GOD’S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
BOAST IN THE LORD
V:1. Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— 4 was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak
- According to the Clark commentary, Paul’s vision may have taken place
About the time Barnabas brought Paul from Tarsus to Antioch.
Acts 11:25-26
- This would have been just prior to his first missionary journey.
- Paul used this vision to defend his Apostleship against false teachers
And Judaism.
- For the church, Paul was a living example of humbleness and meekness.
- Out of all of his accomplishments for Christ, he boasted about none.
- He was a Jew and a Roman citizen. Before his conversion to
Christianity, he was highly respected in the Jewish hierarchy. He was
Trained by the best Jewish teachers in the Law. Yet held none
Of this in high regards.
- According to the scriptures, he traveled more and established more
Churches outside of Jerusalem than any of the other apostles.
- He endured more persecutions than any of the others for Christ,
Yet continued to preach the Gospel.
- He wrote half of the books of the New Testament, putting the
complicated doctrine of Christianity in print for the world to
Read and study. Yet he only boasted in Jesus Christ.
- For fourteen years, He kept this heavenly communication with
The Lord to himself.
- If I was going to boast about something, certainly a heavenly
Revelation from the Lord would be it.
- Paul was in dream or put into a trance for this communication
With Lord.
- Communication with Lord though dreams was not uncommon.
- Jacob had dream with Lord known as Jacob’s ladder.
- Joseph was a dreamer.
- Danial interpreted dreams of the king.
- Ezekiel was a dreamer.
- God revealed the details of all these dreams to us.
- Paul refused to tell us the details of his dream about heaven.
- There are 181 verses in the Old Testament about heaven.
- None of the Old Testament verses gives us any details about heaven.
- The things I am concerned about, in some way is usually
The focus of my dreams.
- Paul had a deep knowledge and understanding of the Old Testament
Scriptures may have been the focus of God’s revelation to him.
- It was in direct communication with Jesus on the road to Damasus
That Paul got his conversion.
- It was in a dream that God gave Paul directions to go to Macedonia
To preach the Gospel.
- What we know is Paul was taken up into the third heaven.
- The first heaven is thought to be what we can see with our eyes
Psalms 19:1
- The second heaven is thought to be the place of the angels;
Where Lucifer reigned before his fall. Psalms 91:11
- The third heaven is the throne of God. Hebrews 9:27
- What was revealed to Paul were words he was not permitted
To say to us.
- What was revealed to Paul may have been words to set his
Mission in motion and to keep him encouraged to the end.
- For me, if I don’t meditate on a dream immediately, it will
Be lost.
- This dream was so extraordinary that it was permanently
ingrained in Paul’s memory.
REMAIN HUMBLE BEFORE MEN
V:5 On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses. 6 For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.
- Paul may have seen the throne of God in all its glory.
- He may have seen the angels of God around the throne
Giving praise.
- Whatever Paul saw was so magnificent that he could not
Express it in words.
- The conversation with Lord was so profound that Paul had
No doubt about his call and his mission.
- Throughout his ministry, Paul remained undisturbed by the
Jewish hierarchy, threats of violence, and the attempts to
Murder him.
- Paul was concerned that his reputation would be tarnished by
boasting.
- Paul related a closeness to the Father that no other Apostle
Could claim.
- The revelation from the Father humbled him in a way that
Kept him humble before men.
- Paul saw his mission as more important than himself.
- Paul had something to boast about but refused to boast for the
Sake of the church.
- Paul did not want men to see him as special. Rather he wanted to be
Seem as a servant of Christ.
- Paul understood the value of being humble.
Luke 14:11
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.\”
GOD DESIGNS TROUBLE FOR YOUR GOOD
V:7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, \”My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.\”
A. God knows our hearts.
1. He knows what it takes to keep us motivated in the ministry.
a. Paul was given a revelation about God that far exceeded his
imagination.
b. The revelation had inspired him and given him much joy.
c. It so joyous that he could hardly keep it to himself.
d. He waited 14 years to reveal it to anyone, but only reveal
that he had the revelation but not the details.
e, It takes a strong mind to keep from revealing the source of
your excitement.
B, God knows that we are weak in the flesh so He may give us a thorn
To keep us humble.
- Paul does not tell us what thorn was, but it was painful enough
To repeatedly ask God to remove it.
- With great blessings come great problems to keep us humble
And dependent on God.
- Some afflictions we have are the will of God for our lives.
- We are encouraged to be thankful and in prayer.
Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
- The thorns we have while painful are sometimes for the benefit of others in the ministry.
GOD’S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR ALL TROUBLE
V: 9 And He has said to me, \”My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.\” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ\’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
A. We may be never certain, why God allows us to experience trials
And tribulations.
- But we can be certain is that God always in control.
- While we serve Jesus, we must remember His commands to
Us.
Luke 9:23
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
- God’s strength in us is perfected in our weakness
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
- Whatever we can do without Christ is limited.
- We will never live up to our full potential in our strength.
- Since God’s grace is sufficient and His grace is unlimited,
Therefore we cannot determine all we can do for Christ.
- We must trust His strength to get us through any
Situation.
- For God to perfect His strength in us we must first
See ourselves as weak.
- We must rely on God’s strength to take us to the heights
He has planned for us.
- Therefore, we must glory in God’s strength.
- When we boast, we must boast in Jesus Christ.
- We have no idea when the work God has planned for us
Is complete.
Philippians 1:6
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
I WILL BOAST IN THE LORD
Rev. M. Mitchell
