Grace Greater Than Our Circumstances
Grace is Greater • Sermon • Submitted
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We are in the middle of a sermon series that we are calling “Grace is Greater.” Amazing Grace is not just a song that we sing, but it is truly greater than anything else that we can experience. If you were here last week, we talked about how the grace of God is greater than our sin. Sin is the #1 issue that we have in life because it is sin that has broken our relationship and separates us from our loving Creator. While sin is powerful, we saw last week that God’s grace is truly (and thankfully) greater than our sin.
This week, we want to look at another area of our lives where God’s grace is greater. Today, I want to share with you about why God’s grace is greater than our circumstances. When I say ‘circumstances’, I’m talking about the different situations that come up in our lives.
Life is filled with various kinds of circumstances. Some of them are good, and some of them can be crippling. The circumstances of our lives have a tendency to determine how we look and react to things. They can affect our faith and belief systems greatly. When things are going good and rolling along as they should, you can easily find yourself doing well in your faith. When things take a down-turn, it is in these moments where we say that our faith gets tested the most.
Some of you may be at a good moment in life. Things are going pretty well for you at the moment. You may be thinking, “Why would I need God’s grace to be greater than this?” I would answer that person with the reality that while things may be going well at the moment, you never know what is around the corner. We need something greater than just our feelings when those tough times come.
I want to look at something that the apostle Paul shared with the church in Corinth about how God’s grace is greater than the circumstances we go through in life. It is found towards the end of . In this chapter, Paul has been sharing about some of the things that he had gone through as a follower of Jesus. He was sharing some of his experiences. Some were good and some not-so-good.
In Damascus, a ruler under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to arrest me.
So I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from his hands.
2 Corinthians 11:3
Paul shares in this verse about a time when he was in Damascus and things were not looking so well for him. Paul had been in Damascus sharing the gospel of Jesus with people. The leaders did not take so kindly to this work. They had put out an APB for Paul. They were looking to arrest him.
But we read about how Paul was delivered from this trap by the grace of God. Paul does not share this to boast about his skills or anything other than the humility of it all. He had to place himself in a basket and be lowered out of the town. This was not anything to do with his power, but rather it was all about God’s provision in the moment.
Pa
We see a second instance in the next verses of a circumstance that was truly radical.
2 Corinthians 12:1-5
Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
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.
I know that this man—whether in the body or out of the body I don’t know; God knows—
was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a human being is not allowed to speak.
I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses.
On the surface, it seems as though Paul is talking about another person. Most scholars believe (and I agree with them) that the “man” Paul is speaking about is himself. This man had a vision where he was taken into the 3rd heaven and heard things that he could not speak about.
The third heaven would be what many of us think about when we think of heaven - the place where God rules over all creation from. The first heaven would refer to the sky where birds and planes fly. The second heaven would be where the stars and moon are — outer space.
In these verses, Paul shares about a moment that happened 14 years earlier. This was the first time he had shared anything about it to anyone. I don’t know about you, but if I was given the chance to see heaven and hear exactly what was going on in there, I’m not sure that I could be quiet about it. Paul had been able to because (1) he was not allowed to share until this time, and (2) he knew that this experience was not really about him but because of the grace of God.
In these two verses, we see some really good circumstances that Paul went through. In the next couple of verses though, we see a different story.
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,
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.
Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me.
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.
Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
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.
I know that this man—whether in the body or out of the body I don’t know; God knows—
was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a human being is not allowed to speak.
I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses.
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,
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.
Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me.
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.
2 Corinthians 12:
2 Corinthians 12:
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,
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.
Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me.
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.
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.
Paul shares here about a circumstance that was not so comforting. He tells about a ‘thorn’ that was given to him to keep him from getting puffed up with pride. This may be another reason why Paul had not shared about his vision of heaven.
2 Corinthians 12:
Paul shares here about a circumstance that was not so comforting. He tells about a ‘thorn’ that was given to him to keep him from getting puffed up with pride. This may be another reason why Paul had not shared about his vision of heaven.
Paul calls this ‘thorn’ a ‘messenger of Satan’ that would torment him. The word ‘thorn’ here is not referring to what you would find on a rose bush. This word actually could be translated as ‘stake’ or ‘spear’. This was not just an irritant… it was something that caused great anguish in Paul’s life. Many people have offered ideas as to what this might have been — eye trouble, baldness, failing health, a person, etc. Whatever this thorn was, it caused great pain in Paul’s life. So much so, he pleaded with God on three separate occasions to have it removed.
Whatever this thorn was, it caused great pain in Paul’s life. So much so, he pleaded with God on three separate occasions to have it removed.
Have you been there? Have you had something in your life that was not just an irritant, but it caused great pain and anguish? Have you had something that has driven you to your knees and had you begging God to remove it and give you some relief? This is exactly where Paul was in this circumstance.
What is interesting to me is the response that God gave to Paul about this circumstance. Each time Paul asked God to remove his ‘thorn’, God said, "No. I’m not going to remove that ‘thorn’ but rather My grace is sufficient for you.”
This flies in the face of what some believe about God. There is a thought that goes around and thinks that because God is a loving God, then He will not let us suffer or experience pain. I really do not get where that thought comes from. Yes, I believe God is a loving God who cares deeply for us, but I read nowhere in the Bible where He says that we will never go through hard times. In fact, Jesus said the opposite in .
I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
It is here where I see God trying to show all who would follow Him the truth about how is grace is greater than our circumstances. It comes down to an issue of trust. Do we trust that God is who He said that He is? Is He truly sovereign (in complete control)? Is He able and willing to work all things for “the good" of us and His glory ()?
We like to quote many times, but we need to remember that it says “the good” and that not everything will be good. Jesus promised that suffering — persecution, trials, hard times — would be a part of life on this earth because of the effects of sin. But He also said that He had overcome the world — that includes all things associated with it.
Do we trust that though the circumstances that we find ourselves going through at the moment, while they may be tough... while they may be difficult... while they may be causing pain that seems unbearable… do we trust that He is greater?
That is what Paul did not complain when God refused to remove the thorn. Rather, Paul moved his attention from the issue to the One who was greater than the issue. Look at the last part of verse 9 and verse 10.
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.
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.
Paul began to boast about his weaknesses because He knew that to experience the power of God’s grace would depend on his willingness to recognized and acknowledge his weaknesses.
There is a temptation within each one of us to make a name for ourselves, to be in need of nothing, and look like we have it all together all of the time. Can we be honest in saying that we do not? This temptation causes us to take our eyes off of Jesus — His grace and power — and place them on the situations of our lives. We begin to look to what “we” can do to solve it or make it better.
When we do this, we ignore the very thing that can actually handle our circumstances and bring them into line to accomplish what is best for us — the grace of God.
Paul began to understand that while some circumstances in life are good and fun, others are not — they can be very painful, but the circumstances do not get the final say. He knew that every situation… every circumstance of life still has to bow before Jesus and the power of His grace. He learned that to find true victory and peace was not so much in having everything smooth out instantly, but rather to trust the One who could work it all according to His plan.
It has been said before that every person is either heading into, in the middle of, or exiting out of a storm in life. I have found that to be very true. Jesus’ words about encountering difficult times in this life are true. I’m just glad that those weren’t the final words. The final words were “I have overcome the world!” Do you believe that?
God’s grace is greater than any situation that you may be going through. He invites you to come to Him and trust Him with whatever it is. The question of the hour is now, will you?