This sermon is based on (2 Corinthians 4:1-6)-
So this week we start a new sermon series called Hope for a Fragile People.Paul pastorally writes to the Corinthians with honesty and with integrity. You see, this church is confused. They are weak. They are facing affliction. They are facing pressure and fragility.
And Paul frames their weakness not as a threat to the gospel, but rather a place where God's power shines through. And today our theme is about being in a place of discouragement when we are running on empty to actually reaching a place of renewed courage because God is already at work within us.
And when we think of discouragements, when we're thinking of running on empty, I think it's fair to say that we've all been there through different ways, through different shapes and sizes at some point in our lives, either personally, through situations, through other people. We will have or have been disappointed or discouraged.
It might be through a tough conversation with a family member that didn't go as well as expected. Or perhaps we're disappointed when we didn't meet our targets at work. Or the appointment with a doctor brings something uncomfortable that we're hearing.
And it's easy to look at ourselves and think that I'm not good enough. Where have I gone wrong? I'm just so disappointed with myself. There'll be feelings of rejection and pain, anxiety, disbelief in ourselves. Things begin to look uncertain.
Yes, there is a joy of how God has used me in this place, but there's also a feeling of uncertainty and perhaps anxiety as I discern the next long-term plan that God has for me. But when we look at Jesus, we notice that he faced some of those things. He faced change in the most incredible way.
Rejected by his followers, he felt pain for the world, anguish and heartache when he went to the cross. And yet through it all, Jesus was certain of one thing, and that was the joy of knowing where he was going.
He was certain that it was God's plan for him that his father had called him into something and somewhere better. Paul says, "Since through God's mercy we do not lose heart, we can get through the times when we are running on empty, since through God's mercy, he sent Jesus who paid it all." Since through God's mercy, we are people of hope.
Since through God's mercy, fixing our eyes on Jesus, we can be sure of where we are going, we can be in a place where we overcome uncertainties and doubts, disappointments, and discouragements.
I'm not saying that it's going to be easy. The truth is though that Jesus promises to never leave us or forsake us. He promises that he will walk right there with us through the darkest valleys, through the darkest times that we go through.
And I think it's realistic to acknowledge and name those discouragements. Why we would should would we want to shy away from them?
Why would we want to fall into a pit of despair and darkness? But having Jesus by our side, bringing everything to him in prayer means that we can have renewed strength and tackle those times because God is love. He is gracious. He is merciful to us.
In Exodus 34, when God speaks to Moses, he says this about his character that he is compassionate and gracious, abounding in love and faithfulness.
And I find that comforting. I find that reassuring that when we hold on to the promise and truth of God, we are brought into a place of peace, into a place of comfort, into a place of rest with the joy and the knowledge that we don't need to lose heart because God has got us. He's got our backs.
And based on the truths of God's word, Paul affirms that we are not to distort the word of God, but rather set forth the truth of it.
But we are assured that God's spirit is with us. Even through our weakness, even through our weakness, we are anointed. The spirit works with us and through us, enabling and equipping us for small or big encounters.
Paul says, "Let light shine out of the darkness." God made his light shine in our hearts. As children of light, as children of God, we have the light of Jesus living in us. And we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us and through us.
Through our encounters with others, we are called to be the light of Jesus who brings hope into the darkest places and the darkest situations. The light of Jesus shining in the darkness. God has made his light shine in our hearts.
