We are but jars of clay. God uses suffering in our lives to bring glory to Himself and to encourage others. It will reveal our flaws. Or will you turn your pot around, hoping no one will see the cracks? God brings beauty into the world through us. Sermon preached for the installation of Rev. I’m ashamed that I haven’t been able to serve you well because of my crack.”. Paul’s words provide an important context for a day like today, when we celebrate this new pastoral relationship. 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. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Fragile clay pots. At Mercy Church, that story resonates. Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! This went on day after day. God uses suffering in our lives to bring glory to Himself and to encourage others. Our friends are so often told that they are broken, that they are flawed, that they are cracked, that many of them have come to believe that they have no value. Clay jars in the first century were Ordinary – Common - Easily Broken - Often Discarded. While I can’t tell it like Marie, it goes something like this: A man had two large pots that he used to carry water from the stream back to his house along a narrow path. But do treasure each other. We like to imagine ourselves perfect, or at least we try to make other people think we are. The only way the world can see the treasure of Christ is when we are cracked or even broken in places and we allow the glory of Christ to shine out. "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. It’s a great day for Park Hill Presbyterian Church, as you officially install one of the most committed and talented pastors I have ever known as your new minister. Now everyone who walks along the path looks at the flowers and thinks about how beautiful they are. Jars of clay also signify weakness and fragility. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. 9/11/2014 0 Comments I worry all the time. (2 Corinthians 4:7-12). Like today, the people welcomed him with shouts of acclamation and joy! On a day like today, we are tempted to imagine each other as perfect. We just allow ourselves to be the beautiful, messy, flawed people that we are. Speaking to the church in Corinth Paul says, 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. But, if we’re honest, every single one of us is a cracked pot, too. The man looked kindly at the cracked pot and said, “My dear old pot, you haven’t failed me. While the world focuses on their cracks, they are bringing life into the world. You would be better off if I had no flaw. But, how are others to see this treasure if it is in an opaque jar of clay? Yet Paul doesn’t mean this to make us feel bad about ourselves. We are but the vessels. ©2020 by Robert Williamson Jr. All rights reserved. A few years ago the winter was very cold and as a result the pot cracked but held together as you see in the picture. cracked jars of clay. Clay pots are not transparent like glass. But the other pot had a crack in it. Blog #sackcloth EI Worry. Because of our flaws, because of our brokenness, because of our frailty, God brings life into the world through us. Each hung on one end of a pole that he carried across his shoulders. They have asked her to tell it over and over again, just about every time she would come to worship with us. The cracks were obvious no matter what direction I turned it. As part of our service at Mercy Church, we have a time when people can share a story or poem or song with the community. Like today, it was a special day of celebration indeed! If we were perfect, people would be impressed by us and wouldn’t see God at work in us. When we are suffering, God doesn’t call us to be a martyr or to be stoic. He says that “we have this treasure”—that is we have the Gospel of Jesus Christ—“in clay jars SO THAT it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us” (4:7). Since then on my life's journey the Holy Spirit has been dwelling inside that cracked jar of clay.