Sermon Central
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Jars Of Clay
Contributed by Anthony Zibolski on Jun 27, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: We are all to be useable vessels for the Lord to use.We must be an example, we are to stand firm in our faith, and be a positive testimony to others.
JARS OF CLAY
THIS SERMON WAS MADE FROM SOURCES ON SERMON CENTRAL AND MY PRIVATE STUDY.
INTRO
READ 2 CORINTHIANS 4:1-18
HAVE YOU EVER TALKED TO SOMEONE ABOUT WHAT JESUS MEANS TO YOU? I HOPE ALL OF US CAN SAY YES TO THAT.
HAVE YOU EVER TALKED TO SOMEONE AND AS SOON AS YOU BEGIN TO TALK, YOU COULD SEE THAT THEY WERE GETTING AGITATED.
WHY WOULD THEY GET MAD BECAUSE YOU ARE TELLING THEM ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP YOU HAVE?
WHY IS IT SOME PEOPLE ARE SO OPPOSED TO THE GOSPEL AND JESUS CHRIST?
WHY WHEN YOU TELL SOMEONE THAT YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH CERTAIN THINGS DO THEY LOOK AT YOU LIKE YOU ARE FROM ANOTHER PLANET?
BECAUSE WE ARE DIFFERENT OR AT LEAST WE SHOULD BE
IN 2 CORINTHIANS PAUL ADDRESSES A FEW ISSUES.
-HE DESCRIBES THE COMFORT OF GOD CHAPTER ONE
- FORGIVENESS FOR THE SINNER WHO REPENTS CHAPTER TWO
- WE ARE ALL MINISTERS AND SHOULD MAKE AN IMPACT IN PEOPLE’S LIVES.
TODAY’S VERSE
WE HAVE A MINISTRY, WE HAVE UNBELIEVERS WATCHING OUR LIVES, AND WE HAVE SATAN PULLING THE VEIL OVER PEOPLE’S EYES AND DECEIVING THEM ON THE THINGS OF GOD.
NOW I KNOW SOME ARE QUICK TO SAY THAT IS THE PREACHERS JOB, THAT’S WHAT WE PAY HIM FOR.I DID NOT GO TO COLLEGE, I DO NOT KNOW THE BIBLE WELL ENOUGH TO DO THAT.
OUR WORLD IS DYING IN PAIN AND SORROW, LOOKING FOR ANSWERS THAT MEAN SOMETHING WHEN IT COMES TO QUESTIONS ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH.
SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS IS THE INABILITY OF A PERSON TO UNDERSTAND , PERCEIVE, GRASP, COMPREHEND SPIRITUAL TRUTH. DO YOU KNOW ANYONE LIKE THAT?
WHAT IS SATAN HIDING FROM THESE PEOPLE?
1. V3- AND EVEN IF THE GOSPEL IS VEILED , IT IS VEILED TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING. THE GOD OF THIS AGE HAS BLINDED THE MINDS OF UNBELIEVERS, SO THAT THEY CANNOT SEE THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL. SHIELDS THEM FROM RECEIVING THE LIFE CHANGING POWER OF JESUS CHRIST THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES.
2. BLINDS THEM TO THE MEANING OF THE CROSS. THE BLOOD, THE CROSS, ALL OF THAT IS MEANINGLESS TO THEM. EASTER IS A HOLIDAY. THEY GIVE THEIR KIDS EGGS AND CHOCOLATE. THEY WEAR A CROSS ON THEIR NECK, BUT NO IDEA WHAT IT MEANS. THEY SEARCH FOR SPIRITUALISM, BUT NOT CHRIST.
PAUL TELLS US V1 - WE HAVE A MINISTRY (WE AS YOU AND I) TO BRING THE GOSPEL TO THOSE AROUND US. TO SHED LIGHT TO A DARK AND DECEIVED WORLD. MOST PEOPLE THINK LIFE IS ABOUT HERE AND NOW. PUT EVERYTHING YOU’VE GOT INTO RIGHT NOW. GET ON THE GRAVY TRAIN AS FAST AS YOU CAN, AND RIDE IT AS LONG AS YOU CAN. WE KNOW THAT THERE IS MORE TO LIFE. WE BELIEVE THAT AFTER THIS LIFE, THERE IS A BETTER LIFE..FOR THOSE THAT HAVE JESUS AS SAVIOR.
DO NOT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES ON EARTH, WHERE MOTH AND RUST DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES BREAK IN AND STEAL. BUT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN, WHERE MOTH AND RUST DO NOT DESTROY AND THIEVES DO NOT BREAK IN AND STEAL.
THE WORLD AND IT’S DESIRES PASS AWAY, BUT THE MAN WHO DOES THE WILL OF GOD LIVES FOREVER.
THERE IS SOMETHING GREATER TO LIVE FOR. THERE IS HOPE RATHER THAN DESPAIR.
HOWARD HENDRICKS
“IN THE MIDST OF A GENERATION SCREAMING FOR ANSWERS, CHRISTIANS ARE STUTTERING”
HERE WE GO
HOW DO WE (YOU AND I) RESPOND TO A WORLD OF HURTING PEOPLE
I. BE AN EXAMPLE
THEREFORE DO NOT LOSE HEART. THOUGH OUTWARDLY WE ARE WASTING AWAY, YET INWARDLY WE ARE BEING RENEWED DAY BY DAY. FOR OUR LIGHT AND MOMENTARY TROUBLES ARE ACHIEVING FOR US AN ETERNAL GLORY THAT FAR OUTWEIGHS THEM ALL. SO WE FIX OUR EYES NOT ON WHAT IS SEEN, BUT WHAT IS UNSEEN. FOR WHAT IS SEEN IS TEMPORARY, BUT WHAT IS UNSEEN IS ETERNAL.
SOME OF US ARE NOT AS YOUNG AS WE ONCE WERE. SOME OF US WEIGH A LITTLE MORE THAN WE DID A FEW YEARS AGO. SOME OF US ARE LOSING OUR HAIR AND THINK GOD IS HAVING A HARD TIME COUNTING THEM. (ENOUGH ABOUT ME)
SOME OF THE THINGS WE WERE PRIDEFUL ABOUT, WE HAVE LOST THEM, BUT WE KNOW AS BELIEVERS IN CHRIST, THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY.
ONE DAY I WILL BE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE LORD AND SAVIOR OF THE UNIVERSE AND WILL HAVE A GLORIFIED BODY, BE STANDING IN A SURROUNDING OF AMAZING PEOPLE WORSHIPING GOD. IT IS NOT THE END, IT IS THE BEGINNING FOR ETERNITY.
ILLUSTRATION
A GRANDMOTHER OVERHEARD HER 5 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER PLAYING “WEDDING”. THE WEDDING VOWS WENT LIKE THIS; “YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT, ANYTHING YOU SAY MAY BE HELD AGAINST YOU, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE AN ATTORNEY PRESENT. NOW YOU MAY KISS THE BRIDE”
