Jars of Clay

We live in a culture that tries its best to deny the reality of death, but the Bible makes clear how fleeting life is. We are all wasting away.

Paul makes clear in this passage: (1) his weakness as a man and messenger of the gospel; (2) his future hope as a believer.

Paul is amazed that God put the treasure of the gospel in a clay vessel like him (v. 7).

A contrast is drawn between the preciousness of the gospel and the utter unworthiness of the ones entrusted with the gospel.

The subtext here is Paul's defense of his ministry against false teachers.

He is not ashamed of his suffering (vv. 8-9).

He identifies with the death and resurrection of Jesus (vv. 10-15).

In his final reflections (vv. 16-18) he contrasts the outer man which is wasting away and the inner man which is being renewed.

Final question: What are we living for? Look at the lives of missionaries like Jim Elliot and David Brainerd who even as young men saw the brevity of this life and lived to the utmost for eternal gain.