Jars of Clay
Notes
Transcript
7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
Jars of Clay
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE IMAGE OF A CLAY POT, WHAT COMES TO MIND?
IT'S A SIMPLE OBJECT, ISN'T IT? FRAGILE, EASILY BROKEN, AND YET, IT IS USED TO HOLD SOMETHING OF VALUE.
THIS IS THE IMAGE THAT PAUL USES TO DESCRIBE US - JARS OF CLAY.
WE ARE FRAGILE, WE ARE BREAKABLE, BUT WITHIN US, WE CARRY SOMETHING OF IMMENSE VALUE - THE TREASURE OF GOD'S POWER AND PRESENCE.
THIS IS A PARADOX THAT WE ENCOUNTER IN OUR LIVES AS BELIEVERS.
WE ARE WEAK, AND YET WE ARE STRONG.
WE ARE FRAGILE, YET WE ARE RESILIENT.
WE ARE ORDINARY, YET WE ARE EXTRAORDINARY.
THIS IS NOT BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE, BUT BECAUSE OF WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE HAS PLACED WITHIN US.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS …THERE ARE SEVERAL ASPECTS WE SHOULD CONSIDER ....THE FIRST ASPECT OF THIS PARADOX - THE IDEA OF FRAILNESS.
WE ARE ALL TOO AWARE OF OUR OWN WEAKNESSES AND LIMITATIONS.
WE KNOW OUR FAULTS, OUR SHORTCOMINGS, OUR FAILURES.
WE KNOW HOW EASILY WE CAN BE BROKEN BY THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF LIFE.
AND YET, IT IS IN THIS VERY FRAILNESS THAT GOD'S POWER IS MADE MANIFEST.
WHEN WE ARE WEAK, WHEN WE ARE BROKEN, WHEN WE ARE AT THE END OF OUR ROPE, THAT'S WHEN GOD'S POWER SHINES THE BRIGHTEST.
IT'S WHEN WE'VE COME TO THE END OF OUR OWN STRENGTH THAT WE BEGIN TO RELY ON HIS.
IT'S WHEN WE'VE EXHAUSTED ALL OUR RESOURCES THAT WE START TO TAP INTO HIS LIMITLESS SUPPLY.
IT'S WHEN WE'VE HIT ROCK BOTTOM THAT WE START TO LOOK UP AND SEE HIS HAND REACHING DOWN TO LIFT US UP.
THE SECOND ASPECT OF THIS PARADOX IS THE IDEA OF POWER.
BUT THIS IS NOT POWER AS THE WORLD UNDERSTANDS IT.
IT'S NOT ABOUT PHYSICAL STRENGTH OUR INTELLECTUAL ABILITY OR FINANCIAL WEALTH.
IT'S ABOUT SPIRITUAL POWER - THE POWER TO OVERCOME, THE POWER TO ENDURE, THE POWER TO PERSEVERE, THE POWER TO HOPE, THE POWER TO LOVE.
THIS POWER IS NOT SOMETHING WE POSSESS, BUT SOMETHING THAT POSSESSES US.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE GENERATE, BUT SOMETHING THAT IS GENERATED WITHIN US.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CONTROL, BUT SOMETHING THAT CONTROLS US.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN TAKE CREDIT FOR, BUT SOMETHING THAT GIVES CREDIT TO GOD.
THE THIRD ASPECT OF THIS PARADOX IS THE IDEA OF THE TREASURE.
WHAT IS THIS TREASURE THAT WE CARRY WITHIN US?
IT'S THE PRESENCE OF GOD, THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT, THE PROMISE OF HIS WORD.
IT'S THE ASSURANCE OF HIS LOVE, THE COMFORT OF HIS PEACE, THE JOY OF HIS SALVATION.
THIS TREASURE IS NOT SOMETHING WE EARN, BUT SOMETHING WE RECEIVE.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE DESERVE, BUT SOMETHING WE ARE GIVEN.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN LOSE, BUT SOMETHING THAT IS SECURELY OURS.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN DEPLETE, BUT SOMETHING THAT IS CONSTANTLY REPLENISHED.
THE FOURTH AND FINAL ASPECT OF THIS PARADOX IS THE IDEA OF THE CLAY POT.
WE ARE THE VESSELS THAT CARRY THIS TREASURE.
WE ARE THE CONTAINERS THAT HOLD THIS POWER.
WE ARE THE INSTRUMENTS THAT CHANNEL THIS PRESENCE.
WE ARE NOT THE SOURCE OF THE TREASURE, BUT THE CARRIERS OF IT.
WE ARE NOT THE GENERATORS OF THE POWER, BUT THE CONDUITS OF IT.
WE ARE NOT THE ORIGINATORS OF THE PRESENCE, BUT THE RECIPIENTS OF IT.
IN OUR FRAILNESS, WE ARE MADE STRONG.
IN OUR WEAKNESS, WE ARE MADE POWERFUL. IN OUR ORDINARINESS, WE ARE MADE EXTRAORDINARY.
THIS IS THE MYSTERY OF STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS. THIS IS THE WONDER OF TREASURE IN CLAY POTS.
GOD USES FLAWED PEOPLE TO DEMONSTRATE HIS GRACE SO THAT WHEN THE VICTORY IS WON, HE ALONE GETS THE GLORY.
PAUL CONFIRMED THIS IN OUR TEXT FOR EXAMINATION --
But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.
“NOW WE HAVE THIS TREASURE IN JARS OF CLAY, SO THAT THIS EXTRAORDINARY POWER MAY BE FROM GOD AND NOT FROM US.”
THAT’S ALL WE ARE, JUST CLAY POTS, ORDINARY KITCHENWARE, CLAY POTS THAT ARE EASILY CRACKED AND OFTEN BROKEN.
• WE’RE NOT EXPENSIVE CHINA THAT YOU BUY IN SOME HIGH-DOLLAR STORE IN NEW YORK CITY OR LOS ANGELES
• WE’RE ORDINARY WAL-MART KITCHENWARE AND DOLLAR TREE DISHES …..USEFUL BUT NOT EXPENSIVE
• WE’RE ALL CRACKED AND CHIPPED IN VARIOUS PLACES, YET GOD IN HIS GRACE USES US ANYWAY…..
CLAY JARS IN THE FIRST CENTURY WERE ORDINARY – COMMON - EASILY BROKEN - OFTEN DISCARDED.
THEY WERE USED FOR CARRYING WATER AND OTHER ORDINARY FUNCTIONS.
THE IMAGE OF POTTERY IS IT IS FRAGILE AND CAN EASILY BECOME CRACKED, CHIPPED, OR BROKEN IF DROPPED.
IT'S HUMBLING TO REALIZE THE APOSTLE PAUL TELLS US WE ARE CLAY POTS.
HE IS BRUTALLY HONEST……ABOUT WHO ARE
IT WOULD NOT BE SO BAD IF HE WAS TALKING ABOUT OUR LIVES B.C. (BEFORE CHRIST), BUT HE'S TALKING ABOUT AFTER WE HAVE CHRIST IN US.
GOD PUTS THE UNBELIEVABLE – INCONCEIVABLE – UNTHINKABLE – UNIMAGINABLE - TREASURE OF THE UNIVERSE "THE VERY PRESENCE OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD OF THE UNIVERSE" IN US!
• YOU WOULD THINK THAT WOULD MAKE US EXPENSIVE CONTAINERS
• PRECIOUS CONTENTS GO IN VALUABLE CONTAINERS
• THAT WOULD MAKE PERFECT HUMAN SENSE
• BUT NO
• HE PLACES THIS MOST PRECIOUS TREASURE IN "JARS OF CLAY"
• SO THAT OTHERS WILL SEE AND EXPERIENCE THE TREASURE OF CHRIST RATHER THAN BEING IMPRESSED WITH US
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CLAY POT GETS JOSTLED AROUND, BUMPED - PASSED FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER, OR EVEN CRACKED?
THE CONTENTS SPILL OUT.
OR IN THE APOSTLE PAUL'S WORDS, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A FRAGILE HUMAN BEING WHO IS FILLED WITH CHRIST IS 'HARD PRESSED - PERPLEXED - PERSECUTED - STRUCK DOWN?
• THAT PERSON SPILLS OUT THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST ON ALL IN THE AREA, FILLING THE PLACE WITH THE AROMA OF CHRIST
• WHAT HAPPENS IF IT IS NOT JOSTLED?
• THAT TREASURE JUST SITS THERE
THE SHAKING AND DISRUPTIONS IN OUR LIVES ARE NOT BECAUSE GOD HAS ABANDONED US AT ALL.
IT IS BECAUSE HE BELIEVES IN US AS HIS TREASURE HOLDERS WHO SPILL HIS PRESENCE.
• PROBLEM IS THAT TOO OFTEN …….WHEN WE ARE BEING CHALLENGED BY THE CARES OF THIS LIFE
• IF WE DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS IN US WE BEGIN TO SPILL OUT STUFF THAT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE CHRIST
• BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER LEARNED OR SOMEHOW FORGOTTEN THAT WE ARE CLAY POTS FILLED WITH CHRIST
• RATHER THAN CRACKED AND LEAKING A TREASURE THAT ATTRACTS TOWARD HEAVEN
WE FOCUS ON THE JARS OF CLAY INSTEAD OF THE SWEET CONTENTS
• WE ARE TRULY "JARS OF CLAY
OUR BODIES, THESE PERISHABLE CONTAINERS, ARE VESSELS THAT ARE TO BE USED.
• THEY ARE MEANT TO BE FILLED AND EMPTIED FOR SOME PURPOSE….
• THEY ARE THE MEDIUM THROUGH WHICH SOMETHING GOOD IS MADE AVAILABLE TO OTHERS
• PERHAPS THIS CONTAINER IS USED FOR MEDICINE FOR THE SICK
• THAT CONTAINER TO PROVIDE WATER FOR THE THIRSTY
• OR THIS CONTAINER TO OFFER SOUP FOR THE HUNGRY
AS THE VESSEL OF LIFE, THE HUMAN BODY IS USED TO BENEFIT OTHERS, BUT IS ITSELF WASTED AWAY.
YES, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE ARE NOTHING MORE THAN JARS OF CLAY.
THIS IS WHY GOD OFTEN HIGHLIGHTS OUR INFERIORITY BY EXPOSING US TO HARDSHIP AND DIFFICULTY.
• WHY DOES GOD DO THIS?
• GOD DOES THIS IN ORDER TO CAUSE THE FOCUS….TO BE PLACED UPON THE TREASURE AND NOT UPON THE CONTAINER
• WE HAVE THIS TREASURE IN JARS OF CLAY TO SHOW THIS ALL-SURPASSING POWER IS FROM GOD AND NOT FROM US
• GOD USES US NO MATTER HOW CHIPPED OR BROKEN WE ARE….
LOOK AT GODS PEOPLE…
• ABRAHAM -- GUILTY OF DISHONESTY…DECEIVED PHAROH INTO THINKING HIS WIFE WAS HIS SISTER, AND YET HE BECAME THE MAN OF FAITH AND THE FRIEND OF GOD
• MOSES -- STUTTERING SPEECH, QUICK TEMPER, YET HE WAS THE MAN CHOSEN TO MAKE A NATION AND COMMUNE WITH GOD AND RECEIVE HIS LAW
• DAVID -- GUILTY OF ADULTERY, CONSPIRACY, MURDER, UNFAITHFULNESS AS A HUSBAND, FATHER - REPENTED, BECAME A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART AND THE NUMBER ONE SONG WRITER OF ALL HISTORY AND WE STILL SING HIS SONGS…IN THE PSALMS
• ELIJAH -- RUNNING FROM JEZEBEL, WANTED TO DIE, THOUGHT HE WAS A FAILURE….YET HE DEFIED AHAB AND ALL THE PROPHETS OF BAAL AND YET HEARD THE STILL SMALL VOICE OF GOD AT HOREB
• ISAIAH -- IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HEAVENLY VISION SAYS, "I'M A MAN WITH A DIRTY MOUTH, I LIVE AMONG PEOPLE WITH DIRTY MOUTHS, I'M CERTAINLY USELESS TO YOU, O GOD" - BUT WHEN HE HAD BEEN CLEANSED HE SAID, "HERE AM I, SEND ME," AND GOD SAID GO
• PETER -- ANOTHER CLAY POT, THE LEADER, THE SPOKESMAN OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES WHO DENIED HIS LORD WITH OATHS AND CURSES, WHO EVEN HAD THE AUDACITY TO CORRECT THE LORD AND YET WAS RESTORED BY THE COMPASSION OF JESUS IN THE MIDST OF HIS DISOBEDIENCE AND WAS ENABLED BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SPEAK WITH SUCH FORCE ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST AS TO BE THE AGENCY BY WHICH GOD BROUGHT TO BIRTH THE GREAT PENTECOSTAL INTRODUCTION TO THE CHURCH
• ARE YOU GETTING THE PICTURE HERE?
• WE ARE NOTHING MORE THAN JARS OF CLAY
WE AS CHRISTIANS ARE MERELY “CLAY POTS - WHILE THE GOSPEL IS THE TREASURE.
• EARTHEN VESSELS (CLAY POTS) ARE COMMON AND CHEAP
• EARTHEN VESSELS (CLAY POTS) ARE ALSO FRAGILE AND EASILY BROKEN
• REMEMBER WE WERE MADE OF THE DUST OF THE EARTH
• EARTHEN VESSELS ARE FASHIONED BY THE POTTER, WHO CREATES THEM FOR HIS OWN PURPOSES
• CLAY POTS HAVE NOTHING IN WHICH TO BOAST - THEY HAVE NO BASIS FOR FEELING SUPERIOR
• THE TREASURE GAINS NOTHING FROM THE POTS
• IF ANYTHING, THE POTS GAIN FROM THE GLORY OF THE TREASURE
WE SPEND TOO MUCH TIME FOCUSING UPON THE JARS OF CLAY
...WHILE OUR ATTENTION SHOULD BE PLACED ON THE TREASURE, WHAT IS INSIDE OF THE CLAY POT.
• WE FOCUS TOO OFTEN UPON THE CRACKS WITHIN THE JARS OF CLAY
• WE FOCUS TOO OFTEN UPON THE BROKENNESS OF THE JARS OF CLAY
• WE FOCUS TOO OFTEN UPON THE CHIPS AND THE DEFECTS OF THE JARS OF CLAY
WHEN WE DO SUCH WE MISS THE VALUE OF WHAT HAS BEEN PLACED IN THE JARS OF CLAY.
THE LORD PLACES THIS MOST PRECIOUS TREASURE IN JARS OF CLAY - SO THAT OTHERS WILL SEE AND EXPERIENCE THE TREASURE OF CHRIST RATHER THAN BEING IMPRESSED WITH OR FIND FAULT IN US.
LET ME SEE IF I BREAK THIS DOWN ….FOR ALL THE BIBLE READERS….DO YOU REMEMBER THE STORY….WHEN….
JESUS WAS AT DINNER AT THE HOUSE OF A SELF RIGHTEOUS PHARISEE AND THERE IS THIS WOMAN THAT EVERYBODY IN TOWN KNOWS TO BE IS A SINNER, SHE IS A WOMAN FROM THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT AND BEFORE THEY CAN SAY ANYTHING TO CONDEMN OR ESCORT HER OUT OF THE GATHERING, SHE BROKE OPEN HER ALABASTER BOX OF OINTMENT WHILE CRYING AND WIPING THE FEET OF JESUS.
• AND SHE IS KISSING HIS FEET AND SHE ANOINTS THEM WITH THE OINTMENT
• SHE IS A SINNER AT THE FEET OF JESUS
• ALL EYES WERE ON HER AND THE WAY SHE LIVED HER LIFE
• ALL EYES WERE ON HER TO CONDEMN HER LIFE CHOICES
NOTICE THAT JESUS DOES NOT STOP THE WOMAN.
• HE KNEW THAT THE WOMAN WAS A LADY OF THE NIGHT - BUT HE DIDN’T STOP HER
• HE KNEW SHE WAS A SINNER - BUT HE DIDN’T CONDEMN HER
• EVERYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM HAD FOCUSED UPON THE SCARS – CRACKS – BROKENESS OF HER LIFE
• JESUS FOCUSED UPON THE SWEET TREASURE WITHIN HER
AS THIS WOMAN WITH SO MANY ISSUES BEGINS TO CRY AT THE FEET OF JESUS SHE BREAKS OPEN THE ALABASTER BOX SHE IS CARRYING AND BEGINS TO ANOINT THE HEAD AND FEET OF JESUS.
• THE BOX WAS NOT WORTH VERY MUCH
• THE REAL TREASURE WAS THE CONTENTS WITHIN THE ALABASTER BOX
• WHEN THE BOX WAS BROKEN
• WHEN THE BOX WAS FRAGMENTED
• WHEN THE BOX WAS DAMAGED
• WHAT WAS INSIDE WAS REVEALED
• THE SWEET AROMA OF WHAT WAS ON THE INSIDE
• THE TRUE VALUE WAS ON THE INSIDE
--IF WE EVER LEARN TO TAKE OUR EYES OFF OF THE JARS OF CLAY
--WE WILL THEN BE ABLE TO APPRECIATE WHAT THE LORD HAS PLACED ON THE INSIDE OF EACH OF US
--WE’RE ALL CRACKED AND CHIPPED IN VARIOUS PLACES - YET GOD IN HIS GRACE USES US ANYWAY
--OUR FAITH, HALTING AND IMPERFECT, IS STILL APPROVED BY GOD
AS I GET READY TO TAKE MY SEAT……LET'S REMEMBER THAT WE ARE INDEED JARS OF CLAY, BUT WE ARE FILLED WITH A DIVINE TREASURE.
WE ARE FILLED WITH THE POWER OF GOD HIMSELF, A POWER THAT IS GREATER THAN ANY TRIAL, ANY CHALLENGE, ANY STORM THAT LIFE MAY THROW AT US.
WE ARE FRAGILE, BUT WE ARE NOT WEAK. WE ARE VULNERABLE, BUT WE ARE NOT DEFENSELESS. WE ARE FINITE, BUT WE ARE FILLED WITH THE INFINITE LOVE OF OUR GOD.
IN OUR WEAKNESS, HIS STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT. IN OUR BROKENNESS, HIS HEALING POWER IS REVEALED.
IN OUR DESPAIR, HIS HOPE SHINES BRIGHTEST.
SO, LET'S NOT BE DISCOURAGED BY THE TRIALS OF LIFE.
INSTEAD, LET'S EMBRACE THEM AS OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF GOD.
REMEMBER, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS…. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. YOU ARE NOT ABANDONED. YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN. YOU ARE LOVED. YOU ARE CHERISHED. YOU ARE TREASURED. AND YOU ARE FILLED WITH A POWER THAT IS GREATER THAN ANYTHING THIS WORLD CAN OFFER.
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LET'S BOW OUR HEADS IN PRAYER.
DEAR LORD, AS WE LEAVE THIS PLACE TODAY, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD GO WITH US. WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD FILL US WITH YOUR STRENGTH, YOUR COURAGE, YOUR PEACE. HELP US TO REMEMBER THAT WE ARE JARS OF CLAY, BUT WE ARE FILLED WITH A DIVINE TREASURE. HELP US TO RELY ON YOUR POWER, NOT OUR OWN. AND HELP US TO SHINE YOUR LIGHT IN THIS DARK WORLD.
AND NOW, MAY THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE LOVE OF GOD THE FATHER, AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BE WITH US ALL, NOW AND FOREVERMORE. AMEN.