Dangers, Discouragements and Delights

2 Corinthians 3, verse 12. You'll find it around page 1162 if you're using the church Bibles.

2 Corinthians 3:12

!

2 Corinthians 3, verse 12.

2 Corinthians 3:12

We are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.

But their minds were hardened, for to this day when they read the old covenant that that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.

Yes, to this day when ever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts.

But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image,

from one degree of glory to another.

For this comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways.

We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word.

But by the open statement of the truth, we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing.

In their case, the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,

who is the image of God.

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.

For God, who said, let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

And so on.

May God bless that reading from his word.

Let's again just engage in a word of prayer.

Let us pray.

Our gracious Father in heaven, we do thank you for your word.

And we thank you for the wonder of it, that you are a God who speaks to us through it,

and that we see the amazing power of your word in it.

For it is a word that is able to bring light to us of the knowledge of the wonder of the glory of God in the person of Jesus Christ.

And we pray today, Lord, that we will have, as it were, that veil lifted from us today,

so that we might see more of the beauty of Christ,

and that that might reflect in us,

that it might build us up in our faith and encourage us and strengthen us,

and that we might go on from here, Lord, into this new year ahead,

in whatever it entails that we would go on in that sure knowledge of the hope that there is in Christ.

For we know that it's a hope that is unchanging.

And although we so often say it, Lord, we know we do live in a world that is ever-changing,

a world where we see so much around us that in the beginning of a new year,

it leaves our hearts with that sense of pain and grief,

when we hear of tragedies in so many different places around the world,

and when we hear of grief in the midst of families near and far,

when we see the anxieties that this world can bring to so many,

and the troubles that are so many.

And yet, O Lord, as your word says to us today,

we thank you for this ministry of hope that we have,

of the gospel and the riches of it,

and how Paul, as he wrote to the church in Corinth,

reminded the people there,

and even ourselves today,

that because of this gospel,

we do not lose heart.

And help us day by day, Lord,

that we would not lose heart,

that we would not lose faith in you.

For we thank you that you are God of gods and Lord of lords,

that you are above all,

the maker and sustainer of all things.

The universe around us,

the heavens,

the skies,

the world in which we live in,

they all declare to us the glory of God,

and the power and majesty that is yours.

And so we pray, Lord,

that you will encourage us,

that you would remind us today

that we belong to a God who is great and awesome,

and that as we put our trust in you,

that we have that great hope,

and that great assurance,

that great comfort,

that you are with us.

And we thank you today, Lord,

that your word reminds us

that you are building your church,

and that throughout the world,

you have your people.

Throughout the world, Lord,

your kingdom is coming with power.

And we know that you use so many different means

to bring people to yourself.

We know that you use your word above all.

We know that you use your works of providence.

We know that you use your spirit.

We know that you have power in all of these things.

And we pray, Lord,

that around the world today,

that people would hear and see and know of that power.

Your word being proclaimed

throughout all corners of the earth.

We thank you for the promise

that it will not return empty or void,

but accomplish all that it is sent forth for.

We do pray a blessing on your word

to all ends of the earth,

in our pulpits,

around our islands,

and our communities here,

that your word will be powerful and effective,

that throughout our land

and throughout the world

as the gospel is proclaimed,

that people would have ears to hear

and be stirred up in their hearts

to receive it and to understand it.

And we thank you too, Lord,

that even in your works of providence,

whether they are things that bring us great delight

or that leave us with a sense of much sorrow and sadness,

that still in these things, Lord,

you are speaking,

you are ministering to us,

you are reminding us

that our greatest need in this world

is to know the eternal life on offer in Christ Jesus.

And so we pray, Lord,

that in all providence

that you would minister to people near and far.

And we pray for your spirit.

We thank you for the Holy Spirit

that is so able to apply these things to us.

And we pray to know the power of the spirit in us

and through us and with us today,

that your spirit would minister to us all

in our hearts,

in our lives,

in our homes,

in our families,

and in our communities at large.

Oh, Lord,

that we would know that you are with us.

And we thank you that today

we can pray for those in different circumstances,

those in need,

those who are mourning and grieving,

those who are anxious over loved ones,

those who are unwell,

even seriously unwell for some.

We thank you, Lord,

that you are able to surround them,

to comfort them,

to uphold them,

to strengthen,

and even to speak to them

in the midst of all of these things.

We do pray comfort for them.

We pray, Lord,

for those who are going into a new year,

making plans

and looking forward to many different things.

We all may have different plans

that we are making,

but, Lord,

we do commit it all to you

for ourselves as a people,

as a congregation,

as a denomination,

oh, Lord,

as we think of our congregations

throughout our islands,

and the number of vacancies at this time,

and the need of ministers

for the gospel here and far and wide.

We do commit,

oh, Lord,

these needs to you,

asking that you will provide

in your way and in your time.

And we pray, Lord,

for our denomination,

for the Free Church of Scotland

as it ministers throughout this land

and to other parts of the world as well.

And members who go near and far,

oh, Lord,

spreading the good news of the gospel,

we pray, Lord,

blessing on us as a people.

And upon the Church of Christ,

we thank you for the foundation of it all,

the cornerstone,

who is Christ Jesus.

And we pray, Lord,

that all we do would be for his glory

and for his sake.

So hear our prayers.

Continue with us now

as we look to you

and ask your blessing on us

with the forgiveness of all our sin.

We ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Before we come and look at this passage together,

we'll sing again

in Psalm 86

in the Scottish Psalter.

Psalm 86.

We're going to sing at the beginning

of the Psalm,

verse 1 to verse 8.

You'll find it on page 340

of the Psalm books.

Psalm 86 at verse 1.

O Lord,

do thou bow down thine ear

and hear me graciously

because I so afflicted am

and am in poverty.

Because I'm holy,

let my soul by thee preserve it be.

O thou my God,

thy servant save

that puts his trust in me.

We'll sing from verse 1

down to the verse marked 8

to God's praise.

The tune is ears now.

Amen.

O Lord,

do thou

bow down

thine ear

and hear me

graciously

singing,

Let thy soul, thy gift, be severed thee.

O love, my God, thy self-answer, thou putest trust in me.

Then unto thee, my daily life, be merciful to me.

Rejoice, my servant soul, for heart I lift my soul to thee.

What thou art gracious, O Lord, and may ye true for him.

And rich in mercy of that hope upon thee to believe.

Dear Lord, my freedom to the voice of my request attain.

Then God will spite and hold on thee, for thou wilt answer sin.

Lord, heaven is done among the gods, and may with thee compare.

And like the works which thou hast done, not any more is there.

Amen.

We can turn back to our reading in 2 Corinthians chapter 4.

2 Corinthians 4 · chapter mention

We read again verse 1 and verse 6 here.

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.

And then down at verse 6.

Paul here is writing to the church at Corinth with a sense of longing and belonging to them,

having visited them in the past.

Part of his missionary journeys was establishing churches.

As you see, the letters being written to the church at Philippi, to Corinth, to Ephesus, to Galatia.

There was churches being established in so many different parts.

And Paul was reporting this back to Jerusalem, where he had come from,

and reporting back to others there what was happening, what was taking place,

how he had seen many coming to saving faith.

And there was a real sense of encouragement that even in the midst of troubles and trials that they were facing as a people,

that the gospel was taking root.

And therefore, he says in verse 1 there of chapter 4,

we do not lose heart.

God is working.

And the knowledge of the glory of Jesus Christ is being made known throughout so many different places.

And he was writing back to these churches to encourage them to keep on,

and to encourage them of a sense of a wider belonging, that they are not alone.

And a new year, as we begin it, is always a time of reflection.

We look ahead.

We look ahead, maybe some of us, with a sense of excitement as to what might be in store in this year.

But we may also look ahead with a sense of uncertainty,

maybe a sense of anxiety as to what might be ahead of us in this new year.

But when it comes to going on, to going forward into a new year,

something that often helps us as a people is a sense of belonging.

A sense of belonging.

That we are not alone.

That whatever we face up to, we are not alone.

That we have others who encourage us along the way, individually and collectively.

And so as we think of ourselves as a people, we shouldn't think of ourselves just as individuals,

but as a collective body of God's people, as a church.

That is what church is.

It is about people together.

The church at Corinth was a people who were gathered together there as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ.

If I was to ask you today, do you have a sense of belonging?

Do you have a sense of belonging here?

Or perhaps, if I was to ask you, what church do you belong to?

Do you feel part of?

Do you feel a sense of belonging to the congregation here, to Stornoway Free Church?

I hope we all have that sense of being among people who are friendly, whether we're here every week,

or whether we're just visiting, or here from time to time,

that there is a sense of belonging, of being together here.

But it's bigger than that, isn't it?

It's not just a sense of belonging here by ourselves,

but we belong to a wider body of people as well.

We belong to the Free Church of Scotland.

Our denomination, which is national and even international in different ways,

is a sense of belonging there.

Do we have it?

Do we know it?

Do we experience it?

Well, it should be there for us,

that we feel part of a wider body of believers,

even other congregations throughout our islands here,

throughout our nation here,

that we have a sense of belonging to one another,

of praying for one another,

of remembering one another.

But above all, we should have a sense of belonging in a much larger sense as well,

a belonging in the sense of to the Church of Christ,

that we are not just individuals,

that we are not just a congregation,

that we're not just a denomination.

We are a body of believers that is worldwide,

a body of believers that goes to all the ends of the earth

and down through all the generations of time

and going forward until the Lord's return,

that the Church of Christ will be built,

that he is building his church,

that his kingdom is coming with power.

So we are part of a bigger church.

And because we are, we're accountable.

We're accountable in many different ways as well,

accountable in the sense of getting encouragement,

not just accountable in the sense of what are you doing,

but accountable in the sense of being encouraged.

So that together we are accountable to one another,

we encourage one another.

And we're also accountable in the sense of a congregation

belonging to a presbytery,

the Western Isles Presbytery,

which is the gathering of all the free churches in the Western Isles.

There's a sense of accountability there

and encouragement towards one another there.

And there's accountability in the sense of belonging to the free church,

where there's encouragements there

that we can pray for the wider work of the denomination.

And when we think of the denomination,

we think of the vision that it has for our country

and even for the world.

It has a vision statement of the free church,

a healthy gospel church for every community of Scotland.

And as we begin a new year,

we think of that being a prayer point for us,

for ourselves to belong to a people far and wide,

a healthy gospel church for every community in Scotland and beyond,

as we think of our accountability and encouragement

in being part of the church of Christ.

Does it seem a realistic target that for 2025,

to have a healthy gospel church in every community of Scotland?

Well, I guess it depends on what we are looking at

and who our focus is on.

As Paul was writing to the church at Corinth,

it was part of a wider body of people,

a wider vision,

that the glory of God would cover the world

as the waters cover it,

as the glory of God would be known

as the waters cover the skies,

that we would see the glory of God in our midst,

that we would see the glory of God

being spread far and wide.

And one of the great ways of doing this

is that sense of accountability

and the sense of encouragement.

Encouragement to one another

and encouragement to others far and wide.

And as Paul is writing here,

it's that sense of encouragement

in not losing heart.

Do not lose heart

because we have this wonderful light

of the gospel in our midst.

We've had missionary speakers coming to us

from different parts of our own nation

who go to different parts of the world

and there's always a sense of encouragement

and hearing from them.

Not just when we hear

that many people are being converted,

many people are being saved,

but also that when we hear

when there are times of great challenges

and great persecutions,

that people are remaining faithful,

that they are not shrinking away,

but that the gospel that they have known

is not being veiled,

but that the glory of God

in the face of Christ Jesus

is being seen in these lands as well.

And so there is a wonder in the gospel

that it reaches out far and wide

and that together we are part of this great body

of getting encouragement from others

and encouraging others as well.

I know I mentioned before

about the children going back to school

and you'll be getting report cards

at different stages along the way as well

and it's always exciting,

always good to get a good report card

that says you're doing well.

But it's not always the case.

It certainly wasn't for me.

There was always times

when you could do better, shall we say.

But sometimes you need that just sense

of encouragement.

It's not you're not doing well enough,

you're getting kicked out of school.

It's not, no, you work hard.

You've got to improve in certain areas.

There's encouragement and help to do better.

That's the way a good teacher comes alongside

and that's the way Paul,

as a preacher of the gospel,

comes alongside the churches he's writing to,

a sense of encouragement.

Imagine if we were to have a report

from the Presbytery or the Mission Board

as a congregation here,

what kind of report would it be?

They would maybe come and see what we're doing

and would maybe be praised for many things.

But I'm sure they would also identify weaknesses,

areas where we could do better.

But in it all,

there would be a sense of encouragement,

be encouraged in the gospel.

And so as we go into 2025,

we want to do so with that sense

of being encouraged,

that we belong to the great church of Christ,

that we belong to each other in that sense

where there's encouragements

in the midst of everything that's going on.

What you find with Paul is

he's writing with this encouragement

in the midst of different situations.

And there's three things here

that I want us to think of,

things that we face ourselves

and things that Paul was facing

and the church of Corinth was facing too.

And every church,

every believer faces these things.

As we go into a new year,

we face dangers,

just like Paul had dangers

that were going on around him here.

There's always things

that are dangerous for us.

There's also a sense of

there are always discouragements around us.

There are always things

that will leave us a little sense

of discouragement

and anxiety and fears.

They're always going to be there.

But above all,

as Paul is writing,

he has these things in mind,

but also he has in mind the delights.

The delights that there are in the gospel.

The joy that there is.

The hope that there is.

You find that as he's writing

to all the different churches

and as he's reporting back

to his own mission board,

if you like, in Jerusalem,

where he had left to go on his mission journeys.

He's reporting back,

yes, there's dangers.

Yes, there's discouragements.

But there's delights.

There are great things happening.

And so we can go into 2025

being aware of these things as well.

And always just to look at these three things,

the dangers,

the discouragements,

and the delights,

and to see what we can take

from each of these.

Paul,

as we see first of all,

the dangers that were around him,

he was accountable

for his part of his ministry

to report back to Jerusalem,

to the believers there.

There was a council there,

a body of people

who he would report back to.

He wasn't just going out by himself.

He wasn't doing things

just in his own way.

He was accountable to others

in the sense of reporting back

what had happened,

but also in being encouraged

by them as well.

He was sent out

in his missionary journey,

so this encouragement behind him

that there were people

praying for him.

And so as he's going about

and seeing all these different churches,

he's encouraged

and he's challenged.

And he also writes back to them.

And that's where the letters come from.

The letter to the Corinthians.

He's writing back to them

here in 2 Corinthians

to encourage them

and to help them along the way.

Corinth was a major city

to which the gospel came.

It was a large city,

a busy city

with all kinds of trade

passing through it.

And all kinds of people

were coming

from all kinds of places.

It was a diverse place.

And therefore,

it wasn't just a place

of the Christian church.

It was a place of

all kinds of faiths

and religions

and even,

some would say,

no religion at all.

So there was a mixture

of people

and a mixture

of messages.

And therefore,

people believed

in different things.

And so there was dangers

in that.

There always is

when there's a mixture

in society.

Because as G.K. Chesterton

once put it,

he said,

when men choose

not to believe in God,

it's not that they don't

therefore believe

in nothing,

but they can then

become capable

of believing

in anything.

and that's the danger

when God

is pushed out,

when God

is not thought of.

And that's the danger

that Paul found himself

in here

as he went into Corinth

and as he was writing

back to them.

There was a danger

that the people

would be pulled away

in a different direction.

And it's a danger

we face ourselves today.

We know it only too well.

Going into a new year,

there's a danger

of all kinds of people

around us.

All kinds of faiths

in this world.

All kinds of access

to different ways

of thinking

and beliefs.

It's a danger

but it's also

an opportunity.

Because it's a great

opportunity

to present

the gospel.

John Knox,

more than 500 years ago now,

one of his prayers

was this.

He said,

give me Scotland

or I die.

And it sounds

maybe in some ways

quite an arrogant

prayer.

But isn't it

a brilliant vision

to have

Scotland

as his prayer

focus

and the people

belonging to it.

That they would come

to know salvation

in Jesus Christ.

It wasn't any

small vision

that he had

but a great vision

for the glory

of God.

He knew

the dangers

that there were

at that time

of people

turning away

from God

but his passion

was stirred up

all the more.

Give me Scotland

or I die.

There was this

sense of

we need

the Lord

and this urgency

in it.

And that's really

what Paul has here.

This great passion

because he knows

the dangers

that are around

and yet he knows

the glory

of God.

The glory

that is veiled

to some.

but the glory

that is being revealed

in the person

of Jesus Christ.

And he knows

that this ministry

is not just his

but that God

is behind it.

In verse 1

he says,

therefore,

having this ministry

by the mercy

of God

we do not lose heart.

By the mercy

of God

God is in it.

And then in verse 5

he says,

for what we proclaim

is not ourselves

but Jesus Christ

as Lord.

So in the midst

of all the dangers

of different faiths

and different religions

around him

what he is saying

is that we have

this wonder

this wonder

of the gospel

the gospel

of Jesus Christ.

It's not about

us

but about him.

And he also

makes sure

here of the danger

of maybe

watering down

the gospel

in any way.

In verse 2

he shows

there's a danger

here for us

as well.

But we have

renounced

disgraceful

underhand ways.

We refuse

to practice

cunning

or tamper

with God's

word.

We're not

going to

change this

word to

suit.

We're not

going to

change this

word to

make it

more palatable

to anyone.

We're going

to present

the truth

of God

because that

is what

saves.

And so

this temptation

might be there

to do things

differently

or to

use

underhand

tactics

as he

calls it

here.

But no

he says

we will

preach

the gospel.

We'll

present the

gospel in

its fullness

in its

glory and

its truth

because it's

not about

us

it's about

the glory

of God.

And so

he's reminding

ourselves

here too

the word

of God

is central.

The dangers

of not

knowing it

or of

pushing it

away

or of

tampering

with it

it's

always

a

danger

but we

don't

lose

heart

because

we

have

this

ministry

by the

mercy

of

God

we

have

the

word

of

God.

And so

in the

midst of

the dangers

that we

are surrounded

in

one

takeaway

from

this

would

be

learn

the

word

of

God.

Know

the

word

of

God.

As we

said

earlier

to the

children

when

Peter

writes

he says

always

be

prepared

to

have

an

answer

for

the

reason

of

the

hope

that

you

have

within.

So we

learn

the

word

of

God.

That's

the

answer

to the

dangers

that we

see

around

us

of

tampering

with

God's

word

of

watering

it

down

in

any

way.

Learn

and

remain

faithful

to

the

word

of

God.

That

is

key.

The

second

thing

we

see

here

there

are

dangers

!

discouragements.

When you

read the

early part

of the

book of

Acts

it's

always a

great

place

to go

back

to.

It's

exciting

there's

so much

happening.

You

see the

spirit

poured

out.

You

see

sermons

that

convert

thousands.

You

see

the

glory

of

God

working

in

powerful

ways.

But

if you

continue

reading

through

the

book

of

Acts

it

doesn't

take

long

until

you

come

upon

the

different

challenges

that

there

are

as

well

and

discouragements

that

soon

arise.

It

doesn't

take

long

to

appear.

And

that's

there

for

ourselves

to

know

as

well.

As

Paul

is

writing

here

he's

showing

something

of his

own

vulnerability

in this

way

as

well.

There

are

ups

and

downs

in

the

Christian

faith.

Even

in

his

own

ministry

work

he

comes

across

times

of

discouragement

Times

of

challenges.

And

we

are

learning

these

things

so we

know

ourselves

this is

the way

it's

going

to be.

Ministry

is

challenging

not just

for a

minister

but for

all of

us

together

when we

are the

church

of

Christ

there are

challenges

to our

faith

all the

time.

And

it's

good for

us to

hear

that

that

there

are

challenges

and

especially

when we

think of

Paul

writing to

the

church

at

Corinth

there

were

those

who

would

not

believe

there

were

those

whose

faith

was

veiled

as it

were

they

were

kept

from

seeing

the

glory

of

God.

And

so

for

ourselves

too

there

are

these

challenges.

We

don't

tamper

with

God's

word

but

just

because

there's

differences

around

us

doesn't

mean

that

we

back

off.

What

Paul

is

saying

here

is

we

keep

presenting

the

gospel

even

in

the

midst

of

discouragements

even

in

the

midst

of

people

who

are

not

believing

in

a

society

where

so

diverse

and

open

to

many

teachings

it's

so

important

that

the

gospel

is

at

the

heart

that

the

gospel

is

there

for

all

to

see

and

to

know

because

we

know

that

there

is

one

who

is

active

and

he

speaks

of

this

here

in

verse

three

and

four

even

is

veiled

it

is

veiled

only

to

those

who

are

perishing

in

their

case

the

god

of

this

world

has

blinded

the

minds

of

the

unbelievers

to

keep

them

from

seeing

the

light

of

the

gospel

of

the

glory

of

Christ

that

Satan

is

active

therefore

there is

all

the

greater

need

for

the

gospel

to

be

presented

and

presented

in

all

its

truth

even

in

the

midst

of

discouragements

even

in

the

midst

of

challenges

later

on

in

2nd

Corinthians

in

chapter

11

Paul

speaks

of

Satan

disguising

himself

as

an

angel

of

light

how

he's

able

to

twist

the

truth

and

to

make

what

is

good

seem

evil

and

what

is

evil

seem

good

like

we

see

in

our

own

day

and

age

again

and

again

discouragements

come

and there

are

discouragements

all

around

us

but that's

why we

need

the

gospel

all

the

more

to be

together

for

the

gospel

John

Knox

just

going

back

to him

for a

moment

one

of his

mottos

was

this

one

man

with

God

is

always

in

the

majority

isn't

that a

wonderful

way of

thinking

about it

one

man

with

God

is

always

in

the

majority

we

feel

we're

in

the

minority

we

feel

that

maybe

the

world

the

tide

has

turned

against

the

Christian

faith

but we

are in

the

majority

because

the

Lord

is

on

our

side

there

is

discouragements

but having

this ministry

by the

mercy of

God

we do

not

lose

heart

God

is

with

us

and

God

is

for

us

and

so

Paul

here

is

always

challenging

people

to be

a

people

who

know

the

word

of

God

and

who

are

thinking

about

the

word

of

God

and

who

are

learning

together

around

the

word

of

God

I

read

this

quote

just

last

week

and

said

we

are

drowning

in

information

but

we're

starving

for

wisdom

we

are

drowning

in

information

but

starving

for

wisdom

because

we

have

information

at

our

fingertips

and

plenty

of

it

we

just

have

to

look

up

a

word

online

and

we've

got

information

there

pouring

out

upon

us

you ask

a

question

there's

information

pouring

out

but

we

lack

wisdom

we

lack

wisdom

we're

a

generation

where

so

much

of

what

we

look

at

is

online

where

truth

is

seen

as

what

we

read

online

whether

it's

Facebook

or

Twitter

or

Instagram

or

the

news

that's

presented

online

we

think

there

is

truth

it

must

be

true

if

it's

online

information

is

there

but

the

wisdom

is

lacking

to

discern

what

truth

is

and

so

what

we

need

is

to

be

a

people

in

the

midst

of

discouragements

in

the

midst

of

all

kinds

of

challenges

that

we

see

it's

not

to

believe

everything

that

we

read

online

and

even

at

times

it's

to

back

off

from

engaging

with

some

of

these

debates

as

well

the

best

way

to

engage

on

these

things

is

to

be

face

to

face

and

that

begins

by

ourselves

meeting

together

by

being

together

here

as a

body

encouraging

one

another

learning

from

one

another

meeting

together

around

the

word

of

God

in

our

Bible

studies

in

our

prayer

meetings

individually

together

when we

come

just

two

or

three

of

us

together

that

we

are

meeting

together

in

that

way

of

being

face

to

face

and

the

more

we

learn

like

that

the

more

we

can

go

out

and

meet

others

face

to

face

as

well

and

to

talk

to

them

of

the

wonder

of

the

gospel

to

guard

the

gospel

not

by

going

back

in

our

shells

not

by

just

engaging

in

we

know

it

all

kind

of

attitude

but

in

a

gracious

way

of

being

there

for

people

coming

of

discouragement

and

what

can

we

take

away

from

that

we

do

not

lose

heart

and

so

let

us

meet

together

let

us

meet

together

as

a

people

together

around

the

word

of

God

but

then

as

we

go

from

here

we

go

to

meet

with

others

and

speak

with

others

and

share

with

others

in

a

gracious

way

presenting

the

gospel

to

them

the

third

thing

that

we

see

here

!

in

all

of

these

things

the

dangers

the

discouragements

behind it

all is

the

delights

the

delighting

in

God

the

delighting

in

the

power

of

the

gospel

in

verse

six

it

says

for

God

who

said

let

light

shine

out

of

darkness

has

shone

in

our

hearts

to

give

the

light

of

the

knowledge

of

the

glory

of

God

in

the

face

of

Jesus

Christ

all

here

takes

us

back

to

the

power

and

the

wonder

of

creation

for

God

who

said

let

light

shine

out

of

darkness

to

the

very

coming

into

being

of

the

world

and

the

universe

and

a

people

such

as

we

are

it

was

the

word

of

God

that

spoke

it

into

existence

that

brought

light