SUFFICIENT GRACE
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
TEXT: And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
PROPOSITION: To motivate the hearer to entrust him/herself fully to God.
INTRODUCTION: This sermon is built on the acronym G.R.A.C.E.
I. SUFFICIENT GRACE IS A GIFT FROM GOD
Ephesians 2:8,9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Application: God gives us the measure of grace we need to meet the demands of what is happening in our lives at the moment. He does not give us grace for what might happen tomorrow, that would be tomorrow¡¦s grace. He gives us grace to meet the demands of our lives from moment to moment so that we would learn dependence upon Him.
Notice what Apostle Paul is saying:
9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
God¡¦s grace is only experienced when we reach the end of our ability and move into total dependence upon Him.
II. SUFFICIENT GRACE IS A PRODUCT OF GOD¡¦S PLAN FOR OUR REDEMPTION
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the reve-lations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you
Application: Apostle Paul was a saved man. He knew the joy of the forgiveness of sins. He knew what it was like to be used of God and to have his prayers answered by God. Yet, in this one prayer, God¡¦s answer to Apostle Paul was in effect, ¡§Paul, you¡¦re going to have to suffer and yet stay faithful to me. You¡¦re going to have to persevere on in the midst of everything that is wrong with your life. But, Paul, My grace is sufficient and I will see you through all of this.¡¨
Being a Christian will not always guarantee that your life will be forever blissful and problem free.
Isaiah 43:1a,c-3 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, ¡K "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. 3 For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
Isaiah 59:19b When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.
Application: God¡¦s promise, in the midst of everything that is going wrong in your life, is: My grace is sufficient ¡V I¡¦ll see you through this thing.
Romans 8:35-37 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
III. SUFFICIENT GRACE IS ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE
9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmi-ties, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Application: God¡¦s refusal to take away Paul¡¦s trouble was the motivation for Paul to seek God more earnestly, to depend upon Him more fully, and to trust him more completely.
When events occur in your life God¡¦s motivation is just the same for you as it was for Apostle Paul. God wants to draw you nearer to Himself. He wants to make Himself more real to you and to anoint your life in a way that can happen only when you are completely dependent upon Him.
Hebrews 4:15,16 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympa-thize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Psalm 50:15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me."
Psalm 91:14-16 "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation."
Jeremiah 29:12-14 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, says the Lord
IV. SUFFICIENT GRACE, AS GOD, IS COMPLETELY CONSISTENT v.10
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Application: Grace is an attribute of God ¡V it is part of who He is. Just as you are who you are, God is who He is. He always acts out of His character, and His character does not change:
Malachi 3:6a "For I am the LORD, I do not change;
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Application: Since God is consistent and constant, so also is His grace.
Isaiah 58:11 The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered gar-den, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Hebrews 1:10-12 And: "You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. 11 They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; 12 Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail."
V. SUFFICIENT GRACE IS EVERLASTING
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Application: Can¡¦t you hear the optimism in Apostle Paul¡¦s words. He is proudly proclaiming his faith that God will always be there and that God will be all that he will ever need. Apostle Paul¡¦s faith in God¡¦s grace is echoed over and over again in his writings:
2 Timothy 1:11,12 I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
As the hour of his death approached Apostle Paul continued to affirm his faith in the Grace of God to see him through:
2 Timothy 4:5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
CONCLUSION: What kind of grace do you need in your life right now.
„X Do you need saving grace? ¡V God has that for you.
„X Do you need persevering grace? ¡V God never changes.
„X Do you need strengthening grace? - God¡¦s hand is outstretched to you.
„X Do you need hopeful grace? ¡V God¡¦s will give you hope.
