The Sufficiency of Grace
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
3d message in series: Strength in Weakness
Week 1: 2 Cor 12.10
Paul was well content with weakness for Christ’s sake.
We looked at Abraham. Weakness of childlessness; obstacle to fulfillment of promises.
Saw God do the humanly impossible; then Abraham had total trust when God asked him to do the humanly unthinkable.
Week 2: 2 Cor 13.4
Gospel message—strength in weakness
Jesus was crucified in weakness (became weak and took on our weakness) but raised in the power of God
Today: Paul defends his apostleship by boasting in his weakness. We’ll see how the Lord magnified his ministry through the thorn in the flesh.
Background
Background
Corinth had been destroyed by the Romans in 146 BC.
Males were killed; women and children were taken as slaves.
City desolate for ~100 years; in 44 BC, Julius Caesar built a Roman colony there.
Definite Roman character, yet located in Greece.
Caesar colonized it with Freedmen and Freedwomen, slaves who bought or worked their way to freedom.
When Paul arrived first time around 50-51 AD, it was again a bustling city.
Paul, on his first visit, was there 18 months.
Hosted Isthmian Games, huge festival to Poseidon a/k/a Neptune, god of the sea.
Lots of wealth; ostentatious; but also lots of poverty.
People who began or whose ancestors began as slaves were very conscious of social class
After he left, he wrote 1 Cor from Ephesus. He had learned there were issues and he rebuked them.
Man sleeping with his father’s wife
lawsuits
factions
poor behavior at the Lord’s Supper
Some were upset by his letter. He made a second visit (disputed). Didn’t go well.
Another letter written after 2d visit. Severe. Titus delivered. Brought back some good news but also that false apostles had come in and had played to the fleshly desires of the church.
Lots of criticism of Paul by false apostles and a minority of the church.
Our focus will be on 2 Cor 10-12.10
Many Saw Paul Through Carnal Eyes (2 Cor 10.1-6)
Many Saw Paul Through Carnal Eyes (2 Cor 10.1-6)
1 Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!
2 I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh.
NOW = transition
He appeals to them by the meekness and gentleness of Christ
Yet, here is one accusation: You are meek when face to face, but bold when absent (in letters)
He asks not to have to be bold when he is again present as he plans to be with those who considers them as walking according to the flesh.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,
4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.
Notice Paul changes the discussion from walking to war.
His object is to destroy the false ideas promulgated against the knowledge of God.
They See Paul as Two-Faced (2 Cor 10.7-11)
They See Paul as Two-Faced (2 Cor 10.7-11)
7 You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we.
8 For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame,
9 for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
10 For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.”
11 Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present.
They are to quit focusing on EXTERNALS.
As they are in Christ, so is he.
His authority is from the Lord. For building up, not destroying.
If he needs to boast about his authority; he will not be put to shame over it.
Some seem terrified by his letters and that is not his intent.
He is accused of being different in person that in his letters. Note the slam—personal presence is unimpressive and speech is contemptible!
Paul says he is the same each way; no difference.
Commendation Comes from the Lord (2 Cor 10.12-18)
Commendation Comes from the Lord (2 Cor 10.12-18)
12 For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.
Paul won’t bite on comparing himself with the imposters who commend themselves. They created their own standards and could then claim Paul fell short. That’s measuring yourself by yourself.
There is a point of application here. We need to be careful not to do the same thing. Sometimes we look at someone else’s conduct and evaluate it by whether we would ever do that.
13 But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you.
14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ;
Paul will boast only in the sphere God has given him in which to minister.
15 not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you,
16 so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another.
But, it was his hope that as the church in Corinth grew in faith, his sphere would be enlarged to go to regions beyond Corinth.
He has no intention of seeking to boast in what someone else has done.
17 But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord.
18 For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.
Paul quotes from Jer 9.23-24
23 Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;
24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.
The only commendation that matters is what comes from the Lord!
The Danger of Receiving False Apostles (2 Cor 11.1-15)
The Danger of Receiving False Apostles (2 Cor 11.1-15)
1 I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me.
2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.
He led them to Jesus and he wanted to present them to Jesus as a pure virgin. Paul is not seeking his own glory; he wants to give them to Jesus as a pure bride at his coming.
3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.
Paul sees the false apostles deceiving them just like Eve was deceived. He’s concerned their minds will be corrupted from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Jesus.
He was concerned they were being taught about a different Jesus and receiving a different spirit, a different gospel.
The problem is that they (the Corinthians) bear this/ receive this beautifully! A touch of sarcasm.
5 For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles.
6 But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.
Paul is not inferior to these guys who apparently consider themselves super-apostles. “Eminent” in Greek is hyperlian (hooper leon). It means exceptional, beyond measure.
He doesn’t argue about their impression of his speech, but he is clearly not unskilled in knowledge. They witnessed that.
7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?
8 I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you;
9 and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so.
Tongue in cheek, Paul says did I sin by ministering to you free of charge? He was with them 18 months and took no money from them.
He took it from the support of other churches as in Macedonia. He was never a burden to Corinth.
10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.
11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
Paul will not change while in Greece because of
Here’s the reason. He does not want to give the false apostles the opportunity to claim he is like them.
They are false; they disguise themselves as righteous, but a day will come when they will account for their deeds.
12 But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.
Paul’s Resume of Suffering for Jesus (2 Cor.11.16-12.10)
Paul’s Resume of Suffering for Jesus (2 Cor.11.16-12.10)
16 Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little.
17 What I am saying, I am not saying as the Lord would, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.
18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I will boast also.
Paul wants them to let him boast a little even if they consider him foolish. His boasting will be foolish in their eyes because it does not elevate Paul.
It is not what Jesus would have done but it is necessary since the false apostles are boasting.
He is applying Prov 26.5.
5 Answer a fool as his folly deserves,
That he not be wise in his own eyes.
19 For you, being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly.
20 For you tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, anyone devours you, anyone takes advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone hits you in the face.
Certainly, they tolerate the foolish false apostles.
He now points out how much else they accept from the false apostles: 5 things.
21 To my shame I must say that we have been weak by comparison.
But in whatever respect anyone else is bold—I speak in foolishness—I am just as bold myself.
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
He begins here to validate himself. Are they Hebrews? Israelites? Descendants of Abraham? So is he.
Now Paul ups the ante with the next question. Are they servants of Christ?
23 Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.
24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.
v. 23 is a summary.
v. 24 begins to spell out specifics of what he has experienced to serve the Savior.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.
26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;
27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
This is building.
Why Paul was willing to undergo such suffering will be made clear in Ch. 12. Spoiler alert: because he found God’s strength in the weaknesses he sustained.
What so-called “super-apostle” wants to try and match what Paul has encountered in his service of Christ?
These are just the external hardships.
28 Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.
29 Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?
30 If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.
The internal things.
The concern for all the churches. When one is weak, so is he. When one is lead into sin, he is intensely concerned.
Paul is the shepherd of the sheep!
With all of this, Paul said he would limit his boasting to his weaknesses/hardships/difficulties. No accomplishments or achievements!
31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
32 In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me,
33 and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands.
Dama ski knose
Paul closes this part with a reference to his first occasion to suffer for the gospel. He was in Damascus.
Aretas governed Damascus and sought to arrest Paul. He likely had antagonized people, particularly Jews, there by evangelizing in that area.
Acts 9.23-25 tells us that the Jews hatched a plot to do away with him. When Paul learned of it, he hid until his disciples lowered him through an opening in the wall in a large basket.
16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Visions and Revelations from the Lord (2 Cor 12.1-10)
Visions and Revelations from the Lord (2 Cor 12.1-10)
Paul now turns to page 2 of his resume.
1 Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven.
He begins talking about a man; he is in the third person.
Third heaven: first is the atmosphere around the earth; second is the realm of the sun, moon and stars; and the third is where God dwells.
What happened was 14 years ago.
If this was written about 56 AD, then it would have happened in 42 AD.
At that time Paul was in the region of Syria and Cilicia.
30 But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.
MAP
3 And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows—
4 was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.
In the body or out, God knows. That’s not the issue.
Caught up (harpazo) to Paradise (third heaven) into the presence of God.
He heard inexpressible words which he was not allowed to repeat. He could hear/receive them but he was not permitted to speak them.
This gives the impression that this was meant only for Paul as part of his relationship with Christ.
5 On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.
6 For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.
He has no interest in boasting about himself apart from his weaknesses.
If he did boast, it would be the truth, but what is important to him is that people do not credit him more than they see and hear in him.
7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!
The revelations were of surpassing greatness. They were phenomenal. What an encouragement!
But, to keep him from exalting himself, he received a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment him.
After he ascended into God’s presence, I can only imagine how much Satan would have relished giving him a thorn in the flesh to torment him.
This is very Job-like. This thorn torments him which tells us how difficult it was for him to deal with.
The purpose was to keep him from exalting himself. Notice that phrase is repeated twice. It was a constant reminder to him of the importance of humility.
8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.
He wanted rid of it; he prayed three times that it might leave. Jesus prayed three times in the Garden.
Paul, who at times healed others, was denied relief from this thorn. It would be with him the balance of his life. He already had it for about 14 years.
After praying three times for its removal, Paul accepted it. There are times for all of us that we must learn to accept what has afflicted us and learn to ask what God is using it to produce in us.
9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
Paul’s prayer was answered. The Lord Jesus spoke to him and said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”
This was far more profound and beneficial to Paul and his ministry that what he prayed.
This was 14 years before.
Look at what it did in his ministry, why he could suffer as he did in his ministry.
He has been heavily criticized and demeaned in Corinth.
He learned to be totally dependent on God and His grace and power.
Now comes 2 Cor 12.10
10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Jesus told him His grace was sufficient and that His power would be displayed through Paul’s weakness.
God’s strength met him in his weaknesses.
So all of these hard places became opportunities not to display his strength, but to show forth the grace and strength of Jesus.
Be reminded that his contentment is for the sake of Jesus. He is committed to Him. And, it will be for the glory of Jesus that he is sustained by His grace and power.
Paul reminds us it was not his heavenly experience that is the means of his earthly power, it has been his weakness that allowed the power of Christ to work in his life.
Application
Application
How does seeing God’s strength in your weakness impact your ministry?
Does this truth impact how you look at the hard places in life?
Is 2Cor 12.9 a promise you can trust? Do you believe His grace is sufficient for you and that His power will sustain you walk in the difficulties that you experience?
When the verse says power is “perfected”, the Greek word means fulfilled, completed, brought to an end, finished. When His power sustains us in our weakness the verse is telling us we see it fulfilled.
