2 Corinthians 12:11-21

Because Christ Spent Himself For Our Souls, We Ought To Spend Ourselves For Others

Humans are naturally selfish creatures

This opens us up to be deceived by flattery

2 Corinthians 12:11–13 ESV

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. The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. 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!

Paul had come to them first and was preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ without any attempt to flatter the Corinthians. They received it and were consuming true apostolic teaching that has all the authority of Christ himself.

Then, the Corinthian Church loved the eloquent and flattering words of the super-apostles, and it lured them away like a fishing lure attracts fish.

This made Paul go on the somewhat insane rant that we have been studying over the last couple weeks. Because the Corinthians were deceived by flattery, Paul had to grab their attention so they could see how ridiculous the super-apostles were.

But Paul also touches on another important point that contributed to the Corinthians being deceived:

Our selfishness causes us to seek only people who can add to us

The super-apostles and the Corinthians and a mutually toxic relationship going on where both were using each other for their own personal benefit.

The super-apostles wanted to gain the allegience of the Corinthian church for their own fame and wealth

The corinthians wanted to be flattered by the super-apostles so that they could feed the delusion that they are the best thing to ever happen to this world.

APPLY: don’t we do this all the time? Don’t we like people who tend to flatter us? Don’t we hate it when people are brutally honest with us? Don’t we look forward to a marriage relationship so that some longing inside of us will be satisfied? Don’t we only try to make friends with people who seem popular, or attractive, or can somehow add to our own selves?

Contrast this with Paul’s conduct towards the Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 12:14–15 ESV

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. I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

Paul loved the Corinthians not because they could build him up, but simply because he loved them.

Paul’s goal was not to build himself up, but to build up the Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 12:19 ESV

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.

And yet because Paul loved them with this selfless love, the Corinthians began to distrust him.

This causes us to distrust selflessness

2 Corinthians 12:16 ESV

But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit.

The super-apostles couldn’t point out any particular time that Paul had taken advantage of them, and his selfless conduct ended up being reason for suspicion. Because Paul never collected money from them, they naturally assumed that he was being deceitful.

The Corinthians were so steeped in selfishness that they automatically distrusted selflessness when it came to them.

Does Paul’s model of ministry remind you of anyone? Does a truly selfless individual being persecuted for being selfless sound familiar? Why do you think Paul decided to do ministry this way? Its because he learned it from Jesus.

Christ is the epitome of selflessness

Think about it: What did Christ have to gain by coming to Earth? He was already fully God.

If he had nothing to gain, why then did he come?

John 10:10–11 ESV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

In contrast to what these false apostles were setting out to accomplish, Jesus had a completely selfless goal in mind.

And guess what? We distrusted that selflessness. In fact, we crucified him for it!

He came so that we might have life, and have it abundantly. He came to be spent for our souls, so that we can experience life.

What does abundant life look like? Is it future, or is it present? The answer is both.

We get to look forward to eternal life, but Jesus was also in the business of giving us abundant life in this present age as well.

Even though he knew we were going to crucify him for it, he still came with the purpose of giving us abundant and true life. He sent his Spirit to live in us and to apply that life to us even now.

We are empowered to recognize and cherish the selfless sacrifice of Christ, and we are also empowered to do likewise and selflessly spend ourselves for the sake of others.

And this is so unnatural to us as human beings.

Christ’s church ought to value selflessness

So let me ask you this: what do you value? Do you want someone who will make much of you, or who will give you Christ?

Do you want a merely good example that focuses on making much of you, or do you want Christ and to make much of him?

Do you seek after only those that can build you up, or do you spend yourself for the sake of others that have nothing to offer you back?

Christ poured himself out for you so that you can now be empowered to pour yourself out for others, always pointing them to Christ. That is your mission, that is your work, that is how you are to glorify Christ.