Continuing our summer lessons in 2 Corinthians, Jeff Carden led the adult class to explore the 4th chapter of the book, and its encouraging message to us today.

1. The Challenges of Life
II Corinthians
Chapter 4
with Jeff Carden

2. Chap 4:1:
Therefore, having this ministry by the
mercy of God, we do not lose heart.

3. Therefore . . .
Chap 3:7, 8
7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in
letters on stone, came with such glory
that the Israelites could not gaze at
Moses' face because of its glory, which
was being brought to an end, 8 will not
the ministry of the Spirit have even more
glory?

4. 29 Now when Moses came down from
Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the
testimony in his hand—when he came
down from the mountain, Moses did not
know that the skin of his face shone while
he talked with him. 30 When Aaron and all
the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his
face shone; and they were afraid to
approach him.

5. 31 But Moses called to them, so Aaron and
all the leaders of the community came
back to him, and Moses spoke to them.
32 After this all the Israelites approached,
and he commanded them all that the LORD
had spoken to him on Mount Sinai.
33 When Moses finished speaking with
them, he would put a veil on his face. 34 But
when Moses went in before the LORD to
speak with him, he would remove the veil
until he came out.

7. Superiority of the New Covenant
Old
• Death
• Condemnation
• Temporary
• No hope
• Veiled
• Ceremony
• Will of Man
• Superficial
New
• Life
• Righteousness
• Permanent
• Everlasting
• Clear
• Christ
• Holy Spirit
• Transforming

8. Chap 4:1:
Therefore, having this ministry by the
mercy of God, we do not lose heart.

9. Paul defends his (the) ministry
• Ministry is a “mercy”, a “grace”, a gift
• II Timothy 1:
“called us to a holy calling, not because of our works
but because of his own purpose and grace, which he
gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,”
• A gift that Paul:
– accepted
– appreciated
– gladly suffered for

10. False Teachers after Paul
Chap 1:8
8 …regarding the affliction that happened to us
in the province of Asia, that we were burdened
excessively, beyond our strength, so that we
despaired even of living. 9 Indeed we felt as if
the sentence of death had been passed against
us, so that we would not trust in ourselves but
in God who raises the dead.

11. Do not lose heart . . .
Chap 6
4 in persecutions, in difficulties, in distresses, 5 in
beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in troubles,
in sleepless nights, in hunger . . . 6 through
slander and praise; regarded as impostors, and
yet true; 9 as unknown. . .as those who are
scourged and yet not executed; 10 as sorrowful . .
. as poor . . . as having nothing

12. Necessity of a pure heart
Chap 4:2
2 But we have rejected shameful hidden
deeds, not behaving with deceptiveness
or distorting the word of God, but by
open proclamation of the truth we
commend ourselves to everyone’s
conscience before God.

13. Paul says, “We
• don’t do shameful acts that must be kept
secret.”
• don’t try to fool anyone or twist God’s
message”
• have God as our witness”
• speak only the truth so we can be trusted”
• have nothing hidden”

14. No veil – no secret life
Chap 4:3-4
3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is
veiled only to those who are perishing,
4 among whom the god of this age has
blinded the minds of those who do not
believe so they would not see the light
of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is
the image of God.

15. The god of this age
• blinded the minds of unbelievers
• prevents them from seeing the light
The light is the new covenant that
reveals God

16. Not about Paul or us!
Chap 4:5-6
5 For we do not proclaim ourselves, but
Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your
slaves for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said
“Let light shine out of darkness,” is the
one who shined in our hearts to give us
the light of the glorious knowledge of God
in the face of Christ.

17. We too are servants
• God commanded light to shine in the
dark
• Light shines in our hearts – why?
To show us that God’s glory is seen in
Christ

18. New Covenant
• Life
• Righteousness
• Permanent
• Everlasting
• Clear
• Christ
• Holy Spirit
• Transforming

19. • Superiority of the New Covenant
• Ministry is a “mercy”
• Necessity of a pure heart

20. • Superiority of the New Covenant
• Ministry is a “mercy”
• Necessity of a pure heart
• Personally insignificant

21. Chap 4:7
7 But we have this treasure in clay jars,
so that the extraordinary power
belongs to God and does not come
from us.

22. Personally insignificant
• What is the treasure?
• In what is the treasure stored?
–Earthen vessel
–Clay Pot
–Clay Jar

23. Clay Pot
• Breakable
• Unattractive
• Disposable
• Used for refuse – II Timothy 2

24. II Timothy 2:20
20 Now in a wealthy home there are not only
gold and silver vessels, but also ones made of
wood and of clay, and some are for honorable
use, but others for ignoble use.

25. What is of significance?
• The message
• The gospel
• The glory of the new covenant
• The power comes from God
• This is NOT about us

26. • Superiority of the New Covenant
• Ministry is a “mercy”
• Necessity of a pure heart
• Personally insignificant

27. • Superiority of the New Covenant
• Ministry is a “mercy”
• Necessity of a pure heart
• Personally insignificant
• Benefit from suffering

28. Chap 4:8
8 We are experiencing trouble on every side, but
are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not
driven to despair; 9 we are persecuted, but not
abandoned; we are knocked down, but not
destroyed,

29. God provides . . .
• We often suffer but
we are never crushed!
• Even when we don’t understand
we never give up!
• In times of trouble
God is with us!
• When we are knocked down
we get back up again!

30. Chap 4:10-12
10 always carrying around in our body the
death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may
also be made visible in our body. 11 For we who
are alive are constantly being handed over to
death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus
may also be made visible in our mortal body.
12 As a result, death is at work in us, but life is
at work in you.

31. Why do we suffer?
• So others can see what Christ’s death
was like
• So his life can be seen in us
• Life is working in you because Christ
suffered

32. Chap 4:13-14
13 But since we have the same spirit of faith
as that shown in what has been written, “I
believed; therefore I spoke,” we also
believe, therefore we also speak. 14 We do
so because we know that the one who
raised up Jesus will also raise us up with
Jesus and will bring us with you into his
presence.

33. SPEAK!
• We have the same faith so we must
also speak, teach, lead, suffer
• Why must we speak?

34. Chap 4:16-18
16 Therefore we do not despair, but even if
our physical body is wearing away, our
inner person is being renewed day by day.
17 For our momentary, light suffering is
producing for us an eternal weight of glory
far beyond all comparison 18 because we
are not looking at what can be seen but at
what cannot be seen. For what can be seen
is temporary, but what cannot be seen is
eternal.

35. Never give up!
• Our little troubles are getting us
ready for an eternal glory
• Our troubles will seem like nothing
• Focus on the things which cannot be
seen