2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Teacher: Rusty Kennedy
​Series: 2 Corinthians (Acts)

Rusty's Notes

• Paul has been writing about authentic ministry since 2:14.

THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL
2 CORINTHIANS 4
1 Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up.

• Not because he was funded, appointed or had the abilities.
• The reason for having ministry is because they have been shown mercy.
• His mercy happened on Road to Damascus.
• He did not give up when he was challenged in Ephesus.

2 Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful things, not acting deceitfully or distorting the word of God, but commending ourselves before God to everyone’s conscience by an open display of the truth.

• Once again, discrediting the false teachers based upon their own tactics and agendas.
• The reason for discrediting is not to constantly speak out against the false teachers but to show the difference between Paul’s ministry and their ministry.
• Paul is speaking more his credibility for a reason.

3 But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

• Some people are not going to see this Truth because they have been deceived from what is actually the truth.
• Think about it… one of the best ploys of the evil one (the god of this age) is to convince this world there is no absolute truth.
• We are watching a generation grow up writing their own narratives and declaring what truth is based upon what they want it to be.
• The Church is a huge part of this issue.
• There is a reason that people don’t want what the Church is selling because it is a false Gospel.
• It is based upon their own selves more than it is on Jesus Christ.

5 For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

• Paul constantly indicates the things that have occurred in his ministry… but it was never based upon what he did, but what Jesus did.
• Paul’s foundation of ministry is based upon Jesus.

6 For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

• I can produce numbers for the public.
• I can manipulate people to pray a prayer of salvation.
• There are ministries that survive on this standard.
• I’m not the one to question a person’s heart and whether it was just words or a real heart change.
• I used to feel pressure to sit next to someone on a plane or a ski lift and present the Gospel to a captive audience.
• Now I understand more of who I am in Christ and learning what I actually have as a child of God.
• With that, comes the removal of pressure to “save people”. Just tell them about the goodness of God.
• It is not my responsibility to save others… that is Jesus. The pressure is off of me.
• I’m just supposed to naturally be a light in the darkness.
• If they see the glory of God in me, maybe they will desire what I am sharing with them.

 
TREASURE IN CLAY JARS
7 Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.

• Clay jars were used on the daily and often broke.
• They are to us almost as Solo red cups are.
• They were easily broken.
• But don’t focus on the clay jars… focus on the “treasure”
• The “treasure” is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• We are simply the fragile vessels to carry the Good News.

8 We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; 9 we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.

• Our flesh suits are the clay jars.
• We become broken… sometimes even shattered.
• Many times over, glued back together.
• We can suffer physically, but it still doesn’t stop us from living a good life in Jesus.
• We don’t understand why things happen like they do, but we have our faith that keeps us from giving up on life.
• We can be hated and isolated but we know He is always with us.
• We can come to the end of ourselves and know that there is still hope.

10 We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that Jesus’s life may also be displayed in our mortal flesh.

• Paul said he is willing to sacrifice his earth suit for the ability to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

12 So then, death is at work in us, but life in you.

• We may suffer and even die, but it is for the purpose of you finding eternal life.
• Braveheart – “Every man dies… but not every man lives.”

13 And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, (Psalm 116:10 - I believed, even when I said, “I am severely oppressed.”[1]
we also believe, and therefore speak.

• It may seem as though I have nothing and suffered much which is true, but I also have much more than you can actually see.
• So let me tell you about it!

14 For we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you.

• This is when we are done with the flesh suit (jars of clay) and we have our glorified bodies.

15 Indeed, everything is for your benefit so that, as grace extends through more and more people, it may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God.

• Did anyone ask you what you were thankful for this week?
• As we give more grace to more people, we will have more to be thankful for.
• We can continue to go down the “Cancel Culture” path and we will have less and less to be thankful for.
• We want justice more than we want grace.
• Trust me… at some point, you will want more grace than you do justice.

 
16 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day.

• It gets harder and harder for me to do things every year.
• Putting Christmas lights on the house.
• Doing ski trips…
• Answering the phone… to whatever is on the other side.
• But every day… I have this inner motivation that wakes my soul to the daily adventure.
• I know in the midst of the hard work and hopelessness in the world that there will be opportunity to talk about Jesus.
• Every day, the Spirit inside of me (that raised Jesus from the dead) raises me up for the adventure of the day.
• I walk into meetings with people and have no idea what is going to unfold.
• I have no idea what the next phone call, text message or e-mail is going to include but I trust the Spirit inside of me.

17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.

• I can fly Spirit airlines for $40 round trip vs $400 on the big jet airliner.
• It’s only 2 hours each way to Orlando.
• Then I saved me enough money to have Mickey Mouse ice cream every day!
• Mickey Mouse ice cream = incomparable eternal weight of glory?
• Momentary light affliction… I’m on whole 14?

18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.[2]

• This world’s focus is on what is seen.
• Prove to me by showing me.
• But the real world, the eternal everlasting, is based upon faith.
• If you have no faith… The Word of God is written by men.
• If you have faith… The Word of God is written by God through faithful men.
• It is the ability to see things from a spiritual perspective rather than human perspective.
• It takes more for person to believe in faith than it does for a person to believe out of sight.
• You can’t escape this world without suffering.
• And if that is all you see… you miss the glory that is all around you.
• Christ in us is the joy in a fallen world.
• Christ in us is the hope for dying people.
• Christ in us is the light for a dark world.
• Christ in us is the glory for a world that is killing each other.
• Christ in us is the answer for people who are searching.

“So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen.”
Stay focused on what is unseen.

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ps 116:10). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (2 Co 4:1–18). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.