The Believers Life Style Bible Study
Presents
Treasures in Jars of Clay
Scripture References:
2 Corinthians 4:1-18
September 6, 2014

Presented by Michael Webb

Open It

  1. What are some things or people in which you have a lot of faith?
  2. For what reasons do you most often get discouraged?
  3. What areas of life are difficult to entrust completely to God?

Explore It

  1. Why did Paul tell the Corinthians not to lose heart? (4:1)
  2. What did Paul believe would result from telling the plain truth? (4:2)
  3. How did Paul respond to his opponents’ accusations? (4:2)
  4. Why did Paul’s opponents not understand his ministry? (4:3-4)
  5. Who is the god of this age? (4:4)
  6. What has the god of this age done? (4:4)
  7. Whom did Paul preach? Why? (4:5-6)
  8. What kind of jars contained Paul’s treasure? (4:7)
  9. How did Paul contrast his own weakness with God’s power? (4:8-9)
  10. What did Paul call his sufferings? (4:10)
  11. What value did Paul see in his sufferings? (4:10-12)
  12. What motivated Paul to preach the gospel in spite of hardship? (4:13-14)
  13. How did Paul encourage the Corinthians to carry on despite difficulty? (4:16-18)

Get It

  1. How would you define faith?
  2. What elements of the Christian faith that we cannot see are central to our life with Christ?
  3. What does it mean for us to renew our faith?
  4. In what ways do some religious people distort the Word of God?
  5. When have you been discouraged or perplexed in your Christian life?
  6. What makes it difficult for us to fix our attention and hope on God?
  7. How can God help us through difficult times?
  8. When have you felt inner peace in spite of trying circumstances?

Apply It

  1. What do you want to remember the next time you feel discouraged?
  2. How could you encourage another Christian who is confused or bogged down by the cares of life?

 

Bible References

 

Chapter 4

1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who 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 earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed–
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,”[2]Psalms 116:10 we also believe and therefore speak,
14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal