Title: We Have This Treasure in Earthen Bowls
Contents
I came out with something. This is a towel. Boxers compete inside a square ring. It's brutally beaten. It sits down and falls. When the coach, watching it, decides he can't win, he throws the towel into the ring.
This means abstaining. This means giving up. Is there anyone here who thinks that they should throw this away because the business is too difficult, studying is too difficult, the relationship is too difficult, or the couple relationship is too difficult? Why is life so hard? Is there anyone who wants to end this life and wants to jump off the Han River Bridge?
In 2 Corinthians 4, where we have today's text, the word discouragement appears three times (verses 1, 8, 16).
The Hebrew word for 'disappointment' means 'to melt, to ruin'. When we become discouraged, life melts away. When we get discouraged, we don't wake up in the morning. When we get discouraged, we are late for work (school). When we get discouraged, we don't want to go to meetings. When we are discouraged, promises melt like water. When we become discouraged, our lives are ruined, our thoughts are ruined, our relationships are ruined.
The Greek word for 'disappointment' means 'worthless'. When we become discouraged, from then on the world becomes worthless. There's no reason to sweat like that. I don't have to work so hard to protect my family. There is no reason for me to have to suffer like that to raise my children. Then we'll be throwing towels.
Despair is like a germ. So, if you are infected with discouragement, you become helpless. Being infected with discouragement makes the world pessimistic. Seeing everything negatively and sarcastic. “What are you doing alive? What do you do when you go to work? good job what do you do No children, no parents, no husband.”
Somebody wants to throw away a real towel today. That man's name is Paul.
The difficulties Paul faced cannot be compared to the difficulties we are facing today.
In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, we can see what Paul experienced.
Paul was put in prison several times. I've been sold countless times. I almost died several times. I was struck five times with forty minus one. He was beaten three times with a wreath and once with a stone. The ship I was on was wrecked three times. I haven't slept for several days. I was hungry. I was thirsty. There were times when I was cold and naked. The Apostle Paul lived his life under great stress.
The Apostle Paul must have wanted to throw a towel when he was going through so many difficulties.
But he says this three times in today's text.
Verse 1, “I do not lose heart,” Verse 8, “I do not lose heart,” Verse 16, “I do not lose heart.”
The phrase “do not lose heart” is not something the Apostle Paul barely endures.
You can learn 3 ways through today's sermon.
First, look up.
When you want to pick up a towel and throw it, look up. Depending on where you focus your eyes, you can throw a towel or wrap it around your forehead and win the fight. When you want to pick up a towel and throw it, you need to look up.
“Look up” means to remember the God who called me a child of God. God sent us to this earth. We are the ambassadors of the kingdom of heaven who spread God's will on this earth. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4 verse 1.
“Therefore, as we have received this ministry and have shown mercy, we do not lose heart.”
This means, "God has compassion on me and has entrusted me with this office. I do not lose heart in the mind of the God who gave me this office."
Home, God has given you. Life, God has given you. That job, that school, God gave me permission. There is God's purpose for sending him there, and God's expectation. Do not throw towels. Don't react to the circumstances of your life. Please do not react to the environment, but to God who works in the environment. Studying is difficult. Working at work is not easy. Raising children is difficult. But studying is a privilege. It is a privilege to work at work. Raising children is an honor among glory. We should thank God for giving us that opportunity.
In 1852 there was a very severe drought in California. Every vineyard was destroyed. All the vineyard owners went bankrupt, and some of the vineyard owners committed suicide. At that time, there was one person.
This man picked all the crushed grapes, went to the market and sold them. Until now, people ate raw grapes full of water. But for the first time in their lives, people were eating wrinkled grapes. People ate it and it was delicious. Even if you put it in your pocket, clothes will not be thrown away. It is good for long trips, and it does not rot even if you leave it for a few days. From this point on, this person starts making money.
So, raisins are born. That's how the raisin industry started. When the grapes are scorched by extreme drought, they can even commit suicide. But when the grapes are squashed, you can get a rather big shot with it. Don't be discouraged. Do not give up. Don't stretch. Towels, do not throw. When it is difficult and difficult, do not react to the circumstances, but look to the God who allowed them. Look up when you are having a hard time.
Second, look inside me.
When it's too hard and you want to give up, please look inside me. To look into me means to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit within me. This is what it says in verse 7.
“We have this treasure in vessels of earth, so that it may be known that exceedingly great power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).
We are earthenware. Earthenware breaks easily. We are fragile earthenware. It is normal for us to give up when faced with small difficulties. But the people of our God have treasures in earthen vessels. What is that treasure? It is the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Because we depend on the power of the Holy Spirit, we are not forsaken even when we are persecuted. Even when things are frustrating, they do not become discouraged. Even if it is wrung in all directions, it is not cheap. Even if it is knocked down, it does not perish.
I heard a person who recently traveled to the Arctic Ocean. When you travel through the Arctic Ocean, you see icebergs. When the wind blows strongly, anything must be pushed in the same direction as the wind. But icebergs go in the opposite direction of the wind.
Why do icebergs go in the direction of the wind? That's because 90% of the icebergs are submerged in water. Because of the iceberg's center of gravity, it goes in the direction the wind blows. We are not leaves.
We are an iceberg. People only look at our outward appearance. Just look at our earthenware. They do not find this treasure in us. If you are not conscious of it, you will have no choice but to float away. If we focus on ourselves, we will be disappointed because we are like earthenware. But when we focus on our precious Lord, we gain hope. We must rely on the Holy Spirit within us. Do not give up. Do not throw towels. Look to the Holy Spirit, the center of gravity within us.
Third, look in front of me.
When it is too hard and you want to give up, please look in front of me. To look ahead means to see the glory in front of me. The Apostle Paul says in verse 17:
“For our light affliction, which is for a little while, works for us an exceedingly great and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Are you crying right now? Those tears will make you laugh in the future. The trials you are going through, the difficulties you are going through, and the pressures of life that weigh on you are not the end of the story. The story doesn't end like this. I really like the movie 'Die Hard'. I've watched all 4 episodes. Even if the main character faces difficulties and the crisis of death, I am not discouraged. Because he knows very well that the protagonist must survive and destroy all his enemies. Do not give up. Don't be discouraged. Look forward to the glory ahead of me.
During World War II, Prime Minister Churchill stood in the university's auditorium to deliver his congratulatory remarks to Oxford University's graduation ceremonies. I'm memorizing the entirety of Prime Minister Churchill's famous speech. I'm going to teach you that speech today, so I hope you all memorize it in its entirety. Fortunately, the speeches are short.
Churchill took off his hat on the podium, put his staff down, and opened his mouth to see the many scholars and graduates. 'Never give up' (Never give up). People are now looking forward to the next word. Churchill spoke again. 'Never give up' (Never give up). After saying this, Churchill put on his hat, took his staff, and went down from the platform.
No matter how hard it may be, no matter how difficult it may seem, never give up even if you feel that there is no way out. Do not throw towels. Lift your eyes and look up. Trust the Holy Spirit within me. And look at the rich glory that lies before me.