2 Corinthians 11:30-33 says,...
Today's verses are 2 Corinthians 11:30-33, which read,
v.30, 31 - If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
Paul has just given an exhaustive list of his sufferings for Christ and the gospel. He boasted foolishly to make a distinction between himself and the false teachers. All that he went through to get the gospel of Christ out was nothing compared to his love for the Corinthians and also nothing compared to what Christ had done for him on the cross.
Paul is boasting because the Corinthians have been attracted to the boasting of the false teachers. The boasting of the false teachers pointed to themselves but Paul's boasting pointed to Christ. This list must have hit them as it hits us that Paul adds "God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying." This tremendous list of sacrifice was a true account of what Paul went through.
v.32, 33 - In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands.
Paul ends his list with a weakness. There was one time that he was ushered out of danger in a basket lowered from the city wall. He retreated. The great Paul who faced death many times took the route of a late night basket getaway. This incident is given after this impressive list and the statement that God knows he is not lying about this. It is like Paul sharing with them a time that he felt like he failed and had to run. This again is another thing that the false teachers would not have done. They were always right and always superior to those they were trying to influence. Paul lets the Corinthians see not only his devotion to them and God but also his times when he was humiliated to run from danger.
It is easy to put on the perfect face and give those "fine" answers when we gather. What if it isn't fine? What if it has been a rocky week at your home, school, or work place? What if temptation was so great this week and you got caught up in it and still came into God's house saying everything was "fine" but it really wasn't? Does not being authentic help you or anyone else? The answer is "no." Being honest and truthful is hard because we are going to have to share with others about our weaknesses that have left us not standing tall no matter what but on our knees again in front of the cross of Christ. Can you and do you let those around you that you deem part of your church family in on the real you and the real week that you have had? Or will you walk into church another week with sharing that everything is "fine" and not the triumphs in the name of Christ this week that you experienced or the valleys that you have walked through grasping for His hand?
"Lord, many shoot up with Botox to look younger than they really are. They try to hide the wrinkles of life. May we not do this when we speak of You. May we not give others this picture that we are almost so perfect that we might not even need You and Your salvation because we are always so good. May our church family minister to each other because we are authentic with each other with the good and the bad. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.30, 31 - If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
Paul has just given an exhaustive list of his sufferings for Christ and the gospel. He boasted foolishly to make a distinction between himself and the false teachers. All that he went through to get the gospel of Christ out was nothing compared to his love for the Corinthians and also nothing compared to what Christ had done for him on the cross.
Paul is boasting because the Corinthians have been attracted to the boasting of the false teachers. The boasting of the false teachers pointed to themselves but Paul's boasting pointed to Christ. This list must have hit them as it hits us that Paul adds "God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying." This tremendous list of sacrifice was a true account of what Paul went through.
v.32, 33 - In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands.
Paul ends his list with a weakness. There was one time that he was ushered out of danger in a basket lowered from the city wall. He retreated. The great Paul who faced death many times took the route of a late night basket getaway. This incident is given after this impressive list and the statement that God knows he is not lying about this. It is like Paul sharing with them a time that he felt like he failed and had to run. This again is another thing that the false teachers would not have done. They were always right and always superior to those they were trying to influence. Paul lets the Corinthians see not only his devotion to them and God but also his times when he was humiliated to run from danger.
It is easy to put on the perfect face and give those "fine" answers when we gather. What if it isn't fine? What if it has been a rocky week at your home, school, or work place? What if temptation was so great this week and you got caught up in it and still came into God's house saying everything was "fine" but it really wasn't? Does not being authentic help you or anyone else? The answer is "no." Being honest and truthful is hard because we are going to have to share with others about our weaknesses that have left us not standing tall no matter what but on our knees again in front of the cross of Christ. Can you and do you let those around you that you deem part of your church family in on the real you and the real week that you have had? Or will you walk into church another week with sharing that everything is "fine" and not the triumphs in the name of Christ this week that you experienced or the valleys that you have walked through grasping for His hand?
"Lord, many shoot up with Botox to look younger than they really are. They try to hide the wrinkles of life. May we not do this when we speak of You. May we not give others this picture that we are almost so perfect that we might not even need You and Your salvation because we are always so good. May our church family minister to each other because we are authentic with each other with the good and the bad. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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