Sermon Tone Analysis
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*2 COR 4:1-6*
*Who Controls Your Life?*
*INTRODUCTION*
• Paul is in Phillipi on his third missionary journey; it is perhaps sum~/fall 57AD.
Titus comes from Corinth with word that Paul’s earlier letter to Corinth had accomplished much good.
The majority of the people had received the letter in the proper spirit.
There were still some leaders in the Corinth church who were denying that Paul is a genuine apostle.
This causes Paul to write this second letter, for at least two reasons:
› to express joy over how his first letter was received.
› to defend his apostleship.
He sends this letter ahead by Titus.
• In 2 Cor we see the character of Paul more clearly than other writings –
› his feelings and desires
› his ambitions and obligations
This is the most personal of Paul’s letters.
Paul’s ministry receives a large part of the text (2:14-7:4).
› 4:1-2 – His attitude toward ministry
› 4:3-6 – His attitude toward the Gospel which he preached
• *READ TEXT – 4:1-6*
*Two very important personalities* are identified in the text:
› Vs.
4 – “/The *god of this age* has blinded the minds of unbelievers.”
/[NAS: world]
/ /› Vs.
5 – “/For we do not preach ourselves, but *Jesus Christ as Lord*, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake./”
Let’s look at these two personalities more closely.
*FIRST PERSONALITY – “/GOD OF THIS AGE/” [world]*
• Other passages use such names as …
› *Devil – 1 PET 5:8* “…/the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour/”
› *Serpent – 2 COR 11:3a* – “/But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning …/”
› *Satan – 2 COR 2:11a* – “/in order that Satan might not outwit us…/”
• “/The god of this age/”
› Satan is a created being.
He was not intended to be a god, and is not a god.
He is referred to as a god because he has followers who serve him as if he were a god.
Let’s also consider *JOHN 12:31* – “/Now is the time for judgment of this world; now the *prince of this world* will be driven out./”
[*/ruler of this world /*– NAS]
Satan is the god of this age or the ruler of this world.
This is not because unbelievers outwardly worship him as a god.
Nor is it because unbelievers verbally give allegiance to him as their ruler.
*It is because Satan is followed as if he were their god or ruler*.
› *Hopes* and *goals* that are worldly are of Satan.
/Habit of possessing more and more; being self-seeking/
/ /
› Satan is behind *opinions* and *attitudes* that are worldly.
/Being concerned more about me than others; bearing prejudice./
/ Attitude of pride; delights in thinking the worst about others./
/ /
› Satan is behind the *world’s system* of *philosophy*, *education*, *ethics* and *economics*.
/EDUC – a warfare in our own country to separate any type of spiritual recognition or value from the schools.
ETHICS – Sense of ethics is being lost on grand scale [Enron, HP] /
› His influence is especially seen in *false systems of religion*.
/Systems taking us away from God’s Word as absolute truth/
/ Establishing man-made systems – follows his desires and wants.
/
• Things characterized by the term worldly or *of the world*.
› *1 JOHN 2:16* – “/For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world./”
*FLESHLY LUST -- LUST OF EYES -- PRIDE OF LIFE*
This is how Satan approached Eve in the Garden.
It resulted in her being deceived and falling into sin.
Then Adam ate and fell into sin as well.
Satan has continued this approach throughout time.
Before moving on I would like to elaborate a moment on the *pride of life.*
I am not sure that we talk about it nearly as much as we do lust of the flesh and lust of the eyes.
*Pride of life* = self-centeredness; focusing on self; wants others to notice self.
This is a person whose mind and thoughts are primarily upon himself.
How is it seen?
- seeks attention in dress and looks
- seeks attention in power and wealth
- seeks honor and recognition
- seeks position
- seeks to look better than others
- seeks importance
- *They feel self-sufficient*
Too frequently these are found in the church.
Back to the text.
John is writing to Christians.
Obviously some of them have lost their love for Christ and His church.
They have permitted their desires to return to the old life, the ways of the old man, living in sin.
Different things may happen that cause one to return to the old way of life –
- *Some may feel that they need more rest and relaxation.*
They stop attending worship regularly.
They break the habit of fellowship.
*/Bad habit to break./*
- *Sometimes a person’s work “makes it necessary” to miss* the fellowship of worship.
They will quickly explain that they missed because of work.
Soon people do not ask about them – they are taking it for granted that they are working.
This makes it easier not to go to worship *when they really could – if they would.*
At this point we are becoming insensitive to the Lord, and to His church.
- *Still others begin to miss the pleasures of the world* – the pleasures that they left behind when they came into relationship with Christ.
John is emphasizing that when we do these things -- when we start back to our old ways, the love of the Father is no longer in our heart.
We are shutting God out of our life.
In football this means: Satan – 1 God – 0
This is not because God wants it this way, it is because we are making it this way.
› *2 COR 2:11* – “/in order that Satan might not outwit us.
For we are not unaware of his schemes/” or devices.
What are Satan’s devices to outwit people?
We only have to look at what was happening in the early churches, especially in Corinth.
These schemes or devices are just as effective today for Satan as they were in the first century church.
Look at some of these devices …
→ Having an *unforgiving attitude*.
[Bumper sticker – Never Forgive ~/ Never Forget] Letting this attitude replace that of brotherly love.
When we refuse to forgive, we are only hurting ourselves.
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