The Splendid Splinter

“The Splendid Splinter”

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

We know very little about what happened to Paul after his Damascus Road conversion and his introduction to the church in Jerusalem. He alludes to a retreat into Arabia in Galatians 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

Concerning these three years, Warren Wiersbe writes – “Paul gave himself to study, prayer, and meditation, and met with the Lord alone.” Many believe that this was Paul’s three years with the Lord, even as the other apostles had spent three with Christ while He was here on earth.

I believe that Paul spent these three years being taught by the Holy Spirit and it was during this Arabian retreat that he learned the great spiritual truths that he would later share with the world in his preaching and writing which brings us to our text this morning. The first thing I want us to examine this morning is Paul’s confidence in:

I. The Providence of the Sovereign

PROVIDENCE

The word 'Providence' is made up of two words: * "Pro" means "Before" and "Video" means "to see"; * The word 'Providence' simply means "to see before" * So when we talk about the providence of God; * We mean that God 'sees before' and plans accordingly.

Gordan Curley

a. Paul’s confidence

Paul had an unshakable confidence in the providential arrangement of his life from his early career to the Damascus Road, to Arabia, to Jerusalem, the missionary journeys and finally his martyrdom in Rome. Throughout it all he could see God’s hand at work leading, guiding, regulating and controlling. This would also include what he relates in chapter 12 and his “thorn” in the flesh.

"We cannot but admit that not even the least thing takes place unless it is ordered by God. For who have ever been so concerned and curious as to find out how much hair he has on his head? There is no one. God, however, knows the number. Indeed, nothing is too small in us or in any other creature, not to be ordered by the all-knowing and all-powerful providence of God."

Zwingli, Huldryrch

A belief in the providence of God leads us to the realization that there are no accidents or fate but everything is a divine appointment, ordered by our all-knowing, all powerful creator God.

Illustration: A missionary was passing out Gospel of John’s in the Central provinces of India. One man took the Gospel of John and when he realized it was Christian literature, he tore it in pieces and threw them on the ground. In the providence of God, another man shortly came by that same place and picked up a piece of the torn paper to see what it was. He read words in his own language, “…the bread of life…” He did not know what it meant and asked some of his friends if they knew the meaning of this phrase. One told him, “I can tell you that these are words from the Christian Book. You must not read it or you will be defiled.” The man thought to himself, “A phrase as beautiful as this cannot defile.” He bought a copy of the New Testament and read it until he found the statement, “I am the bread of life.” As he read and studied the passage, the light of the God’s Word flooded his heart and he trusted Christ as his Lord and Savior. That same man became a preacher of the Gospel in the central provinces of India. That little piece of torn paper became the Bread of Life to him.

Anonymous

Just an accident you say or a happenstance? Not at all for the child of God. The One who counts the hairs of our heads neither sleeps nor slumbers but is providentially arranging every aspect of our lives in the smallest detail.