It’s always a joy to find something of value in an unexpected place — a diamond in the rough. Over the last few years, my family has discovered that one of our favorite things to do together, is to go to yard and estate sales. We look for paintings my wife loves, furniture from the 1800’s, rare musical instruments, and any kind of electronic device that uses tubes. Most of the time we clean the items up and re-sell them. Sometimes, (not very often), we find something we want to hold onto — something worthy of taking to the Antiques Road Show (true story).
Friends, as Christians, we have found something better than we can imagine. We have found something that is more valuable than money can buy; it is rare and priceless beyond our understanding. I’m talking about the Gospel. The Good News of Jesus Christ. The Creator of the universe coming to this earth and seeking us out, taking our debt of sin, and paying for it with His own life. In 2 Corinthians 4:7 Paul writes, “we have this treasure in jars of clay.” It shows that the power belongs to God and not to us.
God uses regular jars of clay (you and me) to share this incredible treasure with the people around us. He has given us the privilege of sharing in His work by living our lives in a noticeably different way. We need to open our mouths and tell people about the treasure we’ve found!
I am not alone when I say that God’s love and mercy found me during an unexpected time in my life. In the midst of pain and confusion, someone shared the Gospel with me. I understood it, I grabbed it, and I held onto it. I claimed it as my own. I continue to cling to the promises that shook my soul more than a decade ago. Their value is beyond anything I can understand.
People around us are confused. People are hurting and in need of something bigger than themselves. People around us are in places where they need to hear the Truth. Let’s share it with them! It’s always a joy to find something of value in an unexpected place — a diamond in the rough.
Looking to share,
Posted in A Word from the Pastor