WE MAKE IT OUR GOAL TO PLEASE HIM

2 Corinthians 4:1-5:10

Key Verse 5:9

So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

In this passage the Apostle Paul sets forth the goal every Christian ought to go for, that is, in serving the Lord Jesus the Savior we ought to boldly preach the gospel of Jesus braving hardships and difficulties. 

Read vs. 1-12. 

(1) What does 'this treasure' in v. 7 refer to? 

(2) How does the passage characterize the treasure?

(3) Why did God give it to us?

** It is the gospel of Jesus which comes with all surpassing power from the Risen Jesus.

** The gospel of the glory of the Christ who is the image of God. It comes with the all surpassing power. It surpasses all other powers in that the gospel saves man from the power of sin and death, and thereby restores man back to God with whom nothing is impossible. 

** He gave us so that we could share it being faithful even to the point of death, so that those who believe in the gospel would be saved into the family of God. We can find God's purpose more specifically in the four gospels, for in the synoptic gospels God specified the purpose that is to make disciples of all nations, and in the gospel of John the Risen Jesus urged Simon Peter to feed sheep.  

Read vs. 13-18. Verse 13 reads, "we...believe and therefore we speak." What does the word "therefore" indicate about the relationship between believing and speaking? 

** Once you believe in the gospel of Jesus, you have no choice but to speak up, preaching it. You keep your mouth shut, because you do not truly believe in it. Can you possibly keep quiet in front of a poor person when you know that you are given the access to limitless amount of money from God who gave it to you so you could share/distribute it to all? 

Read 5:1-5 and describe the substance (or contents) of what we believe in. What has God done to guarantee that what we believe in becomes a reality?

** The hope of resurrected life, that is, the living hope that when our mortal bodies collapse each of us would receive a heavenly dwelling. In Colossians 3, the Apostle Paul said that our life is hidden in Jesus, so when Jesus appears we too will appear in glory. 

** The Holy Spirit was given to us, whose presence is described as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come. 

Read vs. 6-11 and think about the expression in v. 9, "we make it our goal to please him." Why is it necessary for us to "make" a goal? Why should our goal be "to please him"?

** Without making anything to be a goal, it is impossible to achieve anything. Goal making is the key to attaining a desired result. 

** It is because Jesus is the only judge appointed to evaluate what we did while in the body, and reward accordingly. 

The end 

  

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