2 Corinthians 4 (5)

Pray Psalm 96.1-4.
Oh, sing to the LORD a new song!
Sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all peoples.
For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised;
He is to be feared above all gods.

Sing Psalm 96.1-4.
(Mit Freuden Zart: All Praise to God Who Reigns Above)
Sing to the LORD! O, bless His Name! All nations tell His glory!
Salvation’s tidings loud proclaim; let earth rehearse His story!
For God is greatly to be praised; His throne above all gods is raised!
Fear Him and sing His glory!

Read 2 Corinthians 4.1-15; meditate on verses 13-15.

Preparation
1. To what does believing in Jesus lead, according to Paul?

2. How are thanks and praise to God increased?

Meditation
We are saved by the grace of God. Grace brings with it the gift of faith, of believing in Jesus (Eph. 2.8, 9), which is born into our soul by the Spirit of God as He comes to indwell us (v. 13). One of the fruits of faith is that we speak, testifying to the resurrection of Jesus and our resurrection in Him (v. 14).

Paul next offers important insights concerning the grace of God. First, grace comes to us from God through many sources, primarily His Word and Spirit (2 Cor. 3.12-18). But it also comes through “all things”. The world is charged with the grace of God, like static electricity, waiting to be enlivened by the touch. Because God is in and through all things, and His glory is in all His works, grace may come to us, warming us with His favor and empowering us for good works, at every moment and through anything.

Second, grace comes to us not merely to be known and enjoyed, but to be spread by word and deed. It overflows from us like rivers of living water to refresh and renew everything and everyone in our life (Jn. 7.37-39). We are grace-spreaders, agents of God’s grace to the world and especially to the people around us.

Third, grace is empowering, beginning by moving those who receive it to thanksgiving, then issuing in good works that spread the grace of God to others.

Finally, as grace accomplishes this work in us, it transforms us increasingly into the image of Jesus Christ, bringing glory to God and making us fitter vessels to receive more grace and spread it about in our world.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162.
It started as a little dot on the abdomen of one, and then within a few days all four of our children were covered with chickenpox. It started small, and spread contagiously, rampantly, and completely.

What if grace spread that virulently? That quickly? Encompassing and covering everyone in our path?
And that grace, instead of pox, resulted in abundant and abounding thanksgiving to God?
And then that thanksgiving resulted in the spread of glory to God? (2 Cor. 4.15)
And we were all covered in, not painful sores, but thanksgiving, praise, and glory to God?
What if?

“Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith” (Acts 6.7).

There are many things that are communicable and carry a bad connotation.

But what if our goal, as we are going, is to infect everyone around us with God’s glorious grace?

“The LORD our God, the LORD is one!
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your strength.
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your children, |
and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house,
when you walk by the way,
when you lie down,
and when you rise up.
You shall bind them as a sign on your hand,
and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
You shall write them on the doorposts of your house
and on your gates” (Deut. 6.5-9).

As you are going, spread Him and His grace everywhere, all the time!
Ubiquitous grace, thanksgiving, and glory…covering the whole earth.

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD,
as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2.14).

Contagious Grace-Spreaders.

For reflection
1. How have you seen the grace of God overflowing and spreading out from you?

2. To whom will you bring the refreshment of God’s grace today? How?

3. Whom will you encourage to be a grace-spreader today?

This grace, he says, overflows. By this he means, that it was not confined to himself personally, so that he alone enjoys it, but it extends itself farther ― namely, to the Corinthians, to whom it was of great advantage. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4.13-15

Pray Psalm 96.5-13.
Commit your day to being a grace-spreader. Ask the Lord to fill you with His Spirit so that His grace overflows from you like rivers of living water (Jn. 7.37-39). Commit each specific activity of your day to Him as a vessel for His grace.

Sing Psalm 96.5-13.
(Mit Freuden Zart: All Praise to God Who Reigns Above)
All other gods are idols vain; the LORD created heaven.
Splendor and strength with Him obtain; to Him be glory given!
All fam’lies, praise this mighty LORD! Give strength and glory to His Word;
exalt the LORD of heaven!

Bring off’rings sweet to Him, our LORD, in holy garments praise Him!
Tremble before Him, all the earth; among the nations raise Him!
The earth is fixed, it will not move; the peoples will His justice prove.
Exalt the LORD and praise Him!

Let heaven sing with lusty voice; let earth and sea sing sweetly!
Let fields and trees in Him rejoice, for He is coming swiftly
to judge the world in righteousness, the peoples in His faithfulness.
He comes; exalt Him greatly!

T. M. and Susie Moore

The Church in Corinth was in need of revival. But there was much to be done before that would happen. The Church today is in need of revival, and the same is true for us. Our book, Revived!, can help us to discern our need for revival and lead us in getting there. Order your copy by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter, available by clicking here.