Untitled Sermon (2)

The problem is not that we are our weak but that we don’t know how weak we are

Isaiah 42:1 - Jesus needed prayer

Our weaknesses should drive us to cling to God

John McArthur

2 Corinthians 12:1–10 NLT

1 This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. 3 Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know 4 that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell. 5 That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. 6 If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, 7 even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. 8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

verse 9 becomes the primary verse of the passage “My grace is sufficient for you”

John 16:33 - The disciples needed to be reminded of the troubles

- We are in a troubled and dying world

Grace is used 155 times in the New Testament

Everything from God is by grace

The word grace is carus in the greek language - a favor bestowed on a person that didn’t earn it

In the New Testament - it is God’s divine favor on those who deserve wrath

Grace is a force and a power that awakens us from sleep

Ephesians 2:7 - m,any adjectives to describe the massive character of God’s grace

John 1:14 - Jesus was full of grace

As Christians we are “in Him” - because we are in Him we have his joy

Whenever grace is used in the Bible, there is always an adjective added. It’s more than we can comprehend,. because Christ is full of grace and in Him we have received grace upon grace upon grace

2 Corinthians 9:8 - Paul speaks of grace abundantly

We have been given grace to serve effectively and overcome sin

2 Corinthians was written by Paul to defend himself

Paul wanted everyone to know that nothing in him could prove his weakness

In Corinth some false teachers came when Paul was gone and tried to teach the people lies so they tried to discredit Paul

He defends himself so they would not follow the false teachers