Empty Vessels

 Empty Vessels

2 Corinthians 4:5-6: For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

·         We are here to preach the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We are not here to please men…we are here to please the Lord. We are bondservants of the Lord.

·         It is God who commands light to come out of darkness, and that light come from the knowledge of Jesus Christ—the Jesus of the Bible.

·         It is God who shines the light of truth in our hearts as the gospel is preached directly from the word of God. We are not the light, it’s not about us or our opinions; it’s about Jesus… He is the way, the truth, and the life!

·         This light is meant to be shared, you shouldn’t try to hide it or keep it to yourself. It is only when we share it that it shines brighter and brighter!

·         Real Christianity is more than a conversion!

·         It is a Life that is to be lived in the middle of a dark and sinful world…it is not an easy life, but it is a remarkable life and there is nothing like the real thing.

·         There are imitations—but their foundations are something other than God.

2 Corinthians 4:7: But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,  that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

·         What are vessels for? They’re basically containers made to hold something.

·         The vessels around your home are probably pots and bowls, and when nothing is in them they are, of course—empty vessels.

·         We as human beings are vessels and we are meant to contain something. What are we meant to contain?

Ø  The amazing truth is that we were meant to contain God Himself! The Almighty God of the universe.

·         Christ in us the hope of glory! That is the glory of humanity!

·         Therefore, without God in us we will live “empty lives.”

·         Paul tells us that we are not just vessels, but earthen vessels, made from clay or dirt… which in itself has very little value. Apart from God, man is nothing but a humble pot, and maybe even a cracked one at that!

·         But the Christian is more than an empty vessel because he has something within— Someone within. That is what humanity was always intended to be.

·         The vessel itself is not very valuable—but it holds an immeasurable treasure beyond price; it’s a power greater than any power known to man.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29: But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 

Ø  The second great truth is that God has designed ordinary people like us to carry this these riches so that everyone can see that this power is of God and not of us.

·         This is essence of the New Covenant—nothing coming from us and everything coming from God!

·         God designed it this way that it would be obvious to all people that this great power, wisdom, and love would become very visible in ordinary people.

·         This is not a theological mystery—it is a hard reality which is incredibly practical. The mystery will always be that God wants to use people like us to fill with the Spirit of Christ!

·         The only hope we ever have of seeing “the glory of God” here in this life is to draw on that treasure within and be empowered by the resurrection life that is available.

·         To see lonely, selfish, and empty individuals transformed, slowly but surely-- into whole, loving, warm and joyful people-- is to see why Paul calls the power of Christ in us immeasurable riches.

·         There are cults that have tried to imitate it, but all end up leaving the people emptier than before. And they cannot stand up to the tests that this life brings and they are exposed as lies. Only Christ in us endures.

·         This is why we must be “transparent” people in our weaknesses and failures… honestly admitting them as opposed to those who try to hide their failures.

·         So that when the power of God is released in our lives no one will think it is anything other than God in us.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9: We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

·         There are afflictions that are common to man—Christians are not exempt.

·         One of the greatest lies told by some is that when you give your life to Christ everything will get easier and all difficulties will disappear.

·         No. We are not part of an exclusive club; we must face this life just like everyone else.

·         The purpose of the Christian life is not to escape dangers and difficulties but to face them differently.

·         There must be trouble for the power of Christ in us to be demonstrated.

·         There is a power within us difficulties that presses back against these difficulties with a greater power than the circumstances from without.

Ø  We must learn to tap into power if our neighbors are ever to see something different. Because if we lose our tempers at little things, if we feel sorry for ourselves and throw our own pity parties… we will just reveal ourselves to be more “unbelieving believers” like so many others.

·         We are either ignorant of the way of God or we are choosing the ways of sin of unbelief, but there will be no deliverance without a believing faith!

2 Corinthians 4:10:  Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 

·         It is first, “carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus.”

·         The death of Jesus was by the cross. The cross has one purpose, and one purpose only--to bring about the death of a man.

Ø  So what is the secret to manifesting this life within us? I must make His cross, my cross!

·          “He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus!”

·         At the cross of Christ, God took all that we are in Adam—all of our natural life with our hopes, dreams, ambitions—and our self-pity, self-indulgence, self-confidence and any other selfish desires—and put them to death on the cross with Christ.

·         And he wants to replace your plans with His plans for you. He wants to give you a destiny, a future, and a hope that is infinitely better than anything you could imagine for yourself.

Romans 6:5-6: For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the  likeness of His resurrection,  knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

·         You cannot do this yourself—it is not up to you to put your old life to death—it’s been done for you!!!!!

·         The cross has already set us free, it is only waiting for us to believe it so that it can be made real in our experience.

·         I am only expected to agree with this truth and cease trying to resurrect the old life again. I am not to try to take my old life and put lipstick on it—it must die and we are to reckon it dead!

·         When I cease trying to make excuses for the flesh and agree with God that it rightly deserves death, I will experience the “carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus.”

·         And then I can rightly expect to experience the life of Jesus being manifested in my mortal body when I need it most—such as turning the other cheek, loving my enemies, waiting on the Lord, etc.

Ø  Here’s a great truth: First comes death and then comes life. Death is intended to lead to resurrection, not the other way around.

·         In resurrection, the mistakes of my past will be turned into instruments of His grace making us clearer and brighter manifestations of His love to those around us and leading them to His love and grace like moths to a flame.

2 Corinthians 4:11: For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

·         This second part is essential to understand; we are being given up to death.

Ø  In other words, God is going to send circumstances my way to force us to abandon trying to fix it in our own strength and lean on the power of the Spirit.

·         God will see to it that you will have opportunities to practice the things you were supposed to learn, to rely on the strength of Christ rather than you own strength.

·         Remember, the New Covenant is “nothing from me and everything from God.”

2 Corinthians 4:12-15: 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.  And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, knowing  that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

·         We must come to the realization of how we are all connected.  All of this has an effect way beyond the life of the single individual. We must understand of how your life and my life will change others’ lives.

·         Death to my selfish desires will not only affect my life but it will result in life to someone else.

·         The Corinthian believers were reaping the results of Paul dying daily. People were watching Christ being manifest in Paul’s flesh through the difficulties and trials of being a Christian.

·         We are all members of one another, and if we will see it—what affects one affects all.

·         Through all the suffering, death, and tears—it is all working for our good. And the New Covenant will be understood by more and more people.

·         Who can help but to praise our God who brings joy out of our sorrow, life out of death, and liberty out of bondage.

·         This is the life that the church is called to demonstrate before the unbelieving world. They are watching us. But even that is not the whole story. These present difficulties point to something far greater beyond—so glorious that the apostle has a hard time explaining it.