Your Vessel
2Corinthians 4:7 says, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us”.
Where do you stand or what do you imagine “earthen vessels” look like? Think about it….
How do you view your earthen vessel, your body?
Write out your answer before going on…
2 Tim 2:20-21 says, But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Is your vessel purged and cleanse? We are just an earthen vessel but Christ justifies us and has imputed His righteousness unto us. Are you a vessel of honor, sanctified and suitable for the Masters use?
Some may say my vessel is polished because Christ dwells in me, I am forgiven, and I am striving to be Christ like.
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: (Colossians 1:21-22 KJV)
Jesus presents us holy and unblameable and unreproveable in God’s sight. I must therefore be a shining vessel.
This may be your outlook too. Even though our earthen vessels are week like clay pots in which the Potter molds and forms.
When John Stumbo the president of the C&MA asked the younger generation about this verse they all basically had the same answer. They were broken and mired. They did not like the polished façade of the older generation. Broken and in need of a Saviour is their view of “earthen vessels”.
Think about 1 Corinthians 1:20-27…
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; (1 Corinthians 1:20-27 KJV)
It is the foolish view of mankind which saves the lost wise man of this world. Today it is the genuinely broken view of transparence which attracts the younger generation.
In Christ,
Greg