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5: Living on Unseen Things

Or, The Heart of TEC

August 7, 2022 • Sean Higgins • 2 Corinthians 4:16–18

# Introduction

This is the last paragraph in 2 Corinthians 4, and the last paragraph we’ll consider in this short series on the Heart of TEC. Though it’s the end of the chapter, these are the verses that first drew me into the chapter a dozen years ago. This paragraph is on my emergency text list.

In fact, I turned us to this passage on what turned out to be the last Sunday for our in-person assembling on March 15, 2020, prior to seven weeks of livestream only services. Knowing what we know know, for all the things I might do differently, looking at the glory in these verses is the easiest, no-brainer good choice.

The whole chapter can be seen as a summary of Paul’s ministry, but in particular how in his ministry he did not lose heart. As Tyndale put it, “we are not weried.” These are likewise truths at that are at the heart of TEC, and worth considering especially as we bless the Lord for providing this place for our assembly and as we ask Him to make us fruitful.


# Ministry Confidence (verse 16a)

This sentence starts the final paragraph of chapter four just as it launched the first paragraph of the chapter.

> So we do not lose heart.

He considered himself a weak, clay pot (verse 7), carrying the treasure of the gospel ministry, suffering for and speaking about the truth of the Lord Jesus. He was afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down (verses 8-9). He was thumped and thrashed around. He was worn out in his work for the Lord. Through all of it he maintained his confidence, **We do not lose heart**.

He means that his soul was secure. Though threatened, he couldn't be defeated. Though tempted to wander, he wouldn't go AWOL. His daily dying brought grace and life to others. He wasn't going to stop. The plural, ***we* do not lose heart**, wraps every ministering pot in this confidence.

In the first paragraph (4:1-6) Paul explained that we don't lose heart because our ministry is driven by the Spirit and because it is a privileged calling. In this paragraph (4:16-18) he will double-underline the promises that keep us on course.


# Ministry Concession (16b)

While there are great promises that give us heart, it doesn't always appear that things are okay.

> Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

Paul concedes, that is, he admits it’s true, that his best life was not now. He says, **but (even if) our outer self is wasting away, (and it is)**. He yields the point as if he were in an argument, that the **outer self**, the part of us that can be seen, hurts. He's not referring to the "old man" of the flesh, but the "mortal flesh" (verse 11) that bleeds and dies.

We are **wasting away**, being destroyed, "decaying" (NAS), "perishing" (NKJV). It’s like rusting out. It is the aging, decaying, draining process in view here, a process that never sleeps.

There's no need to deny it. Our confidence doesn't come because we escape attrition and affliction. It *is* hard. But for the one who has the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ in his heart, the ruin of the outer man isn't the only process at work. Even as the outer man is wasting away (and it is), **our inner self is being renewed day by day**. The **inner man**, the soul of a man, is being **renewed**, and that renewal is as constant as the sunrise, **day by day** (a particular phrase only used here in the NT). The resurrection of Jesus fuels every believer's inner engine. It is a hidden strengthening in visible suffering.

Even our concession about the reality of afflictions can't cause us to lose heart. And there is more to say, as verses 17-18 explain part of the renewal process.


# Ministry Considerations (verses 17-18)

God operates behind the scenes in ways not everyone sees or knows about. There are principles at work in the universe, principles established by the Creator of the universe, that work the afflictions and hardships into something better. Clay pot pilgrims have three considerations about afflictions.

## First, consider the NATURE of affliction. (17a)

That is, the essence or the attributes of difficulties.

> For this light momentary affliction

"The momentary lightness of affliction" would be another good translation. The primary focus is on the adjective **light**. We normally feel light when we're *not* afflicted. We speak about how difficulties weigh on us; they burden us. But Paul claims that they are **light**. How can he possibly say that?

Afflictions are not slight (insignificant, or inconsiderable), but they are light *in comparison* to the **weight** (the heaviness) **of glory** that is coming. Trouble isn't trivial. It's not a game; it's not recess; it's not semantics. It does bring us to our breaking points. It will feel like we can't take any more. The burden feels like a death sentence (2 Corinthians 1:8-9). The point is that the pilgrim's heavy and hard way is light and easy when put on the balance with the glory we'll receive later.

Not only are they light, our afflictions are also **momentary**. The best they can do is consume consecutive minutes. But they are confined to moments. And again, by comparison, these are short compared to the **eternal** weight of glory. No clock or calendar can quantify the infinite duration of our coming experience. Afflictions for the pilgrim are light and momentary.

## Second, consider the EFFECT of affliction. (17b)

Afflictions are not useless or vain. They are working hard on our behalf.

> this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

Present trouble is preparing for us an inexhaustible future of joy. The infinite and eternal **glory** is real. We can't see it now, but it exists.

Not only is it real, it is almost unbelievable. It is an exaggeration. Paul says it is **beyond all comparison**, "far more exceeding" (KJV), a glory that "far outweighs them all" (NIV). The Greek phrase is καθʼ ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν; a superlative use of what gives us our English word *hyperbole*. It means to take something to an extraordinary degree, to the extreme.

The glory is "according to hyperbole unto hyperbole," one hyperbole heaped on another, meaning that it is exceeding exceedingly glorious in the highest possible degree. "You may pass from one degree to another; from one sublime height to another; but still an infinity remains beyond. Nothing can describe the uppermost height of that glory, nothing can express its infinitude" (Barnes, quoted in Calvin, 213).

How are afflictions **preparing** glory for us? What are afflictions affecting? They aren't making the glory more glorious. They aren't making things in heaven better. They are making us better able to enjoy the glory.

Our joy-glory buckets are so small, so easily filled. In order to know and enjoy this kind of glory, God is increasing the size of our joy thimbles, by afflictions, into honker buckets for joy. The afflictions are working for us a greater experience of glory.

I imagine that if a thimble had a mouth, a thimble would cry out in pain when put in the furnace to be heated, hammered and shaped into a bigger pot. It is stretching for a kettle to be heated and beaten into a cauldron. But if we would enjoy an exceeding weight of glory forever, the suffering of the present life prepares us.

Comparatively, afflictions are light and momentary. Effectively, afflictions work infinite and eternal joy for us.

## Third, consider the FOCUS of affliction. (18)

How do we know that our inner man is being renewed day by day, especially since we see the outer man being ruined? How do we know that brutal, constant suffering is for our good, and relatively short and painless? How do we not lose heart? By *living on unseen things*.

> as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

This is the money quote. The pilgrim either keeps walking on or collapses depending on his focus. We're not looking on **the things that are seen**. "Looking" includes more intention than simply seeing what's in the periphery, we pay attention to the unseen.

The **things that are seen** are the things of this world, both bad and good. Afflictions and comforts, the outer man issues, circumstances and situations, people and problems, a day in the life of a clay pot. Seen things may be sicknesses, bills, broken appliances, recessions, and heat waves. Seen things may also include good things such as health, resources, friendships, and family.

The reason that pilgrim's don't look to or depend on "seen things" is because they consider that **the things that are seen are transient** ("temporal" NAS, "temporary" NIV). The seen things only last for a time. They are impermanent, here today and then poof.

The pilgrim can't afford to spend his money on that which isn't bread or his labor for that which doesn't satisfy. Losing heart is at stake. His eternal glory is at stake. He must look to something else.

He looks **to the things that are unseen**. Of course there is irony in "looking for" things that can't be "looked at" but, more importantly, what are these unseen things?

The immediate unseen thing is our *soul*, and the souls of men. It is the inner man.

The ultimate unseen thing is *God Himself*. Paul wrote at the end of his testimony, "To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God" (1 Timothy 1:17). The author of Hebrews wrote that "(Moses) left Egypt by faith, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27).

John Bunyan saw God as the primary unseen thing in 2 Corinthians 4:18. In his autobiography, _Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners_, he wrote about his two-step plan to prepare his soul for prison.

> Before I came to prison, I saw what was a-coming, and had especially two considerations warm upon my heart; the first was how to be able to endure, should my imprisonment be long and tedious; the second was how to be able to encounter death, should that be here my portion….[T]hat saying in 2 Co. 1:9 was of great use to me, "But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but God which raiseth the dead." By this scripture I was made to see, that *if I would ever suffer rightly, I must pass a sentence of death upon everything that can properly be called a thing of this life*, even to reckon myself, my wife, my children, my health, my enjoyments, and all, as dead to me, and myself as dead to them. . . .

> The second was, *to live upon God that is invisible*; as Paul said in another place, the way not to faint, is to "look not at the things which are seen, but at the things that are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Co. 4:18. . . .

That was the key to John Bunyan's Christian journey: not to look to the seen, but "to live upon God that is invisible." In other words, Bunyan survived by *living on unseen things*.

"Live on" is close to "look to"; it expresses the same idea. To "live on" something is to survive solely by consuming a certain thing. Live on coffee and nicotine.

I'd like to add, though, that Paul could have said, "not looking at the seen things, but looking to the unseen God." That's true, but that's not exactly what he wrote. I'm okay with understanding God as part, or even the primary part, of unseen **things**, but I think we can be more precise. When we live on unseen things, I think Paul is referring to *gospel promises*.

The **the things that are unseen are eternal**, God is eternal, but so are the promises He makes to His pilgrims. Every word of God is "living and abiding" and "remains forever" (1 Peter 1:23-25), and the promises in 2 Corinthians 4 alone are enough to live on. The promised weight of glory is eternal, and that promise keeps us going even though we're weary now. He promises that we'll be raised and presented in God's presence, and that promise is as certain as God's Son is alive (4:14). There are some things that must end and some that must never end.

The gospel promises of spiritual sight, life, resurrection, fellowship with Jesus and His Body, and weight of glory are not seen now, but they are eternal. They last. They are without equal and without end. His promises are everlasting, indelible. Pilgrim's will not work, pray, suffer, sojourn, die, and *keep heart* unless they live on these unseen things.

Bunyan knew the importance of promises. He said,

> I tell thee, friend, there are some promises that the Lord hath helped me to lay hold of Jesus Christ through and by, that I would not have out of the Bible for as much gold and silver as can lie between York and London piled up to the stars. (“Sighs from Hell,” in _The Works of John Bunyan_, vol. 3, 721)


# Conclusion

One crucial clarification needs be made. According to 2 Corinthians 4, afflictions are light and momentary *for those looking on unseen things*. Those who are blinded by the god of this world to the gospel of the glory of Christ, those who remain in spiritual darkness, have "light and momentary afflictions" compared to the *eternal weight of guilt and wrath* being stored up for them on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed (cf. Romans 2:5). Their outer self is wasting away, and there is no renewal of the inner man. The inner man is rotting and being ruined right alongside the outer man. Your pain is but a taste of more pain unless you follow Christ by faith.

> “For in the reprobate, too, the *outward man* decays, but without anything to compensate for it.” (John Calvin)

But, Christian, are you living on unseen things, or neglecting them, or worse, despising them? Clay pots will look to get out of the rotation unless they're held up by promises.

May the Lord bless TEC to be a people living from faith to faith, from day to day, from extraordinary to extraordinary, from glory to glory.

----------

## Charge

Is your heart downcast, in heaviness? Even though you haven't seen Him, look to Jesus. Are you weary, a cracked and cracking pot, questioning if you'll be good for another day's use? Look to the hyperbole of His power. Somehow, among all the things fading away, He is equipping you with the luxury package. Don’t lose heart.

## Benediction:

> [A]ccording to the riches of his glory, may he grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:16–17a, ESV)

4: Sloshing Grace

July 31, 2022 • Sean Higgins • 2 Corinthians 4:13–15

# Introduction It has always been the case that God's people have opportunities to bring Him praise especially in times of affliction. When His people are beaten up and used up, and yet continue to look up and speak up, God's worth is lifted up above all else. We saw last Lord’s Day that we have the "treasure (of gospel ministry) in jars of clay" (4:7), that the process will wear us out in weakness till death do we break. Self-strong, sophisticated, successful pots need not apply, because there must be no question at the end of the day that the surpassing power "belongs to God, not us" (4:7). In God's economy, useful pots are those being brought constantly to the breaking point; the dying bring blessing to others (4:8-12). In verses 13-15 we see Paul's (and by application our) Ministry Approach (verses 13-14) and Ministry Ambitions (verse 15). The point of this paragraph is that the afflictions of pot ministry manifest grace and magnify God. This is another truth at the heart of TEC. # Ministry Approach Death is at work in us (verse 12), and there are three elements of our approach that come out of that principle: the historical, verbal, and eschatological elements. ## The Historical Element (13a) First, we endure ministry afflictions because we stand in a long line of God's persecuted yet persevering people. > Having the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, > "I believed, and so I spoke," (verse 13a) This is the fourth consecutive paragraph that begins with something we "have." 3:12--"having such a hope." 4:1--"having this ministry." 4:7--"we have this treasure." Now Paul says, "having the same spirit" (verse 13). This “having” (participial) phrase is the basis for why we speak (the main verb). It builds the stage for our boldness. **Having the same spirit** doesn't mean that we have the same Holy Spirit, though it's safe to assume the involvement of the third Person of the Trinity. But here, **spirit** refers to our stance, attitude, or disposition. Our approach is no different than those who have gone before us and endured great troubles for God, who nevertheless did not lose heart. **According to what has been written**, meaning the authoritative Scripture that is on record, is Paul's reference to Psalm 116. Psalm 116 was a hymn of personal thanksgiving for God's care in times of dire need. In particular, the writer was threatened by death, tears, and stumbling (verse 8). But he wasn't overcome by those things, they did not cause him to lose heart. Paul quotes the LXX version of Psalm 116:10, but the point is basically the same. Even when in trouble, belief comes out through the mouth. What we say reveals what is in the heart, and trials draw out our heart like boiling water draws out the flavor from a tea bag. We stand in a long line of God's afflicted people. If some of the prophets and apostles were killed and persecuted (see Luke 11:49), we're likely to experience similar treatment. Even more, if they call the Master of the house Beelzebub, won't they treat the servants even worse (see Matthew 10:25)? But we take courage because God is faithful to keep and to use the afflicted. We are here because of God's work through those that have gone before us; we stand on their bruised shoulders and we stand in the same confidence in God that they did. ## The Verbal Element (13b) Second, we speak in the midst of ministry afflictions because our faith compels us. > we also believe, and so we also speak, (verse 13b) God's afflicted, like the author of Psalm 116, believed. Afflictions pressurize faith that must find release. **We are believing, therefore we are also speaking.** This **speaking** is *any* kind of verbal communication about the truth (verse 2), the gospel (verse 3), the glory of Christ (verse 4), Jesus Christ as Lord (verse 5), the glory of God in the face of Jesus (verse 6). It is gospel speaking, but cannot confined to formal sermons or formal gospel presentations. It's what comes out of our mouths when we're squeezed, confused, criticized, and used up. Thus far in 2 Corinthians 4, the stress has been on a ministry *life*, not simply a message. Last time we talked about it in terms of *incarnational*, embodied ministry. As the Son took on flesh and dwelt among us, so God puts His pots among people. But typically servants aren't criticized for serving. Slaves aren't beaten for making sacrifices. So what is it that kept getting Paul into trouble? His mouth. He kept speaking about the offensive cross, the gospel of Christ. At the same time, his afflictions were his podium. If you're dying and not speaking about why you're dying, you're missing an opportunity for shining the light of the gospel. If you're only speaking and not dying, your speaking may be more grating than grace-giving. ## The Eschatological Element (verse 14) Third, we endure ministry afflictions because we will stand before God with Jesus. > knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. (verse 14) We believe and we speak, **knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus**. The knowing started when God caused the light of the gospel to shine in our hearts, and the knowing continues as we mature in the gospel. In verse 14, knowing activates our speaking with fact and with future. God, **the One who raised the Lord Jesus**, this resurrecting God, is our God. God raises dead men. > Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead. (2 Corinthians 1:9) That same God **will raise us also with Jesus**, using His earthly name to emphasize His humanity. It isn't “*in* Jesus," though elsewhere Paul makes that theological claim. Here we're raised "*with* him," we are associated with Him. He "will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you" (NASB). This picture of being presented is all throughout the New Testament. Depending on the context, either God (as here) or ministers (like Paul in Colossians 1:28) are doing the presenting. In the future, all of us in Christ will be raised with Christ and presented together before God. This keeps us speaking, and speaking boldly, and dying because we're with Him. # Ministry Ambitions In verse 15, Paul unfolds the goals, not only of the paragraph, but in some ways, the ministry goals of the entire chapter. There are three ambitions, three goals of this serving, sacrificing, and speaking ministry. It is the strongest 3G network on the planet. ## Abounding Grace (verse 15a) The first goal is that grace would abound. > For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends (verse 15a) He has twice stated in chapter four that he was a servant. All ministers are servants; that is what “minister” means. He explicitly stated in verse five that he proclaimed “Jesus Christ as Lord *with ourselves as your servants* for Jesus’ sake.” He worked to bring life to others by his dying (verse 12). And now he summarizes: **it is all for your sake**. *What* is the **all** that is for their sake? The **all** that is for them are all of the afflictions and difficulties he endured in the previous paragraph. All of his being afflicted, all of his being perplexed, all of his being persecuted, all of his being struck down, all of his dying. His life was spent for others. He endured every trouble that others might receive the benefit. Paul said as much in 2 Timothy 2:10. > I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It was in his endurance that grace was abounding. The purpose clause that finishes verse 15 does not change the subject: all things are for you so that as grace abounds. In other words, grace was abounding as he was being beat up. He was spreading grace all over the place through his dying. When his pot banged around, *grace sloshed out of his pot onto those who were around*. The ESV translates, **so that as grace *extends***. That's fine. There is a numerical element. But I think the numerical element comes more so from the **more and more people**. I think a better understanding of what grace is doing is abounding. The point is less numerical or geographical, the point is excess. The point is a filling up and overflowing; an increase beyond what is necessary; an abounding of grace. Grace abounds on those for whom we give our lives. ## Abounding Gratitude (verse 15b) As we give our lives and as grace abounds, so does gratitude. > as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving There is a play on words here as well, abounding **grace** (χάρις) brings abounding **gratitude** (εὐχαριστίαν), from the same Greek root. The **thanksgiving of the many** is growing. If gratitude does not grow around our pots, our pots probably are not filled with the gospel of grace. If the ground around us is dry, it may be because the pot is empty. Even worse, if what spills out burns the ground and we see the scorched earth look on the faces of those near us, something is really wrong. We want thanksgiving to go viral. It isn't just information that spreads, it is gratitude. If we want to see thanksgiving go viral, we've got to be willing to be used up and endure all things. ## Abounding Glory (verse 15c) The first two goals are personal, we might categorize them as horizontal ambitions. We serve people, we want more and more people to give more and more thanks. That said, abounding gratitude is *not* the end of ends. The *ultimate* goal is God's honor. > to the glory of God. The final end is doxological, that is, God being honored as He deserves. Where does it start? Note the sequence: 1. abounding *afflictions* lead to 2. abounding *grace*, that leads to 3. abounding *thanksgiving*, that leads to 4. abounding *glory* Sloshing grace to spreading gratitude to spiraling glory. # Conclusion How can we maximize thanksgiving to the glory of God among the many, to the more and more, in our families, in our ministries, and in our local body? 1. **Thick gratitude**. We must be examples of abounding thankfulness. We must not be examples not of pettiness, bitterness, or reluctance and think that we will spread thanksgiving. Our gratitude must be thick like the lava flowing from an exploded eucharistic volcano that wipes out every criticism and negative attitude and petty squabble in its way. We want a gooey gratitude, impossible to clean off of someone else. If our gratitude is runny and thin, it will slip away. We won't spread gratitude by being better criticizers of their critical spirits that we'll stop them from criticizing. May grace define our culture as one of chunky gratitude. 2. **Stiff faith**. We must actually believe what we say, and believe so much that we can't shut up about it. Too many professions are limp and flop around in the breeze. They won't stand us up or anchor us down. Speaking comes from believing. May grace stimulate our faith, to live and speak from faith to faith. 3. **Relentless anticipation**. As we are poured out, banged up, beat around pots, sloshing grace over every side, the only way we'll keep going is *as we look to our resurrection*. May grace remind us that in Christ dying and death is never vain and not the end. ---------- ## Charge You are *not* sources of grace, but you most certainly are conduits of it. Open up the spigot, tip over the pot, let grace slosh all over. That sort of spill requires no clean up. ## Benediction: > Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 1:24–25, ESV)

3: Clay Pot Ministry

July 24, 2022 • Sean Higgins • 2 Corinthians 4:7–12

# Introduction When we’re talking about *the heart of TEC*, that’s drawn from 2 Corinthians 4:1 and 4:16 where Paul says, “we do not lose heart.” The opposite of losing heart is *having* heart. These are paragraphs that explain the heart. The heart is related to glory. Beholding the glory of the Lord we come to share in His glory (3:18). His glory keeps us going (4:4, 6), thanksgiving for grace spreads His glory (4:15), and our end is an eternal weight of glory (4:16). The context is glory, the truth is about glory, we are in a process of glorification. What requires attention is that all this glory this doesn’t *feel* glorious at all. This paragraph, verses 7-12, doesn’t use the word glory, but it’s all over it. In this paragraph, we'll learn about clay pot ministry by considering Ministry Reality (verses 7-10), Ministry Rationale (verse 11), and Ministry Result (verse 12). # Ministry Reality (verses 7-10) Verses 7-10 form one sentence (in Greek), with one primary verb, making one main statement, followed by three subordinate phrases that flesh out the reality. The main statement is: > But we have this treasure in jars of clay Things were exciting coming out of the last paragraph, specifically in verses 5 and 6: God shines light in hearts. God gives men knowledge of His glory. God brings men into direct fellowship with Himself in the person of Jesus. We proclaim Jesus and God makes that effective. That's why we don't lose heart. We *should* be excited about that; we want to ride that crescendo to the top. But, the glorious work of a slave-herald does not make the slave-herald glorious. Paul brings us back to earth in verse 7 with a clank. **But we have this treasure in jars of clay**. What is the **treasure**? One option is that the treasure is the gospel *message* (verse 3), the new-covenant news. Another option is that the treasure is the light of the gospel (verse 4), the light of the knowledge (verse 6), emphasizing the *effect* of the message. But I don't think either of those options are sufficient. I think the treasure is the gospel *ministry*; the treasure is the *work* of getting out the message that has the effect of light-giving. The rest of the paragraph, verses 7-12, emphasize not only a certain message, but *a certain kind of life* that bears the message. The treasure is not less than the gospel, but neither is it the gospel in proposition alone; it’s the good news *embodied*. Still, the persons themselves are not precious. We are **jars of clay** (ESV), "earthen vessels" (KJV, NASB), pots made of baked dirt. Clay pots were simple, common, inexpensive, and easily replaceable. They were made of baked earth, so it didn't really matter how they were treated or if they got dinged up or even if they broke; you'd get another one. Clay pots might hold significant and important and unique things, but they were insignificant, unimportant, and normal. The reality is that we are meant to be used, not meant to be admired. ## The Purpose (verse 7b) Compared to the treasure, clay pots are cheap. Compared to God's power, clay pots are weak. That's good. God puts His treasure in unworthy pots for a reason. > to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. In God's economy, a pot's weakness is an asset, not a liability. It's not just "power" at work, it's **surpassing power** (ESV), "the surpassing greatness of power" (NAS), the "excellence of power" (NJKV), the "all-surpassing power" (NIV). No other power is comparable to His extraordinary, superlative power. Causing light to shine in darkness, creating light, is some kind of power indeed. If we elevate pots, if we depend on pots, if we think ministry is about proper pot placement, or about pot maintenance or pot polishing, we are working against God's purpose for ministry. ## The Process (verses 8-9) What does it look like for a clay pot to carry the treasure of gospel ministry? Verses 8-9 show the process. The gospel ministry is more than directing someone down the Roman's Road, it's more than preaching sermons about Jesus from behind a pulpit. It is people, living among people, and suffering in gospel ways, filling up their own “catalog of hardships” (Harris). > We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; (verses 8–9) Though every major English translation treats these as independent phrases, they are all participles (in Greek), indicating that they are dependent, and each one hangs on the primary verb "have" in verse 7. There are four pairs of "but not"s that reveal the severity of ongoing life for clay pot ministry. Many commentators refer to these pairs as contrasts. They are not. Some see them as paradoxes. They are not. Verse 10 presents a gospel paradox, but we'll treat that separately. Rather, verses 8-9 are *breaking points*. Clay pot ministry involves the pot of being used, abused, beaten, battered, and almost but *not* broken. *First, pots are pressed but not crushed*. Paul says, ** [being] afflicted in every way, but not [being] crushed**. Being "afflicted" means being pressured or squeezed. Things start weighing on us. What things? "All things" or "in all ways." There doesn't seem to be a limitation on the nature of pressing things. However, **we are not [being] crushed**. It's a play on words, but not a contrast. A contrast would be: we are pressed but we make progress. Instead, we're brought right up to the point where any more pressure would crush us. We've been checked, but not yet at check mate. *Second, pots are confused but not clueless*. Paul says, we are ** [being] perplexed, but not [being] driven to despair**. Being "perplexed" means being confused, at a loss. We don't know what to do or how to fix it. We're uncertain. But we're not *totally* at a loss, "not despairing." We're not paralyzed by our confusion. *Third, pots are attacked but not abandoned*. Paul says, we are **[being] persecuted but not [being] forsaken**. Being "persecuted" means being pursued, hunted, chased. We're on the run, but not deserted or being **forsaken**. God doesn't leave us when enemies come after us, whether with fists or false accusations, no matter what it *feels* like. *Fourth, pots are down but not out*. Paul says we are **[being] struck down, but not [being] destroyed**. There could be physical elements to being knocked down, thrown down; Paul endured beatings and stonings. But the breaking point isn't death, it's ruin or loss. We are on the mat, the 10 count has started, but we get up to finish the round. Each of these four "but not"s are normal pot ministry. Two observations before moving on. First, if you're trying to protect the pot, the pot probably isn't doing much good. Being pressured, perplexed, persecuted, and pushed down are normal wear and tear for pots. If you never feel weighed down, if you think you've got it figured out, if everyone's your friend, if you never hit the floor, you're probably stuck on the shelf. Pots get used. They get banged around. They get dings. They get chipped. They get left out overnight. Ministry pots aren't saved for special occasions; these pots are for every day use. Second, pot ministry is primarily about being used up and worn out, not about being broken. For example, you can empty a pot that's full of expensive oil in (at least) two ways: pour out the oil or smash the pot. There is something spectacular about smashing it; it can be quite a show with shards flying through the air. God does break some of His pots in spectacular ways, but most of his pots are just worn out through daily use. It would actually be easier to be broken, or at least it would be quicker. But there is a divinely designed process of patiently pouring out, filling up, and pouring out again. ## The Paradox (verse 10) Verse 10 includes another dependent participle that sheds light on clay pot ministry, but I've separated it because it doesn't follow the "but not" pairs and it includes a number of modifiers. In a way it summarizes verses 8-9. > always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. The process described in verses 8-9 amounts to a life of dying. Dying is a shorthand reference to suffering. It's a paradox because it seems self-contradictory that carrying the dying of Jesus reveals the life of Jesus. This paradox dominates the rest of the paragraph, so we can't skip it. Note the instrument is **the body**, referenced twice. Our bodies carry the dying of Jesus, our bodies reveal the life of Jesus. That's part of why I think the treasure is ministry, not merely a message. We rightly define and describe the gospel (Jesus died for sin and rose again), but clay pot ministry also demonstrates the gospel in real life. I keep saying "dying" instead of "death" of Jesus because the word in verse 10 emphasizes the process, not the event. Our carrying is ongoing, it’s happening **always** (verse 10 and again in verse 11) not just at an end. The paradox is that when clay pots are in the rotation so much that their usefulness is being used up, then they are most useful. The dying and the life bringing are happening at the same time. When we die to our schedule (think: the good Samaritan), to our comfort, to our budget, to our convenience, to our privacy, then we'll see life grow around us. When we are carrying about the death of Jesus in our bodies, we are at that time showing the life of Jesus in our bodies. No dying for Jesus is wasted. That's the reality of clay pot ministry. # Ministry Rationale (verse 11) As if Paul anticipated that we might question the logic of weakness showing power, and of dying showing life, he provides an explanation in verse 11, **For** (γὰρ). > For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. **We who live** includes all those who are spiritually alive, and so it refers to all believers. The living ones are **always being given over**, or, "delivered over" **to death**. "Given over" is an official term, as when a criminal is sentenced and handed over to the court for punishment or imprisonment. We’ve been sentenced to dying. Two incentives. First, **for Jesus' sake** (διὰ Ἰησοῦν). This is the same phrase as in verse 5. We're slaves for Jesus’s sake. Now, we are being given over to death for Jesus' sake. Second, mortal, weak, dispensable flesh shows off the life of Jesus. The second half of verse 11 basically repeats the last part of verse 10, substituting "flesh" for "body" and adding **mortal** or merely human. Paul says essentially nothing new in verse 11 than he said in verse 10. The repetition of thought underlines the importance of the principle. # Ministry Result (verse 12) Paul summarizes the point of clay pot ministry. > So death is at work in us, but life in you. **So** (ὥστε) is bringing the point of the paragraph to the surface for one last look-see. The result of personal, painful, patient ministry is that death is at work working life. This is the actual outcome, this is what occurred, not what he hoped for. **Death is at work in us, but life [is at work] in you**. "Death" condenses all of the suffering, the life of difficulty, being exhausted, overwhelmed, hurting, almost lost. That brings life when done for Jesus’ sake. And "life" is more than breath, life is *blessing*. Again, it isn't our death, it is our dying. Death **is at work**, death is working. As we're emptied out, others are filled up. There is no sarcasm on Paul's part, only celebration. The result of dying is life giving. That is motivation. # Conclusion A few final thoughts. Difficulties in ministry are not necessarily barriers to ministry. Most of the time, ministry difficulties are occasions for ministry breakthroughs. The difference between a wall and a foundation is the angle. Obstacles become platforms with God's surpassing power. Also, a life of dying for sake of giving life is as much or more a practice as it is a profession. Embody the gospel, but because it atones for anyone’s sin, but because you’re to be like Christ. That is your *glory*. Also, for believers, a difficult life is not a destroyed life. For unbelievers, a difficult life is difficult and the beginnings of destruction. Without Christ you are at the edge and you have no safety harness. Suffering leads to ministry for those who serve Christ; suffering is only misery for those who serve themselves. Finally, be content to be worn out in His service. You may be spectacularly broken at some point, but probably not. Most of us will fall apart over a long, drawn out life of use rather than be smashed in a moment. Our testimonies will probably have more tears and sweat than prison and swords. The accumulation of aches and pains will get us before assassination attempts. Ours will be a death of a thousand little heart attacks instead of being burned at the stake. But the principle is no less effectual: when death is at work in us, life is also at work. When that happens, there's no explanation except for God's surpassing power. That will result in grace extending, thanks increasing, and glory shining (verse 15). ---------- ## Charge Later in 2 Corinthians Paul pleaded with the Lord to fix his pot, and the Lord said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9) Paul's response? "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." Beloved, your breaking points are boasting points. May His grace make your clay pot useful, fruitful, blessed. ## Benediction: > [May you be] strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Colossians 1:11-12, ESV)

2: Telling the Truth

July 17, 2022 • Sean Higgins • 2 Corinthians 4:1–6

# Introduction Telling the truth is simple, like riding a rocket; it does all the work but you have to hold on tight. You are a flock that cares more about truth than personal charisma or branding at least when it comes to associating with who ministers to you. Being branded as a servant is one thing, being a servant trying to make a brand for himself takes a special sort of vanity. It was no less a problem for Paul than it is around us. We are up against way more of a problem than a flooded religious market or short attention spans or simple confusion. We need more than cute and quick and glossy. We need God to speak light into darkness. Truth is at the heart of TEC. Love, which is the aim of our charge (1 Timothy 1:5), does not work with lies, at least not for long. Joy and fellowship depend on truth (3 John 4 is an example), even as the truth is made for more than two dimensions. Moses saw the truth-glory and needed a veil over his face because the people were afraid (Exodus 34:29; 2 Corinthians 3:12). Spiritually dead men have a different veil over their faces (2 Corinthians 3:15), one that keeps them from seeing the truth-glory. Now *all* those in Christ have unveiled face (2 Corinthians 3:18), not just leaders, and by beholding the glory of the Lord we all are being transformed into the same image. This is worship. And "Therefore" (4:1) we have courage in the work of telling the truth. Glory beheld (3:18), glory proclaimed (4:1-6), and then we'll see glory embodied (4:7-11). Paul explains what ministers like him do, but it has effect and application to all who are beholders. In 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 we'll see courage for true ministry, a contrast with true ministry, the constraint of true ministry, and the final conviction of true ministry. # Courage for True Ministry (verse 1) The sovereign kindness of God keeps us going, keeps us from falling over in the face of fatigue, criticism, and antagonism. > Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. (2 Corinthians 4:1, ESV) Our word "courage" comes from the Latin word *cor* which means "heart." Courage is having heart. Paul is saying that he's not lost heart (and repeats it in verse 16). Tired and troubled? Yes. But he wouldn’t play the coward or get comfy in the funk, he wouldn’t slack off or quit; he and his partners wouldn’t, as The Message paraphrases: "throw up our hands and walk off the job.” Not losing heart is the protein of this paragraph and chapter. The **ministry** (διακονίαν) is service, related to the same word from which the word "deacon" derives. The serving required dealing with deathly circumstances (1:8-9), great discouragement (2:13), feelings of insufficiency (3:5), and rejection of righteousness (3:7-18). The ministry was proclaiming freedom that men didn't know they needed and proclaiming glory that men didn't know they were blind to. When it comes to vocational ministry, this is why men such as Spurgeon and Lloyd-Jones counseled that if a man could do anything else he should do that. But it’s also true that every disciple of Christ is called to this great commission. In fact the primary work of pastors/elders is *not* to do the work of the ministry, but instead to "*equip the saints* for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12). To be a Christian beholding Christ's glory is to want to share that glory with others, and seeing so much rejection tempts anyone to lose heart. Ministry was **by the mercy of God**. It wasn't Paul's self-expression of his creative giftedness, and he certainly didn’t merit it; the older church ladies didn't push him into it. It was a God-given mercy. God's sovereign kindness created courage in his ministry and God’s living Spirit gave energy. Mercy is at the heart of God’s work. # Contrast with True Ministry (verse 2) Isn't it odd to contrast something he was *not* doing with something else he was *not* doing? He wasn't losing heart *but* he wasn't utilizing secret and shameful ways. Maybe we could say ministry is like a marathon. He was confident he wouldn’t quit, but not by taking shortcuts. > But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. (2 Corinthians 4:2, ESV) Ministry is full of ignored or rejected messages, as well as ingratitude for or criticism of the messengers (see 1 Corinthians 4:13). The most natural response (and we 21st century, Pragmatic-American evangelicals fit the profile) is to do whatever it takes to overcome the consumer’s resistance, make the process smoother, repackage the product, even if the advertising is questionable. But the ministry of truth is not served by untruth, and grace wouldn’t be showcased in disgraceful dress. Paul avoided deceit, half-truths, and manipulation. Paul was not trying to make a name for himself, he was not interested in controlling others, and he was committed to honest handling of God's Word. **Cunning** is like bait for a fish. No tricks, nor would he **tamper** with (or “adulterate” NASB) truth. He kept his hands above the table so that everyone could see. The curtain was up, the backstage visible. He published his life for review. It didn't mean that everyone had good things to say about him; they could lie. But in their consciences before God they had no material to condemn Paul’s ministry. That was the place Paul aimed for his integrity to be proved, not how high he ranked in Christian podcasts. # Constraint in True Ministry (verses 3-4) Again, not everyone accepted let alone appreciated the truth. The truth of the gospel is veiled among some. > And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:3–4, ESV) If the truth is veiled, **it is veiled only to those who are perishing**. The spiritually dead are spiritually dying, and one of the characteristics of being unsaved is being unable to see. They aren't perishing because they're blind (though that could be demonstrated in other passages). They are blind *because* they are perishers. The unsaved are the target of the gospel, these are the ones truth aims to transform. We do not know if/when or for whom God will remove the veil. But it is no surprise when men reject the truth. The constraint is a supernatural blinding. The **god of this world** is Satan (see his designation as “ruler” in John 12:31 and “prince” in Ephesians 2:2). It does not mean that Satan is a god, but that he is the master of men who serve him as if he were a god. He is the father of lies and liars. The offspring of the serpent is hostile to the seed of the woman. He prevents understanding, though he can do nothing apart from God’s control. He is potent, not *omni*potent; he's successful, but not supreme. Gospel truth is as esteemed by unbelievers as color theory is by a class of blind painters. Give them easels, expensive brushes, palettes full of the richest and most brilliant colors, and they can't do anything but make a mess. You can engage them in a discussion about saturation and hue, you can take them to a museum of great works of art, but they cannot see what you're talking about, until their eyes are opened. # Conviction of True Ministry (verses 5-6) The truth prevails. > For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:5–6, ESV) The truth shines on the person of Jesus, the Messiah and Master. He is Christ, He is Lord. This is *the* Christian confession (Romans 10:9), the heart of the truth. We are allowed to talk about ourselves, but as **your servants for Jesus' sake** (δούλους ὑμῶν διὰ Ἰησοῦν). The genitive "of you" is objective, "slaves serving you," not possessive, "slaves owned by you. Men benefit from our slaving; God assesses our slaving. Ministers are not masters. The work of the ministry is not for the distinction of the ministers, but the treasure of the ministry is carried by men. This actually becomes extra clear in the next paragraph; there is honor in being used up. But there is only one Lord. The subject stands out in this sentence: **For *God***--what God?—[the One] ***who* said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"** [He Himself] **has shone in our hearts**. In our ministry and message of that Lord, God's nature as light-giver shines. The creative work is His, not ours. He spoke directly on the first day to bring light into creation (Genesis 1:3) which meant light without the sun created on day four. **The light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ** is a mouthful, but more than that, it is the from whom and through whom and for whom of truth. In Christ the world holds together, and our ability to see the world. When we see Him we truly see. What glory outshines this glory? What glory condescends so low as a part of its raising so high? # Conclusion Ministry is hard and tempts us to lose heart. People will bring theological debate, moral bankruptcy, petty squabbles, messed up marriages or prodigal kids, party spirit. They may even make it personal, questioning your motives, criticizing you, undermining your work. You face militant unbelief and indiscriminate disobedience. You face apparent ineffectiveness. We can't fix it by wearing a t-shirt instead of a tie, or visa versa. Being "nice" won't and can't weaken resistance, let alone trickery or manipulation. We don’t succeed by mastering SEO or serving the gods of glossy paper. The gospel doesn’t always “work” and yet God works through the gospel and those who minister the gospel. The “word of the truth, the gospel” (Colossians 1:5) is at the heart of TEC, and His mercy keeps us from losing heart. ---------- ## Charge Don't lose heart. By grace God’s light shines in your heart, and you know the one who sovereignly speaks light into shining. Minister as servants for Jesus' sake. ## Benediction: > [M]y God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. > The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. (Philippians 4:19–20, 23, ESV)