CARRYING TREASURE in our EARTHEN VESSELS!
November
26 Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians Chapters 4-6
CARRYING TREASURE in our EARTHEN VESSELS!
"For we do not preach ourselves, but
Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake. For it
is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our
hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure
in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not
of us." (2 Cor. 4:5-7)
In the above
passage, Apostle Paul compares the conversion of a sinner to the entrance of
light at the dawn of creation where God, who had commanded light to shine out
of darkness (Gen. 1:3), has now Himself shone
in our hearts. The material creation in Genesis began with light and so also
does the spiritual creation when we are ‘born
again’ through the light of the gospel.
In ancient
times it was a common practice to bury treasures inside clay jars. As these
treasures were enclosed in earthen vessels, so the indwelling Christ lives
within our earthly bodies. Jesus Christ, the ‘Light of the World’ (John 8:12) came into our hearts when we
accepted Him as our Lord and Savior. In doing so, God has given us a wonderful treasure in our earthen vessels, which
is Christ in us, the hope of glory (Col.
1:27), and the salvation offered to those believing in His name (John 3:16). God
does not shine in our hearts simply to give us this knowledge, but rather that
through us this knowledge might shine to others. We are not just the terminals of God’s blessing but His channels and
reflectors of His light!
Now, in our
frail human bodies we are carrying a treasure within us that will guide others
to their heavenly destiny. This treasure is the ‘glorious message of the gospel’. Why has God planned that this
treasure should be in earthen vessels? The answer is so that the excellence of
the power may be of God and not of us. All the praise and glory must go to the
Creator (God) and not the creature (humans).
One
interesting comparison can be found in the book of Judges (chapter 7) where Gideon
equipped his army of 300 men with trumpets, empty pitchers, and lamps within
the pitchers. At the appointed signal, his men were to blow their trumpets and
break the pitchers. When the pitchers were broken, the lamps shone out in brilliance.
This terrified the enemy and they were defeated. Just as in Gideon’s case the
light only shone forth when the pitchers were broken, so it is in connection
with the gospel. Only when our human
instruments (earthen vessels) are broken and yielded to the Lord can the gospel
light shine forth through us in all its magnificence!
By God’s
grace and power, let us live in such a
way so that others can see Jesus living through us. Let us be living and
shining vessels carrying of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ every day!
"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matt 5:14-16)
