2 Corinthians Chapter 4 Verses 1 - 2

• Responding to those who have attacked and questioned Paul’s authority, he says, therefore since we have this ministry…what ministry? “Therefore” links us to the Gospel of grace that he spoke of in Chapter 3…not the letter that kills, the ministry of death, the ministry of condemnation but the life gift of the Spirit of God! The hope and the boldness of the zero sufficiency in his own righteousness but all sufficiency in the glorious grace that has arrived through Jesus Christ…not him. He’s a murderer. He’s a monster…his qualification, call and motivation is, “We have received mercy.” Literally, he has been “mercied!”
• That’s what that means there when he says that he has “received mercy.” Literally in the tense that it’s written he is saying that he has been mercied on… (Hard to understand like finger applied lip balm! HA!) God has brought out the mercy margarine and spread it all over me and Paul’s over here, as am I, going, “I can’t believe it’s not condemnation!” But its mercy. It’s light. It’s life. It’s love. It’s grace. It’s forgiveness…not because Paul is good but because God is good…it’s in the passive tense which means he didn’t have anything to do with it and it’s been done once and for all…so because of all that, Paul is filled with hope! His heart is crazy emboldened to just live and so he says, “We don’t lose heart!”
• He will say that again in verse 16, the exact same thing…why? Because yes there’s heartache, yes there’s difficulty, yes there are huge let downs and big time disappointments and people like Paul is facing that are just simply critical and cruel but Jesus said Matthew 11:29-30, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find (LOOK) rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
• If you are serving the Lord then that load isn’t yours…there’re no burnout…we faint not…mercy has been applied! And because of that, we are big time mercy appliers!! You ever run across someone who is big into extending mercy and huge into giving grace? That person is serving the Lord in Spirit and in truth…because when our heart in us faints, when the yoke stays hard and the burden keeps on keeping on in heaviness…that’s when we stop INFECTING this world with mercy and truth!
• We Christians…we are the caring virus…we are the gracing virus…we are the mercying virus…we are the boldness virus…we are the hope virus…that is what Jesus meant when he said in John 10:10, “I have come that you may have life, and life abundant!” Do you realize that God’s mercy margarine is on you? If so then all you do is pass it on and pass it on and pass it on and that keeps you from growing weary because you gotta constantly run to the Lord living a life like that!
• So, since I’m there, Paul says, we’re not messing around (Verse 2)…walking deceitfully or with some sort of manipulative craftiness… No doubt this is a direct dig against the Judaizers that we spoke of before. Those that would encourage following Jesus but then they would say, “And you must also do this.” The “Jesus and” I heard this this week and it’s awesome, “Religion wants you to get caught up in anything but Jesus!” But Paul says and he preached and God provided that we ought to get caught in Jesus!!
• Preaching “Jesus and” is preaching yourselves, or preaching of self…because the next thing you hear is “I don’t do any of that, or I do all of that,” (depending on what legalism is being preached), …Jesus and baptism, Jesus and good works…Jesus and speaking in tongues…and then they say, “We’ve done all this, what about you?” And it seeks to turn people to them and not to Jesus…not for us at all man…!
• We’re not promoting ourselves, we’re not presenting ourselves…we are the recipients of mercy! We’re not handling the word of God deceitfully…the word in the Greek is “We aren’t diluting it!” It’s a word used in the marketplace for those selling wine who would cut it with water to make more money…we’re not watering down the word of God! We don’t care if folks think it’s hard to take because it’s so potent…we are dealing with the conscience of men…
• We honor the Word of God as the Word of God, simply. Jesus said in John 21, “If you love Me feed My sheep.” Now you can’t make a sheep eat but you can take them to good pasture…they eat themselves…but we are to provide solid, good, nutritious spiritual food and that is the whole counsel of God’s Word and certainly God’s Word!
• Jesus didn’t say if you love me entertain my sheep…HA!! He didn’t say if you love me count my sheep! Counting sheep makes me sleepy!! HA! It gets boring! But watching the process of someone growing up in heart strength as they learn and apply the Word of God, trusting Jesus and growing closer to the Lord, that NEVER gets boring!  I just want more of that ALL the time!
• Teaching is for the believer; preaching is for the lost…but in the center of both is the Word of God! Preaching/Teaching the Word of God is where it’s at and it’s so important and it’s under attack right now…why? Because it’s hard to market to the flesh! HA! DUH! Junk food is much more appealing to the masses! But we can’t serve that! (Link announcing that he ate all of his food when it was bread and cheese…) One of the things that’s happening in the church today is this handling of the word of God deceitfully…or in a way that waters it down…
• What goes on is anywhere from entertainment to shows to mixing of culture in the service by playing secular songs, grabbing a beer with the pastor, and on and on it goes. Obviously, Jesus didn’t agree with that…He said in Luke 4 and into Luke 5, “I have to go to other cities and preach the Word…to teach them…” He didn’t use light shows and dramas and worldly tools…He taught them…but today there is even a push for less preaching because people don’t like monologues anyway or anymore…but preaching isn’t a monologue! I preach and then you go and dialogue with the Lord…! If you’re doing that then hold on man…it’s a crazy ride because you figure out SO much and then every Sunday and Wednesday become straight surprising!
• Look, Paul says, “I’m no salesman!” And that’s what’s happening! Focht says this, “The product is the gospel, the consumer is the listener and the salesman is me…and the salesman’s job is to overcome the consumer’s resistance to the cost of the product,…so my job is to overcome with my amazing sermon illustrations and jokes and through that to overcome your resistance to God’s will in your life…that’s simply not possible! Pray that it never ever comes to that here in this church! That’s why Paul continues…

2 Corinthians Chapter 4 Verse 3

• The problem is not the message…the issue is not the Word of God, the issue is that folks are lost and their hearts are veiled…and if it’s veiled to you then Paul says you are in the process of perishing! The heart that is willing to be stubborn and unwilling and unyielding, or just unknowing…Jesus said that the sower went forth to sow…the seed is the word of God…its always the same, never changes…the problem isn’t the seed, the issue is that there are four types of soils.
• Hard soil…the seed never sinks in. Shallow soil…no depth, as soon as there’s a little heat it dies. Thorny soil, what comes forth and grows is choked by the cares of the is world, the crowded and complex heart…then the fourth soil is good where fruit abounds. We don’t water the word down, we don’t dilute, we preach the word…if there’s a problem then it’s not the word, it’s the soil! The Word of God hasn’t changed…it doesn’t change…it doesn’t need to be changed to fit our culture…we need to change to fit it…
• Today, there’s 4 types of sowers and only one soil (error). So, if it’s not good then it’s the sower…not true! If the message is hid and there’s no fruit and there is this process of perishing and yet seed is being cast, the Word of God is being taught….not the sower…obviously not the seed…the issue is with the soil. Look, preachers can stink…we have no right to make the Word of God boring…it’s not boring…we are boring…I get it…but if the Word of God is being taught well, with conviction, passion, practicality and completely…then man it ought to bear fruit in your life!
• That’s one reason perhaps that folks don’t listen (boring preachers) but the other reason Billy Sunday said is the same reason why a bank robber can’t find a policeman…some don’t listen because their conscience gets stabbed…I’m sleeping with my girlfriend, I’m cheating at work…don’t want to listen. And so, the error conclusion is that the problem is in the pulpit…
• Listen, some say that the pastor should be the best presenter, the best story teller, the best speaker…no…the pastor should be the one called by God. Paul is perhaps saying here that the Judaizers are better presenters but whatever…I’m not giving up! I’m not straying from the Word to make folks listen better…that’s exactly what Satan would want a pastor to do…the temptation to the pastor that is not very successful but he preaches the Gospel and teaches the world…hey, move the message closer to the culture and you will find success…what pastor wouldn’t want to do that!? But that’s been the ploy since the beginning…change the Word of God and be like a god yourself…that’s exactly what Paul is referring to here in the next verse…

2 Corinthians Chapter 4 Verse 4

• If you’re not getting it…it’s because you’re lost…why, how? The god of this age has blinded you. But you say, what about Psalm 24? “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it,” so, how does this work…it is (Psalm 24 in entirely correct)…you have to trace this all the way back to Genesis. Dominion, stewardship of this world was transferred to Satan by Adam and Eve…God is still on the throne but He is allowing this to play out…
• When the devil himself was tempting Jesus, he offered all the kingdoms of the world to Jesus…he could not have offered what he did not have. Jesus did not say, “You can’t give all that to Me…that’s Mine, that’s My Father’s…” He didn’t challenge that at all…but simply said, “It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds forth from the mouth of God,” …and Satan fled.
• Paul says, people that don’t get it…the good news, grace, it’s because Satan has blinded their minds. You need to know this…God is sovereign. He decides and decrees according to His own counsel. In His sovereignty, He gave to man free will. He’s completely allowed to do that! He’s sovereign! So that means, you and anyone else can choose to be saved or not…and God will not force anyone to open their hearts, He won’t force anyone to be saved. If He did then He would violate not only man’s free will but His own sovereignty…
• So, God calls the heart…for each of us to choose Him by faith and He uses His word (Romans 10:17). But here’s where it gets God is good, Satan is not…so Satan does not play by the rules…he is in the business of blinding which look, that’s against my will…against your will…no one wants to be blinded! But Satan comes at any opportunity and blinds, makes folks not rational…completely closed to even the conversation.
• You ever have a friend or a coworker that is just very nice and pleasant and just a good person and then they find out you follow Jesus or you try to share Jesus with them and they go nuts…get all mean…change completely to you…? That’s a spiritual thing! Nothing to do with you at all! There’s some strong spiritual darkness there…what is it? Right here…
• 2 Tim 2:24-26, “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” To reject Jesus and not to follow Jesus is to reject yourself. You don’t do that without
• Paul says there at the end of verse 4 that the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, the truth of who Jesus is…all of the glory of God Himself, the name of God as described in Exodus 34:6-7, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” Paul says that SHINES! Blind people can’t see facts, what is right in front of them…they can’t see you, all that is about you, but they can see light…they can sense that there is light…and this word shine...augazo…it beams on them…beams them up, man! When you hear the gospel, think about it, fight the blindness, tear the ropes that are around you and let Jesus in…He moves you off of figuring it all out (all the stress of this life) and sets your feet upon the Rock!

2 Corinthians Chapter 4 Verses 5 – 6

• Here’s the model for ministry…we don’t preach ourselves. We’re not setting up tents and trying to get people all hyped up, we’re not into emotionalism…emotionalism on its own, insults intelligence. We are preaching and teaching the simplicity and sincerity of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• Why do that by the way? Preach us or preach C4 or preach whatever is culturally focused and relevant and you can take it or leave it and it doesn’t really bless you, set you free, doesn’t beam anyone out of the snare of the devil and into an eternal inheritance…but preach Jesus, teach the Word and chains fall off of the hearts of those who will hear and keep…souls are redeemed…Satan is defeated personally….
• Real enlightenment…this is where it’s at. Jesus Christ…nothing more, nothing less and nothing else. Not meditating, not self-denial, not anything of ourselves…attaining enlightenment through reincarnation cycles…no, true enlightenment is in the heart, a work of the heart, the light of knowledge of the glory of God…in the face of Jesus Christ.
• Face…you ever text someone or call them and tell them something or have a conversation or a meeting and the topic is anything at all…well that’s good…but be there with them…watch the intricacies of the details of their faces…a total of 43 messaging muscles…and you learn so much more…getting close to Jesus…that’s where the heart beams are man. Where real enlightenment happens…and Paul says that’s where we want to take you, that’s the only place we’ve ever taught you to go to or led you to with our ministry…so haters back up, hearers wake up, stop this cynical cycle…and receive Jesus…stop receiving man as god…he is not. Jesus alone is King of kings and Lord of Lords. Nothing more, nothing less, nothing more…what have you chosen, who have you chosen to follow?
• Blindness enters at each and every opportunity because the devil does not play fair and the mind is a lush battlefield. And we see this all over today, even in the church. Mental confusion over the most basic and obvious doctrinal truths. We certainly see this in our culture and global society! Mental confusion over obvious biological human truths. Mental confusion over the sanctity of life. Rejection of the testimony that nature clearly gives of a Creator…not just rejection, passionate rejection and unintelligent replacement…why? Because the devil does not play fair…what’s the cure? Receiving of the Gospel…and that’s it.

2 Corintios Capítulo 4 Versículo 4

• Pablo hace un declaracion poderosa aquí…Si has rechazado el Evangelio de Cristo Jesus… entonces estas perdido. No perdió como decir “Endonde estoy? No de esa manera…decir que alguien esta perdido por no recibir el Evangelio podría sonar como algo no inteligente…porque tu tienes una localidad, y tus cordenadas son claras…Madona sabe donde esta ella ahora, viviendo una vida lujosa, de reconocimiento y celebridad…no ese tipo de perdición…perdido en el sentido de tu destino.

• Jesus murió por los pecados del Mundo…por todos ellos… y la voluntad de Dios dada a nosotros esta en 2 de Pedro 3:9 … que nadie muera, que nadie se pierda, pero que todos vengan al arrepentimiento, y a la fe que salva en Jesucristo. Y de tal manera, que cada ser humano sin importar la raza, etnicidad, la historia, situación, llamado o circunstancia tiene exactamente el mismo destino….Ser Amado por el Padre y Salvado por el Salvador. Y El camino a todo esto es el camino mismo de El…a través de Cristo Jesus. El Evangelio Gratis de la Gracia…

• Entonces si ese es rechazado, tu destino esta perdido, y te has conformado con menos, mucho menos, y la revelación es que estar perdido, es estar en un estado de Perecer. La palabra perdido en el Griego en el Nuevo Testamento…es apollymi… significa solo eso . Ruina esta ocurriendo, y no quedara piedra sobre piedra.

• Esto es interesante porque cuando tú aceptas esto, y lo entiendes,…entonces te darás cuenta de todo todo el tiempo allá afuera en el mundo. Yo mismo puedo ver esto en mi mismo (momentos de ruina) cuando no esto tomando en cuenta someterme mi mente/corazón a Dios en cualquier situación. Estaba en una tienda no hace mucho tiempo, y al ir a la caja a pagar, estaba enfrente de mi una pareja, y por alguna razón el esposo esta quejándose con la cajera, acerca de su esposa, diciendo que era insoportable y de todo se quejaba, y su esposa estaba ahí, y me sentí tan mal por ella, y ella comenzó a atacarlo también y conforme yo escuchaba, me decía, eso es, eso es lo que sucede, Ámense uno a otro, y sírvanse uno a otro y su corazón no será tan obscuro y endurecido. Testifique un momento de ruina, ahí mismo. Pero en cuanto tu Comprendes esto, que el rechazo del Trabajo del Espíritu Santo y lo que causa…te empiezas a dar cuenta de todas estas cosas!
• Si no lo está comprendiendo ... es porque está perdido ... ¿por qué, cómo? El dios de esta época te ha cegado. Pero tú dices, ¿qué hay del Salmo 24? "La tierra es del Señor y todo lo que hay en ella", entonces, ¿cómo funciona esto? ... lo es (el Salmo 24 es completamente correcto) ... tienes que rastrear esto hasta el Génesis. 1:26 Entonces dijo Dios: «Hagamos al hombre a nuestra imagen, conforme a nuestra semejanza; esa palabra semejanza en Hebreo significa “Similitud” Cual fue la similitud de Dios/hombre? Soberanía fue entregada al hombre… el libre albedrio… la habilidad de elegir…

De acuerdo a un estudio hacemos 35 mil decisiones al día… ultimadamente hasta nuestro propio destino…Genesis 1:26 y hasta el 28 continua “Y tenga potestad sobre la tierra y fructificad y multiplicaos” Les dio Dominio para reinar…y multiplicarse, y ser dueños bajo contrato de Dios. Entonces Satanás los tentó, los engaño.

• Genesis 3, los humanos originales, engañados por el destructor, traicionaron la confianza de Dios y sus madatos, calleron y pecaron. Entonces que sucedió, fueron hechados del Jardin de Eden. ¿Porque? Para que no comieran del árbol de la vida y vivieran para siempre en pecado…pero…noten, ¿la tierra que se les había dado, ahora ellos estaban bloqueados de una parte de ella…como puedes ser bloqueado de algo que es tuyo?... algo a sucedido. ¿Quién no fue boqueado? La serpiente no fue bloqueada del Jardin…por qué? Porque el contrato es ahora de ella.

• Dominio, la administración de este mundo fue transferida a Satanás por Adán y Eva
• Cuando el diablo mismo estaba tentando a Jesucristo, le ofreció todos los reinos del mundo a Jesucristo ... no podría haber ofrecido lo que no tenía. Jesús no dijo: "No puedes darme todo eso ... eso es mío, es de mi Padre ..." Él no desafió eso en absoluto ... sino que simplemente dijo: "Está escrito, el hombre no vivirá solo de pan, pero por cada palabra que sale de la boca de Dios "... y Satanás huyó. ... Dios todavía está en el trono no probando que El no es Soberano ( así como lo acusan con cada pregunta como esta, Si Dios es bueno entonces porque permite el sufrimiento) está permitiendo que esto se desarrolle … PORQUE EL ES SOBERANO.

• Pablo dice, gente que no lo entiende ... las buenas noticias, la gracia, es porque Satanás ha cegado sus mentes. Necesitas saber esto ... Dios es soberano. Él decide y decreta según su propio consejo. En su soberanía, le dio al hombre libre albedrío. ¡Está completamente permitido hacer eso!

• ¡Es soberano! Eso significa que usted y cualquier otra persona pueden elegir ser salvados o no ... y Dios no obligará a nadie a abrir sus corazones, no obligará a nadie ser salvado. Si lo hiciera, violaría no solo el libre albedrío del hombre sino también su propia soberanía ...
• Entonces, Dios llama al corazón ... para que cada uno de nosotros Lo elija por fe y Él use Su palabra (Romanos 10:17). Pero aquí es donde se complica. Dios es bueno, Satanás no es ... así que Satanás no cumple con las reglas ... él está en el negocio de cegar, mira, eso va en contra de mi voluntad ... en contra de tu voluntad ... ¡nadie quiere ser cegado! Pero Satanás viene en cualquier oportunidad y ciega a otras, hace que la gente no sea racional ... completamente cerrada incluso a la conversación.
• Alguna vez tienes un amigo o un compañero de trabajo que es muy amable y agradable y solo una buena persona y luego descubren que sigues a Jesucristo o intentas compartir a Jesucristo con ellos y se vuelven locos ... se vuelven locos ... cambian completamente hacia ti ... ? ¡Eso es algo espiritual! ¡Nada que ver contigo en absoluto! Hay una fuerte oscuridad espiritual allí ... ¿qué es? Aquí mismo…
• 2 Timoteo 2: 24-26, “24 Porque el siervo del Señor no debe ser contencioso, sino amable para con todos, apto para enseñar, sufrido;
• 25 que con mansedumbre corrija a los que se oponen, por si quizá Dios les conceda que se arrepientan para conocer la verdad,
• 26 y escapen del lazo del diablo, en que están cautivos a voluntad de él." Rechazar a Jesucristo y no seguir a Jesucristo es rechazarte a ti mismo. No haces eso sin
• Pablo dice al final del versículo 4 que la gloria de Cristo, quien es la imagen de Dios, la verdad de quién es Jesucristo ... toda la gloria de Dios mismo, el nombre de Dios como se describe en Éxodo 34: 6- 7, "!!Jehová! !!Jehová! fuerte, misericordioso y piadoso; tardo para la ira, y grande en misericordia y verdad; 7 que guarda misericordia a millares, que perdona la iniquidad, la rebelión y el pecado". Pablo dice que eso BRILLA! Las personas ciegas no pueden ver los hechos, lo que está justo en frente de ellos ... no pueden verte, todo lo que se trata de ti, pero pueden ver la luz ... pueden sentir que hay luz ... y esta palabra brilla ... “augazo” ... se irradia sobre ellos ... se irradia hacia arriba! Cuando escuches el evangelio, piénsalo, lucha contra la ceguera, desgarra las cuerdas que te rodean y deja entrar a Jesucristo ... Él te deja de entenderlo todo (todo el estrés de esta vida) y pone tus pies sobre la Roca !
• 2 Corintios Capítulo 4 Versículos 5 - 6
• Aquí está el modelo para el ministerio ... no nos predicamos a nosotros mismos. No estamos armando carpas y tratando de animar a la gente, no estamos en el emocionalismo ... el emocionalismo por sí solo, insulta la inteligencia. Estamos predicando y enseñando la simplicidad y sinceridad del glorioso Evangelio de Jesucristo.
• ¿Por qué hacer eso por cierto? Nos predícamos o predica C4 o predica lo que sea es enfocada culturalmente y relevante y puedes tomarlo o dejarlo y realmente no te bendice, te libera, no saca a nadie de la trampa del diablo y lo lleva a un herencia eterna... pero predique a Jesucristo, enseñe la Palabra y las cadenas se caigan de los corazones de aquellos que escucharán y guardarán ... las almas son redimidas ... Satanás es derrotado personalmente ...
• Iluminación real ... aquí es donde está. Jesucristo ... nada más, nada menos y nada ademas. No meditar, no abnegarnos a nosotros mismos, nada de nosotros mismos ... alcanzar la iluminación a través de los ciclos de reencarnación ... no, la verdadera iluminación está en el corazón, confiando en El, y El te dará a probar el amor, gozo, paz, sufrimiento/fuerza/poder soportar/poder, gentileza, y control propio…una obra del corazón, la luz del conocimiento de la gloria de Dios ... en la faz de Jesucristo.
• Afrontar ... alguna vez le enviaste un mensaje de texto a alguien o lo llamas y le dices algo o tienes una conversación o una reunión y el tema es cualquier cosa ... bueno, eso es bueno ... pero al quédarse allí con ellos ... mira las complejidades de los detalles de sus caras ... un total de 43 músculos mensajeros ... y aprendes mucho más ... acercarte a Jesucristo ... ahí es donde el corazon irradia. Donde ocurre la iluminación real ... y Pablo dice que es a donde queremos llevarte, ese es el único lugar al que te hemos enseñado a ir o te hemos guiado con nuestro ministerio ... así que los que enemigos retroceden, los oyentes se despiertan, detienen este ciclo cínico ... y recibe al Jesucristo ... deja de recibir al hombre como dios ... no lo es. Solo Jesucristo es Rey de reyes y Señor de señores. Nada más, nada menos, nada más ... ¿qué has elegido, a quién has elegido seguir?
• La ceguera entra en todas y cada una de las oportunidades porque el diablo no juega limpio y la mente es un campo de batalla lujurioso. Y vemos esto por todas partes hoy, incluso en la iglesia. Confusión mental sobre las verdades doctrinales más básicas y obvias. ¡Ciertamente vemos esto en nuestra cultura y sociedad global! Confusión mental sobre verdades biológicas humanas obvias. Confusión mental sobre la santidad de la vida.
• Rechazo del testimonio que la naturaleza claramente se da cuenta de un Creador ... no solo rechazo, rechazo apasionado y sustitucion sin inteligencia ... ¿por qué? Porque el diablo no juega limpio ... ¿cuál es la cura? Recibiendo el Evangelio ... y eso es todo.
• Sean Adultos! Nosotros lo Americanos creemos que ser adulto significa, manejar con las dos manos el timón! HA! No, debemos resolver los problemas de la vida…eso es ser adulto…cambiar las papilas gustativas…Escchar el Evangelio de Jesucristo…buscar entenderlo…nuestra única cura…Recibir el Evangelio…y eso es todo.