Today you should read: 2 Corinthians 4:1-18
Do yourself a favor – take your time and read today’s passage SLOWLY. It has so much to say to us today.
If you are a Christ-follower, then God has made His light shine in your heart to give you the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in Jesus (v.6). That’s so much to be thankful for!
Verse 7 says…
But we have this treasure in jars of clay…
What’s the treasure and why jars of clay? The treasure is the Gospel – the message that is hidden from the lost (v.4) but has been revealed to you (v.6). The Gospel or Good News – is the most powerful bit of information available to man. It contains life-changing words that alter lives in ways thought unimaginable. The Gospel is that you and I are in a desperate spot because of the sin nature we inherited from Adam. Everyone has sinned – and our sin deserves the penalty of hell. Jesus came to earth at Christmas time – born of a virgin and lived a perfect, sinless life. When He was thirty-three, He willingly laid down His life by dying on a cross to shed His blood for our sins. He rose again three days later to confirm His Deity. Now He invites you and I into a relationship with God by accepting His atonement for our sins. We have this TREASURE!
Do you consider the Gospel a treasure? Do you treat it like it is?
But why jars of clay? This is a metaphor that the people in Paul’s day (when this was written) clearly understood. Many things were stored in clay jars – medicines, foods, documents (like the Dead Sea Scrolls), wine, and more. Treasure was stored in clay jars. Now the play on words comes in, when you realize that our bodies are made of dirt – “clay” if you will – so we are clay jars. God has decided, by His grace and mercy, to house the Gospel in us; for you and I to be the containers that show the Gospel to the world.
Sometimes this is difficult (v.8-10) – but it’s always important! So . . .
Don’t lose heart (v.16) – Remember that our momentary troubles are achieving an eternal glory [heaven] that outweighs them all. (v.17). SO fix your eyes on what is unseen – what is eternal. (v.18)
Posted by: Tim Parsons
JumpstartCPC.com 
Some time ago I read a sermon by David Dykes, a pastor in Texas, entitled, “God Uses Cracked Pots”. One of the key points of the sermon was “God delights in using imperfect vessels”. All of us have baggage from sin and have cracks, even holes, in our pots. God can, and will, use those for the benefit of the lost if we will get out of the way and let HIM. This will come as no surprise to those who know me but I am definitely a “cracked pot”. Praise God that HE allows me to be used for HIS glory.
That’s awesome Mike! Tanks for commenting today!