Here is the manuscript of the sermon preached at Christ Church Los Angeles November 2, 2025.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:7-9 NIV)
We’ve all been there: the unanswered prayer, the broken relationship, the long-awaited hope that crumbled. Disappointment is the sharp edge that cuts into our expectations and can wound the very core of our faith. It can make us feel vulnerable, fragile—like a jar of clay ready to shatter.
We are going to look at four contrasting statements that are anchors for our soul that don’t offer escape from the storm but are promises in the storm.
We Are Hard Pressed, But Not Crushed.We Are Perplexed, But Not in Despair.We Are Persecuted, But Not Abandoned.And we are Struck Down, But Not Destroyed.
Just as a ship drops an anchor to hold firm against the current and the wind, these biblical truths are meant to hold our hearts steady when the storm of disappointment threatens to pull us under.
Scripture Reading
Romans 5:1-11 NIV [1] Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, [2] through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. [3] Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; [4] perseverance, character; and character, hope. [5] And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. [6] You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. [7] Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. [8] But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. [9] Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! [10] For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! [11] Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
The Sermon
Introduction: The Universal Reality of Disappointment
We are here today to talk about something that is very human, something that cuts across all demographics, all spiritual stages, and all life experiences. Today we are going to talk about disappointment.
We’ve all been there: the unanswered prayer, the broken relationship, the long-awaited hope that crumbled. Disappointment cuts into our expectations and can wound the very core of our faith. It can make us feel vulnerable, fragile—like a jar of clay ready to shatter.
Here’s our text for today;
2 Corinthians 4:7-9 NIV [7] But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. [8] We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; [9] persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
Today we are going to look at four contrasting statements that are anchors for our soul. They don’t offer escape from the storm but they are promises in the storm.
The four contrasting statements are;
We Are Hard Pressed, But Not Crushed
We Are Perplexed, But Not in Despair
We Are Persecuted, But Not Abandoned
And we are Struck Down, But Not Destroyed
If you remember from the sermon from last week, “Faith: Our Anchor in Life’s Storms”, that a ship drops an anchor to hold firm against the current and the wind, these contrasting biblical truths are meant to hold our hearts steady when the storm of disappointment threatens to pull us under.
Let's unpack these four contrasting statements
Anchor 1: Hard Pressed, But Not Crushed
"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed..."
To be "hard pressed" (or afflicted) is to be squeezed from every direction. It is the financial, emotional, or physical pressure that feels overwhelming. But the promise is that although the circumstance may be pressing, God keeps us from being crushed—utterly destroyed, or rendered hopeless. The pressure may change our shape, but it will not destroy your substance. The jar of clay may be squeezed, but the treasure inside is secure.
When you feel the pressure closing in, remember this truth: Your trial is temporary but God's sustaining grace is eternal.
Psalms 34:19-20 NIV reminds us [19] The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; [20] he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.
Anchor 2: Perplexed, But Not in Despair
"...perplexed, but not in despair..."
To be "perplexed" is to be completely puzzled, to not know the way forward. This is the intellectual and emotional confusion that comes with disappointment: we think, "Why did this happen? or What do I do now?" We are confused by the why of our suffering.
"Yes, we are confused." But as our text says, "We are not driven to despair." Despair is the state of having no hope, of giving up the fight. A confusing journey doesn't change the trustworthiness of our guide who is the Lord. We can be confused and still be faithful. Let go of your own limited understanding.
As Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV says [5] Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; [6] in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Anchor 3: Persecuted, But Not Abandoned
"...persecuted, but not abandoned..."
We sometimes have the feeling of being targeted, attacked, or unfairly treated by circumstances or people. When disappointment feels like a direct hit—a personal attack on our hope—we can feel utterly alone. This is the moment when we believe the dangerous lie that we have been abandoned.
But the promise declares that we have not been abandoned. In fact we are sealed, adopted, and under continually care. We are not deserted and left to stand alone.
Here are some promises from the Word of God;
Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV [13] And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, [14] who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Romans 8:14-15 NIrV (New International Readers version) ⁰[14] Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. [15] The Spirit you received doesn’t make you slaves. Otherwise you would live in fear again. Instead, the Holy Spirit you received made you God’s adopted child. By the Spirit’s power we call God Abba. Abba means Father.
This establishes that the Christian life is defined by a relationship of love, security, and permanence (adoption), not by fear or temporary circumstances. When disappointment comes, the relationship doesn't end; instead, the Holy Spirit enables us to draw closer to God in the midst of it, confirming He is still our loving Father.
Galatians 4:4-7 NIrV (New International Readers version) [4] But then the chosen time came. God sent his Son. A woman gave birth to him. He was born under the authority of the law. [5] He came to set free those who were under the authority of the law. He wanted us to be adopted as children with all the rights children have. [6] Because you are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. He is the Holy Spirit. By his power we call God Abba. Abba means Father. [7] So you aren’t a slave any longer. You are God’s child. Because you are his child, God gives you the rights of those who are his children.
This confirms our non-abandonment by showing that God's great, redemptive effort was specifically to give us a permanent, legal, and intimate family relationship with Him, a relationship which comes with the presence of His Spirit and a secured inheritance. Disappointment is a trial faced within the family, not a reason for removal from it.
Because our Father doesn’t abandon us we can declare the promise of
Hebrews 13:5 NIV…. “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
So even in the silence, even in the waiting, you are not alone. God is there and because He is not a man He doesn’t lie.
Numbers 23:19 NIV [19] God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?
Our faith isn't resting on whether we can manage to believe hard enough; our faith is resting on the rock-solid, unchanging character of the One we believe in—and that is God.
Anchor 4 the Last one we are going to talk about today: Struck Down, But Not Destroyed
"...struck down, but not destroyed."
This is the image of being knocked flat on the canvas. The disappointment lands a heavy blow, and we are on the ground, hurting, defeated. Maybe you've tried and failed, gotten up, and been knocked down again.
The world may see a defeat, but God sees just a temporary knockdown. Our disappointment is not our final destination. The power of the resurrection means that nothing in this life has the final say over a life anchored in Christ. We get back up, not in our own strength, but by the power of the Spirit.
Lamentations 3:21-23 gives us the hope to to get up: [21] Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: [22] Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. [23] They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
III. Conclusion: A Strong Foundation in Christ
Disappointment is inevitable, but destruction is optional.
Suffering produces perseverance, which produces character, which produces hope. Our disappointments, when surrendered to God, are the very tools He uses to build an unshakeable character and a hope that will not put us to shame.
Romans 5:3-5 NIV[3] Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; [4] perseverance, character; and character, hope. [5] And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
And as
Romans 8:28-30 NIV says [28] And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. [29] For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. [30] And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Disappointment is the pressure test that reveals where our true trust lies. Does it lie in our desired outcome, or in the character of the God who holds all the outcomes?
So today, as you face your present or looming disappointments, fix your eyes not on what is seen—the temporary disappointment—but on what is unseen—the eternal glory and purpose God is cultivating in you.
2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the truth of your Word. We confess that disappointment is a heavy burden, and at times, our faith feels fragile. Forgive us for the moments we doubted your goodness or questioned your presence in our struggles.
We stand today in the strength of your promise:
When we are hard pressed, remind us that we are not crushed.
When we are perplexed, assure us that we are not in despair.
When we feel persecuted and alone, may we know we are not abandoned.
When we are struck down, give us the strength to get up, knowing we are not destroyed.
Strengthen our foundation in you. Help us to align our priorities with your will, and to trust that your love is poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Use our disappointments to make in us Christ-like character and an unshakeable hope. We pray this in the powerful and sustaining name of Jesus Christ, Amen."
