Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (2)
Message Five
Christ as the Image of God and the Treasure
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
2 Cor. 4:3-4 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in those who are perishing, in whom the god of this age has blinded the thoughts of the unbelievers that the illumination of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine on them.
2 Cor. 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us.
Word of Appetizer
Second Corinthians 4:1-7 shows us that we may experience and enjoy Christ as the image of God and the treasure. What is the image of God and the treasure?
The image of God refers to Christ as our outward expression, whereas the treasure refers to Christ as our inward content. We should bear Christ as the image of God without, and we should have Christ as the treasure within. We need to enter into the rich and full enjoyment of Christ.
Colossians 1:15 speaks of Christ as “the image of the invisible God”; the image here is not a physical form but an expression of God’s being in all His attributes and virtues. Christ as the life-giving Spirit in us is the One who shines and works; this is the treasure we have in us.
Spiritual Burden
Within us, we have Christ as a wonderful treasure; outwardly, we bear Christ as the image of God, the expression of the Triune God. We need to experience and enjoy Christ as the treasure within and the image without.
We are weak because we are earthen vessels; however, a treasure within us, the vessel, enables us to keep ourselves open to the Lord, giving Him every opportunity to do everything He wants to do; this is the proper and genuine Christian life.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
Second Corinthians 4:1-7 shows us that we may experience and enjoy Christ as the image of God and the treasure.
In 2 Corinthians 4:4 Paul speaks of “the illumination of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God”.
“We have this treasure in earthen vessels”.
“That the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us”.
The Experience of Life
When we believed in the Lord Jesus, we received more than simply a Redeemer; we received the most excellent One in the universe. Although we are worthless earthen vessels, God has shined the precious treasure into us.
We are weak because we are earthen vessels; however, a treasure within us, the vessel, enables us to keep ourselves open to the Lord, giving Him every opportunity to do everything He wants to do; this is the proper and genuine Christian life.
Practice and Application
We need to pray, “Lord, I trust in You to defeat the god of this age; apart from You, I do not worship anyone or anything.” If we pray in this way, the divine light will shine, and we will receive revelation.
An open vessel is doing nothing but keeping itself open to be filled by the divine dispensing of the Divine Trinity. When the Lord fills us, He does everything for us. We need to experience and enjoy Christ as the treasure within and the image without.
PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1 Experience and enjoy Christ as the image of God and the treasure (2 Cor. 4:3-4)
(Please illustrate that the image of God refers to Christ as our outward expression, whereas the treasure refers to Christ as our inward content.)
T2 God, image, Christ, glory, gospel, and illumination are all refer to the same wonderful person (2 Cor. 4:3-4)
(Please illustrate that God is the image, the image is Christ, Christ is the glory, the glory is the gospel, and the gospel is the illumination.)
Day 2
T1 The more the glory shines within us, the more it penetrates into our being and saturates it (2 Cor. 4:3-4)
(Please illustrate that the gospel of the glory of Christ first shines into us, and then it shines out from within us.)
T2 It is possible for anything that is not Christ Himself to be used as a veil (2 Cor. 3:16)
(Please illustrate that Satan may use even the Scriptures or the law given by God as veils.)
Day 3
T1 A priceless treasure is contained in worthless vessels (2 Cor. 4:7)
(Please illustrate that the treasure in the weak earthen vessels is the very God in Christ shined into us.)
T2 In the whole universe there is nothing that is more precious than beholding the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 2:10)
(Please illustrate that “face” refers to the part around the eyes, the look as the index of the inward thoughts and feelings, which shows forth and manifests the whole person.)
Day 4
T1 God’s shining in the universe produced the old creation. His shining in our hearts has made us a new creation (2 Cor. 4:6)
(Please illustrate that the shining of God in our hearts is to illumine us that we may know the glory in Christ’s face.)
T2 God’s shining in our hearts is in the face of Christ (2 Cor. 4:6)
(Please illustrate that in order to experience God’s shining, we need to have direct, personal, and intimate contact with Christ.)
Day 5
T1 God is desirous of being eaten by us (Rom. 9:23)
(Please illustrate that we are not only containing vessels; we are eating vessels, vessels that assimilate what we eat.)
T2 God wants a vessel loving Him and keeping itself open to Him (Rom. 9:23; Gal. 2:20)
(Please illustrate that if you love the church but do not open yourself up absolutely, you will still love to do something for the Lord. This is of the fallen nature.)
Day 6
T1 As believers, we have Christ operating within us as a living and active treasure (Rom. 9:23; 1 Cor. 15:45)
(Please illustrate that this treasure is the power, the source of strength, for the apostles to behave themselves in such a way as to shine the gospel and manifest the truth.)
T2 Daily we need to experience and enjoy Christ as the treasure within and the image of God without (Rom. 9:23; Eph. 3:19)
(Please illustrate that within us, Christ is the excellent treasure; outside us, He is the image, the expression, of God.)
