2 Corinthians 4 - We Have This Treasure in Jars of Clay

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Corinthians 4

Present Weakness and Resurrection Life

One of the early heresies in the church was "gnosticism", which was a mystical religion very similar to what we call "new age" today. It denies the human body and everything good about us is in spirit only. Through our spirit it would teach we connect with the divine spirit to "know" God. But Paul counters by saying the gospel he preaches is pretty simple. Jesus came in the flesh, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. If we believe in him even though we die, yet shall we live. This is the simplest form of the gospel. 

Paul says if people don't believe it, their eyes are veiled to the truth. Paul's only job is to preach the gospel in its purity. He doesn't change it to make it more acceptable to people. We call this tendency today, "watering down the gospel". This usually means we are "light on sin". We minimize the death of Christ and the sacrifice he made on the cross. We minimize Jesus' basic call to follow him which is to, "pick up our cross and follow him". 

Many preachers fail on this exact point. They have the true gospel, but they add to it things of human ingenuity and wisdom. Often, they add these corrupting or diluting things to the gospel because they think adding them will make the gospel more effective or give it a greater hearing. They are still doing what Paul insisted he would never do, handling the word of God deceitfully.

Note being a Christ follower is not a mental assent to creeds or doctrines, though they have their role in the church.  Following Jesus is a decision to turn your will and life over to Jesus and allow him to run your life. This is what it means to be a disciple. Many people think you can believe in the gospel and be assured of eternal life with little or no commitment to repent from running your own life. At the heart of the gospel Jesus called his disciples to leave everything behind and follow him alone. 

Paul continues to talk about himself as a jar of clay, that the gospel is hidden in. He likens himself to a "jar of clay" that is broken. We are all "cracked pots" on the outside but the treasure of the gospel lives inside of us. The gospel Paul preaches it is out of his own weakness In fact our weakness demonstrates God's strength and makes it clear the power comes from God when we share Christ.

The benefit of being a "cracked pot" is that the light shines through the cracks. Paul sums it up this way, 

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."

Earthen vessels: Earthenware vessels were common in every home in the ancient world. They were not very durable (compared to metal), and they were useless if broken (glass could be melted down again). “They were thus cheap and of little intrinsic value.” (Kruse) God chose to put His light and glory in the everyday dishes, not in the fine china.

Why does God put such a great treasure in such weak vessels? So that the greatness of the power may be of God and not of us. So that it would be evident to anyone who had eyes to see that the work was being done by the power of God, not the power of the vessel.

Paul makes it clear that being a Christian will not always be a picnic, but the work God does in us through our suffering prepares us for heaven. 

 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 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.

Paul describes two aspects of our humanness. One is our body which starts declining the day we are born. Our bodies waste away until we perish. But there is another part of us that is unseen. We call it the soul. It is the part of us which is immortal. Our soul is every part of who we are, which can't be seen. Our cherished memories, our character, which is based on the choices we make, and our spirit, which is the part us that connects with God. 

When we become a Christian, the Holy Spirit resides in our heart and soul.  In all of this the most important thing is that we keep our eyes focused on what is eternal. The trials we face in this life are challenging but they serve three very important purposes. 

1. They conform us to Christ because we need to rely on his strength to withstand the suffering. 

2. It draws us closer to Christ and helps us to realize the futility of self reliance. 

3. It is an evidence to the world of what it means to be a Christian. It is easy to say you believe in Jesus when things are going well, but our true faith is preached when we praise him even we have lost everything. 

How do you look at the light and momentary troubles you are facing? Do you see them as an opportunity to show the light of Christ through we who are live in "jars of clay"? 

How can God use your weaknesses or character defects to shine through you? How can allow his power shine through you in your trials and as well as your triumphs?