Paul's Epistles - 2 Corinthians
Part 17 – Paul’s Sufferings
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org
| www.TruthDigest.org
INTRODUCTION
Paul's second letter to the church in Corinth began
with letting the church know that Paul was happy to hear that the church had
received and responded correctly to his first letter.
Remembering James
5:19, 20 " My
brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone
should bring that person back, 20 remember
this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from
death and cover over a multitude of sins."
Paul explained why he didn't visit them and that he
was pleased they had responded well to his first letter, even though not all
had repented.
Last week we looked at Paul encouraging the church to
allow the offender of incest return to the congregation, because he had truly
repented and turned away from his sin, therefore he had been forgiven. Paul
said that his punishment by the church forcing him to leave the congregation
was enough, and that since he had repented and was forgiven, they must allow
him back.
Paul reminded them that it was not that long ago, they
too were not living as God wanted them, and they repented, and were forgiven by
Paul.
Paul reminds the church in Corinth, and us as well,
that forgiveness to those who have repented is essential, not only because we
are commanded to do so by Christ, but because when we forgive, we keep Satan
from having a way to outwit us.
Satan will use our unforgiveness as a weapon against
us in his schemes.
As long as we have unforgiveness against someone who
has repented, we are being disobedient to the Lord, which in turn allows a
foothold for Satan to work against us.
Satan is always looking for an area of our lives where
we are being disobedient, which allows him room to work his schemes against us.
Last week Paul spoke about the False Apostle, this
week about his sufferings.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE II Corinthians 11:16-33
16 I repeat: Let no one
take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a
fool, so that I may do a little boasting. 17 In
this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a
fool. 18 Since many are boasting in the way the
world does, I too will boast. 19 You gladly
put up with fools since you are so wise! 20 In
fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or
takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21 To
my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!
Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also
dare to boast about. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am
I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So
am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am
out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been
in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been
exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I
received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three
times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three
times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I
have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger
from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in
danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in
danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and
toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst
and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides
everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the
churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel
weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
30 If I must boast, I will
boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The
God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised
forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 In
Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded
in order to arrest me. 33 But I was lowered in a
basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.
Paul as well as his ministry of the Gospel was
under attack.
Paul proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he
was not only a true Apostle, but his accusers were actually false Apostles.
Paul now does something he said in verse 17
which is “not speaking as the Lord would.”, or rather, having to boast about
his sufferings as evidence of God’s providence on Paul’s life.
Boasting is not something Paul wants to do here,
but feels is necessary to end this foolish talk about him not being an Apostle,
not being in God’s favor, or not doing the lord’s work.
I.
PAUL’S DEFENSE
a. Let no man think I am a fool,
but as a fool receive me that I may boast a little
i. Paul was embarrassed he had to
boast about himself
ii. He felt the proof
he gave was enough to defend his apostleship and ministry, however, he wanted
to put an end to any doubt
iii. Paul states this
isn’t what the Lord would want (boasting), but it was permitted in this case to
deal the Corinthians and Paul’s accusers
b. Vs 18 Since many were boasting the way the world does, I will too
i. Paul does this because this was
the way they were judging him as a false apostle
ii. So Paul took their
attacks, and proved they were wrong by their own standards
iii. Although this may
appear petty, or as if he were attacking his accusers, he was actually
answering their claims against him, and then completing their inquiry by
submitting his sufferings as proof
1. The proof was his ministry was continuously attacked by Satan, yet,
Paul always survived because he was called by God and Paul’s ministry would not
be stopped.
c. Paul says in vs 19
i. You gladly put up with fools
since you are so wise
1. The Corinthians had allowed false teachings to enter the church because they felt they were more spiritual
and wise than Paul
2. We see traces of Gnosticism, as well as false teachings considering Old
Testament Laws, etc.
ii. You put up with
anyone who enslaves you
1. They allowed the leaders of the church to add unbiblical laws and rules
on them, which Paul reveals in I Corinthians was one of the causes to all of
the sexually immoral behavior which was taking place.
2. This was brought about by the false apostles, not only in Corinth, but
anywhere else they were allowed to intrude.
iii. and you put up with
those who exploit you or take advantage of you
1. The Gnostics were trying to take over the Corinthian church because of
their wealth of material on monetary goods.
2. We see this in I Corinthians as
well when Paul addresses some of the Gnostic teachings in the Corinthian church
in his first letter addressing the false teachings about Jesus not actually
going to the cross and dying.
iv. if a man exalts
himself
1. The false apostles exalted themselves, not Christ
v. if a man slaps you in the face
1. The false apostles were treating the people with little respect, as if
they slapped them in the face.
II. To
my shame I admit that we were too weak for
that!
a. LIT - “in reference to dishonor I speak, how that we were weak, and in
whatever anyone was bold - in foolishness I say it - I am also bold.”
i. In other words, The accusers say I am weak and
they are bold, I say I am bold!
ii. Paul’s first letter
to the Corinthian church shows boldness
1. However his accusers stated Paul would be weak and not bold at all in
person.
2. They claimed his words were empty and his character was weak in person.
iii. Remember, Paul
warned, “I will be as bold in person as I was in letter, I hope I do not have
to be, but I will be when I arrive.”
b. They say they are these things,
so am I
i. Are they Hebrews? Are they
Israelites? Are they Abraham’s descendants? Are they servants of Christ?
ii. Am I crazy to even
ask such a question?
c. We are both these things, but I
am more!
i. I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty
lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been
in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in
danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known
hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
ii. His
accusers, the false apostles, could not lay claim to any of these things.
iii. They were simply
there to push Paul and the true Gospel of Christ out of the Corinthian church,
and take it over with their false teachings, so that they could control the
people, their materials and money.
iv. This is the goal of
every religion...
1. The reason the Lord is against religion and religious leaders.
2. The teachers of the Law had become a religion as opposed to what God
asked of them, to be the conduit between Him and His people until the Savior
arrived.
III.
PAUL IS LABOR COVERED IN DANGER WITH THE CONCERN FOR THE CHURCH ON TOP
a. As if all that was against Paul
was not enough
i. He brings to light the fact
that he can hardly sleep at night because of the state of the churches founded
in the Lord
ii. He faced daily
concern for them.
iii. All of the churches
which had been planted needed constant supervision, which was painfully
obvious.
1. Many of Paul’s epistles were directed at correcting the various planted
churches back into God’s grace.
b. So, Paul asks in vs. 29, Who is weak?
i. Paul saying here he carries the
burden of each and every church member.
ii. and I do not feel
weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
iii. Paul makes it
clear, he is NOT perfect, he does feel weak, afraid, tired, worn out, and even
burns inwardly from sin sometimes...
iv. However, he states
in vs
30, I will boast of the things which show my weakness.
c. Paul’s weakness showed he was a
regular person
i. but the fact he was saved
repeatedly proves that God is at work in his life and ministry.
Paul states in vs 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised
forever, knows that I am not lying.
If his accusers call him a
liar, they are in fact calling God a liar.
He closes the verses today
reminding everyone of his conversion in Damascus, recorded in Acts
9
CONCLUSION -
Paul was exposed to death many times, and every time
the Lord protected him.
The Lord is my mighty tower, and He is mighty to save.
Paul was called to be one of the Apostle founders of
the New Testament, this New Contract between God and man, purchased in the
blood of Christ, so that we, the weak, struggling regular person, could,
through Jesus Christ, have a relationship with God the Father, and receive
everlasting salvation, for as long as we belong to Him.
Paul has silenced his accusers, proven his
Apostleship, proven his ministry, proven his strengths and weaknesses, and
stands at the end as the one who brought the Corinthian church and people back
into a right relationship with God the Father, by revealing their sins, and
showing them the road back.
Remember all Paul has been through in today’s verses,
because he will refer to them in next week’s sermon.
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to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved? CLICK
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