. Isaiah 54:17
“I can do all things through Christ that gives me strength.” Phil 4:13
I come this morning to tell somebody this morning that it Ain’t over yet!
The bell has rung, but the fight is not over yet. The next round belongs to you!
I cannot tell you that you will never get knocked down again.
I cannot say that you will never be caught off guard again.
I cannot say that you will never feel abandoned or forsaken.
What I can tell you…
“And we know that all thing work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
“In all things, we are more than conquers through him that loved us.” Romans 8:37
“Nothing shall separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Let’s just go with that I have felt the scaryness of trying to catch my breath. The getting the wind knocked out of me.
The biggest mistake that the devil makes is knocking the Christian off his/her feet, because when he/she is off their feet and on his knees, the devil is defeated!
Hell trembles when believers hit the floor and are praying!
You may be knocked down but you are not knocked out!
Apostle Paul chose to identify with Christ! Not his circumstances-
Mother Teresa
“Now I rejoice with my whole heart that I have joyfully carried my cross with Jesus. There were sufferings- there were moments when my eyes were filled with tears- but thanks be to God for everything.”
Paul faith, he saw Christ.
In his human weakness, he saw an opportunity for God to do something amazing in his life.
Paul didn’t lose heart and don’t you either-
His present situation was marked with suffering, but it won’t always be that way
His body was getting older, wasting away, but this is not all there is- that is not the end of the story for the believer.
(18) “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
The Lord offers comfort by His presence in our lives.
The Lord offers strength by His Spirit working in our lives.
The Lord offers wisdom by His word applied to our lives.
The Lord is comfort for us today!
Prayer-
