A Lesson in the Thorn - 2 Corinthians 12:1-9

Introduction

As a child, I enjoyed my mothers cooking. Every dish she made, she made it very well. There was only one dish my mother would fix that I did not enjoy. That dish was eggplant parmesan. My dislike for the dish was not anything her doing; I don’t like any eggplant parmesan. But as I recollect of some childhood experiences in light of the today’s text I recall this experience so well and others outside of my mother having to eat things at times I really didn’t like. Then having to hear my mother say to me or others “sometimes you’ve got to eat somethings you don’t like simply because they are good for you.”

We weren’t raised in the lavishness of the luxuries that children have today for each child to pick a different meal for momma to cook. We grew up you gon eat what I’m cooking or you gon eat what I’m cooking. In some other houses it might have been you gon eat what I’m cooking or you won’t eat at all.

And sometimes we must bare with the fact that at times we will have to grin and bear with somethings we face in our lives simply because its good for us. We may not like it. It may not be appealing, appetizing, or attractive but at times life calls for us to suck it up because its good for us.

The Apostle Paul, you know him. He’s the one who was criticized by Judaizers who are questioning his apostleship. Paul often opens his writings giving his history concerning he and the church. That he was a staunch Pharisee, that he persecuted the church, and telling of his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road.

Paul in response to his critics writes of an experience he had taken up into the third heaven.

He tells the story in third person - Paul has just finished rebuking the Corinthians in 2 Cor 11:19-20 because the Corinthians were such that they respected people who boasted. Thus those who did not boast they had little respect for. In light of the knowledge of the importance of his message Paul makes his boast in the Lord yet through humility by speaking in the third person. This is why he said in verse 1, it is not necessary to boast but it is necessary.

I saw the resurrected Jesus Christ - which was a sign of his apostleship

He saw things that he could not even explain in fact he couldn’t even tell if his experience was in body or out of body demonstrating the divine of his experience.

He quickly redirects his attention away from his experience and to his infirmity.

He had a desire to boast… but he knew that would be foolish because God hates pride. And Paul was reminded although he was blessed to have a heavenly encounter - he was still unworthy.

He said in verse 7, twice, lest I should be exalted above measure. In other words he said I’ve got some stuff to brag about!

But he said to keep me humble after all I have experienced God gave me a thorn.

He said a messenger of Satan brought the thorn to beat him. Significant to this text is the presentation that satan has angels too called demons.

But Paul said the thorn was given to me so the question is who sent it? It is clear that the demons may have delivered the thorn but Paul says in verse 7 it was given to me so that I would not be exalted above measure. The devil ain’t trying to do that. He got kicked out of heaven for his pride. The demons may have brought it but God sent it. And since God sent it it means that God will bring me through the thorn.

After Paul had experienced heaven God sent him a sharp, painful thorn.

Symbolizing to us that no matter how much faith we have, we’ve got to endure some pain that we’d rather not

I know favor ain’t fair, I know that your saved blood washed, and everything else… But everybody will have to deal with some thorns

There is a level of spiritual warfare here (v 7) I went to heaven and then the devil sent someone to beat me down

after I’ve gone to church, after I have read my word, after I have prayed… there is something waiting on me as soon as I walk out the door.

But there is a glorious principle here found in the word of God… Rather than leave Paul to himself to be his own worst enemy - God would send the devil to buffet him. Because Paul would have boasted and been conceited because of his experience so God sent something to him that would make him have to pray more!

every now and again God will send you something to bring you to your knees that you won’t get the big head after you’ve had an encounter with God

Paul’s experience drove him to his knees in that he asked God three times to remove the thorn. We don’t know what the thorn was but it was painful

have you ever been in a place where you went through something or you experienced such great pain you just wanted God to take it away? Yeah that was Paul’s experience…

Sometimes God’s answer when we ask Him to do something is no!

You don’t want what I’m cooking but you don’t have a choice in the matter but to eat it.

Verse 9 God says now since I sent it I already had grace for you to endure it.

You couldn’t go to heaven unless I provided the experience

You wouldn’t have a thorn unless I approved satan to send it

But grace was there all along. You needed grace to have a heavenly experience.

The thorn wasn’t punishment it was grace lest you would have been left to your own devices - in other words God would protect you from you.

And now you’ve just got more grace

Aren’t you glad to know that even when God says no it means that He’s still got you in mind because if God says no that means he is telling you I am with you and because I am with you; you will not fail

I will strengthen you with the thorn

I will show you that you can live with it because I am with you

I will teach you that even in your weakness with the thorn you are stronger than any army because I AM in you.

God told Moses to go to Pharaoh and Moses said I can’t go I’m slow of speech

But He said tell them I AM sent you and its the same God that strengthened Moses in his weakness that will strengthen you in yours

The thorn can’t kill you because God didn’t design it to. But you might kill you if left to your own devices.

Job said thou he slay me yet will I trust Him.

David had to run from Saul instead of God dealing with him but God brought him through it

I love what Paul says as I got to my seat. He said I will glory in my infirmities

In other words you didn’t do what I asked you when I prayed but I will still praise you

If you don’t take away the pain - I’ll praise you anyway

You didn’t heal my loved one - but I’ll praise you anyway