"for A Time Such As This"

“For A Time Such As This”

2 Corinthians 4:7-18

Based on a sermon given by The Rev. Dr. Candace L. Lewis

Recently, a therapist was asked to give a pulse on where she thought people were as we are posting almost year two of this season we are navigating.

These are just the highlights of what she said:

1. Every single person is having a hard time.

2. Motivation is generally low.

3. Lack of sunshine is actually getting to people.

4. Pandemic burnout is real.

5. For many, the grief, the death and the loss of this season hurts.

6. Small tasks can feel huge.

7. Moving our bodies helps.

8. These feelings aren’t going to last forever.

9. There is no shame in medication.

10. Finding just one thing each day to enjoy helps.

11. Planning something to look forward to helps.

12. Making connections helps.

These are some of the ideas the

therapists are recognizing that are really disquieting in this season.

When I was praying about the message for this morning I thought of this Scripture Passage in 2 Corinthians 4.

“We have this treasure in jars of clay” and we are to remember that we are clay.

And here’s the thing about clay:

If you drop it—it impacts it.

(drop the clay)

Clay.

We are like clay…

…we are very malleable.

We can stretch.

But we can be torn.

We can be impacted by the things that are happening to us.

If we were in a rainstorm today and water were to fall on this clay, we would be impacted.

We need to realize that we are like clay.

We might feel like we are all together on one occasion.

(start putting the clay pot together)

But let something happen to us and we fall apart.

And this is because we are like clay.

We are fragile.

We are worn.

Outside elements impact us.

We can become hardened by elements…

…we can also be softened by elements…

…so can we just accept the fact that we are like clay?

Let’s give ourselves permission to be like the clay that we are.

And when we begin to see ourselves like clay we can hear what the Scripture says.

It says, “We have this treasure in jars of clay.”

That means we are an earthen vessel.

So, when we begin to recognize that the treasure has been placed inside an earthen vessel we can begin to recognize that our relationship with Jesus Christ is a treasure!

Christ’s life in me—that’s a treasure!

Christ’s life in you—that’s a treasure!

Christ’s Word in me—that’s a treasure.

Christ’s power in me—that’s a treasure.

Christ’s power working through me—that’s a treasure.

Christ’s love in me—that’s the treasure.

Christ’s forgiveness of me—that’s the treasure.

Christ’s grace—that’s the treasure.

Living as a Christian—that’s the treasure.

The fact that you watched church on Facebook during the lock-down—

and then worshipped God in the park —that’s the treasure.

The fact that you have come back to church—that’s the treasure…

…and that you have been doing this for the past 52 weeks…

…and that you are in your next year doing it faithfully—that is the treasure.

If you are still walking with Jesus—that’s the treasure.

If you are still doing ministry together—that’s the treasure.

If you are still loving people in real and tangible ways through the power of Jesus Christ—that’s the treasure.

If you are in mission, if you are helping feed the hungry, cloth the naked, welcome the stranger…

…If you are continuing to speak up and speak out—that is the treasure.

Our Scripture Passage tells us that we have been given this treasure in clay vessels, so that “this all-surpassing power” will be about God and not about us!

This season is not being wasted…

Through the power of Christ working in and through us—even when we have been limited and felt weak…

…even when we have felt like failures…

…In light of all the things we have gone through…

…in light of all this…

…are we starting to see the “all-surpassing power” of God working through this?

I mean, we are still here are we not?

There are days that I know you don’t want to show up, but you still do.

The fact that you are still seeking, and the fact that you are still giving…

…well, we ought to praise God for that!!!

That is the “all surpassing power” of God at work in you, in me!

It’s not us.

And that’s why I get excited about the next part of our Scripture Lesson for this morning, because it says that “we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed.”

I believe this whole Covid Virus has been pressing us hard on every side.

We have watched our brothers and sisters and loved ones pass away.