2 Cor 4:7-15 Jars of Clay
Notes
Transcript
Jars of Clay
2 Corinthians 4:7-15
Prayer: Work of the gospel continues, Hope Church, Redemption Hill, Small local churches, remind us who we are, perseverance, joy, fruit.
Read Text and pray.
The Tower of London — Crown(worth 3.5 billion --did not notice the display.)
Main Idea: To display his power for his glory, God entrusts the treasure of the gospel to jars of clay.
God entrusts the treasure of the gospel to jars of clay.
God entrusts the treasure of the gospel to jars of clay.
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
What is the the treasure? read v. 6
jars of clay we have this treasure in rubbermaid or tupperware. “Clay jars were unexceptional, affordable, disposable, and put to a wide variety of uses in the ancient world.” (Guthrie 253)
Why? so that you do notice the container…beyond that... to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. Human weakness is not a barrier to the purposes of God (Barnett 87)
What is the surpassing power?…Romans 1:16 power of the gospel
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Jars of Clay: hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, struck down
Treasure: not crushed, not in despair, not abandoned, not destroyed (Pratt 338)
8 We are afflicted(oppressed) in every way, but not crushed (confined without escape);
Star Wars-trash compacter, saved at the last second.
perplexed(at a loss), but not driven to despair(lose your mental composure);
perplexed-word used of women who went to the tomb...
9 persecuted(pursued), but not forsaken(abandoned);
Each day yields a fresh discovery of the truth of Hebrews 13:5: ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ (Naylor 190)
struck down(thrown down), but not destroyed(damaged irreparably);
wrestling being thrown down
10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
“nekrosis” deadness- to “thanatos” event of death
carrying the deadness of Jesus…Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture so that we might live…now and forever.
Jesus’ death, literally speaking, is the source of eternal life to humanity; the death of those who minister, metaphorically speaking, is the means of life for mankind. (Barnett 90)
The old has gone, the new has come. The new is the life of Jesus 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.
Jesus said if anyone would come after me, let him take up his cross and follow me. Taking up the cross and “always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake” are one in the same.
Bearing in our body the death of Jesus indicates that Paul’s sufferings (referred to in vv. 8–9) are similar to those of Christ himself (cf. Col. 1:24), excluding, of course, his vicarious death as an atoning sacrifice. (Kruse 148)
8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.
so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
Baxter: I humbly bless his gracious Providence, who gave me his Treasure in an Earthen Vessel, and trained me up in the School of Affliction, and taught me the Cross of Christ so soon; that I might be rather ... a Cross-bearer, than a Cross-maker or Imposer. (Guthrie 251)
12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.
This is...the great principles of the cross. Christ died that we might live. The great exchange of the gospel is: Christ’s life for ours. (Hughes 93)
Trans: Sufferings play a key role in both manifesting and delivering the gospel. (Guthrie 261) Why?
To display his power for his glory, God entrusts the treasure of the gospel to jars of clay.
To display his power for his glory, God entrusts the treasure of the gospel to jars of clay.
Paul explains why he continues to speak…
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,
quotes from Psalm 116
10 I believed, even when I spoke: “I am greatly afflicted”;
motivation is faith…believing God.
His faith in the midst of all his trials is no heroic faith that is to serve as a moral example for others. It is purely and simply the gift and work of the Spirit. (Seifrid 209–210)
speaking follows on the heels of believing…speaking is the fruit of fatih.
What is he believing that motivates him in the face of death and suffering?....applied theology
14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.
The apostle is here exulting in the assurance that, however persecuted and down-trodden here, God, who had raised up Jesus, would raise him up and present him with all other believers before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. This it was that sustained him, and has sustained so many others of the afflicted of God’s people, and given them a peace which passes all understanding. (Hodge 476)
24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
2nd motivation…the glory of God
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.
penultimate: it is all for your sake
ultimate: so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
Jonathan Edwards “The ultimate end of the work of redemption is the glory of God.”
John Piper “The love of God for sinners is not his making much of them, but his gracious freeing and empowering them to enjoy making much of him.” (God’s Passion for his glory” 34-35)
Notice carefully that Paul does not confine the sharing of the glorious gospel to himself...so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
So What?
So What?
Am I clearly living with the realization that God has entrusted the treasure of the gospel to me for his glory?
1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
Crown worn seldom by the queen. The gospel is entrusted to all who are in Christ to display his glory everywhere to everyone.
Why on earth did anyone become a Christian in the first three centuries? Gospel crossed social, economic, cultural, and political boundaries at great cost. How did this happen.? Book’s answer...Portrayal of a loving God and the offer of eternal life This text is the answer...
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
It was upon the 100th year celebration of missionaries coming to the Congo. A village elder shared they slowly began to poison the missionaries, tested the missionaries, killing even their children. Yet the elder told of the missionaries staying and proclaiming the gospel even as they died. The elder commented, “It was as we watched how they died that we decided we wanted to live as Christians.” Death leads to life. (Guthrie 266)
Prayer
Offering and exit
Sending:
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
END