No. 9 - BROKENNESS — THE PROMISE

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

So far in this “Brokenness, the Way to Blessedness” study we have looked at Jacob, Moses, Peter, Jonah, and Job. In this message we will be looking at the famed Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul, for some instruction and encouragement in times of brokenness. Today’s message, “The Promise of Brokenness.”

God is always speaking. And His speaking is in relation to the attentiveness of our listening. If we are attentive, then He will speak with a still, small voice. If we are otherwise occupied (like children are in front of the television), then other measure are necessary.

C.S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

Paul gives us insight through his life and letters that there is no gain without some pain. Some believe that they have arrived simply because they are saved. But that is not the end—it’s the beginning. The further we go with God the more we understand that with advancement comes adversity. No person was broken as often as Paul. It began with his Damascus road blindness and continued all through his life, and even in his death.

2 Corinthians 10-13 may have been the Apostle Paul’s lowest point in his life and ministry. His heart leaks out and he bleeds through his inspired pen. These are his most emotional passages. He becomes transparent. He even sounds defensive. Though it was in another city, Paul was under attack. Someone in the Church at Corinth was making his life miserable!

His integrity was called into question.

His loyalty was attacked.

His spirituality was denied.

His ability to lead was argued.

His love was doubted, 2 Corinthians 12:15 “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.”

How many know: The deepest pain, the greatest sorrow, the most crushing heartaches are those inflicted upon us by the people we love and serve.

Allow me to break in on this by reading 2 Corinthians 12:1-10.

1. Unrepeatable Revelations, vs. 1-6.

“What’s new, Paul. What do you know?” Fourteen (14) years before, Paul had a vision. This would have been after his conversion and before his missionary journeys. Before he made his trips throughout the known world, God took him on a trip to the other world—the third heaven, “paradise,” he calls it, v. 4a. He did not know if he made that trip with his body or without his body—that was unimportant.

Paul had the tee-shirt! Think of the book deals the world would offer him today. God had His own book deal going. Amen? It was called the epistles of the New Testament!

Now, here is where God nearly killed Paul. God showed Paul the wonders and majesty of heaven and then told him to keep a lid on it, v. 4b. Now that would kill any preacher I know! When God does anything I my life it usually shows up as some illustration in a sermon the next Sunday.

2. Unalleviated Suffering, vs. 7.

After Paul reminded them of his revelations, he quickly pointed them to his limitations. Paul was saying, “I don’t make myself out to be some kind of celebrity. My authority is not my visions or revelations. That is not what has made me what I am. You don’t know my whole story. It is God who is strong, not me. I am weak. In fact, I have a “’thorn in the flesh.’ ”

This was not some kind of tiny annoyance. A little prick; a little jab. Literally, “a stake, a sharpened shaft” driven through the heart of Paul causing intense, relentless pain in his body.

Here is where most modern sermons take off—on the “thorn in the flesh.” In Bible interpretation there seems to be a “law of inversion” - the less evidence there is, the more interpretation there will be. One Bible commentator counted more than 200 different interpretations of “the thorn in the flesh.” Let’s go over all 200. Okay, let’s look at the three general categories that most of the 200 would fall into.

(1) Physical handicap or mental ailment. Some think it was his appearance, others, his voice, maybe his eye sight, or even epilepsy.

(2) Ministry hardships. Look at the verses just before our reading, 2 Corinthians 11:18-28.

(3) Satanic harassment. Paul’s thorn in the flesh is identified by Paul himself. “There was given unto me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me…” Of the 188 times this word “messenger” is used in reference to a person—human or angelic. Demonic angels use people to do there work. This messenger was representing Satan. This man who was leading this assault on Paul in the Corinthian church was demon-possessed, he was one of the false apostles mentioned in chapter 11:13-15, masquerading as one of God’s men. Jude calls them “creeps” in Jude 4. These are the kinds of people Peter mentioned who “bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them,” 2 Peter 2:1. The word “buffet” means “to beat, or strike with the fist.” And according to the verb tense it means it was an on-going, recurring, constant thing. There was no let up.

Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” may not have been identified so we could apply our situation and learn from Paul this vital lesson on brokenness.

God does not put us through the breaking process because He is mad at us or angry with us. Because of the work of Christ on the cross in our behalf God can now look upon us without displeasure and we can look on God without fear.

3. Unanswered Prayers, vs. 8.

Paul probably prayed one of those prayers from the Psalms, “God kill him! Get him out of my life.”

When everything was breaking loose, his joy was almost used up, his spiritual gas tank was running on empty—Paul didn't look for a formula, a technique, a therapy, or two easy steps—He went straight to God. He prayed.

He prayed earnestly. “For this thing I besought the Lord…” This word “besought” means “to invoke, to beseech, to beg, to desire, to implore.”

He prayed repeatedly. “Thrice.” Three specific times Paul prayed.

So far, this is not an uplifting message. But hidden away in this are sure promises from God to those who go through brokenness. The reason Paul prayed was to find out if his problem could be removed or if he would have to live with the problem.

Want some good news-bad news? The bad news is the problem was not going away...he would have to live with it...whatever “it” was. The good news was God promised...

4. Unlimited Grace, vs. 9a.

Paul prays and God answers. That’s how its supposed to be. “Sorry, Paul, the thorn stays, but you will with it have an unfailing supply of my personal grace.” “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Sovereign grace… “My grace.”

Sufficient grace… “...is sufficient....” “My grace is sufficient…” is a present tense verb.

God’s grace is…Active….Available….Amazing. God’sgrace has no shortage.

Special grace… “...for thee.”

God’s answer to all of man’s needs is “grace.” And God’s grace is always sufficient!

Grace that is sufficient to save, Ephesians 2:8-9.

Grace that is sufficient to sustain, Romans 5:2.

Grace that is sufficient to strengthen.

5. Unceasing Praise, v. 9c.

“I will glory in weakness...rejoice in my infirmity.” Paul preached this and Paul practiced this. This is how he turned the Philippian jailhouse into a church house, Acts 16:25. How could Paul genuinely praise God for his pain? Paul finally understood that God had “given” him this unique gift—a thorn in the flesh. What do you do with a gift? You accept it and thank the one you gave the gift. God did not give Paul an explanation, but God did give Paul a promise —”my grace is sufficient.” Beyond simply enduring his trial, Paul determined to do all he could for Christ—whatever the circumstances.

6. Unhindered Power, v. 9 ,10c.

“...For my Strength is made perfect in weakness...that the power of Christ may rest upon me. “Rest” means “to dwell.” It means to “be at home,” not “out of place.” Philippians 3:10.

7. Unbelievable Peace, v. 10.

“Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, them am I strong.”

Paul had come to this determination—he would not allow his weakness to take him out of the ministry. His weakness will be what he needs in the ministry! God has to bring us all to the point of utter weakness. Unbroken, proud, boasting, self-sufficient, competent people will never know God’s full blessings.

Think about some other well-know Bible personalities. Samson, King Saul, King Uzzah were used in their weakness, but not in their strength.

Now allow me to bring the application of this message to us. We are all students in the U. of H. K.—University of Hard Knocks. While enrolled in this university and while continuing our education through this institution we will go through its full curriculum. God only graduates those who hate the school, don’t enjoy the courses and can’t pass the tests. And God’s instructors are people He brings into our lives to crush us, break us, and ultimately make us.

Here is what God is up to in our times of trials—when we are unloved, unappreciated, un-trusted.

John Bunyan (1628-1688)…imprisoned in the Bedford jail for 12 years for preaching without a state license. Cared for his family by selling shoe laces. Died at age 60 after riding 40 miles on horseback to preach.

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)...Entered Yale at 13, graduated at 17, used by God in the Great Awakening, yet fired by his Congregational church for insisting that those who took of communion be baptized. In the year of his death he became president of what is now Princeton University. Died at age 55.

Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)...the downgrade controversy. Voted out of the Great Britain and Ireland Baptist Union. Died at 58. British preacher Spurgeon once said: I dare say that the greatest earthly blessing that God can give to any of us is health, with the exception of sickness. He meant that God can bless us - and we can grow - during times of illness in ways that may not be possible when in good health. As the puritan

Thomas Watson put it, "A sickbed often teaches more than a sermon."

In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul was suffering from an infirmity. He viewed it as "a messenger of Satan to buffet me," and he prayed three times for healing. Though God didn't choose to heal him, He did say, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." That changed Paul's attitude, and he responded, "Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Paul's condition might have been from a messenger of Satan, but God took the message and rewrote it! Do you feel hindered today? Battling illness or disease? Feeling weak? Satan will try to discourage you with all kinds of difficulties, but ask God for His sufficient grace to encourage and settle you

God uses these things in our lives to…

Defuse our Pride, v. 7a. “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations…” God sent this to Paul to keep him humble. As with Job, Satan was the immediate cause, but God was the ultimate cause. God will use extreme means to make sure than nothing or no one reviles His glory! All glory belongs to God. If the number one Christian virtue is humility, then surely the number one Christian sin is pride! Paul’s ministry might have been destroyed by arrogance, but this thorn in the flesh kept that from happening. Our thorny situations are intended by Satan to discourage, disillusion, defeat us. Instead, God uses it to...

Drive us to God Himself, v. 8. “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice.”

Since Paul was already on his knees, decided he might as well do some praying. We are not driven to God to get our way, Proverbs 14:12; Isa. 53:6; 55:8. We are driven to God to know God’s ways. When you’re attacked, and there’s no one on your side and there’s nowhere to go, and you can’t fix it—cast yourself on the Lord and say, “God, I determine to serve You and your people as faithfully as I can. You see my heart.” Why could I go on?

Display God’s Grace, v. 9. “My grace...my grace...my grace.” I love what Ephesians 2:5-7 says. “That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace, in His kindness toward us, through Christ Jesus.” We will rehearse for eternity the exceeding riches of God’s grace in our daily, and sometimes, forgotten experiences of this life. How can I go on?

Deploy God’s Strength, v. 9b-10. Where is God’s strength deployed? Hold on. “In infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecution, in distresses for Christ’s sake.”

God is too wise to make a mistake.

God is too loving to be unkind…

God is too strong to allow any failure.

God is too deep to explain Himself.

When we know the “Who” we can stop asking, 'Why?’”