Friday, April 11, 2008
2 Corinthians 4:6-18 The Out Pouring of Glory.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 18 We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.
2 Cor 4:7-18 The Out Pouring of Glory.
Have you considered over these last few weeks the recurrence throughout 1 Corinthians 3 and 4 of one word in these scriptures. The word is “Glory”
Throughout the Old Testament there are Glimpses of Glory.
Exodus 12: 13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. 15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
Guide me O Thou Great Jehovah pilgrim through this barren land I am weak but Thou art mighty hold me with Thy powerful hand.
There was the glory in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle.
There was the reflected glory of Moses’ face as He stood there in the Holy of Holies and met with God.
Ezekiel pictures the glory of God departing from His people.
Ezek 11: 22 Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. 23 And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
2Cor 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,
The treasure is the glory of God 2 Cor 4:6 the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
1. The Out pouring Of Glory Commenced With Illumination 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness”—He has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.
It happened for the apostle Paul; Acts 9:3 As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4 Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 “Who are You, Lord?” he said. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied. 6 “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus.
While you may never have been struck blind on a Damascus Road, truly, each who has understood the gospel and believed in the Lord Jesus has had this same illuminating experience.
2 Cor 4:6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness”—He has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.
We have see the light of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ!
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
2. The Out pouring Of Glory Continues With Transformation
2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 18 We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:25 God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed.
Romans 8:30 And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.
Col 1:27 God wanted to make known to those among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this • mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
You’re not going to become like Jesus by elimination. You can’t simply take things out of your life. Some folks want to be like Jesus, so they make a list of sins and try to eliminate them from their lives. They become proud of what they don’t do, but they’re not one bit more like Jesus. A telephone pole doesn’t smoke, drink, or tell lies; but it’s not like Jesus. Elimination doesn’t deal with the root just like pruning a tree doesn’t change its nature.
Also, you won’t become like Jesus by imitation. You can’t just try to be more like the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, there’s a certain sense in which Jesus is our Leader; but if all you do is imitate the Him, you have become a cheap little imitation. Have you ever seen artificial, plastic flowers? Well, there are a lot of plastic Christians around trying to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ, but they will never, ever make it.
Finally, you’re not going to be more like Jesus by determination. You might say, ‘I’m going to be like Jesus if it kills me.” But you don’t have in you what it takes. If you were drowning, you couldn’t reach up and take the top of your hair and lift yourself up out of the water to save yourself. You just can’t do it. And I don’t care how determined you are; you will never be more like the Lord Jesus Christ by sheer determination.
Receiving, Retaining, and Reflecting
Now, having said how not to try to make changes, let me tell you how you do become more like Jesus. You must become a spiritual mirror. When you understand that you are a mirror, you are going to understand how to be transformed into the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ — by beholding or reflecting the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, let me give you three laws of transformation that deal with a mirror.
First, as a mirror you must receive the image of Jesus Christ. A mirror does not create an image; it only receives one. Jesus Christ is the image; you are the mirror. And you must receive the Lord Jesus Christ. You must receive His image.
In order to receive, a mirror must be …- clean and uncovered — A draped or soiled mirror cannot receive an image. There are a lot of people with a blinded mind, which just puts a shroud over their hearts. You must be open and willing to receive Jesus.
- pointed in the right direction — The mirror is going to receive whatever it is pointed at. The secret of becoming like Jesus is to receive the image of Jesus by constantly beholding Jesus.
- in the light — In the darkness, a mirror can’t reflect anything. You must stay in His light and keep focusing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only must you receive the image of Jesus;
you must retain the image of Jesus. If you keep your heart fixed on Jesus, the image will not disappear. If you’re saved, your inner nature is Jesus Christ. And when you are transformed, that inner nature comes to the surface and you’re changed. You will continue to become more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ because you are a mirror that receives His image. And then, by continuing to behold the Lord Jesus, you will retain His image.
And finally, you must reflect the image of Jesus Christ. As I have already said, being like Jesus is not accomplished by imitation but by reflection. Imitation is mechanical and occasional. But a mirror doesn’t have to work to reflect. Many times, you’ll not even be aware that you’re reflecting Jesus because it just becomes second nature. So, you see it’s easier than you thought to become like Jesus. He’ll do it. Just rely on Him.
3. The Out pouring Of Glory Increases With Communication
2 Cor 4:7 Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.
The earthen vessels that Paul uses as an analogy are the small pottery lamps, cheap and fragile, that could be bought in the shops at Corinth. The followers of Christ could be likened to such fragile lamps since they bear about in their frail mortal bodies a light derived from the central source of light in the face of Jesus Christ” -TW Manson
The conception of God as the Potter and man as the clay occurs throughout Scripture.
Jeremiah 18 carries this idea. Basic to this idea is that of Man as created from the dust of the ground. Gen 2:7. Paul has used the idea in 1 Corinthians 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
Jacob the example Genesis 32:24-29
Broken By God
Hard pressed ... not crushed. Afflictions: These are the normal trials which everybody faces, Christian and non-Christian alike. Your washing machine breaks down on Monday morning, your mother-in-law arrives just when you didn't want her, sickness strikes in your family, heartbreaks come --
These buffetings of life come to everyone. Afflictions come, but they can't crush us.
A vampire bat came flapping in from the night covered in fresh blood and parked himself on the roof of the cave to get some sleep. Pretty soon all the other bats smelt the blood and began hassling him about where he got it. He told them to go away and let him get some sleep but they persisted until finally he gave in. "OK, follow me," he said and flew out of the cave with hundreds of bats behind him. Down through a valley they went, across a river and into a forest full of trees. Finally he slowed down and all the other bats excitedly milled around him. "Now, do you see that tree over there?" he asked. "Yes, yes, yes!" the bats all cried in an excited frenzy. "Good," said the first bat, "Because I sure didn't! "Sometimes you’re the windshield/Sometimes you’re the bug!" Country and Western song.
2) Perplexed ... not in despair. Perplexities: This refers to all the pressing calls for decisions, when we don't know what to decide. We are at a loss, we can't see the end, we don't know how it is going to turn out. We are afflicted with fears, anxieties, worries, and uncertainties, all gathered up in this word "perplexities." We don't have all the answers, but Christians don't have to cave in to depression and depression.
3) Persecuted ... not abandoned. Persecutions: These are the misunderstandings we all run up against, the malicious actions and attitudes, deliberate slights, attacks on our character and our reputation.
Often it is the bigoted, prejudiced, unfair practices of members of society against one another.
We may feel all alone, but God never leaves us.
4) Struck down ... not destroyed. Catastrophes: Stunning, shattering blows which drop out of the blue into our lives. Accidents, fatal illnesses, war, earthquake, famine, riot, insanity -- these terrible episodes which shatter a family or an individual.
Blessed By God
Famed British physicist Lord Kelvin once said, "when you are face to face with a difficulty, you are up against a discovery."
2 Cor 4:7 Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.
10 We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who live are always given over to death because of Jesus, so that Jesus’ life may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you.
14 knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and present us with you. 15 For all this is because of you, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving to overflow to God’s glory.
You Communicate the Life of Jesus to others as you go through great difficulties.
The great difficulties break the clay pots to let the light of Christ out.
The Outpouring of the glory happens in the press of afflictions.
May the Lord give you a ministry that sees the glory of God in he face of Jesus Christ. Then the Lord will enable you to communicate that life as you yourself face the price of it in death.
And all through life I see a cross Where sons of God yield up their breath;
There is no gain except by loss; There is no life except by death;
There is no vision but by faith, No glory but in bearing shame,
No justice but in taking blame. And that Eternal Saviour saith,
Be emptied now of right and name.
The extent of God’s power is that it transcends and overcomes all human weaknesses.
Ambrose wrote “By speaking of earthen vessels he signifies the infirmity of human nature which can do nothing unless it ahs received strength from God..”
It was God’s power that allowed Gideon with his tiny band of men to overcome the Mideanites when they broke the earthen pots that concealed their torches and sent the enemy scurrying in wild confusion.
Judges 7: 19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. 21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. 22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.
So with the believer today, the breaking up of the outward man in many and various ways, causes the breaking forth of the light of the glory of God through the man, driving back the powers of darkness to the glory and praise of God.
At various points in time there has been the Outpouring of God’s glory through fragile human vessels.
In an art gallery there is a portrait of the great General Booth, with radiant, glowing face, bent in prayer over an open Bible. Once, as the janitor was closing that room for the day, and all the crowd had gone, he found an old man gazing at the picture with tears streaming down his face and saying over and over again, “Lord, do it again, do it again."
At other times it has been through vessels like John and Charles Wesley, CH Spurgeon, DL Moody, all frail broken vessels.
John Wesley had many many failures before his conversion, and after his conversion endured a terrible terrible marriage.
Ch Spurgeon was afflicted with a terrible problem early in his ministry. Someone yelled “fire!” at a service he conducted as a young man of 21.. and 7 people were killed in the crush to get out.
On 19 Oct. 1856 a malicious alarm of fire raised while Spurgeon was preaching at the Surrey Gardens music-hall led to a panic which caused the death of seven persons and the injury of many others.
This caused him to suffer from deep depressions throughout his ongoing life.
He said later that God makes the sweetest perfume by crushing the flowers.
DL Moody was largely uneducated, and treated like a country hick. Yet God used these men mightily to bring an outflow of His glory into millions of lives.
2 Cor 4: 15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
4. The Out pouring Of Glory Concludes With Revelation
14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
1 John 3:3 Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is.
Col 3:4 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Titus 2:13 11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Play write Edward Sheldon said it best, "God will look you over not for medals or degrees, but scars."
NO SCAR?
Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land;
I hear them hail thy bright, ascendant star.
Hast thou no scar?
Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the archers; spent,
Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent
By ravening beasts that compassed Me, I swooned.
Hast thou no wound?
No wound? No scar?
Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,
And piercèd are the feet that follow Me.
But thine are whole; can he have followed far
Who hast no wound or scar?
BY AMY CARMICHAEL,
IRISH MISSIONARY TO INDIA FOR 55 YEARS
