Cantique : Earthen Vessel I Was Made

A. The Treasure in

the Earthen Vessels

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All of verse 7 reads like this: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us. ” The Greek word for excellency “surpassingness, ” “exceeding greatness. ” The fact that we are earthen vessels proves that the excellency of the power is of God and not out of us. Here Paul seems to be saying, “I am nothing more than an earthen vessel, low and worthless. In myself I am sinful, fallen, and low. How can such a person manifest the truth and shine forth the glory of the gospel? I do not have the power to do this. The excellency of the power is not out of me—it is of God. Although I am a worthless earthen vessel, God has shined this precious treasure into me. Now this treasure becomes the source of the power energizing me and enabling me to shine forth God’s glory and to manifest the truth. ”

Do you not have a divine motor within you? The marvelous treasure is now a heavenly motor empowering us from within. This motor may not trouble us while we are sleeping, but during the rest of the day, it bothers us. Preachers often tell others that Christ will give peace. In my experience He often does not give me peace. He gives me joy, but instead of giving me peace, He bothers me. If I do not go along with His inward bothering, I cannot have peace. Sometimes I cooperate with His bothering and have joy, but still there is no peace.

According to your experience, can you sit quietly at home and enjoy peace? Is it not true that the Lord often bothers you inwardly? Christ is a bothering One. This treasure is a living and active treasure operating within us. This treasure even constrains us to do certain things. According to 2 Corinthians 5 , the love of Christ constrains us. Christ not only bothers us; He constrains us, pushes us on. This is the power, the source of strength, for the apostles to behave themselves in such a way as to shine the gospel and manifest the truth.

Life-study of 2 Corinthians

Message 10 (LSM)