Clay pots

2 Corinthians  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented
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The glory of never dying

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2 Corinthians 4:7-12

First lets get our context, read in 1-6 with me.
2 Corinthians 4:1–6 NKJV
1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Just real quick, in these few verses what do we have/received? 1. ministry. 2 Mercy. 3. heart, 4. light in that heart - We have the life and glory of God dwelling in us, shining in us. Now our text for today.
2 Corinthians 4:7–12 NKJV
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
Lets start by looking at v7.
2 Corinthians 4:7 NKJV
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

Treasure in the pots.

its the things we saw earlier. All those things we received this treasure of the glorious light filling us, is the good news. It truly is a treasury - whether he is talking about the ministry, the light, the gospel, it all comes down to Jesus.
Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,” Ephesians 1:6 “to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”
Matthew 13:44 ““Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
We have this. Our earthen vessels clay cups. You have been blessed with this. This shows the excellence of of his power that we can even do this. Excellence is hyperbole which is to an extraordinary degree this is the all surpassing power of your God. The problem was (PNTC 2Co): “The Corinthians wish to deny this reality and have embraced the false ideal of a life of power elevated above trouble. They expect their leaders to reflect this ideal.” Paul puts quite the opposite on display
The term earthen vessels (ostrakinoi skeuē) implies something fragile, inferior, and expendable. Picturing himself as an ordinary, everyday utensil conveying an invaluable treasure is as striking an image as Paul’s picture of himself as a defeated but joyous prisoner marching in God’s triumphal procession (2:14)
David E. Garland
Thats possible, but I don’t want to presume. Paul doesn't just picture himself but all of us this way. Clay pots and cups were the tool of the people, common and fragile. But a common tool used or set apart for God as holy is a truly His. If we were worthy of it, we would be the attention.
when we can see him and not us we have come to see Him at work in us. for the jews earthen vessels would very often just be used, then cast away. like paper cups or plates.
God does this often even when he called Israel to take Canaan, he won but required israel to go in swinging. With Gideon in Judges 7:2 “And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’”
1 Corinthians 1:27 “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;”
Why? 1 Corinthians 2:5 “that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” we can’t do this. Can’t make it. He can.
Wiersbe said; “(BEC): The important thing about a vessel is that it be clean, empty, and available for service. Each of us must seek to become “a vessel unto honor, sanctified [set apart], and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Tim. 2:21). We are vessels so that God might use us. We are earthen vessels so that we might depend on God’s power and not our own.” When Christ was transfigured He shone bright as the sun. This light was put on display in us. When we live as he calls us to. God can take the su(o)n and put Him in a cup. So no matter where we go, He is with us.

v8-10 full of the contrasts showing the power of Christ as we live in his death (v10). God-like beings don’t do these

hard-pressed: thilbomenoi; oppressed, afflicted -X- crushed: stenohoroumenoi: bruised, torn, cut. 2 Corinthians 1:8 “For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.” But still he preached
perplexed X despair - aporeo: be at loss X exaporeo: doubt, in despair total loss. 1 Peter 1:6–7 “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,”
persecuted X forsaken - dioko: pursued/persecuted X enkataleipo: abandoned/deserted - Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.””
struck down X destroyed - kataballo: cast to ground, struck down X destroyed - perish/to lose Psalm 37:24 “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Isaiah 43:2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.”
how is this accomplished? Being indwelt (carrying about: periphero: carry around) we aren't just saved. We are in Him, He is in us. Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” we must carry him with us. This isn’t wearing a crucifix but truly living out that we have been crucified with Him. Turn to:
Paul rejected the trappings of earthly success as signs of blessing or spiritual success Philippians 3:7–11 “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Because we live this out, we will be putting Christ on display in our lives. Doesn't mean we will walk on water. Jesus manifesting in our lives is seeing the holy spirit accomplish the ministry he has set for us.
Romans 6:5–7 “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7For he who has died has been freed from sin.”
Paul never credited his training, his wit, his teachers, etc. It was, is and always will be, Jesus & Word of God. I would say if you can, get the training, the education, etc. Can help with jobs to support while doing what Jesus has called you to do. But trust that no matter what happens, you can get through it in Christ. He prayed the same for others - he told the church in Thessalonica - 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 “Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4:11–12 NKJV
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
So Paul, here in finishing up, isn't pointing to particularly spiritual event but at the same time, an powerful spiritual event.
Delivered to death. Because Jesus had Ananias about Paul in Acts 9:15–16 “But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”” And oh, how he did so.
this Gospel so powerful, that Paul would say in 2 Timothy 2:8–10 “Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, 9for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. 10Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”
in 2 Corinthians 11:22–29 Paul spoke of drowning, beatings, stonings, etc. Paul faced constant death in His life for the sake of the Gospel, yet none of these things moved him, (Acts 20:24) Paul did it so that others would hear the gospel, see the salvation of Christ among them. Paul doing this, was evidence of that grace in him.
Death was constantly working out the manifestation in Paul because he was constantly leaning on the power of the Holy Spirit in all this. The cross was always before them. They lived to die for Jesus. So that others might know Him.
Working - ener-gei-tai - work, accomplishing a deed. Philippians 1:6–8 “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.”
Go back to v7 for just a second. I know Paul may be referring to him and the gang, but he is also talking about those who are living in the gospel. About us. Do you realize the power working out your salvation comes from a source that cant be defeated. Would you know that though the your circumstances are seemingly impossible to overcome, but through Christ, you already have victory. And in that, we can rejoice in being a fool for Jesus, men today who call themselves this expect hotels, green rooms, applause and submission. Where paul said, 1 Corinthians 4:9–13 “For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 10We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.”
You and I can rest in this - the greatest glory in christ, is being the greatest servant. Not to be lauded but to worship Him. Come to Jesus right now.
Christ is God’s treasure, and God’s delight, and the storehouse of all God’s riches. God had that treasure in heaven, but sent it down to earth, and in the babe of Bethlehem. In that Jesus who had not a place to lay His head; in that Jesus as an earthen vessel, there was that heavenly treasure of God. The Jesus that went down into the grave, in that broken earthen vessel, was the treasure of God. He lifted Him up to the glory, and then the Holy Spirit came down to bring that heavenly treasure into the hearts of men. And the treasure in heaven, that God delights in, can be a treasure in your heart, that you can delight in.
Andrew Murray
I didn't accept Jesus so I could have a good life, an easy time, but so that he would give me eternal life. I died to this world so it has no hold on me, why would I live for it? I have treasure in me. Right now and forever. Why would I trade that for something that rusts and rots? And because I have Him, I can share Him with you. If you want Jesus, stand right now. Lets pray.
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