Living Understanding Pt 6: Troubled
2Corinthians 4:7-11 7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.
Romans 8:33-39 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Philippians 3:10-11 10I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Jars of clay
In the 1st Century, as today, there was a wide variety of household vessels available. Certainly the wealthy had access to a wide variety, but so also to a certain degree did the poor. Of the materials available, metal, glass, and earthenware, those made of clay were the least costly, but the most fragile, and were not at all recyclable.
Paul presents us with this metaphor: Our sinful, fragile, frail bodies, “jars of clay”, contain a treasure beyond measure in the form of transcendent power of God within us through the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. I think all of us are aware of the limitations of our flesh and our sin-nature, and at some deeply felt, gut-level place we are aware that we, in our flesh, are not capable of the righteousness and holiness God asks of us. I think if we are honest with ourselves we have trouble grasping the idea that God would partner with us to advance his Kingdom. My jar of clay leaks: It has so many chips and broken edges that I wonder how God could possibly use me. But here’s the thing: It is not us in charge; it is God. The excellency of the treasure within us is maintained and sustained by God; our flesh has little to do with it.
Hard pressed
Verses 8-9 contain a series of participles which show us that the power for the growing of the Kingdom comes from God, not from us. The first of each phrase—hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, struck down—all indicate the earthiness, the fragility of our bodies. Things happen in our lives. They are often difficult, emotional times yet we don’t have to let them overwhelm us. The Romans verse teaches us that nothing, not one single thing, can separate us from the love of Christ. Although we are hard-pressed or struck-down the power of Christ through the Holy Spirit protects us. So we are not crushed, not in despair, not abandoned, and not destroyed. It is a real treasure that though hard life experiences press hard upon us, they do not crush us. It is a real treasure that while we are perplexed about why these things happen and what the future holds, we are not pushed into real hopelessness and despair. It is a real treasure that when we are attacked for our faith, and stand for higher values in a corrupt world, we are supported and sustained by God. And it is a real treasure that if there is a temporary setback in our struggle we are not completely overwhelmed.
Given over to death
It is true that at the End of Days many of us will be put to death, even tortured, for our faith in Jesus Christ, and in some parts of the world that is already happening. But most of us today are not being killed because of our faith in Jesus. But all of us daily face a similar, if nonetheless less intense, conflict. The Philippians verse teaches that as we face obstacles and persecution because of our faith—as we press through conflict—we are revealing the power of Jesus in our own bodies. It is not easy to be hated because we hold to a higher standard. It is not easy to be called intolerant because we boldly declare sin a sin even though it is considered socially acceptable (e.g. abortion or homosexuality). But when we stand for Godly values we are declaring with our lives our trust and faith in Jesus and what he stands for. If we are then given over to a ‘mini-death’ in our life, then we also have waiting for us an eternal life in the company of Jesus Christ himself.
What about me?
The essence of all this is that our lives count. It is not an accident that we are alive in this particular era, nor is it an accident that we came to Christ at the particular moment we did. This mini-death we experience through various struggles is actually a testimony of our love and faith and trust in Jesus. When our unbelieving friends and family see us experiencing such things yet retaining a firm measure of faith, they may wonder what is going on. Their questioning wonder is really an open door which allows us to talk about God from a profoundly relational perspective.
My believing friend, I imagine you may be experiencing hard times. I’ve been there too; I’ve lost my wife and I’ve broken my ankle. I know emotional and physical pain. But remember this: Satan wants you to give up, curse God, and walk away. God wants you to become stronger and more closely connected with him because of the experience. Which will you choose?