“We Do Not Lose Heart ”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

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Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost—July 19, 2020

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Our text is from today’s Epistle Reading:  “Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our troubles are light and momentary compared to the eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

“Therefore we do not lose heart.”  There are so many things in this world that can cause us to lose heart, troubles of every kind:  Illness; struggles with our work, or at school, or even church; financial difficulties; problems in our family or marriage; disappointments and failures in our lives; the death of a loved one.  These and so many other troubles can cause us to lose heart.

And right now we all are facing an extra burden, and complication, and frustration in our lives that may cause us to “lose heart”: the coronavirus outbreak, and all the concerns, and disruptions, and inconveniences that go with it.

Paul himself had his own share of troubles.  Later in 2nd Corinthians he tells how in his missionary travels he was whipped, stoned, beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked; how he labored and toiled, spent many sleepless nights; how he was often in danger, hungry, cold and naked. He also tells us he had some serious illness that wouldn’t go away, which he called “a thorn in my flesh.” 

On top of all this, the very fact that Paul was writing 2nd Corinthians indicated one of his biggest troubles and disappointments in life.  The book of Acts tells us Paul stayed “some time” at Corinth, preaching and teaching the Gospel, establishing there a large Christian congregation.  But, when Paul left, false teachers came to Corinth, turning the people against Paul and leading them into false doctrine and immorality.  It was one of Paul’s most painful disappointments to have the Christians at Corinth fall away like that.  He is writing 2nd Corinthians to admonish them and try to win them back.

But, despite all these troubles, Paul nevertheless says “Therefore we do not lose heart.”  Why?  What is the “therefore” that keeps Paul from losing heart?  What is this “therefore” that can keep you from losing heart despite all your troubles?  Paul gives the answer in today’s Epistle Reading: “Because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus.” 

The “therefore” that keeps Paul from losing heart, and us from losing heart, despite all our troubles, is the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the promise that Paul, and you, and me, and all who trust in Jesus will also rise with him to eternal life in heaven.  As Paul says in Ephesians, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.”  In him YOU have redemption through his blood, for on the cross Jesus paid for all your sins and you are completely forgiven.

“THEREFORE we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”  Renewed by the promise of forgiveness in Christ; renewed by the sure and certain hope—your sure and certain hope—of eternal glory in heaven.  Renewed day by day through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Renewed through reading and studying the Word of God.  Renewed through your Baptism, and through partaking of Christ’s body and blood in the Lord’s Supper. Renewed by worship on the Lord’s Day, either here in his house, or outside in your vehicle or lawn chair, or joining in online.  Renewed by taking it all to the Lord in prayer.

“Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our troubles are light and momentary compared to the eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” Our ultimate destination is the trouble-free paradise of the life to come.  But, on the way there we must first pass through the troubles of this life.  Just as the ancient children of God first wandered in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land, we must wander in the wilderness of this world before we enter the promised land of heaven.  Or as Paul says in Acts, “We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”

“Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our troubles are light and momentary compared to the eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”  Have you ever seen two children of different ages play on a teeter-totter?  It doesn’t work very well, because the bigger, heavier child far outweighs the other.  In the same way, the eternal glory prepared for us in heaven far outweighs all the troubles we go through here on earth.  As Paul says in Romans, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.”

“Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our troubles are light and momentary compared to the eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” I used an illustration about this a few months ago, at the beginning of the virus outbreak, that I think is good to use again as we all continue the struggle.

As you drive out to Colorado, you begin to see the Rocky Mountains in the distance.  From far away, they don’t seem so big—just little bumps on the horizon.  But, when you get up close, these same mountains seem enormous as they tower above you.  It all depends on your perspective.  In the same way, when we look at our troubles only from the shortened perspective of our life in this world, then our troubles can seem enormous and overwhelming, like mountains towering over us. 

But, if you back away, like Paul does, and look at those same troubles from the perspective of eternity, then they don’t seem so big—just little bumps on the horizon. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 

Like Paul, look at your life from the perspective of eternity.  Nothing—not even death—shall separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  He died for you and rose again.  Your sins are forgiven for his sake, and he will raise you up and give you eternal life in heaven.  No more troubles, no more pain, no more disappointments, no more sorrow.  Instead, eternal happiness, eternal peace, eternal joy.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”  What is it that inwardly renewed Paul, and kept him from losing heart, despite all the sufferings he endured?  What is it that will keep you from losing heart despite all your troubles?

“Because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus.”  Mother Teresa put it this way: “Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of Christ risen.”

“For our troubles are light and momentary compared to the eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Amen.