Let me inch forward into a new chapter (though obviously Paul didn’t use the chapters). Let me do that by reminding you of what Paul has written and say that these truths are ours also.
We are very bold, (3:12). Throughout the New Testament boldness is referring to our approach to the world and also to the presence of God. Here Paul is speaking of us taking the gospel to people, with boldness.
We are free, (3:17). Yes it is true. You are free. You are free from every power that sin, flesh, the world will throw at you. You are free from every addiction. You are free from every fear and phobia. You are free from all guilt and shame. You are free from the past. You are free in the present. You are free tomorrow. Remaining free means you will have to let go of pleasing man and the rules that supposedly protect your status with God.
We reflect the Lord’s glory, (3:18) The word ‘glory’ in the Bible means ‘weighty, heavy’ and refers to the presence of God. Our glory is the original condition mankind was created with. Adam lost it because he wanted to be somebody else instead of being happy with who God created. Adam lost it for us and Jesus gave it back to us but we keep on losing it because we want to be somebody else other than who God made. We want to be and we want to have and we pursue this at all costs even if that cost is our glory. We exchange our glory by choosing to speak a certain way, or by our certain actions, or the way we spend and the way we give, what we use and what we keep. We do all those things for the image of somebody in our mind.
Through the Spirit people see the glory of God in our lives.
THEREFORE ….
“Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.” (2 Corinthians 4 v1)
Layers upon layers, building, rising, boldness, freedom, glory until we can all declare that:
We do not lose heart, give up or back down because we have been given this ministry through ‘God’s mercy’ to our lives.
Years ago, there was a master violinist in Europe. He would play in concerts, and he had a magnificent
Stradivarius violin, extremely expensive. He would play the Stradivarius violin in concert and everyone would whisper in the crowd, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” He would play in churches, and people would say, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” He even played before kings and queens, and they, too, would turn to one another and say, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” All the glory went to the instrument.
Then one day this master violinist was walking by a pawn shop. He noticed an old, beat-up, worn-out violin. He walked into the pawn shop and asked how much it would cost. The owner of the pawn shop told him the American equivalent of five dollars. He bought the violin, and he took it home. He polished it, and he refined it, and he tuned it, and he re-tuned it, and he built some character into that violin. Then, when he was to play the greatest performance of his life in a concert hall, he took out the little, five-dollar, worn-out, beat- up violin that he had polished and refined. He put it up to his chin, and he began to play, and everybody in the concert hall whispered, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” (“Rejoicing in Our Suffering,” Preaching Today, Tape No. 74)
I have met and will continue to purposely meet many five-dollar, worn-out, beat-up, violin-type people around the world. At first glance there isn’t much to look at until you realise the master has got hold of their life and something beautiful emerges. I have heard the beautiful sound of the Stradivarius from the amputees of Sierra Leone; the persecuted of northern Nigeria and Burkina Faso; the raped and the child-soldiers of DRC; the prisons of Niger; the HIV stories of Eswatini; the famine of many nations; the slums of Kenya; the lepers of India; the graves of Zimbabwe; the orphans of Malawi; the list just goes on. And the sound coming from the pain … there is none like it in the whole world!
They are rejoicing because of mercy. They are not carrying the evil acts that were committed against them. Mercy has cleansed the evil that has been done to them. They do not give up, they have beautiful ministries given to them because of the atrocities done to them and they received them by the mercy of God. And so have we. Today I am with a wonderful Pastor on a missions trip who knows this mercy. He nearly gave up but God gave him a fresh ministry, He was merciful.
If your life is tough right now pursue mercy from God and for others. Mercy will see you through. Mercy will open heaven to you. Mercy will give you a ministry. Mercy will cause you not to lose heart.
Missions Paul 