47 2 Cor 4.1-16 Notes

1  We do not lose heart (repeated in vs 16)

2  Simple approach; not deceitful; plainly presenting the truth (of the Gospel, vs 5, of Jesus Christ as Lord)

3-4  Not burdened by unresponsive people; aware of God's choosing

6 Enlightened

7  Understanding the excellent reason for their weakness and affliction: 

Display of God's power
10-12 Revealing/manifesting the life of Jesus in their dying bodies

8 Hard-pressed but not crushed

8 Perplexed (not having all, or maybe not many) of the answers) but not despairing

9 Persecuted but not abandoned

9 Struck sown but not destroyed (therefore rising back up, healing, recovering, strengthening)

13-14 Encouraged by the assured future resurrection and joyous reunion with the saints

15 Enthusiastic about the expanding influence of God's grace resulting in increasing thanksgiving to God

16 Therefore we do not lose heart

16 Daily being  renewed inwardly: soul, mind, and spirit

17 Encouraged that the troubles they're enduring are improving their resurrection (gaining for us an eternal weight of glory)

18 Keeping eyes fixed on the invisible* and eternal

<ul>

<li>* Pp: by faith seeing the invisible:

<ul>

<li>Heb 11.1  faith is the certainty of what we don't see</li>

<li>Heb 11.2-12  Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham

<ul>

<li>Heb 11.13  All these people .. did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.  14 they are looking for a country of their own; 16 they were longing for a better country -- a heavenly one</li>

</ul>

</li>

<li>Heb 11.17-32  Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses' parents, Moses, Israelites passing through the Res Sea, Israelites at Jericho, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, the prophets; vs 39 all commended for their faith

<ul>

<li>Heb 11.33-39

<ul>

<li>Conquered kingdoms, administered justice, gained what was promised, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, escaped the edge of the sword, experienced weakness turned to strength, became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies, received back their dead raised to life</li>

<li>Were tortured and refused to be released to gain a better resurrection, faced jeers, faced flogging, were chained and imprisoned, were stoned, were sawed in two, were killed by the sword, were destitute (in sheepskins and goatskins), were persecuted, mistreated, wandered in deserts and mountains, in caves and holes in the ground</li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>