“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7 ESV
Reflection: have you ever felt inadequate in yourself, wondered if and how God to use you for his purposes?
The Hartford Institute defines a megachurch as a Protestant congregation that has an average weekly attendance of 2,000 or more members in its worship services, charismatic leadership, more contemporary worship, state-of-the-art sound systems and a skilled incorporation of technology. Some of the largest of these churches draw an attendance of up to around 100,000 weekly. While in a way it is wonderful to see that so many are going to church, one start to wonder what is so attractive with these large churches? What is drawing people there? Notice one of the success factors of these churches is “charismatic leadership”, meaning people like the pastor, teachers, worship leaders, and so on, all are qualified by their own talents. And “charisma” is defined by Webster as “a personal magic of leadership arousing special popular loyalty or enthusiasm for a public figure (such as a political leader)”.
Notice “a personal magic”, ability to draw people in by clever words. So does charisma belong in the church?
Paul discusses in chapter 4 about his way of preaching, saying “But 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. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Corinthians 4:2, 5 ESV. Notice what he said that they proclaim “Jesus Christ as Lord”, and specifically “not themselves”, but that they are servants for Jesus, to spread the gospel. But we learn something more here, as Paul again mentions the suffering they had to go through for the sake of the gospel of Jesus, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For 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.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-11 ESV.
We still read his writings, and we can argue whether Paul was the biggest and most influential figure in the church, the body of Christ of all time, establishing church after church across much of the “known world” at the time. Much bigger than any mega church leader of today. So why did Paul not have a mega church? He says of his own approach “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 ESV.
Paul recognized that he was just a vessel for God, and he feared God enough to work tirelessly to remove, to empty himself so that Christ could shine. He knew that it was never about him; it was all about Jesus. He wrote to his traveling companion Timothy “Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:20-21 ESV
In our focus verse today, we see this beautiful observation, and perhaps a way Paul summarized all of this, saying “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7 ESV. He considered himself, his physical being as a jar of clay, fragile and of the earth formed by God, to hold such a glorious treasure, “the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6b ESV. That Jesus will shine through him, and not in any way himself.