2 Corinthians 4 "When we accommodate the culture so as not to offend anyone, we take the gospel out of the gospel"

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Present Weakness and Resurrection Life

4 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

For Paul, it was never about him. It was always about Christ. He had complete peace about the way he conducted himself and the message of the gospel he brought to all those he met. He didn't do anything tricky, but just put forth the plain gospel of Jesus. Sometimes we try to alter the gospel to make it more palatable, over even more acceptable to society. But to do that would rob it of the very truth every person needs to hear. 

Without knowing one's utter powerlessness to save ourselves, and without realizing our need for forgiveness, there is no gospel. When we accommodate the culture so as not to offend anyone, we take the gospel out of the gospel. The Good News is, "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!" Romans 5:8

But the bottom line is many people reject the straight forward gospel. Why? Because the evil one has blinded them to the truth about who they are and who Jesus is. There are many other religions and philosophies which promise truth and life, yet forget the human condition before a holy God. God can't just wink an eye at our sin or the injustice done to his people because of his very nature. In the end we would not want an unjust judge, so why would be want an unjust God. 

Paul saw himself as, "a servant for Christ's sake". His sole goal was to serve others selflessly, as Jesus has called all of us to. Jesus said to his disciples in Mark 10:43-45, "The greatest among you is a servant. The greatest one is slave of all!"

Paul preached his gospel boldly. When Paul considered the greatness of his calling, it gave him the heart to face all his difficulties. We often lose heart because we do not consider how great a calling God gives us in Jesus. - Guzik

“The preacher should either speak in God’s name or hold his tongue. My brother, if the Lord has not sent you with a message, go to bed, or to school, or mind your farm; for what does it matter what you have to say of your own? If heaven has given you a message, speak it out as he ought to speak who is called to be the mouth of God.” (Spurgeon)

Many preachers fail on this exact point. They have the true gospel, but they add to it things of human ingenuity and wisdom. Often, they add these corrupting or diluting things to the gospel because they think adding them will make the gospel more effective or give it a greater hearing. They are still doing what Paul insisted he would never do, handling the word of God deceitfully. - Guzik

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

These verses are classic Paul, and show his true heart as an apostle and servant of Christ. He uses the metaphor of a "jar of clay", which was a common utensil used to hid things of value in his day. The idea was that someone would not look in something so common and ordinary if they wanted to steal it. As an aside, there was a Christian great band in the 90's called "Jars of Clay". They were great. 

The gospel was common and ordinary. It was not flashy but was revealed in an ordinary man named Jesus, who did not consider equality as something to be grasped, but emptied himself and become a servant unto death on a cross. (Philippians 2) He was a jar of clay in that sense, but inside was the greatest treasure mankind has ever known. 

What I love about this analogy is the only way the light can shine through a pot, is if there is crack in it. We all have our weaknesses and are broken in this sense. We all could be considered "jars of clay". Someone has said we are all "cracked pots". It is through our weaknesses that the gospel shines forth. You don't have to be perfect to be an evangelist, because our weaknesses show the all surpassing power of Christ. In a way we just need to "get out of the way", to let Christ preach. 

Earthen vessels: Earthenware vessels were common in every home in the ancient world. They were not very durable (compared to metal), and they were useless if broken (glass could be melted down again). “They were thus cheap and of little intrinsic value.” (Kruse) God chose to put His light and glory in the everyday dishes, not in the fine china. - Guzik

Why does God put such a great treasure in such weak vessels? So that the greatness of the power may be of God and not of us. So that it would be evident to anyone who had eyes to see that the work was being done by the power of God, not the power of the vessel. - Guzik

13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Our testimony about Christ flows from our faith, which is a gift. I believe, therefore I speak. We are given a gift that came from outside of ourselves, and we were given the gift of the Holy Spirit, who brought us to faith. We are given faith to believe in the resurrection and to believe that one day we will be raised from the dead. Our hope is certain because Jesus rose from the dead and promised that one day if we believed in him, even though we die yet shall we live. John 11:25

It is this plain gospel that will reach everyone and spread as people receive the gospel and then share it. Evangelism is not a program but an organic process. Jesus' love is contagious. If people interact with us over time that should be exposed to the gospel by what we say and do. 

This is a great principle – that faith creates the testimony. Paul really believed God had a purpose in his death-like sufferings, and really believed he lived and experienced the resurrection life of Jesus. Therefore, he wasn’t hesitant to speak about it. - Guzik

Some forget the immediate goal and have a “pie-in-the-sky” super-spirituality. Others forget the ultimate goal and are man-focused, becoming either proud or discouraged. We need to keep both in mind, just as Paul did. - Guzik

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Ultimately it is the hope we have in Christ that helps us to persevere through the various types of trial we will all go through as followers of Christ. (1 Peter 4:12) And hope does not disappoint us because it has been poured into our heart through the Holy Spirit. Our bodies are a receptacle of this hope through the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 5:5)

Paul ends with a promise which is one which gives us hope no matter what we go through in life. Though outwardly we are wasting away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 

I am about to turn 60, and though I keep in shape, I can certainly fell my body wasting away in small ways. As they say, "You are not getting any younger". But instead of mourning the fact that we are "wasting away" on the outside we are being renewed on the inside. 

This is our spiritual body, which will last forever. In fact, we are promised a new physical body in heaven to cloth our heavenly body. (2 Corinthians 5:8 and following) 

Then, Paul says something that I quote all the time at funerals. "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."

When we get to heaven the glory we will see will be unlike anything we have seen on earth. It will literally "blow us away". 

Therefore, as we go through life we keep one eye on eternity. We fix on our eyes on the fact that one day we will not have to endure the sin which plagues us daily. We fix our eyes on Jesus and the fact that we will be in His presence one day! 

So when you are having a bad day, or having a "pity party", where are you focusing. Most like you are focus on your light and momentary troubles. Take your gaze off yourself and on to the risen Lord!