Thursday Devo
Scripture:
2 Corinthians 4:5-7
5 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
5 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
Commentary:
4:6 Paul uses the provision of light in Gen. 1:3 to picture conversion as the dawning of the new creation amid this fallen world. the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. To know the glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4) is to encounter the life-transforming glory of God.
4:7–18 The New Covenant Power of the Resurrection. In spite of his suffering as an apostle, Paul does not lose heart (v. 16) because the same power that raised Jesus from the dead enables him to endure adversity (vv. 7–12), reveals the power of God (vv. 7, 11–12), and provides a sure sign that he will experience the resurrection at the end of the age (vv. 16–18).
4:7 treasure. A reference to the “knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (v. 6) as the content of the gospel (v. 4). jars of clay. A common metaphor in the ancient world for human weakness (see Ps. 31:12; Isa. 30:14). This verse thus restates the central thesis of 2 Corinthians as seen in 1:3–11 and 2:14–17: God triumphs amid human weakness, embodying the principle of Christ’s crucifixion (cf. 1 Cor. 1:27; 2 Cor. 10:3; 11:30; 12:5, 9; 13:4, 9).
4:7–18 The New Covenant Power of the Resurrection. In spite of his suffering as an apostle, Paul does not lose heart (v. 16) because the same power that raised Jesus from the dead enables him to endure adversity (vv. 7–12), reveals the power of God (vv. 7, 11–12), and provides a sure sign that he will experience the resurrection at the end of the age (vv. 16–18).
4:7 treasure. A reference to the “knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (v. 6) as the content of the gospel (v. 4). jars of clay. A common metaphor in the ancient world for human weakness (see Ps. 31:12; Isa. 30:14). This verse thus restates the central thesis of 2 Corinthians as seen in 1:3–11 and 2:14–17: God triumphs amid human weakness, embodying the principle of Christ’s crucifixion (cf. 1 Cor. 1:27; 2 Cor. 10:3; 11:30; 12:5, 9; 13:4, 9).
Questions:
- The big idea from Sunday was that we are all ACCOUNTABLE for the IN-BETWEEN. We are living between verses 14 and 15 in Luke 19... the time between when the Master leaves and returns as King. And just like the servants in the story who all got one pound of silver, we have all been given the same exact gifts to steward. We've been given the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. We've been given a few spiritual gifts in order to serve the body of Christ. We've been given God's Holy Word which contains His very thoughts and a roadmap for life, peace and joy. We've been given the good news of the gospel, which is a message of life for a dying world. And we've been given a command by Jesus Himself, the great commission, in which he commanded us to GO and spread that good news. What are you doing with what He's given you? How faithful have you been in each of those areas? Where do you need to step it up?
- We are to live as if we truly believe we will one day give an account for the things listed above. That's it! Not your accomplishments at work. Not your bank account. Not your hobbies. Not your kids' achievements. All that matters are the eternal things. When you look at your life, decisions, behaviors, attitudes, etc., are you living for eternity? How would your Heavenly Father answer that question?
Pray:
- That you would be a good steward of all God has given you.
- That you would live for eternity.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
No Comments