In a seminary missions class, Herbert Jackson told how, as a new missionary, he was assigned a car that would not start without a push. So for 2 years he had to get students to push his car to get it going or he would park his car on a hill or leave it running. He finally had to leave the seminary due to ill health and a new missionary was assigned the car. Jackson proudly explained the process for starting the car. The new man looked under the hood and found a loose wire which he promptly tightened. He got into the car and turned the ignition and to the astonishment of Jackson the car started just fine. For two years needless trouble had become routine. The power was there all the time. Only a loose connection kept Jackson from putting that power to work. How tremendous is the power available to us in Christ. We will look at the source of this incredible power this morning.

 IMAGE OF GOD Objective: Foundation #1 – To understand man as created  INSIDE OUT Objective: Foundation #2 – To understand man after the fall and after the new birth  IDENTITY RECOVERED Objective: How to recover your stolen identity  IDENTITY TESTED Objective: A test to determine if your lost identity has been recovered  INCREDIBLE TREASURE Objective: To know the power of God available to you  INHERITANCE OF GOD Objective: To know the completeness and greatness of Christ’s sacrifice for you  IN CHRIST Objective: To provide the key to consistent living for the believer

Part 5 Incredible treasure “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;” 2 Corinthians 4:7

 Previously  The penalty for our sins and power over our sin nature was paid for by Christ’s death on the cross  We were justified by faith alone in Christ’s shed blood  We were identified with Christ by faith alone in His cross work  Three imperatives  Know: crucified, buried, raised, seated with Him  Believe: Consider this to be true  Present: Hand your life over to Him as your owner  Last week saw that we are under a new husband – Christ not the law  Today  This week we will see a fourth command in Romans 8  Walk: By the power of the Holy Spirit

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8:1 NASB Rev. NIV  The qualifying statement in the KJV is not in the Greek.  The key qualifying phrase is “to those who are in Christ Jesus”  If you have been born again, God sees you in His Son  The Son has no condemnation – so neither do you Therefore - Check what this verse is ‘there for’  Points back to chapters 6 and 7 – dead to sin, dead to law Compare – Romans 8:  God is for us (vs. 31)  God has justified us (vs. 33)  Jesus intercedes for us so no one can condemn us (vs.34)  Jesus’ love keeps us and gives us victory (vs )

 You have been set free (vs.2; Galatians 5:1)  Freed from the law of sin and death (vs.2)  Freed from the law which only dealt with the flesh (vs3)  Freed to live as directed by the Spirit not the flesh (vs.4)  Freed from the dictates of the flesh (vs.5-8)  The Command  Walk in that freedom – in the Spirit (vs.14) Walk or live by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit  Stand firm in that freedom (Galatians 5:1) Don’t go back into bondage to sin and law

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;” (2 Corinthians 4:7)  The ‘earthen vessel’  Who or what is it?  You and I – made from the dust of the ground (Gen.2:7; 2 Cor.5:1)  The ‘treasure’  Who or what is it?  Ryrie takes this as the gospel from the immediate context (vs. 1-6)  The wider context would indicate this to be God (Col.1:27) ▪ Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col.1:27) ▪ Specifically the Holy Spirit (the wider context – 3:1 to 4:7; John)

The Glory of the Ministry of the Holy Spirit (3:1-18)  The Old was a ministry of death (vs. 6,7)  Stone tablets, came with glory, condemnation and death  It was veiled or hidden (vs )  The New is a ministry of life, a ministry of the Holy Spirit (vs. 6b)  Far more glorious, no comparison (vs.8-11)  The veil is removed (16)  It is a ministry that sets free (17)  The Spirit continues to reveal new glories of Christ (18)

The Gospel Ministered by the Holy Spirit (4:1-6)  It is the gospel of the glory of Christ (vs. 4b)  It is God who reveals the glory of the gospel (vs.6)  Specifically this is the ministry of the Holy Spirit  He convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:7-11)  He teaches, discloses, and glorifies Christ (John 16:13-15)  He brings about the new birth (John 3:3,5,6)

The Greatness of the Ministry of the Holy Spirit (4:7)  The reason for this treasure within us (vs. 7b)  So that two things  The greatness of the power comes from God (vs.7c)  It does not come from us (vs.7d)  It is God the Holy Spirit who brings this about  This is an incredible power within us  It is not about our performance but His  Our sole obligation is to walk in the Spirit  To live in dependence upon Him  To allow Him to live in and through us  He wants to be the sole pilot of your life  He does not need back seat drivers

The Old Testament Connection to 2 Cor.4:7 (Judges 7) Midianite/Amalekite Army as numerous as locusts 135,000 men (Jud.7:12; 8:10) Gideon’s Army outnumbered the enemy 32,000 then 10,000 then 300 (Jud.7:2-8) Gideon’s Army 300 men with trumpets pitchers with torches (Jud.7:16, 20) Midianite/Amalekite Army’s defeat 120,000 swordsmen killed, 15,000 lived (Jud.7:21-23; 8:10)

The Old Testament Connection to 2 Cor.4:7 (Judges 7) This is the type of lamp used in ancient times. It was a clay vessel containing oil and usually a wick. It would seem that in the account of Gideon these were rather large pitchers filled with oil or with a separate torch inside. When the pitcher was broken the oil would flame brilliantly and be seen by the enemy surrounding the camp. The trumpets were a summons to war. Significance: The flaming fire inside the pitchers is a picture of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:3) We are the clay vessels containing the fire of the Holy Spirit When we are broken the Holy Spirit is then able to shine forth It is the power of the Holy Spirit unleashed that defeats the enemy Don’t continue to struggle to push your car – make the connection