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Preaching Christ Jesus The Lord
– Second Corinthians Four –
In
Second Corinthians Four Paul continued to explain about his work and service
for God. He went through tough times but he did not allow himself to get
discouraged because he knew that he was working for God. There was a very
obvious contrast between Paul and some other people. He openly and boldly
proclaimed the truth while others were blinded to the obvious paths of right.
The gospel is hidden only to those that Satan has blinded.
Paul looked
upon himself as simply a servant of God. The result of such thinking was two
fold. First, he preached Christ Jesus as Lord. He knew that the treasure of the
gospel was in "earthen vessels." Second, he was willing to endure the
temporary sufferings of this life in order to receive the eternal weight of
glory! While this was difficult for his outward person he did not loses heart
because, his "inward man was being renewed day by day." The focus of
Paul's life was on the unseen or eternal things that were so powerfully
revealed in the New Covenant.
Blinded to the truth
– 2 Corinthians 4:1-4: Paul felt that God had been kind in entrusting
him with the work of preaching the gospel. His concept was that what he was doing was a
ministry. The ministry of Christ was so much more glorious than that under the
Law of Moses. Therefore Paul would not allow himself to become discouraged and
to faint with weariness. Paul did not do shameful things that had to be hidden.
He only spoke the truth and he did that with simplicity and boldness. The
gospel of Christ sustained him. It preserved him and kept him from fainting.
This wonderful gospel made him open and honest and kept him from deceit.
If there is
anything hidden about the gospel it is hidden only to those that are lost.
These are people that could be saved except for the fact that they were blinded
to the truth of God's salvation. The god of this world has blinded the
unbelievers' minds preventing them from seeing the saving light of the gospel
of Christ. Satan is the god of this world. He causes people to be spiritually
blind. This spiritual blindness or unbelief causes people to remain in a lost
state. They will perish and will be condemned because they refuse to see the
truth because it condemns their sins.
Preaching Christ as Lord – 2 Corinthians
4:5-7: In
Paul's preaching he preached Jesus Christ as Lord and he did not exalt himself.
The subject of all his preaching was Christ as Lord and Paul as servant. Christ
was the head of the one church and Paul was a servant in the one body! Our
Creator God was able to dispel the physically darkness in the beginning.
"And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face
of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God
said, Let there be light: and there was light." (Genesis 1:2-3) Now God is
shining in our hearts to let us know the glory of salvation that is seen in
Jesus Christ.
Paul said the precious and powerful
gospel is stored in frail human vessels. These preachers of the gospel are weak
and feeble. They have bodies that are decaying and dying. They are altogether
unworthy to hold a treasure so invaluable. This is proof that the real power of
the gospel comes from God and not from us. The divine Light of the Gospel is a
precious treasure that came form Jehovah. Man is able
neither to produce nor give power to the gospel. This could have only been
accomplished by God.
Overcoming
many troubles – 2 Corinthians 4:8-15: Bad things come to good people. Paul mentions four
bad things that had come his way and four ways that those things could be
worse. He said, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are
perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not
destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4:8-9) He did not allow his troubles to do even
worse things to him. With the help of God Paul did not allow his troubles to
destroy him. He stayed strong in the Lord. He never gave up in despair. Paul
faced death every day because of Jesus. He was willing to face threats of death
in order to show people how to have life in Christ. We can be sure that God
will intervene with His mercy and grace and save His people from absolute
despair and ruin.
As an evangelist
Paul was constantly faced with death. The Corinthians did not face death like
he but the dangers he faced helped them to have spiritual life. Paul said it is
written in Scriptures saying, "I believed, therefore have I spoken."
(Psalm 116:10) Paul affirmed that he had the same kind of faith that David had
when faced with enemies that might take his life. Paul was willing to face
death for the cause of Christ because of his faith in the resurrection. He
endured all the things that he did that more and more people might be thankful
to God and praise and honor Him.
An eternal weight of glory – 2
Corinthians 4:16-18: Paul would never give up. He did not just become
exhausted and wearied and faint. There was resistance to his message, but he
would not faint. He simply did his duty, and committed the result to God. He
realized that his body was progressively decaying, yet his inner self was being
renewed day after day. Paul understood that man is made up of two parts, body
and soul. Though the flesh was getting weaker the real person was being made
stronger each day. One part of man is perishing, and the other is part is being
renewed. It should be our goal to do all that we can to allow our souls to grow
stronger and stronger daily. The things of this life are momentary affliction
when compared to the eternal weight of glory in eternity. These little troubles
are getting us ready for heaven. Heaven will make all our earthly troubles seem
like nothing.
Our focus must be on heaven, not on the
temporal things that are so brief and fleeting. We must keep our minds on the
things that cannot be seen because they are everlasting. The contrast is
between the present physical things that are temporary and the things that
cannot be seen that are eternal. Our attention must be on the spiritual reward
in the next world. It is an eternal reward that will never end. Our bodies will
grow old. They will become weak and feeble under the many trials and hardships
of this life. Our bodies and all that pertain to this life will perish. The
things that are not seen are eternal and that must be our life's focus! Those
that go to heaven have the assurance that their joys will endure.
Jesus
died so that you can go to heaven. Will you obey Him NOW? To become a Christian
you must hear the gospel (Romans
- - - - Charles Box
News
& Notes
1. Prayer
List: Stabler Hospital: Marie Walton (mother of Bill Hammonds) and
2. Requesting Our Prayers: Jewell Cauthen and
Stacey Harrell have responded to our Lord’s invitation. Please remember them in
your personal, private prayers.
3. Sympathy Expressed: Our
love and sympathy is expressed to Jerri Davis and Neomia
Collins in the death of their aunts, Irene Folsom and Glennie
Palmer.
4. Please Pray For: The following people are serving
in
5. Special Prayer Request: (a) Please begin now praying for Jason
Godwin as he will return to
6. Birthdays: Celebrating birthdays this week are: March 9th Delois Smith, March 10th
Black
and Ann Walz, March 11th James Harville, March 12th Dot Killingsworth and Meaghan Till, March 13th William
Phillips and March 15th Aidenn Faulk.
7. Thank You:
8. Walter Johnson To
9. Prom Alternative Banquet/Retreat:
10. Food List:
Remember to sign the food list to assist Sister Doris Taylor. She is a special
lady and we want to show our love to her.
11. Ladies Bible Class: The Wednesday morning Ladies Bible class invites all ladies to participate in
the class. The class meets at
12. Visit Our Website: Our website address is: http:\\www.walnutstreetchurchofchrist.org.
There
are many past issues of the Reporter available on the site. Many articles are
also available. Use the site and share it with others.
13. Put These Dates On Your Calendar: (a) March 15th – Ladies Day – Fairhope
Church of Christ – Speaker Cindy Colley – Theme “Let the Beauty of Jesus be
Seen in Me” – Time 9:00 am – Please RSVP 251-928-9053, (b) March
30th – April 3rd – Memphis School of Preaching Lectures – Theme: “Strengthening
The Heart”, (c) June 22nd-26th – Vacation Bible School – Walnut Street
Church of Christ, and (d) July 6th-13th – Backwoods Christian Camp –
Please participate!
There’s
I noticed the
sign in front of a building the other day, and I was intrigued by what was
posted there. It read, “There’s no right way to do the wrong thing.” This is a
much needed message for people today who think truth is whatever each individual
makes it. The idea of absolute truth is a foreign thought to many, but to
Christians it should be a great comfort in a sea of uncertainty. Jesus said,
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth”
(John
I am seeing
more and more “situational ethics” in the way that people rationalize sinful
behavior. Basically, this philosophy is that situation,
surroundings, and/or environment help to determine right and wrong. Here are
some common examples of this type of reasoning: 1)
“I don’t drink alcohol…unless I am in a social situation where it is widely
accepted.” 2) “I won’t wear immodest clothing…unless I am near water.” 3) “I
don’t skip worship services…unless my family/friends visit, I have ball
practice, or I am on vacation.”
The folly in
this reasoning is obvious to me. If
something is wrong at one time or place, why isn’t it wrong all the time? Too
often, even Christians’ standards rely heavily on what the world accepts as
right or wrong. However, even the world recognizes the foolishness of
“situational ethics.” A while ago I heard a secular radio talk show pointing
out how “funny” it is that women will wear “underwear” on the beach that they
would NEVER wear anywhere else. But as children of God, we must measure our
every action against God’s word. If a situation or environment can make a sin
no longer sinful, then it can do something that even God cannot do. If water
can make immodest clothing modest, then why not put your faith in that water
instead of God. If a vacation can make drinking alcohol or forsaking the assembly of the saints right, why not place your faith in
vacations rather than Christ. Let’s stop trying to make wrong things right, and
strive harder to do what we know is right!
-
Kind words
will never wear out the tongue.
Don’t just own a Bible; read it!
(334-382-3001)