Is Jesus Enough?

Pray

2 Corinthians 11:16–12:11 (CSB)

16 I repeat: Let no one consider me a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool so that I can also boast a little.

17 What I am saying in this matter of boasting, I don’t speak as the Lord would, but as it were, foolishly.

18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I will also boast.

19 For you, being so wise, gladly put up with fools!

20 In fact, you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone is arrogant toward you, if someone slaps you in the face.

21 I say this to our shame: We have been too weak for that! But in whatever anyone dares to boast—I am talking foolishly—I also dare:

22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the descendants of Abraham? So am I.

23 Are they servants of Christ? I’m talking like a madman—I’m a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, many times near death.

24 Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews.

25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea.

26 On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, and dangers among false brothers;

27 toil and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and without clothing.

28 Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches.

29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

30 If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses.

31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying.

32 In Damascus, a ruler under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to arrest me.

33 So I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from his hands.

1 Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2 I know a man in Christ who was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don’t know; God knows.

3 I know that this man—whether in the body or out of the body I don’t know; God knows—

4 was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a human being is not allowed to speak.

5 I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses.

6 For if I want to boast, I wouldn’t be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me,

7 especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself.

8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me.

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

10 So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

11 I have been a fool; you forced it on me. You ought to have commended me, since I am not in any way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.

Often Times, when we walk through hardships, our first response is to begin to take control of the issue, either filling our struggle with things that offer temporary relief

we begin to utilize what society says will solve our hardships rather than what the bible teaches will sustain us during our hardships

Our response to Hardship Matters and our acceptance of Jesus’ response enables us to receive the grace of Jesus.

Paul discusses his response to the hardship of the Torn in his flesh. the thorn itself is not important, what is important to note is that Paul prays to the Lord three times asking that he would remove the hardship.

As believers Jesus does not offer us a get out of hardship free card. nor is his promise that we would live a self satisfied and happy life.

What the bible does teach however is that Jesus will sustain us in our hardships.

Jesus’ power is a direct result of His grace.

Lexham Theological Wordbook χάρις

χάρις (charis). n. fem. grace, good will, favor. Conveys the sense of a gift of kindness and favor given to a person or persons.

This noun is related to the verb χαρίζομαι (charizomai), which conveys the general concept of giving generously or forgiving a debt or a wrong. The noun charis can identify charm or the quality of being delightful in the eyes of others (e.g., Luke 1:52). At times it describes an act that is characterized as kind or generous (e.g., 2 Cor 8:6, 19). Sometimes this term highlights the undeserved nature of the gift of salvation, given not because of the righteousness of the recipient but because of God’s gracious kindness in Christ (e.g., Eph 2:8). The blessing of salvation is given freely.

goodwill/ favor toward us is not simply an inclination of good thoughts. It is much more, it is substantiated with direct action in the life of the believer. His grace overcomes our weakness with power.

There is no separation between the power of Jesus and the grace that He gives to his people.

In our weaknesses, the power of Jesus becomes a reality, it is perfected in the life of the believer.

The power of Jesus rests on us.

Barnett writes a commentary on the book of 2 Cor. where he argues that Paul’s boasting in weakness is not a boast of feebleness or fragility. rather it is in the weakness of his sufferings listed earlier that Paul boasts in.

Paul gives his boasting meaning and reason, that the power of Christ may rest on him.

If you are familiar to the OT teachings about the tabernacle, Paul’s language has undertones of tabernacle language. Whereas in the OT God dwelt among the Israelites and makes his tabernacle among them. In the NT, Jesus is God incarnate, that is God come in the flesh to dwell among man. and points to an eschatological future dwelling of God with his people.

I say all this to encapsulate the point that Christ, in his power, Pitches His Tent with us in our weaknesses. Jesus, our Lord, draws near to us in our weakness and sustains us by giving us his grace and power.

Application

Respond to Hardship through prayer

Accept the reply that Jesus gives you

Trust that Jesus is faithful to His word and will sustain you in all hardships.