2. Messianic suffering = what is in large part true of Messiah is true of His people
II Cor. 4:1, 16

3. Why should they not lose heart?
We do not lose heart because it’s God’s deal
II Cor. 4:1-6

4. Why should they not lose heart?
We do not lose heart because it’s God’s deal
The work is entrusted to us
II Cor. 4:1-6

5. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, [6] who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
II Corinthians 3:5-6

6. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
II Corinthians 3:17

7. Why should they not lose heart?
We do not lose heart because it’s God’s deal
The work is entrusted to us
It frees us
II Cor. 4:2

8. Why should they not lose heart?
We do not lose heart because it’s God’s deal
The work is entrusted to us
It frees us
There is then no success factor
II Cor. 4:3-4

9. Why should they not lose heart?
We do not lose heart because it’s God’s deal
The work is entrusted to us
It frees us
There is then no success factor
We are not the focus then…Jesus is!
II Cor. 4:5-6

10. Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light
Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. [4] And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.
John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

11. Why should they not lose heart?
Because it’s God’s deal
Because we are convinced we are incapable
II Cor. 4:7

12. Why should they not lose heart?
Because it’s God’s deal
Because we are convinced we are incapable
“Afflicted but not crushed”
II Cor. 4:7-9

13. Why should they not lose heart?
Because it’s God’s deal
Because we are convinced we are incapable
“Afflicted but not crushed”
“Perplexed but not driven to despair”
II Cor. 4:7-9

14. Why should they not lose heart?
Because it’s God’s deal
Because we are convinced we are incapable
“Afflicted but not crushed”
“Perplexed but not driven to despair”
“Persecuted but not forsaken”
II Cor. 4:7-9

15. Why should they not lose heart?
Because it’s God’s deal
Because we are convinced we are incapable
“Afflicted but not crushed”
“Perplexed but not driven to despair”
“Persecuted but not forsaken”
“Struck down but not destroyed”
II Cor. 4:7-9

16. “Finally I accepted my brokenness…I had never come to terms with that
“Finally I accepted my brokenness…I had never come to terms with that. Let me explain. I knew I was broken but I could never accept that part of me. It was a part of me that continually embarrassed me. I continually felt the need to apologize, to run from my weakness, to deny who I was and concentrate on what I should be. I was broken yes, but I was continually trying to never be broken again – or at least to get to the place where I was very seldom broken. I came to realize I had totally misunderstood the Christian faith. I came to see that it was in my brokenness, in my powerlessness, in my weakness that Jesus was made strong. It was in the acceptance of my lack of faith that God could give me faith. It was in the embracing of my brokenness that I could identify with others’ brokenness.”
Mike Yaconelli – Abba’s Child

17. “What does all this mean
“What does all this mean? I don’t know and to be blunt that is the wrong question. I can only tell you that it feels different now. There is an anticipation, an electricity about God’s Presence in my life that I have never experienced before. For the first time I can hear Jesus whisper to me every day, ‘Michael, I love you. You are My beloved.’ And for some strange reason, that seems to be enough for me.”
Mike Yaconelli – Abba’s Child

18. Why should they not lose heart?
Because it’s God’s deal
Because we are convinced we are incapable
Because we are participating in His Messianic suffering
II Cor. 4:10-12

19. Messianic suffering = what is in large part true of Messiah is true of His people
He suffers…we suffer as we walk out His road to Calvary
He experiences death = we experience death…a living death & then eventually actual death
His suffering & death do not end in defeat & an end but rather in victory & a beginning = our suffering & living death ends also in the creation of life for others & a new life, a resurrecting life

20. If you want to see resurrection life at work here in your own life now you have to be prepared to see crucifixion at work as well!

21. Under pressure but not crushed
At a loss but not at our wits end
Persecuted but not abandoned
Cast down but not destroyed
II Cor. 4:8-9

22. For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. [9] Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.
II Corinthians 8:8-9

23. “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master
“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. [25] It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.
Matthew 10:24-25