Jesus' Jar of Clay

Jesus' Jar of Clay

INTRODUCTION

ILL- Babies are frail. Can’t do anything on their own. At complete mercy of their parents.

Jesus, God, came as a baby. --

Took on the Jar of Clay.

Matthew 1:18–25 ESV

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Isaiah’s prophecies are big part of Jesus’ birth.

5 Truths Isaiah Teaches Us About Jesus’ Birth

1- What He Did

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Virgin birth

Immanuel- God with us. - God came to us.

2- Who He Was

Isaiah 9:6 ESV

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

before all things and holds all things together.

This child to be born is God in the flesh.

Isaiah 7:14

Immanuel- God with us.

4 Names of Jesus

A- Wonderful Counselor

wonder= miraculous

Counselor= giving of wise advise.

Not about him being an amazing listener (modern counseling). He is an amazing advise giver.

We have a tendency to want God to listen to us but we do not want to listen to him.

He knows how to fix all our struggles. He cares enough to listen but also cares enough to tell us how to live.

Most of our struggles are the result of our failure to listen to his counsel.

B- Mighty God

= divine power

Spoke creation into being.

Calmed the sea/ resurrected Lazarus/ water to wine.

Jesus is God

C- Everlasting Father

= father of eternity

Jesus is God in the flesh. One with the Father.

Always been, always will be.

Jesus was not created when Mary conceived.

Jesus already was, he just took on flesh

Colossians 1:15–18 ESV

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

D- Prince of Peace

= the goal of every king- peace and prosperity.

Eternal peace

Godly peace= no compromise- happens when God has his way.

When God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven there will be peace.

Peace comes with surrender.

3- What He Left

Isaiah 6:1–7 ESV

1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

4- What He Suffered

Isaiah 53

Isaiah 53:4–7 ESV

4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

5- What He Accomplished

Isaiah 53:12 ESV

12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Bore our Sins

Makes intercession for transgressors.

He took on our sin so he can intercede for us.

Isaiah 26:19 ESV

19 Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.

These Jars of Clay will be replaced by a new body.

Jesus put on a new body.

We will one day receive a new body.

1 Corinthians 15:51–53 ESV

51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

CONCLUSION

John 11:25–26 ESV

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Have you accepted the gift of salvation through Jesus?