2 Corinthians 4:5-12 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. (NIV)

Where does a person find treasure? My father-in-law used to search for treasure in old barns and in fields. He usually found it in the form of what appeared to be nothing more than piles of rust. But he took those rusty old automobile parts, cleaned them up and used them to rebuild perfectly restored Model A Fords. The treasures he found, which looked worthless to me, enabled him to win best of show with his cars at several National Competitions.

The passage above speaks of a treasure that we have, a treasure that God gives to us. The treasure we have is the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. In other words, we have had His light shine on us, the Good News that Jesus died to pay for the sins of the world. That light is our treasure. We have seen the light of Christ, who is the only source of forgiveness and salvation. His light is powerful enough for the entire world. That light has shined on us and inside of us. We have this treasure. But notice that our text says we have this treasure, this light, in jars of clay. Treasure in Clay Pots, the Good News of Christ in earthen vessels, light in jars of clay. At first or even second glance, you might pass over the treasure because you don’t know it is there. You may not recognize what is inside that clay pot.

Clay pots come in all shapes and sizes, just like people. If we are honest, most of us would have to admit that we judge a book by its cover, at least initially. While we may consider some better or prettier than others, clay pots all have something in common: they are fragile, breakable, they will crack, shatter and break. People are the same way. Some may appear to be better than others. Some seem to have it all together. Some are beautiful, others are not. Some might be upper class, others working class. But all are fragile, breakable, all will crack, shatter and break. We are all clay pots. We may like to think that we are more durable, that we won’t break or crack from outside forces, but that isn’t true. We have to recognize our own frailty in order to see and appreciate God’s power. Remember, we may be clay pots, but we are clay pots that have treasure in them. We have the light of Christ in us.

This wording brings to mind one of the Old Testament stories that may or may not be familiar to you. I am thinking of Gideon and how God gave him the victory over the Midianites. This is found in Judges 7. Gideon started out with an army of 32,000 men who were ready to go up against the Midianites in battle. God said that was too many. The people would think they won the battle with their own strength and not because God gave them the victory. So He said that anyone who was afraid could go home. 22,000 left. God said the remaining 10,000 was still too many. He did not want Israel to boast about their own might, so God determined to whittle it down further. He told Gideon to let them all get a drink, and that he should separate those who brought the water to their mouths with their hands while standing from those who knelt down to get a drink. Only 300 brought the water to their mouths with their hands, and that was the army God told Gideon to take into battle. The plan was simple: each man was given a trumpet and an empty clay pot with a torch inside. They surrounded the city, and at Gideon’s signal, they broke their jars so that the torches would give off more light in all directions, blew their trumpets and shouted “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon.” The Midianites were so surprised and confused that they turned on each other and then fled. God won the victory for Gideon and the children of Israel. It was not by their own power.

Like the torches carried by Gideon’s men, the saving light of Christ is concealed in clay pots: you and me. That light is in the bodies, hearts, and lives of Christian believers. Our bodies are mortal; our hearts may be broken; our lives may be shattered, like the jars of Gideon’s men. Through all this the light of Christ is revealed — in us and through us for others to see. In order for the light to get out, the containers, you and I, must be “broken” like the jars of Gideon’s men were broken so their light could be seen.

We get broken all the time, don’t we? Life is a series of disappointments, things not working out like we hope and plan. You never have the money to do those things you have always wanted to do. You don’t get that new job or promotion you were hoping for. Your teenage unmarried daughter tells you she is pregnant. Your marriage is falling apart. Does the light shining in your life make a difference? When your clay pot is broken by these things, will others see the light shining through you? If Christ is at work in you, they will. If you believe in His death as the payment for all the wrong you have done, and trust His promise to save you, that light will be visible through all the cracks of your shattered vessel. That light makes all the difference in the way you face the struggles and disappointments that will come your way.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

Notice that faith in Christ does not mean you will not experience brokenness. Quite the contrary is true. We have the promise that God will work through our brokenness. When we are weak, He is strong. We rely on His power, not our own. The one who was able to save us from eternal death will not abandon us. There will be brokenness on our part in this life, but that is so that others can see the light and power that comes from God, not from us.

Treasure, true treasure, in cracked clay pots. We have the news of forgiveness that is available only in Jesus. We have experienced His love and care. We have that in us. When the cracks and breakage come, that light will shine for others to see Him, too.