Jars of God's Treasure

2 Corinthians 4:1-7

1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

TAB version

1 Kaya nga sa pagkakaroon namin ng ministeriong ito, ayon sa aming tinanggap na kaawaan, ay hindi kami nanghihina.

2 Bagkus tinanggihan namin ang mga kahiyahiyang bagay na nangatatago, na hindi kami nagsisilakad sa katusuhan, ni nagsisigamit man na may daya ng mga salita ng Dios; kundi sa pagpapahayag ng katotohanan ay ipinagtatagubilin ang aming sarili sa bawa't budhi ng mga tao sa harapan ng Dios.

3 At kung ang aming evangelio ay natatalukbungan pa, ay may talukbong sa mga napapahamak:

4 Na binulag ng dios ng sanglibutang ito ang mga pagiisip ng mga hindi nagsisisampalataya, upang sa kanila'y huwag sumilang ang kaliwanagan ng evangelio ng kaluwalhatian ni Cristo, na siyang larawan ng Dios.

5 Sapagka't hindi namin ipinangangaral ang aming sarili, kundi si Cristo Jesus na Panginoon, at kami ay gaya ng inyong mga alipin dahil kay Cristo.

6 Yamang ang Dios, ang nagsabi, Magniningning ang ilaw sa kadiliman, na siyang nagningning sa aming mga puso, upang magbigay ng liwanag ng pagkakilala sa kaluwalhatian ng Dios sa mukha ni Jesucristo.

7 Nguni't taglay namin ang kayamanang ito sa mga sisidlang-lupa, upang ang dakilang kalakhan ng kapangyarihan ay maging mula sa Dios, at huwag mula sa aming sarili;

NIV v7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us

• V2 - v6 tells that the gospel is shared to people plainly, honestly, no twisting of truth, no deception
• But still the gospel is closed to unbelievers because Satan, the god of this age has blinded their minds
• But even this is the case, Paul still preached the gospel because it is Jesus whom he preached, not himself
• God said that His light should shine into our hearts that Jesus will be known through us
• In v7 the treasure (the gospel - the good news of forgiveness and the promise of eternal life with God) is inside the jars of clay
• The jars made up of clay is an ordinary and breakable thing, where the treasure is put
• This is to draw the attention of people to the treasure, not on the jar
• The jars of clay are the carrier and messenger of the gospel
• God use even ordinary people to carry the gospel

Why God put His treasure in jars made of clay?

A - Approval

A - Aim

A - All-important

A - Assurance

1. Approval (God's approval that we are valuable)

• It is God who gives value
• God value even the jars of clay
• The money we are using, which is valuable to us, only the Central Bank approves it value
• And to us, we are valuable because God made us valuable
• God values a person regardless of status and position
• When God said you have a greater value, even people put you down, even you are in difficult situation, you still have greater value
• Like money that has been put into mud, it is still money and has value
• God put His treasure in a jars of clay
• God value even ordinary people

Life of Jeremiah (Jer. 1)

• Jer. 1:6 "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child" - too young and inexperience
• He was appointed by God as a prophet (v5)
• His mission is to go to everyone God has sent him and say whatever the command of God (v7)
• Appointed over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant (v10)
• His tool as a prophet is his mouth
• But his weakness is his mouth (v6)
• But God used Jeremiah's weakness to accomplish God's plan
• v18-19 Sapagka't, narito, ginawa kita sa araw na ito, na nakukutaang bayan, at pinakahaliging bakal, at pinaka kutang tanso, laban sa buong lupain, laban sa mga hari sa Juda, laban sa mga prinsipe niyaon, laban sa mga saserdote niyaon, at laban sa bayan ng lupain. 19 At sila'y magsisilaban sa iyo; nguni't hindi sila mangananaig laban sa iyo: sapagka't ako'y sumasa iyo, sabi ng Panginoon, upang iligtas ka.
• God will protect those He value

Life of David (1 Samuel 16:11)

• The youngest Son of Jesse
• Just a shepherd
• But annointed by God to be King

Life of Gideon

• Belongs to the weakest clan
• Least in the family (Judges 6:15)
• But God chose him to be mighty warrior (Judges 6:12)

• Why we are valuable? Because of God's approval that we are valuable

2. Aim (God's aim or purpose of our value)

• God gives value for a purpose
• God value the jars of clay because the treasure will be put inside the jars
• God valued Jeremiah for a purpose - to be a prophet and His mission is to go to everyone God has sent him and say whatever the command of God and appointed over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant (v10)
• God used Jeremiah to be an instrument of His purpose
• God valued David for a purpose of being a King of God's people, the Israelite
• God valued Gideon for a purpose of being a mighty warrior to lead the army of Israel to defeat the enemy of God's people, the Medianites
• God valued people to be an instrument of His purpose, not man's purpose, so that God will be honored and glorified
• We are valued by God as an important instrument of His purpose, to be a jar of His treasure, to be the carrier and messenger of the gospel
• It is not for our honor but for God's honor and glory

3. All-important (The most important to God)

• What is inside the jar is more important than the jar
• The money is more valuable than the bank
• The gift inside the box is more important than the box
• The purpose of a tool is more important than the tool itself
• Our value should not be more important than God's purpose
• The treasure of God is put in jars of clay (ordinary and breakable) so that the attention will focus in the treasure, not on jars
• The gospel should be more important than any of us, more important than our work, our position, our situation
• We should live in a life that what will be seen in us are not ourselves but the glory of God.
• People should notice, not our status, not our position, not our situation, but what they should see is the gospel and the power of God that is working in us.
• If we value ourselves greater than God's purpose for us, then it is an act of pride, and God hate it

Consequences of David's pride

• Pride of King David - he took census to boast he has large army (1 Chronicles 21; 2 Samuel 24)
• Numbers 1, 26 - God commanded Moses to take census but in time of David, the census made by David was not the will of God
• Census revealed that Israelites had 1.3 million army
• David admitted his sin v 10
• God sent plague and kill 70,000
• David asked forgiveness and plague stopped

• When we value ourselves greater than God's treasure, God will put us down
• 1 Peter 5:5 "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
• 1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time

4. Assurance (God's assurance for us)

• The money that has been put to mud has still its value, but once tear into pieces, it has no value anymore
• Jars of clay are highly breakable and once broken, it has no value
• This is to show that the jar itself has no power, but under God's power
• V7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us
• We, as an instrument of God, are nothing without God.
• We cannot serve the purpose of God if we just rely on our own
• We are highly breakable because of our sinful nature, because we have our own desire as human
• But God has an assurance that our value will not be teared down, if and only if, we live by the Spirit
• Galatians 5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
• TAB version Sinasabi ko nga, Magsilakad kayo ayon sa Espiritu, at hindi ninyo gagawin ang mga pita ng laman. Sapagka't ang laman ay nagnanasa ng laban sa Espiritu, at ang Espiritu ay laban sa laman; sapagka't ang mga ito ay nagkakalaban; upang huwag ninyong gawin ang bagay na inyong ibigin.
• We, as highly breakable will be stronger than we think because we belong to Christ if and only if the Spirit of God lives in us
• Romans 8:9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

Conclusion

• Our prayer should always be, "Holy Spirit take control of my life."
• We are valued by God because we are instrument of His purpose
• Our lives should always live in God's purpose
• We are the carrier and messenger of the gospel of God
• Whatever situation we are today, whoevere we are, driver, teacher, businessman, farmer, an ordinary person, let us use our position and situation to serve God's purpose - that this gospel should be preached to everyone
• 1 Cor. 7:24 Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.
• Let us not use our situation to serve our own desire but the desire of God
• Let us not allow our situation to hinder us in serving God, but use it for serving God
• And we need the Holy Spirit to live in us so than we can be a person God wants us to be
• Make your life a radiance of God's glory through the help of Holy Spirit

---

By Roli S. Arangote

REST in God

Matthew 11:28-30

28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

• Being tired is caused by excessive work or thinking
• Law of diminishing return
• Tiredness can make you or stop you

REST

R - Run to God first

• In times of need, trouble, circumstances always run first to God
• Story of a man and lion

A man was lost in a jungle and was chased by a lion

He run and run until he get exhausted and hurt physically

Until he reached the dead end, while the lion was near behind him

Then the Lion thank God for the food he was about to eat.

The man has nothing to do now, but then He asked help from God

So the Lion could not open his mouth because the angel of the Lord shuts it off

The man’s spiritual eyes was opened and he saw the angel

The man thank God for saving his life

• The lesson is, usually, people call God as a last resort
• If you don’t want to experience the hard way, prioritize God. He has the best way.

E - Enter God's presence

• Ps. 27:4-6 One thing have I asked of Jehovah, that will I seek after; That I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of Jehovah, And to inquire in his temple. 5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me secretly in his pavilion: In the covert of his tabernacle will he hide me; He will lift me up upon a rock. 6 And now shall my head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me. And I will offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto Jehovah.

S - Seek God's wisdom

• Matt. 8:28 And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose.
• 1 Cor. 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
• Learn from God (Matt. 11:29)

T - Thank God always

• 2 Thess. 5:18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward.
• Thank God that behind every situation, there is an opportunity for us to grab. He has a good purpose.

---

By Roli S. Arangote

Prosperity: It's a choice

Deut. 7:12-15

Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:

13 And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.

15 And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.

1. God has promised to bless us in every ways

• Increase in numbers, bless our children, the crops of our land, our livestocks, we will be blessed more than any people, the Lord will keep us free from every disease
• Jer. 29:11 prosper, not to harm, hope, future

2. We are heir of God's promise to Abraham

• Acts 3:25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.'

3. Spiritual blessings has been given to us

• Eph. 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
• Spiritual blessings are greater and powerful than material blessings
• John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these...
• John 14:14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it

4. What we need now is to claim the blessings for us but our negative mindset - the unbelief - hinders us

• The problem is we don't believe
• How can we claim the blessings for us if we doubt if it is really for us?

Story of Gideon (Judges 6:12)

• The angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." v12
• Gideon's real situation is his clan is the weakest and he is the least in the family
• Later on he claimed what God has given him (300 men against thousand, win every battle)
• It is his belief that he has able to claim the promise to him

Story of Athlete Roger Cannister

• Hundred years ago, no man has run one mile in less than 4 minutes and even science and sport medicine declared that it was not possible for human being to do that
• May 6, 1954, Roger Cannister run one mile in 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds because he believed it is possible
• Today thousands of runners run under 4 min in one mile
• Our Belief can make us or stop us
• Our failures and weaknesses and even the old belief hinder us to believe that we can do better
• But if we take step to act with faith, everything is possible with God

Story of Crossing-over to the other side

• A well-known circus performer will cross over to the other side of rooftop of 20 stories building through walking on the rope without safety net at the ground
• He was about to cross and ask the crowd if they believe he can make it. "Yes we do!" And he made it.
• He did again crossing back where he came. Same question to crowd and same answer.
• One more time, he ask for a volunteer to be on his back and they will cross together But people became silent. Nobody want to take risk
• Later, a boy volunteered and they crossed together
• At the end of the show people asked the boy why he was not afraid of what he did.
• The boy answered, "Why should I be afraid? He is my father. I'm 100% sure he could do it."
• Sometimes Christians often say they trust God, but just only words
• Psalm 9:10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
• It means the reason of lack of trust is you still don't know the Lord you are serving
• God wants you to trust Him

God has done His part for us, it is now the time to do our PART

P - Plug-in your life to the Source

• Acts 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
• Our life. sometimes, experiences ups and downs because our connection with God also has ups and downs (lubog-litaw)
• We come to church but we can't feel the presence of God because there is a defect in connection line (sin, worry, unforgiveness, hatred, etc...)
• We need to fix the communication line first so we can have unlimited connection
• Unlimited blessings are available only to those who are connected to the Source
• We can see people that are not Christians who are wealthy and rich, but don't envy on them. Salvation is important than blessings
• 1 Tim. 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment

A - Accept the blessings

• The blessing is already available, we just need to claim it
• But God has instruction how to claim it
• Matt. 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
• Like Abraham (to offer Isaac), Gideon (selection process from 32,000 to 300 armies), Joshua (the fall of Jericho) and others, to claim the blessing is to obey God's instruction
• Matt. 6:33 Give honor and worship to the King directly (prayer, worship, giving, tithes, word of God, time for God, etc...)
• And serve the King's kingdom (support and involvement in different ministry, great commission - preach the gospel, make disciple, baptizing, teach to obey)
• Then the blessing will just be delivered to us

R - Reveal the blessings we received

• The blessings we receive must be seen by others so that they can also be encourage that there are blessings that have been prepared for us, just follow the instruction of God
• Speak it, Show it, Share it
• Sometimes there is a selfishness in us. We can speak it. We can show it. But we can't share it.
• 2 Cor. 9:11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
• We are made rich so that we can share
• 2 Cor. 9:13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ...
• Men will praise God when you share your blessings, so God will bless you more

T - Testify for God's goodness

• In whatever things we achieved, honor and glory should belongs to God
• Sometimes we forget God when we received great things
• 1 Cor. 1:31 Let him who boasts boast in the Lord
• Deut. 8:10 At kakain ka, at mabubusog ka, at iyong pupurihin ang Panginoon mong Dios dahil sa mabuting lupain na kaniyang ibinigay sa iyo.11 Magingat ka na baka iyong malimutan ang Panginoon mong Dios, sa hindi mo pagtupad ng kaniyang mga utos, at ng kaniyang mga kahatulan, at ng kaniyang mga palatuntunan, na aking iniuutos sa iyo sa araw na ito:12 Baka pagka ikaw ay nakakain at nabusog, at nakapagtayo ng mabubuting bahay, at iyong natahanan;13 At pagka ang iyong mga bakahan at ang iyong mga kawan ay dumami at ang iyong pilak at ang iyong ginto ay dumami at ang lahat ng tinatangkilik mo ay dumami;14 Ay magmataas ang iyong puso, at iyong malimutan ang Panginoon mong Dios.
• Deut. 8:17 At baka iyong sabihin sa iyong puso, Ang aking kapangyarihan at ang lakas ng aking kamay ang siyang nagbigay sa akin ng kayamanang ito. 18 Kundi iyong aalalahanin ang Panginoon mong Dios, sapagka't siya ang nagbigay sa iyo ng kapangyarihan upang magkaroon ka ng kayamanan; upang kaniyang papagtibayin ang kaniyang tipan na kaniyang isinumpa sa iyong mga magulang, gaya nga sa araw na ito.

Conclusion

The money, wealth and riches become root of evil if we let them to be the master of our lives

Our current situation will be the root of evil if we let them to be the master our lives

Everything that is the master of our lives rather than God can be the root of evil

Don't let your situation put you down

We have the choice, believe in God's promise, If we are in bad situation right now, that's not the plan of God for us

Don't look at the image we are right now but look at the image God wants us to be

God wants to prosper us, we just need to make Him No. 1 in our lives and in our time

Receive God's promise, let's do our PART

---

By Roli S. Arangote