Jesus as Treasure - November 30, 2008
Sermon Notes for 2 Corinthians 4:5-7
Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 4:7 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.
Today we begin a new series as we lead up toward Christmas where we celebrate the gift of God becoming fully human in Jesus Christ. We call the four Sundays leading up to Christmas the season of Advent, which means coming, and for Christians Advent is a season of waiting and watching to see the presence of Jesus Christ in our own lives. Ironically, Advent is supposed to be a time to slow down, taking time to reflect and prepare for a renewal of Jesus’ presence in our lives. Unfortunately, we often become so stressed preparing for Christmas that we neglect time to reflect and renew our spirits. To remind ourselves to slow down, we use an Advent wreath in worship, a wreath with four purple or blue candles, one for each Sunday in Advent, and a white candle which we light on Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Light of the world. I invite you to allow this symbol to remind you to pause during this season to refresh that love of Jesus in our hearts. You may simply want to incorporate a breath prayer that you can use throughout the season, such as: “Light of the World, shine in and through me.” Then, before heading into that holiday party or the mall, breathe that simple prayer to slow your heart and life down and open your eyes to see Jesus at work everywhere you go.
In worship as we move toward Christmas, we will be examining who this Jesus is. Our church’s theme for the year is “Sharing Generous Treasure,” and Jesus is the greatest treasure we have to share. But, what kind of treasure is he? And how do we share that treasure with others?
We begin to uncover this treasure today by looking at a passage from 2 Corinthians. The apostle Paul founded the church in the port city of Corinth and saw the young Jesus followers there as his spiritual children. His relationship with them spanned many years and his letters to them attest to his sense of spiritual parenting. The passage we read today comes from a larger section of the letter that addresses the nature of Paul’s ministry to them. Interestingly, throughout this section (and most of this second letter), Paul uses the plural “we” more often than the singular “I.” That choice of pronoun serves to bind them together with Paul instead of setting himself up against them. It reminds them that following Jesus requires community and cannot be accomplished alone.
This passage also reminds them that following Jesus and serving others takes a power far greater than ourselves. That power, in the living presence of Jesus in our lives, shines in our hearts, reflecting the glory of God. What in the world does that mean? Looking back in the previous chapter of 2 Corinthians, we discover that Paul told them that their lives are letters from Christ, written by the Spirit of the living God. Let that sink in for a minute: your life communicates God’s love to people through the power of the Holy Spirit living in you! Paul describes Jesus’ life in a similar way, saying that by seeing him, we see God as though reflected in a mirror. The Old Testament states that no one can look directly at God and live. Yet, Paul knew that Jesus reflected the very nature of God, so he used the language of mirror to explain why we could see God in Jesus. Paul further stated that all of us are being transformed into the same image, day by day.
What does all of this say about the treasure we have in Jesus? It tells us that God longs to know us and be known by us. We do not serve some distant God in the sky who doesn’t care about our lives. God wants to be in relationship with us. God knew it would be hard for us to understand the full mystery of the divine. But in Jesus, we get a glimpse of the divine nature. Whenever we see Jesus, we see God. However, the treasure doesn’t stop there. Because of our on-going relationship with the living Spirit of God in Jesus, we also begin to reflect the image of God to others. What an amazing statement!! God, whom we believe to be all-powerful, chooses to work in and through us. We then have the privilege of being that treasure for others. As Christmas approaches, then, let’s focus on being a gift of God’s love for everyone we encounter in our lives.
Questions for Reflection
- What stresses you most about the holidays? Which parts do you love? How might God be inviting you to pause and reflect on shining the light of love during this chaotic season?
- When you look at Jesus, what do you discover about God’s nature? Try this treasure hunt during Advent: read through the Gospel of Mark, the shortest and earliest gospel. What do Jesus’ words tell you about the nature of God? What do his actions tell you about God?
- What does your on-going relationship with Jesus teach you about God? What do your relationships with others who reflect the light of God’s love in your life teach you about Jesus? How do these relationships compare to what you read in Mark?
- How did the Holy Spirit speak to you in worship?
