Paul's Epistles - 2 Corinthians Part 6 – LIGHT IN THIS WORLD

INTRODUCTION

Paul's second letter to the church in Corinth began with letting the church know that Paul was happy to hear that the church had received and responded correctly to his first letter.

Remembering James 5:19, 20 " My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, ²⁰ remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins."  

Paul explained why he didn't visit them and that he was pleased they had responded well to his first letter, even though not all had repented.

Last week we looked at Paul encouraging the church to allow the offender of incest return to the congregation, because he had truly repented and turned away from his sin, therefore he had been forgiven. Paul said that his punishment by the church forcing him to leave the congregation was enough, and that since he had repented and was forgiven, they must allow him back.

Paul reminded them that it was not that long ago, they too were not living as God wanted them, and they repented, and were forgiven by Paul.

Paul reminds the church in Corinth, and us as well, that forgiveness to those who have repented is essential, not only because we are commanded to do so by Christ, but because when we forgive, we keep Satan from having a way to outwit us.

Satan will use our unforgiveness as a weapon against us in his schemes.

As long as we have unforgiveness against someone who has repented, we are being disobedient to the Lord, which in turn allows a foothold for Satan to work against us.

Satan is always looking for an area of our lives where we are being disobedient, which allows him room to work his schemes against us.

This week Paul explains how we are servants of the Lord and Lights in this dark world

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE II Corinthians 4

Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. ² Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. ³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ 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. ⁵ For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 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 God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

¹³ It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ 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. 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.

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 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.

    I.      WE ARE THE LIGHTS

a.      Our character as preachers of this Gospel

                                                                         i.      We have renounced secret & shameful ways

                                                                      ii.      We do not use deception

1.      Holy deeds done in unholy ways

2.      Unholy deeds done in holy ways

                                                                   iii.      We do not distort the Word of God

1.      Meaning to use the word of God for your purpose or agenda

2.      i.e. cults, false religions

3.      The word misrepresented or used to control others

a.      Such as Satan did when tempting Jesus

b.     Notice the scriptures say "tempting" not "trying to tempt"

b.     We set forth the Truth of God's word plainly

                                                                         i.      For all to easily understand

                                                                      ii.      Doing all this in sight of your consciences and God

1.      If the Corinthian church would have listened to their consciences they would have known Paul was preaching the truth from the beginning.

                                                                   iii.       Our gospel (The Gospel of Christ) may be veiled, but only to those perishing

1.      Who is perishing?

2.      Those who reject the Cross

3.      The earlier example given was the Jews who rejected Jesus, His death and resurrection, which is the Gospel that brings life

4.      If you reject the Cross, you reject Christ

c.      We do not preach ourselves, but Christ and the Resurrection

                                                                         i.      We preach ourselves as servants of Christ

                                                                      ii.      God said, "Let light shine out of darkness" (Genesis 1:3)

1.      What light? Christ (Through the Holy Spirit)

2.      What darkness? Man

                                                                   iii.      He made light shine in our hearts to give us the light of knowledge of God's Glory

II.      WE HAVE THIS TREASURE

a.      What treasure? The light of the Gospel

                                                                         i.      In jars of clay

                                                                      ii.      We are the clay, man, made of earth

                                                                   iii.      fragile vessels displaying power and glory given to us

                                                                     iv.      the light of God through us

                                                                        v.      Why? to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

b.     We are clay vessels (Pottery and He the Potter)

                                                                         i.      We are hard pressed on every side - but not crushed

                                                                      ii.      Perplexed - but not in despair

                                                                   iii.      Persecuted - but not abandoned

                                                                     iv.      Struck down - but not destroyed

c.      We always carry in our body the death of Jesus Christ

                                                                         i.      So the life of Jesus may be revealed in our body

                                                                      ii.      We are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so His life may be revealed in our mortal body.

III.      DO NOT LOST HEART

a.      I find it interesting Paul tells us, everything we are is the power of God not us, the light that is inside us, light from darkness, we know the Word of God is held in our hearts, and Paul tells us, do not lose heart!

                                                                         i.      I believe, therefore I speak

                                                                      ii.      We have the same Spirit of Faith

                                                                   iii.      The one who raised Jesus from the dead, will also raise us

                                                                     iv.      That Grace (salvation through the cross spread in the Gospel) is reaching more and more people, this should cause thanksgiving to overflow to the Glory of God!

b.     THEREFORE

                                                                         i.      Do not lose heart

                                                                      ii.      Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day!

                                                                   iii.      Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us eternal glory that far outweighs them all!

c.      So we FIX our eyes

                                                                         i.      Not on what is seen, but what is unseen

                                                                      ii.      Since what is seen will pass away

                                                                   iii.      But what is unseen is eternal

CONCLUSION

We, those who are servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, are vessels, holding the power of the Holy Spirit, the light of the world within us, to be shown to all.

This light reveals the Glory of God, drawing those who will receive Him to the Cross, however, the Gospel message is veiled to those who reject the Cross, and therefore reject Christ.

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!

Paul's Epistles - 2 Corinthians Part 5 – GREATER GLORY

INTRODUCTION

Paul's second letter to the church in Corinth began with letting the church know that Paul was happy to hear that the church had received and responded correctly to his first letter.

Remembering James 5:19, 20 " My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, ²⁰ remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins."  

Paul explained why he didn't visit them and that he was pleased they had responded well to his first letter, even though not all had repented.

Last week we looked at Paul encouraging the church to allow the offender of incest return to the congregation, because he had truly repented and turned away from his sin, therefore he had been forgiven. Paul said that his punishment by the church forcing him to leave the congregation was enough, and that since he had repented and was forgiven, they must allow him back.

Paul reminded them that it was not that long ago, they too were not living as God wanted them, and they repented, and were forgiven by Paul.

Paul reminds the church in Corinth, and us as well, that forgiveness to those who have repented is essential, not only because we are commanded to do so by Christ, but because when we forgive, we keep Satan from having a way to outwit us.

Satan will use our unforgiveness as a weapon against us in his schemes.

As long as we have unforgiveness against someone who has repented, we are being disobedient to the Lord, which in turn allows a foothold for Satan to work against us.

Satan is always looking for an area of our lives where we are being disobedient, which allows him room to work his schemes against us.

This week Paul explains how our presence as servants of Christ is a pleasing aroma to God, and a double edge sword to those who are perishing...bringing death and life...

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE II Corinthians 3:7-18

Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, ⁸ will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? ⁹ If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! ¹⁰ For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. ¹¹ And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

¹² Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. ¹³ We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. ¹⁴ But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. ¹⁵ Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. ¹⁶ But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

    I.      THE GLORY OF THE LAW OF MOSES

a.      The Old Testament

                                                                          i.      Old Covenant

                                                                       ii.      Law of Moses

                                                                     iii.      Ten Commands (commandments)

b.      Ministration of death (vs 7)

                                                                          i.      The Old Covenant does not save, but condemns

                                                                       ii.      It is the unobtainable measure of God's standard

                                                                     iii.      Showing all who wish to come to the Lord, they are not worthy of Him and His glory

                                                                      iv.      The Law of Moses showed man they needed a savior

c.      God's Glory

                                                                          i.      His ways are above ours

                                                                       ii.      God cannot be reached through the Law

                                                                     iii.      The Law only brings death and condemnation

                                                                      iv.      The covenant that condemn must come before the covenant that saves

II.      THE GREATER GLORY OF THE NEW COVENANT

a.      The New Testament

                                                                          i.      New covenant

                                                                       ii.      The ministration of the Spirit

                                                                     iii.      Not a covenant of law, but of Spirit

b.      Ministration of the Spirit

                                                                          i.      Because of what Christ did at the cross, it is possible for the Holy Spirit to do great things in us and our lives.

                                                                       ii.      Providing we keep our faith

                                                                     iii.      Evidently. some false teachers had come from Jerusalem, attempting to extol the so-called "virtues" of the law.

                                                                      iv.      They were trying to mix Law with Grace, which cannot be done

c.      God's greater Glory

                                                                          i.      If God's Glory is present in the ministration of death, how much greater is His Glory in the Ministration of life through the Spirit?

                                                                       ii.      The Glory of the Law of Moses cannot begin to compare with the Glory of the New Covenant.

                                                                     iii.      One brings death and condemnation, the other life and forgiveness

III.      THE TRANSFORMATION INTO HIS IMAGE

a.      The returning veil of the Old Covenant

                                                                          i.      We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.

                                                                       ii.      But their minds were blinded, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read.

1.       The glory on Moses face faded

2.      It was meant to show that the Law would fade as well

3.      Which it did with Christ, who fulfilled it all

                                                                     iii.      They did not understand the Law was meant to be phased out

                                                                      iv.      Israel was still trying to live by the Lawand some were trying to force it into the New Covenant

b.      Christ removes the veil

                                                                          i.      VS 15-16 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. ¹⁶ But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 

1.       Anyone who does not know the Lord is still blind

c.      [S 15-16 s still trying to live by the Lawand some were trying to force it into the New Covenant

c.      stration of life through the SpAnd the Spirit of the Lord transforms us

                                                                          i.      Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

CONCLUSION

The Law only condemns, it brings death. This first covenant of Law had to come before the covenant to save.

With the New Covenant, obtained through Christ's payment of our debt through the crucifixion, any who come to the ministration of the Spirit, are saved through God's Grace, and there is no place for the Law of condemnation within the Gospel of Christ, other than to show our guilt and inability to measure up to God's Glory.

Through the Spirit of God, who is at work in all who are part of the New Covenant, we are being transformed into the Image of Christ.

The more we submit to the Lord's authority in our lives, the more we will experience change, both in our lives as well as in our minds.

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!