His Broken Jars

His Broken Jars

2 Corinthians 4:1-7 (Kari)

Introduction:

Our entire married life has been one of ministry, for the last 42 years Rick and I have had the privilege to share our lives with others who have been through things in this life that have broken them, and in our lives, we’ve been broken as well. Ministry can be tough when you are going through something really really hard that breaks your heart…whether its physical pain, or even harder, emotional or spiritual pain that breaks your heart…whether it’s your third heart attack and surgery, or one of your family struggling in their marriage, or sending your son to war, or teenage pregnancy, or aging parents, or a dozen other things that crack open our heart

Kyle Idleman shared this powerful truth for believer…” God always has a purpose; He never wastes our pain.”

As Rick and I we’re getting ready to share our hearts with you this morning we came across this story…it captures the essence of what we want to accomplish with our remaining years in ministry

The cracked jar

Author: Paulo Coelho

An Indian legend tells of a man who carried water to his village every day, in two large jars tied to the ends of a wooden pole, which he balanced on his back.

One of the jars was older than the other, and had some small cracks; every time the man covered the distance to his house, half of the water was lost.

For two years, the man made the same journey. The younger jar was always very proud of its performance, safe in the knowledge that it was up to the mission it had been made for, while the other jar was mortified with shame at only fulfilling half of its allotted task, even though it knew that those cracks were the result of many years hard work.

It was so ashamed that one day, while the man got ready to fetch water from the well, it decided to speak to him:

– I want to apologize, but because of the many years of service, you are only able to deliver half of my load, and quench half of the thirst which awaits you at your home.

The man smiled, and said:

– When we return, observe carefully the path.

And so it did. And the jar noticed that, on its side, many flowers and plants grew.

– See how nature is more lovely on your side? – commented the man. – I always knew you were cracked, and decided to make use of this fact. I planted flowers and vegetables, and you have always watered them. I have picked many roses to decorate my house with, I have fed my children with lettuce, cabbage and onions. If you were not as you are, how could I have done that?

The Apostle Paul writes to the Church at Corinth and he explains in a nutshell why he believes God has allowed him to be a cracked Jar that leaks out healing grace. He clearly let’s us know it’s not a waterferd crystal vase holding a priceless treasure…. it’s a broken and cracked clay pot

In fact, Rick wanted to call this ministry “Crack Pots” …but I straightened him out lol

It’s why Paul started out his letter to this church with these words:

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

God’s plan for our brokenness is that we may comfort others who are next to us on this path called life

(My parents we’re really broken people when I was growing up…my mother was sexually and emotionally abused by her biological father from the time she was 5 years old until she was 16…it’s hard for me to imagine what kind of brokenness that does to your soul. The one who is suppose to love and protect you becomes the greatest source of hurt in your life…my father was raised by a single mother who many times saw him as an inconvenience to her lifestyle. She would go out and lock him in the basement for days at a time…He would enlist in the Air force as soon as he was old enough and escape this world. My Mom was 16…my dad was 19….I was born a year after they were married and my brother was born 4 years later..and with this foundation they did the best they could to provide, protect and love us as we grew up…but God wasn’t a part of our family…lots of unspoken secretes, lot’s a unhealthy learned survival methods, lots of cracks and brokenness…And then when I was about 6 or 7 a woman invited me to church. She even began to pick me up.and over a period of time my parents started to come to church as well…This amazing woman began to leak out grace onto the broken lives of my family and God began to reveal His purpose and plan. God choose this path for me and my family and He “never ever wastes our pain.”