2 Corinthians 4

July 12, 2022

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” (v7-10)

Back in the first century, treasure was often concealed in jars of clay, because the ordinary jars did not attract attention to themselves. In God’s wisdom, He has ordained the gospel to be carried about in jars of clay: in frail, broken bodies. Paul’s life is an illustration of how human weakness is the best container for Divine power, so that Christ’s strength and sufficiency (not ours) is clearly on display.

Father, I praise You for the way You have ordained Christ’s resurrection power to be manifest through my weak frail frame. In doing so, You kill two birds with one stone: 1) You crucify my pride and spirit of self-sufficiency; 2) You show the power of the gospel, even through a life marked by pain and hardship. These past few months have been excruciating, but I believe You have used it to highlight Your sufficiency in my weakness. May Christ be clearly seen through my life.

— Pastor Joshua Brooks

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Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…

Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?