II Corinthians 12:9, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.  Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

This morning, we live in a world that goes to extreme lengths to remove discomfort.  Most of the innovations in recent memory have been to aid and benefit people's comfort or remove extra work from having to be done.  The devices that have come out in my lifetime seem to exponentially change the way life looks.  However, one of the very adverse side effects of this sweeping technology is that people have been less and less willing to deal with discomfort and suffering in an honorable way.  I remember talking to some of the aged in the church when I was a boy, while they relayed their experience of living through the Great Depression.  They detailed their daily activities as they searched for ways and means to simply get the necessities of life like food and clothing.  When I asked them about how hard it was, they simply shrugged and said, "We were all in the same boat.  We all made it through it.  The Lord was merciful to spare us."  Their suffering was nothing to moan about – everyone else was in bad shape too – but they were more willing to endure and seek the Lord's face for providential care.

In our study verse, we learn many wonderful things from Paul's experience.  He has just relayed his account of being taken up into Paradise or the third heaven.  While there, he saw and heard things that he was not able to talk about (unspeakable words), and he was not even authorized to do so (not lawful for a man to utter).  However, though he could not talk about it, he remembered it fondly and drew great strength from the experience.  Yet, with the firsthand knowledge of what heaven was like, he was not exempt from suffering.  He still had like passions as we do, and he still stumbled and fell after that rich experience.  Paul then relays his circumstance of enduring a thorn in the flesh – a messenger of Satan – that buffeted him and kept him from glorying to over-exaltation about his experience in heaven.  Paul beseeches the Lord three times to remove the thorn, and the answer is given in our verse.

Quite often, we hear people quote this verse, but they only quote the part about God's grace being sufficient.  However, Paul illustrates how that is realized to its fullest degree.  Grace is realized to its fullest degree through the weakness and feebleness of man.  While that application fits on the eternal scale (Christ's grace and strength was made perfect through the depraved and wholly fallen condition of man), Paul's point here pertains more to this time world.  God's grace is sufficient for today's trials.  However, the realization of that grace (our ability to perceive it and use it) depends greatly on how we see ourselves.  The weaker we see ourselves, the stronger we see Him and more fittingly appreciate and use the grace bestowed upon us.  His grace takes many forms, but quite often (as it was with Paul), the grace is the strength and comfort to get through things.  God never (that Scripture records) took the thorn of Paul's flesh away.  However, He gave Paul sufficient strength and comfort to get through life with that thorn.  Paul's use of that grace was more and more perfect the weaker and weaker he saw his condition.

However, though most people only quote the first half of this verse, some will actually quote the second part (my strength is made perfect in weakness), but only rarely will someone quote the last portion.  It is that portion which grabs us now.  Paul was willing to glory in his infirmities that the power of Christ would rest upon him.  Now, it should be stated clearly that Paul was not some sort of masochist or sadist that enjoyed suffering and misery.  Paul did not delight in the fact that he suffered.  Compare his language here with Romans 5:3.  In both places, he is glorying in suffering and tribulation, but it would be incorrect to say that Paul was delighting in the miserable situation.

Rather, Paul in Romans 5:3 and our verse is teaching that we have ample reason and opportunity to rejoice and glory in the Lord even in the midst of our suffering, infirmity, and tribulation.  We do not glory in problems.  We glory in the Lord, even in the midst of problems.  However, Paul did say something profound in this statement.  Paul said that he would "rather" have infirmities.  Wow!  Why would anyone say that they would rather have it tough than easy?  Paul had learned, knew, and understood that his view of the Gloryworld and affection upon Christ was stronger during tough times.  Tough times remind us how weak we are.  Our weakness reminds us how strong He is.  His strength is more fully realized when our weakness is more fully realized.

Therefore, Paul said that he would rather have it tough so that the power of Christ would rest upon him.  If he could feel the rich warmth of God's grace enfolding him during days of infirmity (thorn in the flesh) better than he would by getting relief from personal problems, Paul said he would rather deal with the personal problems.  No matter how you slice it, that is a profound thought.  Let us put it in today's terms.  If you knew that it would bring you closer to God (power of Christ would rest upon you), if you did not have a financial nest egg, comfortable home, good vehicles to drive, and good health, would you desire to give up those things?  Paul said he would.

Friends, I do not want anyone to think I am advocating "non-materialism" in this world.  However, I do believe that we have many things that stand in our way of the power of Christ resting upon us.  A wise old minister from my youth was known to say, "It's hard to preach comfort to people who are already comfortable."  The gospel should bring us comfort, and God's abiding presence should bring us comfort as well.  Yet, if we are so comfortable from all the things of life, we do not feel to need it.  Yet, a little loss, a little suffering, and we get shaken back to the realization that we need Him.  May we rather – as Paul did – glory in things that may not be as ideal naturally speaking so that we can get closer to the ideal spiritually speaking.  When trouble comes, there are two general reactions we can employ: 1.  Complain – Why me? or 2.  Pray – Lord help.  May we glory in the Lord during times when we feel quite weak and are made to feel and know that His strength and sufficient grace is very near unto us. 

In Hope,

Bro Philip

II Corinthians 9:4, "Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting."

This morning, people can many times generate an "us vs. them" mentality that is destructive to growth and development.  Office environments where groups and clicks of people are at odds with each other keep the particular company from functioning at its optimal level.  In the church, it can be exponentially worse.  Whenever people or groups in a local body generate this mentality, proper growth and edification of the body is severely stunted.  Now, to carry the church and business illustration one step further, it behooves us to mention that this area of thought and discussion does not pertain to proper discipline or even loss of fellowship.  If someone in the body is guilty of public sin or doctrinal error, that is a matter of necessary discipline that does not pertain to an "us vs. them" scenario.  Just like in the office analogy, an employee not doing their job needs correction and perhaps even job termination.  Therefore, if we are talking about day-to-day fellowship, mutual encouragement, and abiding strength of one another's faith, we need to remember that the church exists as a singular body and not as groups of independent cells that are at odds with separate but similar groups.

From our study verse, we see that Paul is contextually speaking of a particular subject, but there is a thought nestled within this verse that can be broadened to more than the contextual subject matter.  Therefore, let us examine this thought first in its contextual light, but then broaden it out – in a Biblically supported fashion – to show how deeply it touches the fabric of the New Testament church.  Paul has just concluded a rather large point in the 8th chapter of being willing to suffer loss for other people's gain.  Not only is Christ the supreme example in this, but Paul labours to show how we should be good examples of that as well to those around us.  As the 9th chapter opens, Paul narrows the thought somewhat to discuss the helping of others through the act of parting with money or other goods.  In the first verse, Paul actually commends the Corinthian church for this very thing.  They have been good to relinquish money for the benefit and aid of those in need, and Paul will go further and talk about the church's responsibility in the care of the minister by the imparting of natural funds. 

Notice what Paul includes in this discussion from our verse.  In the parenthetical expression, he makes a specific point to show that the minister is every bit as involved and included in this discussion as anyone else.  Paul says "we" not "ye" when it comes to this particular thought.  There is perhaps not a more damaging "us vs. them" mindset in the church than the one where one of those groups is the preachers and the other being everyone else who is not a preacher.  As a side note, I have noticed in my personal experience a broadening chasm in this during my lifetime.  As a little boy in the church, it seemed from my observation that more people engaged the preachers outside of the assembly than they do today.  I have also heard many today say they are just uncomfortable talking to preachers, and when asked why, they have given varied and wide reasons.  Basically, though, most of them boil down to "well I'm not one of them."  Friends, you do not have to be a preacher to sit down and talk with one.  We are people with the same problems as anyone else.

On the flip side of that point, there have no doubt been preachers in time past to the present that consider themselves as some "elite class."  My natural father called it the "big boy country club" mindset.  Even though it is the opposite perspective, this thought is just as damaging to growth, edification, and well-being as the apprehension that some might feel to talk to a minister.  Paul makes a specific point to show that what he is talking about is a matter of "we" not "ye."  Paul is not talking to the church about their responsibility.  Paul is talking with the church about "our" responsibility.  So, having laid that groundwork, let us consider what our responsibility is both in the context and perhaps a bit broader.

As mentioned earlier, the context supports financial giving and obligation for the care of the saints.  While the church is not a social welfare program, she does have financial obligations both to the ministers that serve her as well as poor widows indeed within her.  Obviously, there is also natural care and keeping necessary if the church is blessed with natural grounds and a building.  Does the minister have equal responsibility in this financial regard and obligation?  Paul emphatically in this verse says that ministers do!  While ministers receive natural gifts from the church, that does not relinquish the minister's obligation and love-bound duty to "do his part" in the giving of his goods for the welfare of the church.  One of the deepest pits to fall into is for a minister to think the church "owes" him.  Friends, we owe God, and God has commanded that all of us give of ourselves – even naturally by way of finances – to the good and welfare of the church kingdom here in this world.

Since Peter encourages the elders to be "ensamples" to the flock in I Peter 5:3, a minister should "lead the way" in regards to giving and church support.  I remember after my father had first taken the care of a church that he pastored, he wrote a check on Sunday and placed it with all the other "moneys" that had been taken up that day.  When the deacons saw it, they all approached him (and I just happened to be sitting near him) and said, "Brother John, why did you write this check to the church?"  His response was, "As a member here, I have the same duty as anyone else."  They said, "But if you write a check to the church, we're just going to be giving it back to you when we write you a check."  His response was golden, "Then you take what money I give and put it somewhere that doesn't go to me.  Whether it helps keep up the cemetery, pay the light bill, or something, don't rob my joy of helping the church in her needs."  Brethren, the minister is not part of them.  There is not an "us vs. them;" it is just us – or it should be.

Now that we have examined the contextual thought that Paul had, let us consider a broader thought.  Paul ensures that the folks do not think he is talking to them but rather with them.  Whenever I first tried to start speaking and preaching, I went through the laborious process of listening to recordings of my efforts to pick out problems with my delivery and attempt to fix them.  More cruel torture there has never been!  However, I am convinced that it helped me a lot in those early days.  One of the things I noticed from my early efforts was a propensity to say "you" more than I said "we" or "our."  After making that realization, I attempted to remedy the usage to include myself in whatever discussion I was bringing out that day.  It is the same encouragement that I have tried to pass on to some others when I detect the same thing in their delivery.  It is good and Biblically proper for the congregation to feel that the man sent to them to minister, preach, and labour is "one of them."  He is not separate, but the concepts and subjects are for us, not you.  Therefore, we should speak of it from that perspective.

Therefore, sermons on redemption are not expressed that "you are redeemed" but that "we are redeemed."  Sermons on sin are not expressed as "you are sinners" but that "we are sinners."  When the minister includes himself in the concepts that are being expressed, the result is two-fold.  1.  The congregation loses the sense that the minister may be "talking down to them."  2.  The minister speaks as one of the group rather than a casual or interested bystander.  These two results bring the message home in ways it would not otherwise.  When a boss addresses his company through some speech or lecture, the workers understand that he is there and we are here.  However, when the minister addresses the body, the congregation should get the sense that we are all in this together.  Whether in the depths of sin and blackness by nature or in the bliss of redemption, honour, and glory by grace, all of us are included.  In this way (and definitely many others), preaching stands alone in its address.  Most all addresses and speeches in the world are done to the people, but preaching is done with the people.

One last thought about the minister being included is the sense in which exhortation, reproof, and instruction comes.  The Bible warns against undue judgments and Pharisaical mindsets.  So, if the preacher is included in the thoughts espoused, how does he address needed matters though guilty of them himself?  One of the primary complaints I hear from folks outside the church about folks in the church (and the preaching in particular) is this, "Those people are just as guilty of sin as I am.  Why do I have to listen to someone tell me about sin when he is a sinner?  God judges me, not him."  While it is true that churches all over the world are occupied by sinners – preachers included – there is no reason why the preaching should be perceived in such a fashion: provided the preaching is done correctly.  When the minister preaches or converses with others, the strength of our argument does not rest on our personal decorum.  Far from it.  The strength of it rests on the precepts of God in His word.

I will not lie; it is hard to preach on topics that I am flagrantly guilty of myself.  However, my impression to preach about it does not come from some ideal or mindset that I have kept it.  Rather, it comes from the deep conviction that God says it.  It is therefore true, and therefore worthy of proclamation.  When a minister proclaims something that he fails in, a good preacher worth his salt will freely confess to not measuring up to the standard.  That is why the exhortation is made to "us" and not "you."  Brethren, more than anything, the preacher should want unity of the body and harmony of the assembly.  True harmony comes from above and that must encompass all of us and not just some of us.  The next time you attend the house of God, look around.  Do you consider every single person there "us?"  May we not look at things in the church as "us" and "them."  May it just be "us" with all the focus, attention, and adoration toward Him.

In Hope,

Bro Philip