While at the women’s retreat last month we noted a group outside our villa, a ‘building community group’ that were taken through ha number of different ropes courses and challenging risky acrobatics. Our group observed a woman we observed was climbing a pole about 30 feet high, the height of many of our story poles. It had the old fashioned metal bars for climbing spaces about 18” apart going up the pole. She was wearing a belay harness and seemed more confident than any of us felt watching her. When one climbs to the top of a telephone pole one notes that the last 18” has no foot support. One must hoist themselves up to stand on a pole that is about 15” across. The accomplishment of making it to the top would be pretty amazing we noted, while chomping on our croissant sandwiches, pasta salad and chocolate cake dessert, feet up relaxed, observant. This middle aged woman, non athletic type, made it to the top, stood up on the pole and then jumped out to reach for a trapeze bar – only to miss grasping a hold of it. The belay of course saved her but one couldn’t help but wonder how she felt, fragile I thought how fragile we really are, brave sometimes yes, but we are fragile, easily broken.

Everybody has a story, and in every story there is revealed our humanity our non-perfection. The Apostle Paul’s story is one met with great elation and severe disappointment. Paul has written at least four letters to the Corinthians, a church he established on his second missionary journey. Only two of the letters are preserved in the Canon, this second epistle is in a true since the most pastorally transparent of all his other letters. Paul writes both of his joy for the church and also of his anguish, he was hurt and disappointment with those whom he considers his children. They have withheld with affection from him and he writes (in 11:1) they ‘put up’ with him. The Corinthian church was ready to believe severe criticism against him from the Jewish Apostle who accused him of being worldly and of moral cowardice in writing instead of visiting. They thought he lacked inner strength and was theologically deviant (4:2). He was accused of being an imposter, corrupt and exploitative (7:2) and not being a true minister of Christ (10:7). By their standards he was weak in speech when present and powerful only his through letters (10:1, 10; 11:6, 21) They resented that he was absent from them and considered him a fool, even mad (11:1, 16, 23). They thought him rude and ungrateful for refusing to accept their financial support (11:7; 12: 13- 16). His use of language is one of depression and heartache, he grieved that they did not reciprocate the love he had for them (6: 11- 13). Yet Paul ended the book strong and confident, confident of what God had accomplished through this church and what God would continue to accomplish despite himself and the church in Corinth. The letter of II Corinthians is a letter of intimate emotions. Yet even with all the difficulty, Paul continues to pursue a relationship with them and calls them into a victorious life with Christ.

His story is about Grace and love, the indwelling treasures of God given to us to share. Please turn with me to II Corinthians 4: 7 – 18. As we look at this great paradoxical discourse let us prepare our hearts by asking God for guidance and inspiration.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, in whom we find our being and hope, create in us a spirit of reception this morning, Illumine your word today as we seek to hear afresh your grace your love your call upon each of our lives. Challenge us to be ready to serve you afresh for the sake of your kingdom we ask in Jesus’ name: Amen

But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. 11 For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you. 13 But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—‘I believed, and so I spoke’—we also believe, and so we speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. 15 Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16 So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. 17 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, 18because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

This past Christmas my mother in law got me a wonderful ceramic breadbasket. You can heat it in the oven and it keeps bread warm for hours. We had invited friends over for dinner and just before they arrived I ran over to my Christmas pile and picked up my clay basket. I had the clay present in my hand when our guests arrived and I greeted my friend with the typical hug of welcome while trying to keep my hand holding the ceramic basket held high in the air. Unfortunately she had the same idea of trying to avoid the clay object by putting her hands up also. As I lost the bowl in my hand and it went crashing to the floor our 16-month-old puppy, Ziggy, arrived to jump up and greet us. We did what good friends would do apologized to one another and then blamed the dog!

We carry the most valuable treasure on earth in the most common of elements. It is the nature of God to bestow grace where it seems impossible. Our society identifies each of us in many different ways – by our education, profession, looks and mannerism even our zip codes. Seldom do we think to identify ourselves as plan Janes or Simple Sams, of modest value, temporary and expendable.

Earthen vessels, clay ceramics hardly seem fitting to describe who we are, but the apostle Paul is not using an unfamiliar term in calling the Corinthians and himself earthen vessels. In the Old Testament Isaiah 64:8 address us as the clay and God the potter. Job testified “you have made me of clay”, Jeremiah 18 and 19 God gives a vivid picture of Israel as pottery, jars of clay that easily are destroyed. Paul in Roman 9:21 expresses that it is the potter who has control of the clay.

Jars of Clay, earthen vessels, pots were everyday items that were of great use but of little value. One can throw a pot and shape into something magnificent, fire it in kiln to make it strong and hold water, yet it easily cracks and breaks. Metal vessels can be repaired and glass can be melted down and used again, but not so with earthenware it cannot be reused. When the clay breaks it is all thrown out? {Our neighbor has a home that is/had a home that was one of my favorites. The home was made with a lot of brick, wood and beautiful beveled class doors. Yesterday when I walked by this ocean front property I noted that they had razed everything. The cement foundation was even broken up; the brick chimney lay in jagged pieces. Off to the side I noted the very old but beautiful beveled class door, worth saving, the rest garbage to be discarded.} Jars or pots made of clay, even expensive clay are temporal.

Can you imagine storing the most precious thing you own in a clay jar, or pot? Can anyone imagine saying to their husband, or hearing from your wife, “I am almost ready for black tie dinner sweetheart; I just need to collect my tiffany diamond bracelet from the flowerpot!” When the Romans came back from conquering they would bring their treasures in earthen vessels. Treasures of gold and silver, jewels were stored and carried in clay pots. Jars were used for stroking food and drink, wine, water, grain or even parchments. The Dead Sea scrolls were found inside simple pots of clay. Clay pots were common. What is the most precious thing you have? How risky, dangerous really for God to put his most divine and glorious Son into earthy vulnerable humanity.

Paul wants these haughty self puffed up Corinthians to understand that all of Scripture is not impressed by who we are or what we do, rather it is in our insignificance that God is made great. Humanity struggles to understand that. In the fourth century two theologians became most influential, Pelagius and Augustine. They couldn’t be more different.

Pelagius' ideas were chiefly rooted in the old, pagan philosophy, especially in the popular system of the Stoics, rather than in Christianity, he regarded the moral strength of man's will as sufficient in itself to desire and to attain the loftiest ideal of virtue. The value of Christ’s redemption was, in his opinion, limited mainly to instruction and example so that nature retains the ability to conquer sin and to gain eternal life even without the aid of grace. For Pelagius and his followers responsibility always implies ability. If man has the moral responsibility to obey the law of God, he must also have the moral ability to do it.

Augustine spent much of his youth and a significant portion of his adulthood indulging in the bad behavior. As barely a 16 year old, caught in temptation of the pagan rich world, he first prayed, but without the sincere desire of being heard, and when he reached Carthage, towards the end of the year 370, every circumstance tended to draw him from his true course: the many seductions of the great city that was still half pagan, the licentiousness of other students, the theatres, the intoxication of his literary success, and a proud desire always to be first, even in evilⁱ.

Through study of the word and influential mentors Augustine’s life was totally changed. He said that mankind is a massa peccati, a "mess of sin," incapable of raising itself from spiritual death. For Augustine humanity can no more move or incline himself to God than an empty glass can fill itself. For Augustine the initial work of divine grace by which the soul is liberated from the bondage of sin is sovereign and operative. To be sure we cooperate with this grace, but only after the initial divine work of liberation.

Eugene Peterson draws a contrast between Augustine and Pelagius. Pelagius was urbane, courteous, convincing and liked by everyone. Augustine squandered away this youth in immorality, and was despised by many. Yet Augustine started from God’s grace and got it right, whereas Pelagius started from human effort and got it wrong. Augustine passionately pursued God; Pelagius methodically worked to please God. Christians, Peterson says, tend to be Augustinian in theory but Pelagian in practice. They work obsessively to please other people and even God.”ⁱⁱ

Admitting that we are merely jars of clay, which hold a treasure from God, gives us a different perspective than self-righteous rationalizations. When we get out of the way we see things differently. Corrie Ten Boom and her sister, imprisoned during the Nazi rule in Holland, observed a vicious beating of one of the women by a female guard in the barracks. Betsie, said. “Oh, that poor woman! We must pray that God would forgive her.” Corrie was shocked, she thought for sure Betsie meant to be praying for the victim, and instead she prayed for the one who most needed forgiveness (grace), the heartless brutal guard. Jars of clay, pots with cracks, “fissures by which grace can escape”.ⁱⁱⁱ You see when the treasure is not hidden by the glitter, gold or other distractions one can see clearly the treasure inside. God puts the Gospel treasure in jars of clay so that the lost will respond to the treasure rather than the packaging.

What does this say to us as a church and as individual believers? That we have been given the freedom to not live a life of Pelagianism, worried about our piety, or our apologetics of the faith. What identifies us is not the size of our contributions or the numerous amount of time or money we give to missions. What is important is whether the treasure is identified in the package or its contents. Are we a distraction to the grace of God or a vessel that holds that grace?

Paul continues with his discourse noting a number of paradoxes for the Christian faith. He admits that they have been 8 afflicted in every way, perplexed 9 persecuted, and struck down, However, we are but not crushed, not driven to despair; not forsaken, not destroyed; William Barclay would say that we are “knocked down but not knocked out”^iv. Paul speaks of the reality of the sufferings he has gone through. He speaks not only to the world’s brutality on his life but his own experience within the church at Corinth. How sad that even within the church we can experience in the body a breech of care, a sense of alienation. Paul speaks from having suffered greatly and yet speaks in language that is victorious! How is it possible? It is possible because God is greater than anything we face.

Two while men visiting the Louvre spotted a painting entitled "Checkmate".  It was a picture of a chessboard and a young man on one side and the devil on the other.  The young man was down to his last piece.  One of the men was a chess master, and he examined the picture very carefully for a long time.  He then told his friend that they had to contact the artist and tell him to change the title or correct the picture.  His friend asked why?  The expert said, "Because the King has one more move".

 

No matter what our situation, we need to remember, "The King has one more move."  We have faith because we know that nothing will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Finally Paul assures us that even as we decrease, God increases. Paul knew and experienced the power of God who raised Jesus from the dead. He spoke with courage and disregard of personal safety or personal vindication. We do not grow weary for our inward self is renewed day by day, for we count not on what we see but on what is unseen. What is seen is passing. As we decrease God increases. It is difficult to admit that we are less than all powerful all that we should think ourselves as Paul saw himself. In a world of I love me; this text is difficult unless we realize how much more we can be with God. The spiritual giants of the world were not much to look at or necessarily to listen to. The Apostle Paul was small, ugly, informed perhaps, spoke the common Greek and was not considered eloquent in speech. Mother Teresa was demanding, ‘no’ was not a pause in negotiations it was the wrong answer, an answer to be tried and changed until she got what she wanted. She was demanding and impatient. Henry Nouwen, priest and author of over 30 books spent his last days at L’Arche Daybreak a community for severely handicapped adults in Canada, he was gentle and kind and caring spending hours bathing, feeding, dressing these disabled men. Mike Yacanelli was shocked when he met him, noting he was rude, cantankerous and not someone delightful to hang around. Corrie ten Boom was known to be inhospitable, forgetful and very rough around the edges. But these people understood Grace; they understood the treasure inside of their cracked pots, as they increased God increased.

“It was in a church in Munich that I saw him”, writes Corrie ten Boom — “a balding, heavyset man in a gray overcoat, a brown felt hat clutched between his hands. People were filing out of the basement room where I had just spoken, moving along the rows of wooden chairs to the door at the rear. It was 1947 and I had come from Holland to defeated Germany with the message that God forgives. “It was the truth they needed most to hear in that bitter, bombed-out land, and I gave them my favorite mental picture. Maybe because the sea is never far from a Hollander’s mind, I liked to think that that’s where forgiven sins were thrown. "When we confess our sins," I said, "God casts them into the deepest ocean, gone forever. And even though I cannot find a scripture for it, I believe God then places a sign out there that says, ‘NO FISHING ALLOWED.’"

“The solemn faces stared back at me, not quite daring to believe. There were never questions after a talk in Germany in 1947. People stood up in silence, in silence collected their wraps, and in silence left the room.

“And that’s when I saw him, working his way forward against the others. One moment I saw the overcoat and the brown hat; the next, a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and crossbones. It came back with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights; the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the center of the floor; the shame of walking naked past this man. I could see my sister’s frail form ahead of me, ribs sharp beneath the parchment skin. Betsie, how thin you were!

“The place was Ravensbruck and the man who was making his way forward had been a guard — one of the most cruel guards.

“Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: "A fine message, Fraulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!" “And I, who had spoken so glibly of forgiveness, fumbled in my pocketbook rather than take that hand. He would not remember me, of course — how could he remember one prisoner among those thousands of women?

“But I remembered him and the leather crop swinging from his belt. I was face-to-face with one of my captors and my blood seemed to freeze. "You mentioned Ravensbruck in your talk," he was saying. "I was a guard there." No, he did not remember me.

"But since that time," he went on, "I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fraulein" — again the hand came out — "will you forgive me?"

“And I stood there — I whose sins had again and again needed to be forgiven — and could not forgive. Betsie had died in that place — could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?

“It could not have been many seconds that he stood there — hand held out — but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.

“For I had to do it — I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. "If you do not forgive men their trespasses," Jesus says, "neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your trespasses."

“I knew it not only as a commandment of God, but as a daily experience. Since the end of the war I had had a home in Holland for victims of Nazi brutality. Those who were able to forgive their former enemies were able also to return to the outside world and rebuild their lives, no matter what the physical scars. Those who nursed their bitterness remained invalids. It was as simple and horrible as that.

“And still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is not an emotion — I knew that too. Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. Jesus, help me! I prayed silently. I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.

“And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm and sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes. "I forgive you, brother!" I cried. "With all my heart."

For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands — the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely as I did then. But even so, I realized it was not my love. I had tried, and did not have the power. It was the power of the Holy Spirit.”

But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power of love and grace belongs to God and does not come from us. Everybody has a story to tell. What’s your story?

Amen.

ⁱwww.newadvent.org/cathen/
ⁱⁱYancey, Philip, What’s So Amazing About Grace, pg. 71
ⁱⁱⁱ Veil, Simone, from Philip Yancey, Youth Workers Convention, 1996
^ivBarclay, William; Letter to the Corinthians, pg. 197