A treasure in a clay jar? That doesn’t make sense. Diamond rings come in velvet covered, hinged boxes. Savings bonds are stowed in bank vaults. Irreplaceable family pictures are beautifully framed and prominently displayed. Everyone knows that the more precious the item, the more expensive the packaging.

And that’s why those who worship the god of this world (v. 4) are blind to the light of the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. For to all outward appearances, Jesus was just another victim of the powerful oppressors, a wandering rabbi who got caught up in the jealousies of the religious leaders of the day, and who ran afoul of the Roman authorities. Jesus was crucified as a threat to social stability and placed in a tomb. End of story.

And to those same worldly people, those who follow Jesus are just as pitiful and pointless. What sense does it make for anyone to allow himself to be afflicted or perplexed or persecuted out of loyalty to a dead loser (vv. 8-9)? And why would anyone choose to receive the same sort of treatment that Jesus got when it would be so easy to pursue worldly wealth and power instead? No, a clay pot is just that – there’s no reason to look inside it for anything valuable.

But as Paul points out, God is able to bring the greatest light out of the deepest darkness (v. 6). And by dying on a cross, Jesus actually displayed the glory and the image of God, in all His faithful, self-sacrificial, unconditional love (v. 4). And because Jesus walked out of His tomb on the third day, we can be certain that the One Who raised Him from the dead will do the same thing for all those who love and trust in Him (v. 14).

So, no matter what the outward circumstances of our lives may be, we keep on looking not to the perishable things of this world that we can see, but to the eternal, precious truths and promises that are still unseen (v. 18). For one day, the treasure will be taken out of the clay pot. The Christ we now cherish in our hearts will be revealed in all His glory, for all the unbelieving world to see. So, let’s keep on telling the good news, so that on that day, more people will have reason to give thanks to God for His forgiving grace (v. 15).

II Corinthians 4:1-18 (ESV)

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.
2 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.
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
11 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.
12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.
13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak,
14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.
15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.