You Are A Rembrandt
Steve Sampson

Most of us have the same problem of feeling unworthy and believing what God says about us.  But this Scripture
gave me much clarity and understanding. 

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. (2
Cor 4:7 NKJ)

God knew what He was doing when He chose to put the precious treasure of the Holy Spirit in these earthen
vessels.  Notice that it does not say perfect vessels, or golden vessels, or diamond vessels, but rather earthen
vessels!  Why would God take such a risk?  Because He is glorified when His Person shines through us and His
presence is manifested through an imperfect vessel. God would get no glory if we were flawless and created as
robotic followers.

Recently I heard about a man at a flea market who purchased a painting for just twenty dollars.  A few weeks later,
it sold at the famous Christie’s auction for 1.4 million dollars!  After the man had made the purchase of the old
painting, he recognized that there was another painting underneath the surface artwork.  He took it to a
professional who meticulously peeled off the cheap latex surface paint.  Underneath this cheap paint was this
valuable Rembrandt painting.

This is the way we are.  When God saved us, He placed a “Rembrandt” within us, within these imperfect vessels.
Our inner man is flawless.

The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the inner depths of his heart.  (Prov 20:27 NKJ)

The problem is that this inner lamp must shine through.  We are “housed” in flesh, i.e., that cheap latex that needs
to be peeled away so that the glory of God might shine through.

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.  (2 Cor 4:6 NKJ)

God wants to manifest His light through us so that the world may see His glory.  Consider when Jesus raised
Lazarus from the dead and declared, “Lazarus, come forth!”  Lazarus came out of the grave alive, but he still was
bound. 

And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth.
Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."  (John 11:44 NKJ)

Many of us in the body of Christ are indeed “alive”, but the problem is that we’re still wearing graveclothes.  What
are graveclothes?  They are unbelief, fear, doubt, depression, discouragement, and so forth.  God wants us loose
from this old clothing.  He wants this “cheap latex” peeled away.

The work of sanctification often is described as the work of the Holy Spirit making us what He wants us to be.  But
sanctification could more accurately be described as the working of the Holy Spirit, stripping away all that hides
and eclipses who we already are!

God wasn’t taken by surprise at our condition when He saved us.  He wasn’t caught off guard seeing the flaws,
lies, habits, and inconsistencies in our lives.  But He has confidence in His treasure that He has placed within our
earthen vessels.  He knows that His presence will manifest through us more and more as we let Him “peel away”
the excess.

We are in good company when we see the struggle Paul experienced.

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform
what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
(Rom 7:18-19 NKJ)
 
God’s plan is that this flesh part of us disappears.  The Bible says that Enoch walked with God and He was not,
because God took him (Gen. 5).  Just like Enoch, God wants us to walk with Him until we are not, that the will of our
flesh no longer exists.  Just like little children who ultimately turn into adults, God wants us to grow into maturity.
Then the true Rembrandt is revealed!