TEXT: 2 Corinthians 4:3-5 (Read vv. 1-7)
READING: 2 Corinthians 3:1-18
SUBJ: A personal claim to a Gospel that is not and must not be hid. We preach Jesus Christ, the LORD.
AIM: That we might indeed embrace the Glorious Gospel as our Gospel.
INTR: Much that is in the Word pits us against the impossible. Such is so that we might see mercy and Grace.
1. The message of Paul, in chapter 3, concerns the fact that a veil was put over Moses face and thus they could not see the glory of the old ministration written in stone.
2. Yet, that veil is removed in their turning unto the Lord – the ministration of the Spirit
3. There was in Corinth as there has been in all ages those who object to the Gospel and the Christ of the Gospel simply because they do not understand it in human terms. Idolatry remained.
4. Paul is a most excellent example of boldness in the Gospel and there was no hint of deceit in what he had and was preaching to them. Deception about the Gospel is satanic!
5. The Lord is that Spirit and where He is there is Liberty and there is change from glory to glory.
THESIS: That ministry that we have is that of the Spirit. So, with Paul we would fail not to preach openly and with confidence in the Word. We would have God speak through us.
I. But and if our Gospel is hid…
1. The Gospel itself is not here characterized as hidden. There is no veil over the Gospel.
1) See verse 2
2) We understand that the veil was over Moses’ face, but here it is within “them that are lost.”
2. Thus, we find that a fruitless appeal is often made to human reason. This does not mean that we do not reason of Christ, but we preach to the conscience and aim for submission of the heart.
3. The thought here of “them that are lost” might well be translated as them that are perishing.
4. The Apostle claimed it as our (my, his) Gospel. Is it your Gospel?
II. The blinding work of Satan
1. Since God speaks through His preachers and His people it is an open message to the world. We consider that the means by which He speaks in individual and in many ways.
2. The prince of this world will do all that he can to blind (completely obstruct their view). Consider the parable of the sower and the tares and others that reflect his work.
3. The Glorious Gospel!
1) It seems there is a distinct reference here to initial work of creation: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. Genesis 1:3
2) Is light – it exposes sin, reveals needs and illumines the mind to mercy and directs the path to Jesus our Lord, our redeemer.
3) It reveals the very image of God – not a mere message learned by rote, which appeals to human logic.
4) Is aggressive light: “should shine unto them” and it will be revealed as Gospel in them whose heart the Lord opens.
5) We remember: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:13)
III. Christ Jesus the Lord
1. There is a danger of preaching a system no matter how orthodox. “There is a passion for souls that does not come from God, but from our desire to make converts to our point of view.” Oswald chambers
2. One of the most serious errors of day is that seeing Jesus as Lord is not an essential to salvation. We ask, how can such a thing be? I answer, it is a characteristic of this blindness. Lordship is not learned in the head; it is a submission of the heart.
1) The rejection of the Lordship of Jesus is evidence of deception: Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
2) The Lordship of Christ is embraced and is the delight and assurance of the saved.
3. Remember Philip and the message to the Ethiopian: “…he preached unto him Jesus.”
4. John 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
5. That makes us servants for Jesus’ sake.
