August 3, 2010
2 Corinthians 4
Pastor Sherli Morgan
A “treasure in jars of clay” – what a visual!
As written in 2 Corinthians 4, the highly valuable message of salvation in Jesus Christ has been entrusted by God to frail and fallible human beings – jars of clay. Paul’s focus was not on the perishable container, but on its priceless contents: God’s power that dwells in us. While we all have weaknesses, God uses us to spread His Good News to this world and He gives us the power to do His work.
Paul reminds us that though we may feel we are at the end of our rope, we are never at the end of hope. Our bodies are subject to sin and suffering, but God never abandons us. Because Christ has won victory over death, hell and the grave, we have eternal life. All our risks, humiliations and trials are opportunities for God to demonstrate His power and presence in and through us.
Our troubles should not diminish our faith. Paul reminds us that our troubles, in the real scheme of things, are light and momentary.
I’ve heard it said that our troubles should be viewed as opportunities. When we allow Christ to shine through us during times of trouble, we are showing others that there really is a “treasure” in this “jar of clay.”
When asked about her favorite Bible character, Pastor Sherli pointed to Nehemiah, who “willingly stepped into ‘unfamiliar territory’ as he took on the job of rebuilding the wall. He listened to God and followed the vision God had given him to complete the task.”
