The Epistle
2 Corinthians 4:5-12
We do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who 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 clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Comment: Here in Miami I am following the events back home whilst monitoring what’s happening in this very difficult to understand American politics, and global events.
So what would the Lord have us do in all of this! The key thing which stayed with me as I read the Epistle for Sunday next , above was, “ death is at work in us, but life in you”. A position which all who are called by God to preach the Good News that Jesus, and He alone and his shed blood on Calvary and his resurrection on the first Easter, saves from Sin and the fear of death and evil, should adopt . And grants us eternal life, which is the Holy Spirit living in us so that the life of Christ according to the same St.Paul “ may be formed in us more and more each day”. Death is in us, as we “ always carry around in our body the death of Christ”. And it is this preoccupation with the cross of Christ, from where the power comes according to Paul, “ that your faith may not rest on the wisdom of men but on the power of God”. This is a profound challenge for modern day preachers, in America, where the accusation, from one media personality Fareed Zakaria, is that white evangelical Christians are more faithful to, and have more zeal for, political priorities, than doctrinal truth. And in Jamaica where some Christians have sold out to the prosperity gospel with a focus on material blessings, some have sold out to liberal theology where sin doesn’t matter that much anymore, and in a sense some are more concerned with social justice, as important as it is in the Bible, than seeking to have Christ being formed in them more and each day. As first priority.
In the midst then of serious, and even profound changes, sweeping across the world, where some have elevated men to be little “ gods”, with devastating effects on moral and social norms, which fuel bizarre and socially destructive human behavior, comes a call from Paul for “ death to be at work in us, so that life can be at work in others”.
This is the essence of Christianity! Faithfulness to the One who died so that we could escape slavery to sin – with its many and varied manifestations, including “paying hush money”, “ committing murder”, and being accused of “ committing genocide”. This is our first priority, and which action will invite trouble. Affliction! Perplexity! Persecution! And even to be “ struck down”! But thank God for Jesus we are not crushed, not driven to despair, not forsaken and not destroyed.
Let us then open our eyes wide, listen carefully to what we are being taught,in Jamaica, in the USA and in Israel, and observe if our teachers on the one hand, and what we ourselves, teach and model with our lives, if in doing so, we are dying to self, and the life of the Risen Christ is being formed in others. To the glory of God and for the rescuing of this hurting and broken world, where Rachel’s children are now crying and dying in Rafah, Religious Truth is dying in an increasingly secular America, and if we are not careful, theological adventurism ( any shift away from a focus on the Cross) will take hold in Jamaica land we love, and thwart any attempt to truly appeal to the Eternal Father to bless our land and free us from Crime and Violence and Injustice and immorality and worship of “gods” wherever. Whether in Gaza or in the National Arena or the boardrooms of the rich and famous. Or in the very church!
Almighty God we pray thee to renew your church beginning with those who are prepared to die to self, and live for the Crucified and the Risen Christ; O Living God we pray thee to renew your church so that the church may renew the nation(s) where the children are crying and dying.
In obedience
Shalom
LWJ
danielgodsurelywilldeliver 