Men, especially —the greatest calling on our lives is to love Jesus with our whole heart, and daily show the people under our care how beautiful and helpful and patient God’s authority is. Our calling as parents is to help our children believe that God’s authority is where life and safety and freedom and joy are found. This is gospel work! That is kingdom work. That is being an ambassador for the King of kings. That is carrying this incredible treasure in fragile clay jars that often break and crack and need repair. This is being a temple of the Holy Spirit, and making our homes a place where the Spirit lives, and moves, and is known.
David begins his lament with an understanding that we are emotional people. That we are reactionary, whether it’s the news or our kids did something or the person at work did this… When things in the world don’t make sense to us, when evil seems to come out on top again, anger and revenge and blame and retaliation and running our mouths all tend to be our go-to. David instructs us so wisely in this: When you feel agitated inside, let it remind you to trust in the Lord and delight in him. When you feel a need to let everyone know what your opinion is and whose side you’re on – let it remind you that being silent before the Lord is a better place to be. And when you feel that agitated anger rising up in you that makes you furious at “those people”... David says, give it up. It’s not helping anything. Put your hope in the Lord instead.
Mary and Martha were blessed to have Jesus and his crew stop by their home in Bethany. Martha was distracted by all things hosting, while Mary was distracted by Jesus' words. She sat at his feet and soaked it all in, while Martha fumed. They had to say goodbye to Jesus that night, but those of us who have the Holy Spirit never have to have to hang up the phone. Abide means remain. Remain means don't hang up. Stay in constant connection all day long, like a branch never unplugs from the Vine.
Paul closes out his letter by somewhat threatening the Corinthians, saying he's going to come and be harsh with them if they don't get some of their sin issues dealt with. He also invites them to test themselves to see if they are truly in the faith. 1 John helps us with that test.
To be a Christian is to be at war – a war to rest in the right place. The world wants us to rest in and find satisfaction in everything but Jesus. So the enemy plants thoughts in our minds that line up with our sinful desires, and together they create an argument that easily becomes a stronghold. Paul says we've been given weapons that are powerful enough to tear down the argument and the stronghold.
Here in 2 Corinthians 5, Paul outlines the gospel in about as clear and concise a manner as possible. As a result, we are ambassadors for Christ – his representatives, his spokespeople. But even more than that, he is with us. In us. And for us.
God has chosen to put the greatest treasure of all, not inside of gun safes, but inside clay jars, or earthenware vessels; not inside of strength, but inside brokenness and weakness. It's intentional. There's purpose behind our weakness. It's so the treasure is seen all the more clearly.
Paul says that we are ministers of a New Covenant, which isn't written on stones, but on human hearts – not by the letter of the law, but by the Spirit of the living God.
Paul faces criticism from another group doing ministry, because he doesn't carry the same "credentials" and "recommendations" that they do. Paul looks at the fruit of the gospel and says that's all the credentials I need.
Paul uses the analogy of familiar scene called a Roman Triumph, which includes a very familiar fragrance, and says that’s what disciples of Jesus are like – we are like a fragrance that to some people means life, and to others means death.