2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Strength in Weakness
Dear friend,
Grace, Mercy and Peace be unto you from God our Father and from His Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, now and always!
Have you ever experienced a time in your life when you begin to doubt your identity? Even knowing that you are a child of God, but yet experiencing circumstances that are shaking the very foundation of life and its meaning? As a child of God in Christ Jesus, we know that the past life is under the grace of God, our present life is under the grace of God and our future life is also under the grace of God. We believe that, we know that, but yet we live in anxiety of the present, with a foreboding eye on the future, even as we witness increased lawlessness, anger, rebellion, fear and anxiety in our world.
In our lesson today, we find the Apostle Paul in the middle of being challenged by those who would wish to destroy his ministry by accusation, innuendo, resistance, and so on. In 2 Corinthians 10-13 he defends his identity in Christ and his calling as an apostle of Jesus Christ. In these chapters reveals his inner thoughts, feelings and emotions in order to lay before his hearers of who he is in Christ, as he recounts the sufferings that he had endured for the sake of Christ, sufferings in which he gloried and rejoiced in.
Reluctantly, then in chapter 12, he gives the account of a vision and revelation of God, and because of its glorious nature, how he had been subjected to "a messenger of Satan" to buffet him so that he would not be "exalted above measure." or get too big for his britches. He prayed three times that this "thorn in the flesh" would be removed, and it appears that after the third time he heard these words from our Lord. We might ask how long did he struggle, and persevere in prayer before he heard the sweet answer of grace come from the throne of God? Up to 14 years? What warm words of assurance and comfort the word of the Lord must have been to his struggling mind and heart!
2 Cor 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Grace was sufficient, for in his inability to stand on his strength, he was given to experience the cleansing power of grace, recognizing that his identity in Christ was not lessened due to his continuing inablity to overcome his 'thorn in the flesh." He was able to see that the ongoing struggle within was actually for his protection against forgetting what grace really is. Therefore, he was able to rejoice in his sufferings for the sake of the Gospel, understanding that the knowledge of his human weakness was an open door so that the power of Christ would flow into his being.
A huge watershed moment in the life of Apostle Paul……………
In the past I have asked others as to what are some of the watershed moments in their lives, times in which one experienced a major happening which caused one’s life to take a different direction, either a negative direction or a positive direction. We all have them and it is good to think and to remember those times as we are who we are today because of our lives in the past. Our life today is lived in light of our formation from the past, our convictions, our attitudes, our words and our actions. And furthermore we can say that our vision of the future is based upon who we are today.
If someone would ask you and I this very day, how is it going, how would we respond?
Would we say, it is going well, would we say, it is going, would we say, a day at a time, or would we say, a moment at a time? Depending upon the depth of the relationship, various responses would be given.
There are three basic ways that we communicate one with another: We don’t listen, we listen to respond and we listen to hear and understand what is being said in order to better understand the other. There are definite parallels between our relationship with people as well as with our relationship with our Father in heaven. May we have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to us today.
Today we look at one of Apostle Paul’s watershed moments in his life as he defended his identity and his calling that was of God and not of man. He was being accused of being a false messenger of God.
In our congregation and amongst people who are connected with us, there are many many that are suffering adversity in their lives and so it seems good to spend some time in our Sunday morning sermons considering the topic of trials and suffering. Today’s reading is from 2nd Corinthians 12:1-10. As the Lord leads we will continue next Sunday in the same topic. May the Lord truly speak to us today through His Word and Spirit so that we may be comforted and taught to the end that we may be able to comfort those who are suffering in the trial of their faith.
First an overview of sin and suffering in the world. Suffering occurs because of our fallen world. Trials and suffering continue because it is allowed to do so. When it occurs with others who are distant from us, we are not that affected by it. But when it happens to those close to us, or to ourselves, we think a lot about and it is difficult to stay away from asking the “WHY” question. Is okay to ask why? Does God “allow” such questions?
Not the result, but for purpose.
KJV John 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Response to trials of our faith
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Freely ask God for wisdom
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Ask in Faith
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
We know the ending.
KJV Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
ESV 2 Corinthians 12:1 I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
KJV 2 Corinthians 12:1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
Paul used the third person as he does not wish to draw attention to himself.
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Was what he saw so glorious that he did not want to try use human language to describe it, as it would not do what he saw justice?
5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
Paul did not use his experience as a reason to elevate himself, but he spoke of it for the purpose that his inner struggles would be revealed to those who were listening. I recall my wife sharing with me of how she had been at a conference during which a woman had shared mightily and powerfully from the Word of God and my wife found herself thinking something like this: “Wow, that would be nice to be a speaker such as she is.” Then later my wife found out of the tragedy and the suffering that the speaker had gone through, watershed experiences which she had responded favorably to which made her the woman of God that she was. Learning that, my wife wasn’t so eager to go through what that woman had experienced and endured.
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
There can be divine purpose behind adversity.
God may choose to reveal the purpose for our adversity.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
God never scolds us for asking why or for requesting that the adversity be removed.
Adversity may be a gift from God.
Satan can be the agent of adversity.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
God will comfort us in our adversities
God may not see fit to remove our adversity.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
ESV 2 Corinthians 11:29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?
ESV 2 Corinthians 11:30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
When we recognize our weakness, the strength of Christ fills us.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Contentment does not hinge on the nature of our adversities
The key to growth in Christian maturity through adversity is to view it as for the sake of Christ and His kingdom.
Do we understand that grace is sufficient for us in all our struggles, and that we are overcomers by faith in the One who has loved us and given Himself for us?
What experiences have you and I have that would be similar to the Apostle’s? Have we been able to “see” how what we thought was evil in our life, the Lord worked it to the good for His purposes in us and then through us for other’s sake?
How is it with you and I in our struggles in life: Are they encouraging us or discouraging us?
How might the Potter be molding us with His tender hands to become a more suitable vessel for his purposes? How might our present circumstances be our friend to this end?
May His grace be sufficient for us, for we know the ending. He hold us tightly and will not let us go.
KJV Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.