WEBVTT 00:00:06.509 --> 00:00:15.970 2 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 16. Paul is continuing 00:00:15.970 --> 00:00:19.769 to defend himself. There had been some around 00:00:19.769 --> 00:00:22.550 Corinth that obviously had been referred to as, 00:00:22.550 --> 00:00:26.589 he quotes, super apostles. It had been said in 00:00:26.589 --> 00:00:29.329 2 Corinthians chapter 10, Paul referenced where 00:00:29.329 --> 00:00:34.479 the people had said that Paul was weak. And Paul 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:38.280 was discouraged, perhaps angry, that the people 00:00:38.280 --> 00:00:40.820 of Corinth had heard the gospel and they were 00:00:40.820 --> 00:00:43.640 doing well. And these false teachers had come 00:00:43.640 --> 00:00:46.579 in. These false teachers had begun to boast in 00:00:46.579 --> 00:00:49.320 themselves. They had begun to, it appears from 00:00:49.320 --> 00:00:52.079 the passage we'll read tonight, been putting 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:55.659 some burden on the people. And yet instead of 00:00:55.659 --> 00:00:59.039 listening to Paul, the people of Corinth were... 00:00:59.479 --> 00:01:02.380 Just really falling head over heels for these 00:01:02.380 --> 00:01:06.200 new smooth -talking false prophets, false teachers, 00:01:06.340 --> 00:01:10.799 I should say, that Paul said last week disguised 00:01:10.799 --> 00:01:13.739 themselves as angels of light, that like the 00:01:13.739 --> 00:01:16.739 devil, they are disguising themselves. They may 00:01:16.739 --> 00:01:19.500 look good, they may say a good thing, and they 00:01:19.500 --> 00:01:23.400 may play a good role, but Paul says you need 00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:26.390 to stop listening to their boasting. and you 00:01:26.390 --> 00:01:30.569 need to listen to me. And so we've kind of seen 00:01:30.569 --> 00:01:33.129 that same theme really throughout, and he continues 00:01:33.129 --> 00:01:36.030 along those lines in the passage we'll look at 00:01:36.030 --> 00:01:38.530 tonight. So let's pray, and we'll get started. 00:01:38.870 --> 00:01:41.609 God, we come to you, and I pray, dear Lord, that 00:01:41.609 --> 00:01:44.909 you just help us to focus on you for a few minutes 00:01:44.909 --> 00:01:49.010 tonight. We come in here, and some of us may 00:01:49.010 --> 00:01:50.890 be struggling, dear Lord. Maybe there's some 00:01:50.890 --> 00:01:53.680 listening online that are... that are struggling, 00:01:53.819 --> 00:01:58.140 God, that today has just been a rough day. It's 00:01:58.140 --> 00:02:00.719 been a lot of just difficulties and stresses 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:04.200 and just all kind of stuff, dear Lord. Life throws 00:02:04.200 --> 00:02:08.099 it at us, and it's not always easy. So if there 00:02:08.099 --> 00:02:10.680 are any that have had that bad day or maybe a 00:02:10.680 --> 00:02:13.020 bad week or maybe a bad month or a bad year, 00:02:13.080 --> 00:02:16.719 dear Lord, I pray that maybe we can learn from 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:20.460 Paul. that as he so confidently says that he 00:02:20.460 --> 00:02:22.379 has learned to do without and to be content, 00:02:22.680 --> 00:02:25.340 that God, that you would help us to grow in you 00:02:25.340 --> 00:02:28.500 in such a way that we can get there. Maybe we're 00:02:28.500 --> 00:02:30.520 not even really that close tonight, or maybe 00:02:30.520 --> 00:02:32.840 we are close, or maybe we've got a long way to 00:02:32.840 --> 00:02:35.560 go. But dear Lord, I pray that you would help 00:02:35.560 --> 00:02:38.199 us to find some contentment to realize that you 00:02:38.199 --> 00:02:42.039 are good, even on the bad days, God. And I pray 00:02:42.039 --> 00:02:44.580 that we would find some strength and encouragement 00:02:44.580 --> 00:02:46.659 in that, dear Lord, that we would not despair. 00:02:47.469 --> 00:02:51.509 Life is tough, but I pray that as we read Paul's 00:02:51.509 --> 00:02:53.969 words tonight, that maybe you can guide and instruct 00:02:53.969 --> 00:02:57.669 us and draw us closer to you. In Jesus' name 00:02:57.669 --> 00:03:03.889 I ask it. Amen. 2 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 00:03:03.889 --> 00:03:11.530 16. I repeat, no one should consider me a fool, 00:03:11.750 --> 00:03:38.889 but if you do, at least accept me. So Paul is 00:03:38.889 --> 00:03:44.240 kind of being a little silly here. He's kind 00:03:44.240 --> 00:03:47.439 of being silly. He says, okay, you people are 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:50.860 listening to a bunch of teachers that are just 00:03:50.860 --> 00:03:53.039 teaching you foolishness. The things they're 00:03:53.039 --> 00:03:55.060 teaching you is foolishness. The things they're 00:03:55.060 --> 00:03:57.219 doing is foolishness. The way they're acting 00:03:57.219 --> 00:03:59.939 is foolishness. And you're just eating it up. 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:02.300 You're just loving the foolishness. And he says, 00:04:02.379 --> 00:04:05.560 look, if you'll listen to fools, then let me 00:04:05.560 --> 00:04:08.539 just be foolish for a little while. Let me just 00:04:08.539 --> 00:04:11.560 say some foolish things. Because you are ready 00:04:11.560 --> 00:04:14.340 to listen to the fools, so would you put up with 00:04:14.340 --> 00:04:16.680 my foolishness for a little bit? I've tried to 00:04:16.680 --> 00:04:19.139 come in here and teach you and lead you in the 00:04:19.139 --> 00:04:22.240 way of the gospel of Jesus Christ and to help 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:26.160 nurture you and to mature you in Jesus, and you're 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:28.199 not wanting to pay me any attention. You're not 00:04:28.199 --> 00:04:30.579 wanting to listen to the things I've said, but 00:04:30.579 --> 00:04:32.819 instead you're listening to foolishness. So if 00:04:32.819 --> 00:04:36.319 foolishness is what you want, he says, then let 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:39.660 me speak foolishly to you for a while. And that's 00:04:39.660 --> 00:04:43.019 what he says. He says in verse 19, For you being 00:04:43.019 --> 00:04:46.779 so wise, gladly put up with fools. Now, they 00:04:46.779 --> 00:04:50.100 are actually not wise there. That's the point 00:04:50.100 --> 00:04:52.579 he's making. Y 'all are so wise, y 'all think 00:04:52.579 --> 00:04:54.879 y 'all know everything, and y 'all are so smart 00:04:54.879 --> 00:04:57.759 listening to these teachers. If y 'all are so 00:04:57.759 --> 00:05:01.660 wise, then listen to foolishness, if that's what 00:05:01.660 --> 00:05:03.660 you want to listen to. And listen to what he 00:05:03.660 --> 00:05:07.750 says in verse 20. In fact, You put up with it 00:05:07.750 --> 00:05:11.129 if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, 00:05:11.290 --> 00:05:14.990 if someone captures you, if someone dominates 00:05:14.990 --> 00:05:20.250 you, or if someone hits you in the face. Now, 00:05:20.290 --> 00:05:22.689 I would assume here that perhaps these are the 00:05:22.689 --> 00:05:26.490 very things that the people of Corinth are seeing 00:05:26.490 --> 00:05:29.470 from these people that they're following. These 00:05:29.470 --> 00:05:32.569 are people that are not leading them closer to 00:05:32.569 --> 00:05:35.350 Jesus Christ. to help them find grace and to 00:05:35.350 --> 00:05:38.889 live in freedom from sin. But instead, it appears 00:05:38.889 --> 00:05:41.129 as though whatever these foolish teachers are 00:05:41.129 --> 00:05:44.410 teaching, it's putting more of a burden on the 00:05:44.410 --> 00:05:47.689 people. He says, you put up with it if someone 00:05:47.689 --> 00:05:51.170 enslaves you. Now, wait a minute. Shouldn't a 00:05:51.170 --> 00:05:54.240 preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ... Be 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:56.360 offering and providing freedom through Jesus 00:05:56.360 --> 00:05:58.579 Christ by the things that they preach and teach? 00:05:58.699 --> 00:06:01.139 Shouldn't the word of God be being taught in 00:06:01.139 --> 00:06:03.300 such a way that the people are experiencing freedom? 00:06:03.959 --> 00:06:08.180 Not being enslaved. But these teachers, whoever 00:06:08.180 --> 00:06:10.120 they are, these preachers, whoever they are, 00:06:10.199 --> 00:06:12.100 they're obviously preaching and teaching in a 00:06:12.100 --> 00:06:14.319 way that's not bringing freedom to the people, 00:06:14.439 --> 00:06:18.060 but enslaving them in some way. Keeping them 00:06:18.060 --> 00:06:20.699 in their sins or putting some type of burden 00:06:20.699 --> 00:06:25.009 on them. And he says after that, You put up with 00:06:25.009 --> 00:06:29.490 it if someone devours you. They're being taken 00:06:29.490 --> 00:06:32.110 advantage of in some way. They're being destroyed 00:06:32.110 --> 00:06:34.829 by these people. He says, you put up with it 00:06:34.829 --> 00:06:38.189 if someone captures you, if someone dominates 00:06:38.189 --> 00:06:41.670 you, if someone hits you in the face. Now, this 00:06:41.670 --> 00:06:44.569 does not seem like an attitude of love. If someone 00:06:44.569 --> 00:06:48.250 is to be a shepherd of the Lord, then these are 00:06:48.250 --> 00:06:51.290 not the qualities that they should have. Now, 00:06:51.310 --> 00:06:54.399 Jesus even tells his apostles, look, The rulers 00:06:54.399 --> 00:06:57.540 of the Gentiles, boy, they use their power and 00:06:57.540 --> 00:07:01.379 they dominate over the people. They put their 00:07:01.379 --> 00:07:03.899 force and they want to be over the people with 00:07:03.899 --> 00:07:06.899 their thumb pressed on them. But what did Jesus 00:07:06.899 --> 00:07:09.379 say to his apostles? He said, but it must not 00:07:09.379 --> 00:07:12.300 be this way among you. He said, those of you 00:07:12.300 --> 00:07:14.740 who want to be first of all must be a servant 00:07:14.740 --> 00:07:18.879 of all. So those who seek to be a leader just 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:20.939 so they can have some authority and dominate 00:07:20.939 --> 00:07:23.759 those under them when it comes to, people in 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:27.000 the church, then they need to stop really quickly 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:29.139 and they need to go back and read the words of 00:07:29.139 --> 00:07:31.420 Jesus. Because Jesus says, if you want to be 00:07:31.420 --> 00:07:33.540 a shepherd, if you want to be a leader, if you 00:07:33.540 --> 00:07:35.759 want to be a follower of mine, then you have 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:39.100 to first be a servant of all. Now that's, of 00:07:39.100 --> 00:07:42.540 course, what Paul has been and is to those that 00:07:42.540 --> 00:07:44.720 he ministers to in Corinth and everywhere else. 00:07:45.259 --> 00:07:48.319 But that is not what's going on with these false 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:51.550 teachers. They have come in and they have put 00:07:51.550 --> 00:07:53.930 these burdens on these people. They have enslaved 00:07:53.930 --> 00:07:57.329 them and they're making it difficult for people. 00:07:57.949 --> 00:08:00.569 And you still see that in our world today. There 00:08:00.569 --> 00:08:05.509 are a lot of people out there that are in ministry, 00:08:05.709 --> 00:08:08.050 that are preaching, that are teaching, that are 00:08:08.050 --> 00:08:10.810 in some leadership role, and they really put 00:08:10.810 --> 00:08:14.370 pressure and they devour. They devour their congregation. 00:08:15.230 --> 00:08:17.689 Their goal is not to build them up in Christ, 00:08:17.689 --> 00:08:21.019 but to... bleed their money from them and to 00:08:21.019 --> 00:08:24.279 bleed their resources from them and to in some 00:08:24.279 --> 00:08:26.519 way make them feel guilty or dependent on them 00:08:26.519 --> 00:08:29.300 as though they're the only one who has the answer. 00:08:29.379 --> 00:08:31.579 So you must come to my church and you must listen 00:08:31.579 --> 00:08:33.919 to my preaching because I'm the one who's going 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:36.519 to help you and you must give me your money and 00:08:36.519 --> 00:08:38.940 I'm going to show you the answers that you want. 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:40.940 And there are a lot of people that use their 00:08:40.940 --> 00:08:44.240 leadership roles not in a way to build up people. 00:08:44.899 --> 00:08:47.779 but in a way to completely destroy them. Those 00:08:47.779 --> 00:08:50.480 are false teachers. Paul saw them in his day, 00:08:50.639 --> 00:08:54.820 and we see them in our day. So Paul says, look, 00:08:55.019 --> 00:08:58.200 you want to pull up with foolishness? This is 00:08:58.200 --> 00:09:00.639 foolishness what you're listening to. You'll 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:04.220 gladly listen to these people, but Paul's already 00:09:04.220 --> 00:09:06.539 made the point earlier on. We saw in the last 00:09:06.539 --> 00:09:09.159 couple of weeks that Paul had said, look, I haven't 00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:11.100 asked for anything from you. I'm not even asking 00:09:11.100 --> 00:09:13.879 for money from you. I'm here to serve you. There's 00:09:13.879 --> 00:09:16.340 other churches that are supporting me while I 00:09:16.340 --> 00:09:18.940 support you. I'm not being a burden on you. Paul 00:09:18.940 --> 00:09:21.860 says, I just want you to love Jesus. I just want 00:09:21.860 --> 00:09:24.759 you to follow Jesus. I just want you to trust 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:27.299 Him and not be led astray. I want you to love 00:09:27.299 --> 00:09:29.519 one another. I want you to follow the commands 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:32.840 of God. I don't want you to give in to sin and 00:09:32.840 --> 00:09:34.539 to hate one another and for there to be trouble 00:09:34.539 --> 00:09:37.320 among you. I want you to deal with these things. 00:09:38.419 --> 00:09:40.480 Paul says, I've come to you with love. You've 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:43.879 seen my love. But why won't you listen to me? 00:09:44.580 --> 00:09:46.500 You listen to these people, they don't love you 00:09:46.500 --> 00:09:50.100 a bit. So Paul says, if you want foolishness, 00:09:50.120 --> 00:09:51.539 then I'm going to give you some foolishness. 00:09:52.259 --> 00:09:54.980 Listen to what he says in verse 21. He says, 00:09:55.019 --> 00:10:01.440 I say this to our shame. We have been weak. But 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:04.559 in whatever anyone dares to boast, I am talking 00:10:04.559 --> 00:10:10.190 foolishly, I also dare. Okay, so he's fixing 00:10:10.190 --> 00:10:12.990 to start boasting. Now, we kind of have an idea 00:10:12.990 --> 00:10:15.309 maybe a little bit about what these other people 00:10:15.309 --> 00:10:17.789 are boasting about just because some of the things 00:10:17.789 --> 00:10:21.549 that he said. Obviously, he, in quotations, calls 00:10:21.549 --> 00:10:24.490 them super apostles, so perhaps that's what the 00:10:24.490 --> 00:10:26.370 people were saying. Maybe that's what these people 00:10:26.370 --> 00:10:29.529 were calling themselves. Perhaps they were boasting 00:10:29.529 --> 00:10:31.950 in their ability to speak better. It says of 00:10:31.950 --> 00:10:35.960 Paul that he's not a good speaker. It says that 00:10:35.960 --> 00:10:39.600 he's weak in person, that he looks weak. So maybe 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:42.259 some of these other people were boasting that 00:10:42.259 --> 00:10:44.620 they were better looking than Paul, that they 00:10:44.620 --> 00:10:47.399 weren't weakly, but they were strong. Maybe they 00:10:47.399 --> 00:10:49.039 were boasting that they were better speakers. 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:51.799 Maybe they were boasting at all the money that 00:10:51.799 --> 00:10:55.620 they were bringing in. Well, Paul was just the 00:10:55.620 --> 00:10:58.820 opposite of these people. They said, okay, you 00:10:58.820 --> 00:11:02.460 don't look like much. You don't talk very good. 00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:05.440 You ain't took no money from us. And Paul's thinking, 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:07.519 hey, this is a good thing. None of those things 00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:08.860 matter. I'm just loving you, and that's what 00:11:08.860 --> 00:11:12.279 matters. But obviously that wouldn't matter to 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:14.620 the people because they were looking for the 00:11:14.620 --> 00:11:16.639 wrong thing. We have to be careful. Sometimes 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:20.799 we do that too. You know the story of when God 00:11:20.799 --> 00:11:23.580 sent Samuel to pick the next king of Israel. 00:11:24.179 --> 00:11:27.039 And Samuel, he first looked at the strongest 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:29.659 one. and he said, this is going to be the one 00:11:29.659 --> 00:11:31.299 that's going to be the king. And God said, nope, 00:11:31.340 --> 00:11:32.879 that ain't the one. He goes through all of them. 00:11:33.419 --> 00:11:35.379 And he finally says, well, there's nobody left. 00:11:35.500 --> 00:11:37.960 And God says, well, there is one more. And it 00:11:37.960 --> 00:11:41.139 was little David, little shepherd. Well, he wouldn't 00:11:41.139 --> 00:11:43.240 have been the one that Samuel was going to pick, 00:11:43.320 --> 00:11:46.960 but the Scripture says that God doesn't see what 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:49.320 we see. He doesn't look at what's on the outside. 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:53.019 He looks at what's on the inside. And so the 00:11:53.019 --> 00:11:55.360 people had completely kind of written off Paul. 00:11:56.540 --> 00:11:58.440 because of what he looked like or what he sounded 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:01.460 like or the way he was doing ministry. And they 00:12:01.460 --> 00:12:03.139 were really drawn to the ones who looked better 00:12:03.139 --> 00:12:04.899 and who sounded better and who were really full 00:12:04.899 --> 00:12:07.240 of foolishness, who didn't care about them at 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:09.179 all or weren't pointing them to Jesus at all, 00:12:09.259 --> 00:12:11.620 but instead were being a burden to them. And 00:12:11.620 --> 00:12:13.740 Paul says, I want you to be free of that burden. 00:12:14.580 --> 00:12:16.259 But if they're going to boast in these things 00:12:16.259 --> 00:12:18.419 that they're going to boast in, Paul says, well, 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:20.960 give me a moment. I would like to boast to you 00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:24.980 as well. And listen to what Paul says when he 00:12:24.980 --> 00:12:31.779 boasts. Verse 22. He says, are they Hebrews? 00:12:32.279 --> 00:12:37.200 So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:40.779 the seed of Abraham? So am I. Okay, he's off 00:12:40.779 --> 00:12:43.059 to a good start right here. So whatever these 00:12:43.059 --> 00:12:45.639 guys are boasting in, whatever they think they 00:12:45.639 --> 00:12:48.779 got on Paul says, okay, I'm just what they are. 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:51.000 I'm all these things they are. They got nothing 00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:54.679 on me yet, but let me continue. Are they servants 00:12:54.679 --> 00:12:58.179 of Christ? I'm talking like a madman. I'm a better 00:12:58.179 --> 00:13:02.259 one. With far more labors, with many more imprisonments, 00:13:02.360 --> 00:13:06.620 far worse beatings, near death many times. Five 00:13:06.620 --> 00:13:10.799 times I received 39 lashes from Jews. Three times 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:14.320 I was beaten with rods by the Romans. Once I 00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:18.620 was stoned by my enemies. Three times I was shipwrecked. 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:21.759 I have spent a night and a day in the open sea. 00:13:25.370 --> 00:13:28.490 dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers 00:13:28.490 --> 00:13:31.509 from my own people, dangers from the Gentiles, 00:13:31.610 --> 00:13:34.610 dangers in the city, dangers in the open country, 00:13:34.789 --> 00:13:38.370 dangers on the sea, and dangers among false brothers, 00:13:38.649 --> 00:13:43.070 labor and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger 00:13:43.070 --> 00:13:47.230 and thirst, often without food, cold, and lacking 00:13:47.230 --> 00:13:50.750 clothing. Not to mention other things, there 00:13:50.750 --> 00:13:54.669 is a daily pressure on me My care for all the 00:13:54.669 --> 00:13:58.789 churches. Who is weak and I am not weak? Who 00:13:58.789 --> 00:14:02.470 is made to stumble and I do not burn with indignation? 00:14:02.730 --> 00:14:05.570 If boasting is necessary, I will boast about 00:14:05.570 --> 00:14:08.629 my weaknesses. The God and Father of our Lord 00:14:08.629 --> 00:14:12.370 Jesus, who is praised forever, knows I am not 00:14:12.370 --> 00:14:15.970 lying. In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas 00:14:15.970 --> 00:14:20.610 guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to 00:14:20.610 --> 00:14:24.049 arrest me. So I was let down in a basket through 00:14:24.049 --> 00:14:29.929 a window in the wall and escaped his hands. Well, 00:14:29.950 --> 00:14:32.610 that's a pretty impressive list. Paul says, if 00:14:32.610 --> 00:14:35.149 you want somebody that's going to boast, well, 00:14:35.190 --> 00:14:38.049 then let me boast for a minute. But notice what 00:14:38.049 --> 00:14:40.950 Paul didn't boast in. Now, if we were going to 00:14:40.950 --> 00:14:42.909 boast, what would we boast in? What are the kind 00:14:42.909 --> 00:14:45.250 of things that maybe we're guilty of boasting 00:14:45.250 --> 00:14:48.370 in or we see other people boast in? Well, the 00:14:48.370 --> 00:14:51.000 things that we might boast in. Maybe similar 00:14:51.000 --> 00:14:53.460 to the things that we see that the Corinthians 00:14:53.460 --> 00:14:57.460 are drawn to. Boasting our good looks. Pretty 00:14:57.460 --> 00:15:00.460 good looking. Actually, we look so good, we're 00:15:00.460 --> 00:15:03.139 always going to take a selfie of ourselves, maybe 00:15:03.139 --> 00:15:05.200 put it on Facebook for people to see on the TikTok. 00:15:06.379 --> 00:15:10.759 I mean, we boast in a lot of ways. Maybe we boast 00:15:10.759 --> 00:15:14.740 in how nice our homes are. Maybe we boast in 00:15:14.740 --> 00:15:18.080 how nice our vehicle is, or we boast in our gun 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:20.700 collection, or we boast in... How much money 00:15:20.700 --> 00:15:23.639 we've got in our bank account. Are we boasting 00:15:23.639 --> 00:15:26.639 our position and how good our position is at 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:29.539 work? There's a lot of things that we may boast 00:15:29.539 --> 00:15:31.080 in. There's a lot of things that people in the 00:15:31.080 --> 00:15:33.779 world boast in. And those are the types of things 00:15:33.779 --> 00:15:37.460 that seem really important to us in a worldly 00:15:37.460 --> 00:15:40.700 sense. But you notice Paul didn't boast about 00:15:40.700 --> 00:15:43.580 any of those kind of things? He didn't boast 00:15:43.580 --> 00:15:46.519 about any of those things. What he was proud 00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:49.200 of... is that he loved God and was suffering 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:52.080 for the kingdom of God. That's what he boasts 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:54.440 in. He says, look at these guys who are coming 00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:55.700 to you. What have they done for you? They've 00:15:55.700 --> 00:15:58.240 done nothing. But let me show you. Let me tell 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:01.379 you. I love God. I have suffered for the kingdom 00:16:01.379 --> 00:16:04.820 of God. And he goes and he lists all of these 00:16:04.820 --> 00:16:08.000 ways. I mean, he's been beaten. He's been in 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:10.919 prison. He's been lost at sea. He's experienced 00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:14.000 dangers from all people and all things. Everywhere 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:17.539 he goes, he's constantly in the middle of conflict 00:16:17.539 --> 00:16:22.259 and trouble and persecution. And what does he 00:16:22.259 --> 00:16:26.139 do? He just keeps on praising God. He says, many 00:16:26.139 --> 00:16:28.340 times I've been cold, I've been hungry, I ain't 00:16:28.340 --> 00:16:32.740 had clothes to wear. But Paul also says in another 00:16:32.740 --> 00:16:36.950 point in Scripture, Learn to be content with 00:16:36.950 --> 00:16:40.529 all things, whether hungry or well -fed. I can 00:16:40.529 --> 00:16:42.330 do all things through Christ who strengthens 00:16:42.330 --> 00:16:46.009 me. And that's what he's boasting in. He says, 00:16:46.029 --> 00:16:48.669 I'm going to boast in my weakness. I haven't 00:16:48.669 --> 00:16:50.730 done anything worth boasting in other than serving 00:16:50.730 --> 00:16:53.429 the Lord. And that's what I've done is serve 00:16:53.429 --> 00:16:57.169 the Lord. And he boasts in that. And he says, 00:16:57.169 --> 00:17:00.210 and on top of all of that, not only am I suffering 00:17:00.210 --> 00:17:03.129 in this way to serve the Lord, but on top of 00:17:03.129 --> 00:17:05.619 all that, I'm trying to care for the churches. 00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:08.000 I'm trying to care for you. I'm trying to preach 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:10.039 to you. I'm trying to teach you. I'm trying to 00:17:10.039 --> 00:17:14.640 protect you. So he says, who is weak and I'm 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:17.940 not weak? Who was made to stumble and I do not 00:17:17.940 --> 00:17:21.920 burn with indignation? He says, man, these people, 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:25.039 I've gone through all this. I suffer in this 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:28.000 way for God. I suffer in this way for you. And 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:29.900 these people come in and they make you stumble. 00:17:30.359 --> 00:17:32.500 And he says, I burn with indignation. It makes 00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:36.400 me so angry that they come in. That I fought, 00:17:36.599 --> 00:17:38.900 that I bled, that I have suffered in such a way 00:17:38.900 --> 00:17:43.119 because I love you. And they're boasting in the 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:44.940 things they're boasting in. Well, let me boast 00:17:44.940 --> 00:17:49.380 in these things to you. So Paul knew what really 00:17:49.380 --> 00:17:52.160 mattered. He knew what was really important. 00:17:53.180 --> 00:17:56.779 It wasn't the things of the world. He knew what 00:17:56.779 --> 00:18:02.089 it was like to suffer. and yet he still continued 00:18:02.089 --> 00:18:05.589 to serve the Lord. You know, he says earlier, 00:18:05.710 --> 00:18:08.769 you may remember back when we were in chapter 00:18:08.769 --> 00:18:12.009 4, we actually looked at this list because Paul 00:18:12.009 --> 00:18:14.730 talked about his momentary light afflictions. 00:18:15.289 --> 00:18:18.670 He says, boy, I have these momentary light afflictions. 00:18:19.089 --> 00:18:21.390 And then you look at, this is his momentary light 00:18:21.390 --> 00:18:25.390 afflictions. This is it right here. So we get 00:18:25.390 --> 00:18:26.950 up tomorrow and we go get in our car and we say, 00:18:27.009 --> 00:18:30.230 oh, my leather seat is cold. It's not really 00:18:30.230 --> 00:18:33.150 an affliction. Or we say, golly, I've got to 00:18:33.150 --> 00:18:34.869 use half and half in my coffee. I don't like 00:18:34.869 --> 00:18:37.829 half and half. I want whipping cream. And we've 00:18:37.829 --> 00:18:40.849 got all these afflictions, right? All these afflictions. 00:18:41.569 --> 00:18:43.930 Oh, we've got a busted pipe out here. Well, there's 00:18:43.930 --> 00:18:45.650 people that ain't got power, ain't got heat, 00:18:45.710 --> 00:18:48.890 ain't got nothing. Our little afflictions, I'm 00:18:48.890 --> 00:18:51.950 not saying that they're not real to us, right? 00:18:52.069 --> 00:18:53.650 These things that we go through, they're real. 00:18:53.710 --> 00:18:57.349 I'm not belittling your troubles. We have real 00:18:57.349 --> 00:19:02.819 troubles, okay? but maybe our afflictions aren't 00:19:02.819 --> 00:19:05.859 quite as bad as we thought. And maybe if Paul 00:19:05.859 --> 00:19:07.799 can go through all these afflictions that he 00:19:07.799 --> 00:19:10.680 can go through and still be content with Jesus 00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:14.119 Christ and trust the Lord, maybe there's a lesson 00:19:14.119 --> 00:19:18.059 there for us. Maybe the things that we're discontent 00:19:18.059 --> 00:19:21.380 with, maybe the things that ruin our days and 00:19:21.380 --> 00:19:24.680 ruin our weeks, maybe they're not quite as bad 00:19:24.680 --> 00:19:29.039 as we think. Maybe our focus is on the wrong 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:32.500 thing. Maybe even if we don't do it verbally, 00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:34.339 maybe our heart's been boasting in the wrong 00:19:34.339 --> 00:19:37.980 thing. When those things that we boast in, those 00:19:37.980 --> 00:19:39.660 things that we treasure, those things that we 00:19:39.660 --> 00:19:43.019 long for, when something happens to those things, 00:19:43.059 --> 00:19:47.519 then man, it tears us up. It gets us angry. It 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:51.339 gets us upset. It gets us depressed. But when 00:19:51.339 --> 00:19:53.240 our heart boasts in the Lord in the way that 00:19:53.240 --> 00:19:56.420 Paul's does, Man, it gives us a new passion. 00:19:56.519 --> 00:19:58.339 It gives us a new desire. It gives us an ability 00:19:58.339 --> 00:20:01.380 to say, you know what? Whether hungry or well 00:20:01.380 --> 00:20:04.880 -fed, whether clothed or naked, whether imprisoned 00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:08.559 or free, whatever it is, I have learned the secret 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:12.339 to being content. And we learned the secret to 00:20:12.339 --> 00:20:15.200 being content. Paul certainly had. That's why 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:17.339 he could say with all boldness and foolishness 00:20:17.339 --> 00:20:20.069 here, he could say, look. I have learned what 00:20:20.069 --> 00:20:22.269 it means to trust in Jesus Christ, and I'm going 00:20:22.269 --> 00:20:24.569 to proclaim him all the more. Would you just 00:20:24.569 --> 00:20:30.470 listen to what I have to say? Okay, I'm weak, 00:20:30.569 --> 00:20:32.609 Paul says. If I'm weak, I'm weak. But if I'm 00:20:32.609 --> 00:20:38.809 weak, I'm weak for Jesus Christ. Are we trusting 00:20:38.809 --> 00:20:41.890 in Jesus Christ today? Do we know that we can 00:20:41.890 --> 00:20:43.750 do all things through Christ who strengthens 00:20:43.750 --> 00:20:47.849 us? Well, we can if we become like Paul and are 00:20:47.849 --> 00:20:51.019 content. with Jesus Christ. Let's pray. Dear 00:20:51.019 --> 00:20:52.700 Lord, we thank you for these good words tonight 00:20:52.700 --> 00:20:57.299 and I pray that you would help us to be on guard 00:20:57.299 --> 00:21:01.140 because maybe we are exposed to people, dear 00:21:01.140 --> 00:21:03.960 Lord, that want to teach and preach a little 00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:08.259 foolishness to us. God, maybe we read your word 00:21:08.259 --> 00:21:11.279 or maybe we even hear the truth presented in 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:15.779 a way that's right, but maybe it's not quite 00:21:15.779 --> 00:21:19.069 as flashy as... as some of the things we hear, 00:21:19.130 --> 00:21:22.349 dear Lord. And maybe we are drawn away to those 00:21:22.349 --> 00:21:25.569 things that are flashy and worldly, those values 00:21:25.569 --> 00:21:30.390 that we consider to be good, dear Lord. But sometimes, 00:21:30.690 --> 00:21:33.730 God, we may be led astray by people that maybe 00:21:33.730 --> 00:21:36.210 they look the right way or maybe they sound the 00:21:36.210 --> 00:21:39.410 right way, but God, I pray that we would just 00:21:39.410 --> 00:21:42.049 pay attention to the message that they preach, 00:21:42.130 --> 00:21:45.569 God, that we are not led astray, that we are 00:21:45.569 --> 00:21:48.240 not led into a... a burden, dear Lord, that Your 00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:51.660 Word is not a burden, that Jesus Christ is not 00:21:51.660 --> 00:21:55.980 a burden, God, but that Your Word offers us freedom 00:21:55.980 --> 00:21:59.920 through Jesus Christ. So I pray, God, that we 00:21:59.920 --> 00:22:02.660 would be on guard for those that want to preach 00:22:02.660 --> 00:22:05.200 and teach false things, that we won't give in 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:09.140 to foolishness, but we would listen to the wisdom 00:22:09.140 --> 00:22:12.579 of Your Word. I pray, dear Lord, that You would 00:22:12.579 --> 00:22:16.160 help us to take a deep breath. God, maybe there 00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:18.480 are some things in our life that are tough. There 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:20.759 certainly are many things in our life that are 00:22:20.759 --> 00:22:25.519 tough, but God, you're still good. And maybe 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:28.400 our momentary light afflictions are not quite 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:31.779 as bad as we sometimes make them out to be. So 00:22:31.779 --> 00:22:33.579 I pray, dear Lord, that we can have an attitude 00:22:33.579 --> 00:22:37.160 like that of Paul, that even in the worst of 00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:39.099 the worst situations that we go through, God, 00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:42.500 that we still consider them as light afflictions, 00:22:42.500 --> 00:22:46.880 God. That as bad as they may be, they pale in 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:49.359 comparison to your glory that we will one day 00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:52.220 see. So help us to continue to run the race with 00:22:52.220 --> 00:22:54.940 endurance while we're here, dear Lord. Help us 00:22:54.940 --> 00:22:57.039 to have the same boldness. Help us to be able 00:22:57.039 --> 00:23:00.079 to live our life in a way that we could, if necessary, 00:23:00.180 --> 00:23:02.839 boast in the way that Paul does about our weaknesses, 00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:05.740 dear Lord. That we would recognize our weaknesses 00:23:05.740 --> 00:23:08.819 today and that we would be ready to... stand 00:23:08.819 --> 00:23:11.140 for you and to live for you and to serve you 00:23:11.140 --> 00:23:14.460 in that same way. God, let us not be those, if 00:23:14.460 --> 00:23:17.680 we are ever one who has a position of any kind 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:20.799 of authority or leadership, let us not be one 00:23:20.799 --> 00:23:23.119 who dominates over other people, dear Lord, but 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:26.220 let us, no matter who we are, what position we're 00:23:26.220 --> 00:23:29.500 in, be those who would be, first of all, a servant 00:23:29.500 --> 00:23:32.539 of all. And I ask these things in Jesus' name. 00:23:33.019 --> 00:23:33.460 Amen.