Preached February 2013
Order of Service: The Order of the Holy Communion , Page 15.
Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 55:10-13.
Epistle Lesson: II Corinthians 11:19-12:9.
Gospel Lesson: Luke 8:4-15.
Sermon: “Because of Christ’s Grace, We Can And Should Glory In Our Infirmities.” II Corinthians 12:1-9
Hymns: 379, 529, 305, 394
Dear Friends in Christ,
The Christian faith deals primarily with things which are not seen. Our faith deals primarily with spiritual matters rather than temporal matters. Such things as heaven, hell, the forgiveness of sins, eternal life, peace with God, and even faith itself, all are unseen.
For this reason, even Christians are apt to see these unseen things as not practical to our everyday living. Weak and poorly instructed Christians are prone to think that when it gets right down to brass tacks, our faith is more academic than hard core reality. Indeed, all of us in our weaker moments may think: “What good does my faith do me when I am in great pain?” Or, “How do all the doctrines I have learned help me when everything in my life seems to be going wrong?” Or, some might say, “The teachings of the Bible are good for getting us to heaven, but not much good for living here on earth.”
All such reasoning comes straight from the devil, the father of lies. It is Satan who seeks to steal out of your heart the comfort, strength and the truly practical help of God’s Word. Remember the Parable of the Sower we heard in our Gospel Lesson? We are told that the devil comes to snatch up the seed of the Word before it can take root in the heart. Yet Satan also seeks to snatch the Word from us who already believe. Satan comes to us in time of trouble or trial and seeks to grab the Word from our hearts to keep us from getting the help and strength which the Word gives us in times of trouble and trial. Indeed, if Satan could snatch the command of God from Eve in the state of perfection, he can surely snatch away the Word from us in the state of sin. Without question, it is Satan and our stubborn unbelieving flesh which rob us of the comfort and strength of God’s Word. Here is where we must say, “Get thee hence, Satan,” and let God’s Word speak to our hearts. Only God’s Word can speak to our hearts. Not only does the Word have the answers for getting us to heaven, but also it has the answers for coping with this earthly life until we get to heaven. As the Bible says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
Today’s sermon text most certainly addresses the realities of our earthly life, but with the goal of not just surviving our troubles, but with the goal of preserving our faith unto the end. Our text addresses a matter familiar to every single one of us. Our text talks about infirmities. What are infirmities? In the context of our text, infirmities are the trials, troubles, persecutions, and even the physical afflictions which sap us of our energy and challenge our faith. Our infirmities may even be mental, emotional, as well as physical. These infirmities are a result of man’s fall into sin. We will have to deal with infirmities until the day we die or until Christ comes back. However, our text teaches us that “Because Of Christ’s Grace, We Can And Should Glory In Our Infirmities.” From our text we shall see why God permits us to have infirmities, and also how Christ’s grace not only enables us to deal with our infirmities, but also to glory in them!
First of all, why is it that God would see fit to give us infirmities? Why would God not just eliminate all infirmities from our lives? Would we not serve Him better? The answer is “No!” We would not serve Him better. We would soon ignore God and think we really have no need for Him. By means of infirmities, God keeps a check on our sinful pride and self-sufficiency. God uses our infirmities to humble us and to help us see we still need to depend on Him.
An excellent example of this is Christ’s dealing with the Apostle Paul as it is recorded in our text. Sometime early in Paul’s ministry, perhaps while he was alone in Arabia three years, he was given a special privilege of seeing heaven. It was such a glorious privilege that it would be easy for Paul to unduly glory in that glimpse of heaven. Listen to Paul’s own testimony on this. He says, “It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.” (v. 1) He is saying that he has no desire to boast of his extraordinary experiences as an Apostle which he felt compelled to do in the previous chapter. In the previous chapter he felt the need to boast over against his Jewish enemies who were always touting their supposed holiness. He felt compelled to say, “Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant . . .” By these words he was giving an honest assessment of his work as a defense against those who belittled his ministry. Yet he also felt a need to relate one more special occasion in his ministry: a vision or revelation of heaven. He says, “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) how that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter,” (vv. 2-4)
By these words, Paul is referring to himself. He was the man he knew fourteen years ago, whether in the body or out of the body. He was the one who was caught up into heaven. In a miraculous action, God caught up Paul and transported him up to heaven to behold its glories. Paul calls it the third heaven which apparently refers to the abode of the saints in heaven as they behold God face to face and enjoy blessed communion with God. Because this was such a swift, miraculous, and timeless act of God, Paul could not be sure if his body was involved or not. During this heavenly experience, Paul got to hear glorious words or speech which would be impossible and inappropriate to repeat here on earth.
Now even though the Bible does not tell us explicitly why God gave Paul this special experience of being transported to heaven, we can draw Scriptural conclusions. Paul was the Apostle who in his own words was “born out of due time.” He was not among the original apostles who witnessed Christ’s miracles. He did not have the experience of Peter, James, and John who were eyewitnesses of Christ’s majesty on the Mt. of Transfiguration. Thus, by this vision, Paul could also give personal testimony of the glories of heaven such as Peter, James and John could give. Also, as we heard in the first portion of our Epistle Lesson, Paul’s ministry as the apostle to the Gentiles would be especially arduous and taxing. In the midst of great persecution and suffering, Paul would be able to draw upon this special foretaste of heaven for added strength and comfort. It would serve to remind Paul of his own words in Romans 8:18, “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
However, reflecting upon this glorious experience, Paul also said, “Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.” (vv. 5-6) Paul does not minimize the glory of his heavenly experience, but he does not wish to glory in himself or promote himself in having had such an experience. He does not want anyone to think he is special or above who he really is. Also, if he were to glory over or be puffed up with pride over this special privilege, it would not be giving glory to God!
In fact, just so that Paul would not get puffed up with sinful pride, God permitted a messenger of Satan to inflict Paul with a painful, physical affliction. Paul says, “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.” (v. 7) Notice how Paul twice says, “lest I should be exalted above measure.” By repeating this, he emphasizes how likely it would be for him to be lifted up or exalted with pride. Thus, God let a messenger of Satan, one of Satan’s fellow evil angels, to assault Paul with a very painful bodily affliction. As we have learned, we do not know what this painful affliction was. Yet it was a physical or bodily thing in that Paul called it a thorn in the flesh. This thorn in the flesh was so extremely painful that Paul was moved to pray to God for relief. Paul says, “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.” (v.8) On three separate occasions Paul prayed earnestly to ask the Lord to remove this thorn in the flesh.
Did God deliver Paul from this thorn in the flesh? He did, but not by taking away the thorn. In the key words of our text, Christ Himself answers Paul by saying, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” (v. 9) These are very significant and important words. What do these words of Christ mean? Christ tells Paul that He will not remove this thorn in the flesh, but instead He would supply Paul with the full sufficiency of His grace to be able to endure and live with this affliction. And what is Christ’s grace? It is His undeserved love and forgiveness to the sinner. Even as His grace forgives sins, it also gives a multitude of additional blessings. It is also a source of spiritual power and strength for every Christian to draw upon. Indeed, when Jesus says, “My grace is sufficient for thee,” He does not mean barely sufficient, but fully sufficient. In Paul’s case, Christ’s grace would enable him to bear this heavy cross. In fact, the very weakening effect of this thorn in the flesh would render Paul empty of self and self-sufficiency and then the vacancy could be filled with the power of grace. Being weakened by the thorn in the flesh, Paul would be driven all the more to Christ for strength. The very infirmity, the very weakening effect of the pain would make it necessary for Paul to find strength in Christ and not in himself. In short, the thorn in the flesh, this painful infirmity, was actually a blessing!
It is for this reason that Paul says this: “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (v. 9b.) Instead of glorying in his special privilege of seeing the third heaven, Paul glories in his infirmities since they draw him to Christ and the blessings of His grace. So much did Paul grasp and appreciate the value of his infirmities, that he was moved to say, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.” (v. 10) Of course, today’s psychologists and counselors would interpret Paul’s glorying in his infirmities as some psychological disorder. They would say Paul must have been a masochist, a person who loves to inflict pain upon himself. However, Paul did not inflict this pain on himself. God Himself permitted a messenger of Satan to inflict this pain for the good of his soul. Also, Paul did not love the pain itself, but gloried in how this pain made him weak in himself, but strong in Christ. Paul gloried in how this painful affliction made him weak in himself, and to be strong in Christ.
What a wonderful lesson this is for us as we live our lives with many infirmities, sometimes very painful ones. Even infirmities which are not strictly physical but mental, emotional, or some deep sorrow or discouragement, can also constitute our “thorn in the flesh.” In all these things, we also should see the blessing of our infirmities and, yes, even glory in them! First of all, we also need the infirmities which God sees fit to give us. Even though none of us has experienced the extraordinary revelation of heaven which Paul had, we all possess natural pride and self-reliance which must be crushed. The very fact that we are sinners is why we are naturally bent on being not only self-sufficient, but also self-righteous. We also are prone to be too impressed with ourselves. We all are guilty at times of self- love. None of us naturally likes to think he needs help from anyone, but that we can handle our problems just fine on our own. To deny that such sinful attitudes are not found in us is equal to denying that we are sinners!
Furthermore, whatever infirmities which God prescribes for us are right no matter how long He sees fit to have us bear them. We are not to make the mistake Job made when he began to be critical of God. Job began to be critical of God because Job thought he was being made to suffer more than was right or fair. Yet as God explained to Job: “who are you to sit in judgment of Me?” Likewise, who are we to conclude that our thorn in the flesh is not necessary and needful? Who are we to decide what is too long or too severe? Does God make mistakes? In fact, our crosses and infirmities which God sends us as Christians are not, properly speaking, punishments, but loving chastisements. However, he who stubbornly fights against the loving chastening of the Lord and becomes critical of God, will turn his crosses into judgments and the wrath of God. This is why the Bible says, “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou are rebuked of him; for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” (Hebrews 12:5-6)
Thus, instead of resisting and fighting against our crosses and infirmities, we should let them accomplish their God-intended purpose. The Bible says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (James 1:2-4) This does not mean we cannot or should not pray for deliverance. Like Paul we can seek the Lord in earnest prayer and ask if it be His will that He remove the thorn. Indeed, God’s Word says, “Pray without ceasing.” Likewise, the Bible says, “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Phil. 4:6) And what is the immediate gain? The same passage says, “And the peace of God which is above all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7) Indeed, if our thorn in the flesh does nothing more than turn our hearts to the Lord and to seek His grace more earnestly, it is all worth it! It has been a blessing already. What is more, in His wisdom God may see fit to remove our thorn. If God sees it will be better for us, He will take it away.
However, just as with Paul, God’s will may be to have us continue to live with our infirmity because He knows we still need it for the saving of our souls. Yet where such is the case, Christ is still answering our prayer. It is still an answer when He says: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” It is a wonderful answer! As we give up trying to manage our infirmities with our own wisdom and strength and learn to lean on the Lord, then we shall see that Christ’s grace is truly sufficient! We see that His strength is truly made perfect in our weakness. The weakening and purging effect of our infirmities and crosses provide greater opportunity and more room for the strength of God’s grace to go to work in us. We find that as we are weak in ourselves, we are really stronger in Christ.
Then like Paul, we shall actually glory in our infirmities. We shall say with Paul, “Most gladly therefore willI I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” And again, like Paul, we shall be able to say, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (v. 10) This, by the way, is why euthanasia or so-called mercy- killing is wrong. We are to endure our pains and sufferings with faith and reliance upon the Lord to strengthen us. Our many sufferings and pain teach us to appreciate all the more our Savior who suffered the agonies of the cross to deliver us from our sins and from the eternal pains of hell. It is true, as we suffer in faith and dependence upon Christ, we are drawn ever closer to Him and His sufferings. In fact, we love him all the more.
Therefore, may the Lord help us all to learn to glory in our infirmities. May He help us to rejoice in Christ’s words, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.