1 00:00:07,770 --> 00:00:13,130 Title of tonight's message is Sufficient Grace, Strength in 2 00:00:13,130 --> 00:00:15,450 the thorn. We'll see what that means in a 3 00:00:15,450 --> 00:00:17,490 moment. As you're turning to 2nd 4 00:00:17,490 --> 00:00:19,770 Corinthians 12. Imagine with me for a moment a 5 00:00:19,810 --> 00:00:26,210 butterfly struggling to emerge from its cocoon as the word I 6 00:00:26,210 --> 00:00:32,240 was after, wings trembling against the tight confines of 7 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:37,760 this cocoon, and a well meaning child, seeing the struggle, 8 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,760 decides to help out and snips the cocoon open. 9 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:48,520 But when the butterfly emerges, its wings are shrivelled and now 10 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:54,040 unfit for flight, doomed to crawl instead of soaring. 11 00:00:55,160 --> 00:01:00,400 The struggle, painful as it was, was actually necessary and 12 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:05,519 essential for strength. Without it, there is no soaring 13 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:09,920 in the heavens. This example somewhat captures 14 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:13,320 the heart of 2nd Corinthians 12 verses 1 to 10. 15 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:16,520 This evening. I think most of us prefer the 16 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:22,960 idea of strength being stoic. We admire the capable, the 17 00:01:22,960 --> 00:01:27,320 confident, those that seem to have no qualms, concerns, or 18 00:01:27,320 --> 00:01:29,360 worries. Nothing seems to phase them. 19 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:33,240 They're competent, we might call them, and we want to be one of 20 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,960 those people holding things together, not the one falling 21 00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:41,560 apart. And yet, in God's Kingdom, the 22 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:43,800 mathematics of power is reversed. 23 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:47,840 Strength actually comes through surrender. 24 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:53,240 Power is made evident in weakness, victory through 25 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,720 vulnerability, life through loss. 26 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:02,040 That's the paradox that Paul unpacks for us here in this 27 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:04,480 chapter. He's still addressing, answering 28 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:08,440 these so called super apostles that had set themselves up in 29 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,440 the church there in Corinth that he's writing to. 30 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:15,880 And these self promoters boasted about visions and revelations 31 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:21,080 and insight that they had from God that set them apart, certain 32 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:22,720 achievements that they might have. 33 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,840 And certainly they set themselves up as being 34 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:30,040 spiritually superior to the rest of the people, the congregation 35 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:34,320 there in Corinth and Paul, reluctant and comes through in 36 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:38,840 his writing, but resolute, strong and firm, steps into 37 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:44,720 their game for a moment, not to glorify himself, but to now show 38 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,360 what true spiritual authority is all about. 39 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:53,480 That it in fact it's revealed not in triumphs, but in trials. 40 00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:57,400 Chapter 10. Chapter 11 and 12 are all him 41 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:02,240 addressing this notion reminds me of when Muhammad Ali the 42 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:06,000 boxer was told to put his seat belt on when flying in an 43 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,440 aeroplane and he quit. Superman don't need no seat 44 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:11,880 belt. To which someone quickly 45 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:14,400 reminded. Superman don't need no aeroplane 46 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:18,280 either. Paul here in this chapter, he's 47 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:22,800 answering fools what Proverbs tells us according to their 48 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:25,480 folly. There's a divine twist in his 49 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:27,840 writing. And that's why Paul pens what he 50 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:31,560 does, says what he says. He shares for us this 51 00:03:31,640 --> 00:03:35,680 breathtaking vision of heaven, of a revelation that God had 52 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:41,480 given to him. But quickly is everything off on 53 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:44,280 the stage, everything muted? Yeah, OK, so it's me. 54 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:50,560 But quickly now, having gone from this high sort of vision of 55 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:55,200 heaven, he'll then explore the depths of this brutal thorn in 56 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:59,280 the flesh, as he will call it, a messenger of Satan sent to 57 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:01,520 buffet him. Why? 58 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:06,960 Well, because both the vision of heaven and the thorn in the 59 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:12,120 flesh serve the one and the same purpose, to magnify the 60 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,600 sufficiency of God's grace. Grace is something that we talk 61 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,480 about because it appears again and again throughout the 62 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,720 Scriptures. And his thorn, we will see, it's 63 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:26,320 actually in the Greek, a word that indicates a huge, massive 64 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:31,200 stakes, I think a, a big kind of tent making stake. 65 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,440 Paul's a tent maker. So that's the imagery that he 66 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:37,240 had in mind of something that's been driven intensely painful 67 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:41,760 into his flesh. And in this, this thorn that he 68 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:46,560 speaks of, actually permitted by God, allowed by God, reveals 69 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,440 this paradox for us, that God's strength actually shines the 70 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,960 brightest in our weakness, in our pain. 71 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,520 So what Paul offers for us in this passage, as we'll read in a 72 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:01,800 moment or two, startling notices of divine work, of God. 73 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,960 And in Paul's life in an house, a glorious, indescribable 74 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:10,800 revelation of heaven, yes, of being caught up into paradise, 75 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,760 as he'll say. And then this stubborn, piercing 76 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:20,560 thorn in the flesh, one seems to lift him up, the other humbles 77 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:23,360 him. But both, he insists for us 78 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:27,640 reveal the same truth. God's grace is sufficient. 79 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,400 That'll be our reminder. That'll be our focus for us 80 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:32,960 tonight. And we'll see this as we look at 81 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:37,960 3 lessons out of this passage to help us consider what it means 82 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:40,240 to be a true servant and follower of Jesus Christ. 83 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:44,760 We'll see the privilege of Revelation and verses one to 84 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:47,080 six, that God lifts us into his vision. 85 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:50,400 He, he reveals things for us. But it's not that we'll be 86 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:54,000 bloated with our own significance and pride filling 87 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,720 our hearts, but rather that we would recognise the call of God 88 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:59,840 upon us and that we're sent for his purposes and to be busy 89 00:05:59,840 --> 00:06:01,720 about that. We'll see. 90 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:06,440 Secondly, the purpose of the thorn, that God humbles in that 91 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:09,640 difficulty so that pride won't ruin us. 92 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:14,280 We learnt the pride this morning and Paul the Apostle speaks of 93 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,480 this being a needful thing for him lest he become conceited and 94 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:20,760 filled with pride. And if Paul the Apostle needed 95 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:22,760 that, then how much more so you and I? 96 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:27,640 Thirdly, we'll see for us the power of grace, of God's 97 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:31,680 strength becoming ours in the place in the moments, in the 98 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:35,720 times of our weakness. So let's begin with the heavenly 99 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,040 part of Paul's story. Verses one through to six I'll 100 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:39,960 read out of the new King James Version. 101 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:44,080 He says verse one, It is doubtless not profitable for me 102 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:46,840 to boast. I will come now to visions and 103 00:06:46,840 --> 00:06:49,920 revelations of the Lord. So in other words, these super 104 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:53,000 apostles, they keep talking about these grand visions and 105 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,240 revelations God gives to them. All right, I'll play this game. 106 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:58,600 Let's talk about visions and revelations. 107 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:04,680 I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago, whether in the body I 108 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:07,360 do not know. Whether out of the body I do not 109 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,360 know. God knows such a one was caught 110 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:15,920 up into the 3rd heaven and I know such a man, whether in the 111 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:19,200 body or out of the body I do not know. 112 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:24,680 God knows how he was caught up verse 4 into paradise. 113 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:28,880 This 3rd heaven, this paradise is God's dwelling place. 114 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:32,560 When we speak of heaven in the Bible, the word heaven's often 115 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:35,080 used a number of times, translated into English, can 116 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:38,560 speak of the sky, of the atmosphere, but in this location 117 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:43,240 it's Speaking of the heavenly realm, God's residence of how 118 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:48,760 verse 4 caught up into paradise and he heard inexpressible words 119 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:53,800 which it is not lawful for a man to utter of such a one. 120 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,560 Verse 5. I will boast it of myself. 121 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:00,400 I'll not boast except in my infirmities, for though I might 122 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:03,800 desire to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will speak the 123 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,600 truth, but I refrain lest anyone should think of me above what he 124 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,400 sees me to be or hears from me. What is this about? 125 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:13,440 Well, a point we're going to consider is the privilege of 126 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:17,600 revelation, that God lifts us into vision, and Paul begins 127 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:20,240 here almost reluctantly. That comes through in the verses 128 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:22,000 that we read. I must go on boasting. 129 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:25,880 Another translation has I'll go on divisions and revelations of 130 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:28,920 the Lord. Now and then he tells of this 131 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:32,280 experience, an extraordinary one, but he can't quite fully 132 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:35,880 explain it. So I don't know whether I was 133 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:38,679 there physically, but he puts it this way. 134 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,480 I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago was caught up in the 135 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:45,160 3rd heaven into paradise and he heard inexpressible words. 136 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:48,600 Who is this man in Christ? It's it's actually Paul. 137 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,840 And Paul here is utilising something quite common for the 138 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:55,480 Greeks back then when arguing and developing a point to 139 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:57,320 reference themselves in the third person. 140 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:01,080 And he does that here. And so it's an individual that 141 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:03,400 he's Speaking of, but we know it to be himself. 142 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:08,000 And he says that man in Christ, Paul, he's kind of keeping the 143 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:11,760 details a bit tight. Whether it was me literally, 144 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:16,720 physically in my body in the heavenly realm, or a vision that 145 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:20,120 God had granted to me to see, I don't know, but God knows. 146 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:24,920 But what he does know is that I heard things that can't be 147 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:29,720 spoken, can't be written down. Now, most scholars, most 148 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:32,720 commentators suggest that what Paul is referencing here is back 149 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:38,120 in Acts chapter 14, when some Jews in a a town, a city called 150 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,760 Lystra, had taken Paul out, dragged him out and stoned him 151 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:46,120 to death. And whether it was that he had 152 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:50,840 been concussed or knocked out, or he'd actually died and God 153 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:53,400 resurrected him, it's not clear in the Scripture. 154 00:09:53,680 --> 00:09:56,760 But many attribute this revelation that he references 155 00:09:56,760 --> 00:10:01,480 here to be of this occasion. We know the story that Paul 156 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:06,560 comes back and continues and persists preaching and teaching 157 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:08,920 the very thing that had caused him to be dragged out of the 158 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:10,760 city. And Lister, it's amazing story 159 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:15,360 in the book of Acts chapter 14. But this paradise episode that 160 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:20,040 he references here, it's not the only supernatural revelation or 161 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:25,080 vision encounter in Paul's life. And each of the visions that 162 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:28,040 I'll reference and provide for you in a moment that that Paul 163 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:31,680 has, that we know from scripture, they each of them 164 00:10:31,680 --> 00:10:33,640 have a specific purpose for Paul. 165 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:35,760 And this is the point we're going to pull out of what and 166 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:39,200 what Paul is, is declaring this vision all about. 167 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:43,000 Because the Super apostles so called in Corinth, we're talking 168 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:46,040 about these revelations and visions so called that they had, 169 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:49,400 and they were using it as a reason to have themselves 170 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:55,840 celebrated, to be elevated above everybody else because of these 171 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,760 revelations, these visions that so called, they've been given. 172 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:01,520 But Paul says, all right, let me tell you about revelations and 173 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:04,240 visions and these things and the purpose thereof. 174 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:10,400 You remember on the road to Damascus there was a revelation, 175 00:11:10,680 --> 00:11:13,120 a vision that Paul had. Paul. 176 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:18,800 Then Saul was met by the risen Jesus who asked him, Saul, Saul, 177 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:24,800 why are you persecuting me? And that encounter stopped 178 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:28,960 literally Paul dead in his tracks, his eyesight. 179 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:32,240 He was blinded for a season, but it turned him. 180 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:38,520 It transformed him into the apostle Paul, the sent one on to 181 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,720 the Gentiles. And it wasn't merely instruction 182 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:45,080 that was given in this revelation by Jesus to him. 183 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:48,880 It was life transforming. It was commissioning in Paul's 184 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,480 life. That's one revelation. 2nd, we 185 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:56,720 see a revelation in reference to Paul, the visit of Ananias after 186 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:02,120 that road experience that Paul had a godly man in Damascus 187 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:07,200 named Ananias received a vision, directed instructions by God to 188 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:10,800 go to Saul, who understand at this point in time was a 189 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:14,160 veritable Hitler as far as the early church was concerned. 190 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:19,640 And Ananias was told in this vision to go and lay hands on 191 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:23,800 Saul at that time and to heal him and restore his sight. 192 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:26,560 And that vision led to Paul's healing. 193 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:30,760 And that vision led to a public identification for Paul with 194 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:34,720 Christ's people. A third vision, the Macedonian 195 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:39,320 call, or a vision in Troas. On time in the night in a city 196 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:46,200 called Troas, Paul saw a vision of a man from Macedonia saying 197 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:52,200 come over to Macedonia and help us and what that vision provided 198 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:56,280 was for Paul mission, strategy, strategy and and launch the 199 00:12:56,280 --> 00:13:01,280 gospel into Europe. There's a time when Paul was 200 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:05,280 actually in the city of Corinth. We read in the book of Acts an 201 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:09,560 opposition there. Paul had had become fearful of 202 00:13:09,560 --> 00:13:11,880 it. He's wondering, am I in the 203 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:16,840 right place? God am I doing and and living 204 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:19,560 according to your will and I'm so fearful and and the Lord 205 00:13:19,560 --> 00:13:23,120 appeared to him and said do not be afraid and said this I have 206 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:27,000 many people in this city and that vision strength and Paul to 207 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:30,240 press on where where human approval had failed and where 208 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:34,880 fear had gripped his heart. It was a promise, later 209 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:39,880 appearing in vision form to Paul about what would happen in Rome. 210 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:43,400 While in prison, Paul received again a vision or a word 211 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:46,840 confirming that he would in fact testify before Caesar. 212 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:50,560 And you know what? That promise sustained Paul 213 00:13:50,560 --> 00:13:54,840 through a dangerous sea journey and then his eventual ministry 214 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:58,960 in Rome. There was another vision. 215 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:04,400 Paul received an angelic reassurance on the ship on the 216 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:08,480 journey to Rome when in a storm at sea, an Angel told Paul that 217 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:12,080 none of those aboard the ship would perish, and this vision 218 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:15,120 protected and guided him through perilous travel. 219 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:19,960 Finally, what we read tonight, this paradise vision he mentions 220 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:24,840 here, this 3rd heaven experience kind of crowns this pattern of 221 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:27,840 visions if Paul's wanting to boast or to speak of them. 222 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:32,000 And it's an extraordinary vision of glory. 223 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:36,080 Paul keeps it quiet. It seems that he's not revealed 224 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:40,040 this for some 14 years. It's the first time, the first 225 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,880 mention, maybe there's been a select few, but certainly in 226 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:46,160 writing. And he's sharing it only for the 227 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:49,520 point of defending his ministry when when others seemingly 228 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:52,000 flaunted their spiritual credentials above Paul. 229 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:56,960 And so I want us to Note 2 important observations about 230 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:03,600 revelations, about how God speaks to us, and in particular 231 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:08,880 for Paul here always these were given with the purpose of 232 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:14,960 mission and not promotion. Each vision that I referred us 233 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:19,360 to, and this vision here that Paul is recounting, it redirects 234 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:25,600 Paul back into service of the Lord to preach, to go, to 235 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:28,360 endure. It was always about God's work. 236 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,000 It was always about God's call. It was always about God's will. 237 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:34,000 It was never about making big of Paul. 238 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:39,000 And I say that because today in modern Christendom, there are 239 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:42,760 all sorts of people who will declare certain revelations, 240 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:48,360 certain dreams, certain maybe heavenly insights that they've 241 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:52,680 received from God. We've all heard of those near 242 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:55,880 death experiences where people will recount that I was taken 243 00:15:55,880 --> 00:16:00,320 into into heaven and I saw God. You know what inevitably happens 244 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:05,320 with many of those? A book comes out and money is 245 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:09,800 made and TV shows and appearances and all the focus, 246 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:12,600 all the energy seems to go on to the individual. 247 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:16,320 There's a stark difference between that and what Paul is 248 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:19,200 recounting here. All those visions, all of those 249 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:23,640 revelations were about reorienting Paul and reaffirming 250 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:29,240 that it's all about me, God. And Paul needed to be reminded 251 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:31,040 of that here and, and so much more. 252 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:34,000 I think you and I and, and these visions, they, they never made 253 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:36,760 Paul proud. They rather made him dependent. 254 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:40,920 Far from inflating him, the revelation exposed his need for 255 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:43,600 humility. And the more it seems that he 256 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,400 saw of heaven, the less he boasted in himself. 257 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,760 And so the application for you and I in these verses I want us 258 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:56,280 to see is this. If God lifts you, if God has 259 00:16:56,280 --> 00:17:00,440 revealed things to you, serve him in that. 260 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:04,800 And with that, if God has granted you spiritual insight, a 261 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:09,960 platform or an opportunity, don't treat it as as validation 262 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:14,400 for pride to fill your heart. Treat it as commissioning for a 263 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:20,920 deeper service of the Lord and test experience by character. 264 00:17:21,839 --> 00:17:25,119 Revelations, you see, are only valuable if they lead to 265 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:29,040 humility, holiness, and sacrificial service. 266 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:32,480 That's what Paul models for us. You know when God shows you 267 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:37,400 something of His glory, let it make you more like Jesus, not 268 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:43,680 more inflated with yourself. You know, God will sometimes 269 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:49,760 lift us so that He can send us. And so I see revelation then as 270 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:53,800 a privilege with a purpose to equip and to humble. 271 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:57,040 And that's now really where Paul gets us as we consider the 272 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:01,880 second point for us tonight, the purpose of the thorn of God 273 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:06,120 humbling us down. Having recounted this revelatory 274 00:18:06,120 --> 00:18:09,960 experience of being taken into the 3rd heaven, now he reveals 275 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:14,800 something else. In verse 7 and 8 it says unless 276 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:19,040 I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the 277 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:21,160 revelations. I've just recounted a few of 278 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:23,200 them. No doubt Paul had many more. 279 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:29,360 A thorn in the flesh. Look at this underliner was 280 00:18:29,360 --> 00:18:35,480 given to me, a messenger of Satan, to buff at me. 281 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:39,320 Why? Lest I be exalted above measure. 282 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:42,840 In other words, lest I think more highly of myself than I 283 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:46,400 ought. Now, unless you think it's some 284 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:51,200 sort of trivial, insignificant sort of a thing, verse 8 he 285 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:56,760 goes, no, let me tell you concerning this thing, I pleaded 286 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:03,120 with the Lord three times. Now the phrasing here pleaded 287 00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:08,400 with the Lord and three times here is in fact eerily similar 288 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:12,040 in the Greek to the description of Jesus in the Garden of 289 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:16,080 Gethsemane pleading himself three times. 290 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:20,160 God, if there'd be any other way past this cup. 291 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:24,400 And so here's this intensity now of struggle of of painful 292 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:26,960 experience that Paul is recounting this thorn in the 293 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:30,240 flesh is a very significant scenario. 294 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:34,560 Three times that it might depart from me. 295 00:19:36,360 --> 00:19:41,520 So again, Paul shifts from the, excuse me, mountaintop, the 296 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:46,320 revelation, God in the heavenlies, to now this valley 297 00:19:47,360 --> 00:19:50,520 with a single hard line to keep me from becoming conceited. 298 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:53,400 Because of these surprisingly great revelations, there was 299 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:57,960 given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me. 300 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:03,600 As I mentioned already, the word thorn there in the Greek has the 301 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:07,840 imagery of, again, Paul being a tent maker, a huge sort of 302 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:10,160 wooden stake, something very sharp. 303 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:14,560 So it indicates that it's painful, that it's persistent 304 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:18,720 for him. Paul never specifies the exact 305 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:20,800 nature of it. And that's caused many people to 306 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,640 speculate about what this is that he's referencing. 307 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:26,560 And scholars and and and readers have proposed many 308 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:30,640 possibilities. The main is to indicate that 309 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:34,680 it's in reference to Paul eyesight on the behalf of Paul 310 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:39,320 with all of these references through the scriptures of other 311 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:42,000 churches who would have liked to have given their eyes to him if 312 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:45,240 they could. A Paul at times saying, look how 313 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:51,120 big my font is that I'm penning this to you of some sort of a 314 00:20:51,120 --> 00:20:54,080 condition where his eyes were constantly weeping, almost like 315 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,440 he had perpetual pink eye going on. 316 00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:58,840 That's what some suggest. But here's some of the other 317 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:03,400 suggestions and speculations that it was a form of epilepsy, 318 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:08,160 some kind of chronic illness, Some spiritualize it, that it's 319 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:11,000 in reference to spiritual opposition, but I don't 320 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:13,680 necessarily agree with that. That seems to be more of a 321 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:16,680 physical thing. Some suggest aggressive critics 322 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:25,200 and and one Scottish Bible commentator suggested it was in 323 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:28,600 reference to Paul's wife. I think maybe this guy had 324 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:31,800 issues with his wife that he's probably putting that up in his 325 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:36,320 commentary. But whatever it was, it was 326 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:42,000 painful, it was personal, it was persistent for Paul and, and 327 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:45,200 here's the point for you and I in that. 328 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:50,640 And I think the ambiguity in exactly what it was makes this 329 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:55,040 less and more universal, applicable for you and I because 330 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:59,520 whatever your thorn, whatever your stake, the principle 331 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,960 applies. So notice these truths about the 332 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:08,480 thorn that he referenced. The thorn is both demonic and 333 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:10,600 permitted. Did you see that? 334 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:16,040 Paul calls it a messenger of Satan, which means that the 335 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:18,960 enemy used it. Think of Job, the Old Testament 336 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:24,080 book of Job, right? The story we're introduced to is 337 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:28,880 Satan comes into the very presence of God Almighty, and 338 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:32,800 God brings up Job. Job's probably been on earth 339 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:34,600 when he's experiencing. Why did you mention me? 340 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:39,120 And God says, have you seen my man, my servant Job? 341 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:43,200 The challenge comes Satan to God. 342 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:45,880 He only worships you, God, because you're like a genie in 343 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:48,800 the bottle to him. You bless him, take away those 344 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:51,080 things, touch him and he'll curse you to his grave. 345 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:54,800 So this comes forward through and so on. 346 00:22:54,800 --> 00:23:01,520 But God allowed the point here. God permitted Satan literally to 347 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:05,320 be used against Job in that story. 348 00:23:06,120 --> 00:23:09,040 This is the idea here that's being brought forward by Paul in 349 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:13,840 this that that the text reads as a God aloud or gave it so that 350 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:20,800 Paul would not become conceited. I'll permit God effectively said 351 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:23,560 in his heavenly throne room of decision making. 352 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:27,040 I will permit this messenger of Satan to buffet Paul. 353 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:30,680 I'll allow it and I'll in fact use it. 354 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:37,480 And Paul says God gave it to me. It sounds paradoxical, but 355 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:40,800 Scripture here holds these both realities that Satan is 356 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:44,800 attacking and and God is permitting for Paul's good. 357 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:50,480 And that blows our minds. But the purpose we need to 358 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:54,200 understand is, is this. It's protective and formative. 359 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:59,440 And why? Because at the heart of it is 360 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:04,200 this great sin of pride. Don't we see again and again of 361 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:08,400 pride being the downfall, undoing so many leaders and 362 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:13,480 ruining so many Saints? And so God loved Paul and, and 363 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:20,280 Paul's ministry so much that he saw fit that Paul needed this. 364 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:26,800 So that should it not be there, pride could have potentially 365 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:30,840 filled Paul's heart and bring the downfall to the ministry and 366 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:34,920 work of Paul that God was using. And the thorn guarded Paul's 367 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:38,400 heart against spiritual inflation and elevation of 368 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:41,680 himself, and in fact preserved Paul for the long run. 369 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:47,640 But Paul pleaded, he begged 3 times for relief. 370 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:51,440 It says this means that he prayed earnestly. 371 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:54,200 Oh man, have you ever prayed earnestly? 372 00:24:54,800 --> 00:25:00,120 Fervently and so Paul's petitions here weren't flippant 373 00:25:00,120 --> 00:25:03,680 nor casual. Oh God, could you just kind of 374 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:08,200 deal with this for me thanks cheers see you next time now 375 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:12,640 this here it makes the answer then because of the pleading and 376 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:16,280 the urgency of it then more meaningful from God. 377 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:20,520 God's no wasn't indifferent here. 378 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:23,560 It was purposeful. So note the sequence. 379 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:25,440 Well, Paul's plea, Lord, remove it. 380 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:31,800 God's purpose. Paul, you need it and God's 381 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:37,000 promise. But my grace is sufficient for 382 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:42,440 you. And sometimes God does not 383 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:48,680 change our circumstances. And this is an area that we need 384 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:52,880 to be mindful of in our prayers. And I'll give three ways that we 385 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:55,960 can pray about situations and circumstances. 386 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,600 They come across our path because often our first port of 387 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:04,120 call when we pray is to pray for escape. 388 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:08,120 Lord, deliver me from this. And that's often a prayer that 389 00:26:08,120 --> 00:26:11,680 we pray for other people when they explain a situation or a 390 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:15,160 circumstance that is like a veritable thorn in the flesh. 391 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:18,360 And I understand that, and we're sympathetic and we're empathetic 392 00:26:18,360 --> 00:26:21,800 towards them. But God here in Paul's 393 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:25,160 situation, in his circumstance, whatever this steak was, 394 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:28,200 whatever this thorn in the flesh was, whatever this messenger of 395 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:34,040 Satan buffeting him was, God said, no, Paul, I'm actually 396 00:26:34,040 --> 00:26:37,080 going to use this. I'm actually going to change 397 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:40,600 this, and it will benefit you. But Charles Spurgeon put it this 398 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:42,720 way. He once said, I have learned to 399 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:46,840 kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages. 400 00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:54,480 And it's often true, isn't it, that in difficulty, in intensity 401 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:57,920 of trial and circumstance, where do we go? 402 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:02,680 God help. We cling to God so much more. 403 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:06,880 Paul's thorn was that wave. It hurt, but it drove him closer 404 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:10,600 to Christ. So I believe every believer 405 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:14,800 here, you and I tonight has a thorn of some sort. 406 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:18,280 You're saying a thorn? I've got multiple thorns, 407 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:25,000 Israel, some pain, some weakness, some limitation. 408 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:30,080 Maybe God's allowing to humble us, to keep us holy. 409 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:34,720 Maybe yours is physical, Maybe yours is emotional. 410 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:38,680 Maybe it's relational, spiritual. 411 00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:44,680 And you've prayed for relief. You've begged 3 times. 412 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:49,360 I've begged 300 times, but heaven seems silent. 413 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:55,400 So understand what seems to you and I as unanswered. 414 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:57,520 Prayer doesn't mean God's neglect. 415 00:27:58,320 --> 00:28:01,880 It may mean God's perfecting work is in progress. 416 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:08,760 Mr Dahan's book Broken Things illustrates a $5 steel bar he 417 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:15,520 writes becomes $10 when beaten into horseshoes, becomes $350.00 418 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:20,680 when broken into medical needles, becomes $250,000 when 419 00:28:20,680 --> 00:28:25,960 broken into watch springs. More valuable is this steel bar 420 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:33,040 after hammering and polishing. Fawns in our flesh are not about 421 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:36,440 our lives being comfortable. And that's usually why we're 422 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:39,040 praying God deliver me for escape. 423 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:44,000 But God is forging godly character far more valuable in 424 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:47,280 you and I. So we need to to learn to see as 425 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:51,840 God's servants that the thorn then is not punishment against 426 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:56,800 us, but preparation. And so if God humbles you in 427 00:28:56,800 --> 00:29:00,080 this regard, be teachable. And when God allows difficulty, 428 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:02,040 don't assume you're being rejected. 429 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:04,720 Ask instead, God, what is this doing in me? 430 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:07,480 Want me to see your purpose, to understand your plan. 431 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:11,040 And so learn to pray in these three ways. 432 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:16,040 Yes, we can pray to escape, and that might be God's deliverance 433 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:18,640 for us. It's very honest and human for 434 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:21,640 us to do that. God, help Get Me Out of this. 435 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:28,760 But failing an answer in that regard, pray then for this. 436 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:34,360 Pray to endure. God, give me the strength with 437 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:39,440 this thorn in the flesh, this messenger of Satan buffeting me, 438 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:44,080 Help me to endure, to stand up against it. 439 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:47,960 And then thirdly, pray to enlist. 440 00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:51,960 Ask God. God, what is your purpose? 441 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:55,440 What is your plan that you're allowing that you're permitting 442 00:29:55,440 --> 00:30:02,520 this in my life for see it as, yeah, maybe demonic in origin, 443 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:05,800 that Satan is trying to use it to attack, but that God has 444 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:09,480 allowed it, that he has permitted it for some reason, 445 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:15,840 some purpose for his glory and your good thorn's purpose again, 446 00:30:15,840 --> 00:30:17,720 is not punitive. It's productive, it's 447 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:20,560 preservative. It keeps us small in the best 448 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:24,520 possible sense, small enough for God's greatness to fill us. 449 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:29,560 And this is our Third Point here, verses 9 and 10, The power 450 00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:31,800 of grace. God strengthens us within. 451 00:30:33,760 --> 00:30:37,520 He said to me, Paula prayed 3 times. 452 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:43,320 God answered him, My grace, grace again, undeserved favour 453 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:45,120 unmerited. Nothing that you've done Paul, 454 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:47,200 to deserve it, but I'm giving it to you. 455 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:55,000 My grace is sufficient, meaning everything that you need is 456 00:30:55,000 --> 00:31:00,160 sufficient for you. Why My strength is made perfect. 457 00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:05,440 That word perfect means complete, full in weakness. 458 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:11,600 Therefore, Paul replies most gladly, I will rather boast in 459 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:14,920 my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 460 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:18,000 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities. 461 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:20,080 This is not some macabre sort of mindset. 462 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:22,240 We'll explain it here in a moment. 463 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:28,760 In reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses for 464 00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:33,480 Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am 465 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:36,360 strong. And finally, we arrive at the 466 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:37,880 heart of the passage here. Paul. 467 00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:42,760 He presses for an answer after this third petition. 468 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:46,800 God, deliver me from this, deliver me from this, deliver me 469 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:48,560 from this. And God's reply, brief but 470 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:51,160 eternal. My grace is sufficient for you, 471 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:53,840 Paul. My power is made perfect in 472 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:59,960 weakness. What a reply, those short words 473 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:03,800 but carry the weight of salvation and of ongoing 474 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:06,320 ministry in Paul's life. 4 words. 475 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:12,440 My grace is sufficient grace not only a reference to past 476 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:17,480 forgiveness, but here in this context present provision, 477 00:32:18,800 --> 00:32:23,800 future formation, and hope and promises made being delivered. 478 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:28,320 The word sufficient implies continuous supply in Paul's 479 00:32:28,320 --> 00:32:30,680 life. God will have enough for today's 480 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:35,560 needs and tomorrow's and the next days and next weeks and 481 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:39,640 next months and on. If you're fearful of the future 482 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:43,240 and what that might hold, may this verse bring courage to your 483 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:43,960 soul. Tonight. 484 00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:47,480 My power is made perfect in weakness. 485 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:51,000 And here I understand this. God's power doesn't just 486 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:56,840 compensate for weakness, it is in fact displayed in it. 487 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:01,600 Perfect again means complete, means full. 488 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:06,040 And Paul's response then to that declaration from God, is this 489 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:10,000 all right? I'm going to rest in your grace. 490 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:15,080 I'm going to enjoy your grace, God, he says. 491 00:33:15,080 --> 00:33:20,040 Now I'm going to in fact boast all the more gladly of these 492 00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:23,240 weaknesses. I love my thorn in the flesh. 493 00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:31,000 It doesn't become again, masochist here, delighting in 494 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:35,160 pain for the sake you feel the pain you didn't like have cold 495 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:37,640 showers and ice baths in the morning. 496 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:39,960 And he wasn't, you know, embracing that kind of thing. 497 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:45,640 But rather it's about now him intentionally reframing 498 00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:51,200 suffering where he is weak. He now understands it. 499 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:58,720 OK, Christ is going to be revealed as strong, and the 500 00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:03,560 thorn now becomes a pulpit for God's power to be preached. 501 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:12,080 So tonight, rest in grace. It's all sufficient, all you 502 00:34:12,080 --> 00:34:16,520 need. When resources fail, when 503 00:34:16,520 --> 00:34:22,520 reputation fades, when fatigue comes, look for God's 504 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:25,920 sufficiency rather than your capacity to fix it. 505 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:29,560 I'll sort it out. I'll solve it, and I'll grind 506 00:34:29,560 --> 00:34:31,880 and I'll make it happen. I'll pull myself up by my 507 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:36,600 bootstraps and I'll I'll take care of it Both. 508 00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:40,239 Not in your stamina, in your capacity, but in your Saviour. 509 00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:44,040 Make your testimony less about self. 510 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:49,320 I did this, more about Christ's sustaining power at work in you. 511 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:53,320 And so to do that, we need to practise dependence, I think 512 00:34:53,320 --> 00:34:55,719 daily. That's why the Bible tells us to 513 00:34:55,719 --> 00:35:00,160 deny ourselves, take up our cross, follow Jesus, to take 514 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:03,520 those steps that require God's enabling in our lives. 515 00:35:03,520 --> 00:35:07,040 So let prayer be your first resource. 516 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:10,640 If you've got steak sticking out of all parts of your body 517 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:15,560 tonight and you haven't been praying, man, can I say pray? 518 00:35:17,520 --> 00:35:21,240 Let prayer be your first resource, not the desperate last 519 00:35:21,240 --> 00:35:26,280 resort, but when pain returns, repeat God's word. 520 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:32,960 My grace is sufficient. Let the Scripture become like 521 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:37,080 muscle memory in this way, so that when you're fatigued, when 522 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:39,840 you're overwhelmed, man, I I'm feeling this way. 523 00:35:39,840 --> 00:35:42,240 I don't know what's going on, but here's what I do know. 524 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:45,080 The Bible says my grace is sufficient. 525 00:35:46,440 --> 00:35:51,080 Power will become strong in weakness and then use your 526 00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:53,760 weakness, in fact, to serve others. 527 00:35:55,120 --> 00:35:58,320 Many times in our weakness, in our thorns, in the flesh, what 528 00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:02,000 do we do? We withdraw ourselves from 529 00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:06,120 others. We hold pity parties and invite 530 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:08,840 people over so that they can hear about what we're going 531 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:11,760 through and how bad it is and what's happening. 532 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:15,680 You know, what is a good thing to do is to allow the very 533 00:36:15,680 --> 00:36:19,400 weakness, that very maybe area that we're tempted to hide, 534 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:23,560 become the platform for empathy and ministry, for God to use us 535 00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:27,920 for his power to come through in our weakness. 536 00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:32,000 And so in short, grace doesn't necessarily remove the thorn. 537 00:36:32,600 --> 00:36:36,280 It does remove the thorns ability to rule you and define 538 00:36:36,280 --> 00:36:38,680 you. And don't we know people like 539 00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:43,800 that where they're so defined by the thorn in the flesh? 540 00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:47,360 You know, OK, I'm going to have a conversation with so, so and 541 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:48,720 so. How long is it going to take 542 00:36:48,720 --> 00:36:52,200 before they bring it up? Oh, you won't believe it Again, 543 00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:58,480 not to diminish that, but rather to suggest that that has become 544 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:02,320 a means of their identity. And our identity is not that. 545 00:37:02,320 --> 00:37:06,320 Our identity is Christ Jesus. So when you rely on God, 546 00:37:06,520 --> 00:37:11,840 weakness now becomes the stage for Christ's power to come 547 00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:16,560 through. So then this is the the paradox 548 00:37:16,560 --> 00:37:20,800 that Paul presents for us, that I hope through the power of the 549 00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:25,560 Holy Spirit tonight and the word of God will change everything in 550 00:37:25,560 --> 00:37:27,360 yours and my life and us as a fellowship. 551 00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:31,400 Paul has moved from this glorious revelation of the 552 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:36,280 heavenlies and then back to the grind, back to the thorn in the 553 00:37:36,280 --> 00:37:40,080 flesh, the revelation, the vision, and then the 554 00:37:40,080 --> 00:37:45,760 vulnerability, the thorn. But he says both were gifts for 555 00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:49,360 the same end, to keep Paul dependent on God and to be 556 00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:50,880 fruitful in his service unto him. 557 00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:55,960 He says it plainly, for when I am weak, then I am strong. 558 00:37:57,120 --> 00:38:00,760 So how does this change us tonight as we've read these 559 00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:06,480 verses and we finish now? If God gives you revelation 560 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:13,200 insight, receive it. Understand it as commissioning 561 00:38:13,960 --> 00:38:18,920 that that comes with a calling, a purpose, not as currency for 562 00:38:18,920 --> 00:38:24,320 pride. Serve more, boast less. 563 00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:32,720 If God allows pain or limitation, ask how it might be 564 00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:36,640 forming you God. What's your purpose in this? 565 00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:40,040 It might be more like God. What's your purpose in this? 566 00:38:40,720 --> 00:38:42,560 That might be how we're praying it. 567 00:38:44,880 --> 00:38:49,360 But pray to enlist it for the Kingdom of God and His purposes 568 00:38:50,120 --> 00:38:55,600 and for His use, rather than a form of escapism. 569 00:38:57,120 --> 00:38:59,800 And if God's grace is the answer, my grace is sufficient. 570 00:39:00,080 --> 00:39:02,200 Let that truth reshape your identity. 571 00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:05,760 You are not ultimately what you do. 572 00:39:05,760 --> 00:39:13,440 You are what Christ is in you so again, many of us, we can pray 573 00:39:13,440 --> 00:39:18,560 like Paul prayed Lord take this away and God sometimes answers 574 00:39:18,720 --> 00:39:22,200 yes, I'll do that. Praise the Lord. 575 00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:28,680 We say Hallelujah. Sometimes Jesus answer is wait, 576 00:39:30,120 --> 00:39:35,160 no, not yet. And sometimes his answer is with 577 00:39:35,160 --> 00:39:41,800 the deeper life changing no, my grace is sufficient. 578 00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:47,040 And we need to learn to hear all those answers and to live 579 00:39:47,040 --> 00:39:54,400 faithfully in each. So tonight, as we close our 580 00:39:54,400 --> 00:39:58,320 Bibles and get ready to pray, wherever you are, on the 581 00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:03,520 mountaintop in the heavenlies, the very throne room of God like 582 00:40:03,520 --> 00:40:05,920 Paul describing, I'm in paradise. 583 00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:12,360 Or in the low valley, I don't know what thorn, what steak, 584 00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:15,000 what messenger of Satan is buffeting you tonight. 585 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:22,960 May you and I become someone who says, with Paul, I will boast 586 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:28,000 gladly in my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest on 587 00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:30,880 me. You know what happens when you 588 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:33,600 and I get there. With that we we discover the 589 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:35,880 strangest and most wonderful thing. 590 00:40:36,520 --> 00:40:39,520 Weakness in our lives will no longer be merely a problem to 591 00:40:39,520 --> 00:40:43,320 solve. It will be the place where God's 592 00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:44,800 greatness is made known.