The Unique Events of the Ministry

A Study on II Corinthians

The Unique Events of the Ministry

II Cor. 12:1-10

Theme: God works through men to help others in his ministry.

Introduction: The ministry is one of the most unique ways of life. You can have the birth of a newborn and the death of a Godly saint in the same day. You can be with someone whose child graduated from high school and a couple who just found out they are facing cancer. The church also had challenges and blessings all at the same time.

Paul is writing here with an open heart about his personal experiences of the ministry. He uses third person to describe the events he uniquely experienced.

Through these experiences God uses them to equip the Christian to help others.

I. God honored him vv. 1-6

A. His selection

1. God chose to do something unbelievable in Paul’s life and ministry.

2. This was not something he could boast about as if he even had a choice in this matter.

3. Paul did not overlook honors given to men as the Judaizers were boasting of their human honor.

4. God honored him by selecting him for the ministry.

B. His communication

1. 14 years before this writing, Paul received visions and revelations.

2. Vision is always seen but a revelation may be either seen or perceived-all visions are revelations but not all revelations are visions.

3. There are three heavens

a. First is where the birds are and what we see

b. Second is where the stars and moon are located called space.

c. Third is the dwelling place of God.

4. There are four men who journeyed into heaven and returned.

a. Enoch and Elijah went to the air spaces

“And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” (John 3:13)

b. John went up

“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.” (Revelation 4:1–2)

c. Jesus and Paul

5. God had given Paul special visions in the past and he knew when God to him: Special truth Eph. 3:1-6; called to the ministry Acts 9:12

C. His transportation

1. Caught up into paradise where he heard some unspeakable words.

2. He was in such a communication with God that he was not aware of the physical world of space and time, removing any consciousness of embodiment.

3. Paul lost the sense of physical orientation and with a sudden rapture.

4. God had honored him by taking Paul to the third heaven and sending him back-this would be between his departure from Tarsus in Acts 9:30 and his visit from Barnabas Acts 11:25-36.

5. While there Paul heard unspeakable words which seem to have been divine secrets that are shared only in heaven.

6. Paul was able to see the glory of God.

7. We have a marvelous encouragement in the fact that we are sealed in the heavenly places Eph. 2:6; given authority and victory far above Eph. 2:21-22, we have not seen the glory but we share the glory of God John 17:22.

8. Paul was not proud because of this, he simply told the truth.

II. God humbled him vv. 7-8

A. The reason v. 7a

1. Paul speaks of the fact that God wanted to humble him, keep him from becoming proud.

2. It was to keep him from exalting himself above measure regarding the vision.

3. Conceit has no place in the ministry.

B. The requirement v. 7b

1. God knows how to balance our lives-if only blessings, we get spoiled.

2. His great ministry in heaven could have ruined his ministry on earth.

3. God permitted Satan to buffet him-God brings us through for His glory

4. The mystery of human suffering will not be solved in this life, the same body that brings pleasure can bring pain, the same family and friends that delight us, can also bring heartache as well.

5. Sometimes we suffer because we are foolish and disobedient to the Lord and sometimes our own rebellion may afflict us or the Lord may chasten us in His love.

6. God uses suffering as a tool for building and developing Godly character, this thorn was to prevent Paul from becoming proud in his ministry and ruining his usefulness for the Lord.

7. Thorn means a sharp stake used for torturing and impaling someone-buffet means to beat, to strike with a fist-this tense is a constant or reoccurring strike.

C. The request v.8

1. He prayed three times for the thorn to be removed but God told him no.

2. We may deal with things in several ways

a. You can get bitter with God and blame Him.

b. You can just give up and fail to get any blessing through it.

c. You can endure to the end.

d. You can be courageous and take it from God.

3. God is obligated to heal every sickness but He has encouraged us to pray.

4. Paul did not know for how long but he chose to live according to God’s calling.

III. God helped him vv. 9-10

A. The offer of grace v. 9

1. Though Paul could speak of the words he heard in heaven, he could speak of those he heard on earth.

2. With all of the buffeting and challenges oflife, God has provided His grace through them.

3. Grace is an inner disposition created by Christ as salvation to handle the circumstances of life.

4. Paul says that God gives us grace during the those times of need and there is sufficient grace-the supply is unlimited.

5. Paul said in times of affliction He provides the grace.

“I can read my affliction as a correction, or as mercy, and I confess I know not how to read it. How should I understand this illness? I cannot conclude, though death conclude me. If it is correction indeed, let me translate and read it as mercy, for though it may appear to be a correction, I can have no greater proof of your mercy than to die in thee and by that death to be united with Him who died for me.” (John Donne)

6. It was a message of strengthening grace where God permits us to become weak so that we might receive His strength.

7. This continuous process is like this “strength that knows itself to be weakness is actually strength.”

8. Man at his point of greatest weakness is his strongest when He is entrusted with God’s grace.

9. Paul had learned that the gift of the thorn taught him more about grace=he had to accept it as a way of accomplishing God’s will in his life.

10. Paul had learned that the sufferings of Christ was so go that he will gladly bear them because of Christ’s work in His life-he was looking at the bigger picture.

B. The power of grace v. 10

1. The power is clearly stated in v.9 but demonstrated in v. 10.

2. This grace was not given to us that we might endure the circumstances but to rise above them and cause our afflictions to work for us in accomplishing God’s will.

3. Paul said this grace was so good in giving strength through the afflictions of this life that he took pleasure in them.

He Giveth More

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater, He sending more strength when the labors increase; To added affliction He addeth His mercy, To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace. When we have exhausted our store of endurance, When our strength has failed ere the day is half done, When we reach the end of our hoarded resources, Our Father’s full giving is only begun. His love has no limit, His grace has no measure; His power no boundary known unto men, for out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth and giveth and giveth again.

Annie Johnson Flint

Conclusion: God may take us through difficulties but He is there with us.