THE SOURCE OF PERSEVERANCE
2 Corinthians 4:8-9
By Pastor Kevin Evans Tay
Intro:
• This week I felt like I was drawn to this passage as I prepare for today’s sharing.
• If you have your bible, turn to 2 Corinthians 4. I’m going to read to you verse 8-9.
• I felt like this is the word for this season and we are heading to the recovery stage even as a nation or as a church.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NKJV)
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
• Amen?
• So I entitled today’s message: Source of Perseverance: SOP
• So we will have a Breakthrough but not Breakdown in the midst of our own storm.
• Let’s pray. (Prayer)
INTRODUCTION:
• We are in a season that none of us familiar with.
• A time that everything became uncertain.
• A time that the number of people die goes by a few thousand a day due to the COVID-19.
• A time that businesses are affected, hotels closing, school stops, airplanes with empty seats.
• Church gathering was not allowed
• jogging outside was not allowed
• going out is no longer a leisure but more on survival (groceries, a job to survive)
• Apart from all this, many people are affected.
• Not just financially, but also emotionally lost, stress level spike up in that season.
• People wearing a mask & sanitize,
• People are worried and panic.
• Some of you may also think twice whether to attend or not.
• But I want to assure you that even though things around us keep changing dramatically,
• but the God we serve is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
• He is still with you, He is looking after you, He loves you, He never forsakes you.
• If you believe, say a loud Amen.
Context
• Apostle Paul, since the day of his conversion.
• Nothing gets easier for him instead his trial is getting harder and harder.
• The challenges he faced, I think none of us can compare to his.
• But don’t get me wrong,
• I’m not saying the trial and challenges you face is piece of cake,
• but what I want to bring out today is the source of perseverance that Paul has.
• That gave him the ability to keep going.
• At the beginning of 2 Corinthians 4, he started by encouraging the readers by saying, “we do not lose heart” in verse 1.
o It means don’t give up
o Persevere on.
• And towards the end of chapter 4 in verse 16, again he said, “therefore we do not lose heart.”
• In Paul’s ministry, he went through lots of crazy situations that probably beyond what our mortal body can bear.
• If talk about giving up,
• I think he has all the reasons to do so.
• But what is so fascinating is the strength he has to move on in the midst of his storms.
• How many of you persevere through a hard time?
• So I only have 3 points that I want to draw from the life of Paul.
• May we learn and find the strength to persevere in our time of uncertainty.
1. WE PERSEVERE IN GOD’S PURPOSE (Christ-follower do face challenges)
Sometimes we go through the storm in the will of God.
Paul,
2 Corinthians 11:23-28 (NIV)
23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
• Yet in the later letter, he still knows the purpose of his life is to live for Christ
Philippians 1:21 (NIV)
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Joseph,
Genesis 50:20 (ESV)
20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Job,
James 5:11 (NKJV)
11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord--that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
James 5:11 (ESV)
11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
Jesus
• Went through the suffering and ultimately face the cross and death for the will of the Father.
• In this world, you will have trouble.
• Blessed are those who persecuted because of faith.
• Jesus. – Joy set before Him to endure the cross. Hebrews 12:2
• He knows his purpose in the midst of his problem in order for Him to persevere.
Illustration: Purpose to persevere. My son will jump on me without me knowing and I can literally feel he's breaking my bone when is only 20kg, but when I am in the gym, I can lift more than 20kg because I'm aware of the purpose and it gives me the strength to persevere.
• Sometimes you do the right thing and you go through the challenges.
• But if you do the wrong thing, you go through the consequences.
• Some of you, people don’t like you not because you’re doing something bad.
• But people don’t like you because you’re doing the right thing, the right way with integrity and a good testimony.
• If you never go through a storm, maybe you’re no threat to the devil.
• If you never go through anything, double-check the team you’re in, and hopefully, you’re not in the devil’s team.
2. PERSEVERE THROUGH GOD’S PRESENCE (The inner is greater than the outer)
Treasure in him
Paul’s Hardship (verse 8-9)
He used the word “we”
hard-pressed
Intense stressed.
Perplexed
not to know which way to turn, not to know how to decide or what to do.
Even Paul sometimes perplex but not until losing hope.
Persecuted
This has the idea of “hunted.” Paul was a wanted, hunted man because of what he was for Jesus.
In Acts 23:12, 40 men conspired together to not eat or drink until they had murdered Paul.
Paul knew what it was like to be hunted.
Don’t go bitter
Struck down.
To throw to the ground, it’s a metaphor as in being knocked down in a fight.
Don’t breakdown but a breakthrough.
2 Corinthians 4:16 (NIV)
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
Daniel.
Abednego, Shadrach, Meshach. – God is with you as you persevere your storm.
Paul says the outwards body is just an earthen vessel, jars of clay.
Outward wasting away, inward renewed day by day.
A lot of times we look outside for a solution.
When we can look inside to find strength.
1 John 4:4 (ESV)
4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Illustration: outward strength is not enough without inwards determination.
You cannot run a marathon without a strong determination and purpose.
3. PERSEVERE FOR GOD’S PRESTIGE (His Glory over my story)
2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIV)
6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
• So we need to understand that, we do face our dark moments.
• In verse 6, we can see that in order for the light to shine, darkness needs to be in the background.
Verse 6: For it is the God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness
Because if the light shines without the darkness, we will have no idea how the light looks like.
Illustration: Moonlight
When I was in the mission trip, I went to the interior/rural area. No electricity.
and at night I noticed how bright is the moon in the midst of the dark.
2 Corinthians 4:15 (NIV)
15 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 proclaimed the truth, bear all the suffering so that the people will see His Glory through him.
This season may be tough for many.
But don’t give up,
PERSEVERE in God’s Purpose
Through God’s Presence
And for God’s Prestige.
