Sermon on 2 Corinthians 4:1–18: Why Paul Does Not Lose Heart
A ministry apprentice at Latimer Church preaches on perseverance in the gospel through suffering and weakness.
Summary
Luke, a ministry apprentice at Latimer Church, preaches through 2 Corinthians chapter 4, focusing on Paul's repeated declaration that "we do not lose heart." He argues that Paul's perseverance rests on two foundations: the light of the gospel, which only God can shine into darkened hearts, and the power of God, which sustains believers through weakness, suffering, and sacrifice. Luke draws on his own conversion in prison to illustrate that the gospel breaks through even the most extreme spiritual blindness. He closes by calling the congregation to fix their eyes on what is unseen and eternal, rather than on the temporary and visible, as the only basis for enduring the cost of following Christ.
Key Takeaways
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Introduction: Losing Heart
Luke: My name is Luke, if we haven't met, and I have the joy and privilege to be a ministry apprentice here at Latimer Church. We are continuing our sermon series in the book of 2 Corinthians, so it would be helpful to keep your Bible open as we look at chapter 4.
When I was in high school, I had the opportunity to participate in a triathlon relay. I must admit that my main motivation was time out of school, so I did little to no training in the lead-up. The team consisted of myself on a bicycle, Brad Harrington on his feet, and one of the best swimmers of his age in Canterbury. When the swimming leg started, I and all the other cyclists waited with great anticipation in the Corsair Bay car park. Miles ahead of everybody else, the swimmer of our team burst into the car park and I was away — not a soul beside or behind me. By the time I reached the main road, I had been overtaken about five times. And each time a bicycle flew past me, the more I began to lose heart. We had gone from hero to zero. We later discovered that none of this mattered anyway, as we'd been disqualified for late entry.
I think we've all experienced moments like this — situations where things slowly unravel around us and we begin to lose heart. We become weary, disheartened, tempted to give up.
Paul's Declaration: We Do Not Lose Heart
When we come to the fourth chapter of 2 Corinthians, Paul says something remarkable. In the middle of suffering, weakness, opposition, and hardship, he writes in verse 1 and verse 16: "We do not lose heart." And the question is, why not? Why does Paul keep going when everything around him seems like it should discourage him? Beatings, imprisonments, riots, sleepless nights, hunger — and all this. How can Paul say "we do not lose heart"?
The fact that Paul writes this means there is a very real possibility that we can lose heart. And if we are honest, we know what the symptoms of spiritual discouragement are in our own lives. We begin to focus more on ourselves. We wonder why people aren't helping us. We have less energy to help other Christians. We become more critical of people and the way that things are done in church. Prayers dry up. The very mention of evangelism irritates us. The fact is that we are in a downward spiral — we have lost heart.
So beginning at chapter 4 verse 1: "Since therefore, through God's mercy, we have this ministry, we do not lose heart."
Now whenever we come across a "therefore" in God's word, it's very important for us to figure out what the "therefore" is there for. Last week we were reminded that while the old covenant came with glory, it was only temporary and brought condemnation and death. But now, through Christ, Paul has received a far greater ministry — a ministry of the Spirit that brings righteousness and life. And so it is with this glorious ministry in mind that Paul writes: "Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart."
We'll be considering two reasons why Paul doesn't lose heart — two reasons to help us persevere in the gospel, even through suffering and weakness.
Reason One: The Light of the Gospel
Firstly, Paul does not lose heart because of the light of the gospel.
In the first few verses of chapter 4, Paul again defends the integrity of his ministry. As we heard in previous weeks, Paul's relationship with the church in Corinth had become strained. He faced accusations and criticism, and yet despite this opposition, Paul does not abandon either his ministry or the Corinthians. Instead of buckling under pressure and compromising his ministry, Paul outlines how he responds in verse 2:
"Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not use deception, nor do we distort the Word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly, we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God."
Paul is saying here that regardless of these criticisms, regardless of these accusations, he has not compromised on the truth. In fact, he sets forth the truth plainly. He doesn't do trickery. He has renounced secret and shameful ways. He doesn't lie, he doesn't manipulate, he doesn't bend the word of God to make it say something that it doesn't. No, he keeps the truth and he sets it forth plainly. And in doing so, he commends himself to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. Paul is laying his cards on the table — no aces, no jokers, just the plain gospel.
Sadly, there is no shortage of churches and ministers who have buckled under pressure and compromised on the truth in an attempt to avoid opposition or to gain in popularity. When we don't see the results we want, it can be tempting to alter the gospel message to make it more appetising, to round off its edges and to remove its offence. Many stumble over its simplicity and soon distort the truth by adding rules and regulations, as if Christ alone were not enough. All you need to do is look on YouTube to see a vast array of eye-catching, misleading, and sometimes ridiculous thumbnails that promise to reveal something more, something deeper, than the plain gospel message of Christ crucified and risen.
But Paul says that even if people don't believe, he will not compromise the gospel. And even if the gospel seems hidden or unclear, it is not because of the message or the method. Rather, it is veiled to those who are perishing. Looking down at verse 3:
"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The God of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
We heard last week about this veil in chapter 3, and here Paul develops that thought. People are perishing — not because of the gospel, but because the God of this age, who is Satan, has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel.
Now this answers a very painful question that I'm sure many of us ask: why is it that someone does not believe the gospel? It is not that the gospel is insufficient, or the preaching of it. It is because they have been blinded.
Verse 5, Paul continues: "For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake." This builds off what he's just written in verse 4 — the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. That is what we preach: Jesus Christ as Lord. That is the message that has been brought. We are not in it for ourselves — we are your servants, for Jesus' sake. Paul did not want the spotlight on himself as others did and do. He wanted the spotlight to be solely on Christ. It has been said that he who preaches Christ alone must first forget about himself.
Only God can cause the light of the gospel to shine in the hearts of unbelievers. It does not come from human persuasion, nor personality, nor eloquence. It comes from God himself. And that is why Paul writes in verse 6: "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ."
"Let light shine out of darkness" is a reference back to Genesis, back to creation itself, where God spoke into the darkness. And Paul here is deliberately drawing that connection. Isn't it wonderful that the same God who spoke light into darkness is the same God who now shines the light of the gospel in our hearts? If our hearts are dark, how then can they become light, except that an external source shines light into them? God can do what we cannot. And Paul knows that only God can shine his light in our hearts.
Paul's Own Conversion — and Luke's
This light was deeply personal for Paul, who before his conversion was called Saul. Saul was on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christians when suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard the voice of Jesus. This light literally stopped Paul where he stood and led to his radical transformation. He had gone from persecuting the Christians to becoming one. This light — the light of the gospel — opened Paul's eyes and completely changed his life. Paul knew the source of this light just as well as he knew who he was without it.
Friends, has this same light shone in your heart? If it has, then you can see the glory of God in the face of Jesus. If it has not, then the Bible says that you are blinded by Satan, who is prohibiting you from seeing the light of the gospel. Remember this, however: Satan is limited in power. The gospel is stronger. The light of the gospel is able to break through spiritual blindness and shine in the darkness. And if today you confess Jesus Christ as Lord, you are living evidence of that reality.
Therefore, we do not lose heart. Some of you will know that I was converted when I was in prison. I was a morally bankrupt thief, locked up in drug addiction — too far gone and an undue risk to society. How much money would you have put on me coming to Christ when those prison doors slammed behind me? But thanks be to God, the light of the gospel is stronger than our ability to persuade or our ability to resist.
And does that not make you keep heart when you look at others who are lost? Who is the person in your life who you think is least likely to become a Christian? Do not lose heart. God can do what we cannot.
For Paul, his confidence did not come from within. As he says in 1 Corinthians chapter 2, his message and preaching were not with wise and persuasive words. No, his confidence rested in the light of the gospel.
Reason Two: The Power of God
Paul does not lose heart because of the light of the gospel, and secondly, he does not lose heart because of the power of God.
Paul writes in verse 7: "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not us."
In those days a clay jar was common and inexpensive. Most households would have had them. They were fragile and in themselves had very little value. And here Paul writes that compared to the treasure of the gospel, we are nothing more than jars of clay. Notice that Paul doesn't say we have this treasure in a gold-plated goblet or a diamond-encrusted chalice. No, we have this glorious treasure in jars of clay. Why? To show that this all-surpassing, this extraordinary power is from God and not us.
Paul is deeply aware of the frailty of this life. He knows how weak, fragile, and easily broken we are. And that's precisely the point. The weakness of the jar shows the greatness of the treasure within it. God's power is seen most clearly in our weakness.
Take a look at verses 8 and 9. Paul is showing that although they are enduring immense hardships, the very fact that they can continue to endure is evidence of the power of God at work in them. Their perseverance is not due to human strength or resilience, but to God, who sustains them through every trial.
When you suffer in this life for the sake of the gospel, know that your suffering is not in vain. It is to show that the power we have to endure — whether in weakness, opposition, or hardship — this power is from God and not us. Even when the wheels are falling off, you can have total confidence that God's power will keep you, even in death.
Death and Life: The Pattern of the Gospel
And it is with this confidence that Paul says in verses 10 to 12: "We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you."
The principle of life arising out of death, or costly sacrifice, originates with Jesus himself. His death, literally speaking, is the source of eternal life. And Paul, whose desire is to follow Jesus, recognises that he is being given over to death for Jesus' sake so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in his mortal body — this jar of clay.
Now to this world, this is upside-down thinking. To the world, it looks like weakness and failure. They are trying to gain in wealth; we are trying to give it away. They are trying to find comfort; we are trying to seek first the kingdom of God, even if it means changing our work, changing our location, changing our use of time — whatever it takes and whatever it costs. This is foolish to the world. It doesn't make any sense to our unconverted friends or family. But it makes perfect sense when you know that your service to the gospel helps bring life to others.
What would you do if you knew for certain that you could save a life? To what great length would you go? I suspect the answer to that question reveals much of our own dedication to the gospel. Remember that it was Jesus who gave himself up in death so that through his death we might receive his life.
When the RMS Titanic was sinking, there was a group of men who stayed below, doing the unseen, exhausting work of feeding the furnaces so that the lights could stay on and more lifeboats could be launched. Survivors reported that the lights on the ship stayed on to the very end. While many of the men died at their post, their death, in a very real sense, became the condition for others to live. This world is fatally damaged and sinking under the weight of sin and death. And we are in the engine room, shovelling coal, keeping the light going so that others may see Christ and live.
Gospel work is costly and marked by weakness. Yet it is through that very weakness and sacrifice that God's power is displayed, bringing life to others, even through suffering and death.
Motivated by Resurrection and Glory
Now many of you have been making these sacrifices for many years — serving, praying, giving, enduring. You may wonder if it is all worth it. Paul's answer is clear as day: yes, it is all worth it. God is bringing eternal life to people, and no sacrifice made for Christ will ever go to waste.
What is it then that motivates Paul to this sacrificial lifestyle? Verses 13 and 14:
"It is written: 'I believed; therefore I have spoken.' Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak. Because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself."
Verse 13 begins with a quote from Psalm 116, which amazingly is the psalm that led me to salvation a decade ago. In the context of Psalm 116, the psalmist was confronted with death and God rescued him. And so Paul says he has the same spirit of faith, because he too has been rescued, and now cannot stop talking about his rescuer. He says that even when you have done your worst to me, I will still win, because God raises the dead.
While in prison, Paul wrote this to the Philippians: "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." You cannot defeat that kind of philosophy. If he lives, he lives for Christ. And if he dies, he goes to be with Christ, which is better still.
Paul's second motivation to the sacrificial lifestyle was for the glory of God. Look at verse 15: "All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God."
Here Paul reminds the Corinthians that in his ministry and in his suffering, it is all for their benefit — that more and more people may come to know the grace found in Jesus. And as grace reaches more people, thanksgiving increases. And as thanksgiving increases, it overflows — all to the glory of God.
And in many ways, this captures our vision as a church: to grow to the glory of God. Not merely in number, but first of all in depth — that we ourselves would rejoice more in Christ, that we would trust God in all seasons of life. But also that God would grow us outwardly by adding to those who are being saved. Let all that we do be done for the building up and benefit of our brothers and sisters in Christ, even when it comes at a cost to ourselves, because we know that the life-giving power of God is at work even in our weakness. Therefore, we do not lose heart.
Fixing Our Eyes on the Eternal
And as we get ready to close, let us look at the last couple of verses of chapter 4, verse 16:
"Therefore we do not lose heart, though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
I probably have about ten to fifteen scars over my body. I'm missing several teeth and have a fair bit of titanium holding my bones together. So when Paul says that outwardly we are wasting away, I feel that. And while some of you who are younger may not recognise this reality, those who are older know it all too well. The body does not last forever. It's that noise you make when standing up from a chair. The growing collection of pills for aches, pains, and stiffness. The gradual slowing down of the body over time. The trajectory is clear: outwardly we are wasting away. And yet so many are living as if this life will go on forever. It won't, and any cemetery will tell you that.
But Paul lifts our eyes and says that inwardly we are being renewed day by day. When you begin to lose heart, remember this: even though our outer self is deteriorating, the inner self is being made new. It reminds me of a cicada. For most of its life it is hidden underground, quietly feeding on the sap of plant roots — unseen and unremarkable. Then after three years, it emerges, sheds its exoskeleton, and steps into a new stage of life — and then makes an absolute racket whenever the weather is warm. And in a far greater way, that is what God is doing in us. Even when growth feels slow, ordinary, or unseen, God is renewing, strengthening, and transforming his people day by day. And one day, when his work is complete, we too will be transformed fully into the likeness of Christ. Therefore, we do not lose heart.
There is a greater spiritual reality that is far more important than what we can see with our eyes. Everything you see with your eyes is temporary. It will not last. Therefore we do not fix our attention on what is seen. Instead, we fix our eyes on what is unseen, for what is unseen is eternal. It is in a sense an oxymoron to speak of looking at what you can't physically see, but Paul here is talking about looking with your spiritual eyes. He looks past his weakness, past his sufferings, and even past death itself, into eternity. And he sees that the troubles he is going through — and what we go through for the sake of Christ — are not wasted, but are achieving something eternal, far beyond comparison.
A Challenge and an Encouragement
Now you may be here tonight thinking, "I don't have any troubles — light, momentary, or otherwise." Can I suggest that you might not have any troubles because you haven't got going yet? It may be that you haven't yet felt the cost of following Christ. And so I ask you: where are you fixing your eyes? Where do you spend your time, your money, your energy? For where your heart is, there your treasure will be also. When you look honestly at what you are investing your life into, how much of it is tied to what is seen and temporary, rather than what is unseen and eternal?
Get started now, knowing that it will matter in the end. If you know what will happen in the future, then it will change how you live in the present — what you prioritise, what you invest in, and what you are willing to let go of today, in light of eternity.
But there are those here tonight who have felt the cost of following Christ. So can I encourage you in all you are already doing for Christ. Everything that is seen and unseen — God sees it all. Nothing that you endure for the sake of Christ can compare to the eternal glory that will be revealed in you. So as you pray, as you trust, as you give sacrificially, as you raise your children, as you serve one another, and as you fix your eyes on Christ, you can take heart. Because the light of the gospel and the power of God are enough for us to stake our full confidence in — not only for this life, but for the life to come.