Thorn In The Flesh

When I am Weak, I am Strong

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567

Does being surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses help or hinder our spiritual walk with Jesus? While certainly the perseverance of Moses to free the children of Israel, Joseph to do what was right in God’s sight despite his dire circumstances, Josiah to purify the land and the temple of Israel, or Paul’s perseverance to run the race to win the crowns of righteousness can spur us on towards becoming more like Jesus; their witness can also be used as an excuse for whom amongst us could ever attain their “superior” attitudes or service? After all, when we examine our own lives only to find misery and pain, are we not right to conclude that their “greatness” and our “weakness” are signs that all we have fallen short of the glory of He who only does good to those who love Him? If we we’re granted a small measure of their “greatness” how would we ever keep such an honor from overwhelming and destroying us with pride? And if God told us the only way to successfully serve in His kingdom was with a debilitating thorn of daily misery and pain would we truly be willing to accept such an offer and if so how could us “weaklings” ever survive? The following sermon is going to answer these questions by redefining spiritual “success” not as a by-product of one’s strength and abilities but the demonstration of God’s might and power to work in and through the weak to accomplish more than they could ever ask or imagine!

Great Cloud of Witnesses

The great could of witnesses presented to us in the Bible should not hinder but encourage our service to God! When we read about their great accomplishments there is a tendency to use their perceived “super-human being” and our sinful, “inferior” status’ as excuses to not serve or aspire to achieve their perceived level of holiness. While many of the witnesses in the Bible such as Moses, David and Paul unquestionably accomplished great acts of service in God’s kingdom they too were sinners just like us! While Moses performed the miracles of the plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7-10) and the crossing of the Red Sea (14) let’s not forget he killed an Egyptian (2:11-13). While David slayed Goliath (1 Samuel 17) and became the king of all of Israel (2 Samuel 2-5), let’s not forget he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah executed (11). And while apostle Paul became a great missionary and wrote most of the New Testament, he described himself as the chief of all sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) whom before his encounter with Christ on the road of Damascus uttered murderous threats and imprisoned those who followed Jesus (Acts 9:1-2). These clouds of witnesses should not provoke us to feel unqualified to serve but on the contrary should ignite passion and hope that He who saved a wretch like me (John 3:16) will empower and enable me to do more than I can ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20)!

Danger of Pride when God allows us to Serve in His Kingdom (2 Corinthians 2:1-5)

I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses

Even though Paul was the “chief” of all sinners God chose him to be His hands and feet to accomplish great things in His kingdom. To the “super-apostles” and the people of Corinth Paul wanted them to know that just because he was an “untrained speaker” whom took no support from the church did not mean that he was an inferior apostle. To make his point Paul told them that 14 years ago he was caught up in the third heaven where he was given “astounding revelations of heavenly truth.” While Paul could have cited the “general reluctance in Jewish mystical and apocalyptic literature” to speak of such a vision, Paul stated the reason why he left out the details of said experience was due to having heard such profound, divine secrets that he was forbidden to speak of them! So instead of even “whispering in the ears of the unpurified men” Paul simply boasted in his weaknesses and of God’s grace!