09 Jun Glory on paper plates

2 Corinthians 4:7-18 – 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

12 So death is at work in us, but life in you. 13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

You know if you meet with a financial planner, you expect him to look a certain way. You expect him to be dressed nicely, clean cut, tidy, organised, have it together, because if your financial planner is filthy and flat broke, you would think, “uh-oh, maybe this is not the guy. I come to the wrong person”.

And it’s the same reaction many people in the church today have about suffering. They think, we think “Well, if someone’s life is full of sufferings, they must be outside of God’s blessing”.  We put attention on image, impression, how things look. We sometimes think that to be effective Christians we should be successful, powerful, and strong, bigger, better, “visible”. Because it makes sense to our human mind. We cover up weakness. Weakness, failures, and sufferings do not look good in our book. We tell our good stories and testimonies – the ones with happy ending. We are reluctant to share our struggles, the ugly BTS, because we hate showing our weakness. Especially with social media now, it gets even worse! Because we often Instagram only the good parts. We’re so easy to think “wow everyone else is effortlessly doing really well. It is just me who is struggling” – so we lose heart.

Today we are going to talk a lot about suffering and why we should not loose heart. There is no better person, other than Jesus, that probably understood suffering as much as the Apostle Paul. Paul wrote this letter, starting off with 2 Cor 4:1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not loose heart. So you can tell, that Paul sounds beaten. He was weathered. But by the mercy of God, he was still there. We get a glimpse of his hope, that even if he was at the end of his rope, there was something that inspire him and propel him to carry on.

To put some context, Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians. Some people were questioning his apostleship and his leadership in the church, because all the suffering he had gone through. But Paul being Paul, Paul unapologetically boasted about his weakness and claimed that his Gospel is so glorious. Yet, the Corinthians looked at him and wondered, “but he doesn’t look very impressive! Don’t think he is the right guy”. When Paul preached, people threw him stones, he was imprisoned, shipwrecked, beaten up, humiliated, driven out of towns by angry mobs. I mean, how is that impressive?

But today, God wants us to learn through Paul, to calibrate our way of thinking. In the new covenant, God meets human in their weaknesses and death – God uses his people at their points of deepest need. In other words, to us Paul is saying, the very thing that makes you feel like giving up, are actually the very reason you do not lose heart.

If anything all Christians can relate, is we all have struggles. We are constantly at war with our weaknesses in this broken world. Maybe you suffer a great deal of something, from anxiety and depression, maybe your marriage is a really hard work, maybe someone close to you recently was diagnosed with terminal illness, maybe your children have lost their paths, maybe the overwhelming grief you can’t seem overcome. And you ask, God, where is the glory in any of that? How could any of these show that God is awesome? How can I keep going on like this? I am glad you are here today!

Today we are going to learn from Paul, 3 reasons why we do not lose heart:

1) Our weakness gives glory to God

2) Our weakness brings others to glory

3) Our weakness prepares us for glory

1) Our weakness gives glory to God (v7-11)

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

In the previous verse 6, Paul says that the message of the Gospel relies solely on the grace of God, to enable our heart to see the knowledge of the glory of God in Jesus Christ – that’s the treasure we are talking about. The Gospel. Then, Paul continued v7. We have this treasure in jars of clay. Very catchy – I don’t know if you know, but a long time ago there was a whole music band named after that verse. Why would such highly valuable treasure be kept inside such cheap vessel? Paul addressed our question right away – to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. That’s the main goal.

Paul did not refer himself to an expensive glass vase or a fine crystal jar. He called himself a jar of clay. Common ordinary items, very frail, disposable, and it gets broken easily all the time. Once broken, you cannot reuse it again, you need to discard it. Equally nowadays like a plastic bag or paper plate.

Has anyone ever been to the fine dining restaurant? If you go to a fancy restaurant, it’s all about the presentation. Oversized plate, fancy utensils, expensive food, a tiny piece of meat and beautiful garnish. It’s ALL about the presentation. It looks amazing. Back when we were dating, Edrick and I used to go fine dining on special occasions. One thing about it is, usually the food is okay, you wouldn’t say all the dishes were over the top. But what makes it special is the entire experience – the plate, the service, the ambiance, the waiter, the music. All these additions make the food seems impressive. Paul says, “I’m not doing that.” This is all about the meal. Any food can sort of seem impressive when you do all of that. But how do you know if the food really tastes good? Serve it on a paper plate and see how good it is then. No extra things. It is a bold move.

Paul says we have this Gospel. It doesn’t need any help from us. You and I are not crystal jars, we are jars of clay – we are fragile, broken and one day we will turn to dust. But what is important is not the jar, but what is inside of it that makes it so valuable. If you know Jesus, if you put your faith in Christ, you have the treasure.

We may be weak, small; and easily broken, but the bible says that’s what God likes to use. Paul was telling the story about his affliction in Asia, “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead” (2 Cor 1:9). If you are weak, you are precisely the kind of people God can use, because those people who know they are weak are people who rely on Him. When we are needy and dependent, we stay closest to our Source. If we are able and capable, there is no need to stay close.

Our tendency is to mistake the jars and the treasure. We are so prone to think, if only look better, have it all together, if only we had different music, if only we have different room, different lighting, or funny hip preachers, then we would be “more powerful” as a church. Nothing is wrong with all that, they are all good things, but the danger is when we think the power lies in those things. Don’t mistaken the jar and the treasure. Paul is a jar of clay, a paper plate, very ordinary. The Gospel, the knowledge of the glory of God is the treasure. Paul wants everyone to know that the power does not come from him but comes from God. In fact, Paul is so well known of this, 2 Cor 12:9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

My daughter got sick recently and was prescribed 10 days of antibiotics, twice a day. As soon as our GP mentioned ‘antibiotic’, I was like NOOOOO.. Boy, let me tell you. Every single time is always a struggle. She refuses it because it tastes bitter, but as parents, we are willing to take actions to make her have it because it is necessary to heal her sickness – she needs it, even when she does not want it.

So it is, with our heart. This is hard to accept, like a bitter pill to swallow for our flesh – but it is necessary for Christians to get this – The Lord uses us in our weakness. It is not a hindrance for Him. Weakness is not an enemy of Christians. So, I pray we can get this right as a start.  I don’t know what it is for you. What are the struggles that makes you think, God cannot use me. And you feel like giving up, just about to lose heart. Listen to this, church, what if – what if – the very thing that make you feel He can’t use you, is the very thing that makes you usable in His hands? He got you limping so you would lean on Him. So, you can rely on his power, not your own.

This is my favourite – 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”

Never ever the bible promises an easy, stress-free life in Christ. I think most of us know already, following Christ and serving Him takes us to hard places, narrow paths. Being used by God brings Paul to places of weakness. Though Paul’s experience was unique to him, there is a sense in which all of us, Christians, are given over to death for Jesus’ sake. If we truly follow Christ, there will be a cost. It doesn’t mean we actively looking for it, chasing afflictions, “Here I am, somebody persecute me. Oh Yes, thank you, Jesus.” No, that’s not what I mean.

But if you look at your life over the big picture and there’s never been a cost of following Jesus, maybe, it is worth considering are you really following Jesus. It may not be literal physical persecution. Maybe you’re blessed to have a Christian employer and you have a Christian family and you go to a Christian school and you’re blessed with lots of good Christian friends around you, but still there will come a time that there will be a cost for doing the right thing, for saying the truth, for loving, for forgiving, for not gossiping, for correcting, for standing for what is true, or even for keep trusting. There will be a cost.

And there will be moments when we feel drained, wasted – almost on the verge of giving up. It is never an if, but a matter of when. Yet, Paul said, the bible promised us that we are never out. Look at verses 8 and 9. We see God’s power at work in Paul’s life with these pairs: Afflicted, not crushed; perplexed, but not despair; persecuted, not forsaken; struck down, not destroyed.

The first part of each pair shows what it feels to suffer. Paul is trying to picture us what it’s like to be handed over to death. You’re afflicted, tormented, you’re perplexed – confuse, you’re probably asking “God WHY is this happening to me? what am I doing”, you’re persecuted, you’re struck down, but the second half of each pair shows what it means to be sustained by God’s power. You’re not crushed, not despair, not forsaken, not destroyed, you are kept. Yes, all those things are real, you still feel the sting and pain, but it will not be your ultimate doom. We will get to the why later.

As followers of Christ, we are literally following His path. We are always faced with the way of the cross, the way of weakness, the way of dying to our flesh (v10). And as we go that route, the resurrection life of Jesus will be revealed (V11 so his life might be revealed in us).

It is easy to say when things are fine. But in the heat of the moment, I don’t know about you, but I am often attacked with the lies saying “Are you sure? Aren’t all this just making you a looser? Maybe this is all a lie, the Gospel does not seem to work?”. If Paul were here, Bro, he will grab your shoulder and shake you. Don’t be deceived! The fact that Paul was willing to go through what he went through, shows that Jesus is alive. If Jesus was not alive, Paul would not be doing this. There are much easier ways to spend your life rather than being beaten and imprisoned, going through the path of weakness.

Do you have people in your life, who have been through such dark places and unbelievable pain in their life, yet they continue to press on and follow Christ? When you spend time with them, you don’t walk away thinking ‘he is a looser, and Jesus is a lie’. No, actually the explanation of this person is “the Gospel is true, Jesus is alive.” We think that the more we are ripped and torn, it will make God look bad, it will reduce His glory. Quite the opposite, the more we are ripped and torn, the more people see the treasure within. Our weaknesses, our failures, sufferings bring God’s glory, we don’t need to cover them up. Let the world see that we are only a paper plates, they will see more of Him.

2) Our weakness brings others to glory

12 So death is at work in us, but life in you. 13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

To the Corinthians, Paul’s afflictions seem like a waste of time. Such a shame. Paul says v12 even if death is at work in me, but life in you. In verse 13, Paul quoted Psalm 116 when David was delivered by God from death. Paul says “but I have the same Spirit of faith as the old prophets, and they spoke because they believed. I believe too and so I am speaking to you.” Paul’s experience has strengthened his faith, not for the current life, but in the resurrection life.

“Because I (Paul) have the same Spirit in me, I am boldly speaking to you, Corinthians, knowing the hope and promise of the ultimate resurrection is mine” (v14). What is our Christian hope? It is not our best life now, isn’t it? but our best life later, forever in eternity. That’s the hope of Christians. Until you believe that there is something better to come, you will not endure hardship right here and now. Somebody said, “You will not be of any earthly good unless you are heavenly minded” that’s so true! Nancy Guthrie said, our resurrection day is our next BIG day. Our faith in the resurrection enables us to be a risk-taking Christian, a cross-bearing Christian, pressing-on Christian. You won’t do all that if you don’t believe in the resurrection.

Edrick and Ps Yosia often use the analogy – if you know that you would inherit 10$ million dollars tomorrow, would you gladly give away your 1000$ today? That’s a no brainer. We can endure being handed over to death because we know death is not the end. Resurrection awaits us. That’s why we press on. 

v15 for it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. In the original Greek word, it simply means Grace leads to gratitude. If there is no weakness in your life, no suffering, no hardship, no honesty about our failures, then there’s no need for grace. And if people cannot see grace in your life, then they will not have the occasion to give thanks to God for that grace.

If Paul wasn’t willing to suffer, the Corinthians would not know this power of the risen Christ in their life. Paul suffers so the grace of the gospel reaches out to more and more people like the Corinthians, like you and me. They will hear what Christ has done for them and praise God for it. I read this somewhere, but I forgot who, it says something along this line, Jesus saved us by dying, so why would we be surprised that the message of Christ will be delivered through dying messengers? If you and I never suffer, if you and I are never being handed over to death, people will never be able to marvel at the grace of God that cause us to endure. 

It leads me to my last point.

3) Our weakness prepares us for glory

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Here’s one of the things that’s so crucial when we face sufferings – is to remember that your suffering is not without a purpose. There is something waiting for us at the end. When you know that, you can endure almost anything. If you work out and exercise, you know there’s a pain and soreness, but you endure it for those 2 minutes or 2 hours, because you know there’s something good. It is achieving something good in your body. Those cancer patients, they are willing to take chemo, it’s miserable, yet they endure it because they know there’s something good. Mums, you endure the pain of childbearing, starting from the start of pregnancy, the labour, the postpartum, it’s hard road and painful. But you willingly endure it because there’s something good on the other side. It makes a huge different when you believe there’s a purpose to it.

Maybe some of you say, “but Lis, what if I have no idea what’s the purpose? I can’t see it”. That’s most of us, isn’t it? I feel so bad. I can’t function. I can’t pray, I feel like screaming and giving up. What good is it for me?”. I asked God million times of that question – What good is it for me to go through this?

Church, there is almost no greater testimony we can have to the world, than to suffer as Christians. Even though, in the world’s perspective, we are wasting away, we’re at lost, but there is so much better gain beyond what you can see.

Thomas brook – “Afflictions are but as a dark entry into our Father’s house; they are but as a dirty lane to a royal palace!”. We are created by God for His glory. To see it, to enjoy it and to reflect His glory. Through affliction, the Lord is getting us ready for that glory. And that’s what he is doing to us through affliction – making us like Him – Christ, The visible image of the invisible God. The Corinthians think that afflictions that are signs that the glory plan had gone wrong. Paul says no, that is the sign that the glory plan is on track. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

And this is the important bit – the connection between our present suffering and eternal glory is Christ. The reason why there is a ‘carved’ path that we can follow in the midst of painful suffering, is because of what Christ has already accomplished through the cross.

Two weeks ago, Ps Yosi preached that suffering is bearable when we know definitely God has a purpose. The reason why we can be sure of it for us, is because of Christ’s finished work on the cross. He died that we might live. The greatest exchange of the gospel – Christ’s life for ours.

Going back to verse 8-11. Christ is the reason. We can endure this momentary affliction because we are certain that however hard this is, we will not be crushed, because Jesus has been crushed on our behalf. When we are persecuted, we can endure it, because Jesus was forsaken in our place, so when we face sufferings, we will never be forsaken. Yes, we are struck down, yet we can be sure that this is not the end for us, because Jesus has already faced the ultimate (Real) destruction that can truly destroy us to pieces. He did it on our behalf, so we don’t have to face the real destruction. When death is at work in us, we do not need to fear hanging on to our lives, in fact, we can give up our life because we know in Christ, death has lost its sting. We will experience resurrection just like Jesus did. Jesus Christ has faced the ultimate doom what we deserved to face. If the pain that we experience now is only a fraction of the true suffering Christ has taken on our behalf, can you imagine the full depth of pain He experienced on the cross?

Kevin De Young said, the story of Christians is never simply about our heroic courage. The Christian life is always about God’s power at work within us. Ultimately there is only one hero of the story, and it’s not you, it’s not me. Jesus is the hero of all of our stories. It’s His death that brings us life. His suffering which brings us healing. His resurrection gives us hope. His power at work within us. That’s how we press on when we’re handed over to death.

Don’t get this wrong. Christian life is not a calling to be stoic or cynic towards this hard life. God doesn’t ask us to be indifferent to suffering. The Psalms tell us rather to hope in the midst of suffering. You don’t know how to do that unless you are in suffering. Joy in the Lord doesn’t mean that pain isn’t painful, it means you trust God in the midst of pain, to give you something on the other side of it, even with lots of tears and blood. The Gospel is not there to make our life comfortable now. We don’t have to have our best life now, because we are promised a way better life later. The Gospel is the very fuel that enables us to persevere till that day comes. Afflictions will pass. The glory will be ours. Don’t lose heart.

What is it that you experience today? Don’t lose heart. God is using that very thing for the glory of God, and for good of others and yourself – beyond what you can see or imagine.

Let me close with the lyrics of the recent song we learned.

“There is hope in every trial, why? For I can trust the Lord”

He will turn my heart towards Him. And help me bear the thorn” – He will help us.

So in faith I follow Jesus On the road not understood – even though we don’t understand

For I know that He is working for His glory and my good – this is the promise we can hold on to.

I will boast ever only in the Lord my God. For I know His glory is my good – His glory IS my good.

Discussion questions:

1. What struck you the most from the sermon?
2. How can your weakness bring glory to God?
3. Can you see how your weakness brings others to glory?
4. How can you be sure that there is purpose in your suffering?