Dwell in the Word: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Think on these questions as you dwell in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10:

1. Paul shares about a remarkable experience of being caught up to the third heaven but then focuses on his weakness and suffering. In a world that prioritizes accomplishments and personal achievements, how can believers strike a balance between acknowledging divine experiences while embracing humility in their weaknesses?

2. The passage highlights Paul's thorn in the flesh, a messenger from Satan to keep him from becoming conceited. How might believers today interpret their personal challenges or weaknesses as opportunities for God's grace to be revealed and their reliance on His strength to grow?

3. Paul concludes that he is content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, and persecutions because when he is weak, then he is strong in Christ. How can modern-day Christians adopt this countercultural perspective, finding strength in vulnerability and relying on God's power amid life's challenges and trials?

Transcript:

We have arrived in what I find to be my favorite part of second Corinthians. Paul has been concerned about the boasting of these Super Apostles. We don't know exactly what they were saying, but they were claiming to be better than Paul and that they should not listen to Paul. Instead, they should listen to them. Paul believes they're leading the people in Corinth astray. So he's been boasting about these sufferings that he has. And so, Paul says here in verse one, I must go on boasting. Now, remember, when I say, boasting, what I mean is he is saying, Look, I'm not going to brag about the cool stuff. I'm going to boast about how I am suffering for Christ. He's more concerned about that than other things. And we see that here. He says he's going to go on boasting, but he says there's nothing that can be gained from it, but he's going to go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. Now, this is a confusing part of 2 Corinthians because Paul says he knows a man in Christ, who 14 years ago was caught up to the third heaven. We don't know what all that means, and Paul doesn't give us very many details, but we have to understand that Paul is talking about himself here.

He starts out saying that he knows a man, but then he reveals that it's him because he's the one who receives the thorn in his flesh to keep him from being conceited because he's had these revelations and these visions. He talks about how 14 years ago, he was caught up to the third heaven. He doesn't know if he was removed physically or if this was just a vision, he was out of the body, doesn't know. All that matters is that God knows. And he talks about this. Now, we can imply from this that these Super Apostles were talking about their amazing visions and their amazing revelations. And Paul saying, Look, while I normally only boast in my sufferings, I'm going to tell you here that I've had this stuff too, but you'll notice I don't talk about it. Even when I start to talk about it here, I don't tell you right away that it's even me. But he tells them because he feels as though it's important that they know that these revelations and these visions, as amazing as they are, Paul isn't as concerned about those things as he is about his suffering and his times of weakness.

That is what he drives at here. In fact, he says that God doesn't even want him to speak of this stuff because... Not that he's doing anything wrong here, that's not what I'm meaning, but he doesn't want to become conceited about these surpassing revelations, and so he gives them this thorn in the flesh to remind him that he isn't the greatest thing ever. He has a messenger from Satan to harass him and keep him from becoming conceited that he would be reminded that these visions aren't the end all be all, that he has all this wisdom, and he is receiving all this stuff from God. Instead, God wants Paul to be reminded that his grace is sufficient for him, for by my power is made perfect in weakness. That is what Paul needs to understand. That's what you and I need to understand. What do we see as the highest level of spiritual gain in our lives, right? Maybe having an experience at an event or having a particular motion while we are reading scripture or in worship or while we're singing. But what does Paul draw out that the greatest experience is suffering, difficulties, hardships.

God's power, God's grace is made perfect in weakness, Paul says. We need to be reminded of this, that while we desire to ascend often, and probably most of the time, we desire to have this special ascent, it is in the things that are difficult that God's power is made known to us, that we show people the glory of what God is doing in our lives when we are able to endure and when God's grace is shown in the midst of hardship. And maybe you have experienced this firsthand, maybe losing a loved one or some other type of hardship that you've been able to see how God was able to work those things together that He might be glorified and have people be able to see the power of His grace in your life. And so we see that this is how Paul feels, and we can see the application here for us that this should be for us too, right? Because what does it say? For the sake of Christ, then I'm content with weaknesses, insults, hardship, persecution, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. When I am truly relying on God and not on myself, that is when I have strength.

This is the exact opposite of what the world thinks. This is the exact opposite of what we seek after. But as we walk around in the world, as we desire to be Christ's servants in this world, we need to remember that in the midst of any hardship that we come across, I like this list, weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, even calamities, right? We're to remember that if we're feeling weak, our God is strong. Christ is strong. He can help us to endure. And so as we face the things that come at us today, no matter what they are, the good stuff, the bad stuff, may we remember that it is in our weakness that Christ's power is made known not only to us, but to those around us, that we might witness to His faithfulness that others may hear and be built up in faith and brought into relationship with Christ.