John Fischer The Catch

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. (2 Corinthians 4:7)

This is probably the most well-known verse in this new covenant section and the best summary of the entire new covenant in one verse. If you were to teach the new covenant from one verse this would be the one.

It talks about a light shining in our hearts which is the essence of the new covenant — Christ in us, the hope of glory. Not a law or standard to perform to outside of us, but a presence and power inside and a change of heart.  But then the new covenant puts all of that in our fragile bodies which Paul calls “clay jars” — a “great treasure” in a “fragile clay jar.” An obvious contrast that is meant to show up our brokenness and God’s power.

It’s really a joke. And when you understand the joke, you understand the new covenant. The contrast is the whole point. Who are we, but ordinary struggling human beings? We are clay jars that break easily. But what do we have inside? Christ, the hope of glory. So that when our lives break down, with the normal pressures and afflictions that affect everybody, something else shows through inside. Make way for the light of the glory of Christ.

Thus there is no confusion as to where the power is coming from. It surely isn’t us. “This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” The contrast proves it.

And if that wasn’t enough, look what comes right around the corner:

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. (2 Corinthians 4:8-10)

Fragile clay jars with the light of Christ shining in our hearts. That’s God’s plan for getting the news out.

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. (2 Corinthians 4:6)

When our eldest son was a child, he came up with his own way of telling Bible stories. One that especially stands out was about the creation story. Once when Marti was going over it with him and came to the day God said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” Christopher interrupted her and said, “I know this part! ‘And God said, “Will somebody please turn on the lights!”’”

Who knows? It could have been something like that. The point is, prior to God creating light it was all darkness, or as Genesis says, “Darkness covered the deep waters.” So when God spoke light out of the darkness, it was a miracle. It was God’s word becoming real. It was God speaking light into existence where it formerly was only darkness.

This, of course, is the point of verse 6. Just as God spoke light into the beginning of creation, so He speaks light into our hearts where there once was only darkness. It’s the miracle of rebirth.

What this tells us is that the new covenant is rooted in something that is impossible. Light can’t come out of darkness without a miracle. One more reason that everything comes from God and nothing from us. We can no more accomplish anything for the kingdom of God on our own than we can make light shine out of the darkness. It just shows our total dependence on God to do His will.

The good news here also is that those mentioned in the earlier verses of this chapter who have been blinded by Satan in their unbelief are not beyond hope. God can speak into their darkness just as He has done into ours, and just like He did in the creation of the world. Somebody turned on the lights for you and for me, and He can do it for anyone. If you know someone who is blinded, don’t stop praying! I watched the light come on in someone’s life who had been a hardened atheist for 43 years. Anything is possible with God.

Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this. (2 Corinthians 4:1-2)

You and I are alive today on this earth for a purpose. We are here to introduced the gospel of welcome—grace turned outward—to everyone, everywhere. That’s a tall order, but that’s why we are students of the new covenant. The new covenant teaches us how we are going to do this. We’re going to do this by relying totally on the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in us. We are not doing this on our own.

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We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:4-6)

What can we accomplish for God on our own? Nothing.

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When I came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me. But I had no peace of mind because my dear brother Titus hadn’t yet arrived with a report from you. So I said good-bye and went on to Macedonia to find him. 2 Corinthians 2:12-13

For the next few days we are going to go through some highlights of the most important passage in scripture that no one knows about. Okay, some know about it, but not enough who should, and even if they do, few grasp its centrality to the ministry and how Christ works through us as believers. So if you stick with us for the next four days, you’ll know more about the practical workings that make a ministry successful than most seminary graduates.

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