Topic: Vulnerability: treasure in clay jars
Speaker: Megan Powell du Toit
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:1-12
One of the reasons why people come to
college is to reduce their vulnerability.
Helmut Thielicke: Truth seduces us very
easily into a kind of joy of possession: I have comprehended this and that. Knowledge
is power.
V1: Ministry of the gospel: This arise out
of having received mercy. Mercy is not something we earned, it is not a career,
but from a grace that has been given to us.
V5: We do not proclaim ourselves, but proclaim
Jesus Christ. Reject any gospel that has a sense of self-promotion.
V7: We have this treasure in clay jars. God’s
power is contrasted with others’ weakness and vulnerability.
V8-9: Paul talks about being
defeated/struck down etc. Megan personally suffered from depression and knows
that the feeling of God’s power is not always there.
It is God’s strength that empowers the
ministry. Paradox of the gospel: from death and suffering come life and hope.
We are decaying/dying creatures. In this we identify with the death and
suffering of Jesus, so that we may be with him in new life.
V12: So then, death is at work in us, and
life is at work in you.
We often think of Paul as someone who’s
multi-gifted and knowledgeable. But he argues it is God’s power within his
weakness.
Churches want pastors to be invulnerable. Megan
worked >1 decade in pastoral ministry: burnout, due to the need for
superhuman pastors, pastors who need less downtime, behaves perfectly, turn
their hand to every possible ministry in church and excel. Female pastors are expected
to do it even better than men!!
“The vulnerable pastor” by Mandy Smith, “Our
work as pastors are impossible!” The impossible task of imperfect beings
representing a perfect God.
We idolise strength, but when power is spoken
of with approval in the bible, it is not human power, but God’s power! It’s not
that power and perfection are bad, but as human beings, we do not have real
power and real perfection. So an appearance of invulnerability in human is mad,
because it’s incredibly dishonest.
Every human life has its limitations, vulnerability,
and weaknesses. We are born needy and we die helpless. Jürgen Moltmann.
Does that mean authenticity is the
buzzword? In reality, we don’t deal with authenticity well. We often make the
authentic inauthentic! A bit of vulnerability makes us more relatable, but it
can bite us back in the bum and tip into undermining ourselves. Just like the pitiable
cry vs ugly cry: We still care about our self-image even as we display
vulnerability.
Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation,
creativity and change. Brené Brown.
Brown talks of all the good that can come
out of vulnerability: Hope, accountability, authenticity. However, it doesn’t
mean being vulnerable will make all well for you.
The only thing worse than vulnerable is to
refuse to be vulnerable. Some take ministry as PR and spin, rather than the
power of God shining through.
However, this is not about false humility either.
The repulsion of false humility: You need to do an honest assessment of your
strengths and weaknesses. For example, if you’re a good baker, you don’t need
to keep that from others.
Paul doesn’t puff up his strengths and
disguise his weaknesses.
There is a temptation to put on a front in
ministry: resist this temptation. You are not Mary Poppins, perfect in every
way.
Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything.
That’s how the light gets in.
Leonard Cohen, Anthem.
Today’s talk reminded me of a book I read more than a year
ago, “Fail”, by J.R. Briggs:
Notes:
My personal thoughts and review of the book:
Today's talk also reminded me of a talk I heard a few years back,
given by a pastor, James Goll: Shooting star vs North star... There are
different types of stars in the sky: Shooting stars are brilliant and lights up
the night. Sometimes these stars shoot up quickly, gave a bright brilliant
burst, and falls. Another type of star, the North Star, is a fixed star. It
doesn't release a brilliant flash, but has been used at all time as a
stationary light, giving us guidance in the path of navigation. Some ministries
are genuinely called, anointed, rises very fast with great glory, but might not
finish well. James Goll says he wants to finish well: It is not so much about
ambition as it is about pleasing the One. He wants to be the one used for clear
navigation.
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