2 Corinthians 4:1

Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.

God is merciful – God helps those who are hurting.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 

False message: the presence of suffering and experience of God’s mercy are mutually exclusive.

Matthew 20:29-34.

As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

“Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”

Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

People expected Jesus to use his power to rid them of their circumstances and he didn’t.

The middle of our suffering is where the mercy of God is on fullest display.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 

- Pressed but not crushed

- Perplexed but not in despair

- Persecuted not abandoned

- Struck down but not destroyed

We experience the mercy of Jesus through the presence of Jesus.

What sets us apart is that we walk through suffering in the presence of Jesus.

We walk through suffering in the presence of Jesus who defeated death.

We experience the mercy of Jesus through the promise of eternity with Jesus.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

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.

2 Corinthians 1:8-9

We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death.

“And Jesus took away the only kind of suffering that can really destroy you: that is being cast away from God. He took that so that now all suffering that comes into your life will only make you great. A lump of coal under pressure becomes a diamond. And the suffering of a person in Christ only turns you into somebody gorgeous.

Jesus Christ suffered, not so that we would never suffer but so that when we suffer we would be like him. His suffering led to glory.... And if you know that that glory is coming, you can handle suffering, too.”

― Timothy Keller

We experience the mercy of Jesus through the joining the mission of Jesus.

2 Corinthians 4:10-11

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

If _________________________ is this difficult, is it worth it?

2 Corinthians 4:1

“Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.”

Presence of Jesus, promise of eternity, joining the mission of Jesus