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August 30 ~ 2 Corinthians 4:1-12
Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 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— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
Our real enemy
Here we get a rare glimpse into the spiritual world. The devil is called the god of this age who blinds the minds of unbelievers from the light of the gospel of Christ. Twisting the word of God and deceiving humanity has been the evil one’s mission from the beginning. In Revelation 12:9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. So our real enemy is the devil. He’s the one that is twisting the image of God in the minds of men. However Jesus said that if we kept his word we would know the truth and the truth would make us free!
God’s treasure in us
Paul says we have this glorious heavenly treasure in earthen vessels. As Christians we have God living inside us. One way for me to understand this is Television or TV. Over a million people can all be watching the same channel from all over the planet and the very same image, sound and experience can come through every TV set at the same time. God, by the Holy Spirit lives in all his children all at the same time. Somehow his spiritual nature is able to be everywhere at the same time but it’s like TV, you have to be tuned in to the right channel. This is where people miss it. They chose not to connect with God and so do not experience him. Believing in God does require faith but faith that is based on the word of God. It’s like a play on words. Look at this word. What do you see? GODISNOWHERE
You can see it as: GOD IS NO WHERE
Or you can see it as: GOD IS NOW HERE
It’s all how you look at God that makes all the difference! For believers we know that Christ is living in us and this is the treasure Paul was talking about. Jesus promised that he would live in us through the Holy Spirit and his word:
God living in us through the Holy Spirit
John 14:15-17 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
God living in us through his word
John 14:22-23 ..“Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
Dying to live?
Alright Paul, now you’re getting deep! Ever felt that way after reading something in the Bible? Well for me, this is one of those times. When he says we are always given to death that the life of Jesus can manifest through us he meant that in order to do the will of God, preach the gospel and minister to people Paul had to die to his own life and self-willed plans. This is what Jesus was saying was required to follow him as disciple. Luke 9:23-25 “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?"
Salvation is a free gift but it cost Christ his life dying on a cross. Doing the will of God for our lives means we put God first and that means somethings just have to die so Christ can live through us and do the fathers will. You don’t hear much preaching about self-denial in our modern Christian age but for Christ and the apostles preaching the gospel and serving God meant laying down your life for a cause greater than self.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) Our real enemy is the devil not people. God sent his Son Jesus to save the world but many are blinded to his love and salvation.
2) The greatest treasure in the world is not a shipwreck full of Spanish gold. No, it’s Christ living inside his people our hope of glory!
3) If we are going to do the will of God it requires that we die to our self. We can’t do our will and God’s will at the same time. Either God will rule on the throne of our hearts or self will rule doing as we please. Let’s chose to walk with the Lord and do his will today!
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 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— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
Our real enemy
Here we get a rare glimpse into the spiritual world. The devil is called the god of this age who blinds the minds of unbelievers from the light of the gospel of Christ. Twisting the word of God and deceiving humanity has been the evil one’s mission from the beginning. In Revelation 12:9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. So our real enemy is the devil. He’s the one that is twisting the image of God in the minds of men. However Jesus said that if we kept his word we would know the truth and the truth would make us free!
God’s treasure in us
Paul says we have this glorious heavenly treasure in earthen vessels. As Christians we have God living inside us. One way for me to understand this is Television or TV. Over a million people can all be watching the same channel from all over the planet and the very same image, sound and experience can come through every TV set at the same time. God, by the Holy Spirit lives in all his children all at the same time. Somehow his spiritual nature is able to be everywhere at the same time but it’s like TV, you have to be tuned in to the right channel. This is where people miss it. They chose not to connect with God and so do not experience him. Believing in God does require faith but faith that is based on the word of God. It’s like a play on words. Look at this word. What do you see? GODISNOWHERE
You can see it as: GOD IS NO WHERE
Or you can see it as: GOD IS NOW HERE
It’s all how you look at God that makes all the difference! For believers we know that Christ is living in us and this is the treasure Paul was talking about. Jesus promised that he would live in us through the Holy Spirit and his word:
God living in us through the Holy Spirit
John 14:15-17 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
God living in us through his word
John 14:22-23 ..“Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
Dying to live?
Alright Paul, now you’re getting deep! Ever felt that way after reading something in the Bible? Well for me, this is one of those times. When he says we are always given to death that the life of Jesus can manifest through us he meant that in order to do the will of God, preach the gospel and minister to people Paul had to die to his own life and self-willed plans. This is what Jesus was saying was required to follow him as disciple. Luke 9:23-25 “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?"
Salvation is a free gift but it cost Christ his life dying on a cross. Doing the will of God for our lives means we put God first and that means somethings just have to die so Christ can live through us and do the fathers will. You don’t hear much preaching about self-denial in our modern Christian age but for Christ and the apostles preaching the gospel and serving God meant laying down your life for a cause greater than self.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) Our real enemy is the devil not people. God sent his Son Jesus to save the world but many are blinded to his love and salvation.
2) The greatest treasure in the world is not a shipwreck full of Spanish gold. No, it’s Christ living inside his people our hope of glory!
3) If we are going to do the will of God it requires that we die to our self. We can’t do our will and God’s will at the same time. Either God will rule on the throne of our hearts or self will rule doing as we please. Let’s chose to walk with the Lord and do his will today!
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll