The Treasure In The Pot

We have such a privilege to be able to carry the message of Jesus to the world…but sometimes the problem that stops us or hinders us…is us.

• • Who am I to tell others
  • Look at what I still struggle with
  • I don’t know enough
  • I’m no great person of faith
  • The list goes on and on and on.

STOP IT!

The key is not what we are but whose we are…not what we are able to do but what we are enabled to do…not what we know but who we know!

2 Corinthians 4: 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

We have…a continual possession. Paul mentions what we have, those things we possess as children of God numerous times in his letter to the Corinthians:

• • confidence we have (2Co 3:4),
  • having such hope (2Co 3:12),
  • we have this ministry (2Co 4:1),
  • we have this treasure (2Co 4:7),
  • having the same spirit of faith (2Co 4:13),
  • we have a building from God (2Co 5:1),
  • possessing (having) all things (2Co 6:10),
  • having these promises (2Co 7:1)

1. The Treasure…2 Cor 4: 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
   1. The Gospel of Jesus Christ
   2. That God sent His son to save us…John 3:16
   3. 2 Corinthians 5: 17-20 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
   4. To be transformed into the very likeness and image of Christ
   5. The ministry of reconciliation
2. The pot…the earthen vessel…
   1. Made of clay, the least valuable vessel in the household. Nothing fancy, but served a definite purpose. When broken, it would be thrown away, not worth fixing.
   2. We are those pots…
   3. 1 Corinthians 1: 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
   4. Examples:
      • Moses…could not communicate well, had a bad temper
      • Gideon, not a warrior…only 300 men to defeat Midian
      • Disciples:
      • Fishermen
      • Tax collector
      • Thief
      • A political and religious Zealot interested in anarchy and overthrow
      • Killer of Christians
   5. 1 Corinthians 1:27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
   6. Isaiah 64: 8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.
3. The Power
   1. Romans 1: 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
   2. Surpassing…power
      • Extraordinary…far more…much greater…to a far greater degree…beyond measure…utterly!
      • Power. That is intrinsic to God Himself. Effective, producing energy. A power that absolutely overcomes more than on could ever hope for or imagine.
   3. The very power that raised Christ from the dead resides in us. Romans 8: 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
4.  Because…
   1. So that God is recognized as the One doing the work…
   2. He gets the credit…not us
   3. He gets the glory
   4. The Paradox
      • 1 Peter 2: 9-10 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. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (what we are…sons and daughters…
      • 1 Corinthians 1:27-31 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Jim Elliot martyred at age 29 clearly understood Paul’s description of precious treasure in mere jars of clay when he described himself and his co-workers as a “bunch of nobodies trying to exalt Somebody.”

Francis of Assisi when asked how he was able to accomplish so much answered that “This may be why: The Lord looked down from heaven and said, ‘Where can I find the weakest, littlest man on earth?’ Then he saw me and said, ‘I’ve found him, and he won’t be proud of it. He’ll see that I am only using him because of his insignificance.’

You see it is God’s plan to use you…he made and formed you for a purpose. That purpose will bring Him glory and bring people to Him!