Series: Action [#106]
DON’T QUIT-
YOU HAVE HOPE THROUGH JESUS
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:6
Introduction:
What gives you hope? What causes you to want to get out of bed and face a new day? For me, it is Jesus.
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:6
Since you have hope through Jesus…
1. You can be bold.
We must stop walking around day to day as closet Christians. Are you ashamed of Christ? Are you afraid of what others will think if you share Christ with them? If you truly have a hope that you know that you will never be alone with Christ in your life and that you will spend eternity with Him in perfection; why be quiet about Jesus?
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the 10 Commandments, he heard singing and celebration. Once he got closer, he found the people worshipping a golden calf. In his anger, Moses broke the stones. God was very angry with the people and told Moses to get back because He was going to destroy all of them and start over with Moses. Moses pleaded with God not to destroy them. Later, Moses was speaking to the Lord and asked Him to show him His glory. God agreed to do so; but told Moses that he could not see His face. Moses saw the glory of the Lord. God told Moses to chisel out 2 stone tablets so that he could write down the 10 Commandments again. After 40 days and 40 nights, Moses came down the mountain with the 2 stone tablets and his face was glowing. It scared Aaron and the others so bad that they ran away from Moses. Moses put a veil over his face when he was around the others; but would take off the veil when he would go into the tent of meeting to speak to God.
That veil represented the separation that the Old Covenant put between the people and God. The 10 Commandments just prove that we are no good and we deserve eternal punishment; but Christ has removed that veil. Separation between man and God has been bridged by Jesus Christ. We have nothing to be ashamed of. Don’t try to hide the glory of Lord from others.
Since you have hope through Jesus…
2. You can see clearly.
Satan has caused spiritual blindness. Without Christ, you are spiritually blind. The things of God make no sense. You don’t know what to do or which way to go in life. You just wander around bumping into things. With Christ in your life, you can see. You know what to do and when to do it, because you can see these things through Christ. The Word of God makes sense and is useful to you.
Since you have hope through Jesus…
3. You are free.
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom”. If you are a Christian, the Spirit of the Lord is in you. With Christ, you are free. There shouldn’t be anything or anybody holding you down.
Since you have hope through Jesus…
4. You are being transformed.
What are you being transformed into? The Bible says that God’s children reflect His glory and are being transformed into His likeness. When we unashamedly serve the Lord, we become more and more like Jesus. The result is people will see the glory of the Lord reflecting from our lives and some will be changed.
2 Corinthians 4:6
Since you have hope through Jesus…
5. You can shine brightly.
You were once in darkness, but when Jesus came into your life, light shone in and wiped out the darkness. Light destroys darkness.
Matthew 5:14-16
If you hear nothing else this morning, hear this- Christians aren’t like the light or a reflection of the light- You are the light of the world. I got to thinking about a song I used to sing as a kid: “This Little Light Of Mine”. While it is a great song, something hit me last night about this song that isn’t correct- Why does the light have to be little. Yes, I know that the song is telling us that even the youngest of us can shine for Jesus; but with Christ, you aren’t little.
Conclusion:
If you have hope, the fear will be gone. If you have hope, the worrying will be gone. If you have hope, you know that God is going to do great things. If you have, you know the enemy is going to be defeated and lives are going to be changed.
A friend of my mom told her that she had stood and apologized to her Church because she was bringing some rough kids to Church and some of the people did not like it. This Pastor friend of mine did something awesome and I stand in agreement with him. He told her in front of the Church that she was to never apologize again for ministering, and he is absolutely right. Christians, you need to be bold, filled with the Spirit, seeing clearly, growing to be more like Jesus every day, and shining brightly.
