260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 153 - 2 Corinthians 4: Treasure & Cracked Pots!

So, have you ever been to Garden Ridge Pottery? (If you’re a guy, even if you have, don’t admit it! ) So ok, let me rephrase it, ummm………… have you ever seen the burnt orange pots at your local garden center that you plant stuff in? Yeah, me too. They’re the cheapest pots there, pretty common, not real attractive, they’re fragile, crack easily and if you break one you just get another. Basically they are dirt baked hard. BUT they are USEFUL or we wouldn’t see so many of them! Well, in this chapter, Paul refers to believers as “cracked pots” (jars of clay) and explains both the message of Christ and the messenger of Christ. Beginning with the message of Christ, we are reminded in verse one that ministry for Jesus is only by God’s mercy. He didn’t and doesn’t need us but chooses to use us! As Paul proclaimed this message he did not use deception but was clear “…by setting forth the truth plainly...” And he explains that if people didn’t understand the message it was because “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” It’s not about us (5) but Jesus! And by the way, Jesus is God (6). Then Paul writes that we have this treasure – the good news message of Jesus – in “jars of clay.” Now why would God put His eternal, saving, good news for all mankind in believers like you & me? “…to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” In other words, God uses weak, fragile people (like me) to carry His eternal, powerful treasure of truth so that people will have no question that it must be from God – because I’m a pretty sorry dude, BUT I am useful! Paul then further describes the messenger as having battle scars (8-9). The demands of ministry can take their toll – “hardpressed, perplexed, persecuted, struck down….” yet they were not death blows and these weaknesses actually made the message strong because it pointed to Jesus not Paul! Messengers of Jesus both SPEAK UP, “It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken. "With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak…”, and PUT UP, “Therefore we do not lose heart.” SO WHAT?! *As we talk to people about Jesus, lets be sure to be simple and clear. We don’t need to “water down” the message, it is powerful (Romans 1:16). *Ever shared Jesus with someone and they just don’t get it? It could be that Satan has blinded them and we need to pray for them to be able to understand. *Finally, do you spend more time working on the message or the messenger? We like to look good but I wonder if that can detract from the simple, powerful message of the Gospel! Lord help me today to be more concerned about your message than myself. Thank you Lord, that even though I’m common ,fragile and easily crack, you still want to use me!