林後 4:7-18
7 我們有這寶貝放在瓦器裡，要顯明這莫大的能力是出於神，不是出於我們。 8 我們四面受敵，卻不被困住；心裡作難，卻不致失望；
9 遭逼迫，卻不被丟棄；打倒了，卻不致死亡； 10 身上常帶著耶穌的死，使耶穌的生也顯明在我們身上。 11 因為我們這活著的人是常為耶穌被交於死地，使耶穌的生在我們這必死的身上顯明出來。 12 這樣看來，死是在我們身上發動，生卻在你們身上發動。 13 但我們既有信心，正如經上記著說：「我因信，所以如此說話」，我們也信，所以也說話。 14 自己知道那叫主耶穌復活的，也必叫我們與耶穌一同復活，並且叫我們與你們一同站在他面前。 15 凡事都是為你們，好叫恩惠因人多越發加增，感謝格外顯多，以致榮耀歸於神。16 所以我們不喪膽，外體雖然毀壞，內心卻一天新似一天。
17 我們這至暫至輕的苦楚，要為我們成就極重無比、永遠的榮耀。 18 原來我們不是顧念所見的，乃是顧念所不見的，因為所見的是暫時的，所不見的是永遠的。
2 Corinthians 4:7-18
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the
excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on
every side, yet not crushed; we areperplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted,
but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in
the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be
manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for
Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal
flesh.12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.13 And since we have
the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and
therefore I spoke,”we also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that He who
raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us
with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread
through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.16
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet
the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which
is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight
of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the
things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the
things which are not seen are eternal.
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The nature of Christianity is paradoxical. Second
Corinthians explains more of these paradoxes than any other New Testament book.
Paul presents the following contrasts in today's scripture:
- a weak
earthen vessel - a powerful treasure within
- be
delivered to death for Jesus's sake - to manifest the life of Jesus in our
physical body
- death
in us - life in people around
- the
perishing outward man - the inner renewal day-by-day
- the
light affliction - a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory
- the
temporary visible things - the eternal invisible things
Of course, the unsaved world thinks Paul is odd or crazy. The
biblical principles we hold dear often seem like foolishness to nonbelievers. But just like what missionary Jim Elliot said: “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose!”. Christians ought to govern their lives by eternal values, not temporal prices. True faith
sees the invisible - I believed and therefore I spoke!
If you’re going through tough times right now, then today's
message is for you. God is more interested in what you’re becoming than what’s
happening to you. He often allows temporary difficulties in your life to train
your character for the eternal glory. Will you continue to trust God and thank
God even when life stinks?
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