Creation - Old and new 2 - New humanity - 2 Corinthians 4
This is a sermon by Lee McMunn from the morning service on 16th November 2008.
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The former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill was once invited, in his
old age, to speak at a large public school’s speech day. The day finally
arrived and as you can imagine everyone was excited to have this famous personality
on stage and were eager to hear what he had to say. Eventually he was introduced,
he got slowly to his feet, shuffled to the lectern and said: ‘Never,
never, never, never, never give up.’ And with that he sat down again.
His speech was finished.
You may not be surprised to hear Winston
Churchill speaking about the danger of discouragement. No doubt he contemplated
giving up on many occasions. When the odds were stacked against him and when
little fruit was evident from his many labours. Winston Churchill kept on going
but along the way he was frequently tempted to give up.
Does
it surprise you that the apostle Paul also contemplated giving up? The great
champion of the Christian faith, a man responsible for writing so much of the
New Testament, the faithful defender of Christianity before Roman rulers and
governors. Does it surprise you that Paul thought about giving up?
Look at what he says in verse 1 of chapter 4. “Therefore, since through
God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.” Why write
this? Why does Paul want to inform us that he does not lose heart, that in
his Christian ministry he keeps on going? Why even mention anything about losing
heart? Well, only because that was his temptation. Now wonderfully he did not
lose heart, he did keep on persevering as a faith Christian minister. But think
about it. If being discouraged and if throwing in the towel was not even an
issue for Paul he would never mention it in his letters. But here it is in
2 Corinthians. Paul does not lose heart but that was certainly his temptation.
Isn’t this true to our experience as Christians? Which of
us has not been tempted to give up trying to share the gospel with friends,
family and neighbours? Who has not been disappointed at the response we frequently
receive when we try and say something about the good news of Jesus? We believe
it is the best news in the world but so often it is received with apathy and
disinterest. What is our temptation? To keep our mouths shut, to say nothing
of Jesus, and to expect no one we know to become a Christian.
Or
what about the disappointment of inviting someone to a Christian event. Have
you had this experience? It may be a church service, perhaps a carol service,
or Time Out or After 8 or Identity. And what happens? You pluck up the courage
to issue the invitation and the person says no. Or even worse they say yes
but never turn up. What is our temptation? To make sure we never pluck up the
courage again.
Why should we not give up? Listen again to what
Paul says in verse 1. “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we
have this ministry, we do not lose heart.”
Although he
was tempted to give up, the reason he didn’t was because he had something
called this ministry. The obvious question is, what is this ministry?
We’ve jumped straight in at chapter 4 so it should not surprise us
that Paul has already been describing this ministry in the previous chapters.
In fact, he has said much about it in chapter 3. For example turn back a page
in your bibles and look with me at what he says in 3:7…
“Now
if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved on in letters of stone,
came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face
of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry
of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns is glorious,
how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!”
He has a ministry that ultimately leads people to righteousness.
Puts them in the right with God and also makes them live rightly. So no matter
what the temptation to give up or throw in the towel Paul remembers the potential
impact if his ministry and keeps on persevering. This is something we need
to be reminded of. When we are discouraged let us never lose sight of the impact
that Jesus can have on an individual life – he can make them right with
God and he can transform their behaviour by the power of the Holy Spirit so
they start living rightly in this world.
And that’s what
Paul believed. So although giving up was a frequent temptation for him it was
never a feature of his life. Instead he devoted himself to being a faithful
minister of Christ. Look at what he says in verse 2. “Rather, we have
renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort
the word of truth. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend
ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”
It’s good to work out what the connection is between verses 1 and
2. We’ve seen already in verse 1 that he does not give up when he feels
very discouraged. But then in verse 2 he starts talking about his methods.
He’s always above board with people. He tells them the way it is. There
was no nonsense with the apostle Paul. Yorkshire would be his natural home.
He was a straight talker. He didn’t deceive people nor did he twist the
truth of God’s word to make it say what he thought people wanted it to
say. No he set forth the truth plainly. He was a man of integrity.
What’s the connection between verses 1 and 2? What is the temptation
if you feel discouraged? Well, it is to give up. But a person can give up in
two different ways. A person can either give up completely in Christian ministry
and stop doing anything. However, there is another way to give up, and that
is to keep yourself busy but to give up on authentic Christian methods.
And so there is connection between verses 1 and 2. Paul says that
he will not lose heart. He will keep on going as a faithful minister of Christ
and so, therefore, verse 2 he will keep on going with the faithful methods
given to him by Christ unlike a discouraged minister who will still keep on
going but not with the authentic methods of Christian ministry.
How often do we see this? Our land is populated by church leaders who have
become discouraged by the lack of results for their labours. They become disheartened
and then change the methods of their ministry. No longer are they crystal clear
about what the Bible teaches. Parts are left out and others are taught in a
muffled way. The word of God is distorted and deception is used. No real talk
of the cost of being a Christian when someone enquiries how they become one.
The price is lowered so more will buy.
Deception and distortion
– two features of a discouraged ministry.
We can be guilty
of this ourselves. Take deception for example. Just think about how you might
invite a friend to a Christian event. For example, one of our Jazz events.
Will you tell a friend that someone will be explaining the Christian faith?
The reasoning goes like this. If I tell them they won’t come but at least
when they get there they will hear the gospel. This can backfire. It is deception
and it is not a method open to the Christian. Why not instead say with confidence,
why not come along and someone I trust will be explaining something of what
Christianity is all about? My friends, we must not be guilty of deception.
Or distortion. In our great desire to be liked we are tempted
to change the Christian message or leave out any bits we don’t think
people want to hear?
However, according to verses 3 and 4 the
reason people don’t believe the gospel has nothing to do with the message,
or the messenger or even the methods, it has everything to do with the sinful
mind. Look at what Paul says in verse 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 of the
glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
If the message
was the problem then we would update it. If the messenger was the problem then
we would sack them. If the methods were the problem we would update them for
our time. But, according to Paul, why is it that so many people don’t
believe the gospel of Jesus? The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers
so that they cannot see the truths about Jesus.
The god of this
age is another way of referring to the devil. Paul tells us that he has blinded
the minds of unbelievers. I think it is interesting that he talks about the
mind, not the eyes and the ears. People can still see the truth about Jesus
and hear about him but because their minds are blinded they cannot understand
and intercepted what they see and hear.
We’ve seen from
our studies in Genesis how the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers.
It all took place in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve rebelled against
God’s rule with their minds, they became naturally hostile to God and
stopped being able to understand God’s word properly. This is a condition
shared by all their offspring. Everyone born after Adam and Eve has a natural
hatred of God in their minds and cannot understand the truth about Jesus.
You may think this is unfair. You may need to think this through.
Listen to Scott’s sermon on Romans 5. But here Paul speaks about a truth
that helps us to explain reality.
Why is this gospel misunderstood
by even the most intelligent of people and reject by many? The god of this
age has blinded the minds of unbelievers.
Driving along and
someone has their headlights on full beam and you just cannot see.
Paul says unbelievers cannot see the glory of Jesus because their mind
has a full beam light shining on it to stop it working properly.
Don’t you find this true to your experience? I can remember having
chats with some very intelligent people (e.g. coffee shop in Oxford) and they
just don’t get it. And we think it is simple.
This is
very encouraging for us as we speak to our friends and family about Jesus.
We are often tempted to think the problem is with us. Not explained the gospel
properly or maybe we don’t know all the answers to their questions. We
think alas if only so and so was there. But no. The problem lies with the sinful
mind of an unbeliever. Naturally, they cannot see the glory that we think is
so obvious about Jesus.
Vicky had the opportunity this week
to speak to one of her colleagues. She wished that I was there instead of her.
But I had spoken to her colleague on many occasions. The reason she didn’t
believe was not because of our inadequacy but because her mind was blinded
and God had yet to shine his illuminating light into her heart. Until he does
whoever has the opportunity speaks the simple gospel of Jesus.
If you are an unbeliever then pray that God will have mercy on you and
help you understand.
As believers, what should we do? Look at
what Paul says in verses 5 and 6. “For we do not preach ourselves, but
Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
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.”
There is a lot here but
let me try and explain the liberating truth Paul is teaching us. We know that
not everyone becomes a Christian when they hear about Jesus. Our temptation
is to think there is something wrong with either the message, the messenger
or the methods. But no Paul says it is all to do with the sinful mind.
Okay, we say, but what do we do now? If people cannot understand
about Jesus surely we have an impossible mission? But that’s not Paul’s
conclusion. He instead devotes himself to preaching Jesus Christ as Lord. Preaching
means communication. It is all about speaking about Jesus Christ as Lord.
Why does he do this? In verse 6 he reveals all. The God who created
a universe by speaking words now makes new creatures by speaking words. Although
he doesn’t speak them, we do. God unleashes creation power as Christians
speak to others with the simple message of the gospel. This power is not released
every time. But not because there is something wrong with us but because God
is absolutely sovereign over when and where this power is unleashed.
However, when he chooses to unleash the power a dramatic miracle takes
place in the heart of an unbeliever. A heart previously in darkness is illuminated
so the person can understand Christ and then receive him as the light of the
world. And all this occurs through the speaking of the simple gospel. God’s
chosen means for working miracles today.
This is good news for
us to hear.
I meet many Christians who’ve stopped telling
others about Jesus. They know it’s a good idea, they even think they
should do it, but they rarely do it now. If that’s you, have you stopped
because you no longer believe verse 6? I’m not expecting a conversation
every day but let’s never make never our standard assumption. God is
still in the miracle business.
Sometimes I meet Christians
who have already relegated someone to the impossible mission category. They
will never believe. There is no point speaking to them about Jesus. This is
a sign that we don’t believe verse 6. There is no guarantee that God
will release his power as we speak about Jesus but that he can do at any time
he wants should be an encouragement for us to never give up. Yes prayers but
why not a book or a pamphlet or an email or even a personal conversation.
Or why not bring them to a place where they will hear the gospel
explained?
What is crucial is that people hear the message about
Jesus Christ as Lord. This is a challenge. It is so much easier to speak of
other things. God, bible study, going to church. The real power of the gospel
is when we speak about the identity and mission of Jesus. This simple to understand
and communicate.
The power is in the message and not in the
personality.
Let’s all learn how to share the message
of the gospel more effectively and let’s be confident that the sharing
of this message is God’s chosen method of working spiritual miracles
today. You may want to come along to Identity yourself or bring someone with
you.
It’s not unusual for Christians to feel inadequate
for this task and that’s why I love what Paul says in verse 7. “But
we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power
is from God and not from us.”
In Paul’s world these
jars of clay were the equivalent of our carrier bags. They were disposable
and unimpressive. God has put a treasure in jars of clay. What does he mean?
Paul talks about this treasure. What he means is the gospel. The wonderful
news about the identity and mission of Jesus.
He has put this announcement
in jars of clay. We are the jars of clay.
It’s no surprise
that we feel inadequate for the task of sharing the gospel. We are jars of
clay. We are unimpressive.
Can you imagine putting your best
ornament in a Tesco carrier bag and putting it on the mantelpiece?
But notice from verse 7 that God has not made a mistake in giving us the
gospel to speak. He does all this so he gets the glory, so that the power to
change is recognised as coming from God and not from us. So be encouraged if
you feel inadequate. We are not very impressive but the message of the gospel,
contained within us, and which is to be on our lips, is the power of God for
the salvation of everyone who believes.
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