Sermon

2 Corinthians 4:1–12

Big Idea: We proclaim Christ in weakness — God opens blind eyes.

Aim: Do not lose heart. [Slide 1]

Hook

• What will it take for the world to know Jesus?

• What kind of people does God use?

• And how do we not lose heart

• When we feel weak, afflicted, and painfully aware of our limitations?

Before anything else — thank you. Thank you for praying. Thank you for sending us to Bali with CMS. It is a sacred privilege. But it has been harder than we imagined.

[Slide 2] In our first three years:

● We’ve faced relational strain.

● We’ve battled dengue and typhoid.

● We’ve known loneliness and spiritual opposition.

● We’ve felt weak.

● Unknown. Unseen. Unimpressive.

Like builders in a deep pit — digging foundations no one sees.

More than once we’ve wondered,

• “What are we doing here?”

• Have you ever felt that?

• So weak. So ordinary. Unsure whether God could really use someone like you?

That is exactly where 2 Corinthians 4 speaks.

Context

Paul writes this letter in deep vulnerability.

He has suffered beatings, prison, and hardship.

And now the Corinthian church is drawn to impressive new leaders — confident, eloquent, strong. Paul seems weak by comparison. So, he explains why he does not lose heart. And he shows us how God works.

1. The Ministry We’ve Received (4:1–2) 我们所领受的职分

[Slide 3]

“Since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.” 我们既然蒙怜悯，受了这职分，就不丧胆

This ministry is not earned. It is received. It is mercy.

Our confidence. Our competence comes from God (3:5). 并不是我们凭自己能承担什么事，我们所能承担的，乃是出于神。

We have been reconciled to God and entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation.

We are ambassadors of the King. Let me illustrate.

[Slide 4]

Mary Donaldson was an ordinary girl from Tasmania. Ordinary family. Ordinary life.

At the Sydney Olympics, she met Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark. Eventually, she became Queen Mary. She didn’t earn the throne. She was invited in.

Her status came through a relationship with the king.

Friends, we did not achieve our calling. We received it — by mercy — from the King of Kings. Because this ministry is mercy, we do not lose heart. 我们既然蒙怜悯，受了这职分，就不丧胆，

2. The Message We Proclaim (4:3–6) 我们所传扬的信息

And the centre of this ministry we’ve received is a message.

[Slide 5]

Paul says the god of this age has blinded unbelievers. 4 此等不信之人被这世界的神，弄瞎了心眼

People are not just uninformed 无知. They are spiritually blind 灵性的盲目.

So, what do we do? “We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord.” 5. 我们原不是传自己，乃是传基督耶稣为主。

Not ourselves. Not our charisma. But Christ.

And then verse 6: [Slide 6]

“The God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts.” 6 那吩咐光 从黑暗里照出来的神，已经照在我们心里，叫我们得知神荣耀的光显在耶稣基督的面上。

The God who created light in Genesis, still creates light in blind hearts 盲目的心里.

We proclaim Christ. God performs the miracle!

An Indian Christian friend of mine called Vijay,

[Slide 7]

once flew to South Africa to preach. At immigration, the officer asked,

“Are you carrying any explosives?” He said, “Yes. Dynamite.（爆炸性的东西）”

The officer froze. He reached into his bag and pulled out his Bible.

“This,” he said, “is dynamite.”

He then started sharing the message of the gospel to everyone around him.

My friend knows the explosive power of the gospel. So, he cannot help but proclaim it!

Every believer in this room is evidence of that miracle of New Creation. 这个房间里的每个信徒都是新创造奇迹的证据.

[Slide 8]

We proclaim Christ — God opens blind eyes.

3. The Death We Live (4:7–12) 我们所活出的基督的死

But what type of people does God use to proclaim this message?

[Slide 9]

Paul goes on to say: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay…” 7 我们有这宝贝放在瓦器里… The gospel is a treasure. We are fragile jars.

Why? “To show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” 要显明这莫大的能力是出于神，不是出于我们。

Let me make this simple. [Slide 10]

The other day, I forgot my shopping bags at Woolworths. So, I had to buy one of those recycled brown paper bags. Twenty-five cents. Cheap. I’ll use it a few times. Eventually, it will tear. And I’ll throw it away.

The bag isn’t impressive. But what it carries might be very valuable.

Imagine that bag carrying a priceless bottle of wine. The value is not in the bag. It’s in what the bag carries.

Paul is saying, "You are the bag." The treasure is the gospel.

God deliberately chooses fragile vessels, so that the glory goes to him.

That’s why Paul can say:

• Hard pressed — but not crushed. 我们四面受敌，却不被困住；

• Perplexed — but not in despair. 心里作难，却不致失望

• Persecuted — but not abandoned. 遭逼迫，却不被丢弃；

• Struck down — but not destroyed. 打倒了，却不致死亡

The cracks don’t destroy the treasure.

They reveal that the power belongs to God.

And then the great paradox: 似非而是的悖论

[Slide 11]

“We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed.” 10 身上常带着耶稣的死，使耶稣的生也显明在我们身上。

The cross is not just the message we preach. It is the pattern we live.

“Death is at work in us, but life in you.” 12 这样看来，死是在我们身上发动，生却在你们身上发动。

Cruciform lives carry resurrection power. 十字架上的生命带有复活的力量

Story: Pak David

Let me tell you about our senior pastor in Bali — Pak David.

[Slide 12]

He is gentle and steady.

In the 1960s, during violent unrest, his father — the first Christian in their village — was falsely accused and murdered. 被诬告和谋杀

Pak David never met him. Years later, he found his father’s old notes — dreams of becoming a Christian teacher.

Pak David sensed God calling him to continue that legacy. 感觉到上帝在召唤他继续他的事业.

Today, he pastors faithfully. He also serves remote mountain villages, installing simple water systems in dangerous places.

Through sacrificial love, many have come to Christ. 通过他的牺牲的爱，许多人来到基督面前。

When persecution came recently — threats after baptisms, phones tapped — he remained calm and courageous.

He once told me, “I have no material inheritance for my children. But they love Jesus. That is enough.”

Pak David is a jar of clay, carrying eternal treasure.

Death at work in him — life at work in others.

Application

1. For Those Who Feel Disqualified

[Slide 13]

You might think: “I’m too old.” “I’m too shy.” “I’m too ordinary.”

Paul says this ministry belongs to jars of clay. 这事工属于瓦器的。

God’s power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Cor 12:9 他对我说：“我的恩典够你用的，因为我的能力是在人的软弱上显得完全。

We proclaim Christ — and God opens blind eyes.

2. For Senders and Supporters [Slide 14]

Mission is not backing a winning team. 不是支持一个获胜的团队。

It is standing with fragile servants carrying eternal treasure. 它是和脆弱,但却是带着永恒的宝藏仆人 站在一起，

William Carey - a famous missionary - once said before leaving for India: “I will go down into the pit, if you will hold the rope.”

Some go down. Some hold the rope. Both matter.

Rope-holding is not passive. To hold the rope is very active.

It costs something.

• Will you stand with us?

• Will you pray?

• Will you hold the rope?

Erin and I will go down into the pit — with fear and weakness — if you hold the rope.

And one day, we will rejoice together，because God answered those prayers.

Close [Slide 15]

Brothers and sisters: Do not lose heart.

Remember:

● The ministry we’ve received. 我们所领受的职分

● The message we proclaim. 我们所传扬的信息

● The death we live. 我们所活出的基督的死

We proclaim Christ — in weakness — and God opens blind eyes.

When you feel ordinary — when obedience feels costly — when you feel like a fragile paper bag — Do not lose heart.

The treasure is secure. The power belongs to God.

And this is how the world comes to know Jesus:

Through jars of clay who keep proclaiming Christ and keep trusting that God opens blind eyes. 通过我们这些瓦器 不断地宣扬基督，不断地相信 是上帝开了人的心眼。