Thursday's Discipleship Response
2 Corinthians 4:7
We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
~ The Apostle Paul
Pondering Point
The treasure in this Bible verse is the gospel message of Jesus. The jars of clay are a reference to us – the weak, flawed disciples called to deliver this treasure. As you ponder the imagery, think of the gospel as a penetrating light that shines first into and then out from your life.
As a human being, you may not want your weaknesses and flaws on display.
But as followers of Jesus, we are meant to let God’s light shine through us – weaknesses included. God uses human weakness to display His strength. Thus His message works through us using both talents and weaknesses.
Let’s review the availability of our talents and our weaknesses for God’s purposes:
Review
What are your talents? How has God used them in the past to bless others? What are your weaknesses? How has God used them in the past to help others? How could He use them in the future?
Repent if necessary...
of neglecting to use your talents to benefit others. Repent of hiding your weaknesses rather than letting God use them to help others learn of Him.
Return as necessary
Identify both your talents (ask others if necessary) and your weaknesses. Present them to God. Ask Him to use them for His glory.
Prayer
Father God, be glorified in me however you see fit to use me: Abilities, strengths, weaknesses. You are the Potter, I am the clay. In Jesus’ I pray. Amen.
Micro-Group Moment:
Consider the benefits of service to others in the name of God
In relation to God, your serving assists in building the kingdom and pleases your Heavenly Father. In relation to fellow Christians, your serving builds up the body of Christ and expresses love.
In relation to those outside the church, your serving becomes a testimony to the grace of God in your life.
In relation to yourself, your serving puts God and others first and helps you fulfill your calling as an administrator of God’s grace (see Ephesians 4:7).
Ephesians 4:7
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it[a] says:
“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.”[b]
Footnotes
[a] Ephesians 4:8 Or God
[b] Ephesians 4:8 Psalm 68:18
1 Peter 2:5
“you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
God assigned priests with different roles in the Old Testament, but those roles generally fell into two categories:
- Representing God to mankind and
- Representing man to God, either individually or as a group.
In short, we represent God to the world, and the world to God – representing both God and men (just like Jesus). It is a divine act.
Divine service, in some Christian circles, is a title heading for a worship service. The idea behind the title is that service is occurring in worship. The primary service is being done by God himself through His Word and sacraments – hence “Divine” service.
Those who are serving in that worship venue (pastor, musicians, communion assistants) are vessels for the God who is serving, making them “Divine Servants”.
Similarly, we are agents of God in the world – representatives, disciples, ambassadors for God – all titles for divine servants.
Prayer
Father God, I am grateful to have been a recipient of Your divine service through Jesus. I pray that I can also be a conduit of Your divine service to others. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.