Hidden Treasure In Clay Jars
Notes
Transcript
Intro: Have you ever really considered for a moment what we really are? If we were to consider the depth and complexity of the human body, we are a miracle of science; unique and wonderfully made, but hard to completely comprehend.
Physical- Miles of blood vessels, nerves, ligaments, muscles, organs, a brain, chromosomes, bones, cells, DNA strands, etc…
Spiritual- Emotions including our thoughts, feelings, senses, conscience and memory.
There has never been anything so amazing in creation that compares to the human body, yet there is not anything else so simple as the human body. When I say simple, I mean simple as dirt!
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”
Now dirt is the thing parents tell their kids to wipe off their feet before they come in the house and wash the rest off in the tub. I never really understood this because Molly will tell me that we have “dust bunnies” in the house.
But dirt is also that which is used to make clay jars, vessels that are used to carry water, oil and other goods in.
This morning I want to talk about “Hidden Treasure In Clay Jars”
Text; 2 Cor. 4:7-12
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.
1. Clay Jars and Hidden Treasure; 7
1. Clay Jars and Hidden Treasure; 7
Paul has been defending his ministry to the church at Corinth that Jesus is the purpose/focus of ministry. The church and opponents of Paul saw his fleeing certain places and prison time as a weakness that would be his eventual downfall. They were gloating over that. But Paul proceeds to tell them that we are compared to earthen vessels, clay jars filled with hidden treasure.
Clay Jars- “pottery”; vessels made of shells which are very brittle or clay that was fired in a kiln. They were the disposable containers of Bible days, just like the plastic water bottle is today. These clay jars were a part of everyday living as they were used for cooking, eating, drinking, and storing leftover food. They were used to store and transport water, olive oil, wine, grain, garbage, and even family treasures. Most clay jars had imperfections, chips or cracks in them. Clay vessels were also used as indoor toilets!
Treasure- something of great value, cherished, profitable; that treasure is the Gospel of Jesus Christ [v.6]
Now why would God put the greatest treasure of all to mankind, the gospel of Jesus Christ in dirty, disposable, imperfect vessels? Because the glory of the gospel is the power of God and not of man.
The content of the vessel gives it its value. This past weekend we were in Florida at the Alachua County Youth Fair and Livestock Show where Hunter showed a pig. And one thing that was common for all the exhibitors was that they had to bring water to their animals under this big pavilion. I saw water bottles, milk jugs, Culligan water dispensers and even coolers used to transport the life saving water to the animals. Without water those animals would perish [especially a pig, they don’t sweat].
It didn’t make a difference what the container was or looked like, it was what’s inside that gave the container its value!
10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
It doesn’t make a difference what we look like, but it’s the value of the Gospel light in us that makes the difference in our life and others as well!
2. Broken and Spilled Out; 8-10
2. Broken and Spilled Out; 8-10
One of the issues with some water vessels is that they don’t always get used. Water is put in them and never poured out to meet the needs of others. Because of that, Paul reminds us that God uses various means to get the water [Gospel] out of us!
Many times, God’s way of pouring His treasure out is to crack or break the clay pot that holds it. This is why He may allow trials and heartaches in our lives. Our “breaking process” draws us closer to Him. Christ’s power flows through our weakness.
Pressured- squeezed but not squashed/crushed
Life is full of pressure that comes from various forms like our finances, family, frustrations and fear of the future. But even when we are put between a rock and a hard place, God always makes a way if we trust Him!
Perplexed- confused but not confounded
To be without resources, wanting, to be at your wits end not knowing what to do. Paul was often in this place but he never gave up in despair because he knew God had a purpose for it and he kept his hope and focus in God.
Persecuted- harassed but never helpless
to be pursued in a hostile manner; to harass, mistreat; Paul was no stranger to people who were trying to harm him. People are harassed today for their faith in various ways but mainly through the tongue [gossip, slander]. But those times of persecution are to be expected and become opportunities to be a bold witness for Christ. We are not helpless in Christ!
Pummeled- knocked down but not out
Paul was knocked down a lot by his enemies physically but God was always there to pick him up and strengthen him to continue on in ministry. Paul was imprisoned in Jerusalem, Philippi, Caesarea and Rome, yet he learned to be content. When he was beaten, he sang and praised God. When imprisoned, he won prisoners and guards to Christ. When he was driven out of town, he simply entered another one. He may have been knocked down, but this guy was never knocked out!
Everyone of these things that God uses to break us is part of the process of being spilled out for Jesus. It was not until a woman at the home of Simon the leper “broke” the alabaster flask to anoint Jesus, that the oil filled the room with its fragrance.
14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
[v.10] Paul proclaimed Jesus death and resurrection wherever he was, regardless of what it may cost him, because he never forgot what Jesus did for Him!
20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
Jesus was broken and spilled out for us on Calvary, the least we can do is be broken and spilled out for Him in Hawkinsville!
3. Results of Suffering ; 11-12
3. Results of Suffering ; 11-12
Paul has described the nature of his sufferings and the extent of them, but now he talks about the results. Suffering exposes the character of Jesus in us. When the vessel is broken, it provides access to the treasure. When we are broken, our Lord is seen through us.
It was when our Lord Jesus Christ was broken and suffered that the results of eternal life came to man through His Salvation!
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
In the manner like Jesus, Paul was constantly exposed to persecutions even to the point of death. Also just like Jesus, many came to salvation in Christ through Pauls sufferings and trials.
People today can still find Hidden Treasure in us when we are broken!
Close;
The song “Blessings” by Laura Story is a perfect example of being a Clay Jar with Treasure. There is one line in that song that summarizes everything I’ve preached about this morning.
“What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?”
Que music video Blessings - Laura Story - with lyrics [TheCatLadyJ/YouTube]
