II Corinthians 4:5-18
"For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. [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.
[7]But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. [8] We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; [9] persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; [10] always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our mortal flesh. [12] So death is at work in us, but life in you.
[13] Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, 'I have believed, and so I spoke,' we also believe, and so we also speak, [14] knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. [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.
[16]So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. [17] For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, [18] as we look not the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
---------------------------------------------------------
There is a whole lot to be encouraged by in this passage. As a Algonquin student of past time, I remember many times walking through the halls, and trudging up the stairs of the building, and just being flat out discouraged. "I'm not where I need to be," or "wow, I really am way in over my head. How the heck am I really going to make any difference at all?" But now remember in this verse, "For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake." We don't get up in the morning and live for God by showing how great we are. We are the instruments of the proclamation of the glory of God--God is using us to proclaim Christ to people. That is our mission. More than that, God doesn't use glamorous, wonderful people to do this task: he uses sinful, silly, and foolish people like you and me every day. All those people that are in the Bible--they are just ordinary people. All of them. They are not the main character of the volume that is within. The main character of every story in the Bible is God. Jesus said in revalation, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end." Alpha and Omega are like the greek versions of A and Z. Jesus is not limited by time, space, or anything. He is the beginning, and he is the end. So why does he deal with people like us then? "[7]But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." How much is the clay worth, I wonder? Today, one can get a good size pot from the dollar store. So where is the source of our worth? Is it in ourselves, a near to worthless pot? No, take heart, it is the treasure inside. That is where the true value is.
All of our value and strength is found in Jesus Christ. "[8] We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; [9] persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; [10] always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our mortal flesh." In this way, my beloved young brothers and sisters, we can be encouraged. Even as we carry around, and remind ourselves of the surpassing grace and mercy and sacrifice that Jesus gave to us--if we carry that, and live in that, and breath in that, then the very life of Jesus Christ will begin to pour out from us, even as our mortal bodies remain dead. That is an astounding truth. "[16]So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. [17] For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, [18] as we look not the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." Take heart my kin, for though your bodies still are dead, though you suffer now, it is not to be compared to what we shall experience in eternity. The sin and death and pain that you see now, that is only temporary. The things of God which you have had the faith to believe--they will never dissapear! Be encouraged. Read this passage several times, there is a lot to get from it. I need to go over it more. Pray about it. Ask God how you, a clay pot, can share and carry the mercies of Christ in your daily life. Get with a friend, pray with them about it.
"[13] Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, 'I have believed, and so I spoke,' we also believe, and so we also speak, [14] knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. [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." We have one faith, one Lord, and one awesome treasure. As grace extends, thank God, and give to Him the glory. I pray that God would bless you brothers and sisters at Maine West, and that He would work so great a work with you, that the only choice for someone to observe it would be to say, "This is from the Lord." I believe that, in His way and His time and purpose, He will gladly answer that.
No comments:
Post a Comment