2 Corinthians 12:11-21

Background

Defending his ministry

Sarcastically boasting

Boasting in his weaknesses

2 Corinthians 11:30 “30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.”

Because in his weaknesses, Christ is seen to be strong

2 Corinthians 12:8–10 “8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

So as Paul wraps up his argument - I want to ask you a question…

What does a loving parent look like?

What are the marks of a loving parent?

11-13 (A Father Corrects)

2 Corinthians 12:11 “11 I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing.”

Paul has been constantly using this word fool to refer to himself.

He doesn’t want anyone to think that his boasting is anything like that of the “super-apostles”

He is nothing like them.

As a matter of fact, I should have been lifted up by you (commended by you)

1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 “12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.”

This is not how the Corinthians have responded

He also says, I’ve shown that I am superior to these guys.

Again, I’m a fool for having to talk this way, but even in the standard that you have created for yourselves and these super-apostles, I exceed them.

How has he exceeded them?

Vs. 12

2 Corinthians 12:12 “12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.”

God worked through me in mighty ways - but evidently they weren’t good enough

There were healings, and miracles, there was God speaking new revelation… but this wasn’t good enough…

These were the signs of true apostles - because every one of the signs, every one of the miracles pointed back to the greatness of God - not to the one “performing the miracle”

2 Corinthians 12:13 “13 For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!”

Think of the other churches I’ve planted

Think of the other churches that other Apostles have planted - were you showed less favor than the rest?

The only difference is that Paul received offerings, donations towards the work of ministry from the other churches… but he refused to even ask for one from Corinth.

He didn’t want anything to hinder the message of the Gospel from being received

So it’s like, “Do you think yourselves less favored because I didn’t ask for an offering from you? If this is the case, forgive me!”

This isn’t really anger coming from Paul - don’t think that.

It is a parent confronting a child, correcting them, trying to get to the bottom of what’s going on, and then helping them to move on in obedience and joy

14-18 (A Father Encourages)

2 Corinthians 12:14 “14 Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.”

Paul didn’t take up an offering because in this particular church, he didn’t want the church to confuse giving him an offering with paying for the Gospel.

Or that there was an exchange of services.

Remember in this same letter, Paul has said in 2 Corinthians 9:1–7 “1 Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, 2 for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4 Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction. 6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

So Paul is letting them know now, “I am coming to you for a 3rd time - and it’s not for your stuff, it’s not for what you can give me - it’s for you.”

As a parent, we understand this mindset - we don’t want to gather with our children because of their stuff or what they can provide for us, it’s because of them. We want to be with them.

Paul is like this because Jesus is like this - Jesus calls us to himself, not because of what we can give, but because of us. He wants us.

And Paul finishes this statement with an analogy…

2 Corinthians 12:14 “14 Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.”

The responsibility of parents is to provide for the children. The responsibility of the children is to be obedient and to show honor to the parents.

2 Corinthians 12:15 “15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?”

Paul is no different than many of our fathers

He works hard to provide for his children and expects no gifts in return.

A good father doesn’t provide for his family in exchange for gifts

I worked all day - I deserve your money

Your toys are now mine

He spends and is spent for the sake of the family

His body, his soul, his mind is all settled on his family and that is what motivates him

What is the one thing that a good father expects

It’s not payment - it’s love.

2 Corinthians 12:15 “15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?”

The natural outflow of a father who spends money, time, effort, and his life on his children - is to be loved by his children

When a child doesn’t reciprocate that love, affection, or appreciation - there is discipline - and that is the direction that Paul is going with this letter.

2 Corinthians 12:16 “16 But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit.”

Paul immediately answers a lingering objection -

Some of you might say, “You didn’t burden us asking for gifts, but you sent your friends to do it for you - you did it through cunning, or conniving”

2 Corinthians 12:17–18 “17 Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?”

Paul appeals to the facts and the Corinthians know there’s no foundation in this objection

Paul says, “I sent Titus to you. Did act in any manner other than how I have acted?

Who trained him? (Paul)

So Titus wasn’t going to take up a collection either knowing the reservations that Paul had.

We acted in the same spirit, in the same manner, in the same way.

19-21 (A Father Warns)

2 Corinthians 12:19 “19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved.”

In other words, don’t think that this has been a courtroom setting where you are the judge and jury and I’m on the stand pleading my case to you.

God is the judge, he is the jury who will hold me accountable.

You have been sitting in the back and should actually receive encouragement from this.

You get to sit in on a trial where I am laying myself bear before God - in order that you might be built up.

I want you to hear it

I want you to feel what I feel and experience what I experience, that you might be drawn closer to Christ.

2 Corinthians 12:20 “20 For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.”

He is hoping that this letter and its contents will be used to build them up in the Lord

His fear is that the opposite will occur

That when he arrives, they are not what he is teaching them to be - not what he is calling them to

And therefore, he will not be what he wants to be to them

A loving Father who gently corrects his children

But, if it calls for it, a father sometimes must be firm - not a best friend to a child, but the one who calls out their sin, who spanks them, and who grounds them.

That is not the father that young children want - but it is the one they need

And this is what a loving Father does - he warns before it gets to that point

“If I get there and there is quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder, heads are gonna roll.”

His fears continue -

2 Corinthians 12:21 “21 I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.”

The sins that he mentions - are they not the same sins that he has addressed in previous letters?

How much more painful is it when a child continues in the same sin despite repeated confrontations, exhortations, refutation, etc.?

A disobedient child hurts the heart of a father

This is the humbling that Paul is talking about

Brought low in pain and mourning

But what is the result of a child who is a danger to the household and who refuses to repent?

They are kicked out

This is the reality in certain families

It is also the reality in the church of God.

God will remove people from his church when they are hurting the sheep and refuse to repent - because they are showing themselves not to really be sheep, but goats.

But this is mark of a loving Father, right?

Hebrews 12:5–11 “5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

This is what our heavenly Father does.

Our Heavenly Father corrects, encourages and warns us.

And this is how we should treat one another because we have been treated this way.