Our scripture reading is 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 verses 1 to 10. 2nd Corinthians chapter 12. 1 to 10. If you're using the Pew Bible, you can find it on page 1149. I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body, I do not know. God knows. And I know that this man, whether in the body or apart from the body, I do not know, but God knows, was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool because I would be speaking the truth, but I refrain. So no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say." Or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me, 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 about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest upon me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. I have a dear friend in the Lord, very mature in his Christian faith. And he is beset with many physical ailments. And you could just see that he is becoming more and more weakened by these bodily afflictions. And yet at the same time, I could see that he's gaining in maturity in the Lord, there's another kind of strength that is taking place within him that is from his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. You see that spiritual growth. And even let it be known that when he dies, when he goes home to be with the Lord, he wants this passage to be used at his funeral. He's losing, he's losing abilities. Let me ask, have you ever lost something? How does it make you feel? There's a bit of anxiety, a bit of sadness, a bit of emptiness, a sinking feeling to be sure. But there's such joy when we find what we lost. But my friend knows that these abilities that he has lost will not be found again. And in our text, the apostle Paul knows that what he has lost will not be found again as well. And yet, they both express great joy. This is because even though what is lost is not found, there is joy in that something happens through the loss that is infinitely better. Grace enters and does its thing. And this is one of the many lessons that the Apostle Paul is learning from his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The context for our passage, beginning in chapter 10, reveals a huge problem at the church in Corinth. These super apostles, who in chapter 11, verse 13, Paul calls false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ, they're influencing the Corinthian believers to think Paul as being of no account in an insignificant and and hence the gospel that he preaches Paul, dripping with irony, teases these sensitive matters to the surface so that he can deal with them and address them once and for all. And Paul, he condenses the whole matter down into the crystallized summation found in verse 10 of our text. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Let's think more deeply about this summary statement for when I am weak than I am strong. And let's do that by asking three questions. What is it? How does it work? And why should I want it? So first of all, what is it? Well, it's a paradox. It's a paradox to showcase God's promise, his promise in our hearts. Incredible, but true. Paul makes an incredible, but true statement as he puts two seemingly contradictory ideas side by side. When I am weak, then I am strong. Paul expands this word translated weak to encompass all aspects of his suffering for Christ. In verse 10, it says, weakness, that's bodily afflictions or sickness, highlighting human frailty. Insults, that's actions that are not only disrespectful, but also harmful and unjust. Hardships, that's external pressures or circumstances that compel a certain action or response. Persecutions, that is literally the hunt to bring someone down like an animal. trying to suppress or punish their convictions and difficulties. That is, where one feels trapped or hemmed in by circumstances for Christ. Paul then narrows the scope of this word translated weak to put the focus on a specific example. Do you know what that is? Our text tells us it's a thorn in the flesh. Verse seven. It's severe. It's something that has pain associated with it, even though it's unidentified. And that no doubt is the purpose of the Holy Spirit in keeping that unidentified so that it can be applied to all of us. Strength, on the other hand, is the Greek word dunamis, power or ability. The paradox is that this is a contradictory statement. When I am weak, then I am strong. And we need to talk about God's providence and God's promise in this context. When we talk about God's providence, yes, we derive comfort from submitting to God's providence because we know that his fingerprints are on every detail pertaining to my life. But it's no comparison to the comfort that we receive from the promise of God because when we consider the promise of God, we've derived our greatest comfort. We know that the fingerprints are on every aspect of that which is applied to our hearts, that work of Christ being applied to us. Three times, our text tells us, Paul cried out, Lord, take this away. And I read one commentator who, and I tend to agree with him, he said, well, that's not to be taken as a literal three times, it's an incessant prayer of Paul. But the Lord says, no, I'm not going to take the thorn of the flesh away, but here is my promise. Here is my promise to you. My grace is sufficient for you. And this is how the promise of God trumps, as it were, his providence. But we see this beautiful blending of providence and promise. In Romans 8, verses 28 to 30, and we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good. For those who are called according to his purpose, for those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that we might be the firstborn among many brothers. those whom he predestined he also called and those whom he called he also justified and those whom he justified he also glorified what do we read in Matthew chapter 28 verse 30 and surely I am am with you always to the very end of the age. Paul says in Philippians 4, verse 19, And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now we read in Genesis 2.27 and 3.19, we derive this statement, from dust you are and to dust you shall return. It's talking about our beginning and our end. It's talking about human frailty and mortality. We have the promised seed of the woman, which is highlighted even in a text like Psalm 103 verses 13 and 14. He remembers that we are dust. So while it's true, as R.C. Sproul says, we don't say from dust to dust or ashes to ashes at the end of our story. We say from dust to glory. That is the Christian story. Yet, We are now very much aware of our weaknesses and our desperate need for God's daily grace. Even in the Old Testament, the prophet said, Psalm 40, excuse me, Isaiah 40, verses 28 to 31, and I'll condense it. God gives power to the faint and increases strength to those who have no might. And so we embrace all of the promises of God. But we especially cling to this promise of our Savior for the comfort that it brings in our times of distress. My grace is sufficient for you. The Lord Jesus will establish this paradox in our hearts, in the hearts of all believers, to showcase his promise. Yes, my grace is sufficient for you. Well, how does it work? Well, it works as a paradigm to set his purpose in our hearts. Paul gives a frame of reference for how he's to look at life now that he's in Christ. In fact, he shows how that Christ is at work operating within this framework by referencing Christ's purpose. or my power or my strength is made perfect in weakness. So we need to consider strength in weakness. We read in 2 Corinthians 4, verses 6 to 11, that God has put this treasure, this light that shines out of darkness this knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ in jars of clay. 2nd Corinthians chapter 4, 6 to 11. For God who said, let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed. Perplexed, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. Hallelujah. There was a discovery that was made some time ago at the Dead Sea. A shepherd boy was, trying to find one of his goats that wandered off, and as he was exploring the area, he noticed there was a cave, and he was inquisitive. He took a rock and he threw it, and he heard this crashing sound. So that piqued his interest even more. He went down and explored what it was, and he found this cave full of clay jars. And some were broken but many still had their lids on them and he took one of the lids off and he realized that this was something very old, very ancient. They were scrolls, ancient scrolls. Well. What was in these jars of clay? Well, a great treasure trove of ancient manuscripts. But do you know that 37 of the 39 books of the Old Testament were also present? And what happened in the world of academia through this find was a paradigm shift. A paradigm, a complete Shifting of their thought because what was academia saying they were saying all these scribes throughout the throughout the centuries When they would copy a text they would make changes and it would all be in accordance with what their views were at the present time and This just blew that totally away because there were no differences between these ancient manuscripts and the texts that we're using today and But we need to talk about pride and humility because when we consider filling these jars with this treasure, it only works in one direction and not the other. It has to be an empty vessel, right? If the vessel is full, it's full of our own pride and arrogance. But the vessel is empty and it's filled with the glory of God. There is an interaction, there is an exchange that takes place. It's not a perfect example, but let's say the idea of a recipe, right? You're gonna invite someone over for dinner. You don't just take all the ingredients of the meal and lay it on the table. That's not gonna work, right? It has to be put together in an artful way. And when we look at the jars of clay filled with this treasure, we're certainly not talking about the weakness by itself. But we're not even talking about the strength by itself. We're talking about all of the goodness of God being poured into us, clay jars. When we study the attributes of God, they bring us to worship Him, not because we know God fully, but because we know God at all, that he has condescended to us, that he has stooped to the likes of you and to the likes of me to reveal his redeeming love. I can do all things, the Apostle Paul says, through Christ who strengthens me. And it's through these things that Christ will show his limitless work in our limitations. In all of these things, there is a cry for Christ to help. If weaknesses and strength were characters, the weakness would always be crying, would always be begging, would always be asking the Lord for help, for strength. That's what it would look like. We need to consider sympathy and empathy as well. Sympathy is really the feelings that we have that we can identify with the weaknesses and the hurts and the pain of others. Empathy is a little different in that it holds the ability to do something about it. But when we talk about God being sympathetic to us, it's encompassing both, obviously. In Romans 8, verses 26 and 27, we read, likewise the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. For we do not know what to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit because The Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. In Hebrews 4, verses 15 and 16, we understand that Jesus understands every weakness of ours because he was tempted in every way that we are, but did not sin. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence drawn near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. And lastly, why should I want it? Why should I want it? Well, so that the paragon of power and weakness becomes a song in my heart. Because Paul is reasoning this way. If what Jesus said is true, my grace is sufficient for you. And if what Jesus said is operational, for my power is made perfect in weakness, then bring it on. I will boast, most gladly will I boast in my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Literally, may tent upon me. What is the definition of paragon? Well, it's essentially referring to the idea of using a touchstone. Kind of like a whetstone, but more as a touchstone, because a touchstone was used to test the quality of something. So that makes Paragon mean a perfect example or model against which something is compared. We would take a metal and to test the quality of it, you would touch it against the touchstone and the color that was left would indicate the purity of it. For instance, the purity of gold. Hence, this whole association with a standard of excellence. And who is the paragon of perfection? It's Christ. Christ is the paragon of strength in weakness. He is its perfect model. He alone is the standard. Not simply in the sense of his humanity being supported by his divinity, but in being filled with the Holy Spirit at the onset of his earthly ministry, that the ministry of the Spirit would support him throughout his entire earthly ministry. We read in Romans 5, verse 6, Christ died for the ungodly while we were still weak. But then Paul says in 2 Corinthians 13, verses 4 and 5, for He was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. So this is taking shape in you. God puts His glory on display by working power in you. His mercy and His grace, His love and His compassion, His new creation, and the wisdom that is associated with that. So Paul just breaks forth or explodes in superlative praise, most gladly. Will I boast in my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me? Open wide. I will open wide my mouth so that the Lord will fill it. I will open wide my mouth most gladly will I boast of my weakness so that he will fill it so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Well we do need to talk about servanthood. Paul becomes more and more Christ-like. Think of Romans chapter 5 verses 1 to 5. For as Jesus became poor in order for us to become rich, and weak in order for us to become strong, so too he ministers in this way to the Corinthians. 2 Corinthians 1, verses 3-6. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. He's certainly not distancing himself from them. He receives the same. Verse 5, for just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, It is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. But the definition of servanthood is found even more clearly in 2 Corinthians 4, verse 12. So death is at work in us. He's talking about himself and those that are with his team, so to speak, as they minister to the Corinthian believers. So death is at work in us, but life in you. That's it. Now try applying that to your own life, to your own circumstances. See, he's patterning his ministry after the ministry of Christ. So Paul's ready to give up his rights. Paul's ready to allow criticism. He says he's gonna become all things to all people in order for them to see their need for Christ and for them to be saved. Now yes, he does defend himself. When does he defend himself? He defends himself when Christ's honor is at stake. Or when the gospel that is working powerfully in the lives of the believers is threatened and is undermined. Listen to what Paul says to the Galatian believers. It's like, till the paragon of weakness and strength, Jesus Christ is formed in you. Chapter four, verse 19, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you. And so by accepting, by yes, embracing his weaknesses, Paul is able to rely more fully on God's strength. And in so doing, he can serve others more effectively. He sees the need of others and he has that sympathy and that empathy. How often did Paul say, let's go again and visit the churches that we've established. He says at one point to the believers, I want to come again so that you can have a second blessing. Now that's open to misinterpretation, but Let me try to explain it this way. In Alex Metaxas' book, Is Atheism Dead?, he refers to a expression that archaeologists use and the phrase is a second discovery. So what it is, is they find an archaeological artifact and they know they have a great treasure in their possession. But they don't know everything about it. They don't know what it means. They don't know how to attribute it to a certain time period or a certain empire. And then years later, other discoveries are made, other things are found, and they come back to this artifact that they have. and they understand what the hieroglyphics say now or some other aspect of it and they call it a second discovery. But it doesn't change the fact that they've had in their possession all this time this treasure. And so apply it God has put that treasure in your hearts. And you go on learning more and more. So you have a second blessing. You have a third blessing. A fourth blessing. A fifth blessing. Well, you understand. Paul consistently puts the needs of others before his own. He performs humble tasks and prioritizes serving others without seeking recognition. And that's regardless of their economic status or anything that would tend to divide or segment the church of Jesus Christ. So Paul is saying essentially follow me as I follow Christ. The model of excellence and perfection. The peerless example. It's nothing less than a celebration. The model of excellence is to be celebrated. There's a celebration and that celebration shall be for all eternity and that celebration begins now. I was talking to a woman who put it this way, I've got lots to exhale gratitude for despite inhaling doom. The art of celebration. When I think of strength and weakness, when I am weak then I am strong, my mind goes automatically to one person, Johnny Erickson Tada. At the age of 17, Johnny broke her neck in a diving accident in the Chesapeake Bay. In her autobiography, Johnny, she chronicles her struggles to accept her paralysis as part of a divine plan. But listen to what she says about her God in Christ Jesus. She sees her life as nestled safely under God's overarching decrees. She says, He has satisfied my questions with an intimacy, softness, and sweetness of fellowship with the Savior that I wouldn't trade for anything, not even walking. She writes more recently, and how did I ever have the strength to survive 55 years as a quadriplegic in a wheelchair? The truth is I don't have the strength. I still wake up every morning needing God desperately like David. I often confess I am poor and needy. Is it any surprise that her favorite Bible verse is 2 Corinthians 12 9, my grace is sufficient for you for my power is perfected in weakness." She says her ministry, Johnny and Friends, has grown partly because almost anyone can identify with the honesty of her struggles, even if they don't face challenges as severe. They can be average homemakers who wonder how they are going to make it to lunchtime. I think people identify with someone's confession of weakness. How true that is. I mean, even leadership in the church needs to understand what she's saying here. It's the noble cause of Christ, she says, to which I've dedicated myself for decades. And I can't think of anything that gives me more joy even as I get older. Yet as I reach the milestone of 55 years as a quadriplegic, not to mention surviving two bouts of cancers, severe breathing issues, Coronavirus and chronic pain, I hold tightly to Acts 20, verse 24, for I consider my life worth nothing to me. My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord has given me. the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace. You know, I mentioned in the beginning of the message, a dear friend, and a couple things are very helpful, things that he has said. I love the Lord much more now than I did when I first became a babe in my miraculous spiritual new birth. This is solely because although once his entrenched enemy, he first effectually loved me at his full expense and my consummate gain. Although over these near three decades my body has plummeted, the physical health and the subsequent loss of physical vitality, I, in the worst medical condition of my earthly life and able to do a little bit more in chores than in the previous few years indifference towards my wife. It's not that I am in less pain, hardly. It's not due to some wonder drug. It's not so much due to my independent human resolve. Rather, it's through God's all-effectual grace, I am able to deliberately focus on his love for me in Christ, the eternal word incarnated, as testified by the inscripturated word of God. And he concludes, with this indescribable gift, there is a remarkable subset testifying to the grace of God to me regarding my second greatest gift, My wife, in a profound and practical way, the love of God for me demonstrated in the person and work of Jesus Christ has made me able, despite and against the circumstances, to engage increasingly in labors of love towards my beloved wife to the glory of my first love. And may you and I So serve one another in our subsets under the glory of God in Christ Jesus. In full reliance upon his promise, my grace is sufficient for you, that we experience that purpose being worked in our life, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Let's join our hearts in prayer. Gracious Heavenly Father, help us to praise you in song with the Apostle Paul. Most gladly will I boast in my weaknesses that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Amen.