God's Glory in Earthen Vessels

God’s Glory in Earthen Vessels (2 Cor. 4:7) • Man, always has an elevated sense of his importance, his pride causes him to elevate his importance in the world ◦ It is almost as if the world revolves around him • I never more realized this than when my mother was dying and we had to take her to the hospital, and as I stood on the fifth or sixth floor and looked out the window, the highways were crowded and people drove as though nothing was going on ◦ The world didn’t stop, no one even slowed down and took notice, it was as though nothing was happening ◦ The rest of the world never stopped and now she is a memory in the minds of a few and whatever impact she had in people’s lives will slowly wane and die out as time goes on • A healthy view of ourselves keeps us out of trouble and a healthy view of God helps us find joy in all of lives circumstances ◦ Man’s greatest joy and satisfaction will only come in the contemplation and pursuit of God himself ◦ Peace and rest will only arise when God himself is the chief pursuit of the heart • The only way not to become weary in well doing is to give all of our focus to glorifying God in all that we do A Treasure in Earthen Vessels 1. Man, in this passage is compared to an earthen vessel, which would be a ceramic pot that were typically fragile, and carried no lasting significant value except for what they carried within them a. If they had value and attraction it was only because the contents inside them drew attention 2. When you examine (Psalm 8), the Psalmist examines how God’s glory has been displayed in his creation and he asks the question “what is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?” a. Why is it Lord that out of all that you have created you take special notice of man, why do you take notice of us at all if your glory is so radiant, noticing anything less would seem beneath you b. The reality is God has chosen to manifest his glory chiefly in mankind, and that in doing so his power and majesty is more clearly declared than in any other area, because so much time is devoted to man, and mention is only made of the rest of creation c. Even in this Psalm the rest of creation is mentioned and even the angels, to show that God’s glory is manifest through man, ultimately in the man Jesus Christ 3. Man is the “earthen vessel,” weak and susceptible to the devices of Satan to blind his eyes to the truth of the power of God to transform his life, and as long as his sufficiency is found in himself he will never be aware of the true power that God has provided through Christ by the Holy Spirit a. Like that cheap earthen vessel, he will continue to crumble un b. der his own efforts, this will cause him to grow weary in well doing, when he could reap in due time 4. God while imparting the Holy Spirit to live within us, has also placed a necessity on our lives to fill our minds with Scripture so that the Holy Spirit can work in us to accomplish the Fathers will a. That is the “treasure” is “the light of the knowledge” it is not just good enough to have the knowledge present and available to us, it is that God shines “the light” of that knowledge into our hearts to see and be transformed into the image of Christ b. Therefore, as we fill ourselves with “the knowledge of the glory of God” the Holy Spirit will give “the light” of that knowledge as he, “changes into the same image from glory to glory (2 Cor. 3:17)” c. We then are able to be effective to the world around us: (Phil. 2:15) “that we may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” d. The world will take notice: (1 Pet. 4:4) “Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.” The Visible, Invisible God 1. The effects of the gospel on the heart display outwardly to those around us that something has changed with us, and we become an exhibit in the circus, a kind of freak show a. We begin to exhibit changes that simply do not accord with regular human behavior, they reveal that somethings else is having an effect on us that is causing us to be different b. No matter the pressures that Satan presses upon us from the world, we endure and are strengthened from it not destroyed, we show there is strength in weakness 2. God doesn’t simply transform us by his power to command light to shine in the darkness, he is manifesting to all of the world that he has this power to transform any life a. Our changed lives thrust us into the midst of the darkness as shining light to be harbingers of the gospel light, of Christ himself, to begin the process of pricking the conscience of the lost b. God is manifesting the glory of his power to the lost through the lives of the Saints of God 3. This light is “not of us” it does not well up from within man, man lieth in darkness even when the gospel is present before his very eyes. a. How many times was Christ seen before and after his resurrection and still people were unable to see Him for the manifest and express glory of God? to many i. (John 1:5) “and the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” We Can Have Boldness 1. You and I can have boldness in the face of any opposition knowing that it is not about our power but God’s might. a. In fact, the weaker we understand ourselves the stronger we are, (v.10-11) Paul goes about as a dead man that Christ may be manifest to the world, not in his strength but in Christ own strength manifest through him b. (2 Cor. 12:9) “and he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2. If the power rest in God then it not in the excellency of speech, great men of God, in fact the humblest man to ever live, Moses, felt inept to speak and God used him a. God’s power rested upon his weakness b. Look at Paul’s own testimony: (1 Cor. 2:3-5) “and I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit of power: that you faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” 3. You need to utilize the talents that God has given you, don’t waste them and allow God to give the increase as he chooses a. Invest the gift that God has given you in the treasure placed inside of you, don’t crumble under the pressure of Satan b. Pray to the Lord that he will take your daily life and allow it to be an investment in the souls of the lost around you c. Read God’s word so that the light of the gospel in Christ will shine brighter in the world around you d. Point people to the power of Christ to save souls and change lives i. That we all need to look to Christ and his shed blood on the cross and his resurrection from the dead, there is the proof that Christ has the power to transform lives ii. “I Believe in a Hill Called Mount Calvary”