We Are Revived.
Paul now presents his second contrast about being rekindled: Life vs. Death.
Light creates life. In verse 7 of 1 Corinthians 4, Paul describes us humans as “earthen vessels.” These were basically clay pots used for just about everything you can imagine. Paul uses this illustration to remind us that we as Christians have something hidden inside as well, a treasure of supernatural life.
Two thousand years later, we still hide valuables in our homes in unassuming places, maybe from thieves who could break in, but more commonly, from our own kids! Who has kids and knows that if you eat certain things in front of them, those edible “treasures” will disappear after your first bite? My kids just have a radar. They can be in the next room, and say… “What’s that, Daddy?” I can say “Oh, nothing important. It’s actually really nasty. It’s disgusting! Gross! I think I’ll just put it away now. I can’t even look at it!” But to no avail. And because of our kids’ “treasure” radar, we all have that secret cabinet or drawer to hide a treat that we don’t want to share.
Paul draws the application. We have a spiritual treasure inside of us! As Christians, Paul describes us as a frail, unassuming vessel, but inside is something valuable… life!
Continuing this thought, Paul is going to begin some serious contrasts in the next few verses, but he bases all of them on the difference between “earthen vessels” and the “excellency of the power… of God.” These contrasts are almost poetical in the Greek.
In verse 8, he describes himself as “troubled.” This word literally means “pressed as grapes,” or “to crawl through a narrow place.” We would say it like this today: Everything is closing in around me. But Paul is “not distressed,” literally “not cramped.” Paul continues to say that he is “perplexed,” which is “unable to find a way out.” But he is “notdespaired,” or not extremely perplexed.
When I was traveling in Colorado a few years ago, we were able to stop at the Cave of the Winds in Colorado Springs. This cave system had two tours: a pre-lit section for families to walk through, and an oil-lantern tour through the deepest part of the caves open to the public. Of course, we picked the latter! We were on our hands and knees crawling through the caverns with only the light from our small oil lamps. Suddenly, the guide blew out the flames in our lanterns, and we could not see anything! The guide wanted us to experience the darkest darkness known to man, with absolutely no light whatsoever. Now, honestly in any other circumstance, I would have lost my mind. But I didn’t in that moment. How did I remain so calm in such a dark, confusing cave with no way out? Because I had a guide. You see, Christian, we can feel like everything is closing in on us, but we should not despair… because we still have our Guide!
In verse nine, Paul shifts his illustration. He uses the word “persecuted” now. But he is “not forsaken.” He is “cast down” by these persecutors, but “not destroyed.” Paul’s mind could have been drifting back to his time at Lystra when his persecutors stoned him and left him for dead outside the city.
Whoa, this is real ministry? It sounds hard! Yes, it certainly is, but we haven’t gotten to the best part… How does Paul have this kind of hope amid all of the trials he endured?
He had supernatural life! In verse ten, he literally describes himself as a corpse, filled supernaturally with life from Christ.
And “we have the same spirit of faith!” Paul quotes Psalm 116:10… “I believed, therefore have I spoken.” When we experience rebirth and revival, we want to tell others about what God is doing in our lives.
And where do we find this life? Verse 14 tells us… from the resurrection of Christ!
When we are reborn with new light and revived with new life, we are empowered to serve God.
