2 Corinthians 12:11-13 says...
Today's verses are 2 Corinthians 12:11-13, which read,
v.11 - I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody.
Paul feels he has been foolish for resorting to boasting of what he has gone through to bring them the gospel; visions and revelations that he has had; and resorting to a tactic used by the false teachers. Of course, Paul's boasting is very different because it continues to point to Christ and not himself and it also focuses on his weaknesses rather than his strengths. The false teachers were all about talking about themselves to promote themselves.
This is what was getting the Corinthians' attention but Paul wants them to know that it really should be the other way around. The person who lives a very quiet life in the respect of not drawing attention to him or herself should be the attention grabber. Paul's quiet coming with the gospel of grace from God through the cross of Christ should have been a greater pull upon the Corinthians that the loud mouth false teachers who spoke of themselves.
v.12 - The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles.
The signs, wonders, and miracles among the Corinthians that Paul has recorded is their transformed lives. It was not outward spectacular events that gain a lot of attention as it was in Jesus' time and the time of the apostles at the start of the early church. Reading through Jesus' life, it is amazing how He quickly does a miracle so He can get back to teaching the truth or maybe a miracle is done with only a few observing it. The greater miracle is emphasized when the paralytic man is lowered down through the roof and Jesus says, "Your sins are forgiven" before He says "Raise, take up your mat and walk."
As a society and a church we tend to look at the outward miracles as greater than the inward ones. A man in a previous church I pastored came into church one Sunday asking God to see a miracle. His faith was low and he needed to see something of God. It was just a regular service with nothing spectacular but within the passage covered that morning was an invitation to follow Jesus. There were six people who answered the call of God and received Christ as their Savior. The man later told me that God impressed on him that he had seen his miracle for there is not a greater miracle than witnessing someone going from the darkness to the light.
v.13 - For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
Paul is still holding onto his sarcasm here. The false teachers have really been attacking Paul's life at every angle. "If Paul was a true apostle then he should have done some showy sign here like he did in the other churches. You have been jipped." This could have been their attack. Paul makes mention again that the only difference between him coming to the Corinthians and coming to the others is that he come fully supported to them and did not need their money. It seems to me that their high view of money was something to be surrendered and this was God's overall plan to have Paul come not needing what they so cherished or boasted of. The gospel was not for sale.
"Forgive me for not asking for your money" is probably the vain that Paul is speaking. The miracle is that others had been transformed by Christ and willingly gave so that Paul and his companions could come to the Corinthians with the gospel. Sometimes you need to look deeper for where the true miracle is in a situation.
This might be a good exercise for this windy day. What did God put together for you to see Him and His Son on the cross? What were the things in the background that lead up to that event? Also, it is not that I don't like big and grand events but do I put too much emphasis on those things and miss the little things that God does that actually mean so much more to my everyday life? Just some things to think about on this windy day.
v.11 - I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody.
Paul feels he has been foolish for resorting to boasting of what he has gone through to bring them the gospel; visions and revelations that he has had; and resorting to a tactic used by the false teachers. Of course, Paul's boasting is very different because it continues to point to Christ and not himself and it also focuses on his weaknesses rather than his strengths. The false teachers were all about talking about themselves to promote themselves.
This is what was getting the Corinthians' attention but Paul wants them to know that it really should be the other way around. The person who lives a very quiet life in the respect of not drawing attention to him or herself should be the attention grabber. Paul's quiet coming with the gospel of grace from God through the cross of Christ should have been a greater pull upon the Corinthians that the loud mouth false teachers who spoke of themselves.
v.12 - The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles.
The signs, wonders, and miracles among the Corinthians that Paul has recorded is their transformed lives. It was not outward spectacular events that gain a lot of attention as it was in Jesus' time and the time of the apostles at the start of the early church. Reading through Jesus' life, it is amazing how He quickly does a miracle so He can get back to teaching the truth or maybe a miracle is done with only a few observing it. The greater miracle is emphasized when the paralytic man is lowered down through the roof and Jesus says, "Your sins are forgiven" before He says "Raise, take up your mat and walk."
As a society and a church we tend to look at the outward miracles as greater than the inward ones. A man in a previous church I pastored came into church one Sunday asking God to see a miracle. His faith was low and he needed to see something of God. It was just a regular service with nothing spectacular but within the passage covered that morning was an invitation to follow Jesus. There were six people who answered the call of God and received Christ as their Savior. The man later told me that God impressed on him that he had seen his miracle for there is not a greater miracle than witnessing someone going from the darkness to the light.
v.13 - For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
Paul is still holding onto his sarcasm here. The false teachers have really been attacking Paul's life at every angle. "If Paul was a true apostle then he should have done some showy sign here like he did in the other churches. You have been jipped." This could have been their attack. Paul makes mention again that the only difference between him coming to the Corinthians and coming to the others is that he come fully supported to them and did not need their money. It seems to me that their high view of money was something to be surrendered and this was God's overall plan to have Paul come not needing what they so cherished or boasted of. The gospel was not for sale.
"Forgive me for not asking for your money" is probably the vain that Paul is speaking. The miracle is that others had been transformed by Christ and willingly gave so that Paul and his companions could come to the Corinthians with the gospel. Sometimes you need to look deeper for where the true miracle is in a situation.
This might be a good exercise for this windy day. What did God put together for you to see Him and His Son on the cross? What were the things in the background that lead up to that event? Also, it is not that I don't like big and grand events but do I put too much emphasis on those things and miss the little things that God does that actually mean so much more to my everyday life? Just some things to think about on this windy day.
"Lord, we gravitate to the grand of the world and turn on its head the plan of You. Remind us of the Beatitudes that show us Your system in direct opposition to the world's. I am a sign to the world of Your love through the gospel message. I am wonder to receive through Your grace eternal life instead of hell. I am a miracle because of Your death and resurrection. The salvation of one soul is greater than the world's offerings and may I not miss the opportunity to see it on occasion and be used by You to support that gospel message. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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