Introduction : When people face severe trouble and there is no way out they say, "We have come to a dead end." At that time, they may be encouraged to hear, "There is a way out of every situation." What can we believers say at such a time?


1. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed
    1) When armies were surrounded by their enemies on every side and had no way out
        ○ The British armies of Dunkirk during World War II
    2) Life surrounded by sin, the devil, sickness, poverty, and death (Ro 7:24)
        (1) Jesus cried out, "It is finished."
        (2) All those surrounding us have been destroyed.
            (1Pe 2:24, Ro 8:2, Gal 3:13, 1Co15:55)
    3) The material realm can´t besiege the spiritual realm
        - There is a spiritual heaven in us. (Lk 17:21, Ro 5:3-4, 1Jn 4:4)

2. Perplexed, but not in despair
    1) The testimony of a mother of swimmer Jinho Kim who devoted herself to her son´s
        education even when he was an autistic child, and helped him to win a gold medal
        during the Paralympics
        (1) Her life had no way out - if she had been a child, she would have run away from
            home. She had a bad husband and would have sought a divorce. However, her
            son was an autistic child, and she had no way out.
        (2) Suicide together or believe together? - When she was in despair after she prayed
            for four years, she heard the voice of God, "Love your child" ( a mother who lives
            to love).
    2) The One who loves me is in heaven
        (1) The love of God has been demonstrated (Ro 5;8, 1Jn 3:1)
        (2) Life with God - In the time of my favor I will hear you, and in the day of salvation I
             will help you (2Co 6:2,9-10)

3. Persecuted, but not abandoned
    1) The Jews were persecuted
        - Both Israel and Judah were destroyed by Assyria and Babylon, and they were
           severely persecuted, wandering without their own country for 2,000 years, but
           they were not abandoned.    (Jer 25:11, 30:17-18, Heb 13:5)
    2) The Church suffered severe persecution
        (1) The ten emperors of Rome persecuted the Church continually
            - They persecuted the Church with their national power, but the Emperor
              Constantinus accepted Christianity as their national religion.
              (1Jn 5:19, 2Tim 3:12)
        (2) Christians were persecuted in Korea - during the reign of the (Ro 8:17-18)
              Emperor Kojong´s father, under the Japanese rule, and communist control.
    3) The more persecuted, the nearer God is (Mt 5:10-12, 2Co 12:10)

4. Struck down, but not destroyed
    - Struck down symbolizes being killed, and destroyed symbolizes perishing.
    1) Jesus was struck down on the Cross, but not destroyed, and He was resurrected
        (Ro 1:4, 8:34, Ac 2:23-24)
    2) A person who has accepted Jesus has both death and resurrection
        - The person may die physically in any way, but has the life of resurrection.
            (2Co 5:1, 4:14, 1Pe 5:10)
    3) Unbelievers in Jesus will be destroyed, and believers will be resurrected, taken to
        heaven, and seated in heaven with Christ. (Eph 2;6, Rev 3:21, Ro 8:35-39)


Conclusion : The Cross is a stepping-stone between death and resurrection. The more we take up the Cross, the more we will overflow physically and mentally with resurrection life.