Treasure in Earthen Vessels

August 17, 2014 Background Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:1 – 15 Lesson Passage: 2 Corinthians 4:1 – 15 One of the struggles endured by those who preach the gospel of Jesus Christ is that we preach out of the frailty of our flesh. We wish that we could display physically the internal blessings of the message of the gospel that has flooded our hearts with wonder. Perhaps this is why “prosperity preaching” is so popular today. There are many prosperity prophets who are promoting that their earthly gain is a sign of God’s favor upon them. It is almost natural for us to desire to put on display physical attributes that would corroborate our testimony of what God has done and is doing on the inside. We dare not be accused of being hypocrites or attempting to sell product that we don’t use. Our faith that God will make a way for others is tested when we are in a situation where we have no plan but to turn to God for deliverance. Then what we have on the inside becomes even more precious to us. This Heavenly treasure that God has shed in our hearts compels us to express to others the unsearchable riches that salvation in Christ continuously hints at in us. We conclude that our bodies are the weak link in our declaration of the gospel. Receiving Christ in our hearts has forever changed us but we look the same on the outside. Even worse, our flesh remains a constant problem that must be fought on a daily basis—we die daily. That which can be seen of us is of the earth. We look the same and although our language has changed, we sound the same. But today, we value what’s on the inside far more than the things of this world that have been entrusted to us as stewards. That which has the most value is on the inside and we fear that our earthly walk, or lifestyle, is far from our spiritual reality. We conclude that receiving Jesus Christ into our lives has devalued the physical person that so many have come to know and many are still trying to get to know. I recall Peter’s statement to the lame man begging for a handout at the temple’s gate. What Peter and John had to offer was far greater than what the man had hoped to receive by begging. The real treasure was on the inside and it could not be seen by the physical eye. It was hidden deep within those earthen bodies. So it is with Christians today who dare to be witnesses of the grace of God within them. The excellency of God’s grace cannot be seen in possessions nor can it be completely demonstrated through actions which can so easily be misunderstood. This Heavenly treasure is kept protected by the spiritual heart of the regenerated person. This spiritual treasure is eternal and it cannot be destroyed. Even death has no power over it nor can the grave hold it. It has no price therefore it cannot be purchased. It is not a reward therefore it cannot be earned. It is a gift of God and therefore it must be received by faith. Those who possess it cannot put it on display for the world to see. The world can see our walk in this life and still not be able to grasp the essence of the God-given treasure within us. We have this Heavenly treasure in our earthen bodies. Robert C. Hudson August 4, 2014