Clay Pots in a Crushing Age 2 Corinthians 4:1-12 Lewis Winkler

John 16:20, 33 “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” “In this world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Setting Our Text in Context  Paul is telling the Corinthians about the nature of the New Covenant made know through Jesus Christ.  Chapter two emphasizes the victorious power of the gospel to save those who believe, and reminds us that the power of gospel comes through God alone rather than clever techniques or flashy speakers.

Setting Our Text in Context  Chapter three emphasizes the glorious nature of the New Covenant in Christ—a covenant not written in stone and given through Moses, but written in the hearts of those who believe by the hand of the Holy Spirit.

Setting Our Text in Context  Whenever Moses spoke to God, he returned to the Israelites with a veil over his face, not only because the Israelites were overwhelmed by God’s glory which made Moses’ face literally glow, but also because Moses was ashamed of the fact that the glory ultimately faded away over time.

2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

The Authenticity of the Gospel (1-2)  Apparently, there were false teachers in Corinth who were making their living through craftiness and a deceitful use of God’s word.  Paul and other genuine ministers of the gospel, on the other hand, were simply sharing the truth of the gospel in an authentic and plain manner, and therefore had absolutely nothing to hide.

The Veiling of the Gospel (3- 4)

2 Corinthians 3:13-15 “Moses... would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.”

The Veiling of the Gospel (3- 4)  The blinding veil remains for those who are perishing  They are blinded by “the god of this age,” also known as Satan.

Satanic Veils:  Ignorance and Distortion  Personal Peace and Affluence  Distraction and Business  Pride/Self-sufficiency/Independence

Four Key Things to Notice:  Those without Christ are perishing.  Those without Christ are blind.  As Christians we have been given eternal life and spiritual sight!  We are called to offer this life and sight to those around us.

The Center of the Gospel (5-7)  The center of the gospel is JESUS— no one and nothing else (5).  The light of God’s truth illumines our hearts and minds (6).  Because we are clay pots, God is able to shine forth His truth through us all the more (7).

The Center of the Gospel (5-7)  If we make anything else the center of our life, we obscure the gospel.  The gospel is not obscure, but it can be obscured.  The gospel is simpler than most people realize.

The Center of the Gospel (5-7)  Jesus Christ is God in the flesh.  He came to earth to live a perfect life and die on the cross in our place to pay the death penalty for sin.  He rose from the grave to prove that He has power over death and can give us eternal life.  If we place our trust in Him, He will forgive us and give us eternal life at that very moment!

Colossians 1:13-14 “For [God] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

The Plain Truth  All around us, people are blind to the truth and need Jesus to tear off the satanic veils that are keeping them from God’s forgiveness and eternal life.  As Christians, we are called to talk to everyone about Jesus because He is the absolute center of the gospel.

The Story of Herlan

A New Covenant Creation

The Irony of the Gospel (8- 12)  Afflicted...  Perplexed...  Persecuted...  Struck Down...  Dead/Death...  Not Crushed (Intact)  Not Despairing (Hopeful)  Not Forsaken (Sustained)  Not Destroyed (Remaining)  Alive/Life! (Thriving)

Conclusion and Application Although I am weak and broken and marred by sin, when I make Jesus the absolute center of my life, He can still shine through me and use me to make an eternal difference in this neighborhood, this city, and this world.

A Clay Pot Used for God’s Glory: The Story of William Carey

“Young man, sit down! When God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do it without your aid or mine!”

Carey sails to India with His Wife and Children A Clay Pot Used for God’s Glory: The Story of William Carey

The Indigo Factory A Clay Pot Used for God’s Glory: The Story of William Carey

A Godly Witness and Prolific Translator A Clay Pot Used for God’s Glory: The Story of William Carey

The Mission Chapel at Serampore A Clay Pot Used for God’s Glory: The Story of William Carey

The Legacy of William Carey  Before he was thirty-one he could read the Bible in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Dutch, French, and English—all self-taught!  He founded a university that is still providing a Christian education in India today.  He founded a still-existent agricultural and horticulture society.  Awarded an honorary doctorate degree, he was a highly respected professor of Sanskrit and Bengali languages in India for 30 years.  He led many Hindus to faith in Jesus Christ

The Legacy of William Carey  He translated the Bible into Bengali, Sanskrit, Marathi, and Punjabi, and portions of almost 40 other dialects and languages.  He founded and operated his own printing press business.  He was directly involved in the founding of 19 different mission stations throughout India.  He successfully lobbied to have the Hindu practice of “sati,” or widow burning outlawed in India.  He founded the Baptist Missionary Society, and launched the modern missionary movement which has succeeded in taking the gospel all over the world.

Carey’s Final Admonition: “You have been speaking about William Carey. When I am gone, say nothing about William Carey—speak only about William Carey’s Savior.”