A Sermon Summary on 2 Cor 4:1-18
By Pastor Dave Hentschel
Life can be exhausting. Trials come like waves, and discouragement often knocks at our door. At times, it may seem as if the burdens we carry are too heavy, and the flame of our faith flickers in the wind. Yet, in 2 Corinthians 4, Paul gives us a powerful reminder: “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” (2 Cor. 4:16)
How do we develop resilience in the Christian life? How do we press on when circumstances seem overwhelming? Paul lays out seven key principles that will help us endure and strengthen our faith. Let’s explore them together.
- We Remember God’s Mercy
Paul begins by reminding us that we serve by the mercy of God (2 Cor. 4:1). Our ability to stand firm is not based on our own strength but on God’s kindness and grace toward us. Because we have received mercy, we are called to extend it to others. This perspective shifts our focus from our struggles to God’s sustaining power.
However, Paul also warns against tampering with God’s Word to make it more palatable (v.2). The temptation to soften the message to gain approval is real, but the gospel does not need our modifications. It is the truth that transforms lives.
- We Exalt Christ, Not Ourselves
In a world obsessed with self-promotion, Paul declares: “We proclaim not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord” (v.5). Ministry and Christian living should never be about making ourselves look good—it should always be about lifting up Christ.
Billy Graham once met C.S. Lewis, who advised him, “Don’t forget we’re sinners.” In other words, don’t try to match the scholars. Just preach the cross. We know we’re sinners, and that’s what we need to hear. That’s our mission: to proclaim Christ, not ourselves. The power of the gospel does not rest on human eloquence but on the Spirit of God opening blind eyes (v.6).
- We Surrender Your Weakness as Part of God’s Plan
Paul describes us as jars of clay—fragile, ordinary, and weak—yet holding within us the treasure of the gospel (v.7). Why does God choose to work through weak vessels? So that His power is displayed, and He receives the glory.
We often think strength is about self-sufficiency, but God’s power is revealed through our weakness. Paul was afflicted but not crushed, perplexed but not driven to despair, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed (vv.8-9). His hardships made it clear that the power sustaining him was not his own—it was God’s.
- We Overcome Because Others Have Gone Before You
Paul draws from Psalm 116, saying, “I believed, and so I spoke” (v.13). He saw himself as part of a long line of faithful believers who endured suffering yet held fast to their faith. Hebrews 11 speaks of saints who endured trials, looking forward to the reward God had promised.
Likewise, we are not the first to suffer for the gospel. Throughout history, Christians have faced imprisonment, persecution, and even martyrdom. Their faithfulness reminds us that we, too, can endure.
- We Live in the Midst of the Battle
Paul acknowledges that life is a constant battle. “Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day” (v.16). He does not pretend that suffering is easy or that following Christ guarantees a trouble-free life. Instead, he emphasizes daily renewal—the need to be refreshed spiritually just as we need physical nourishment.
This is why spending time with God daily is crucial. We cannot rely on yesterday’s renewal for today’s struggles. Jesus taught, “Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt. 6:34), meaning we must seek fresh strength from God every day.
- We Value What is Eternal More Than the Present
Paul calls our suffering light and momentary compared to the “eternal weight of glory” being prepared for us (v.17). This is a radical perspective! How could Paul, who endured shipwrecks, beatings, and imprisonment, call his suffering light and momentary? Because he had an eternal mindset.
C.S. Lewis, in The Weight of Glory, wrote about our deep longing for something greater than this world can offer. Our true home is not here—it is in eternity with Christ. When we view suffering through the lens of eternity, we realize that the worst the world can do to us is temporary. The pain of today will be eclipsed by the joy of tomorrow.
- We Embrace That Everything is Meaningful in God’s Hands
Perhaps the most profound truth Paul shares is that our suffering is not meaningless. He doesn’t say trials are simply followed by glory—he says they are preparing us for glory (v.17). God is using everything we endure for His purposes.
John Piper once said, “Nothing in your pain is meaningless. It is all preparing something—a weight of glory beyond all comparison.” This means that even when we don’t understand why we are suffering, we can trust that God is working through it.
At the end of his life, Paul sat in a Roman prison awaiting execution. From a worldly perspective, his suffering seemed pointless. But from God’s perspective, Paul’s faithfulness in the face of death was producing eternal glory. His life was not wasted, and neither is ours when we trust God with our trials.
So, We Do Not Lose Heart
Paul’s message is clear: Do not lose heart. The Christian life is not easy, but it is worth it. Our suffering is temporary; our reward is eternal. The trials we endure now are shaping us for the glory to come.
If you are feeling weary, know this—your suffering is not in vain. One day, you will stand before Jesus, and every struggle will make sense. Every tear will be wiped away. Every burden will be lifted. And in that moment, you will know—it was all worth it.
Until that day, hold on. Keep going. Keep trusting. Because the weight of glory waiting for you is beyond all comparison.
Say it with me: We. Do. Not. Lose. Heart.
