2 Corinthians 3:4-4:18 has been a particularly important passage of Scripture in my life. The vision of New-Covenant ministry described in chapter 3 was instrumental in moving me into the ministry I’m in today, and chapter 4’s material on suffering has been profoundly encouraging to me many times.
A while back I wrote out this passage as a prayer, and have prayed these words often at the beginning of a new week of sermon prep. I shared this prayer with a group of younger preachers today and thought it might be helpful to pass on in this setting.
Father,
As I prepare to preach your word, grant me confidence in you through Christ. Not that I am sufficient in myself to claim anything as coming from me, but help me see that my sufficiency is from you, who has made me sufficient to be a minister of a new covenant, not of the law but of the Spirit. The law kills, but I praise you for the Spirit who gives life.
Grant me boldness—not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at what was being brought to an end. Today, a veil continues to lie across the hearts of so many, including, perhaps, some who will listen to me preach. I would have no greater joy than if you used my preaching of Christ to draw them to yourself. Would you cause them to turn to you, and remove the veil of spiritual darkness? Grant us all freedom by your Holy Spirit. Give us each an unveiled face, so that we, beholding your glory in your word, may be shaped more and more into your image. May this very sermon be used by you to transform us from one degree of glory to another.
Lord, I confess that I have this ministry by your mercy alone; knowing this, would you help me not to lose heart? Help me continue to renounce any disgraceful, underhanded ways. Keep me from any inclination to practice cunning or to tamper with your word. Make me content to simply commend myself, by the open statement of your truth, to everyone’s conscience in your sight.
I know that to some, the preaching of your gospel will still seem veiled in misunderstanding. I grieve to think of the unbelievers whose minds have been blinded by Satan, the God of this world, who seeks to to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Jesus Christ—your son and perfect image.
So keep me from proclaiming myself. May I only ever proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, with myself as a servant for his sake. O Lord, at creation’s birth, you said “Let light shine out of darkness.” I ask for this miracle again this week. Through this preaching of your word, overcome Satan’s power and shine in all our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of your glory in the face of Christ.
I praise you that you’ve entrusted me with such a treasure as this, though I am but a clay jar. Thank you for putting a glorious message on the lips of a weak messenger. Thank you for making it plain that this surpassing power belongs to you and not to me.
Truly I am weak, O God. You see how I am afflicted in every way; thank you for keeping me from being crushed. I am perplexed; protect me from being driven to despair. Though I’ve been persecuted, I praise you that you’ve never forsaken me. You’ve allowed me to be struck down, but you’ve never let me be destroyed. Lord, you’ve seen fit to allow me to carry, in my body, the death of your son Jesus. Help me never forget that the goal of all this: that his resurrection life may also be manifested in this body. While I live, may I ever be content to be given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in this mortal flesh. Make me content for death to be at work in me, if that means life will be at work in those whom I serve.
Grant me the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke.” May I also believe, and so believing, may I speak. Cause me to know that you who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us together into your presence.
Please keep me mindful that all of this—the preaching, the suffering—is for the sake of those whom I am privileged to shepherd, that your grace may extend to more and more people and so, ultimately, that you are brought more and more thanksgiving and glory.
Help me to not lose heart. You see, O Lord, how my outer man is wasting away. As this happens, cause my inner man to be renewed day by day. Help me to see all this affliction as light and momentary, and serving a purpose: preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. Cause me to look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. Help me know that what I see with my eyes is ever-changing, but what I cannot see is eternal.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
