Do Not Give Up
We have come through Lent and Easter. We have followed the way of the cross. We followed Jesus to the cross. We remembered and celebrated with joy his resurrection. Because of the cross, we have received salvation and the forgiveness of sins. Because of the resurrection, we have received the new eternal life. Now what? It is 2,000 years after Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Where is He? The world seems to be spinning out of control. Is He still in control? When is He coming back? What should we do in the meantime?
We should not become discouraged, lose heart, and give up. In his amazing grace, God turned us, who are jars of clay, into vessels of honor. We carry in us the light of the gospel. We carry in us the glory of Christ, the image of God. We carry in us the resurrection life. Therefore, no matter what happens, no matter what the circumstances are, no matter what the world throws at us, we will not give up.
1. We Proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord
2 Corinthians 4:1-6 — Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up. Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking in deceit or distorting God’s message, but commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in God’s sight by an open display of the truth. But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus. For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.
We do not give up because in his mercy God gave us this ministry to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord We do so through our words, our actions, and our lives. God gave us the ministry of reconciliation, to tell the world that God has reconciled the world to himself in Christ. He has committed to us the message of reconciliation (2 Co 5:17-19). Jesus himself called and sent us to be His witnesses here in Tiller, in Douglas County, in Oregon, in America to the ends of the earth. Jesus himself called and sent us to be fishers of men, to make disciples of all peoples. Through his mercy, God made us his holy people, his special possession so that we may declare his praises. He called us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, to live such holy lives before others that they may see our good deeds and glorify God (1 Pet 2:9-12; Mt 5:13-16).
Through his mercy, God made us heroes in his Story, and heroes don’t give up when the going gets tough. God gave us his kingdom work to do, and we are not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into difficulties or hard times. No! We don’t give up. We never tire of doing what is good (2 Thess. 3:13).
Instead, we give up doing secret and shameful things. We abstain from sinful desires (1 Pet 2:11). Like Paul, we don’t use gimmicks to trick anyone into the church or heaven. We don’t deceive people. We don’t twist or distort God’s Word. We don’t falsify or water down the message. We don’t mix God’s Word with untruths or flattery to make it more pleasing and acceptable to people.
We proclaim the gospel and present God’s truth plainly and openly. We live the kingdom life truthfully so that the truth will be on display for everyone to hear and see. What we are is plain to God and it should be plain to others (2 Co 5:11).
But many do not and will not believe. Our preaching of the gospel and the testimony of our lives are veiled to those who are perishing because the god of this age, Satan, has blinded the minds of unbelievers. He is doing his very best to oppose God’s kingdom in every way he can. Just look at how our world has changed. All the sins, the shameful and evil things that the Bible warns us about and commands us not to do, all these have become acceptable and the norm in society. The world has been blinded and they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
We proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord. God has shone the light of the gospel in our hearts, the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ. We carry the light of the gospel in us. But there is more. We also carry the Light Himself, Jesus Christ in us. Jesus is the image of God. God revealed his glory in the person of Jesus Christ. When we see Jesus we see God the Father because He is in the Father and the Father is living in Him (Jn 14:9-11). And now Christ lives in us. We carry in us the glory of Christ, the image of God. That is why we, who are jars of clay, are also vessels of honor by the grace of God.
2. We are Jars of Clay, But Vessels of Honor
2 Corinthians 4:7-12 — Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who live are always given over to death because of Jesus, so that Jesus’ life may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you.
We do not give up because we carry this treasure, the light of the gospel and Christ, in us, jars of clays. We are jars of clay because we are sinful, mortal human beings. We are weak and fragile. We are imperfect. We are unworthy of this ministry. But this extraordinary power of God saved us, healed us, and turned us, broken jars of clay, into restored vessels of honor. This ministry we have, this gospel we preach, this new life we live, it is all and only God’s incomparable, supreme, all-surpassing power that works in us and through us. We cannot boast in anything or in ourselves, only in the Lord. “His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness” (2 Pet 1:3). God gave us everything we need to live the kingdom life and do this ministry, now in this world. It is this extraordinary power from God that enables us to persevere, to not give up.
As we follow Jesus in the way of the cross, as we live for Him and do His ministry, we will suffer like Him. We are involved in a battle and like soldiers in battle, we are surrounded, pressed from all sides, pursued, and thrown down, but we are not crushed and killed. We are perplexed, confused, bewildered by what is happening around us, but we will not despair. We will not give up hope. We are persecuted but God will not abandon us. Remember the words of Jesus in the Great Commission, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me … and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” We will not give up because Jesus is with us and in us.
So, as vessels of honor we carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. We are in Christ and we have been crucified with Christ and we no longer live, but Christ lives in us (Gal 2:19). We carry the death of Jesus when we share in the sufferings of Christ through daily exposure to danger and death for His sake. We carry his death when we are persecuted like He was. We carry his death when we proclaim the crucified Jesus. We carry his death when like Jesus, we deny self, take up our crosses daily and follow Him and give ourselves to others in self-giving, self-sacrificing service. And through this ministry, this service, we carry the life of Jesus in us. Through the Holy Spirit we are born again, resurrected, into the new life in Christ. The Holy Spirit transforms and renews us daily. Our lives reveal his resurrection life. We proclaim the resurrected Jesus.
So death works in us but life in others. Our preaching of the gospel, living the kingdom life, denying self, serving others, all these reveal the resurrection life of Jesus to others. It brings life to others. Even our physical death may reveal the life of Jesus. Throughout history, many died for Jesus and through their deaths, many came to believe in Jesus and lived because they gained his resurrection life. And when we die physically, we know that is not the end.
3. We Believe in The Resurrection
2 Corinthians 4:13-15 — And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, and therefore speak. We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and present us with you. Indeed, everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving to increase to God’s glory.
We will be resurrected into eternal life with Jesus Christ our Lord. We believe in the power of the resurrection. We carry the resurrection life in us and that is why we will not give up. We will face all problems, all challenges, in this power. This extraordinary power of God that raised Jesus from the dead, this same power is available to us. This same power enables us in this life and world. This same power will also raise us from the dead.
We believe in the resurrection. We carry the resurrection life in us. Therefore, we speak. We proclaim the good news of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We do not give up sharing the new life that is now available for everyone who repents and believes in Christ. When we do not give up, when we persevere in this ministry and living the kingdom life, more and more people will come to faith and be saved. More will be raised and live with Christ forever. The kingdom of God will be extended in more and more lives. There will be increased thanksgiving and God will be glorified more and more.
4. We Will Not Give Up
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 — Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
We will not give up. The world may be falling apart around us. Our bodies may become weaker and weaker. But God the Holy Spirit renews us day by day, making the new, resurrection life real in us more and more. Every day He makes us more and more like Christ. Every day He empowers us to live the kingdom life. No matter what the world throws at us, these hard times are nothing compared to the glory that is coming. We will be resurrected and share in Christ’s glory. We consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us … creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God (Ro 8:18-21). We will live forever with Him in the new creation.
We will not give up because we do not focus on what is seen. We do not focus on our current troubles. We do not worry, are not anxious about this life. We do not strive and fight for ordinary worldly things. We do not gather earthly treasures. Because these do not give life and they will pass away. We focus on what is unseen. We fix our eyes on Jesus. With thanksgiving, we focus on who we are in Him, what He has made us—children of God. We focus on and seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness. This kingdom will remain forever. Therefore, we store up treasures in heaven.
Do not give up. When you feel discouraged and want to give up remember this all-surpassing, extraordinary power of God. This power has turned us, weak jars of clay into vessels of honor. Put your hope in the Lord. He will renew your strength. You will soar on wings like eagles; you will run and not grow weary, you will walk and not be faint (Is 40:31).
You are heroes in God’s story. You are vessels of honor. You carry in you the light of the gospel. You carry in you the resurrection life of Jesus Christ. You carry Christ in you. So do not give up. Do not give up living the kingdom life. Do not give up preaching Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected as the Lord of all.