"Death and Life" -- 4/20/08

Sunday, April 13, 2008

DEATH AND LIFE
II Cor. 4:5-12

When I was I high school there was a nationally known popular evangelist who came to our city. He had what he called his “Ten Most Wanted” list. On this list were people with prominent positions in the world. His thinking went something like this: “These are people who have positions of great influence. If God were to save them, what an impact it would have on the whole world.” On his list were men in top political positions, national news anchors, etc.

So what about his strategy? It certainly seems logically sound. However, I would like you to think about it in light of the scriptures we are going to read. Now let’s read from I Cor. 1:17-2:16 and II Cor. 4:1-12,16-18…

1 Cor 1:17-31… For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21. For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23. But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28. And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29. That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31. That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

1 Cor 2:1-16… And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 6. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8. Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

2 Cor 4:1-12… Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, 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 if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined 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 excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 8. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9. Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10. Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12. So then death worketh in us, but life in you… 16. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are” (I Cor. 1:26-28). Paul sets the record straight. It isn’t God’s norm to choose people of influence in this world. But why not? Paul tells us exactly why not in 1:29, “That no flesh should glory in his presence.” That is, that no human being would ever be able to boast of anything in himself.

Surely someone will say, “But look at Paul himself. He was wise. He was mighty. He was of noble birth, being a Roman citizen and a Jew as well.” At first, we might think that Paul’s own testimony contradicts what he says here, but that is not the case. Paul was the exception, but even that doesn’t tell the whole story. As soon as Paul became a follower of Jesus, he was no longer wise in this world; he was no longer mighty in this world. His place of influence was soon replaced by hatred and contempt. The man Saul who was on top of the world became the despised and persecuted Paul. This same Paul would say in I Cor. 4:13, “…We are made the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.”

Do you see? That evangelist got his ideas from the world, not from the Word of God. God doesn’t delight in taking the influential people of the world and using them. He delights in taking weak and seemingly useless people and transforming them for His glory. And when they are greatly used of God, everyone looks on with amazement. And when God does put His hand on a man of worldly influence, His first agenda is to bring that man low in order that he will know it is all of God and none of himself.

I. The Way of Service (5-7)

And that brings us to II Cor. 4. You notice that verses 7-12 forms our passage for memory and meditation this month. Before we look at it in some depth, let me ask you a few questions. What kind of servant are you for the Lord? Are you weighed down with problems that hinder you? Do you lack wisdom to discern God’s will? Is your past full of failures and other things you don’t even want to think about? Are your present circumstances pressing on you so severely that the stress is paralyzing you? Are you eager to get to the next stage of your life, so that you can effectively serve the Lord?

This morning we want to look at an effective servant of the Lord. We want to explore what such an effective servant looks like. Make no mistake that the context of this passage is dealing with service for Jesus. You can go back through chapter 3 and find this theme of service. We won’t take time this morning to go back through chapter 3, but notice how chapter 4 begins… "Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, 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" (4:1-2). Notice also verse 5, “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.” What a powerful testimony. The servant of the Lord doesn’t focus on himself, but upon the Lord Jesus Christ. And concerning himself, the Lord’s servant is content to be the servant of others for the sake of Jesus, His Master.

Now come to verses 6-7, "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined 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 excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” Look at what God has given each of His children. He has given us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And what does Paul call it in verse 7? He calls it “this treasure.” The treasure is the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Who can deny that this is the greatest treasure imaginable, and it is within the child of God.

For just a moment, turn your eyes away from the treasure to the container that houses the treasure. That’s what Paul addresses in verse 7, when he says that we have this treasure in earthen vessels. He does not say the treasure is housed in golden vessels, or silver vessels, or even beautiful vessels. No, he says that we have this treasure in earthen vessels – in clay pots, as some translations read. In other words, there is nothing special about the container. It’s just a common ordinary pot made out of clay.

Why did God design it this way? Paul tells us – “that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.” When this treasure shines forth for the glory of God, everyone must know that the surpassing greatness of this power is from God, and not from the human vessel. The more common the vessel, the more easily recognized that the surpassing power is from God and not from man.

It is difficult to read this passage and not be reminded of an Old Testament story which dealt with treasure in an earthen vessel. Paul speaks about the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and then he speaks about earthen vesses. In this Old Testament story, the treasure was in the form of lamps that gave light. The earthen vessels were clay pictures which contained the lamps. Now do you remember the story? It is the story of Gideon and his 300 brave soldiers who went to the armed camp of the Midianites. At the signal of Gideon, they all broke their pitchers and held their lamps with one hand. With the other hand, they held their trumpets and blew them. Then they cried, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.” And do you remember what happened? The enemy soldiers were so frightened and confused that they turned on one other. (See Judges 7:16-22). Who would have ever thought that 300 soldiers with their lamps, pitchers, and trumpets would gain the victory over a mighty army? Do you see? It was done in such a way that everyone knew the excellency of the power was of God and not of man.

Consider those pitchers. We don’t know anything about them, because we are not told. Best we can tell, they were just common vessels, but each one contained a treasure, a lamp. Those lamps would shine brightly, but what about the pitchers? What happened to them? They were broken. That was a vital part of the whole strategy. If the pitchers were not broken, the lamps would not shine.

Are you getting the picture. We are the pitchers, the earthen vessels. The lamp within is the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. What must happen in order that the glory may shine forth? The earthen vessel must be broken. If the lamps had not been broken, the light would have remained hidden. If these (pointing to self and us) vessels are not broken, the glory of God will remain hidden. Don’t be conformed to the world, for in the world people are focusing on the earthen vessel, making it as attractive as possible. But we must not focus on the earthen vessel, but upon the glory of God inside. As we feed on Jesus, that glorious treasure becomes brighter and brighter, but still it will not be seen until the outer vessel is broken.

II. The Way of Brokenness (8-9)

This morning I bring you good tidings of great joy. God knows how to break the earthen vessels. He is an expert at shattering these clay pots. We can read about it in the verses that follow. Read 4:8-9, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9. Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed." Anyone here have any troubles? This is the tribulation concept, the “squeeze” word. Anybody being squeezed. Are you perplexed? The Greek word means “to be without resources… to be left wanting, to be embarrassed, to be in doubt, not to know which way to turn” (Thayer). I don’t know about you, but now Paul and the Holy Spirit have my number. How many times I feel like I have no resources! Are you ever persecuted? If you are a child of God, rest assured that you are persecuted. The word translated “persecuted” literally means “pursued.” Even if no human on earth cares about your existence, know that the devil and his allies are always pursuing you with evil intent. Have you been cast down? Do you ever feel like you’re on the bottom? You’re in good company. Paul describes himself and his fellow-workers in these terms.

But that’s only half the story. For every one of these predicaments, there is good news. When you are troubled and squeezed unmercifully, there is no reason to be distressed. This word translated “distressed” literally speaks of being cramped in a narrow place. We’re squeezed, but we’re not cramped into a confined space, because the Lord is our rock and our salvation. “He brought me forth also into a large place; because he delighted in me” (Ps. 18:19). When we are perplexed, without resources, not knowing where to turn, we’re not in despair. “Not in despair” is a single word that is almost identical to the word “perplexed.” An added prefix makes it even stronger. Yes, we are perplexed, but we are not utterly perplexed. Though we don’t know where to turn, we are not hopeless. “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy” (Ps. 33:18). “Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord… I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait; and in his word do I hope” (Ps. 130:1,5). When you are persecuted, hunted down by the hosts of Satan, you are not forsaken; you are not left alone, “…for he hath said, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). “If God be for us, who can be against us” (Rom. 8:31). When we are cast down, we are not destroyed. “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again” (Prov. 24:16), and we have been “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24).

Do you see the significance of verses 8-9? This is the Lord breaking the earthen vessels. Unless these vessels are broken, the glory of the Lord will not be seen. As long as we have it all together, as long as things are going smoothly and we are able to handle things, God’s glory remains hidden. What did Jesus say? “Except a kernel of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone; but if it die, it brings forth much fruit” (John 12:24). It’s the same principle. There was no sweet, fragrant odor in the room until Mary broke the bottle and poured the expensive perfume on Jesus (Mark 14:4), but then the house was filled with its fragrance (John 12:3). Though we are broken, we are not defeated. When Paul tells us that we are not distressed, not in despair, not forsaken, not destroyed, he is not saying that we are not broken. We are broken, and that is where the victory is, because now the glory of God shines brightly and there is nothing to hinder it.

When we resist this brokenness, we resist the Lord. This is a vital part of His work in our lives. Just as a pecan has a shell around the nut, and no one can enjoy it until the shell is broken, so we have a shell. There is a certain hardness that must be broken before the beauty of the Lord can be poured out from us.

III. The Way of Death (10-11)

See what Paul says about us in verses 10-11, “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” Isn’t that what we want? Don’t we long for the life of Jesus to be clearly seen in us? That is what the Lord desires as well, but we must not be deceived as to how that will come about. It happens as we bear in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus, as we are continually delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake.

Consider our Lord Jesus. We know that He died on the cross for our sins. We can’t bear about in our body that death. Jesus’ substitutionary death for our sins was a once-for-all sacrifice. None of us is qualified to die such a death. Nevertheless, we are to bear about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus. There was a sense in which Jesus’ life was a continual dying. How many times did Jesus die to the honor and glory of men? Can you imagine people looking at Jesus and saying that He was working by the power of the devil? But He didn’t retaliate. They spit on Him, and He took it. They insulted Him, but He didn’t return their insults. He died to the desire to have men think well of Him. He died to his own reputation. And how often did Jesus die to His own will? We think immediately of His words in Gethsemane – “Not my will, but thine be done” – but it didn’t begin there. Again and again Jesus died to His own will, learning obedience through the things which He suffered (Heb. 5:8).

That, brothers and sisters, is the dying of Jesus that we bear about in our body. That’s what it means to be always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake. Until we die to our desire for reputation and prestige, the life of Jesus will not shine through us. Until we are continually dying to our own will, His life will not be manifested in us.

Finally, we come to the simple words of verse 12, “So then death works in us, but life in you.” What is Paul talking about? He is summarizing what he has just said. “Because we are continually delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, the life of Jesus is made clear in us. And as a result, God shines in your heart to give the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. You receive his life. So even though we experience a continual dying, you receive life.”

Today so many religious leaders talk about dreaming. They tell us to dream for God. That dream usually consists of doing great things for God, preaching a great message or performing wonderful miracles. But through Paul, the Holy Spirit speaks to us about death and life – death in us in order that others might have life in Christ. Forget about lofty dreams and come to reality. Here is the reality – there is no way for the glory of God to be seen in us apart from brokenness and death. It was that way for our Lord, and it is the same for us. He was broken and spilled out for us, and He asks exactly the same thing of us.

But we don’t do it ourselves. We don’t obtain a spiritual sledge hammer by which we break our outer shell. This is the work of the Lord, who squeezes us, who perplexes us, who puts us in the path of persecution, who allows us to be cast down. Our God knows how to lead us into a life of brokenness. If that is so, then what is our part? Simply to say, “Yes, Lord. Not my will, but thine be done. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory. O that I might share your life, even the fellowship of your sufferings, being made conformable to your death. Father, glorify thy name. Thank you for the privilege of suffering shame for your name.”

Let me put it bluntly. May God give us grace not to despise problems and troubles and crises. People talk about a silver lining in every cloud. That’s all right, but for us, it isn’t a silver lining; it’s the life of Jesus. As we yield to Him working brokenness and death in us, we know that the life of Jesus will be manifest in our mortal flesh. We can rejoice in the fact that God has put His treasure in these earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of His power may be seen.

Conclusion

Let’s close with verses 16-18…
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Let me call your attention to those words “our light affliction, which is but for a moment.” Literally, Paul writes, “For our only-for-a-moment, light affliction…” He focuses on the fact that the affliction (tribulation, squeezing) which we face is very temporary and very small. Don’t forget who is writing this. This is the Paul who has just said, “We are troubled on every side; we are perplexed; we are persecuted; we are cast down.” In chapter 6 he elaborates further: “Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger…” (II Cor. 6:4-5, NIV). Paul tells us clearly that those are light afflictions.

How can that be? It is because we understand that they are working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The NASV says these are “producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” Paul teaches the same truth in Rom. 8:18, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." When compared with future glory, the tribulations we face now are small indeed.

But here’s the big question: How can we keep this perspective before us? Paul tells us in verse 18, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” I often refer to this verse and give it a general application, but let’s look at it in its context. When those afflictions come, where do you set your gaze? Your afflictions will seem light while you look at the unseen things. If you focus on the things you can see, on the afflictions themselves, they will seem endless and heavy. But if you focus on the unseen, setting your mind on things above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God, then you will be able to see your troubles for what they are – temporary and small. When we seek those things which are above, we will begin to see that God is indeed delivering us to death for Jesus’ sake, that His life might be manifested in our mortal flesh. And when we see the glory of God, then we see our afflictions in their proper perspective; we view them from the eternal perspective.

Brothers and sisters, let us be encouraged. Do you want to be a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ? I this chapter the Holy Spirit gives us great insight, as He speaks of death and life – death in us that there might be life in others.