Eternal Weight of Glory

Introduction

Good Morning, my name is Shawn, I am the family pastor here at First Grace. If you have you Bible open it to 2 Corinthians 4. If you do not own a Bible, we have some at our welcome desk, please feel free to go grab one at any time, it is our gift to you.

For those who are using one of our sermon notebooks, I titled this sermon “Eternal Weight of Glory”

Our Big idea this morning is: We hold a glorious treasure in fragile vessels.

As we consider this, we have been talking about the glory of God which has been revealed in Jesus Christ. This is something we have the opportunity to experience as those who have turned to the Lord. When we turn to him in repentance and faith, the veil over our minds is removed by him, and we can look at him with the eyes of our hearts enlightened. This way we may know the hope to which he has called us, and what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints according to the power at work with in us.

We also talked about this glory being shown by God into our hearts. Just like when he said, “let light shine out of darkness,” when he created the cosmos; he has shown in the darkness of our hearts the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

It is on this we will elaborate today. We hold a treasure, but we hold it in fragile vessels.

Before we jump in, I want to remind you of something Jesus said. In Matthew 10:28 he says, “do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” With this in mind, lets read:

2 Corinthians 4:7–18 (ESV) 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to 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; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you. 13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Lets Pray: Our Father in Heaven, open the eyes of our hearts that we may see the treasure you have entrusted to us. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who would believe. May we not be ashamed of such a treasure. Ignite a zeal in our bones and help us remember the darkness of our sin and the wonder of your grace. Help us to remember the hope to which you have called us. Give us ears to hear what the Spirit would say to his church this morning and may Christ become greater and we become less. It is in the precious name of Jesus I pray these things, AMEN.

I have 3 points this morning: 1. The High-Low Paradox. 2. We are Indestructible. 3. Eternal weight of glory

First, the high-low paradox

7But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

The high-low paradox

Paul begins this section with the word “but.” This word, like the word “therefore”, points us backward. The word “but” communicates an addition, a clarification, or a contrast. In this sentence it seems to bring clarity or addition. He said in verse 6 God has shown in our hearts the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. This is a treasure indeed, but we hold it in jars, vessels of clay.

Lets talk for a moment about the jars then we will get to the treasure. We will talk about the image conveyed by the jar of clay, then we can ask, to what it is referring. The image communicates several things.

First, these clay pots were fragile. This word is for the kind of clay lamp used in Corinth during the time of this writing. These were not sturdy pots used for heavy duty cooking and carrying, they were fragile.

Second, they were cheap and lowly. These jars were not a works of art or even strong and useful. By themselves, they had no real value or importance.

Third, this is related, they were expendable. These kind of jars were easily replaced. They aren’t something a normal person would attempt to mend. Once it was used it would be replaced.

All of this comes together to communicate that while the clay jar is fragile, lowly, and expendable, its true worth is not because of itself, but because of what it contained. In the case of this metaphor, it is a treasure beyond all comparison. Thus the fragile jar takes on a strength beyond its own; it takes on a value greater than it possesses in itself; and it gains an eternal nature beyond what it can expect to have.

Then, to what is this jar of clay referring? Us, obviously. It is not a reference to our bodies only as the physical vessel, but the whole soul. We are whole people and every part of us makes up this jar of clay and every part holds the same fragility.

This jar of clay holds a precious treasure. Within our innermost selves we hold the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. This is the gospel, but it is more than that as well. It is the Holy Spirit, but it is also more. It is a promise, a power, a light, a hope, a strength, a worth, a righteousness, an eternity; and it all is found in the knowledge of God and our savior Jesus Christ and the glory which pours forth from it.

This treasure brings strength, worth, and eternity to the jars of clay which contains it. Why would God use such vessels to carry something so precious? Paul answers this for us in 1 Corinthians 1:27–29,“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”

This is the paradox of our ministries, which we talked about last week. If you are a Christian, you are a bearer of the gospel, you are a bearer of the name and Spirit of Christ; yet you and I, are of so much less personal value as to have comparatively little. At the same time, because of that treasure, you, the vessel containing it, take on an eternal value, a brilliance, a power. This is a part of God’s plan in us.

As we consider this, there are something I would like for us to consider. To make up a term for this, this week I have been calling it the High - Low paradox of our lives with Christ. It is a paraxod because we hold two truths together in tandem.

The first is this, we are lowly. We are sinners, unclean. Sure, we all retain the image of God, and as a result possess infinite intrinsic moral value as human beings. However, we are vessels tainted by our sin and we dwell in fragile mortal forms. We are also broken by our sin and in need of repair. We are dust, as the Bible says, and to dust we will return.

Second, we are exalted (high). For those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ, he applies his infinite worth into us. We become so much greater than our vessels would suggest, this has nothing to do with us and everything to do with him. He makes us alive, he gives us his righteousness, he raises us with him and seats us with him in the heavenly places, he promises us a share of his inheritance, he gives us his holiness, his cleanness.

So, the paradox of the Christian, while we may be lowly, Jesus exalts us by placing a glorious treasure within us.

If you are here and you are not a Christian, Jesus wants to place a great treasure into your heart. He wants to heal the cracks in your soul and ultimately restore you completely when he raises everyone from the dead to dwell with him eternally in paradise. All you need do is repent of your sin and believe in him. This means abandoning your sin in favor of Jesus, and allowing him to transform you. True repentance is taking God’s side against your sin, if you try to defend it or make excuses for it, you don’t truly understand the depths of the offense against and perfectly righteous and just God. When you repent, you turn your back completely on your sin and turn your face to Christ who will renew your soul.

Christians, we all need to recognize we are jars of clay carrying a great treasure. Sometimes I worry we think we are God’s gift to the world, we aren’t. We are fragile, cheap, and finite. I bring nothing to the table of eternal value. Our truest value comes from the treasure we carry. It is the pearl of great price, worth sacrificing everything for. So, when we walk this world, it should be in humility. The only thing different about me compared to anyone else around me, is Jesus. He is what brings richness to my soul, he is the one who brings me peace and joy in the midst of trial and turmoil. He is the one who granted me the promise of everlasting life and will most certainly fulfill it.

Remember, We hold a glorious treasure in fragile vessels.

Our first point was the High-Low Paradox; Second, We are Indestructible.

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; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.

We are indestructible

This section is a little confusing about whom Paul is referring. Is it his team, or Christians broadly? I am going to say both. It is about himself, but has implications for Christians more broadly. Yet, there is a clear point he is making toward the Corinthians in verse 12.

As fragile jars of clay carrying a precious treasure, we endure much affliction, but without breaking. Paul says, we are afflicted, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. All of these speak the same truth from different angles, the Christian, when he truly understands where his true value and power lies, is truly indestructible.

We, who are so fragile, are afflicted in this world with any number of trials and difficulties, but we endure, we are not crushed by them. The weight of this world is great, but we gave it up for a lighter burden, which Jesus bears with us. By his strength we stand firm.

We are frequently perplexed, we don’t always understand why some things happen, why friends and loved ones die, especially when they die young. We don’t understand why people mistreat us, but we are not driven to despair. In Christ, there is always reason for hope. We know he has ultimately solved our greatest problem, that is God was our enemy, and through the death and resurrection of Jesus he has become our father.

We might be struck down. We may be put to death for our faith in Jesus Christ, but (as we read earlier) they cannot destroy what is of eternal value, only God himself can do that and he is has become our Father. Our eternal souls which belongs to him, will be resurrected, reunited with our bodies to dwell with him forever. So we cannot truly be destroyed. Perhaps, we endure suffering and death now, but what matters endures forever and belongs to the author of life who has promised to raise us again.

Verse 10 and 11 are a little unusual, but it comes down to this. Jesus says in Matthew 10, a servant isn’t greater than his master. What happened to Jesus will happen to those who belong to him as well. He was ignored, we will be ignored. He was mocked , we will be mocked. He was shamed, we will be shamed. He was tempted, we will be tempted. He had no home, or place to lay his head, neither will we. He was abandoned by his friends, we will be abandoned. He was betrayed, beaten, and killed; we will too. Yet, we can rejoice because we become more like him. Just as he took on our identity (humanity and then our sin) we take on some of his, carrying the death of Jesus in our bodies, we know we carry his life as well. In him we have been given every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

It has been true since Christ returned that we who belong to him, Christians, have been given over to death for the sake of the name of Jesus Christ, so that the life of Jesus might be manifested in us. So death might be at work, but life will win. Biblically, this is presented most clearly to us in the death of Stephen. (BTW, Monty’s adult Sunday school class covered this recently as they are moving through the book of acts, you should visit his class). Stephen stood boldly and proclaimed the gospel of Jesus to Jerusalem, and was arrested. He then presented the gospel to the ruling counsel of the jews in Israel. For this, he was stoned to death. You might think he lost, they shut him up to death. Yet, what happened? Yes, death was manifested in his body, but life spread like a wildfire from that spot to the ends of the earth. That moment was the beginning of the conversion of Paul, the most effective evangelist and church planter in the history of this world and the author of this letter.

As we think about this, we need to recognize, life Christians have enjoyed in the USA is not typical for Christians anywhere else, now or at any other time in the history of the world. We have been and continue to be the most persecuted people in the world. There are places where baptism is a death sentence, yet people are willingly stepping into the waters in faith anyway. Why? Because we ought to fear not the one who can break this fragile jar, but the one who throws us body and soul into everlasting torment. This jar of clay might be broken, but the treasure remains and he will restore this jar to something greater. Because of that treasure we are truly and eternally indestructible!

So, we do not lose heart! We recognize that our safety has not actually been a benefit for us. Our safety has produced complacency in us. Safety and comfort is a weapon which has been yielded against Christ’s saints to keep them from identifying with him in his suffering. I say this knowing it is true of me as well. How many ways have I sought out my own comfort instead of doing the work of ministry for the building up of the body of Christ? Do I walk in boldness like Stephen; or do I cower and hide?

Remember, We hold a glorious treasure in fragile vessels.

Our first point was the High-Low Paradox; Second, We are Indestructible. Third, Eternal weight of glory

13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Eternal weight of glory

This section is why I chose this book. These verses have brought my soul comfort since I first read it as a young Christian. It is one that meant so much to me I memorized it without trying, simply because I have meditated on it so much.

Standing in faith we have confidence in the one whom we believed. It is according to this Spirit of faith that we speak of the hope we have in Jesus Christ. This hope is the basis for our faith. We believe Jesus rescued us from certain doom, and promises the same for all who believe. If we believe, we cannot help but speak! So, Paul says, “I believed and so I spoke.” His faith compelled his speech.

We speak, knowing that he who raised Jesus from the dead, will raise us from the dead as well. When he does, he will bring us all into his presence. We who (in our sin) could not look on him, lest we die, we will be ushered into his very presence, all veils removed. With this in mind, we desire the grace of God to spread like a wildfire. We desire that God would spread to more and more people who would recognize the richness, wonder, beauty, and power of our precious treasure and that we would live lives of thankfulness even now to the glory of God.

As we go, as we see to the spread of the grace and glory of God on the earth, we do not lose heart because while we know these jars of clay are easily broken. Even if this mortal flesh is wasting away due to age, due to our inherent weakness, or even because our trials seem endless; our inner-selves, our hearts, are being renewed day by day. The Holy Spirit of God, who lifted the veil from our eyes, is transforming us from one degree of glory to the next.

He is producing love in us for God, for one another, and for our neighbors.

He fills us with joy, reminding us of what truly matters and what doesn’t.

He fills us with peace, because the true battle has been won. We were once enemies of God, and now we are his children.

He grows our patience, our endurance by helping us remember who is to be feared. It is not the one at work in the world, but the one who spoke it into being, and he has become our father.

He grows us in our kindness, helping us to see the suffering of those around us and how like sheep lost and afraid, our neighbors need a true shepherd to bring them into the fold.

He gives us the goodness of Christ and helps us to walk in it. It isn’t ours, it isn’t because of us, but him. However, as we walk in his goodness, we come to love it more and more, setting us free from the temptations which afflict us

He grows us in faithfulness. We gain eyes only for Christ, rejecting everything which might pull our attention away from him.

He helps us develop self-discipline. This looks different for everyone, but it is a discipline to help us grow in faithfulness and endurance, but also in our flight from the sin which previously ensnared us.

By the Spirit of Holiness, in Jesus Christ, your inner-self is being renewed day by day

Why does this matter? Because this life as weak, broken vessels of clay, is temporary. The afflictions we endure, the trials, the diseases, the hurts, the difficulties, the confusions and frustrations. All of this is light and temporary, and will give way, like a weight being lifted, to an even greater eternal weight of glory. This body will be laid in the earth like a seed into the ground, but when Christ returns in glory, it will be raised and it will shine with the light of Christ in truth. The seed, like seed corn, will grow up into something greater than would be expected in the tiny object which went into the ground.

So what does that mean? It means, we live today with the eyes of eternity. We are so distracted by temporal things, but what matters? The eternal! It is our inner-self which bears eternal fruit. It isn’t your barns, and bins. It isn’t your homes, or your stuff.

I say this with a large measure of personal conviction. I have always wanted a home. I used to joke and say, “I felt like a nomad.” I had to stop because it spoke to a longing and a pain I struggle to truly articulate. I have no home, save the three people who make up my family. Adding to this is the pain of knowing I have passed it on to my children who have moved as much as I had at their age. It is a desire in my heart for a home, a place to put down roots and raise generations in one place. However, this is temporal thinking. It is not thinking with the eyes of eternity. This longing may never go away, but in it, I am like my savior who had no place to lay his head. Perhaps this is what he intends for me, that I might be like him in this way. So what am I to do? I am to remember that this light and momentary affliction is will make way to a greater and eternal weight of glory. I may never get what I want and that will be to the glory of Christ. I can find my roots and my worth in him and in the treasure I carry.

What about you? What pain or affliction do yo carry? For what do you need to remind yourself that it is a light and momentary affliction which will make way to an even greater eternal weight of glory?

How are you and I focusing on what is eternal? Are we speaking our faith as Paul says in verse 13? Do we have enough faith for it to come pouring forth from our lips? Even knowing we live in the safest environment for Christians since Christ ascended in glory?

Are we working on what is eternal? I am not saying things of this world don’t matter. We all provide for the well-being of our families. Yet, we ought to see to more than simply the physical nature of our families. We feed them and put a roof over their heads, but what about their hearts, their spirit, their minds? What about these things in our wives? What about the discipleship of our neighbors and our brothers and sisters who partner together in the form of First Grace Baptist Church.

Your life on this earth is short, how are you investing it? Are we looking only to the things which are seen which are transient and ephemeral, or are we looking to the things which are unseen and eternal?

Remember, We hold a glorious treasure in fragile vessels.

Conclusion

In Conclusion, remember, We hold a glorious treasure in fragile vessels. In our first point we talked about the High-Low Paradox. We are lowly vessels carrying a treasure greater than we could possibly imagine. This gives us a similar value and a eternally quality we otherwise would not possess. We are Indestructible. No matter what happens to the vessel, we need not fear what is done to our bodies. The God of Creation has promised to resurrect us at the glorious return of the Son. This we keep in mind as we walk the earth, through all of our trials we remember that they will make way to an Eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison because we hold a glorious treasure in jars of clay.

If there is anyone here who would like to know more about what it means to put your faith in Jesus Christ so that you can become a vessel for the same treasure, the gospel and the Spirit of God; I am about to pray, just pray along side me. I am not doing anything special, I am simply talking to the God of creation and expressing my repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

For the Christians in the room, we grow in the same way we came to faith, by repentance and faith. Now is a good time to repent of the sin you struggle with and renew your faith, that you might walk out of here bearing the right burden along side Christ, instead of the burden our accuser puts on us when we walk in unrepentant sin.

Lets Pray. Our Father in Heaven, please forgive me my trespasses. I have sinned against you by the things I have done, by the things I haven’t done, or by doing things with a bad heart. Forgive me in Jesus Christ. I believe in what he has done for me, that he lived the life I should be living, died the death I truly deserve, and rose from the dead in glory. I know when all is said and done, he will raise me from the dead and will dwell with him in glory. Be with me as I walk according to your word, grow my faith, and shape me as a lowly vessel that I might carry your treasure with honor and dignity to your glory, honor, and praise. It is in the name of Jesus I pray all of this, AMEN

Announcements

We are in need of Small Group leaders. If you are interested please come talk to me.

We are having a special Business meeting next Sunday after church. The church will be speaking on if you would like Monty Masse to be one of your elders.

Monday evening, we will be having an elder meeting for those who would like to become members. If you haven’t already done so, you can sign up at the welcome desk. Or if you want you can talk to one of the elders.

…as we go out from here remembering We hold a glorious treasure in fragile vessels and can look forward to an even greater eternal weight of glory.