Treasure?!?! What Treasure?

Scripture Passage

2 Corinthians 4:5–12 (NLT)

5 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. 11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

Focus Statement

In the midst of our weaknesses and uncertainties,

we carry the priceless treasure of Jesus Christ within us,

empowering us to shine his light

and serve his purpose as a united congregation,

especially during times of transition.

Point of Relation

I must admit…confess if you will…

that when I read Scripture with the word TREASURE in it…

My eyes go big and my imagination goes wild.

What could that treasure be?

Gold? Silver? A Dodge Viper…resurrected from the pile of cars that should have never been scrapped?

It could be a large stack of green paper…

Perhaps, jewels such as kings could only dream of?

Treasure bath?!?!?! Anybody want a treasure bath?!?!

All jokes aside, anyone there with me?

Scripture is laden with treasure talk…and, what’s more, we hear Christians talk about what “treasures” they have stored up in heaven.

But then I stop and think…

gee…let me read that again…

and as I do I begin to question what that treasure actually is…

And what am I actually supposed to do with it?

Things to Consider

When we hear the word treasure…

We think of the things I just described above…

At the very least, it is something which we value more than anything else…

something that is extremely important to us…

Something we take great care of…

something we make sure we don’t lose.

We almost always think of treasure in terms of possession…

even if we don’t possess it yet…we will one day.

All we need is that map that has an X on it…and that treasure is ours! Mwahahahaha!

That aside, there is another way to look at treasure.

For instance, some people are entrusted with the protection and security of treasure.

They are expected to transport it from point A to point B

…think of the guards who protect armored trucks picking up money from stores…

and make sure it arrives on time and intact.

These people do not look at the treasure as their own…

to horde for themselves…

but rather they define themselves as the guardians, caretakers…

and deliverers of the treasure.

As we shall, see, it is this latter sense that is what Paul is referring to in today’s Scripture.

What Scripture Says

Before we get into that, let us dive into what Scripture is saying to us today.

First, we have to understand that the church in Corinth was a troublesome church.

We have a guy having an affair with his mother-in-law…for starters…

And half the congregation seems to think that is cool.

Or at least is willing to turn a blind eye.

Not to mention that there are power players in this church…

People who think that they are the authorities…the ones who should be listened to…

and who question Paul’s apostleship ALL THE TIME…

What could they possibly be questioning Paul on…you might ask?

The answer is EVERYTHING…

They suggested he was dishonest about his travel plans to visit them as we see in 2 Cor. 1:15-18.

They raised doubts about how he handled the money raised for the Jerusalem church as seen in 2 Cor 8:20-21.

They accused him of having a hidden agenda as seen in 2 Cor 10.

They claimed he wasn’t a REAL apostle and did not have the Spirit in him

and the said he lacked the proper letters of recommendation/commendation as an apostle as seen in 2 Cor 3:1-2.

They also went so low as to say that his bodily presence was weak and that he wasn’t a good preacher or leader.

They accused Paul of preaching a false Gospel…and then in complete irony…

They promoted false “apostles” who preached “a different Gospel.”

What’s more, they said Paul’s suffering came as a result of being OUT OF FAVOR with God.

So in essence,

Paul's critics were attacking his personal integrity,

apostolic authority,

speaking abilities,

gospel message,

and the suffering/weakness he endured -

attempting to discredit him in multiple ways.

So, Paul is responding to ALL OF THIS.

Starting off in our passage by reminding us that he, PAUL, does not preach about himself.

Rather, his message is CENTERED SQUARELY on Jesus.

He is not preaching Paul as Lord…He’s preaching CHRIST AS LORD.

Paul describes the sufferings and hardships he faces in ministry

(afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, struck down),

yet he is not crushed or destroyed because of God's sustaining power (vv. 8-9).

Paul states that he "carries about the dying of Jesus" in his body

so that the life of Jesus may be manifested through his mortal flesh (vv. 10-11)

Over all, Paul’s point is that the gospel ministry inevitably involves suffering and death,

but this allows Christ's resurrection life and power to be displayed through weakness

This brings us to verse 7, which Paul writes,

“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure.

This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”

Paul’s opponents, and ours too, look at us and say, “Treasure?!?! What Treasure?”

All this world wants us to focus on is how we are incapable…

How we could be more successful…

How we could be more this or that…

Paul is reminding us that in our weaknesses, there Christ is strong!

Paul likens himself and all the apostles and servants of Christ…to clay jars…

Fragile…insufficient by themselves…

In other words, WE ARE NOT THE TREASURE…amen?

All of the complaints about Paul’s appearance, his style, his delivery…

All of that MISSED THE POINT.

The treasure is not the clay jar…AMEN?

The treasure is what is inside.

And that treasure is JESUS!

All of the bluster…

All of the criticism…

did not dissuade Paul from bearing the TREASURE of Jesus Christ to Corinth or to the world.

And for Paul…that was not because of his own power…

but because of God’s!

What This Means for You

Friends, Paul has blessed you with his message this morning.

For today he has reminded you that

your true treasure is not in our outward appearances, abilities, or possessions but in the presence of Jesus within us.

Today you are reminded that

It’s okay to embrace your weaknesses.

In fact, let your imperfections highlight God’s power!

Trust in God’s strength to get you through your challenges.

Today you are reminded that

through God, you can persevere through trials and tribulations…

That you can draw strength from God in difficulties.

Today you are reminded that

you are here to SHARE the treasure you possess…

Spreading the Gospel and hope of Jesus with others.

Today you are reminded that you should value eternal life,

understanding that your sacrifices for Christ have eternal significance.

Today you are reminded that you need daily reflection…

meditating on Scripture to remind you of the treasure within.

Friends, you should be looking for practical ways to serve others daily…

Volunteer…help a neighbor…or be a listening ear…

You should be praying for opportunities for you to SHARE YOUR FAITH…

Trust me…God will not let you down…that prayer WILL GET ANSWERED!

And friends, while this temporal life is valuable and God created us to live it…

We should always keep the eternal in our minds…especially as we go through unwanted challenges.

Keeping a journal of God’s work in your struggles…

Is a great way to find encouragement when you are going through hard times.

What This Means for Us

As we reflect on the treasure we hold in these fragile clay jars,

let us remember that this message is not just for each of us individually,

but for us as a congregation.

In the midst of a pastoral transition,

we may feel uncertain or even weak,

but it is in these moments that God's power shines through most brightly.

Let us come together, recognizing that the treasure within us is the same—Jesus Christ.

This common treasure unites us and strengthens our bonds as a church family.

Our individual weaknesses do not define us;

rather, they highlight the collective strength we have in Christ.

As a church, we can support one another,

drawing on God’s power to sustain us through this transition.

We are all guardians of this treasure,

tasked with sharing the gospel and serving our community.

This mission does not change with leadership;

it continues through each of us, empowered by the same Spirit.

So, friends, let us encourage one another,

reminding each other that our hope is not in human leaders

but in God who never abandons us.

Our mission remains steadfast because our treasure is eternal.

Let us pray together for wisdom, guidance, and unity as we move forward.

Trust that God is at work in our midst,

preparing us for the next chapter in our journey as Christ’s church.

In this time of change,

let us remember that we are bearers of a great treasure.

Together, we can shine brightly,

reflecting the light of Christ to our community and beyond. Amen? Amen.

This sermon was written by Rev. Todd R. Lattig with the assistance of ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI.