Our Sermons

Bible Passage: 2 Corinthians 4:7–15
Pastor: Pastor Horton
Sermon Date:  June 30, 2024

I remember the side-street in Jerusalem.  There was a tourist shop where I bought for my grandmother two pictures: they were painted wall art made from a plaster depicting the Jerusalem skyline.  I’m sure they probably cost a dime a dozen to produce, but they were special to her and to me and hung on the walls of her house until she went to her heavenly home.  Then the pictures made of plaster were returned to me…that is…. until on one moving trip (in my vicar year) I found them completely shattered.  They were just things, and probably not things of the highest quality, but those pictures had a distinctive memory tied to them.  And at that moment, I was a bit disheartened.

Our lives as Christians in our reading today are described as being: “jars of clay.”  And when I thought about clay jars all this week, I couldn’t get out of my head that memory of finding those pictures utterly smashed.  Brittle and breakable clay jars aren’t exactly what we hope to be.  I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather have the Bible associate my life with something a bit more sturdy and powerful and permanent.  Like an anchor, or a fortress, or a rock, or a sword, or armor.  Interestingly enough, those pictures are how the Bible describes God and the good characteristics which he is for our benefit.  Instead, we are called sheep in need of a shepherd, blades of grass who are here today but wilt, wither, and fade the next day.  And now, jars made out of clay.

Is that a fair evaluation?  I’d sort of like to object but when we look at our physical state…how can we?    Paul writes immediately after our verses for this morning that “our outer self is wasting away.”  Our mortal body with the dawn of every new day means one day less here on earth until our inevitable death (unless Jesus returns first).  We can probably all name a family member or friend or maybe even ourselves who are battling cancer, or wasting away at the end of life, or feeling an increase in pain and suffering.  Even younger people get cavities in their teeth and a decline in eyesight as they grow older.  We frail humans are all on a slow march to the open mouth of our graves.  That can be disheartening, can’t it?

Throw on top of it all the spiritual pressures and struggles applied to our faith.  I’m thinking of the parents whose child no longer believes in Jesus – that weighs heavy on their hearts.  Or the young Christian who prays and shares their faith with someone they care dearly about over and over again – only for that person refuse to hear the good news about their Savior Jesus over and over again.  All the while the world presses down upon us to take the easier, godless way.  While the devil whispers in our ear, “Maybe you are the one in the wrong when it comes to believing in Jesus.”  Or “why isn’t there any help coming little child of God…if in fact, that’s what you really are?”  And our sinful flesh is all too willing to listen.  When one adds up the situation, jars like us can suddenly feel a bit more brittle and in danger of breaking.

In this chapter, the Apostle Paul calls all of our oppressive problems in life “our momentary, light trouble.”  What?  How can he say such a thing?  Paul reminds us that we are not the strong one, but that our strength comes God who equips us and places into our hearts his life saving gospel.  He writes, “We hold this treasure in clay jars to show that its extraordinary power is from God and not from us.”  We need not be brokenhearted, because with Christ our hearts are made full.

This gospel, the good news that we have salvation through Jesus, is a priceless treasure.  The Holy Spirit changes our hearts (like he did with Paul) and makes them into a throne room for Jesus.  The gospel daily proclaims forgiveness, help, and relief found in Jesus.  With this understanding Paul can then say in our verses that “We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not despairing; persecuted, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed.”   We can endure all things with Jesus, who stepped in to be forsaken by the Father while on the cross.  There he shouldered the full wrath of God for our sins.  And now thanks to his saving work we will not be destroyed but are given life with Jesus.  A new life to live with him and for him.  And life to come with in heaven.  That gospel good news moves and motivates us.  It reshapes our attitudes as we deal with physical trials in front of us, and cling to Christ by faith in the midst of our spiritual challenges.  Jars of clay we may be, but that treasure God gives us is knowledge and faith to believe that Jesus has truly saved us.  And that great treasure makes all the difference in the world.

Pastor Paul desperately wanted the church in Corinth to know that he was ready to walk into the jaws of death for Jesus.  This gospel treasure was too important.  He wanted them to embrace the same treasure by faith.  That’s why he continues, “To be sure, while we are living we are continually being handed over to death because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh.   So then, death is working in us, but life is working in you.”

Paul had been dealing with a group of shady. antagonistic preachers (so called “super apostles” as described later in this book).  But for the Corinthians these guys were more like “super-distractions” to the gospel of salvation and “super-confusing” when it came to God’s truth and “super-greedy” in their selfish intentions.  They were belittling Paul and his inspired words to the Corinthians.

Paul’s point of his message?  He wasn’t playing games.  He wasn’t placing the emphasis of his preaching on the earthly exteriors, but on this gospel treasure of Jesus.  What did he have to show for himself as far as his exterior went?  Not much.  A battered and scuffed up, mistreated and cracked, jar.  And yet he could take on whatever exhausting challenge and would gladly go even to his death if it meant that they knew confidently and clearly about Jesus so that their souls would be eternally saved.  This treasure given now to them was simply too important.

Verse 14, ^“For we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and bring us (together with you) into his presence.”  What great hope!  Jesus has saved you.  This gospel treasure is yours and is in your heart.  Our Savior will see you through to heaven.  That is the ultimate end goal of our life on earth.  Paul is saying “I might be martyred long before your dying day, but we will rise and we will be brought together into Jesus’ presence in heaven!” 

Such a great treasure is kept in jars like us.  The encouragement today for you and for me is to continue to remember Jesus’ great promises to us.  I know it’s easy to get disheartened.  Like the Corinthians we can often get distracted by earthly exteriors.  It’s easy to take for granted that what a treasure the gospel really is.  We can be tempted to get to wondering if maybe I can spruce up my own jar a little bit with some good deeds and earn God’s favor?  No.  Or if only our collective jar of the church had the right exterior: the right programs or the right pastor, or the right new members with the right sized pocketbooks – then the gospel will flourish.  No.  “We hold this treasure in clay jars to show that its extraordinary power is from God and not from us.” 

Paul reminds us today that we have all we need to be saved in Jesus.  This gospel is kept in jars like us.  Breakable jars.  Cracked jars.  Brittle jars.  But jars that hold Jesus in our hearts.  To the outside world it may not appear like much but remember that God can do a lot with what seems to be a little.

There’s a “jar account” if you will that helps illustrate this.  Remember back in the time of the judges a man named Gideon.  Remember the vast number of Midianites who had invaded the land of Israel.  God sent Gideon with an army (after whittling them down to all of 300 men) with horns and jars to smash at the given signal.  And when they did, and shattered their jars God gave his people complete victory.

God can do a lot with a little – and he can do a lot with us little jars who are equipped, holding, and treasuring the gospel.  That’s because the gospel is according to Romans 1:16, “the power of God for the salvation to everyone who believes.”  This treasure is ours, but it is also ours to share.   Paul is passing the gospel along, for the Corinthians to do the same.

Would it be worth it?  He writes to the Corinthians, “In fact, all this is for your benefit, so that as grace increases, it will overflow to the glory of God, as more and more people give thanks.”  We are some of those people.  And so in a way Paul is breaking the 4^th wall as God shares this message here at Eastside with our hearts saying, “This is for your benefit” as well.  So that you hear and believe in Jesus.  So that you pass along this treasure of knowing Christ.  So that God brings us all, and hopefully many more, together to heaven.  Let’s share this treasure to the glory of God.  Amen.