WEBVTT 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:04.000 So we're going to continue in Second Corinthians today. 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:11.200 And by the way, for those of you that I haven't had the opportunity to meet and get to know a little bit, I'm Wayne Staker and my wife 00:00:11.200 --> 00:00:17.040 Nancy and I mainly minister with the senior group here at Alpine Bible Church. 00:00:17.260 --> 00:00:24.400 So if you want information about the senior group that's normally us guys that are 55 and older, but we're pretty easy, Go on that. 00:00:27.940 --> 00:00:35.040 But anyway, if you want information, talk to me after and I can give you my number and then we can just text back and forth or email back and forth and I can let you know what's happening with our 55 and. 00:00:35.140 --> 00:00:42.160 We also get the privilege of ministering throughout the week of various of activities that are going on at the church 00:00:42.160 --> 00:00:42.910 as well. 00:00:43.260 --> 00:00:44.740 But that's kind of who we are. 00:00:44.760 --> 00:00:48.140 So second Corinthians, chapter four. 00:00:49.440 --> 00:00:56.720 Now, this second letter that Paul is written to the Corinthians, it really he spends several chapters trying to 00:00:56.720 --> 00:01:00.490 address the false teachers that have come into the Corinthian church. 00:01:00.940 --> 00:01:05.019 And really, not only were they false teaching, but they're really trying to undermine his ministry. 00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:13.540 And in the process of undermining his ministry, they're even calling his calling his calling in the Lord and his apostleship 00:01:13.620 --> 00:01:14.120 into question. 00:01:15.180 --> 00:01:19.020 And they're causing the believers in Corinth to maybe even question a little bit. 00:01:19.380 --> 00:01:25.700 And all the while, they're trying to get these Christians in Corinth to go back under the law, to go back under law. 00:01:26.080 --> 00:01:30.420 And they're trying to preach this law and grace kind of thing that they've got to be together. 00:01:31.080 --> 00:01:33.980 And so Paul is addressing these false teachers. 00:01:34.200 --> 00:01:39.040 And we've seen him talk about the validity and the value of his ministry. 00:01:39.080 --> 00:01:46.080 And today we're going to get to see what where he gets that value and where he's who's given him this ministry that 00:01:46.080 --> 00:01:47.840 he has that he's fighting so hard for. 00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:55.780 And so in verse one of chapter four, second Corinthians, it says, Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of 00:01:55.780 --> 00:01:58.140 God, we do not lose heart. 00:01:59.360 --> 00:02:01.280 Cool. 00:02:01.500 --> 00:02:05.600 I think it'll get up there eventually, but therefore, you guys have it in your little books too. 00:02:05.600 --> 00:02:06.300 If you have one of those. 00:02:06.440 --> 00:02:07.370 So that's cool. 00:02:08.780 --> 00:02:12.700 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 00:02:12.780 --> 00:02:16.970 And you remember the first verse of this book that Paul and Timothy are writing together. 00:02:17.160 --> 00:02:18.760 So everything's we in this one. 00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:23.840 And so Paul and Timothy, they knew that they had this ministry as a gift of God. 00:02:24.460 --> 00:02:26.450 It wasn't just something that they took on themselves. 00:02:26.700 --> 00:02:29.080 It was a gift of God that they were able to have this ministry. 00:02:29.320 --> 00:02:36.580 And so he even explains back in chapter three, verse six, he says, God has made them sufficient to be ministers of this new covenant. 00:02:37.740 --> 00:02:40.620 So they knew undoubtedly this came from God. 00:02:40.720 --> 00:02:44.680 But here's a unique thing about this New Covenant and Paul calls covers this a bunch. 00:02:44.680 --> 00:02:51.740 Back in chapter three, we're going to reread a couple of verses back there because this ministry of the New Covenant that he has is 00:02:51.740 --> 00:02:54.420 so much superior to the old covenant. 00:02:54.420 --> 00:03:01.500 And the point the reason he wanted to make that point is that's what these false teachers were trying to do, get everybody to go back to the old Covenant and 00:03:01.500 --> 00:03:07.180 so he says in chapter three and verse three, he says, The old covenant is a letter written on tablets of stone. 00:03:08.640 --> 00:03:08.840 But. 00:03:10.720 --> 00:03:14.000 The New Covenant is written with the spirit on tablets of human hearts. 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:17.720 That's the difference between the old Covenant and the New Covenant. 00:03:17.880 --> 00:03:22.520 In verse three, in chapter three and verse six, he says, The old covenant kills as a ministry of death. 00:03:23.220 --> 00:03:25.280 But the New Covenant gives life in the spirit. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:30.080 And he says in chapter three and verse nine, he says, The old covenant is a ministry of condemnation. 00:03:30.860 --> 00:03:32.880 But the New Covenant is a ministry of righteousness. 00:03:33.860 --> 00:03:36.960 And then he says in verse 11, at chapter three, the old Covenant had an end. 00:03:37.820 --> 00:03:39.600 It had a purpose and it had an end. 00:03:39.600 --> 00:03:42.560 And praise the Lord Jesus is the one that fulfilled it and brought it to an end. 00:03:43.080 --> 00:03:45.520 The New Covenant is permanent and last forever. 00:03:46.820 --> 00:03:47.480 Praise the Lord. 00:03:47.560 --> 00:03:47.600 What? 00:03:47.900 --> 00:03:48.820 What great things? 00:03:48.820 --> 00:03:52.580 Listen, because Paul or God had given Paul and Timothy this. 00:03:52.880 --> 00:03:55.440 It's a wonderful ministry that they had in the New Covenant. 00:03:55.740 --> 00:03:56.980 Paul says, We don't lose heart. 00:03:58.680 --> 00:03:59.400 We don't lose heart. 00:03:59.540 --> 00:04:01.840 And the phrase the phrase we don't lose heart. 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:09.020 It really means they're not faint hearted or even and even more specific to me is they don't lose courage. 00:04:10.360 --> 00:04:12.960 They're not going to let this stuff cause them to lose courage. 00:04:12.980 --> 00:04:17.740 The ministry that Jesus has given them, it was by Jesus and through Jesus and in Jesus. 00:04:17.760 --> 00:04:18.959 And so it was all about him. 00:04:19.220 --> 00:04:20.839 And so they have no reason to lose heart. 00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:28.620 And so he says, I said, it doesn't matter what the false teachers are saying, it doesn't matter what the challenges are they've had with the Corinthian church, and they had 00:04:28.620 --> 00:04:29.000 a bunch. 00:04:29.820 --> 00:04:31.300 It does none of that matters. 00:04:31.380 --> 00:04:32.540 They didn't lose heart. 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:34.340 But here's the thing they were concerned about. 00:04:35.300 --> 00:04:39.760 They were still concerned that the false teachers were twisting the word of God and deceiving the people. 00:04:41.420 --> 00:04:44.280 And so they talk about this concern in verse two. 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:47.580 Second Corinthians chapter four and verse two. 00:04:47.580 --> 00:04:52.100 He says, But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. 00:04:53.080 --> 00:04:56.640 We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word. 00:04:57.040 --> 00:05:03.720 But by the open statement of the truth, we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. 00:05:04.320 --> 00:05:04.780 What a verse. 00:05:06.320 --> 00:05:09.940 We've renounced disgraceful and underhanded ways. 00:05:09.940 --> 00:05:10.920 The insinuation. 00:05:11.320 --> 00:05:13.020 That's what those false teachers were doing. 00:05:14.220 --> 00:05:17.780 We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word. 00:05:17.780 --> 00:05:21.240 Again, the insinuation, that's what those false teachers were doing. 00:05:21.700 --> 00:05:24.620 They wanted the Corinthian church to know That's not our plan. 00:05:25.420 --> 00:05:27.910 That's not the way we function, that's not the way we operate. 00:05:28.320 --> 00:05:29.960 We're not going to stoop that low. 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:34.240 Everything that we've taught and the way we've lived our lives have been. 00:05:35.580 --> 00:05:36.800 It's been open and honest. 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:39.550 We haven't we haven't done any of that kind of stuff. 00:05:40.340 --> 00:05:41.820 And we have not. 00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:44.540 And we will not employ any of those kind of methods. 00:05:45.560 --> 00:05:47.740 He wants a church, the Corinthian Church, to know that. 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:52.840 And this phrase that this is really unique to me, this phrase, the open statement of the truth. 00:05:54.520 --> 00:05:56.140 It can really take two forms. 00:05:56.140 --> 00:06:03.200 We can speak verbally and state the truth of God by speaking it plainly and speaking 00:06:03.200 --> 00:06:05.520 it understandably to people so that they get it. 00:06:06.320 --> 00:06:07.720 That's an open statement of truth. 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:08.860 But here's the other thing. 00:06:09.860 --> 00:06:15.600 We can speak the truth of God when we live lives that others see the reflection of Christ in us. 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:17.460 That's openly speaking the truth as well. 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:19.820 That's an open statement of the truth. 00:06:20.540 --> 00:06:27.800 That's why Paul and Timothy were able to say, We commend ourselves or we present ourselves as worthy to everyone's 00:06:27.860 --> 00:06:29.040 conscience in the sight of God. 00:06:30.760 --> 00:06:37.840 We can stand before everyone's conscience in the sight of God, because we've spoken the truth of the Word of God and we've lived 00:06:37.840 --> 00:06:40.220 our lives in the truth of the Word of God. 00:06:40.360 --> 00:06:43.540 We've been consistent with the truth of the Word of God in our lives. 00:06:46.200 --> 00:06:46.560 Now. 00:06:48.060 --> 00:06:55.200 Paul and Timothy, as you know, if you read much of the New Testament and you understand, Paul, they were faithful teachers of God's word and 00:06:55.200 --> 00:06:57.600 they lived lives that matched that. 00:06:57.720 --> 00:07:00.340 So why didn't more people believe their message? 00:07:00.700 --> 00:07:08.180 And why did it seem like so many people were being led away by these false teachers, were being so easily swayed by these false teachers? 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:11.560 And we could ask the same question today. 00:07:11.800 --> 00:07:13.040 Right? 00:07:13.200 --> 00:07:13.600 Man. 00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:20.620 There sure are a lot of people that seem to easily be swayed by this false teaching and the stuff they hear and the stuff they see and they're sure 00:07:20.620 --> 00:07:21.120 aren't. 00:07:21.140 --> 00:07:23.540 Very many people that want to hear the truths about Jesus Christ. 00:07:23.820 --> 00:07:25.460 Right? 00:07:25.780 --> 00:07:30.340 Not too much different these days, but here's what we learn from the next couple of verses. 00:07:31.520 --> 00:07:38.560 Second Corinthians four and verse three says this and even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 00:07:39.520 --> 00:07:41.700 So the unsaved, the gospel is veiled. 00:07:42.220 --> 00:07:43.280 How does it get that way? 00:07:43.280 --> 00:07:50.320 It says, in their case, the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of 00:07:50.320 --> 00:07:52.460 the Gospel of the glory of Christ. 00:07:52.760 --> 00:07:53.910 Who is the image of God? 00:07:55.120 --> 00:08:02.540 Oh, Paul already explained back in chapter three and verses 13, 14 and 15 that the minds of the Israelites were hardened and 00:08:02.540 --> 00:08:03.580 their hearts were veiled. 00:08:04.540 --> 00:08:09.290 He says in verse, starting in verse 14, In chapter three, he says, But their minds were hardened. 00:08:10.260 --> 00:08:11.240 For to this day. 00:08:11.240 --> 00:08:17.500 When they read the Old Covenant, the same veil remains unlifted because only through Christ is it taken away. 00:08:18.200 --> 00:08:18.480 Yes. 00:08:18.840 --> 00:08:23.820 To this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts. 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:25.470 Isn't that interesting? 00:08:25.960 --> 00:08:28.560 Whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts. 00:08:28.680 --> 00:08:29.900 Because only Christ can take it away. 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:37.909 And in a similar way, the gospel is veiled, the gospel is veiled, or it is hidden to those who are perishing to unbelievers. 00:08:38.760 --> 00:08:42.820 And they can't understand the message of the gospel for one very specific reason. 00:08:43.620 --> 00:08:45.600 The God of this world is blinded their minds. 00:08:48.120 --> 00:08:52.520 Paul's reference to the God of this world is obviously talking about Satan, right? 00:08:52.520 --> 00:08:54.860 Ephesians chapter two and verse one says it this way. 00:08:55.540 --> 00:09:02.910 He says, And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked following the course of this world. 00:09:03.160 --> 00:09:03.540 Listen. 00:09:03.660 --> 00:09:08.760 Following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 00:09:10.220 --> 00:09:12.060 Satan is the prince of the power of the air. 00:09:13.040 --> 00:09:15.160 He he's the god of this world. 00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:18.600 And first, John, chapter five and verse 18 says it this way. 00:09:18.940 --> 00:09:25.980 He says, We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who has been born of God protects him, 00:09:26.560 --> 00:09:28.900 and the evil one does not touch him. 00:09:29.620 --> 00:09:31.240 And we know that we are from God. 00:09:31.240 --> 00:09:31.520 Listen. 00:09:31.540 --> 00:09:34.800 And the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 00:09:35.780 --> 00:09:38.080 The whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 00:09:38.120 --> 00:09:43.320 You know, some translations say instead, as opposed to saying the God of this world, they say the God of this age. 00:09:44.260 --> 00:09:49.630 And that actually is helpful to us because it helps us understand that Satan has power only for an age. 00:09:50.260 --> 00:09:51.860 And he is powerful. 00:09:51.860 --> 00:09:53.940 But his power is going to come to an end. 00:09:54.500 --> 00:10:01.580 There's a time when Satan's power comes to an end and we know this Jesus Christ has already defeated Satan's power by his death and 00:10:01.580 --> 00:10:02.080 resurrection. 00:10:02.400 --> 00:10:02.520 Right? 00:10:03.660 --> 00:10:07.340 And so Satan's powerful, but he don't keep that power all the time. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:12.020 He's powerful in this world right now toward the unsaved, but he doesn't keep that power all the time. 00:10:12.440 --> 00:10:14.240 Listen to Colossians chapter two and verse 15. 00:10:15.460 --> 00:10:21.260 It says, He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them in him. 00:10:22.120 --> 00:10:24.000 Now, there's a lot to this verse. 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:27.600 And so I'm going to tell you that the he obviously is Jesus. 00:10:28.540 --> 00:10:35.700 And so if we read this the way it's really to understand it all the way it says Jesus disarmed or took away the power of 00:10:35.700 --> 00:10:41.160 the rulers and the authorities and the rulers and authorities in this verse are princes and chiefs of demons. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:49.860 And so Jesus took away the power of the princes and the chiefs of demons, and he put them to open shame by triumphing 00:10:49.860 --> 00:10:53.680 over them in himself, by his death and resurrection on the cross. 00:10:56.140 --> 00:10:56.880 He's defeated death. 00:10:57.560 --> 00:10:58.180 He's defeated Satan. 00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:07.320 Hebrews Chapter two and verse 14 says this It says, Since therefore the children share in the flesh and blood, he himself likewise took 00:11:07.420 --> 00:11:10.620 part of the same things by becoming a man. 00:11:10.900 --> 00:11:15.030 That through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death. 00:11:15.160 --> 00:11:16.120 That is the devil. 00:11:17.260 --> 00:11:18.480 Jesus destroyed. 00:11:18.480 --> 00:11:20.320 Satan destroyed his power. 00:11:20.700 --> 00:11:22.540 He still has power for this age. 00:11:22.840 --> 00:11:25.810 He's the God of this world and he is a powerful being. 00:11:26.180 --> 00:11:27.880 But he doesn't have ultimate power. 00:11:27.880 --> 00:11:34.320 Only God has the ultimate power, and God will exercise that power one day and totally take power away from Satan. 00:11:34.340 --> 00:11:36.560 But for the time being, he has it. 00:11:37.160 --> 00:11:40.020 He has power over the unbelieving world. 00:11:40.020 --> 00:11:44.760 And unfortunately, like we've talked about, they're all too willing to follow his agenda. 00:11:45.960 --> 00:11:53.100 Our present world is all too willing to follow Satan's agenda, all too willing to jump in behind him and 00:11:53.100 --> 00:11:54.680 be drawn in by that power. 00:11:56.080 --> 00:11:59.580 And what does Satan use his power for over unbelievers? 00:12:00.380 --> 00:12:01.200 He blinds their minds. 00:12:03.060 --> 00:12:07.300 What a unique way that God uses to explain the schemes of Satan to us. 00:12:07.780 --> 00:12:09.620 He blinds their minds. 00:12:09.620 --> 00:12:12.680 You know, Satan's battle has always been with the mind. 00:12:13.540 --> 00:12:15.000 That's always been his battle. 00:12:15.420 --> 00:12:19.860 He if he can get believers now I'm talking about believers, not unbelievers. 00:12:19.940 --> 00:12:24.950 If he can get believers to doubt or question God, he's been successful. 00:12:26.280 --> 00:12:26.580 You remember. 00:12:26.860 --> 00:12:27.980 You remember Eve in the garden. 00:12:29.280 --> 00:12:31.140 What's the two things Satan said to her? 00:12:33.960 --> 00:12:37.990 Did God really say that was the first one and the other one was. 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:39.540 Surely you won't die. 00:12:39.540 --> 00:12:40.800 God's not telling you the truth. 00:12:42.480 --> 00:12:45.220 That's the techniques that Satan uses all the time. 00:12:45.540 --> 00:12:48.920 Did God really say and God's not telling the truth. 00:12:49.740 --> 00:12:53.160 That's how he tries to affect the minds of people. 00:12:53.320 --> 00:12:56.360 And if he can do that with Christians, he's successful. 00:12:57.380 --> 00:12:58.830 He counts that as a success. 00:12:59.240 --> 00:13:01.780 Because you know this the good news is that he can't have us. 00:13:03.160 --> 00:13:03.800 Praise the Lord. 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:08.220 If you're a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, Satan can't have you because God already does. 00:13:08.860 --> 00:13:10.420 You've already been grafted in. 00:13:10.440 --> 00:13:12.740 You've already been adopted into God's family. 00:13:12.740 --> 00:13:13.840 So Satan can't have us. 00:13:14.860 --> 00:13:22.080 But what He can do and what he will do is try to make us make us ineffective for the Lord by causing us to question and doubt 00:13:22.220 --> 00:13:23.200 God and His Word. 00:13:24.420 --> 00:13:26.500 That's the things that Satan tries to do with believers. 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:31.100 Now, with unbelievers, he has a whole different technique. 00:13:31.760 --> 00:13:34.140 He a completely different strategy with unbelievers. 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:39.220 And that strategy is to blind their minds to the truth of who Jesus is. 00:13:40.260 --> 00:13:48.240 And the verse continues on and explains exactly what it is the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ in the image of God. 00:13:48.380 --> 00:13:55.460 If Satan can keep these truths from entering the minds of unbelievers, then these truths never have a chance to get into 00:13:55.460 --> 00:13:59.300 their hearts where the real relationship with Christ dwells, right? 00:13:59.780 --> 00:14:02.100 If they don't get into the mind, they're never going to get to the heart. 00:14:03.980 --> 00:14:06.560 Satan tries to keep these truths from getting to believers. 00:14:08.020 --> 00:14:08.120 Now. 00:14:09.320 --> 00:14:14.240 We got to take a break here and just say there's two really eternally important. 00:14:14.300 --> 00:14:17.760 I would call them truths in Second Corinthians chapter four and verse four. 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:19.660 They're extremely important to us. 00:14:19.660 --> 00:14:26.200 The first one is this Jesus Christ is literally God's revelation of himself to humanity. 00:14:28.180 --> 00:14:29.300 Jesus is God. 00:14:29.340 --> 00:14:32.880 If you want to know about if you want to learn about God, look at Jesus. 00:14:33.580 --> 00:14:34.600 That's what we're saying. 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:37.820 He's the exact representation in the image of God. 00:14:37.980 --> 00:14:42.490 Colossians one and 15 says He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 00:14:43.580 --> 00:14:50.420 And the first part of Hebrews one and verse three says this He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. 00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:52.400 What a unique way of putting it. 00:14:52.980 --> 00:14:56.160 Jesus is the exact imprint of the nature of God. 00:14:56.780 --> 00:14:57.200 Exact. 00:14:59.800 --> 00:15:06.920 So not only is Jesus the exact imprint of God, of his nature and the image of God, but He's the light 00:15:06.920 --> 00:15:10.700 of the gospel, which is eternal, which brings eternal life. 00:15:10.780 --> 00:15:12.900 The light of the gospel comes from His glory. 00:15:14.880 --> 00:15:19.080 John, one verse four says in him is life and the life was the light of man. 00:15:19.080 --> 00:15:19.700 He's the light. 00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:24.900 And then John eight and verse 12 says, Jesus spoke to them saying, I'm the light of the world. 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:29.540 Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. 00:15:29.900 --> 00:15:30.320 That's Jesus. 00:15:32.120 --> 00:15:33.380 Jesus is the light. 00:15:33.380 --> 00:15:36.460 And so if you don't have Jesus, what you're doing. 00:15:37.960 --> 00:15:38.760 Walking in darkness. 00:15:40.620 --> 00:15:41.720 Pretty straightforward. 00:15:41.820 --> 00:15:43.780 If you do have Jesus, you're walking in the light. 00:15:44.140 --> 00:15:44.820 You got the light. 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:53.980 And we can see this very clearly in what goes on in this situation when just by looking at the sun, the 00:15:53.980 --> 00:15:56.450 sun in our universe, the sun shine, and all the time. 00:15:56.500 --> 00:15:56.600 Right. 00:15:58.100 --> 00:15:59.040 All the time is shining. 00:15:59.460 --> 00:16:00.540 Do we see it all the time? 00:16:01.100 --> 00:16:01.460 No. 00:16:01.900 --> 00:16:03.200 Sometimes things get in the way. 00:16:03.380 --> 00:16:04.580 We're on the other side of the world. 00:16:05.020 --> 00:16:06.720 It's cloudy like today. 00:16:06.880 --> 00:16:08.170 We don't see the sun sometimes. 00:16:08.680 --> 00:16:10.140 And really the same. 00:16:10.140 --> 00:16:11.230 It's the same with the gospel. 00:16:11.420 --> 00:16:14.240 Jesus is the light of the gospel and he is always shining. 00:16:15.800 --> 00:16:23.520 But Satan tries to put various barriers, various hindrances between the unbelievers and Jesus, between 00:16:23.520 --> 00:16:25.240 the lost and the light. 00:16:26.060 --> 00:16:27.360 That's what Satan would like to do. 00:16:28.780 --> 00:16:35.900 When people see past those barriers and they see the glorious light of the gospel, they see Jesus, then they begin to be transformed to. 00:16:36.520 --> 00:16:37.720 To become more and more like him. 00:16:37.800 --> 00:16:44.840 Like we talked about at the end of chapter three last week in verse 18, it says this and we all with unveiled face beholding the glory 00:16:44.840 --> 00:16:47.700 of the Lord are being transformed into the same image. 00:16:49.340 --> 00:16:49.840 Wow. 00:16:49.980 --> 00:16:54.510 From one degree of glory to another, for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:56.460 So. 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:05.240 Paul and Timothy because they have this New Covenant Ministry and it's all about Jesus being the image of God and 00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:06.800 being the light of the gospel. 00:17:07.280 --> 00:17:13.440 They knew that they couldn't abuse this gift of Jesus from Jesus by proclaiming themselves in any way. 00:17:14.060 --> 00:17:15.700 They just couldn't proclaim themselves. 00:17:15.780 --> 00:17:20.079 The only way to truly honor this ministry was to proclaim Christ as Lord and Him alone. 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:22.060 And that's what verse five says. 00:17:23.880 --> 00:17:31.120 In second Corinthians four, it says for when we for what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord 00:17:31.120 --> 00:17:34.000 and ourselves as your servants, for Jesus sake. 00:17:37.500 --> 00:17:38.660 Paul and Timothy had this. 00:17:39.940 --> 00:17:44.740 Great desire to lead people to Jesus and to build them up in him. 00:17:45.300 --> 00:17:46.240 And that was our whole goal. 00:17:46.340 --> 00:17:47.560 That's all they really cared about. 00:17:47.940 --> 00:17:55.320 They and so much so that they said, if we're anything where your servants, for Jesus sake, we're 00:17:55.320 --> 00:17:56.040 just your servants. 00:17:57.380 --> 00:18:00.990 And you know, in the Bible, servants are handled in a couple of different ways. 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:08.320 There are hired servants who usually received a wage and they had certain rights, but then there are also bond servants 00:18:08.320 --> 00:18:12.620 and bond servants receive no wage and they had no rights whatsoever. 00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:16.460 They were bound to their master completely and totally. 00:18:16.540 --> 00:18:23.960 And the New Testament word for servant that that's being used here, that is for servants of Christ, is bond servant, 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:26.880 meaning the Paul and Timothy are saying that. 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:31.960 And it's the same for us as believers that we belong totally to our Master Jesus and we have no rights. 00:18:33.520 --> 00:18:35.200 All we are here to do is serve you. 00:18:36.660 --> 00:18:41.180 And you know, when we trusted Jesus Jesus, he gave us the right to become children of God. 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:42.880 And that's the only right that really matters anyway, right? 00:18:44.040 --> 00:18:47.640 That's the right that we have as believers to become children of God. 00:18:47.860 --> 00:18:49.370 And that's only because of Jesus. 00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:51.380 So. 00:18:52.020 --> 00:18:55.140 Jesus said that he came to serve and not to be served. 00:18:55.960 --> 00:19:02.290 And really, when you when he did that, he gave us this perfect example of what being a Bond servant is. 00:19:02.900 --> 00:19:05.830 In Mark chapter ten and verse 45, he says that exactly. 00:19:05.980 --> 00:19:11.400 He says, for even the son of man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. 00:19:12.360 --> 00:19:15.240 And then Philippians chapter two, starting in verse five, he says this. 00:19:15.340 --> 00:19:22.480 He says, Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:29.500 God, did not count equality with God, a thing to be grasped dilissen, but made himself nothing, taking on the form 00:19:29.500 --> 00:19:32.050 of a servant and being born in the likeness of a man. 00:19:32.820 --> 00:19:33.500 That's what our Lord did. 00:19:34.380 --> 00:19:34.500 That's. 00:19:34.660 --> 00:19:34.760 That's. 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:38.700 That's the level of service that he says is being a bond servant. 00:19:39.560 --> 00:19:44.440 And as bond servants of Christ, we express our service to him by serving others. 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:47.320 And that's exactly what Paul and Timothy are trying to say here. 00:19:47.420 --> 00:19:49.540 They're saying that we're your bond servants. 00:19:49.820 --> 00:19:50.480 Corinthian church. 00:19:50.980 --> 00:19:54.300 We're your bond servants and we're your bond servants, for Jesus sake. 00:19:55.180 --> 00:20:02.300 And that phrase, for Jesus sake, means on account of Jesus or because of Jesus, because he's the image of God, because he's 00:20:02.300 --> 00:20:03.400 the light of the gospel. 00:20:03.600 --> 00:20:05.160 That's the reason we're your bond servants. 00:20:07.900 --> 00:20:14.920 And then Paul finishes up this section of God's word in verse six, he says, For God, who said, 00:20:14.920 --> 00:20:22.000 Let light shine out of darkness has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:23.550 the face of Jesus Christ. 00:20:24.620 --> 00:20:26.380 Another very unique verse. 00:20:26.380 --> 00:20:26.980 This is fun. 00:20:26.980 --> 00:20:30.580 So we know there's only God can make light come out of darkness, right? 00:20:31.140 --> 00:20:35.600 That's what He did on the very first day of creation in Genesis chapter one and verse one. 00:20:35.600 --> 00:20:40.860 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was over. 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:45.060 The face of the deep and the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 00:20:45.360 --> 00:20:47.000 And God said, Let there be light. 00:20:47.380 --> 00:20:48.020 And there was light. 00:20:49.660 --> 00:20:50.980 That's how light came into the world. 00:20:51.020 --> 00:20:55.910 That's how light came into darkness is because God spoke it and it happened. 00:20:55.960 --> 00:21:03.700 And interestingly, the in the first creation, the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters and God commanded 00:21:03.700 --> 00:21:05.460 light to shine. 00:21:06.080 --> 00:21:08.290 In the New Covenant or in the new creation. 00:21:08.920 --> 00:21:12.620 The Spirit of God moves in the heart of a person and God shines in our hearts. 00:21:13.660 --> 00:21:15.780 What a huge difference and what a wonderful difference. 00:21:15.860 --> 00:21:19.130 Physical creation began with light, and so does spiritual creation. 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:23.600 The spirit of God shines in our hearts and the new spiritual life begins. 00:21:24.740 --> 00:21:31.780 And that's why Paul can say and we'll go through this verse in a few weeks, but that's why Paul can say in chapter five and verse 17, a 00:21:31.780 --> 00:21:32.690 second Corinthians. 00:21:32.760 --> 00:21:35.120 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation. 00:21:36.680 --> 00:21:38.800 The oldest passed away and behold, the new has come. 00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:47.380 And God has a very specific purpose when he shines his light in our hearts and he says this, it's to give the light of 00:21:47.380 --> 00:21:50.440 the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus. 00:21:51.060 --> 00:21:56.180 And here's the really unique thing to me God doesn't shine in our hearts just to give us knowledge, just to make us smart. 00:21:56.880 --> 00:21:57.740 He does do that. 00:21:57.740 --> 00:22:04.820 He gives us that knowledge of his glory, but he shines in our heart and gives us that knowledge so that through us, that knowledge can 00:22:04.820 --> 00:22:05.920 shine in the hearts of others. 00:22:06.620 --> 00:22:11.560 We can extend that knowledge and shine that same knowledge, help that same knowledge to shine in the hearts of others. 00:22:12.620 --> 00:22:19.820 And when you think about it, Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus is a really unique picture of this and a wonderful 00:22:19.820 --> 00:22:25.840 picture of this because Jesus Christ, right there on the road to Damascus shone his light in Paul's heart. 00:22:26.700 --> 00:22:33.800 And from that day on, until until Paul died, he went out and he spread the light of 00:22:33.800 --> 00:22:38.380 the knowledge of the glory of God as it is seen in the face of Jesus. 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:39.100 That was Paul's mission. 00:22:39.420 --> 00:22:40.200 That was Paul's plan. 00:22:40.340 --> 00:22:40.840 That was his. 00:22:41.060 --> 00:22:41.860 That was his purpose. 00:22:43.460 --> 00:22:47.080 From that time on, Paul did exactly what verse six is saying. 00:22:50.140 --> 00:22:52.480 So we'll finish up this morning. 00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:53.090 Man, I'm fast. 00:22:53.540 --> 00:22:54.780 We'll finish up this morning. 00:22:55.980 --> 00:22:59.060 There is a truth in this passage that really ought to get us excited. 00:22:59.560 --> 00:23:03.030 That really ought to get our hearts pounding, man, because I think it's pretty cool. 00:23:03.840 --> 00:23:07.420 If you're a saved believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, here's the truth about you. 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:12.180 You have the same New Covenant Ministry that Paul and Timothy had. 00:23:12.420 --> 00:23:19.480 Every one of us that are a believer, that are believers has that same New Covenant Ministry that Paul is making such a big deal about here that 00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:21.680 he says, this is so important, I'm going to protect it. 00:23:23.020 --> 00:23:24.320 Because others are slamming it. 00:23:24.720 --> 00:23:25.580 We have that same. 00:23:25.580 --> 00:23:28.560 And just like them, it's a gift from God and it's the ministry. 00:23:28.560 --> 00:23:31.360 It's by the mercy of God, just like it is, was to them. 00:23:33.000 --> 00:23:36.840 And we too now can go out and lead people to Jesus and build them up in Him. 00:23:38.080 --> 00:23:44.660 We can have the very same purpose and do the very same activity, the very same function that Paul and Timothy did. 00:23:44.860 --> 00:23:46.040 And that's exciting to me. 00:23:46.140 --> 00:23:47.650 That's a that's a wonderful thing. 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:54.720 But there's more because as believers now, there's several things that we saw in these verses that are helpful to us as 00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:55.020 well. 00:23:57.420 --> 00:23:58.320 As believers. 00:23:59.260 --> 00:24:00.460 Doesn't matter what we're facing. 00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:05.080 Doesn't matter what we're dealing with, doesn't matter what the challenges we have in our lives. 00:24:05.560 --> 00:24:06.640 None of that things matter. 00:24:06.820 --> 00:24:10.700 None of those things matter because we're ministering the gospel of Jesus through Jesus. 00:24:11.980 --> 00:24:12.510 It's not us. 00:24:13.260 --> 00:24:13.700 It's Him. 00:24:14.280 --> 00:24:16.740 And we get our direction and we get our encouragement from him. 00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:18.320 So we don't need to lose heart either. 00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:26.800 I know a lot of things go on in our lives that just cause us to be down and cause us that lose heart is a really good phrase for 00:24:26.800 --> 00:24:26.900 it. 00:24:27.320 --> 00:24:28.100 We just lose heart. 00:24:28.260 --> 00:24:30.560 I'm a little bit down, but listen, it's all Jesus. 00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:32.620 It's all his ministry. 00:24:33.400 --> 00:24:34.100 It's all his gospel. 00:24:34.920 --> 00:24:41.820 And when we look at it that way, when we realize that it's all all we're doing is we're ministering Jesus to other people, not us. 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:43.560 We don't need to lose heart. 00:24:44.540 --> 00:24:47.460 There are so many things, so many reasons not to lose heart. 00:24:49.300 --> 00:24:56.300 Secondly, as believers, we too can encourage or are encouraged to speak God's Word plainly to others 00:24:56.920 --> 00:24:59.700 and live lives that reflect Jesus Christ. 00:25:00.340 --> 00:25:06.220 We're encouraged to do this, to be open statements of truth, just like Paul said he and Timothy were. 00:25:07.480 --> 00:25:08.800 Be an open statement of truth. 00:25:09.320 --> 00:25:11.440 Speak God's word plainly to people. 00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:11.960 Let them know. 00:25:12.080 --> 00:25:16.280 Let them help them understand it and reflect Jesus with our lives. 00:25:16.820 --> 00:25:17.340 We can do that. 00:25:18.920 --> 00:25:21.120 Thirdly, as believers, we really have a unique calling. 00:25:21.540 --> 00:25:24.180 And again, it's no different than the calling that Paul and Timothy had. 00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:30.180 We have this unique calling of helping unbelievers see what Satan is trying to keep them from seeing. 00:25:31.060 --> 00:25:38.180 We want to help them see what Satan would like to have them not see that Jesus is the light of the gospel and He's 00:25:38.180 --> 00:25:39.680 the light in this dark world. 00:25:39.860 --> 00:25:40.800 What a wonderful thing. 00:25:41.100 --> 00:25:42.820 He's the exact representation. 00:25:43.020 --> 00:25:43.800 He's the image of God. 00:25:44.860 --> 00:25:52.100 Those two things are so important, and we have the great privilege of helping people remove that veil that Satan 00:25:52.100 --> 00:25:59.320 is trying to keep over their eyes and Lord willing, believe these truths and become saved, believe these truths in their hearts and have a relationship. 00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:00.740 Get a relationship with Jesus. 00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:02.350 We have that privilege. 00:26:02.420 --> 00:26:03.600 We get to be a part of that. 00:26:05.220 --> 00:26:05.940 That's pretty fun. 00:26:07.040 --> 00:26:09.360 As believers, we're also bond servants of Christ. 00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:13.100 Sometimes, you look at servants and you think that's an awful thing. 00:26:13.420 --> 00:26:16.040 But in this case, it's a wonderful thing. 00:26:16.040 --> 00:26:18.240 We get to serve the Lord and we serve. 00:26:18.600 --> 00:26:20.080 We're bond servants of Christ. 00:26:20.080 --> 00:26:24.280 We serve others as our way of serving him, and we serve others for his sake. 00:26:24.740 --> 00:26:32.000 Again, because of all he is and all he's done, because he is the glorious light of the Gospel and because he is the image of God. 00:26:32.080 --> 00:26:35.180 That's the reason we serve Him and that's the reason we serve others. 00:26:35.780 --> 00:26:40.740 And finally, listen as believers, God has shown His light into our hearts to give us new life. 00:26:41.820 --> 00:26:42.900 Praise the Lord for that. 00:26:44.160 --> 00:26:50.760 And he gives us the light of the knowledge of his glory as it is seen in Jesus, so that we get to do this through us. 00:26:51.540 --> 00:26:53.500 That same knowledge might shine in the heart of others. 00:26:54.340 --> 00:26:56.850 God gives us that opportunity to share that with others. 00:26:57.160 --> 00:26:57.220 And. 00:26:57.320 --> 00:26:59.140 And again, what a privilege, God. 00:26:59.720 --> 00:27:06.740 God really gives us as believers a tremendous and a huge privilege to serve him and honor him with these 00:27:06.740 --> 00:27:07.700 type of things. 00:27:08.300 --> 00:27:13.990 And so Paul and Timothy knew that God had made them sufficient for this Ministry of the New Covenant. 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:17.720 It's God that had done it the same, and God makes us sufficient for the same thing. 00:27:18.420 --> 00:27:21.070 And they can only be effective as what? 00:27:21.540 --> 00:27:24.910 Effective in this ministry, as they were willing to be led by the Holy Spirit. 00:27:25.540 --> 00:27:30.060 And they focused on the one who really is the New Covenant, Jesus Christ. 00:27:30.140 --> 00:27:31.200 That's when they were effective. 00:27:31.380 --> 00:27:34.590 That's what they were trying to get across to the Corinthians, that that's what they were going to do regardless. 00:27:35.540 --> 00:27:37.240 And the same is really true for us. 00:27:37.240 --> 00:27:41.120 You and I have that same challenge and every day of our lives, really. 00:27:42.860 --> 00:27:50.200 And here's my prayer, is that we be led by the Spirit of God and that we will continually rest on our identity in Jesus as 00:27:50.200 --> 00:27:53.600 we minister the Gospel of Jesus to the world around us. 00:27:54.040 --> 00:27:58.560 And again, all through Jesus by Him and through Him and in Him, it's all about him. 00:27:59.160 --> 00:28:06.540 And that if we're ministering through him, the one who made us sufficient as well, that 00:28:06.540 --> 00:28:10.880 ministry is going to be it's going to accomplish what Jesus wants it to accomplish. 00:28:11.780 --> 00:28:15.830 And that's the privilege and the blessings that we have as believers.