2 Corinthians 4:3-6
People are perishing. Have been reminded daily for many months how many in one particular category. UN Population Division projects birth rate will hold nearly steady, death rate will climb to nearly match by end of this century. Presently, death rate about 1/2 birth rate, 1 death for every 2 births, worldwide more than 1 person every second. We all know what it means for those who die in their sins. Paul knew that too and knew their only hope was to be brought under power of the Gospel before they reached end of life.
As important as the Gospel is, and Paul made big deal about it, charged by his critics with veiling the Gospel as Moses veiled his face. Making it too complicated, too hard to understand. Do you wonder he pushed back against that criticism! Sure, Paul an intellectual giant, but he could carry on conversation with pretty average people and be understood – consider Philippian jailer: Acts 16:29-33
“Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.”
But then there’s the evidence, whole multitude there in Philippi who rioted against Paul and Silas. Where was the problem? Was it the message and how was being presented? Or was it something else? Was the difficulty with the hearers rather than the speakers? How does that all work, and what do we do about it? especially when hearers are people we really care about? They have all kinds of problems in life, we know the answer to their issues, they just don’t seem to get it. Why? and what do we do?
A. blind to the Gospel v.3-4
it’s veiled, they’re perishing
no problem admitting there is a problem – no matter how clearly God’s truth is communicated, many just can’t seem to “see” it
for some, is like it doesn’t even exist; others, like are speaking foreign language; many, yeah ok I hear you but it doesn’t apply/work for me
people from all walks of life, from every people group / culture / nation like that, all have one thing in common: they are perishing, lit. being destroyed
Satan has done it
by no means the only one involved, everyone starts out with huge handicap: dead in trespasses and sins and w/o hope in the world
Satan adds his bit to it – “blinded the minds of unbelievers” ESV – fogged up their thinking / reasoning ability so they can’t get it
and then there’s this:
“Sir Isaac, I do not understand. You seem to be able to believe the Bible like a little child. I have tried but I cannot. So many of its statements mean nothing to me. I cannot believe; I cannot understand.”
This was the reply of Sir Isaac Newton:
“Sometimes I come into my study and in my absentmindedness I attempt to light my candle when the extinguisher is over it, and I fumble about trying to light it and cannot; but when I remove the extinguisher then I am able to light the candle. I am afraid the extinguisher in your case is the love of your sins; it is deliberate unbelief that is in you.” Ironside
he has his reason
he knows from centuries of observation just how powerful the Gospel is; knows also how powerful slavery in sin is
absolutely certain if light of Gospel shines in person’s soul, he has lost that territory forever, no way he can ever get it back
is determined to do all in his power to prevent that from happening – this one place spiritual warfare most intense, battle for souls
God does not overrule
“Paul is saying that God dims the sight of worldly people because they are hostile to the faith of Christ. He is giving them what they want, since it is because they are hostile and tell lies that they move further toward not being able to believe what they do not want to believe.” Ambrosiaster
this something we have hard time with – know it must be true, Bible says so, but… how can lost people really want to stay lost, esp. when it’s family or close friends
B. preach the Gospel v.5
the Promised One
the answer to their problems not some kind of self-help, special program, try to do better – they need to hear and respond in faith to the Gospel, need to embrace “Christ Jesus the Lord”
nothing new in the one at center of Gospel – Messiah / Christ, God had promised to send to rescue helplessly fallen sinful man
whether they acknowledge him or not, God did indeed send Jewish people their Messiah, who accomplished far more than they expected
the Savior
“call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” – sent first to people of his own culture and country, the Jews
but wait, there’s more: “the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” – too small a thing to just save Jewish people, came to save Gentiles as well… from “every tribe and tongue and people and nation”
for sinners to embrace this Savior, must know about him in order to call on him and be saved… by the proclamation of the Gospel
the King
is a complete package the sinner must embrace – one who is both Savior and King – can’t have one without the other
rescuing sinner involves change of citizenship from kingdom of darkness to kingdom of Lord Jesus… and the King expects / wants loyal subjects who love and obey
C. the glory of the Gospel v.6
light out of darkness
same God who spoke light into existence who causes light to shine in his people – requires power only God has to make that happen
man’s heart a pretty dark place to start with, no natural light of its own and no way to make it – has to come from outside source
fills hearts
in order to perform its work, that light must work from inside out – since man is corrupted to the core by sin, new light must start at the core and work out
iow, requires new nature, new kind of person, new desires, new motivations that are then obvious on the outside
changes minds
includes feelings/emotions and goes way beyond them – changed mind that embraces new knowledge of how God’s glory is present and evident in Jesus
sure, knowledge involves facts, God usually gets those facts to us by some instrumental cause… hearing the Gospel in some way
requires changed mind to recognize Jesus as glorious, as desirable, as the one who is the exact representation of God and our Savior
it’s God’s doing
from beginning to end, is God’s power at work – graciously working by his Word and his Spirit through his people to change / rescue lost sinners and bring them into Christ’s kingdom
God is the one who must receive the glory, the praise, the thanks, for the work he has begun in saving the lost, a work he is committed to completing in each of his people
Not just here and now God receives glory, John saw in heaven:
“a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev. 7:9-10)
That saving work of God requires a response from every individual – “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face.” And when you do, “the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.”
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