Hard pressed but not crushed - Part 1

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. Morse Corner is a non-denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

If you'd like more information, visit our website morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message. We may be hard-pressed on every side, but we're not crushed. Amen? So the title of this morning's message is, Our Light Affliction Is But For A Moment.

The Treasure in Earthen Vessels

So continuing in 2 Corinthians chapter 4, the Bible reads in verse 7,. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. And if you look back to verse 6, we see what Paul is referring to, how God shines the light of the knowledge of his glory in our hearts.

So Paul says we have that treasure in earthen vessels. What does that mean? He's referring to our bodies. What are we? Nothing more than a jar of clay. The scripture says that Adam was formed from the dust of the ground.

And the psalmist wrote in Psalm 103 verse 14,. For the Lord knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust. So that's the way Paul viewed himself. I'm just a jar of clay. He was humble. He wants us to be humble as well.

And all of that tells us that the power that is within us is not of us, it is of God. And what is the power? Well, it's the power of the gospel. It's the power of salvation. But more importantly this morning, for believers, it is the power to persevere in the faith in light of trials and tribulations.

Hard Pressed but Not Crushed

Look at what Paul says in verses eight and nine. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed. We are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken. We are struck down, but not destroyed.

Now skip over to chapter 11 for a moment. Second Corinthians chapter 11. So in defending himself against the attacks from the false teachers and false apostles, Paul speaks of how hard he worked. All the things that he went through, Paul suffered physically.

He was imprisoned. And yet through it all, in his weakness, he was strengthened by God. And this is the paradox for Christians. When we are weak, when we are at our weakest point, that's when we're strong.

Because again, the power that is within us is not of us, it is of the Lord. Look at chapter 11, verse 24. Paul says from the Jews, five times I received 40 stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods.

Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. A day and a night I have been in the deep. In journeys often, in perils of water, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils amongst false brethren, in weariness, in toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

And yet through it all, Paul is still able to praise the Lord. And he's gone through a lot more than we have. So can we praise the Lord? You feel beaten down? You feel discouraged? Can you still praise the Lord?

I hope so. Now in chapter 4, you don't turn there yet. Actually, turn over to chapter 12. We're going to read something there. But in chapter 4, he does say we are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed.

I mean, we may get struck down, but the Lord helps us to get back up. So in chapter 12, look at verse 10. He says, Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake.

For when I am weak, then I am strong. You read what he said? I take pleasure in this. Now, most of us are probably on board maybe up until this point. Yeah, the Lord helps us out. He gives us the strength to endure.

But taking pleasure in these things? I'm not sure I can do that. Well, how did Paul do it? A few things to consider. Life is going to be hard either way. Whether you're a believer in Christ or not, life is going to be difficult.

Every person at one point or another eventually will face adversity, loss, heartache, sickness, and eventually death. But here's the difference between the believer and the unbeliever. When a believer faces adversity, we can rest in the fact that God is working it all towards our good.

When a believer faces loss, they know that maybe they're forsaken, but they're not forsaken by God. When a believer is faced with their own mortality, we can be comforted that God will raise our mortal body from the grave just as he did with his only begotten son.

So we can take pleasure in infirmities. It's like Steve always says, count it all joy, right? Amen? Count it all joy. I think he got that from somewhere. It's not original to him. But really, it's a mindset, is it not?

Number one, it's a mindset. Number two, it's only temporary. Whatever you're going through, it's only temporary. And then number three, God uses these things to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ.

So when we suffer, especially suffer for Christ's sake, we are becoming more like him. We are experiencing the fellowship of his sufferings, which makes us more like him. This is how the apostle can say, we're hard pressed on every side, but not crushed.

We are perplexed, but not in despair. I hope that nobody this morning is in despair. Yes, I'm an earthen vessel, Paul's saying. I'm just a jar of clay, but in my weakness, the power of God is working in and through me.

Humility, Weakness, and Relying on Christ

All right, now go back to chapter four. And this is what the Lord wants from us. He wants us to have a positive attitude. Don't live in despair. Whatever you're going through in your weakness, rely on Christ's strength.

This is what he wants from us. He wants us to know ourselves and our own weaknesses. That way we can better know him and his strength and power. Proverbs 22 verse four says, by humility and the fear of the Lord, our riches and honor and life.

I think of a few biblical examples of this. I thought, well, I've come up with some examples of things that I've been through or other people have been through. Let's talk about some biblical examples of this.

You think of David. David, when he was young, before he became king, he faced Goliath. And you remember what Saul wanted from David? Put on the armor, put on the helmet, take the sword and the shield.

What did David do? He said, no, I don't want any of that. David trusted in the Lord. He walked up to Goliath. The scripture says, he said to him, you come to me with a sword, with a spear and with a javelin.

But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts. And who won? David was a strong man because his strength was the Lord. Also, the apostle Peter. Peter was, I'm sure, a rugged individual, a fisherman.

And you know that for the first three and a half years of his walk with Christ, he was usually the first to speak and the first to be rebuked. Putting his foot in his mouth and all of that. He often operated in his own flesh.

He relied on his own strength. And where did that lead him? To deny the Lord three times and then to cower and to run into hiding. But when he was filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter no longer relied on himself.

He relied on God and his strength. And he helped to turn the known world upside down. Look at what Paul says in verse 10. Second Corinthians chapter four, verse 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. 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. What does he mean by this?

This statement, carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus. See, we want the strength, we want the power, we want all the positive things. But this doesn't sound all that positive, does it?

You think of the things that Paul went through, though. Carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus. The things that Paul went through are the things that Jesus went through. Jesus had enemies.

People hated him, plotted against him. The same with the Apostle Paul. Jesus was arrested, Paul was arrested. Jesus was beaten, Paul was beaten. Jesus was put to death, Paul eventually would be put to death.

He was a partaker in the sufferings of Christ. But you think about it, why was Paul so hated? Why are Christians so despised? I was listening to a sermon this morning. The statistic was 3 ,000 Christians were killed last year because of their faith.

No other reason. I'm actually surprised it's not more, to tell you the truth. Why? Why do people hate Christians? Why do people have such contempt for our beliefs? Why? Well, you know, where's the anger directed at?

It's directed at us. Why? Well, go ahead and turn to Genesis chapter 4. Keep a finger in 2 Corinthians 4. But Genesis 4, this is the account of Cain and Abel. The point that I want to make is where the anger is really directed.

We think it's directed at us. Paul knew it wasn't really directed at him. It was directed at God. So Genesis chapter 4. Because if we're going to become like Christ, we have to go through the things that he went through.

That's part of it. Genesis chapter 4, starting in verse 1. Now Adam knew Eve, his wife. And she conceived and bore Cain. And said, I have acquired a man from the Lord. Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel.

Now Abel was a keeper of sheep. But Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time, it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat.

And the Lord respected Abel and his offering. But he did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry and his countenance fell. So who is Cain angry at? You may say, well, he's angry at his brother.

But did Abel do anything wrong? What did Abel do to his brother? Nothing. Verse 6. So the Lord said to Cain, why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted?

And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you. But you should rule over it. Now Cain talked with Abel, his brother. And it came to pass when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and did what?

Killed him. You see, Abel did nothing wrong. And yet Cain was angry at God. Cain was angry because the Lord did not respect his offering. But what's the problem? What's Cain going to do against God? Cain can't do anything to God.

So instead, he takes out his vengeance on the one who represents God. This is what Satan does. Satan hates God. But he can't touch God. So he does the next best thing. He targets people made in God's image.

Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Morris Cornet Church. If you'd like to listen to the complete message, or if you'd like more information about the ministry, visit our website, MorrisCornetChurch .com.

And we'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett. Until next time, may the grace of God be with you.