Today, as we dig into the Scriptures, we will examine a passage from 2 Corinthians where Paul likens himself to a fragile jar of clay containing a priceless treasure. Understanding this is crucial because God wants you to know that the riches and glory of Jesus are for you and in you. It is this secret, this hidden treasure, that gives you the assurance of sharing in the glory of Jesus Christ.

This is a powerful truth of Scripture—that this mystery, Christ in you, is our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Jesus prayed for those who would believe in Him, saying, “Father, sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). It is the truth of God that sets us free. In a culture that often celebrates half-truths or even outright lies, it is the truth of God’s word that clears our vision, enabling us to navigate life with clarity.

This is what David communicates to us in the Psalms as he praises God, saying, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalms 119:105). In other words, he’s not just speaking about revelation, he is speaking about illumination, because even in the darkest times, the teachings and promises found in Scripture can light our path and show us the way forward.

That is good news and the big idea I want to convey to you today is that as a born-again believer, a follower of Jesus Christ, you have this great treasure, the life of Jesus dwelling inside you. This is a powerful, transformational truth, a reality that changes everything, and truly, it’s the best news ever, because we all like good news.

Let’s turn to the word of God in 2 Corinthians 4. In verse 5, the Holy Spirit speaks through the apostle Paul:

“We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:5-6).

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:7-9).

“We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you” (2 Corinthians 4:10-12).

I want to make it clear that my soul objective this morning is to honor God the Holy Spirit. I want to acknowledge the work he does in us and through us for the glory of Jesus Christ. And so, we want to be mindful of Him, submitting to Him, honoring, and loving Him as we focus our attention on the Holy Spirit today.

Now, when people win the lottery or inherit a large sum of money, the common question is, “What are you going to do with all that money?” However, when it comes to Jesus, of whom the Bible says, “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3), the question shifts to, “What will this treasure do with me?” Because when God gives us the gift of Himself, He transforms us into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ.

In other words, where you are now is not where you will remain. But God has granted you privacy so that he can bring forth things hidden within you, things you didn’t even know you possessed. And so, just like a hidden treasure, God placed you in the dark to reveal these treasures. In fact, let’s go even deeper, because the Lord promises in Isaiah 45:3,

“I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord.”

We recognize that God does some of his best work in the dark, because when he created the heavens and the earth, the Bible tells us in Genesis 1:2,

“Darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

Similarly, when God allows a woman to conceive and bring forth life, He places the embryo in the darkness of her womb, ensuring it is protected and nurtured, away from the light, until it is fully developed. In the same way, God often performs His most profound work in our lives during quiet, unseen moments, away from the crowd. It’s in these periods of hidden growth that He prepares us for what lies ahead.

It's crucial to grasp this concept because many of you harbor untapped potential that you may not even be aware of. When God places you in a period of darkness, it's because He is preparing to bring out something within you that you never knew existed. You might be carrying around a great deal of hidden potential deep within yourself.

For example, my second-grade teacher had no idea of the potential within me when she declared that I couldn't learn and would never succeed. For a while, I believed her words and thought I would amount to nothing. My parents reinforced these feelings by always comparing my grades to those of my sisters. I grew up believing I was a failure, a nobody, and a troublemaker, becoming the black sheep of my family. But then, God placed me in the dark to reveal what was truly inside of me. It was through that dark season that He began to draw out talents and strengths that I never knew I possessed.

In that season, the Holy Spirit revealed to me the truth of Scripture, which says, "We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).

In other words, the potential was always within me, much like a bag of seeds sitting on a store shelf. But as long as the seeds remained on the shelf, exposed to the light, they could not grow or produce a harvest. Seeds are designed to flourish in the dark. When you plant them, it is in the privacy of darkness that they undergo a transformative process.

There are some of you here today who are facing challenges that you can’t understand. But when God brings these challenges into the light, you will find yourself praising Him, saying, “It was good for me to be afflicted” (Psalms 119:71).

I can feel the transformative power of God in this place. Something significant is about to happen, I sense it in my spirit. The power of the resurrected Jesus, the Spirit of God, can turn any situation around. This transformation often takes place in the dark, in private moments, where God begins to work His miracles.

So, if you’re going through a period of darkness, remember that darkness is just the absence of light. You might be lacking something essential, but this is not the end. You may need to manage without something important to you, but your story isn't over. Even if you see others with what you lack, it’s only a season, not the conclusion. Because God uses darkness to nurture and prepare the treasure He is about to reveal in your life.

Sometimes, you need to go through challenging experiences to truly gain insight and discover your true self. It's during these times that you learn to rely on the Holy Spirit and realize just how strong and capable you are when you lean on Him for strength. Often, we must look beyond our immediate surroundings, which merely reflect our current circumstances. By connecting with the hidden treasure within yourself, rather than focusing solely on external situations, you discover where your true deliverance comes from. When you look around, you may see only obstacles, but by the power of the Holy Spirit and fixing your eyes on Jesus, you find hope.

To truly sharpen your focus, sometimes you need to tune out what you see and fine-tune your inner vision. As the apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “We live by faith, not by sight.” It’s by relying on faith rather than what is visibly in front of us that we find our true strength and direction.

In other words, if you find yourself discouraged by what you see around you, close your eyes to those disheartening circumstances and focus on the insight the Holy Spirit provides. This is a fundamental aspect of our faith and belief. As the Bible assures us,

“The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

Therefore, the Holy Spirit, the greater one within you, is the divine power and the source of your strength and deliverance. He is the one fighting your battles for you. And so, you can rest assured that you are never alone, because His power is always at work within you.

Today, you might be assessing your circumstances based on what you know, but by applying your faith, you will find favor with God. Even if you are in a season of being misunderstood, talked about, slandered, and ostracized, there is something deep within you, a hidden strength, that will deliver you. However, to bring it forth, you must navigate through the dark times.

That’s what Paul tells us in verse 7, because if you remember on the road to Damascus the Lord took away Paul’s eyesight so that he would be able to have greater insight. And so, he says,

“We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

In other words, sometimes the greatest blessings come when you least expect them. You didn’t plan for it, you weren’t expecting it, but you are in the right place at the right time, and it changes the course of your life. The apostle Paul said,

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).

Can anyone here testify to this? Have you ever stumbled upon an answer, a new job, or an unexpected opportunity? God places us in the right place at the right time, often when we don't plan or expect it. You might stumble upon it, trip right over it, and find that it changes your life in ways you never imagined. As Jesus said,

“A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap” (Luke 6:38).

This is His promise that you will stumble upon it, trip over it, and recognize it immediately because it will be poured into your lap.

In the same way, He is going to give you His presence, and you will recognize it because it is within you, and you can feel it. Right now, I sense the Spirit of God moving among us, teaching us, and touching our hearts. He is at work in us, here in this place.

Give Him some praise, give Him a Pentecostal shout, because when our praises go up, the glory comes down.

“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

You know God is ministering to your spirit right now because you feel Him in your innermost being. Rivers of living water are flowing from within you, and you just want to leap for joy because you know He has given you this treasure.

Some of you this morning are on the verge of a supernatural breakthrough, an inner illumination that comes from within. It transcends your physical senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell because the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ is a spiritual experience, not a sensual one. This illumination and enlightenment often contradict what your senses tell you because it is rooted in faith.

That is the essence of the text—you can leave here with confidence, knowing that the Scripture says, “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

In other words, if you have faith, you already possess this treasure. A treasure signifies something valuable and priceless. This Scripture depicts the presence of Jesus as a treasure in a jar of clay. Therefore, as a follower of Jesus, you have His presence in your life right now.

In our text, the Holy Spirit teaches us to acknowledge this treasure, to value this treasure, and to honor this treasure, recognizing its immense worth compared to the weakness of our human lives. The symbolism of this treasure within jars of clay is profound because God is emphasizing our fragility and susceptibility to breaking. Yet, within this delicate and precious vessel lies a treasure of immeasurable value—the life of Jesus within us. He is the treasure beyond comprehension, and in our weakness, He transforms us into vessels of His grace and glory.

That’s what the presence of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, was doing with Paul—sustaining him. Therefore, he could say with confidence,

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).

In other words, when we, like the apostle, endure hardship and suffering as jars of clay, we demonstrate our faith. Our love and courage actually showcase the resurrected life of Jesus in our own bodies. It is this treasure, the life of Jesus inside us, that becomes visible to others through the way we respond to the trials and hardships of life.

You see, God loves to demonstrate the power of Jesus' resurrection through normal, average people like you and me. As those jars of clay, we are called to die to our old sinful ways and destructive habits so that we can experience the life of Jesus. That is the treasure that brings us into a new life—one characterized by sacrificial love, humility, and courage. As the apostle said,

“For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you” (2 Corinthians 4:11-12).

I think I might’ve lost some of you right there. You were following me until I said that, but let me explain. The death you have experienced, the darkness you are in, is just a sign of that treasure being revealed in your mortal body.

You see, to most people, planting and burying something might appear identical because both involve digging a hole in the earth, placing something within it, and carefully covering it up. However, the intentions behind these two actions are quite different. When you bury something, you cover it up so it remains hidden. In contrast, when you plant something, you cover it up in darkness so it can be transformed and grow.

We are the body of Christ, we are those jars of clay being given over to death for Jesus' sake, but you have not been buried; you have been planted. You are

“A planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor” (Isaiah 61:3).

You might be in a dark season today, but I declare this word over you: God is getting ready to pull something out of you that you didn’t even know you had in you. And He says, you will sprout again, you will laugh again, and if you can handle it, there is coming a day when,

“You will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful” (Jeremiah 31:4).

And so, when God puts you in a dark place and starts pulling things out of you that you didn’t even know were in you,

“He will fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy” (Job 8:21).

When you see what God brings up in your life, you will rejoice again, and no one will take away your joy.

As I bring this message to an end, remember that no matter how blessed, gifted, and talented you are, there is so much more within you. There is more wisdom, more life, more joy, more potential, and more possibility than you have ever imagined. No matter what you have experienced—whether climbing to the mountaintop or going through deep, dark valleys, or perhaps someone you love is going through a dark place—God's presence is always with you.

“We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

God is right there, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Even in that dark place, He is working, developing your next blessing, preparing you for your next season, and He’s about to draw you out, pulling you out, and bringing you into your harvest. Because we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

Whatever season you are in right now, don’t rush it or expose it too soon; it is still in the development stage. Be patient and allow it to unfold in its own time, for “the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:3).

 

Graphics, notes, and commentary from LifeChurch, Ministry Pass, PC Study Bible, Preaching Library, and Sermon Central. Scripture from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.