Sermon: Jars of Clay and the Treasure
Bible Passage: 2 Corinthians 4:7
We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us
I. Paul paints a contrast between him as a person and his career as a servant of the Gospel—two metaphors: the jars of clay and the treasure
1. Paul uses the metaphor “jars of clay” to refer to himself (verse 7)
a. He chose this metaphor when he could have used metaphors like “jar of gold” or “jar of silver,” or “jars of brass”
b. The metaphor “Jar of clay” implies:
i. “fragile”
ii. “inferior”
iii. “insignificant”
c. “Jars of clay” are easily broken, chipped, and cracked
d. They are not like the expensive decorative pieces like gold, silver, or brass
e. “Jars of clay” are cheap, have no enduring value
f. When they break, no one tries to fix them or melt them to reshape
g. No outward splendor compared to the treasure
h. Jars of clay derive their worth with what they contain
2. The work of the Gospel is the treasure (this ministry of verse 1)
a. It is a treasure because it provides helpless, hopeless, broken, lost sinners to receive forgiveness from God through Jesus
b. It is Paul’s call to do the Gospel work
3. While Paul remains weak and insignificant, the treasure that he holds was producing an extraordinary power from God—the work of the Gospel
a. The Greek word hyperbole is translated as “the surpassing greatness”—something that stretches beyond conventional boundaries and is virtually limitless
b. Apostle Paul brags about the immense potential of the Gospel entrusted to his care
i. This should give the preachers of the Gospel a pride
ii. It’s not them, but the Gospel
c. He was able to push his limits, make extra steps, and work outside the box because of his correct assessment of the treasure and himself
i. Though he had all sorts of unfavorable things happening, he still was able to preach the Gospel
ii. Verses 8-10 We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair; 4:9 we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed, 4:10 always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our body. 4:11 For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal body
II. Why did God choose an earthen pot?
1. All surpassing power of God is not from the pot, but from God
2. So that, no one boasts before God (cf. 1 Cor 1:29)
3. It’s the paradox of Paul’s ministry—he remains weak but what he does is extraordinarily strong
4. The glorious power of God is borne about by those who are inferior, weak vessels/agents
5. Paul admits that he was a cracked pot, rejected, afflicted, and subject to destruction
6. Therefore, people must not celebrate the vessel but the source of the power
III. Principles we learn from this verse:
1. Ministers of the Gospel need to have a proper assessment of who they are and what they are entrusted with
2. They need to understand their limitations, brokenness, and expendability and the power of their call be bearers of the Gospel
3. God uses what is fragile and yet serviceable so that there might be no mistaking the origin of the gospel worker’s power (Belleville)
4. When God entrusted the treasure to the clay, He did not promise complete immunity from struggles (verses 8-9)
a. Hard pressed but not crushed
b. Perplexed but not despair
c. Persecuted not abandoned
d. Struck down but not destroyed
5. Paul and his companions worked hard with the help of the Holy Spirit to plant the church at Corinth, but some visitors to the church created divisions, confusions, and attempted to stifle the growth of the church
6. We are sinful; if we are not clear about the importance of the Gospel and church, we can easily become tools in the hands of the enemy
7. How-much-ever justifiable one’s desire to cause stir in the church, any strife against the church amounts to strife against God
8. The strategy of the enemy is to separate the sheep from the shepherds and preys over the sheep
Take Away:
Facilitate the jars of clay to continue carry the treasure and avoid putting pressure to them because you are not breaking the jars, but by way of breaking the jars, you are harming the TREASURE