JUST CHECKING

2 CORINTHIANS 4:8-9

Pastor Rick Jackson

An application of verse 9 might be “knocked down but not knocked out”. That certainly seems appropriate on some days. Have you ever felt like you had gone 15 rounds of boxing at the end of a long day? Stress is an everyday occurrence for most people… who are those others? How we handle stress says much about us and much about our relationship to God. How can we handle stress without becoming distressed? How about using Paul’s triple check?

I. REALITY CHECK [v. 1]     As Christians:

1. - we are saved [v. 1, 1:18-24]

2. - we are aware others need to be saved [v. 1]

3. - we are given THE ministry to show others how to be saved [v. 1, 5:17-21]

 

II. RESPONSIBILITY CHECK [v. 2-7]   As Christians:

1. - we have a responsibility to Walk Right [v. 2]

2. - we have a responsibility to Talk Right [v. 3-6]

3. - we have a responsibility to Trust Right [v. 7, Pr. 3:5-7ff]

III. REFOCUS CHECK [v. 8-18] like a pilot’s pre-flight check

1. Die to Worry [v. 8-12]

According to statistics 40% of our worries never come to pass, 30% involve past decisions which cannot be changed, 12% focus on criticism from others who spoke simply because they felt inferior, 10% focus on our health- which just gets worse if we worry. So that leaves 8% of our worries that can actually be labeled “legitimate” causes for our attention. If we quit wasting time on the other 88% we’d have more time and energy to handle the mere 8% that will happen.

A soldier in WWII had the right idea. He carried a little card to help him deal with worry. It said, “Of 2 things, 1 is certain. Either you are at the front or behind the lines. If you are at the front, of 2 things, 1 is certain. Either you are exposed to danger or you are in a safe place. If you are exposed to danger, of 2 things, 1 is certain. Either you are wounded or you are not wounded. If you are wounded, of 2 things, 1 is certain. Either you recover or you die. If you recover there is no need to worry. If you die, you cannot worry. SO WHY WORRY?

2. Dare to Believe [v. 13-14]

3. Despair to Despair [v. 15-18]