Crushed & Overwhelmed > Confident & Clear Conscience

Text: 2 Cor 1:8-14

Our text illustrated two very important, potentially life altering things. First, as Christians, it should come as no surprise to us if life dishes us some crushing and overwhelming circumstances. Secondly, IF God chooses to bring us through those events, He has a Kingdom reason.

I didn’t address it yesterday, but it is nevertheless noteworthy. In verse 9, Paul began the verse expecting to die, but as a result, a result of what? Facing the possibility of death for sharing the Gospel and seeing lives changed for Christ. As a result of that effort to advance the Gospel, he and his fellow travelers were facing death.

We addressed; but as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God. But don’t miss this. As important as that is (and it’s enormously important), Paul finished verse 9 with: who raises the dead.

This morning I felt it was important to acknowledge that sometimes, sometimes God allows His children to perish. Sometimes the “good guys” don’t win. Not the rah, rah Monday encouragement I planned, but those four extra words are so important. Yes, Paul learned to rely ONLY on God and not how clever or brilliant he could be. Those are great words for us to hear. His confidence, as much as he had, was in God. He trusted God to press on, regardless of any risk to himself and that confidence extended to the hope he had of being resurrected were he to die serving his Lord.

It’s not often we hear about sacrifice and facing the possibility of death for the Kingdom and the Gospel. Even then, it is usually mentioned when discussing missionaries. Re-read John 16:1,2. Then read 2 Tim 3:12. Jesus and Paul aren’t speaking about missionaries, they’re talking to all of us.

If you’ve read this far, you are most likely a believer in Jesus. Now learn to Trust Him even more. He said in Heb 13:5 “I will never leave you. I will never abandon you”. Those are words you can live boldly for the Kingdom by.