Strength Through Weakness - Part 1

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. Morse Corner is a non-denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

If you'd like more information, visit our website morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message. Remaining humble, this is what God wants for all of his people. Amen? God resists the proud, the Bible says, but gives grace to the humble.

And I'm sure you know this probably by experience, but God will bring people and things into your life to humble you sometimes or to keep you humble. And that's what we're going to read about this morning in 2 Corinthians chapter 12.

So go ahead and turn there. 2 Corinthians chapter 12. And as we continue to go through this letter, you'll remember from last week, we looked at how the apostle Paul was defending his ministry against the attacks of the false teachers.

And last time we saw how Paul spoke of that time where he was caught up to the third heaven and he got to see paradise. And in case someone missed last week's message, I would encourage you to go back and listen to it.

All of our sermons can be found on the church website morsecornerchurch .com and our Facebook page and YouTube channel. So there's plenty of resources online where you can easily find those things. And I bring that up because if we're really going to internalize scripture and rightly apply it to our lives, we need to rightly understand it.

And it's much more difficult to rightly understand scripture when you have large chunks of it missing. Right. One passage leads to another. One thought that Paul has will lead to another. So if you have this part here in this part here, but you you're missing the part in the middle, you're not going to understand it as well.

And we're going to need the context of why was God keeping Paul humble? Why did he have to keep Paul humble? So let's pray before we look at 2 Corinthians chapter 12. Our father, we are thankful for everyone that you have brought out this morning.

I pray, Lord, that you would impress upon your people the importance of not only prayer and good works and Christian fellowship, but also for the diligent study of your word, where every member attendee, those who teach and watch after the children, those who are shut in at home, those who may not be attending right now currently because of an illness.

Lord, we pray that all of us, everyone can hear and take in the teaching of your word. Lord, not only so we can understand and rightly apply it, but that can be the conversation that's on our lips. Oh, Lord, to have a church that afterwards, instead of talking about the Patriots or the Red Sox or this and that, that we would talk about you and the things of God and your word, Lord, because these conversations will open up doors to build relationships and fellowship around you and your truth.

Lord, bring this about through your word and spirit. I pray it's in Jesus name. Amen. All right. Take a look at 2 Corinthians chapter 12, verse five. Paul writes of such a one. I will boast yet of myself.

I will not boast except in my infirmities. For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool for I will speak the truth. But I refrain. Lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

OK, so here is where we need some of the context from last week. Paul in the preceding verses told of his experience of being caught up to paradise or the third heaven. But he doesn't say I saw heaven.

He doesn't say I was taken up to paradise. Do you remember what he said? I know a man in Christ. Such a one was caught up to the third heaven. Now he was talking about himself. That's very obvious. So Paul says in verse five of such a one referring to himself.

I will boast. He's done that by bringing it up. But then he's saying of myself. I will not boast except in my infirmity. So he's going to boast about the man who's actually him. But he's not going to say that.

But he really wants to boast about his infirmities. So Paul now is going to talk about his thorn in the flesh. That thing that God gave him, that God sent him in order to keep Paul humble. Also, the false teachers, they were boasting about, well, Lord knows what.

Paul doesn't want to be like the false teachers. He doesn't want to be like them and just boast about his vision of paradise. He could do that. He could go on and on about that because it was true. It was amazing.

Paul got to see things and hear things that no other living person had ever seen or heard before. But this is the great thing about Paul in his humility. He wants the church to judge him not based on that.

He wants the church to judge him based on his character and his doctrine. So we're going to break this message down into three parts this morning. Three questions, really. The first question is why. Why did the Lord give Paul this thorn in the flesh?

And then the second question is what. What was the thorn in the flesh? And then the third question is how. How does this apply to us today? What can we learn and take away from this? So let's start with question number one.

Why? Why did the Lord want Paul to have this thorn in the flesh? Let's read 2 Corinthians 12, starting in verse 7. He gives us the answer. Remember, the answer's where? In the text. Verse 7, he says, 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.

So that's the answer. Concerning this thing, the thorn in the flesh, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 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. Therefore, I take pleasure in my infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake.

For when I am weak, then am I strong. So the first question we're asking is, why? Why did the Lord give Paul the thorn in the flesh? Well, the simple answer is to keep him humble. He saw so many things that such a great exalted privilege of seeing heaven so that Paul wouldn't get conceited or puffed up, the Lord gave him the thorn in the flesh to keep him humble.

Now, you might question something that I have said. Somebody might say or object, Wait a minute, God did not give Paul the thorn in the flesh. The devil or the messenger from Satan gave Paul the thorn in the flesh.

What does he say? A thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me. So let's think this through, okay? If Satan sent this messenger to buffet Paul or to strike him or to afflict him.

Okay, fine. That's what it says. But let's remember one thing. God is sovereign. God is more powerful than the devil. Do you believe that? God is more powerful than the devil. I know if you turn on the television, it looks like the devil might be more powerful than God.

We know that's not true. God is sovereign. Now turn to the book of Job. Because it's crucial to understand this. Why this is happening. Who sent this? What's the purpose? Job chapter 1. So it is my contention that yes, Satan is behind this thorn in the flesh.

I'll agree with that. But God in his infinite wisdom and power stands over and above the devil. And that is such a comforting thought for all of us. I don't see how you can have peace in this life without understanding the sovereignty of God.

That God is over and above everything. If you can get solid on that, everything else is a piece of cake. And admittedly, this is something that many Christians struggle with. I understand that. And sometimes it's because they were just not taught this.

Bad theology can be a reason. There are many people who think that God and Satan are just battling it out. And we know that in the end, good will triumph. But the devil, he's really putting up a fight.

Now that's true. God and the devil are. There is a battle. We understand that. There is a spiritual battle. The mistake people make is when they start thinking of Jesus and Satan as if they were almost equal in power.

That is not true. There was one very famous Bible teacher that passed away a few weeks ago. He claimed to be an apostle. And again, this is why we need to follow along with every sermon. Because, you know, these men who claim to be apostles, we read something about that back in chapter 11.

But you know what he said? He said that he told his followers, large megachurch television audience. He said that God cannot do anything unless man gives him permission. God cannot do anything in this world unless man gives him permission.

That's totally wrong. That's completely wrong. Unless you think that this was just one man who said something outrageous. This theological viewpoint is really the predominant view among Christian television.

This is called word faith or word of faith theology. This is the predominant view. I would say about 90 or more of televangelists hold to some version of this. It's also tied in. You've heard of name it and claim it and the prosperity gospel.

But this was the idea. This was his claim. God cannot do anything without man's permission. And the idea is that you need to speak the words of faith. That God needs you because he really can't do it himself.

He needs you. That the devil is just going to have his way until God can find a man of faith to work through. A lot of people believe this way. A lot of people believe this way. It makes you wonder. It doesn't exalt the sovereignty of God, certainly.

It almost sounds like the sovereignty of man, if you ask me. But what does the Bible say? Why do you bring that up? Here's why. Another question. Who's really in charge? Who's really in charge? Look at Job chapter one, starting in verse six.

Now, there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, from where do you come? So Satan answered the Lord and said, from going to and fro on the earth and from walking back and forth on it.

Then the Lord said to Satan, have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? So Satan answered the Lord and said, does Job fear God for nothing?

Have you not made a hedge around him, around his household and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands and possessions. His possessions have increased in the land.

But now this is what Satan is saying to God. But now stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse you to your face. And the Lord said to Satan, behold, all that he has is in your power.

Who's speaking there? God speaking to Satan. All that Job has now is in your power. Only do not lay a hand on his person. So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. So I have a simple question for you.

I promise it's not a trick question based on what we just read. Who's in charge here? God is in charge. Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Loris Cornett Church. If you'd like to listen to the complete message or if you'd like more information about the ministry, visit our website, loriscornettchurch .com.

And we'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett. Until next time, may the grace of God be with you.