The Power of Christ in Weakness

Rev. Dr. TC's "The Power of Christ in Weakness" - 2 Corinthians 12:1-10
(can listen to it online now!!)

• In 2 Corinthians, Paul defends his apostleship
• Power is associated with weakness in the Christian faith
• v.1 "I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord."
• For boasting, one usually boasts about Christ/God but here, Paul is boasting in self, which is why afterwards he writes "there is nothing to be gained by it [this boasting]"
• Re: visions and revelations - God was the source of visions and revelations back in Numbers 12, but here "Lord" in v.1 is Jesus, which signifies the deity and divinity of Jesus (since He too, is the source of visions and revelations)
• v.2 "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven - whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows."
• For the Jews, there are three heavens (read more about it here):
• (1) Heaven - what you see when you look up
• (2) The Heavens - the universe
• (3) Heaven of Heavens - This is where God dwells; the immediate presence of God
• Person can exist in the body or out, therefore one can exist outside of your body (there is a theological term for this)
• v.3 "And I know that this man was caught up into paradise..."
• Paradise is synonymous with the third heaven
• v. 4-6
• In 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, Paul is speaking to the super-apostles about experiences. A lot of us today talk a lot about experiences about our walk with God, but this does not define you as being Christian (a personal relationship with Jesus does). Therefore, Paul moves away from experience to God's power in weaknesses. The experience Paul describes is himself (in 3rd person). Why? Humility (v.6), because he is trying to focus on weakness (v.5)
• v.7 "So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited."
• Paul was tempted to be prideful and conceited. When we become like this, it is easy for us to fall short. Usually with power it becomes corrupt and abused.
• Thorn in Greek resembles more of a stake (per M-Webster: a pointed stick used to push something into the ground) so can imagine to be very painful
• Many people have speculated what this thorn is - malaria that was afflicted upon Paul, an actual person that is going against/striking Paul (a false apostle), or it can be an ocular.
• Why ocular (eye problem)? Galatians 4:13-15 and Galatians 6:11 (usually wouldn't write in large letters if can see properly). Or Acts 9, a bright light and left a mark (like He did with Jacob) to remind them of the supernatural encounter with God
• Messenger of Satan - God's permission to use Satan to do stuff; he can't do anything without God's permission
• v.8 "Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me"
• Jewish tradition to pray three times a day
• Mark 14, Jesus prayed earnestly three times
• The "Lord" here is Jesus
• v. 9 "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
• Prayers aren't always answered "yes"; prayers can be NO
• Usually through suffering and afflictions that we become closer to God
• v. 10 "For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
• This is like summarizing Jesus' sermon on the mount (Matthew 5)
• Application
• Seek the Lord, see His face and accept the "NO" and "WAIT" answer, and know that HIs grace is sufficient and will carry you through
• When we are made weak, you are made strong and Christ's power is made perfect in weakness

I've come to really admire Rev. TC because we made a remark that he is always changing his looks, but TC said that he does this is because due to the apologetics he does with certain groups, some don't like it and so try to track him down. And for me, I just never see this kind of persecution in North America. He also taught us for Sunday School :D :D and we went through part of the book of Numbers - so many parallels to Jesus!!! Shall put up another post about it soon.

:D