7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. 8 We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed, 10 always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our body. 11 For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal body. 12 As a result, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Paul Bogg

I regularly receive a newsletter from an organisation called Voice of the Martyrs. I recall reading not too long ago a story about an Indian pastor, who was thrown into jail, persecuted for his faith, tortured, and kept locked up for the simple crime of preaching the gospel about the Lord Jesus Christ.  In that story, he recounts all the various ways in which, in spite of his imprisonment, he continued to press on in sharing the gospel, talking with inmates and prison guards, seeing fruit from his labour as people would eventually come to know the Lord through the many years of his imprisonment. Today’s passage reminds me of his story.

We do not have a treasure that is to be locked away in a safe vault, away from the world, kept from prying eyes. Instead, we have this treasure in clay jars – that is, in us! We are weak, fragile, and breakable like clay jars, but God has chosen to use us as his instruments to present the glorious news about Jesus to others – that’s the treasure! We are to reflect this treasure outwards to the world – and because we’re weak and breakable, it will be clear to everyone that the treasure really is Jesus, not us.

So for those of us who are experiencing trouble on every side, experiencing persecution, experiencing the feeling of being knocked down, today’s passage lets you know that: even though death might be at work in you, the life of Jesus may just be being made visible in you. So as you show and share Jesus, people around you will know that the extraordinary power comes not from you, but from God himself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.