clay pots in a crushing age 2 corinthians 4:1-12 lewis winkler

Clay Pots in a Clay Pots in a Crushing AgeCrushing Age2 Corinthians 4:1-122 Corinthians 4:1-12

Lewis WinklerLewis Winkler

John 16:20, 33John 16:20, 33

““If they persecuted Me, they will also If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.”persecute you.”

““In this world you have tribulation, but In this world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the take courage; I have overcome the world.”world.”

Setting Our Text in Setting Our Text in ContextContext

Paul is telling the Corinthians about the Paul is telling the Corinthians about the nature of the New Covenant made know nature of the New Covenant made know through Jesus Christ.through Jesus Christ.

Chapter two emphasizes the victorious Chapter two emphasizes the victorious power of the gospel to save those who power of the gospel to save those who believe, and reminds us that the power of believe, and reminds us that the power of gospel comes through God alone rather gospel comes through God alone rather than clever techniques or flashy speakers.than clever techniques or flashy speakers.

Setting Our Text in Setting Our Text in ContextContext

Chapter three emphasizes the Chapter three emphasizes the glorious nature of the New Covenant glorious nature of the New Covenant in Christ—a covenant not written in in Christ—a covenant not written in stone and given through Moses, but stone and given through Moses, but written in the hearts of those who written in the hearts of those who believe by the hand of the Holy Spirit.believe by the hand of the Holy Spirit.

Setting Our Text in Setting Our Text in ContextContext

Whenever Moses spoke to God, he Whenever Moses spoke to God, he returned to the Israelites with a veil returned to the Israelites with a veil over his face, not only because the over his face, not only because the Israelites were overwhelmed by God’s Israelites were overwhelmed by God’s glory which made Moses’ face literally glory which made Moses’ face literally glow, but also because Moses was glow, but also because Moses was ashamed of the fact that the glory ashamed of the fact that the glory ultimately faded away over time.ultimately faded away over time.

2 Corinthians 3:182 Corinthians 3:18

““And we, who with unveiled faces all And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

The The AuthenticityAuthenticity of the of the Gospel (1-2)Gospel (1-2)

Apparently, there were false teachers in Apparently, there were false teachers in Corinth who were making their living Corinth who were making their living through craftiness and a deceitful use of through craftiness and a deceitful use of God’s word.God’s word.

Paul and other genuine ministers of the Paul and other genuine ministers of the gospel, on the other hand, were simply gospel, on the other hand, were simply sharing the truth of the gospel in an sharing the truth of the gospel in an authentic and plain manner, and therefore authentic and plain manner, and therefore had absolutely nothing to hide.had absolutely nothing to hide.

The The VeilingVeiling of the Gospel (3- of the Gospel (3-4)4)

2 Corinthians 3:13-152 Corinthians 3:13-15

““Moses . . . would put a veil over his face to Moses . . . would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. But their the radiance was fading away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.hearts.””

The The VeilingVeiling of the Gospel (3- of the Gospel (3-4)4)

The blinding veil The blinding veil remains for those remains for those who are perishingwho are perishing

They are blinded by They are blinded by ““the god of this the god of this age,age,”” also known also known as Satan.as Satan.

Satanic Veils:Satanic Veils:

Ignorance and DistortionIgnorance and Distortion

Personal Peace and AffluencePersonal Peace and Affluence

Distraction and BusinessDistraction and Business

Pride/Self-sufficiency/IndependencePride/Self-sufficiency/Independence

Four Key Things to Four Key Things to Notice:Notice:

Those without Christ are perishing.Those without Christ are perishing.

Those without Christ are blind.Those without Christ are blind.

As Christians we have been given eternal As Christians we have been given eternal life and spiritual sight!life and spiritual sight!

We are called to offer this life and sight to We are called to offer this life and sight to those around us.those around us.

The The CenterCenter of the Gospel of the Gospel (5-7)(5-7)

The center of the gospel is JESUS—The center of the gospel is JESUS—no one and nothing else (5).no one and nothing else (5).

The light of GodThe light of God’’s truth illumines our s truth illumines our hearts and minds (6).hearts and minds (6).

Because we are clay pots, God is able Because we are clay pots, God is able to shine forth His truth through us all to shine forth His truth through us all the more (7).the more (7).

The The CenterCenter of the Gospel of the Gospel (5-7)(5-7)

If we make anything else the center of If we make anything else the center of our life, we obscure the gospel.our life, we obscure the gospel.

The gospel is not obscure, but it can The gospel is not obscure, but it can be obscured.be obscured.

The gospel is simpler than most The gospel is simpler than most people realize.people realize.

The The CenterCenter of the Gospel of the Gospel (5-7)(5-7)

Jesus Christ is God in the flesh.Jesus Christ is God in the flesh.

He came to earth to live a perfect life and die on the He came to earth to live a perfect life and die on the cross in our place to pay the death penalty for sin.cross in our place to pay the death penalty for sin.

He rose from the grave to prove that He has power He rose from the grave to prove that He has power over death and can give us eternal life.over death and can give us eternal life.

If we place our trust in Him, He will forgive us and If we place our trust in Him, He will forgive us and give us eternal life at that very moment!give us eternal life at that very moment!

Colossians 1:13-14Colossians 1:13-14

““For [God] has rescued us from the For [God] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”forgiveness of sins.”

The Plain TruthThe Plain Truth

All around us, people are blind to the truth All around us, people are blind to the truth and need Jesus to tear off the satanic veils and need Jesus to tear off the satanic veils that are keeping them from Godthat are keeping them from God’’s s forgiveness and eternal life.forgiveness and eternal life.

As Christians, we are called to talk to As Christians, we are called to talk to everyone about Jesus because He is the everyone about Jesus because He is the absolute centerabsolute center of the gospel. of the gospel.

The Story of HerlanThe Story of Herlan

A New Covenant CreationA New Covenant Creation

The The IronyIrony of the Gospel (8- of the Gospel (8-12)12)

Afflicted . . .Afflicted . . .

Perplexed . . .Perplexed . . .

Persecuted . . .Persecuted . . .

Struck Down . . .Struck Down . . .

Dead/Death . . .Dead/Death . . .

Not Crushed (Intact)Not Crushed (Intact)

Not Despairing (Hopeful)Not Despairing (Hopeful)

Not Forsaken (Sustained)Not Forsaken (Sustained)

Not Destroyed (Remaining)Not Destroyed (Remaining)

Alive/Life! (Thriving)Alive/Life! (Thriving)

Conclusion and Conclusion and ApplicationApplication

Although I am weak and broken and Although I am weak and broken and marred by sin, when I make Jesus the marred by sin, when I make Jesus the absolute center of my life, He can still absolute center of my life, He can still shine through me and use me to make an shine through me and use me to make an eternal difference in this neighborhood, eternal difference in this neighborhood, this city, and this world.this city, and this world.

A Clay Pot Used for GodA Clay Pot Used for God’’s Glory: s Glory: The Story of William CareyThe Story of William Carey

A Clay Pot Used for GodA Clay Pot Used for God’’s Glory: s Glory: The Story of William CareyThe Story of William Carey

““Young man, Young man, sit down! sit down! When God When God pleases to pleases to convert the convert the heathen, He heathen, He will do it will do it without your without your aid or mine!”aid or mine!”

Carey sails to Carey sails to India with His Wife India with His Wife and Childrenand Children

A Clay Pot Used for GodA Clay Pot Used for God’’s Glory: s Glory: The Story of William CareyThe Story of William Carey

The IndigoThe IndigoFactoryFactory

A Clay Pot Used for GodA Clay Pot Used for God’’s Glory: s Glory: The Story of William CareyThe Story of William Carey

A Godly Witness and A Godly Witness and Prolific TranslatorProlific Translator

A Clay Pot Used for GodA Clay Pot Used for God’’s Glory: s Glory: The Story of William CareyThe Story of William Carey

The Mission The Mission Chapel at Chapel at SeramporeSerampore

A Clay Pot Used for GodA Clay Pot Used for God’’s Glory: s Glory: The Story of William CareyThe Story of William Carey

1761-18341761-1834

A Clay Pot Used for GodA Clay Pot Used for God’’s Glory: s Glory: The Story of William CareyThe Story of William Carey

The Legacy of William CareyThe Legacy of William Carey

Before he was thirty-one he could read the Bible in Latin, Greek, Before he was thirty-one he could read the Bible in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Dutch, French, and English—all self-taught!Hebrew, Dutch, French, and English—all self-taught!

He founded a university that is still providing a Christian He founded a university that is still providing a Christian education in India today.education in India today.

He founded a still-existent agricultural and horticulture society.He founded a still-existent agricultural and horticulture society.

Awarded an honorary doctorate degree, he was a highly Awarded an honorary doctorate degree, he was a highly respected professor of Sanskrit and Bengali languages in India respected professor of Sanskrit and Bengali languages in India for 30 years.for 30 years.

He led many Hindus to faith in Jesus ChristHe led many Hindus to faith in Jesus Christ

The Legacy of William CareyThe Legacy of William Carey

He translated the Bible into Bengali, Sanskrit, Marathi, and He translated the Bible into Bengali, Sanskrit, Marathi, and Punjabi, and portions of almost 40 other dialects and languages.Punjabi, and portions of almost 40 other dialects and languages.

He founded and operated his own printing press business.He founded and operated his own printing press business.

He was directly involved in the founding of 19 different mission He was directly involved in the founding of 19 different mission stations throughout India.stations throughout India.

He successfully lobbied to have the Hindu practice of He successfully lobbied to have the Hindu practice of ““sati,sati,”” or or widow burning outlawed in India.widow burning outlawed in India.

He founded the Baptist Missionary Society, and launched the He founded the Baptist Missionary Society, and launched the modern missionary movement which has succeeded in taking modern missionary movement which has succeeded in taking the gospel all over the world.the gospel all over the world.

CareyCarey’’s Final Admonition:s Final Admonition:

““You have been speaking about You have been speaking about William Carey. When I am gone, say William Carey. When I am gone, say nothing about William Carey—speak nothing about William Carey—speak only about William Careyonly about William Carey’’s Savior.s Savior.””