PRECIOUS TREASURE IN PERISHABLE POTTERY
2 Corinthians 4
Do you know what vocations experience the highest rates of depression?
Housewives lead the list.
Close behind come ministers!
How can it be that those who have the privilege of representing the God of the universe are frequently the most discouraged and defeated?!!
Spurgeon warned his students: “Our work, when earnestly undertaken, lays us open to attacks in the direction of depression. Who can bear the weight of souls, without sometimes sinking in the dust? Passionate longings after men’s conversion, if not fully satisfied (and when are they?), consume the soul with anxiety and disappointment. . . . Such soul-travail as that of a faithful minister will bring on occasional seasons of exhaustion, when heart and flesh will fail.”
Anyone involved in ministry will resonate with Spurgeon’s words!
In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul indicates that he understands how that happens.
Paul is very aware of the stress and frustration of ministry. He has experienced it!
EXPLANATION OF PAUL'S MINISTRY 2:14-7:16
When Titus arrived with the good report that the issue had been resolved,
Paul was grateful to God and rejoiced in the victory.
The joy of victory stirs Paul to write about the privilege of the ministry.
Joy of ministry 2:14-16
Requirements for ministry 2:17-3:6a
Contrary to false teachers who use ministry for personal gain, God's faithful servants seek to please God and produce followers that affirm the truth of their message.
The requirements for successful ministry aren’t met by human ability.
God supplies that kind of competence.
GOD ENABLES US
TO STAND FIRM IN ADVERSITY AND
TO MINISTER ADEQUATELY FOR HIM.
BASIS OF OUR NEW MINISTRY 3:6b-5:10 First he compares it to the old ministry
Glory of the old covenant 3:6b-7 It was given to Israel in glory.
Greater glory of the new covenant 3:8-11
Ministry without a veil 3:12-4:6
Permanence of the new revelation 3:12-18
Veil used when giving the old covenant indicates it’s temporary and provisional, while the new covenant, viewed with unveiled face, is permanent.
PRIVILEGE OF MINISTRY 4:1-6
Paul’s God-given ministry of proclaiming the truth 1-2
Paul is aware that he’s been entrusted with his ministry by God.
Twice (1, 16) Paul assures us that in spite of the obstacles he faces,
he doesn’t lose heart. He doesn’t give up in discouragement.
When he thinks of the privilege God has given him (1), . . .
When he sees what God is doing through him (15, 16), . . .
He’s not about to give up or throw in the towel!
Since he represents God, he must represent God’s character faithfully. (2)
He’s accused of deception, manipulation, and distorting the truth.
Paul is committed to proclaim the truth.
Since Paul knows what a glorious message he has received, and he knows where it comes from, he won’t throw in the towel to avoid the struggle.
False teachers deceive and distort God’s Word to tell people what they want to hear. Paul can’t go there.
When Spurgeon died, 100,000 people lined the streets to see his casket! In spite of the fact that he was often criticized for his style.
He was called “the pulpit buffoon.”
He wasn’t into the “politically correct.”
He once wrote: “We have had enough polite preachers.”
He was committed to preaching the truth.
Paul insists that he must tell the truth and let God handle the results.
We don’t use deception to lead people astray.
We tell the truth, so that people will be drawn to the light.
God is able to make the light of the gospel shine in dark hearts.
God must be the source of any real change in people’s hearts.
Satan’s opposition to the revelation of the truth 3-4
People refuse truth because Satan blinds their eyes so they can’t see the light.
The veil still covers their eyes–they can’t see the glory.
How does Satan blind people’s eyes today?
Are his methods all that different?
People have the impression that if our church isn’t a mega-church, there must be something wrong with the preacher, or with our programs.
We miss the point that SATAN is committed to blinding people
so they can’t understand the truth.
It isn’t the preacher who keeps people away!
It shouldn’t surprise us that people aren’t lining up at our doors to hear the truth!
Jesus is the light people need to see.
He is the perfect, visible representation of the invisible God.
When people can’t “see” the truth, the problem isn’t in the light!
He is the glorious image of God Himself. It’s our job to point people to the light.
Paul’s God-given opportunity to turn on the light 5-6
Paul is committed to preach the truth concerning Christ,
however people respond. (5)
Paul can’t preach himself and he can’t pervert truth to promote self.
In what ways do people preach themselves?
How do they pervert the truth to promote themselves?
Paul labors to advance the cause of Christ, not his own interests.
Jesus is Lord; we are but His servants.
God has made His light shine in our hearts
so we can see His glory revealed in Christ. (6)
In creating the world God brought light out of the darkness.
In spiritual creation God brings light to the heart of people living in darkness.
The light he brings to us is the knowledge of salvation,
which focuses on God’s glory revealed in Christ.
It may look like Satan is winning.
People certainly appear to be blinded by the god of this age.
But GOD who brought light out of darkness,
is able to make His light shine in the dark
and cause people to see His glory, revealed in Christ.
It’s exciting to have the privilege of being part of that process!
God can use US to turn on the lights!
PRECIOUS TREASURE STORED IN CLAY JARS 4:7
The ministry we’ve been given is a valuable treasure,
but the vessels used to carry it are fragile.
God’s glorious treasure is carried in fragile clay pots.
Clay pots were the forerunners of our “throw-away” society.
They cracked easily, so they would throw them out on the scrap pile.
Archaeologists find remnants of broken pots everywhere they dig!
GOD HAS GIVEN US A TREASURE SO GLORIOUS
IT PUTS MOSES TO SHAME,
BUT HE HAS GIVEN IT TO US IN FRAGILE CLAY POTS.
It’s in fragile clay pots so that it will be obvious that God has done it–not us!
It’s not the container that counts; it’s the contents!
It’s not about us!
What’s significant is God’s power, working through the gospel.
God uses clay pots, chipped and cracked, to display HIS power in us.
PRESSURES GODLY MINISTERS FACE 4:8-12
We live in a perishable body, so God deserves all the glory for our ministry and not us.
The work is His and he deserves any credit; not the messenger.
Paul lived under terrible pressures.
In 1 Cor., he compares it to men condemned to die in the arena.
Here he contrasts our human helplessness with God’s enablement to survive:
The pressures include both physical and psychological pressures.
He’s “troubled on every side, yet not distressed.”
–pressed as grapes in a winepress
=>squeezed, but not crushed or broken.
He’s “perplexed, but not in despair.”
He often felt lost or confused with no way to go,
but he didn’t lose sight of God’s care.
He’s “persecuted, but not forsaken.”
He was hunted down, but God never abandoned him to go it alone.
He’s “cast down, but not destroyed.”
He was knocked down, but never knocked out.
He suffers intensely for Jesus and has the physical scars to prove it. (10)
Paul constantly faces death for Christ’s sake,
–three times he refers to the thought of dying (10-12)
he confronts the possibility of dying daily–
but the threat of physical death reminds him of the reality of spiritual life and the promise of resurrection. (10-11)
–three times he refers to the thought of living also
–his dying leads to Christ’s living, in him and in them–
He is confident that his suffering will lead to their transformation. (12)
Christ’s death produces life in others.
Paul is convinced that his suffering will lead to life in others also.
It is this confidence in what God is doing that motivates Paul
to trust God when he can’t see what God is doing.
CONFIDENCE IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING 13-18
He speaks out with faith and confidence. 13
He knows that God “Who raised Jesus from the dead will raise us with Him and present us together in His presence.” 14-15
The One who raised Jesus’ dead body is at work in us.
As Paul’s ministry grows, and grace extends to more people,
God is increasingly glorified
through the growing gratitude of increasing numbers of people.
Therefore, we don’t lose heart. 16
Since we anticipate sharing in Christ’s resurrection, . . .
Since we anticipate watching you and others develop in grace, . . .
We don’t lose heart; we don’t throw in the towel.
Watching what God is doing “recharges our batteries.”
Our bodies are wearing out.
When we focus on the outside, it can get pretty discouraging!
These old bodies aren’t what they used to be!
I am increasingly troubled by the way this body is breaking down.
Young adults have a picnic; I discover I can’t play volleyball anymore,
This year I discovered I have to give up skiing!
The old body is wasting away.
But when we focus on the inside, we’re refreshed by watching God work
and by our hope of what God is still going to do.
When we focus on what God is doing, it just keeps getting better!
Though we suffer now,
we’ll receive greater glory in the future. 17-18
He doesn’t belittle the present sufferings; they are severe.
Sometimes they seem so hard; sometimes they go on so long!
But, he contrasts them to the greatness of the coming glory.
Five contrasts presented: Light weight vs. heavy weight
Troubles vs. glory
Momentary vs. eternal
Seen vs. unseen
Temporary vs. eternal
The comparison makes suffering seem insignificant.
The greater the affliction; the greater the glory that follows.
Therefore, Paul focuses on the unseen, eternal goals.
He chooses to look through eyes of faith and see the unseeable.
THE AFFLICTIONS OF THIS LIFE
CAN'T HOLD A CANDLE
TO THE GLORY WHICH WILL BE OURS WHEN CHRIST COMES.
THEREFORE, WE DON'T GIVE UP! 4:1 -- 4:16
This is not "pie in the sky by and by," to put us to sleep.
This is the working man's philosophy.
It’s the reason we keep on fighting.
There’s more to come!
We may not be able to see what God is doing,
but we can trust Him for what we can’t see!
That’s what faith is all about–it’s trusting God for what we can’t see.
What we can see is temporary–it WILL change!
Look around you. Everything we see is temporary. It’s wearing out.
The older I get, the more I observe things that used to appear permanent, wearing out. They’re being torn down. They’re not what they used to be.
The ultimate realities are the things only GOD can see.
We can trust Him for those things–but we can’t see them!
One of the hardest lessons of life is to learn that the most important issues
center on things we can’t see.
Paul has been showing us that we may not look like much on the outside.
We’re just old, breakable, clay pots.
Drop us and we’re toast!
Look at us, and we don’t amount to much!
Put us through hard times and we cry.
But it’s not what you see that matters!
What’s important is what God is doing on the inside.
Our light, temporary troubles work together to achieve an eternal glory that brings praise to God.
Whatever we may see happening in our lives, and in God’s church,
what’s important is to realize what GOD is doing.
We may not SEE it, but we can trust Him to make something beautiful.
We may not be able to see what God is doing,
but we can trust Him for things we can’t see!