Sunday School Lesson

1. 2 Corinthians 4:1-18
Why Christians Should Not Give Up!
May 6, 2018
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

2. What’s the number one thing?
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3. The Glory of God!
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4. 1 Corinthians 10:31
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do
it all to the glory of God.
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5. May Memory Verse
Hebrews 12:1-2
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of
witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so
easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out
for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our
faith, who for the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its
shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

6. Pray for the Pastor Search Committee
• Doug Gunn, Chairman (PastorSearchCommittee@FBCJ.org)
• Lenora Bigler
• Dottie Hudson
• David Maron
• Jim Merritt, Jr.
• Elizabeth Rich
• Mallory Rosamond
• Don Waller
• Jeff Zachary

7. Pray for the FBCJ Leadership Committee
• Stacy Davidson
• Kelly Crawford
• Clay Hays
• Art Stevens
• David Maron
• Beverly Shelton
• David Gibbs
• Sherry Stegall

8. References
•Barker, Kenneth, The NIV Study Bible, (Grand Rapids,
Zondervan, 1985).
• Unless other wise stated, scriptures are from the New
International Version (NIV).
• Expository Study – Meaning of Scripture Verse-by-Verse.
•MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Study Bible
(Nashville, Word Publishing, 1997).
•The ESV Study Bible, (Wheaton, IL, Crossway, 2011).
•MacArthur, John, Think Biblically (Wheaton, IL,
Crossway Books, 2003).

9. Introduction to 2 Corinthians
•Paul wrote a 2nd letter to the church in Corinth while
in Macedonia in 55 AD.
•The Corinthian Church had been infiltrated by false
teachers who questioned Paul’s authority as an
apostle as well as his personal integrity.
•Paul was writing to defend himself and to teach the
church the truth of the gospel of Christ.

10. Introduction to 2 Corinthians 4
•In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul explains how the veil
separating us from God was removed by Christ.
•2 Corinthians 3:18
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.

11. 2 Corinthians 4:1
1 Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this
ministry, we do not lose heart.
•Therefore – for this reason – connects to prior
verse.
•“this ministry” – this unveiled Gospel of Christ and
being transformed into His image.
•“we do not lose heart” – a Greek term which refers
to abandoning oneself to cowardly surrender or
‘just giving up.’

12. Paul used this phrase in other scriptures.
•Galatians 6:9 NKJV
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in
due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
•Ephesians 3:13 NKJV
13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my
tribulations for you, which is your glory.

13. 2 Corinthians 4:2
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.
•Paul is addressing the false teaching by deception
and distortion of truth.

14. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
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.
•“god of this age” – Satan.
•Amazing Grace by John Newton – ‘was blind but
now I see.’

15. 2 Corinthians 4:5
5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ
as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
•False teachers would focus on themselves or a
lifestyle focused on yourself – “all about me.”
•Paul taught that Christians are servants of Jesus.

16. 2 Corinthians 4:6
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.
•Paul references God’s creation of light in Genesis
1:3.
•This same God creates supernatural light in the soul
and ushers us from darkness to light.

17. Christians are delivered from darkness.
• Colossians 1:13-14
13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in
whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
• John 8:12
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the
light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in
darkness, but will have the light of life."

18. 2 Corinthians 4:7
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that
this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
•“this treasure” – The gospel light and truth of Jesus.
•“jars of clay” – Greek for ‘baked clay’ or plain clay
jars that were used to store valuables or hold
garbage or even human waste.

19. Jars of Clay – A Metaphor.
•Jars of clay – earthen vessels (physical human body
with many weaknesses).
•Why did God put the gospel of Christ into plain and
weak vessels?
•Answer: The gospel of Christ on earth is in each
Christian (a plain vessel) to demonstrate that the
power of the gospel is from God and not from
humans!

21. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
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.
•Paul gives us the challenge in life and the result that
it does not have.
•Paul is hinting that we have hope is every challenge.
•Paul is speaking from experience.

22. 2 Corinthians 4:10
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.
•Paul is explaining that Christians share in Christ’s
sufferings and death, both physically and spiritually.

23. Sharing in Christ’s Sufferings and Death:
•Romans 8:16-17
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are
God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are
heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed
we share in his sufferings in order that we may also
share in his glory.

24. Sharing in Christ’s Death:
•Galatians 2:20
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live,
but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I
live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave
himself for me.

25. 2 Corinthians 4:11-12
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.
•Paul is stating that he and any who share the gospel
face the risk of death in order to bring others to a
saving knowledge of life in Jesus.

26. 2 Corinthians 4:13-14
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.
•Paul quoted Psalm 116:10.
•Paul was not afraid to speak the gospel under
threats because he had no fear in death.

27. 2 Corinthians 4:15
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.
•“All this” – The risking of our lives to share the
gospel is for the glory of God.

28. Now For The Really, Really Good Stuff!!

29. 2 Corinthians 4:16
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly
we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being
renewed day by day.
•“Therefore” - (Look to see what it is there for) –
‘For this reason’ or ‘This is why.’
•Paul is expressing an experience every person
wants – Hope.

30. There is a negative and a positive in this verse.
•Negative – “We don’t lose heart.”
•Positive – “We are renewed day by day.”

31. “Therefore we do not lose heart.”
•What does it mean to lose heart?
•Surrender
•Lose hope
•Give up
•Throw in the towel
•The Christian has a reason to not lose heart, but the
Non-Christian has no reason.

32. What is a worldview?
Paul describes a Christian Worldview.
•Worldview – the lens through which a person
interprets and views the world and the events around
them.
•Biblical (Christian) Worldview – Human beings and the
universe in which they reside are the creation of God
who revealed himself in Scripture. (Ron Nash)

33. What is an outward focus on life?
•Paul says, “outwardly we are wasting away.”
•It is looking at the physical – Natural worldview of life.
•It focuses on what you don’t have compared to
others.
•It tries to hold on to temporary things in life.
•It is diminishing in value to become worthless.
•Our physical bodies are a perfect example of
outwardly wasting away.

34. What about the inward focus?
•Paul says, it is “being renewed day by day.”
•Renew – to give fresh life to something; to revitalize.
•It is to focus on the Spirit of Christ living in you.
•This focus needs to be repeated each day.
•It increases in value.
•It follows you to eternity.

35. Why do we need to be renewed day by day?
• Matthew 6:34
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow
will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its
own.
• Matthew 6:11
11 Give us today our daily bread. (physical and spiritual)
• Lamentations 3:22-23
22 Because of the Lord 's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every
morning; great is your faithfulness.

36. Paul explains renewal again in Romans.
•Romans 12:2
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you
will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his
good, pleasing and perfect will.

37. 2 Corinthians 4:17
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving
for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
•All our trials and troubles are light in comparison to
the magnitude of the glory they will produce.
•There is purpose & meaning in every trouble in life.
• A difficult concept.
•Troubles are one way we achieve glory in eternity.

38. Paul is now going to give us the formula for how
to not give up, “not lose heart”, in life!

39. 2 Corinthians 4:18
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.
• What we see is the decaying world around us.
• Paul says our focus has to be on “what is unseen” – the
eternal purpose of life!
• How can you fix your eyes on “what is unseen”?
• The #1 thing.
• 1 Corinthians 10:31
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do it all to the glory of God.
• Have faith in what you cannot see.

40. The Description of Faith.
•Hebrews 11:1 NIV
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and
certain of what we do not see.
•Hebrews 11:1 NIV Revised
1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and
assurance about what we do not see.

42. John MacArthur’s Commentary on
2 Corinthians 4:18
•Endurance is based on one’s ability to look beyond the
physical to the spiritual; beyond the present to the
future; and beyond the visible to the invisible.
•Believers must look past what is temporary – what is
perishing (i.e., the things of the world).
•Pursuing God, Christ, the Holy Spirit and the souls of
men should consume the believer.

43. Horatio G. Spafford in 1873
“It Is Well with My Soul”
When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
O, Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

44. Next Sunday – Mother’s Day
2 Corinthians 5
“Becoming New”
May 13, 2018
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

45. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have
eternal life.”
John 14:6
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”

46. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Romans 3:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life
to pay the penalty for our sin.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the “second death”
explained in Revelation 21:8.

47. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Revelation 21:8
8 “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the
sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and
all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This
is the second death.”
Romans 5:8
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were
still sinners, Christ died for us.

48. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Romans 6:23b
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 21:7
7 “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be
their God and they will be my children.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to be victorious.

49. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Romans 10:9-10
9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and
believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you
will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and
are justified, and with your mouth that you confess and are
saved.
Romans 10:13
13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved.”

50. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Have questions or would like to know more?
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900
or http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/