Every believer should highly value the gospel. Paul speaks of it here as a treasure. He again shows his humility by referring to himself and the other servants of God who ministered the gospel as earthen vessels.
I. THE PRECIOUSNESS OF THE GOSPEL
It is a treasure.
1. It is of immense value. It is the product of divine wisdom; the outworkings of eternal love; the fruit of God’s grace; the purchase of Christ’s blood. It is of such costliness as to be beyond computation.
2. It enriches all who receive it. It imparts forgiveness of sin; peace with God; victory over all enemies; an eternal abode in glory.
Indeed, it is the only treasure. Without it men are poverty-stricken. With it men are immeasurably rich.
II. THE LOWLINESS OF ITS STEWARDS
Earthen vessels. The words refer to brittle, fragile earthenware jars which were commonly used for the storing of valuable goods.
God’s treasure is not committed to the angels but to lowly men in whom there is all the flaws of the clay from which they come.
1. This is seen in those chosen from the first to serve God. What flaws and blemishes; what proneness to breaking and spoiling. Job, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joshua and more — all had to confess their sins and failures.
2. It was seen in those Apostles Christ chose. They were men of low origins, they all showed frailties. And they all forsook him, and fled, Mark 14:50. Even after Pentecost they showed their frailties. Paul was perhaps the most learned yet what was he when chosen? Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, Ephesians 3:8. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious, 1 Tim 1:12-13.
3. It is seen still today. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29; 2:5. Preachers stand in need of the same mercy that they preach to others.
III. THE WISE DESIGN OF GOD
That the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
1. There is an excellent power in the gospel. There is nothing so powerful in all the world as the gospel. It raises men dead in sin. It turns devil-like men into godly men. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, Acts 26:18. It brings to pass the miracle of Eze 37:1-10. It has conquered more nations and men than any earthly empire.
2. The weakness of the instruments sets forth this power the more clearly. And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along, Judges 7:13.
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase, 1 Corinthians 3:7.
3. Here is a word to sinners and saints. Do not measure the treasure by that by which it is displayed. Let not the blemishes and failures of a man divert you from obtaining possession of the treasure of the gospel.