1 00:00:00,919 --> 00:00:03,800 How many have you got to see somebody today you haven't seen in a while? 2 00:00:04,990 --> 00:00:05,800 Did you get a big hug? 3 00:00:06,140 --> 00:00:06,540 High five? 4 00:00:07,820 --> 00:00:08,120 I did. 5 00:00:08,220 --> 00:00:12,220 I was very blessed this morning and get to see some friends I haven't seen in a long time. 6 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:13,880 I'm not going to embarrass them. 7 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:18,700 Because you love coming to church and getting your name called, don't you, Gary? 8 00:00:20,359 --> 00:00:21,540 It is Gary, right? 9 00:00:22,140 --> 00:00:22,760 Okay, all right. 10 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:23,280 Oh, you're good. 11 00:00:25,180 --> 00:00:25,800 No, it's good. 12 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:28,300 It's good to fellowship and hang out. 13 00:00:28,420 --> 00:00:32,580 And when we get to do that and do that in the word together, that's just bonus. 14 00:00:33,380 --> 00:00:33,500 Amen? 15 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:36,680 So, anybody's struggling? 16 00:00:41,100 --> 00:00:41,620 No, honestly. 17 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:45,060 I mean, hopefully church we can come together and be honest about the struggles we have. 18 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:48,060 Confess your sins one to another, James says. 19 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:49,120 That's not easy to do. 20 00:00:49,780 --> 00:00:50,940 I don't know how much that's practice. 21 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,120 But we put a lot worse on the Facebook, don't we? 22 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:03,460 I really don't care what you ate, but we like taking pictures. 23 00:01:03,490 --> 00:01:04,280 I don't know what that is. 24 00:01:07,460 --> 00:01:08,360 So where are you struggling? 25 00:01:10,780 --> 00:01:11,660 Relational challenges? 26 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:14,200 Financial challenges? 27 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:17,640 How about past? 28 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:21,380 Any past issues you struggle with? 29 00:01:21,770 --> 00:01:23,140 Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night? 30 00:01:25,620 --> 00:01:28,500 gut-wrenched over something that you did that you wish you didn't. 31 00:01:30,940 --> 00:01:32,300 A lot of different ways that we struggle. 32 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:39,360 And one of the things that's really difficult is when you struggle, 33 00:01:42,700 --> 00:01:44,400 I don't know what I'm rubbing against. 34 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:45,320 I apologize. 35 00:01:47,420 --> 00:01:48,120 I'm trying not to. 36 00:01:50,420 --> 00:01:51,300 If I don't move. 37 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:55,040 Ah, that ain't happening. 38 00:01:55,060 --> 00:02:02,160 So what happens when you're struggling and you didn't necessarily do anything wrong, 39 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:04,220 but God is working and teaching you something? 40 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:06,400 Is anybody okay with that one? 41 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:13,660 Honestly, I'm in a dark place, but it's God at work? 42 00:02:13,780 --> 00:02:15,280 Well, let's put it all in perspective. 43 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:17,840 So we can struggle in different ways. 44 00:02:17,980 --> 00:02:24,340 And I think it's important that we put it in a right biblical understanding, 45 00:02:24,580 --> 00:02:30,240 because if I have sinned and caused pain for someone else or myself, 46 00:02:30,740 --> 00:02:33,140 what's the biblical way that we deal with that? 47 00:02:35,660 --> 00:02:38,480 Repentance, confession, and forgiveness, yes? 48 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:39,240 Okay. 49 00:02:41,640 --> 00:02:44,380 If somebody does that against me, I didn't do anything, 50 00:02:44,450 --> 00:02:47,020 it just happened that somebody's sinned against me. 51 00:02:47,140 --> 00:02:48,560 How do I deal with that one biblically? 52 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:50,200 I forgive. 53 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:53,060 Now, what is the standard by which I do that? 54 00:02:53,700 --> 00:02:57,900 How I feel, whether they never do it again, what's the standard? 55 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:02,440 Forgive one another as God in Christ forgave you. 56 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:03,520 Fair? 57 00:03:04,230 --> 00:03:11,440 And we can all agree that when that kind of pain, that kind of suffering, those kind of trials that come because of sin, that's one thing. 58 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:22,120 But what happens when God takes you into a place and he does to teach you something even though it may be painful? 59 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:32,100 what do we do then everybody with me so there's something unique i think about our journey so i'd like 60 00:03:32,100 --> 00:03:39,120 to start out to just encourage you that if philippians one six is true and it is he who begun a good 61 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:46,620 work in you will do what continue it complete it to the day of christ jesus so has the day 62 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:52,120 capital d of christ come yet so is god still at work in you and i'm not so is god still at work in you and 63 00:03:52,140 --> 00:04:00,820 I. Are you okay with that? Are you bought in? Do we respond in a way that gives him honor in that 64 00:04:01,700 --> 00:04:05,980 journey? It didn't go my way. They did this. They did that. They didn't do this. They didn't. Y'all with me? 65 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:13,540 What? We get into all these things. Somebody cut me off. Don't tell them their number one. Just say, 66 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:20,859 Lord, thank you for working on my patience. No? Any road ragers? Yes? 67 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:26,360 Is it more of the ladies or more the men? 68 00:04:26,500 --> 00:04:27,120 I don't know. 69 00:04:28,060 --> 00:04:29,360 Ladies, thank you. 70 00:04:29,860 --> 00:04:30,140 What? 71 00:04:32,380 --> 00:04:34,120 Confession in church, that's good. 72 00:04:37,580 --> 00:04:38,340 So another question. 73 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:39,280 Because we do struggle. 74 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:39,700 We do. 75 00:04:40,620 --> 00:04:42,340 And it could be the death of a loved one. 76 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,980 We just went for a funeral back in the Oklahoma Panhandle a couple weeks ago. 77 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:50,520 And I know within our own body, we have those that have lost loved ones lately. 78 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:59,180 how do we deal with that kind of pain and struggle because it wasn't a sin issue it was that which is common to man 79 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:06,400 right non-believers die believers die what do we deal if you're a believer what's the 80 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:13,220 encouragement to live as christ to die his gain and again in philippians one paul would say what 81 00:05:13,660 --> 00:05:20,540 you know what to be with christ is far better and i hope we all say that 82 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:21,300 Amen to that. 83 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:27,340 But yet we hurt on this side thinking about those things, right? 84 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:32,480 But we don't mourn, as Paul would say in Thessalonians, we don't mourn as those who have no hope. 85 00:05:34,340 --> 00:05:34,960 Are we going to mourn? 86 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:36,540 Yes. 87 00:05:37,140 --> 00:05:37,320 Hard? 88 00:05:37,580 --> 00:05:37,800 Yes. 89 00:05:38,639 --> 00:05:42,180 So ultimately, as we work through these things, I think it's really critical. 90 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:45,820 And I just want to make sure we're putting it in a perspective. 91 00:05:46,380 --> 00:05:50,520 There's different categories of how and why we strike. 92 00:05:50,540 --> 00:05:57,540 and have pain. And what we're going to look at today is 2 Corinthians chapter 12. 93 00:05:58,860 --> 00:06:06,400 2 Corinthians chapter 12. And we're going to look at another testimony, and this is Paul 94 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:14,320 giving a testimony, of some pain and suffering in his life. Why it came, and ultimately, 95 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:20,500 what is it that God was doing? What is it that God is doing? Because 96 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,520 if he begun a good work and he's continuing it, 97 00:06:24,100 --> 00:06:27,860 then I have to be committed that he's the one at work in me. 98 00:06:28,180 --> 00:06:28,420 Yes? 99 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:32,540 Can I ever act outside of his sovereignty? 100 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:35,140 That's important. 101 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:38,940 Because if I can do something outside of his sovereignty, 102 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:39,800 that means what? 103 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:41,340 He's not sovereign. 104 00:06:43,380 --> 00:06:44,440 Can God use the bumps? 105 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:47,060 Can God use evil? 106 00:06:49,420 --> 00:06:50,480 Yeah, he's that sovereign. 107 00:06:51,860 --> 00:06:59,100 We talked about Joseph in the past, and we're going to get into a toughie here because we're going to see another way that God works. 108 00:06:59,660 --> 00:06:59,860 All right? 109 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:01,380 Everybody ready to roll? 110 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:02,660 All right. 111 00:07:02,840 --> 00:07:04,740 Father, we thank you for the time in your living word. 112 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:08,340 And your living word is true, and it is eternal. 113 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:14,720 And the most beautiful is that we have your breath on page. 114 00:07:16,060 --> 00:07:20,460 Here we are, communing with you, because we get to read your own. 115 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:25,360 very words that are living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword. 116 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:28,260 And how deep does it go? 117 00:07:28,420 --> 00:07:35,520 Father, your word even digs down to the soul level to discern the thoughts and intents of our 118 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:36,220 heart. 119 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:40,040 So we thank you that we get to focus on your word. 120 00:07:40,140 --> 00:07:41,200 We get to focus on you. 121 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:46,920 We get to look at uniquely what and how it is you can work in our lives and you are. 122 00:07:49,340 --> 00:07:50,000 And so thank you. 123 00:07:50,420 --> 00:08:00,020 for your presence here today in the believer that we are not alone and we're not hoping 124 00:08:00,180 --> 00:08:05,880 you'll show up we know you're already here because your presence is promised and we thank you 125 00:08:07,340 --> 00:08:14,580 and in Jesus name everyone said amen amen all right so second Corinthians now a little background 126 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:20,020 because when you read second Corinthians 12 you really got to go back to 127 00:08:20,060 --> 00:08:26,120 chapter 10 to get a good feel for what's going on because one of the major issues that Paul is 128 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:35,020 dealing with is false teachers what he calls quote unquote super apostles they're coming into the church 129 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:43,180 they are deceiving and drawing people away so let's look at a couple of identifiers back up to chapter 10 130 00:08:43,180 --> 00:08:50,000 if you will and as you make your way to 10 i'll give you a little bit of 10 i'll give you a little 131 00:08:50,020 --> 00:08:55,140 little bit more of a backdrop. I apologize. This thing keeps moving. I got to maybe I need a handheld. I don't know. 132 00:08:58,020 --> 00:09:06,420 It's the collar. I don't need to wear a collar. Is it? I dress myself. It's usually not good. 133 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:19,180 So if you want a little bit of historical context. So there's dates that can be ish. And we don't know the exact date. We get an idea of a date. 134 00:09:20,020 --> 00:09:27,240 So Christ would have died, went into the tomb, three days later, resurrected, 40 days later ascended, ballpark 30 to 33. 135 00:09:28,060 --> 00:09:28,240 Fair? 136 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:29,280 Okay. 137 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:38,020 So when you fast forward, Acts chapter 18 is when Paul first goes to Corinth. 138 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:48,600 If you go back and you're looking at the book of Acts, that would have been Acts 18 when the time he gets into Corinth would have been about 50 to 51, maybe 52. 139 00:09:48,820 --> 00:09:54,160 in that ballpark. So after the death barrel and resurrection of Jesus, we're about 20 years later. 140 00:09:55,900 --> 00:10:00,940 And I think most of us in the room are older than 20 years. So in our lifetime, can we remember 141 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:08,000 something 20 years ago? We tell stories like that all the time. So Paul not only has met Christ 142 00:10:08,030 --> 00:10:13,540 on the road to Damascus in Acts chapter 9, you fast forward the first mission journey with him 143 00:10:15,450 --> 00:10:18,760 and who's a guy he went with? Barnabas. Thank you. Yeah. Barnabas. 144 00:10:18,780 --> 00:10:19,600 that's him. 145 00:10:21,500 --> 00:10:22,360 13 and 14. 146 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,220 Then you have the big to-do questioning the gospel. 147 00:10:26,830 --> 00:10:30,280 They have the big back and forth there in chapter 15. 148 00:10:31,020 --> 00:10:32,640 16 is the second journey. 149 00:10:33,030 --> 00:10:35,240 And as he goes, he gets Timothy, they head out. 150 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:39,660 He ends up in Athens in chapter 17 and chapter 18. 151 00:10:39,690 --> 00:10:40,660 He gets to Corinth. 152 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:41,700 All right? 153 00:10:42,680 --> 00:10:44,560 That would have been ballpark 50-51. 154 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:48,740 Now, the time he would have written 1st Corinthians, the letter 155 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:50,680 would have been about two years later. 156 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:54,420 By the time you get to 2nd Corinthians, 157 00:10:55,140 --> 00:10:58,500 we actually find out there's another letter that we don't have. 158 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:02,600 That there would have been another interaction with the Corinthians, 159 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:05,040 because if anybody's read 1st Corinthians, 160 00:11:05,190 --> 00:11:06,360 we know that's pretty heavy. 161 00:11:07,740 --> 00:11:09,700 He's answering chapter by chapter issues 162 00:11:09,790 --> 00:11:11,980 that are going on in the church, and it's heavy. 163 00:11:13,300 --> 00:11:15,360 So there's another letter in between, 164 00:11:15,580 --> 00:11:18,700 but by the time you get to about 50, 165 00:11:18,780 --> 00:11:25,700 56-57, now we're getting what would really be the third letter, but the second that we have here. 166 00:11:25,780 --> 00:11:26,840 Does that make sense? 167 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:27,200 Okay. 168 00:11:28,620 --> 00:11:37,960 So just that context, he is now writing this letter, and we're about 25 years after the death, barrel, and resurrection of Jesus. 169 00:11:39,300 --> 00:11:39,540 All right? 170 00:11:40,820 --> 00:11:48,240 So in chapter 10, he finds out, because Timothy has been over and back to him and let him know, hey, 171 00:11:48,680 --> 00:11:50,980 things are going really well, but we do have some issues. 172 00:11:52,180 --> 00:11:54,700 And one of the issues are these false teachers. 173 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:56,860 So what's going on with these guys? 174 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:01,400 In chapter 10, he opens up and he says in verse 1, 175 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:05,420 I Paul myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, 176 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:11,400 I who am meek when face to face with you, 177 00:12:11,540 --> 00:12:13,120 but bold toward you when absent. 178 00:12:14,060 --> 00:12:15,400 Is anybody else sitting here like that? 179 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:19,320 If I'm writing you a letter, a text, I'll let you have it. 180 00:12:19,380 --> 00:12:22,180 But if I'm face to face, I'm like, oh, well, okay. 181 00:12:22,900 --> 00:12:24,320 We're different, aren't we? 182 00:12:24,580 --> 00:12:25,520 So Paul's no different. 183 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:30,900 He deals with people one way, and he's maybe not good with conflict when he's face to face. 184 00:12:30,980 --> 00:12:34,660 But boy, when he's not, we find that this is something he opens up about. 185 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:43,660 Now, in Galatians, we know he stood Peter up and called him out publicly on his hypocrisy with the Jews and the Gentiles. 186 00:12:44,340 --> 00:12:46,720 But anyway, he just gives a little bit of insight to him. 187 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:48,560 But he's dealing with these false teachers. 188 00:12:49,560 --> 00:12:51,400 And when you look at it, go down to verse 12. 189 00:12:53,340 --> 00:12:55,500 And what does he say about these false teachers? 190 00:12:55,780 --> 00:13:02,140 Those who commend themselves and they measure themselves by themselves. 191 00:13:03,020 --> 00:13:06,020 Have you ever gotten in a group that's all about measuring themselves within themselves? 192 00:13:06,780 --> 00:13:08,700 Oh, I'm really something because I'm better than him. 193 00:13:09,700 --> 00:13:09,900 Right? 194 00:13:10,740 --> 00:13:13,060 But what happens when Christ is that standard? 195 00:13:14,340 --> 00:13:19,280 So one of the things we find out are these false apostles don't have Christ as a standard. 196 00:13:20,940 --> 00:13:21,940 Themselves are the standard. 197 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:24,140 Can churches get that way? 198 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:26,140 Can leadership get that way? 199 00:13:27,100 --> 00:13:27,240 Yeah. 200 00:13:27,900 --> 00:13:28,599 Scary, isn't it? 201 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:31,360 It gets better. 202 00:13:32,060 --> 00:13:32,840 Watch out what else. 203 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:35,700 So flip over, keep moving. 204 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:36,840 Look at the end of 10. 205 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:43,960 He says that in comparison, in 15, 206 00:13:43,980 --> 00:13:49,940 we're not boasting beyond our measure, or that is in other men's labors. 207 00:13:50,100 --> 00:13:54,440 In other words, these guys were comparing the works. 208 00:13:54,900 --> 00:13:57,580 These guys did this, but look how much greater we are. 209 00:13:58,020 --> 00:14:00,140 They would be comparing, not just themselves, 210 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:02,480 but they were looking at other works that were being done 211 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:05,860 and elevating themselves, but what's Paul say about himself. 212 00:14:06,420 --> 00:14:07,020 You know what? 213 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:07,980 He said, what we're doing? 214 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:12,560 But we're doing what we do with the hope that your faith grows. 215 00:14:13,700 --> 00:14:15,780 Somebody who's a false teacher is going to be about themselves. 216 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:16,940 They're going to elevate themselves. 217 00:14:17,100 --> 00:14:17,920 They want to have the power. 218 00:14:18,020 --> 00:14:19,440 They want to have the whatever. 219 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:24,760 But what you find is when you have somebody that's a Christ-centered leader, they're going 220 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:26,420 to lead to build you up. 221 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:28,080 They're going to lead to encourage you. 222 00:14:28,180 --> 00:14:32,820 They're going to lead to correct that we can be unified in Jesus Christ. 223 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:37,580 And that's what the correction constantly is with Paul when you read through his letters. 224 00:14:38,100 --> 00:14:42,160 Most of his letters are corrective, but they're corrective with a standard. 225 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:45,540 and that standard every time is the gospel, it's always Christ. 226 00:14:46,020 --> 00:14:47,660 That's not where these false teachers go. 227 00:14:48,180 --> 00:14:52,620 Look at chapter 11, go down to verse 3. 228 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:57,300 He warns him, he says, I'm afraid that as a serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, 229 00:14:57,900 --> 00:15:01,500 your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 230 00:15:02,180 --> 00:15:08,280 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus, a different spirit, a different gospel, 231 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:09,999 and that's exactly what they're doing. 232 00:15:11,540 --> 00:15:12,460 Now, here's the question. 233 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:16,500 As the body of Christ, can we discern a different spirit? 234 00:15:17,020 --> 00:15:18,780 Can we discern a different gospel? 235 00:15:19,300 --> 00:15:20,240 And are you with me? 236 00:15:21,210 --> 00:15:22,060 A different, can we? 237 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:28,640 Do we have the ability to know, nope, that is not biblically accurate. 238 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:31,040 Do we have that ability? 239 00:15:31,100 --> 00:15:32,080 And that's why we train. 240 00:15:33,060 --> 00:15:33,900 That's why we repeat. 241 00:15:34,060 --> 00:15:34,900 That's why we dig in. 242 00:15:34,980 --> 00:15:35,860 That's why we read. 243 00:15:36,380 --> 00:15:40,620 And that's why we constantly encourage you to read your scripture. 244 00:15:41,879 --> 00:15:47,300 dial in, read it yourself, commune with God, and have that personal time to do that. 245 00:15:47,900 --> 00:15:53,140 But in our consumer culture, it's really easy to come to church to be told what the Bible says, 246 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:54,360 then go out and live your life. 247 00:15:55,760 --> 00:16:00,400 Now, that doesn't mean you're trying to live a rebellious life, but let me ask you, 248 00:16:00,660 --> 00:16:04,980 if you're only living one time a week of getting a shot in the arm of truth, 249 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:10,320 but you don't dig into it, and it becomes who you are, and that's what discipline's all about, 250 00:16:10,420 --> 00:16:23,660 isn't it? Discipline leads to what? It becoming you. Then it becomes breathing. It's a habit. It's what you do. 251 00:16:25,500 --> 00:16:32,980 And so is that the process, is that progress, is that real in your life, that this is who we are? 252 00:16:35,380 --> 00:16:40,340 Christ is making us like him. And so here he is concerned about the, 253 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:44,160 these false teachers, correct in these guys, be careful, be careful, be careful. 254 00:16:44,420 --> 00:16:45,240 Please, please, please. 255 00:16:46,260 --> 00:16:47,500 They're preaching a different gospel. 256 00:16:47,900 --> 00:16:51,760 They're preaching, as I said, they're another Jesus and a different spirit. 257 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:53,340 And he's letting them know. 258 00:16:53,420 --> 00:16:54,820 And he goes on, he really digs in. 259 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:59,360 And one of the accusations against him, oh, he's not a real apostle. 260 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:01,140 Oh, he's not eloquent of speech. 261 00:17:01,300 --> 00:17:02,000 Oh, he's not. 262 00:17:02,780 --> 00:17:04,880 And all these guys were about was the bling. 263 00:17:04,959 --> 00:17:06,140 They looked good on the outside. 264 00:17:06,620 --> 00:17:08,760 They were very eloquent when they talked. 265 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:11,360 God. 266 00:17:15,699 --> 00:17:16,560 And he says, 267 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:20,020 verse 6, and he's a retort 268 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:22,819 versus the accusation that he's unskilled, 269 00:17:23,220 --> 00:17:25,980 even if I am unskilled in speech, 116, 270 00:17:27,360 --> 00:17:29,980 he says, yet I'm not so in knowledge, in fact, 271 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:33,160 in every way, we have made this evident to you in all things. 272 00:17:33,660 --> 00:17:38,740 He's going back to the FaceTime, the life on life 273 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:43,220 that he had with the Corinthians. If you want to evaluate, look at what those guys are doing, 274 00:17:43,580 --> 00:17:48,200 look at what they emphasize, look at what they teach, look at how they look, and then compare 275 00:17:48,700 --> 00:17:53,620 to how we acted among you. He even goes on to say, look, I didn't even ask anything from you. 276 00:17:54,240 --> 00:18:03,400 For me, I came and worked. He was a tentmaker, right? And then he gives a further warning in verse 13, 277 00:18:04,380 --> 00:18:11,120 for such men are false apostles, deceitful workers disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 278 00:18:12,020 --> 00:18:16,380 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as what? 279 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:19,040 An angel of light. 280 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:25,720 So for the average person in the room, if we have an angel of light and an angel of light, 281 00:18:26,220 --> 00:18:27,660 how do we know which one is which? 282 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:33,620 We better know the word. 283 00:18:36,540 --> 00:18:38,220 So Paul is putting this on the table. 284 00:18:39,900 --> 00:18:44,640 And he pulls out some things and he goes through the line of saying, as you finish out 11, 285 00:18:45,260 --> 00:18:47,220 are they Hebrews, so am I. 286 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:47,920 Are they Israelites? 287 00:18:48,300 --> 00:18:48,780 So am I. 288 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:49,960 Are they descendants of Abraham? 289 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:50,760 So am I. 290 00:18:50,860 --> 00:18:51,900 Are they servants of Christ? 291 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:53,580 I'm an insane man. 292 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:54,960 I far more. 293 00:18:55,020 --> 00:18:56,460 And then he goes into his experience. 294 00:18:57,120 --> 00:18:58,740 And we've talked about struggle and suffering. 295 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:01,860 If you want to do a little deep dive, look at verses 23. 296 00:19:02,500 --> 00:19:06,980 through the end, and you'll see how far Paul goes, talking about being stone and beaten with rods 297 00:19:07,670 --> 00:19:13,620 and shipwrecked and without food and naked, right? That's a big deal. And then he goes on, 298 00:19:13,980 --> 00:19:20,440 and then we pick up where our text is today in 2nd Corinthians 12. Are you ready? So watch what he 299 00:19:20,540 --> 00:19:28,160 goes on to say here. Boasting is necessary, though it's not profitable. These false apostles are 300 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,880 boasting about all. He goes, you know what? If you want the boasting game, I'll throw. 301 00:19:31,900 --> 00:19:39,000 one down for you. Watch this. He says, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 302 00:19:41,420 --> 00:19:47,880 Verse two, I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago, whether in the body I do not know or out of the 303 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:56,720 body I do not know, God knows such a man was caught up where? To the third heaven. Now let me ask you, 304 00:19:57,360 --> 00:20:01,860 what does that mean? So we have 305 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:07,620 The atmosphere here, you have space, the universe, outside of that. 306 00:20:07,780 --> 00:20:08,180 Guess what? 307 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:10,300 Presence of God. 308 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:12,700 So third heaven, that's one way to look at it. 309 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:16,940 So he knows a man that was caught to the presence of God. 310 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:18,880 Can you imagine? 311 00:20:20,300 --> 00:20:23,700 Can you even wrap your mind around what that would have been like to be in the very 312 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:24,380 presence of God? 313 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:25,900 And then he goes on. 314 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:31,840 He says, and I know how such a man, whether in the body or apart from the body, I 315 00:20:31,860 --> 00:20:36,900 do not know, God knows, was caught up into paradise. Now is paradise ring a bell? 316 00:20:38,660 --> 00:20:44,200 Who makes the statement about paradise? Jesus on the cross speaking to the thief. 317 00:20:44,500 --> 00:20:48,580 Today you'll be with me. Where? Paradise. So that's the presence of God. That's Jesus. 318 00:20:49,740 --> 00:20:55,260 Can you imagine? And we're talking about that in an eternal sense, in a reality sense of heaven. 319 00:20:56,120 --> 00:21:01,820 So third heaven, paradise. Again, let's be very careful. It was the Lord. 320 00:21:01,860 --> 00:21:05,080 Lord that took this guy to that place. 321 00:21:07,620 --> 00:21:08,720 Paul wasn't praying about it. 322 00:21:09,580 --> 00:21:13,140 Paul wasn't begging, oh, show me amazing things and give me, right? 323 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:14,140 It wasn't that. 324 00:21:15,140 --> 00:21:16,120 Not name it, claim it. 325 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:22,380 It was a move of God to take Paul to a place and God had a purpose. 326 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:25,040 Now, right now he says a man. 327 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:26,480 Who's he talking about? 328 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:28,380 He talking about himself, okay? 329 00:21:29,860 --> 00:21:30,520 And then he goes on. 330 00:21:31,020 --> 00:21:32,080 So caught up into paradise. 331 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:37,600 Now look at this, and heard inexpressible words which a man is not permitted to speak. 332 00:21:38,780 --> 00:21:41,980 Some of your scripture will say, unlawful to speak. 333 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:52,080 Now let me ask you in today's American church, if somebody had this kind of experience, what would follow that experience? 334 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:54,580 A book deal? 335 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:56,940 Right? 336 00:21:57,220 --> 00:21:58,080 A mini-series. 337 00:21:59,740 --> 00:22:05,520 Y'all with me, it's something that's really incredible to me how much we turn the gospel into 338 00:22:06,140 --> 00:22:11,460 personal gain or to power or to something, right? Now, I'm not saying we don't have, again, 339 00:22:12,340 --> 00:22:19,100 not to say we don't have testimony. But Paul says it's not even lawful to speak. And this is 340 00:22:19,120 --> 00:22:29,400 the only time we ever see him say anything about this. So then, verse five, on behalf of 341 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:35,480 of such a man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to what? 342 00:22:37,820 --> 00:22:38,440 What's the word? 343 00:22:39,700 --> 00:22:40,820 Infirmity or weakness. 344 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:44,920 How many of us pray for strength? 345 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:48,320 We pray for strength a lot, don't we? 346 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:56,180 When's the last time you were thankful for being weak? 347 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:01,600 So stay tuned. 348 00:23:04,660 --> 00:23:11,320 For if I do wish to boast, verse 6, I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth. 349 00:23:12,380 --> 00:23:20,860 But I refrain from this so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me. 350 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:25,880 There's something unique about the elevation of self versus humility. 351 00:23:27,020 --> 00:23:28,580 Paul talks about humility a lot. 352 00:23:28,690 --> 00:23:32,520 We don't have time to dig into all of it, but basically Philippians 2 dives into that. 353 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:36,060 And what is the pent-ultimate focus of humility? 354 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:42,200 Jesus, who has all the glory of heaven, equal with God, gives it up, puts on flesh, and dies a human. 355 00:23:44,860 --> 00:23:45,660 Ultimate humility. 356 00:23:48,540 --> 00:23:49,180 So verse 7. 357 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:55,860 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, plural, for this, 358 00:23:56,000 --> 00:24:03,200 reason to keep me from exalting myself. Do you have another word there in verse 7? 359 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:14,500 Exulting myself? If somebody exalts himself, what do we call them? Conceded or what? 360 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:22,940 Errigant. Right? We love those people, don't they? Have you ever been around a narcissist? There you go. 361 00:24:23,940 --> 00:24:24,240 Man. 362 00:24:24,980 --> 00:24:25,700 You talking about you? 363 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:26,400 Oh. 364 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:28,560 Narcissus. 365 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:31,280 Have you ever been around a one-upper? 366 00:24:32,940 --> 00:24:37,520 You got the amazing story how you fought the dragon and they fought five, right? 367 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:43,040 So what's the human condition? 368 00:24:43,980 --> 00:24:44,820 What's the default? 369 00:24:46,360 --> 00:24:47,720 We want to move to escalation. 370 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:50,580 We want to move to make sure people think well of us. 371 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:58,460 But as a believer, the Spirit of Christ being in us and us becoming like Him and God being at work in us, 372 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:00,880 what should it ultimately look like? 373 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:03,600 So here he has these phenomenal revelations. 374 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:11,560 And he says, because of these surpassing greatness of Revelation, verse 7, for this reason, 375 00:25:12,020 --> 00:25:17,400 to keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh. 376 00:25:19,140 --> 00:25:20,500 Now, stop there and look at me. 377 00:25:21,460 --> 00:25:23,420 Have you ever done a study on the thorn in the flesh? 378 00:25:25,780 --> 00:25:30,500 I've read tons of commentaries on it, and you want to know what we hear most time about 379 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:31,280 thorn in the flesh? 380 00:25:32,300 --> 00:25:32,780 Anybody know? 381 00:25:34,060 --> 00:25:34,700 We don't know. 382 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:38,520 Bad eyesight, diminutive, he can't speak well. 383 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:42,480 We have all these things that are put into the context. 384 00:25:43,460 --> 00:25:49,140 Now, if you and I are going to wonder what the thorn in the flesh is, what's most necessary? 385 00:25:50,780 --> 00:25:51,100 You ready? 386 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:51,800 Two words. 387 00:25:52,900 --> 00:25:53,800 Keep reading. 388 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:55,860 Okay? 389 00:25:57,140 --> 00:26:00,060 He's going to tell us exactly what that thorn in the flesh is. 390 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:01,440 But here's the reality. 391 00:26:01,940 --> 00:26:03,540 Nobody likes to deal with this. 392 00:26:04,380 --> 00:26:06,420 Nobody wants to wrestle with this reality. 393 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:08,020 That's why it's so difficult. 394 00:26:09,220 --> 00:26:10,260 A thorn in the flesh. 395 00:26:10,260 --> 00:26:10,800 You see it? 396 00:26:11,740 --> 00:26:16,580 A thorn in the flesh given to me a, what's the next word? 397 00:26:17,660 --> 00:26:20,600 Messenger of Satan to do what? 398 00:26:21,900 --> 00:26:23,120 Buffett or torment? 399 00:26:24,220 --> 00:26:26,160 You look up the Greek term for Buffett? 400 00:26:26,420 --> 00:26:27,620 You want to know what it says? 401 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,480 To strike with the fist. 402 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,180 Have you ever heard a fist hit a human face? 403 00:26:40,100 --> 00:26:41,960 Have you ever heard a fist hit a human body? 404 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:44,060 That is a unique feel. 405 00:26:44,540 --> 00:26:50,440 That is the term he gives to this messenger of Satan's power and influence on him. 406 00:26:52,980 --> 00:26:59,080 a thorn in the flesh was given to me a messenger of satan to buff it torment me 407 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:12,560 whoa now wait a minute where did this messenger come from go back and read it where did it come from 408 00:27:14,140 --> 00:27:14,840 came from God. 409 00:27:15,660 --> 00:27:16,840 It was given to me. 410 00:27:18,020 --> 00:27:22,700 What was the purpose of this messenger of Satan to torment? 411 00:27:22,900 --> 00:27:23,620 What's the purpose? 412 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:25,320 Verse 7, what's it say? 413 00:27:26,220 --> 00:27:32,540 To keep me from being arrogant, conceited, exalting myself. 414 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:35,380 Can I tell you? 415 00:27:36,300 --> 00:27:37,860 I love exalting myself. 416 00:27:41,500 --> 00:27:42,140 I'm a coach. 417 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:45,800 I'm a drummer, I'm a this, I'm a that, I'm an All-American, right? 418 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:50,060 So when me and my wife get into it, I just got a reminder I'm an All-American. 419 00:27:53,060 --> 00:27:53,480 Fixes it. 420 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:56,980 Ladies, aren't you impressed? 421 00:27:59,100 --> 00:27:59,440 Let's call? 422 00:28:01,340 --> 00:28:02,280 We're really good at it. 423 00:28:03,420 --> 00:28:07,580 But what's interesting is, I'm really good at it, but I despise other people who are. 424 00:28:07,660 --> 00:28:08,160 Isn't that odd? 425 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:12,820 Anyway, are you catching on to this? 426 00:28:13,860 --> 00:28:14,500 Is this easy? 427 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:17,200 I'm going to be honest with you, man. 428 00:28:17,460 --> 00:28:19,200 I struggle with this. 429 00:28:19,860 --> 00:28:25,860 So to keep Paul from being arrogant, wait a minute, about the revelations that God gave to him, 430 00:28:26,340 --> 00:28:29,140 now he's going to turn a demon loose on him to keep him humble. 431 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:33,160 How would you deal with that? 432 00:28:33,740 --> 00:28:40,120 What would be your response if you got a demon turned loose on you to keep you from being arrogant? 433 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:42,840 on your knees and pray 434 00:28:43,740 --> 00:28:44,920 how else would we deal with it 435 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:46,940 I'd be angry 436 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:48,980 I'd be asking questions 437 00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:51,440 I would be wondering what's going on 438 00:28:52,460 --> 00:28:54,260 any other way that we would deal with it 439 00:28:55,540 --> 00:28:57,260 let's be honest in our day and time 440 00:28:58,140 --> 00:29:00,540 and looking through history how many people would turn 441 00:29:00,660 --> 00:29:02,760 to drugs or alcohol 442 00:29:05,860 --> 00:29:06,700 turn to something 443 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:10,100 that would be even more so tormenting 444 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:13,960 So he says, 445 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:19,080 A messenger of Satan to torment me, 446 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:25,060 to keep me from exalting myself or being conceited or arrogant. 447 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:27,160 Verse 8. 448 00:29:28,260 --> 00:29:33,600 Concerning this, I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 449 00:29:35,100 --> 00:29:35,240 Yeah. 450 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:38,780 Let me ask you, what do you think that prayer look like? 451 00:29:40,180 --> 00:29:42,160 what do you think that sounded like 452 00:29:44,220 --> 00:29:46,140 you think Paul was like man I'm really bummed 453 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:49,140 you know like if you could take this away it'd be great 454 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:52,200 can you imagine how deep 455 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:55,620 has Paul dealt with some stuff 456 00:29:57,020 --> 00:29:58,240 now let's put it in perspective 457 00:29:58,940 --> 00:30:01,400 because he's writing this letter ballpark 458 00:30:02,140 --> 00:30:06,240 56 AD how long ago was it that he was caught up 459 00:30:06,420 --> 00:30:06,960 into heaven 460 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:09,660 14 years ago. 461 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:11,060 He says it right off the bat. 462 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:12,120 You remember that in verse 1? 463 00:30:12,580 --> 00:30:15,640 I know a man 14 years ago that was caught up into the third heaven. 464 00:30:16,700 --> 00:30:22,260 So about 42 AD, this is early on in his ministry, if you put it in perspective. 465 00:30:24,900 --> 00:30:26,400 He gets these amazing revelations. 466 00:30:26,980 --> 00:30:28,460 Then he has a demon turn loose on him. 467 00:30:28,820 --> 00:30:29,960 He's imploring the Lord. 468 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:32,240 Has he had some throw-down prayers with God before? 469 00:30:33,300 --> 00:30:36,680 Yeah, because he's been stoned and left for dead. 470 00:30:37,340 --> 00:30:44,500 drug out of the city. He's been beat with rods. He has been chased down like a dog, just so the enemy would 471 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:50,140 shut his mouth because he preached the gospel and preached the truth. This guy has experienced 472 00:30:50,740 --> 00:31:00,580 some amazing stuff, thrown in jail simply because he spoke the truth. So he begs God, he implores, 473 00:31:01,220 --> 00:31:06,520 he pleads with God three times. Now, what's your expectation? 474 00:31:06,540 --> 00:31:07,920 when you ask God for something. 475 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:16,820 That will be done, I hope, is our consistent position 476 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:19,620 that God, at the end of everything, 477 00:31:19,860 --> 00:31:23,220 I want to see your work be done through me. 478 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:27,040 Whatever that means, whatever that impact is. 479 00:31:27,820 --> 00:31:29,400 Now, we could go a long way into this 480 00:31:29,580 --> 00:31:30,840 because if you look into Isaiah, 481 00:31:31,580 --> 00:31:33,340 most people know Isaiah chapter 6. 482 00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:35,480 He sees the Lord high and lift it up, 483 00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:42,080 train fills the temple, smoke, cherub, or seraphim are there, and in the presence, he confesses. 484 00:31:42,660 --> 00:31:46,460 Does anybody remember what the Lord tells him to go speak to the people? 485 00:31:47,060 --> 00:31:47,200 Right? 486 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:49,480 Because God says, who will go for us? 487 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:53,840 And Isaiah says, here I am, Lord, me, I'll go. 488 00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:55,560 Now, we know that. 489 00:31:56,300 --> 00:31:58,080 Do you know what God tells him to go say? 490 00:31:58,960 --> 00:31:59,500 Anybody remember? 491 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:03,700 Go speak to the people that they won't hear. 492 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:06,260 Go speak to the people that they won't understand. 493 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:11,140 Go speak to the people that they won't discern and turn and be healed. 494 00:32:13,160 --> 00:32:13,860 Uh, what? 495 00:32:16,420 --> 00:32:16,900 Time out. 496 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:19,180 I thought the Word of God was for salvation. 497 00:32:19,420 --> 00:32:23,280 I thought the Word of God was in order to do whatever you and I think it ought to do, 498 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:24,620 because we know better than God. 499 00:32:24,940 --> 00:32:30,280 But God had a purpose in that word, which is fulfilled in Jesus during his time in John 12. 500 00:32:30,780 --> 00:32:34,440 Then Paul brings it into perspective in Acts 28. 501 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:36,680 Go speak that they won't believe. 502 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:40,860 How many of us consider that the Word of God, 503 00:32:41,820 --> 00:32:44,440 part of the purpose God has for is that people won't believe? 504 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:47,100 That's a hard one, isn't it? 505 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:50,520 But here's what we do know. 506 00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:53,160 What's Isaiah 55 say about the Word of God? 507 00:32:53,900 --> 00:32:57,540 When it goes out, it will not return void. 508 00:32:58,640 --> 00:32:58,940 Why? 509 00:32:59,940 --> 00:33:03,160 Because it will accomplish that which God sin it. 510 00:33:04,820 --> 00:33:10,660 So you and I can absolutely bank that when the word of God goes out, it will do exactly what God said. 511 00:33:11,940 --> 00:33:13,820 It will accomplish his purpose. 512 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:16,280 Not yours and mine. 513 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:20,220 That's an amazing thing. 514 00:33:20,740 --> 00:33:21,940 But we've got to wrestle with these things. 515 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:22,720 These aren't easy. 516 00:33:24,380 --> 00:33:26,800 So we need to be careful that we're not arrogant in our own right. 517 00:33:28,880 --> 00:33:30,200 And so, let's see what happens here. 518 00:33:30,500 --> 00:33:31,860 So he prays and he begs God. 519 00:33:32,580 --> 00:33:34,500 Does God say yes because he prayed three times? 520 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:37,700 Does God say yes because he had a certain posture? 521 00:33:38,500 --> 00:33:40,340 Does God say yes just because he's Paul? 522 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:42,460 Does God fix the situation? 523 00:33:43,300 --> 00:33:43,800 Just, you all with me? 524 00:33:44,440 --> 00:33:45,160 Let's see what happens. 525 00:33:48,060 --> 00:33:52,460 Concerning his thing, verse 8, I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 526 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:53,320 Verse 9. 527 00:33:54,420 --> 00:33:56,420 And he said to me, quote, 528 00:33:58,100 --> 00:34:05,100 My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. 529 00:34:06,320 --> 00:34:12,980 Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ 530 00:34:13,940 --> 00:34:15,659 may dwell in me. 531 00:34:18,620 --> 00:34:19,240 How are we doing? 532 00:34:23,720 --> 00:34:27,600 Are there some things that are going on in our lives that we don't have an answer for? 533 00:34:27,620 --> 00:34:37,540 for? Can we agree that God is at work? Can we come to this position to say, okay, God, if you're at work 534 00:34:37,540 --> 00:34:43,899 and you're doing this, I'm going to trust you. Because when I'm weak, what's he going on to say? 535 00:34:44,860 --> 00:34:54,980 Ten, therefore, I am well, what's the word? Content with weakness, with insults. Ooh, are you content with 536 00:34:55,000 --> 00:35:03,160 insults? Husbands, wives, do you have kids? You have neighbors? You ever been to church? 537 00:35:06,580 --> 00:35:09,200 We aren't very nice to one another, and that's a sad day. 538 00:35:13,100 --> 00:35:19,460 So here's Paul's position after praying and dealing with this torment of the demonic. 539 00:35:20,740 --> 00:35:24,960 Therefore, I am well content with weakness, with insults, with deceit. With deceit. 540 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:34,240 stress, with persecution, with difficulty. Why, Paul? For Christ's sake, for when I am weak, 541 00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:41,620 I am strong. When's the last time you were okay with weakness? 542 00:35:45,980 --> 00:35:53,400 Parents, do we struggle with our kids? Is that a point of weakness? How about when we deal with 543 00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:57,320 one another in the body. How about when we deal with other denominations? How 544 00:35:57,420 --> 00:36:05,520 we deal with our coworkers or our bosses or we deal with our neighbors? Let me tell you, 545 00:36:05,660 --> 00:36:10,400 this is something very, very unique because this is something the Lord is at work in his life 546 00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:16,920 doing, to bring humility, to bring a dependence. What are the false teachers doing? 547 00:36:17,240 --> 00:36:23,380 Exalting self, power, control, manipulation. What is it that God is at work? And this is 548 00:36:23,420 --> 00:36:27,200 one of the most impactful leadership we have in all the Bible. 549 00:36:27,700 --> 00:36:30,960 13 letters of the New Testament come from Paul. 550 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:34,700 Most of them have to deal with some correction of some sort. 551 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:40,700 And you're dealing with a man who's not looking to be number one. 552 00:36:41,140 --> 00:36:43,360 He's not looking to be the power guy. 553 00:36:43,780 --> 00:36:45,980 He's not looking for manipulation and control. 554 00:36:46,580 --> 00:36:53,360 He's looking to edify everybody in the body to be submitted and committed and devoted, born 555 00:36:54,080 --> 00:37:03,180 spirit-driven, truth-based, right? You with me? And to always look for others betterment than your own. 556 00:37:05,940 --> 00:37:10,980 Now what would happen if we were committed to that? What would the body of Christ look like? 557 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:22,680 I don't care if I get mine, but if you grow, I'm celebrating. If you deal with the struggle and I can be there with you to pray with you, 558 00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:27,220 encourage with you and watch you come on the other side and watch God take you to another level, 559 00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:33,120 I have no greater joy than to see you grow in your faith. If you're around a tribe like that, 560 00:37:33,500 --> 00:37:40,300 can you imagine what that team will be like? That we celebrate each others, weaknesses, pains, 561 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:46,420 tribulations, because what do we know? When you're in the middle of that, what's God doing? 562 00:37:48,080 --> 00:37:52,700 Anybody know? Second Corinthians 1, 3 and 4. Go over there. This is where we'll land. 563 00:37:52,720 --> 00:37:52,980 land. 564 00:37:57,060 --> 00:37:58,840 Second Corinthians, one, three, and four. 565 00:38:01,740 --> 00:38:14,280 Blessed be the God of mercies, the God of all comfort, who comforts us when? 566 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:17,220 Second Corinthians, one, three, and four. 567 00:38:18,180 --> 00:38:19,920 God who comforts us when? 568 00:38:21,380 --> 00:38:22,380 How many tribulations? 569 00:38:24,020 --> 00:38:24,480 all of them. 570 00:38:25,820 --> 00:38:26,440 Are you there with me? 571 00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:27,260 Is this landing? 572 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:31,600 Because I guarantee you, we all raise our hand at first. 573 00:38:31,840 --> 00:38:33,520 Everybody's got a struggle of some sort. 574 00:38:34,820 --> 00:38:37,920 But when we get to these trials, what is it that is promised right here? 575 00:38:38,480 --> 00:38:41,040 That God comforts us in those trials. 576 00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:45,780 I have to know that at the same time he's comforting me, he's comforting you too. 577 00:38:47,280 --> 00:38:48,220 Is that important to know? 578 00:38:49,500 --> 00:38:52,360 Or are we so self-centered that we don't even consider what someone's 579 00:38:52,380 --> 00:38:56,440 somebody else is dealing with. We don't even consider that somebody else is in that run. 580 00:38:58,380 --> 00:39:04,300 Pain, tribulation, trial. You'll with me? So, blessed be the Father of Mercy, is the God of 581 00:39:04,340 --> 00:39:10,300 all comfort, who comforts us in all of our trials, tribulations. Are there any other words in the 582 00:39:10,420 --> 00:39:19,420 scripture there? Trial, tribulation, afflictions, good term, affliction. How many of us are lining up 583 00:39:19,460 --> 00:39:26,160 for that. Well, you don't have to line up for it because we're all dealing with it. So it didn't, 584 00:39:26,400 --> 00:39:33,560 if it comes, it's that it comes. Amen? And we need to understand that. You're not unique because 585 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:41,640 you're in pain or having some affliction. It may not be, uh, uh, God is taking you to heaven and 586 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:45,540 having that kind of a deal and then busting you so you're not arrogant. We may not be dealing 587 00:39:45,560 --> 00:39:51,340 with that, but if we're able to put it across the board that all of us who are in pain, 588 00:39:51,680 --> 00:39:54,100 affliction, and trials, what is God's promise? 589 00:39:54,600 --> 00:39:55,520 He is doing what? 590 00:39:57,040 --> 00:39:57,780 Comforting us. 591 00:39:59,020 --> 00:40:00,060 But does it stop there? 592 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:05,640 Do I get to come up and boast about the fact, oh, God comforted me in this XYZ. 593 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:07,420 God comforted me in XYZ. 594 00:40:07,900 --> 00:40:12,260 Then you got people that are sitting out here going, well, I don't feel like I've been comforted. 595 00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:13,180 What's wrong with me? 596 00:40:13,400 --> 00:40:14,160 Have you ever felt that? 597 00:40:15,640 --> 00:40:20,540 Have you ever heard somebody get up here and wax eloquently and do all the thing and it doesn't really jive with your run? 598 00:40:21,780 --> 00:40:25,360 And you're going, well, something must be wrong with me. 599 00:40:25,480 --> 00:40:26,760 I'm not experiencing that. 600 00:40:26,860 --> 00:40:27,720 I haven't understood it. 601 00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:28,840 I haven't seen that. 602 00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:30,900 I prayed that way and it didn't happen for me. 603 00:40:32,760 --> 00:40:33,220 Everybody with me? 604 00:40:36,040 --> 00:40:36,900 That's a divider. 605 00:40:39,060 --> 00:40:41,420 That's a devastating thing for the body of Christ. 606 00:40:42,080 --> 00:40:44,200 That's why we need scriptures to put it in a right. 607 00:40:44,220 --> 00:40:50,960 right place. God is comforting in the trial, tribulation, and affliction. What's the next word that 608 00:40:51,080 --> 00:41:01,740 comes after that? So that, yes? So that we who have been what? Keep reading in your scriptures, 609 00:41:01,890 --> 00:41:13,520 2 Corinthians, 1, 3, and 4. He comforts us so that we may comfort others with what? The same comfort 610 00:41:13,700 --> 00:41:14,460 we got from God. 611 00:41:15,580 --> 00:41:20,420 And what is it that Paul's doing throughout all of his journeys, throughout all of his letters? 612 00:41:21,480 --> 00:41:27,400 He's simply giving that gospel, that right lens by which we need to walk through this world. 613 00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:33,060 And if we don't have that lens of truth, if we don't have the God of comfort, and that's why, again, 614 00:41:33,100 --> 00:41:34,280 I'm going to put this on the table. 615 00:41:34,280 --> 00:41:36,500 I think we need to be really careful about how we pray. 616 00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:41,000 Because as a believer, where does the Holy Spirit dwell? 617 00:41:41,680 --> 00:41:43,240 When I come to church, he shows up. 618 00:41:44,980 --> 00:41:46,400 As a believer, where's the Holy Spirit? 619 00:41:47,700 --> 00:41:49,540 In me, I am the tabernacle. 620 00:41:50,360 --> 00:41:52,300 I am the church everywhere I go. 621 00:41:52,460 --> 00:41:53,660 So are you if you're born again. 622 00:41:55,740 --> 00:41:59,340 So to pray, hey God, I pray you'll be with me today. 623 00:42:01,700 --> 00:42:02,400 Is that a good prayer? 624 00:42:04,500 --> 00:42:05,760 I'm going to raise my hand and say no. 625 00:42:08,240 --> 00:42:09,340 Because he's already with you. 626 00:42:10,900 --> 00:42:12,040 I think the prayer ought to be. 627 00:42:12,960 --> 00:42:17,580 Thank you, Father, that you're with me and you've begun the good work. 628 00:42:18,020 --> 00:42:22,120 There's nothing coming my way that I'm going to face alone. 629 00:42:23,020 --> 00:42:23,560 Everybody with me? 630 00:42:24,880 --> 00:42:25,560 Is that important? 631 00:42:27,120 --> 00:42:31,380 Because if something does blow you up, if we're not careful and we're not Bible-driven, 632 00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:37,580 then we're going to assume something came on me and God was over here doing something else. 633 00:42:40,440 --> 00:42:41,540 Oh, what? 634 00:42:42,440 --> 00:42:43,240 What happened to you? 635 00:42:43,680 --> 00:42:44,240 Tell me more. 636 00:42:46,300 --> 00:42:49,880 We have a God who's present with us in the pain, in the trial, in the affliction. 637 00:42:51,200 --> 00:42:51,820 But what's he doing? 638 00:42:53,160 --> 00:43:00,480 He's working in and through that to comfort us, to grow us, grow our faith, make us like Jesus so that we can do what? 639 00:43:01,180 --> 00:43:02,100 Help others on the journey. 640 00:43:03,680 --> 00:43:05,660 It never just ends here, does it? 641 00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:10,080 How many of us are guilty of it ending just? 642 00:43:10,100 --> 00:43:10,440 here. 643 00:43:12,160 --> 00:43:12,640 Everybody with me? 644 00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:16,360 If I have a God who's begun the good work, 645 00:43:16,740 --> 00:43:17,840 I know he's continuing it. 646 00:43:18,200 --> 00:43:20,160 There's nothing coming my way that I face alone. 647 00:43:22,120 --> 00:43:23,380 And that's what Paul learns here. 648 00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:26,000 So what's the first term that said? 649 00:43:27,620 --> 00:43:28,640 My grace is what? 650 00:43:29,940 --> 00:43:31,480 Okay, so let's do a word study. 651 00:43:32,520 --> 00:43:33,760 What does sufficient mean? 652 00:43:38,060 --> 00:43:40,060 Did you know that it carries with it 653 00:43:40,080 --> 00:43:41,500 place of strength by definition? 654 00:43:43,880 --> 00:43:44,880 It's a phenomenal thing. 655 00:43:46,740 --> 00:43:48,480 For when I am weak, then I am strong. 656 00:43:48,740 --> 00:43:48,960 What? 657 00:43:50,320 --> 00:43:52,500 The Bible's full of those paradoxes, right? 658 00:43:54,140 --> 00:43:55,820 That if I humble myself, I'm exalted. 659 00:43:56,980 --> 00:43:59,020 If I want strength, I got to be weak. 660 00:43:59,520 --> 00:44:01,360 And we go through, there's dozens of them in the scripture. 661 00:44:06,160 --> 00:44:07,920 So another question is we close. 662 00:44:10,320 --> 00:44:13,580 is it true in your life that the grace of God is it? 663 00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:18,640 Am I satisfied? 664 00:44:19,600 --> 00:44:22,160 Am I content with the death, 665 00:44:22,420 --> 00:44:24,900 barrel, and resurrection and ascension of Jesus? 666 00:44:27,160 --> 00:44:31,240 And I live my life because I know the journey is not done. 667 00:44:31,520 --> 00:44:31,780 Why? 668 00:44:32,300 --> 00:44:33,020 He's coming back. 669 00:44:34,440 --> 00:44:35,680 So what's that mean for you and me? 670 00:44:36,220 --> 00:44:36,740 More trial. 671 00:44:37,380 --> 00:44:37,820 More pain. 672 00:44:38,580 --> 00:44:42,980 more affliction, that God will comfort, that we can comfort others, that I will grow to become 673 00:44:43,140 --> 00:44:49,720 more like Jesus Christ, and I will help others do the same thing. And guess what? That's where unity comes. 674 00:44:52,860 --> 00:44:58,160 You want a body that's unified? Then you get everybody that is a born-again believer dialed in 675 00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:04,120 and absolutely committed to the journey to know that God is always with you, working in and through, 676 00:45:04,940 --> 00:45:07,300 building you to be just like Christ. 677 00:45:09,180 --> 00:45:11,020 So when another brother or sister is down, 678 00:45:11,940 --> 00:45:13,800 I'm happy to come alongside, say, 679 00:45:13,810 --> 00:45:15,680 I know exactly what you're dealing with. 680 00:45:16,840 --> 00:45:17,960 I can understand weakness. 681 00:45:19,400 --> 00:45:20,320 I can understand pain. 682 00:45:20,640 --> 00:45:21,080 Make sense? 683 00:45:23,820 --> 00:45:26,520 And so as we finish out, 684 00:45:26,900 --> 00:45:28,520 obviously there's a lot that we can say about that. 685 00:45:29,340 --> 00:45:33,600 Because there's going to be a lot of different personal journeys. 686 00:45:37,480 --> 00:45:42,940 and it's not always easy to speak to everybody's journey but I do encourage you if there's a place 687 00:45:43,080 --> 00:45:49,500 there where you're struggling we go to the Lord go to others have people pray for you have 688 00:45:49,680 --> 00:45:56,340 people you trust that can build you up encourage you and make that connection and we're going to 689 00:45:56,440 --> 00:45:59,960 have prayer time right now I'm going to have we're going to close just with the song that we can 690 00:45:59,980 --> 00:46:04,540 seeing together. If you're working through some of this and you just want to, maybe it's that 691 00:46:04,720 --> 00:46:11,460 place where you draw that line and say, okay, enough, I, I have a place to go now. I know that 692 00:46:11,560 --> 00:46:17,280 God has comforted me. He wants to comfort me. Am I accepting that comfort? Another question, 693 00:46:17,590 --> 00:46:23,740 am I born again? Do I have a true relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ? Have I believed, 694 00:46:25,719 --> 00:46:29,940 absolutely, that Jesus, have I confessed, Jesus is Lord? I believe in my heart that God 695 00:46:29,960 --> 00:46:35,180 raised him from the dead the third day. Do I have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ? 696 00:46:36,220 --> 00:46:43,040 If you don't today, if the Lord is drawing you to say, trust me, trust me, then trust him today. 697 00:46:44,360 --> 00:46:48,780 Confess him, believe him. And if you're a born again believer and you're struggling, 698 00:46:49,780 --> 00:46:55,440 then come on up. Prayer team, come on up. And we're going to have our song here. Buster, thank you, 699 00:46:55,560 --> 00:46:58,200 sir. Let's pray. Father, thank you for 700 00:47:00,480 --> 00:47:03,140 helping us dig into a place it's really not easy. 701 00:47:05,340 --> 00:47:07,100 And it might be that some of us are there 702 00:47:07,940 --> 00:47:09,640 that we're in a struggling place, 703 00:47:10,320 --> 00:47:12,220 not because anybody else did anything wrong 704 00:47:12,230 --> 00:47:13,940 or not because I did anything wrong. 705 00:47:14,340 --> 00:47:18,760 It's just a place that you have brought us to. 706 00:47:18,960 --> 00:47:23,040 And so it's absolutely right to pray about it 707 00:47:23,040 --> 00:47:24,340 and see what's going on. 708 00:47:25,040 --> 00:47:27,320 And yet, if it is a grace is sufficient, 709 00:47:27,460 --> 00:47:33,160 if it is a weakness thing that we're not able to deal with or be okay with, 710 00:47:33,440 --> 00:47:36,280 that we would be able to call that what it is too. 711 00:47:38,900 --> 00:47:42,840 But having the promise that overarches any trial or affliction, 712 00:47:43,720 --> 00:47:46,180 that you comfort us so that we can comfort others, 713 00:47:47,040 --> 00:47:48,280 that we wouldn't be a black hole, 714 00:47:48,380 --> 00:47:51,240 we wouldn't be a Dead Sea type of person, 715 00:47:51,400 --> 00:47:55,860 but that as you are working, we then have an opportunity to work in others. 716 00:47:56,080 --> 00:47:58,500 from a biblical understanding, 717 00:47:59,200 --> 00:48:00,600 we then are able to understand 718 00:48:00,780 --> 00:48:02,720 that you're always at work in and through us. 719 00:48:05,600 --> 00:48:08,980 And that even evil or pain or trial 720 00:48:10,260 --> 00:48:11,480 doesn't mean you're not there. 721 00:48:11,700 --> 00:48:14,100 That may be the deepest reality 722 00:48:14,680 --> 00:48:17,160 of what's going on that proves your presence. 723 00:48:20,760 --> 00:48:24,440 So thank you for allowing us to wrestle with this today, 724 00:48:25,340 --> 00:48:32,140 to begin a journey to really dig in and look at how it is, I can understand that and apply that 725 00:48:32,940 --> 00:48:37,980 and trust and know that you haven't missed one breath or heartbeat in our lives. 726 00:48:39,120 --> 00:48:46,140 So as we pray together, as we fellowship and go our way, let us go with the absolute certainty 727 00:48:46,940 --> 00:48:52,380 that there is not one thing this week that we're going to face alone because you are with us. 728 00:48:52,560 --> 00:48:53,160 And we thank you. 729 00:48:53,340 --> 00:48:55,100 All God's people say, amen. 730 00:48:55,160 --> 00:48:57,120 Amen, amen. All right, let's stand and sing.