Earthen Vessels – August 14, 2022
Psalm 96:1-6, 11-13, II Corinthians 4:5-15
August 14, 2022
I mentioned verse 7 from this passage from II Corinthians in my sermon last week. “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us.” I’ve always loved that metaphor! The transcendent power of God in earthen vessels – Jars of Clay! The spirit of God in our bodies. That boggles the mind! Doesn’t it?
And I wanted to start there, because that takes us to this next part. Since we have that power of God in these “earthen vessels,” Paul’s next sentence becomes true. “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in our bodies the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifest in our bodies!” (II Cor 4:8-10.) I don’t know about you, but I’m really drawn to that part – even more than the first sentence about earthen vessels! Listen, when we sing our closing song, and you’ll hear those words in the bridge section.
We all feel those things from time to time, don’t we? Oh, maybe not all at once, but those are the kinds of things we deal with in this life. There are times we feel afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. Don’t we? But! And this is a big “but!” But because we have the transcendent power of God, we are not given to the final results of those things! That’s what the second halves of those phrases represent. They are the final results of being “afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down.” We are those things, but we are not “crushed, despairing, forsaken, or destroyed!” Those are final kinds of things. We may be beaten down, but we’re not beat up! We may feel attacked, but we’re not defeated! We may be weary, but we haven’t given up! Do you see?
And then, to finish it out, Paul says, “We carry within us the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be lived in us!” I don’t know about you, but I see so much hope in that statement! “We carry within us the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be lived in us!” That’s an amazing thought, isn’t it?! We have both of those things. We have his death in us, which is the atonement for our brokenness and sin, and we have his life in us, which gives us life! And that gives us life even in the face of those things in this life that seem to be fighting against us!
That’s an amazing thought! And it flies in the face of those who think that following Jesus means we’ll be happy all the time. And I have to tell you, I see way more hope in Paul’s words here. Because we’re not happy all the time. We can be joyful, but maybe not happy. And Joy is a state that we think about and choose, whereas “happy” is our emotional response to our circumstances. I’m so glad we can have more than that! Because circumstances sometimes stink! Don’t they?
Some translations of the Bible use that word “happy” in the Beatitudes. “Happy are the poor in spirit.” “Happy are the meek.” Even “Happy are those who mourn!” That one really doesn’t make sense at all! I have always preferred the traditional translation, “Blessed.” “Blessed are the poor.” “Blessed are the meek.” “Blessed are those who mourn.” I think “happy” sends the wrong message. We may not be “happy” all the time. But we are “blessed!” And because of that, we can be “joyful!” Do you see the difference?
Yet I’ve heard so many people over the years who think we should be happy all the time if we follow Jesus. And that leads them to the conclusion – or the dilemma – that if we are afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, or struck down, then something must be wrong with our faith.
Well, that’s not the picture of the faith that Paul gives us here. And it’s not the picture Peter or John gives us, either – or even Jesus! He told his disciples, “If you are my followers you will be persecuted.” We don’t always like to read things like that. But that’s what he said! He also said this, and this was in the Upper Room, if you remember, as he was trying to prepare his disciples for what was coming their way. He said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But!” – and this is a huge “But!” “But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world!”
I so appreciate passages like this. Because sometimes I do feel like an “earthen vessel” – like a clay pot – maybe even one that’s a little cracked! Sometimes I do feel afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. And I’m sure you do, too! And I need to know – and it helps me to read it! – that I am not crushed, despairing, forsaken, or destroyed! And I need to remember this great promise, that I carry within me the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be lived in me, too! And I’m sure you need to know that, too!
Well, here at this table is one place we remember all of that. Here, we remember how Jesus took away our sins. He didn’t take away our hardships or our trials. But he did take away our shortcomings and our sins.
And here he is in fellowship with us, and here we are reminded of his eternal fellowship with us. Here we remember his promise to be with us “to the close of the age.” That’s what his death represents. And we carry his death within us, so that we can have his life within us, too! Here at this table is where we remember that.
And so let us come to this time of remembrance. Let us remember what Jesus did for us. Let us remember that “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” Let us remember that we are “always carrying in our bodies the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifest in our bodies!”
Prayer
Eternal God, we see your love for us represented in the elements at this table. Help us to prepare our hearts to receive again the body of Christ broken for us, and the cup of your New Covenant we have through him. Help us to know of his life within us, no matter what the circumstances of our lives. And help us to have the Joy he gives us! For this we pray in his name, Amen.