Walk the walk and talk the talk… FOR JESUS!

2 Corinthians 9:1-5

We all know that parents brag about their kids. This is a very well known practice in the Asian community. Our mothers and fathers just love to talk about how good their kids are in sports, academics, and their musical skill. “Oh by the way, did you hear that my son/daughter got into this prestigious college/university?” It is always something along those lines. So if you ever wonder why your parents push you to become better, then 90% of the time is because so they can brag about you. I’m just kidding. But after all that talk, you’re the one that has to back up all that they say.
So Paul brags about the Corinthian church in these few verses. The only real worry is that the Corinthian church does not live up to their expectation. Paul said that he told the Macedonians that the Corinthians had a passion for God. It’s also mentioned that they are going to be visiting the Corinthian church. Now I don’t know if this has happened to you before, but it has happened to me… multiple times. It always happens when I get really excited for something. Whether it is an event, a person, or anything like that. People say, “It’s going to be REALLY AMAZING!” or, “You’ll have the best time of your life! “ All this talk about how good it is going to be. But when the time comes and you go to this event or meet that person, you find out that it wasn’t how you expected it to be. It was all just empty talk. You are disappointed. Not only are you disappointed in the people that told you that it was going to be good, you are disappointed in yourself for believing them, and you are also disappointed in the event or person for not living up to their expectations.
I really believe that this is a challenge for the youth group and the entire Church. The challenge is for us to live out our faith, to love each other, and to have a passion for God. When people come to worship with us, they would not be disappointed in what they see. But rather, they would be blessed and encouraged in what they see. Also, let us do this not for the sake of doing it and looking good. Let’s do it FOR JESUS!

Let this be our calling, to “be the good news and the shalom of the city.”

Send Me, I’ll Go!

Emily is an awesome engineer. She graduated with honors from Purdue and works as at IBM currently. Everyday she gets to work with state-of-the-art equipment and helps develop cutting-edge technology that can lead America to a brighter future. She is also warm, friendly, and has a smile on her face 95% of the time, the other 5% being when she sleeps. Because of this, she was sent to India to be an instructor there for a 2- year term. Emily did not have the heart to leave a job that she loved and a place that she was accustomed to in order to be relocated to a whole different country; a whole different world. She was scared and apprehensive, and did not wish to go. However, orders were orders, so she truly believed that going to India was what God wanted for her, so she mustered all the enthusiasm and energy she could and booked it to India. There, she was welcomed warmly and with reverence, and found the environment to be very agreeable. Unfortunately, she had a run-in with some exotic diseases and had a very difficult time adjusting to the culture and the weather. Emotionally, it was a good experience; physically, it was miserable. She came back 2 years later and was rewarded for her efforts through a promotion and a hefty raise. Want to know the most amazing thing from this entire experience? Even while she was reluctant, she still maintained her thousand-watt smile and her warmth, and tried wholeheartedly to make the best out of her experience.

Read 2 Corinthians 8:16 – 24

Imagine that you are Titus. You are being sent from your comfort zone to a new church, with new people and new atmospheres. To make things worse, the church you are being sent to has an issue with conflicts and divisions within the community. Furthermore, there is a lot of pressure on you because the Church is “taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.” If you were to be sent off, what would you do? I know that if I were Titus or Emily, I would try to get out of it, because I don't like being sent off to places unknown. But truly, it is almost a gift if you’re path is decided for you sometimes because you have a direction and that is where God may want you to be. Would you feel comfortable in a different church than WCAC? I wouldn't feel too great about it. Fortunately, however, I have visited a few different YG’s around the Chicagoland area. I’ve went to Hanmee Church in Schaumburg, and Calvary in Naperville, along with Faith Alliance. It’s been great experiences and it has taught me that my home is not just within WCAC, but in God’s kingdom, which is all the churches in the world! This passage reminds me of that one Lecrae rap: “Send me, I’ll go! Send me, I’ll go! Send me, I’ll go! Lemme go! Lemme go!” LOL!


Devotional Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I praise you for the doors that you will eventually open for me. I hope that you may take care of me and keep my heart open so that I may go to where you want me to go, and do what you want me to do. God, I wish that I may have the enthusiasm of Titus and Emily, and that even outside my comfort zone I will proclaim you.
Amen.

Freely Giving in the Church

Read: 2 Corinthians 8: 8-15

Macedonia, in Paul’s time, had it all. They had all the resources within their lands, and they exported like crazy. (like China today, actually) Largely everyone was relatively wealthy. But all of a sudden, due to persecution, many of the Christians lost their wealth, and some have become impoverished. Thus, Paul encouraged the Corinthian church to “finish the work” and bring their desire to give to completion. He admonishes them not to let whatever doubts dampen their desire to give abundantly.

Thus far in my life, I’ve only gone to churches in wealthy countries. St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Singapore is a very wealthy church in a very posh part of town. WCAC is a comparatively wealthy church in an affluent American suburb (Wheaton) and near an even more affluent American suburb (Naperville). Yet, we cannot forget that we have brothers and sisters that go to churches that are suffering from a lack of necessities. There are brothers and sisters who go back from church hungry because there is no food to eat; weak because they could not afford basic medical care for their illnesses; and even hopeless because they think they are forsaken by the world at large.

Here is where Paul chimes in. Note that Paul never advocated a Marxist-communist equality. “Our desire,” wrote Paul in vs. 13, “is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed...” It’s not that we in the USA should eat only breadcrumbs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so that children in Africa can eat filet mignon. What Paul desired was “equality”, which (vs. 14) is that all our needs are fulfilled, according to the contexts we live in. The problem is that the Macedonians couldn’t survive in their impoverished state, just like today, when so many of the poor in the world can’t even afford to buy food.

Note that Paul here wasn’t even talking of giving to random poor people. He was talking about giving to people in the church who are poor! Picture this: in your own families, if a sibling doesn’t have money, won’t you reach into your pocket and give freely? So it must be in the Church, because the Church is one big body of Christ, one big family of faith! So often we think of the Church as just a bunch of individual families, but that’s not biblical. Worse, it prevents us from being generous with one another, preferring to withhold God’s blessings to ourselves.

Are there any brothers and sisters you know that are in need of something? It doesn’t have to be money. Perhaps they’re missing intangibles such as friendship, etc. Regardless of what they are poor in, perhaps now is the time to give freely and generously.

Here Please Take My Car

One summer God called me to go on a short-term mission trip to Venezuela. I worked in a small village where the people were not very well off. I remember bringing a lot of stuff that I was ready to give away like my t-shirts, running shoes, hats, and etc… I remember in all the ways I wanted to give and have them ready our team, I was the most moved by what one of the locals was willing to give to the church. There was one man that came to one of our outreach evangelistic meetings and accepted Christ in his life. He then said that he wanted to give but the only thing that he really owned was his car. So he gave his car. He knew the church was in great need and knew even in his poor financial state that he wanted to give his car to God for His use.

Read 2 Corinthians 8:1-7

The Macedonian church was hit with great poverty and was really poor. However, they knew that God was doing some special things and that there was need in the movement in Jerusalem to spread the gospel. So the Macedonian church gave generously and also with great joy. I mean they looked at how great of a feeling it was to give and truly be cheerful givers.

I sometimes think that are willing to give but it is out of duty or begrudgingly. We can’t believe God would call us to give up something that we either worked so hard to get or that someone so generously gave us. However, if we really remember the generosity that was given to us by Jesus, shouldn’t we have a cheerful attitude in giving? Also shouldn’t there be no holds bar on our giving? I remember when we were at LIFE 2007 and there was a time where we were called to give anything in these sacks. We could give finances as well as our goods. I remember stories of people giving up things like their watches, gameboys, and etc…. But the most challenging was when a woman that gave up her engagement ring.

This isn’t a call and challenge to go give up everything you own. However, start thinking about the ways you look at your resources. Do you view them as yours, or God’s? If they are God’s then how do you really use them and allow God to be the true owner? Also, when you are called to give, do you hesitate or do you give generously and cheerfully?

Comfort & Joy

What are the things that bring you the most joy? Take a moment to reflect on that. Its interesting what we come up with. I think most of us would have pretty varied answers. Sometimes its people, sometimes its possessions, sometimes its situations. As you read 2 Corinthians 7:13-16, focus on what brings the Apostle Paul joy.

Read 2 Corinthians 7:13-16 (Read 2 Cor 2:1-11 for context)

I find it interesting that from reading 2 Cor 7:13-16, Paul’s joy is tied in with the people he is writing to and about. The foundation of Paul’s joy is laid in his relationships. First, Paul is filled with joy because of Titus. Titus was one of the men that Paul had invested in and saw as a son. They had also ministered together, and Titus has played an important role in representing Paul to the Corinthians in the midst of Paul having to write a difficult letter of rebuke to them. But here, Paul isn’t joyful because Titus has done something for him. Instead, Paul is joyful because Titus himself has been filled with joy. Paul’s concern and compassion for Titus, someone he considered as his “true child in a common faith” (Titus 1:4), is displayed in the fact that Paul is joyful because Titus is refreshed and received well by the Corinthians. Paul’s joy abounds because Titus is able to accomplish the work God has given him to the Corinthians.

But Paul’s joy isn’t only limited to Titus. Paul is filled with joy because of the Corinthians themselves. This is interesting because if you’ve been reading through 1 & 2 Corinthians, the church in Corinth has been the cause of grief and frustration for Paul on many occasions. 1 Corinthians is filled with Paul’s rebuke and correction for the church over various issues of sin that had crept into the congregation. 2 Corinthians gets more personal as Paul is in pain when he sees how the church is behaving. In 2 Corinthians 2:4 he says, “For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.” So what has changed from then until now as Paul is writing about how the church has brought him joy in 2 Cor 7:16? Paul rejoices because the church in Corinth has responded in obedience. One of the reasons Titus was filled with joy was because he had observed that the Corinthians were living out their faith in real ways, according to how Paul had challenged them to live in previous letters. Paul’s joy comes because he sees lives being redeemed and people living in obedience.

So what does this mean for us? Two questions to think about. Again, what brings us joy? Is it the possessions we have? Is it centered on how we feel or on what happens to us? Paul’s joy comes because he sees others joyful and he sees lives lived in obedience around him. Our desire ought to be to find joy in seeing God at work.

The other question for us is this: how can we bring others joy? If as believers our joy comes from seeing others joyful and being obedient to God’s word, how are we bringing joy to others? Are we being obedient? Let’s rejoice because we see God at work in us and in the people around us.

Keep it Real

Read 2 Corinthians 7:2-12

Adapted from Extreme Teen Bible
Paul gets to the point. He wasn’t always on this spiritual high, and he’s honest about it. In 2 Corinthians, he talks a lot about suffering, worry, and sorrow. He doesn’t put on this mask of happiness. Just because he is a Christian doesn’t mean that life will be all fine and dandy. He admits that he does go through hard times. He has gone through hard times and he is being real.

Sometimes, we forget about what we get from Paul’s example. Instead of honesty, we’re pretending. Too many Christians pretend that their lives are happy all the time. They suffer in complete silence. They believe that they don’t have weaknesses, and they wonder why God is forsaking them and doing nothing. God will bring comfort to those who need it. Do you need comfort? Do you need to be cheered up? Then pray to God. Keep it Real with your brothers and sisters because they are there for you. It’s ok to say, “I love God, but life is hard.” God may use the Holy Spirit, or the body of believers, or the truth of His Word to bring cheer to those in need.

One more thing, KEEP IT REAL!

180 Degrees

Joseph was an amazing person whom I used to look up to. He was nice, smart, athletic, and best of all, he was a proclaimer of Christ. He went to a church somewhere in Plainfield, and did a lot of great things there, like help organize a student leadership team, initiate various service projects, and brought a couple people to Christ. He was going to do great things...until he started dating Laura. Laura was this really pretty, really smart girl who incidentally had a really bad party habit. Needless to say, Joseph made a 180 degree turn with his life. He started to party hard, and slowly slipped into drinking and smoking. His grades dropped, he stopped going to church, and he started spending all his time with his girlfriend and her group of friends. He graduated two years ago when I was a sophomore, and is going to NIU currently. I didn't hear from or about him until I found out that last year he had been arrested for possession. Possession of marijuana, that is. During his rehab sentence, which was pretty lengthy, he saw the utter darkness that he had fallen into and how he had turned away from God. During that time he was so tortured that the rehab sentence was nothing compared to the shame and guilt he felt. Eventually he came back to Christ and is slowly repairing his relationship with God.

Read 2 Corinthians 6:11 - 7:1

This world is stained and dirty. Think about it, the only way we can truly do God's work is if we remain set apart and pure. Thus, it is in our purity that we proclaim God's awesomeness. I'm sure many of you have seen the Doulos “Everything” Drama (if you haven't click here). You are the person wearing the white shirt; allowing yourself to integrate with those that live in darkness will result in stains on your white shirt. If you have a dirty shirt, then when you go to spread the word to those in the darkness, they will see you and say, “You hypocrite, you are no cleaner than me!” So keep yourself distinct and separate from these people! There is nothing in common between us and them, as we try to take those out of the darkness to join the family of Christ. But keep this in mind: if you're shirt becomes stained, the only way to get a new shirt is to truly, passionately, wholeheartedly turn away from the sin in your life. Don't lie to yourself, because it will become very apparent that your shirt has turned into a nice shade of gray.

Please Trust Me... I Mean You Well.

Read: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13

Anthony Chen (MAC) was my church’s youth director when I went to high school in the Twin Cities. He was a fundamentalist Christian, having graduated from... (sigh)... Bob Jones University. Despite our theological differences, MAC was an amazing and Godly fellow, and was my earliest spiritual mentor. He also had an interesting distinction and reputation for rebuking people when necessary. I remember the first time he rebuked me. It did not feel good, and I spent a few weeks staying quiet and not liking him. Then, at our church’s summer retreat, he pulled me aside and said, “Henry, I love you, man. What I said was for your good.” He was right... (as usual... )

Paul was no slouch of a rebuker as well. The Catholics today are not allowed to criticize the Pope, but in Galatians Paul went up to Peter (the first Pope) and opposed him “to his face” in front of everyone present! Another well-known rebuker in Church history was St. John Chrysostom, who was the archbishop of Constantinople. He had a reputation for exposing people for specific sins during his sermons. How would you like to attend his church regularly? Unfortunately, one of those people receiving a rebuke was the Emperor, who subsequently removed him from the archbisphoric and exiled him. But we all know him, because his moniker “Chrysostom” means “golden-mouthed”.

Paul had earlier rebuked the Corinthians, but their response was to shut Paul out. “Oh, what does he know? He’s not from these parts,” might be their rationale. Thus, Paul responded with how he’s not trying to be difficult. Instead, he was laying himself out, going through hardship after hardship, so that they could only magnify the glory and goodness of God. He only meant well for the Corinthians. Thus, in vs. 11-13, Paul asks the Corinthians not to shut him out, but to listen to him. He did not mean them harm by rebuking them.

Oftentimes, when we are rebuked, the first response we give is to shut the rebuker out of our lives. “Oh, what does he/she know?” we deride. But we should think differently about it. True friends find no problem rebuking their friends, not because they have nothing better to do, but because they mean well for them. So when others rebuke us, let us not shut them out, but listen.
Quick note: by rebuking I don’t mean indiscriminate yelling. The purpose of rebuking is to correct the person and bring him/her closer to Christ. Good rebuking requires a good mix of gentleness, firmness, and always needs the help of the Holy Spirit.

Remember our youth group theme for this year? United in Christ (wink, wink)? Tearing down dividing walls to worship sometimes hurts. But in the end, we all draw closer together as we worship God as one body. Maybe someone is impeding others from worship, and needs a rebuke. Or maybe YOU are impeding others from worship, and need a rebuke. Reflect on this, and pray that God may rebuke you through one another, so you can not only know who your true friends are, but that you may draw closer to Him.

A New Creation

London businessman Lindsay Clegg told the story of a warehouse property he was selling. The building had been empty for months and needed repairs. Vandals had damaged the doors, smashed the windows, and strewn trash around the interior.
As he showed a prospective buyer the property, Clegg took pains to say that he would replace the broken windows, bring in a crew to correct any structural damage, and clean out the garbage.

"Forget about the repairs," the buyer said. "When I buy this place, I'm going to build something completely different. I don't want the building; I want the site."
Compared with the renovation God has in mind, our efforts to improve our own lives are as trivial as sweeping a warehouse slated for the wrecking ball. When we become God's, the old life is over (2 Cor. 5:17). He makes all things new. All he wants is the site and the permission to build.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:12-21

God reconciled sinful man to Himself by making His Son bear the sin of the world and dying in the sinner’s place. Jesus paid the price for humanity so that God could set the sinner free. God did more than just forgive us of our sins but He attributed the righteousness of His Son on us. Christ took on all the sin and guilt while giving us His perfect righteousness.

As Paul was writing this epistle he wrote in verse 18, "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation”. The word "reconcile" in the original Greek is the word – katallasso. It is the old word for exchanging coins. This indicates "to change, exchange" especially money, then of individuals "to change from enmity to friendship, to reconcile."

Paul writes in Romans 5:10 that, "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life". God’s love provided the means and foundation for man’s reconciliation to God against whom he had sinned. God’s own sense of justice had to be satisfied. We deserve the wrath of God.

Yet, we know God has given us the opportunity to be created new. All we have to do is give permission to build just as the introduction story states.
Take some time to acknowledge the ways God has taken all of your old broken ways and life and doesn’t just want to try to rebuild that, but has made you a completely new creation. In this remembrance of what God has done, let that continue to move you and draw you into gratitude and love for a God that has done that for you.

A Home Away From Home

As a student, there were times when I would be at school, and all I could think about was how much I wished I was at home, enjoying the comforts of my own room. There would be such an intense longing to be home and not be in school, but the reality was that I was supposed to be in school at that particular time. What a dilemma, to long for home yet still needing to be in class at school. This was the holy dilemma that the apostle Paul faced. While Paul longed to be at home with the Lord, he also knew he had a task to complete on earth.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Once again, we are reminded by Paul that what this world offers cannot even begin to compare to what we have in store for us in heaven with God. He describes this world as an earthly tent where “we groan and are burdened” (2 Cor 5:4) But this is the first dilemma we face. How many of us actually believe AND live like it is better in heaven than it is here? Lets face it, this world is pretty nice. Its comfortable, it engages us in the things that bring us pleasure. We don’t want to leave this place because we like it here. Instead of treating this world like school (or prison if you actually enjoy school) we treat this world like its our best friend’s house. We don’t ever want to go home. We just want sleepovers and fun. The problem is, we don’t really grasp just how much better heaven will be. Not because of what its like, or where it is, but because of who will be there. God Almighty. Our real home is with Him. We need to start living like something better is coming. Believe it.
But at the same time, do we just give up on this world because it means nothing and is inconsequential in comparison to eternity with God? No way! God has placed us in this world for a purpose. Paul understood that despite his desire to be at home with the Lord, he had a job to finish here. 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 reminds us,
So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
What we’re reminded of here, is that what we do on this earth matters. Our desire now should be to be able to stand before the judgment seat of Christ and hear Jesus say, “well done my good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master”
Questions:
Do you desire our true home in heaven with God more than this world? What is preventing you from doing that?

Have you made it your aim to please God today? What are tangible ways you can do that?

Are YOU Sure?

Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-8

One thing that we all must realize is that we are not eternal. We will not be forever young. To God, we are here today and gone tomorrow. In simple terms, we’re all going to die. But, don’t be all pessimistic and down because after our life here on earth, we will be living in heaven. That is, if we are in Christ. So when we face hardships and trials, we should not lose heart. Better is one day in God’s house and better is one day in His courts. With the New Covenant, we should be pursuing a life for God with faith and perseverance. Because one day, all believers will rise up with Jesus and the entire world will be judged. If we remain faithful, we know that we will live eternally with God the Son, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. But how can we be sure that we’re saved? Look at verse 5. The presence of the Spirit in our lives is our guarantee! How amazing is that!

So no matter what, we should be strong and courageous. God is always with us even though we can not see Him or feel Him and his promises never fail. Verse 7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

We do not believe the unbelievable, but we are sure of what God has in store for us in the future even though we can’t see the entire picture of it.

Let God’s promises be your encouragement.

Believe in the Force

What makes Olympic athletes so focused and determined? Why do they work so hard to get to the Olympic arena? The obvious answer is that they strive for the coveted Gold Medal. Yet, are they really striving for the medal itself? I mean if I really wanted one I would just go to the Federal Reserve, buy some gold, and get it smelted into a Gold Medal; Steven Han, Olympic Guitar Hero Champion! But there is something missing. One day when I’m gone, that medal will just fade away into dust. So what is it that those Olympians are going for? It is the glory, the victory, the culmination and realization of dreams and hard work! Do you notice what they all have in common? They all are intangible and unseen; ages later the names of these Olympic medalists will be known, and the glory they achieved will live on forever. Physical things like money, gold, cars, clothes, and X-boxes are so temporary, but glory, honesty, and selflessness will live on forever. So my question to you is, which one would you want to hold on to?

Read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

The glory of the Olympic Gold is NOTHING compared to the glory of attaining our salvation. Olympic athletes worked physically for years to attain what they do, but we Christians fight emotionally, mentally, and physically to conquer the scariest foe of all: sin. The glory is not ours though, because we as humans did jack squat in the long run. It all goes to God, and God’s glory will live on forever. Though as each second passes we get nearer to our physical deaths, we also get closer to our unseen eternal rebirth! Do not fix yourself upon things like money, girlfriends/boyfriends, video games, facebook, and even school. Because if you reach for those, once you are gone there will be no trace of you left - neither on Earth nor in Heaven. But if you reach for honesty, selflessness, Jesus’ love, goodness, kindness, patience, etc. one day you will open your eyes and find yourself right next to Jesus Christ. And you will leave this dirty, broken world behind and live on forever with the one who loves you more than the trees, the sky, the oceans.

Devotional Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I praise You for the promise You have given to me! I rejoice in the prospect of eternal life with You! Please draw my attention away from the things of the disgusting world, as they are useless and temporary. Make eye contact with me – make my attention fixed on You and Your Son Jesus Christ, so that I may strive for the unseen and one day find myself kneeling before You!

In Jesus’ name I pray,
AMEN!

Struck Down, But Not Destroyed

Read: 2 Corinthians 4: 4-15

I’m on Facebook regularly these days, and I’m finding people being buried alive with homework. The pressures that come from school, from extracurricular activities, from various responsibilities, they all just build up and you feel like you’re going to be crushed mercilessly from all the weight of your obligations and responsibilities.

Oftentimes, the response would be along the lines of :( . I really feel bad for many of you, especially since this is happening to you in high school. I remember my fall semester of my senior year at Wheaton College when I took the 4 hardest classes in my majors. I had no choice - they only offered the classes at that time, see? And as if God were playing a terrible joke on me, all 4 classes had 2 midterms and finals... and they all fell on the same Fridays of the semester. I remember how hopeless it all seemed. But during that time, I was forced to rely on God to lend me his strength. What a great time for me to know about the God that is greater than my real analysis exam?

And that’s what Paul’s encouraging us to see things when everything is pressing us from all sides. We are supposed to be reflectors of His glory. And what better way to show that than for our lives to reveal that, despite our inherent weaknesses, God can use us in mighty ways?

As the Protestant Reformation began to gain ground in Europe, Martin Luther was caught in a similar trap. He was (1) being hunted down for being a heretic, but (2) also needed to provide visible leadership to a new Church that was emerging, and (3) had to convince the German princes and regional leaders that the new Church is not heretical and is worthy of support. In the middle of all his busy-ness and frustrations, he wrote in his journal, “Work, work, work, from six in the morning to midnight today. Today is such a busy day, I will spend the first three hours of my day in prayer.”

Martin Luther is such an example to us because he understood that despite the frailties of the human body, and despite the fact that we often find ourselves hard-pressed on every side of life, it is in our weakness and desperation that God can do marvelous things. Luther, as many of you know through AP Euro, went through years of agonizing over how he is a sinner in the hands of a really angry God. But through the agonizing, he found salvation after reading about God’s love and grace. Through Luther, the Bible was translated into German, and so excellent was the translation that Germans today still use his translation.

So in times when we are pressured on many fronts, let us not despair, but look to the God who is our strength, and He may show the world his strength in our weakness. Spend time reflecting, especially those of you who seem to be buried in lots of work and stuff. Pray that in your moment of weakness, God will be your strength.

Let Light Shine Out of Darkness

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 - 1Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2Rather, 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 every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"[a]made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

I am attaching the Scripture to this devotional because I want you to read it, then read it again, and then the third time circle key phrases and ideas that you might have missed unless you took time to read it carefully. I do this because this passage is usually just read as 2 Corinthians 4 part of the Jars of Clay section. However, you miss great detail if you don’t examine the setup to that verse (which will be tomorrow). For example, we all know that we have to do God’s work in sharing Jesus no matter what the cost, that is the “ministry” mentioned in verse 1 but again a detail that needs to be remembered is “since through God’s mercy”. It isn’t because we should feel guilty or this is a duty we are commanded to do, it is because of the grace and mercy that motivates and propels us in having this partnership and ministry with God. So now do it for the rest of the passage.
Now, we can see the challenge here as Paul saying that the world is blinded by the evil one not to see God. However, we should not use deceptive ways or manipulation to share Christ with others. It is all about just preaching and sharing Jesus. I want to be careful because this isn’t telling us not to share your testimony but the clarification should be that your testimony gives glory to God and points people to Jesus not to you.

Look at 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 the glory of God in the face of Christ. If you are having a hard time figuring out how to share the truth with others, this is the perfect verse for you. Pray, reflect, memorize this verse so that the light will shine out of the darkness as we get closer to understanding and intimacy with Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:7-18

During this Easter season, I’ve had opportunity to reflect on the reality that I have new life in Jesus. How amazing it is when we consider how we once walked in darkness but because of Jesus and his shed blood on the cross we have life in Him now. From nothing to everything. From death to life. From sadness to joy. All because of the new covenant. Paul had to remind the church in Corinth of that stark contrast between what they once knew to what they now where in Christ.

Read 2 Corinthians 3:7-18

In order to remind the church of who they were in Jesus, Paul contrasted the new covenant under Jesus with the old Mosaic covenant, which he refers to as the ministry of death. Why does Paul call the Mosaic covenant the ministry of death? Paul’s understanding of the old covenant was that it was incomplete. It had its purpose for a time but found its completion in Jesus. There was no permanence. Sacrifice had to continually be made for Israel. This is why Paul mentions how Moses had to veil his face so that Israel would not perish upon seeing the glory of the Lord. They were unable to see the full completion of God’s salvation plan though the old covenant because the person the entire new covenant rested upon, Jesus, had not yet arrived in the flesh. Imagine trying to watch a movie from behind a bed sheet. You might see flashes of a picture, or faintly make out what was going on, but you can’t see it clearly until someone takes away the bed sheet. That’s how it was under the old covenant. All you could do was look forward to the day that the veil would be removed. By comparison, Paul was a minister of the new covenant in Jesus. Unlike Israel, the church now has had the veil removed because of the cross. The reconciliation that the new covenant brings is permanent and not lacking in anything.

This was the weight of Paul’s argument that the new covenant was better by far than the old covenant. The old covenant in the end was not permanent. But the new covenant is eternal. And through Jesus, the veil has been lifted from our eyes. So if we are now under the new covenant in Jesus with the veil removed, what does that mean for us? Read 2 Corinthians 3:18.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Because of the new covenant, we are being transformed into the image of Him who’s glory we see with unveiled face. How amazing is that? All because of Jesus’ blood shed on the cross for us.

Take some time to reflect on what it means to have our lives transformed in Christ.