“We do not lose heart!… Therefore we do not lose heart.” (2 Corinthians 4:1, 16). Why does Paul repeat himself in the opening and end of this chapter? Because Paul had plenty of reasons for being discouraged, but he was not about to quit and he encourages the believers in Corinth to persevere also. What was it that kept Paul from quitting? What stopped him from giving up, or giving in? Paul rejoiced in knowing Jesus. And whatever your week as been like, you can too. Please turn with me to 2 Corinthians 4. Lets see what we have in Christ.
- We Have a Glorious Ministry
“Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry” (2 Corinthians 4:1). What kind of ministry? The kind described in the previous chapter:
“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
On BBC Radio 4’s “Thought for the Day” recently, Ann Atkin’s described what happened after a family funeral. She said,
“I found myself rather pompously planning my own. I wanted to lighten de. Shakespeare’s, “No longer mourn for me…” Or Rosetti’s, “Better by far you should forget and smile…” Best of all, Donne’s, “Death be not proud”. But Shaun, my husband, preferred Dylan Thomas: “Do not go gentle into that good night; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”