Sacred Scriptures: Jars of Clay

Continuing through the next two Sundays in worship, we will be focusing our time together on the scriptures that people in our congregation named as sacred to them--verses and stories that have shaped them in their faith, that have stuck with them over time.  Because five weeks is not enough time to cover all the stories and passages people named, each day (except Sundays) one passage that was named by some people but that did not make the "Top 5" will be featured here, with an accompanying image and questions for reflection.  May this be a chance for you to re-encounter long-known texts and to discover new ones that are sacred to others and may become sacred to you!

2 Corinthians 4:7-12

7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from 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 made visible in our bodies. 11 For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.

• What might the Corinthians have been experiencing that led Paul to write these words to them?
• If you were to imagine yourself as a clay jar, what would the characteristics of your jar be?  What color would it be?  Shape?  Would it be shiny?  Cracked?  Large? Small?  
• What could it look like to make the life of Jesus "visible in our bodies"?