Treasure in Earthen Vessels
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4 v 3 - 7.
Those who are lost in sin and worldliness cannot
understand the gospel. It is hidden from them because the god of this world
(Satan) has blinded their minds with many distractions to occupy their time,
finances, and anything else that will prevent us from seeking to know Jesus.
Satan's plan is simple. He has played the ultimate mind
game on the human race. God doesn't exist and when you die that's the end of
your brief and pointless existence too. So go out and enjoy yourself, indulge
in sinful behaviour as there are no consequences, no eternal punishment, no
heaven or hell.
When did he do this? - before the World was formed. There
are many scriptures in which God says things like before you were formed in the
womb I knew you. Or I chose you before the foundation of the world. Even
Revelations 13 v 8 (KJV)...the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the
world.
Yes, He was slain in satan's realm and again on the
Cross. When He started Holy Communion at the Last Supper He broke the bread and
said "this is My Body broken for you, eat this in memory of Me."(1
Corinthians 11 v 23-24). This was before He went to the Cross and His body was
not broken on the Cross. So what death is He referring to? The Lamb slain from
the foundation of the world! This world is
a slow motion action replay of what happened in satan's realm at a rate of one
day is equal to 1000 years.
When Satan created sin and subjected us all to it, our
minds were bombarded with false memories (there is no Heavenly Father); false
propaganda (you are a self made man); false motivation (if you bow down and
worship me you will be a god). We were conned into believing lies in that other
realm and what we believed there is who and what we become here on Earth.
When God created Adam and Eve they were given free will,
a conscience, and the measure of faith to know God. Our Father knew this world
would lose its innocence and purity. As soon as Adam disobeyed the Pandora's
Box of evil and disease was unleashed on mankind. It was so bad that God repented
that He had made man and sent a flood to wipe out all but the righteous family
of Noah.
Jesus said when the end is near the same conditions would
be present on earth as in the time of Lot (Sodom and Gomorrah) and Noah
(overwhelming evil). Lot saw Sodom destroyed by fire and brimstone by God. Noah
saw everything not on the Ark destroyed by floods. God's method of rescue for
us today is to be in the Body of Christ ready to be removed in the twinkling of
an eye to a place prepared for the Body to be joined to Jesus Christ, the Head.
When the light of the glorious gospel shines into our
hearts the darkness of sin flees and we need to work with Jesus to repair the
damage that was done to us before the foundation of the world. We may have been
born in original sin but God our Father did not create us defective. He created
us in His own likeness. So our ability to be sinful was imposed on us after we
were created but before we were born.
When Jesus enters our hearts in our earthen vessels -
bodies of clay - we have a divine treasure within us which will manifest in us
as we grow in grace. He died to remove what was done to us by Satan, with our
consent under duress, by taking our dead-in-sin spirits onto Himself on the
Cross, and in that moment giving us His Life and taking our death. His
resurrection from death meant He could give us life on earth to live for Him
and share this life with other sinners.
Prayer: Heavenly Father we now know we have a treasure
within us; a treasure You gave us. Please let us dig deep in our relationship
with You to bring it to the surface for it is our relationship with Jesus that
will give us the right to eternity in Heaven.
In Jesus' name. Amen.