For Jesus' Sake

2 Cor 4:1-11 ESV Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. ²But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. ⁴In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. ⁸We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. ¹¹For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Here are some additional thoughts on this passage starting with verse 7. "This treasure" is "the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" from verse 6. We store "this treasure" in "jars of clay", that is our bodies, which are made of dust and will return to dust. They are destructible and far from eternal. We Christians store within us, like jars hold water, "the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ". Our bodies, or jars if you will, are roughed up, chipped, damaged and show signs of wear. In us, we carry Christ crucified and raised.

We are given over to death in the sense that as we surrender more and more of our will to God, that sinful nature dies and makes way for Christ. The more I surrender, the more space there is for Christ and His image to reside in me. I am dying to self for the sake of living for Christ. This is a continual process. That's why the passage says "always being given over". It is an every day, continual process. The more we know of Christ, the more we learn what there is to surrender.

I am constantly learning things that I'm holding on to that I wasn't aware I even had hold of. For example, I learned that I have a competitive streak, comparing me with someone else, comparing my abilities with someone else's abilities. The interesting thing is that that competitive streak plays out in other aspects of my life, such as being patient. I am not competitive by nature. It rarely shows its ugly head but there is was/is. (I haven't overcome it yet.) That (competition and what it causes me to do/think) is another thing that will have to die for the sake of Christ.

But as they say, the first thing a person needs to do to overcome is admit the problem. Step one done (for this problem!)

Jesus, forgive me when I let competition cause me to be judgmental or derogatory in thoughts or actions about someone else. Continue to show me the things I need to die to and help me to completely surrender those and die for your sake. Amen.

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