text

　
When I am weak, and then I am strong
(2Co 11:23-27)

　
　
　Today I'd like to share God' grace under the title of "When I am weak, and then I am strong." From a human perspective, David was no match for Goliath. Goliath was a great general and warrior even from childhood. He seemed to be invincible as he threatened Israel for forty days with his huge stature of six cubits and a span.

　Goliath made the Israelites frightened to death. Even King Saul and his army fled to hide themselves whenever Goliath appeared. Therefore, Israel could not confront him at all. Then David, a teenage boy, visited the battle lines with a package for his brothers and became angry at Goliath's defiance. "How could the armies of the living God fear and tremble before this uncircumcised Philistine?" Even though they were God's people, they did not think of God as being on their side. Since King Saul and his army tried to confront Goliath only by their human ability, they were no match for him. However, this teenage boy David thought about God in his life. Even though he was young, powerless and helpless, he firmly believed the presence of the invisible God in the battlefield and his life. So he volunteered to say, "I will go and fight him!" King Saul said, "Nonsense! You are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth. Don't even think about it!" David answered, "Why not? We are God's children and have his covenant with us. Why should we be afraid of him? I will go!" Then Saul put a bronze helmet on his head and dressed him in his own tunic, but it did not fit him. David's eyes were almost covered by Saul's big helmet and his long tunic was trailed on the ground. So David took off all of them and chose only his staff and sling. Listen to what he said to Goliath, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."(1 Sam. 17:45) What's difference? David came forward with faith in the power of God who created heavens and earth and everything in it while Goliath relied on his own power. God was unseen in his physical eyes. Then how could David walk together with this invisible God? It requires a strong faith. David was a man of faith. King Saul and his army were God's children, but they did not have faith in God. The invisible things were beyond their faith. On the other hand David had a faith in the invisible God as if he were visible. Thus God accompanied him to the battle to defeat Goliath. David was fully aware that as a little boy he could not win over Goliath on his own. He confronted him with the faith that the almighty God was with him. In our daily lives, there are so many insurmountable things such as worries, anxiety, irritation, despair, pain, difficulties, and frustration and discouragement. Even our best effort cannot overcome these. Then what shall we do? Since the Lord says, "If you can? Everything is possible for one who believes," we can rely on the Lord and move forward with faith. We should think, dream and speak with faith. If everyone prospered all the time, people would not depend on God but themselves. Therefore, most Christians have their own story of trials and tribulations. They are now undergoing every suffering that cannot be overcome on their own. At this, we should acknowledge our weakness and begin to rely on Jesus. Then suffering will be no contender for us.

1. Paul's Circumstantial Suffering

　Paul went through countless circumstantial sufferings in preaching the gospel. Once he had persecuted the early church as a Jew, but after his miraculous conversion at Damascus he became an evangelist and experienced many painful circumstantial sufferings. He confessed in Philippians 3:5-8, "--circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage that I may gain Christ."

　He had many boastful merits as a Jew. However, as he stood before the Lord in a vision, he became aware what a filthy and horrible sinner he was. So he relied on Jesus and was cleansed by his precious blood to receive a gift of righteousness and then discarded everything as garbage and confessed his whole dependence on Jesus. He said, "When I am weak, then I am strong."

2 Corinthians 12:10 says, "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."

　When we are weak, then we cannot but depend on God who gives us power. That's why we can be strong in him. As a vessel can be filled after being empty, the power of the Lord can fill you when you realize your weakness and confess it with your mouth. If you think, "I am strong. I am powerful. I can do it on my own. I can live without God," there is no way for him to help you because you are already self-sufficient! Don't forget that when we are weak, then we are strong.

2 Corinthians 13:4 says, "For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him in our dealing with you."

　Jesus wholly committed himself to God and didn't try to defend himself. He didn't vindicate himself or threaten the Roman soldiers who persecuted him. Without any resistance he was caught by the soldiers and sentenced to death in the Praetorium. Even when he was crucified on the cross, he only trusted on God, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." Then God raised Jesus from death after three days and made him the King of kings, the Lord of lords. When he was weak, then God made him strong. If Jesus had fought on his own, there would have been no space for God's involvement! You know, all the trials will not give you any harm. Rather it will make you to seek God more earnestly. "I lift up my eyes to the mountains? where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."(Ps. 121:1-2) When we think that we have more than enough power and resources, we will not seek God's help. If not, then we desperately look for God who created heavens and earth. Countless sufferings and trials in Paul's circumstances broke his strong will and led him to be wholly dependent on God so he became an apostle of apostles and one of the greatest writers of the Bible.

2 Corinthians 11:23-27 says, "Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked."

Why should Paul, a sincere believer of Jesus, go through such indescribable sufferings? Then we who are nobody in Christ cannot deal with any trials. You know, God already knows that we will be stuck with them so he will not allow any of them to come against us.

2. Paul's Physical Suffering

Why did Paul suffer from these extreme hardships? As a leader, he could experience the living God only through these difficulties. When we go through dark and cold night it makes us give thanks for a bright day and heat, Paul's circumstantial sufferings made him to meet Jesus who delivered him from all kinds of hardships so he could confess as follows, "So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you."(2 Cor. 4:12) Paul said, "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."(2 Cor. 4:11) How can we realize the saving work of Jesus in us? Only when we die, we can experience Jesus who resurrects us from death. Paul had been beaten without ceasing, but survived and been shipwrecked, but delivered from it, and been stoned to death and thrown into piles of rubbish, but he came to life! That's why he could testify about the risen Jesus. Wherever he went, he always gave them his testimony, "I have experienced this and that." People could listen to him. His God was not a theoretical God but a living God.

Paul had to go through circumstantial sufferings before he could comfort those who were in crisis. Therefore someone like a great leader Paul could teach through his experience of sufferings. The Lord will not permit any of these sufferings to everyone.
Rather he wants us to be delivered from sufferings by faith. Paul had to experience not only circumstantial sufferings but also physical sufferings. He received surpassingly great revelations from the Lord. He was caught up to the third heaven and heard inexpressible words. He testified, "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." There has been nobody except Paul who received so many revelations from the Lord and had a proper understanding of the truth of God. Therefore, he had more than enough reasons to become arrogant saying, "Do you know who I am? What are you talking about? Have you been there like me?" He could say things like that. However, God allowed a thorn in his flesh, a messenger of the devil, to torment Paul to keep him from being proud. Someone may doubt how we can be healed when even Paul did not receive healing from God. No way. Since he had so many revelations from the Lord, God sent the devil to keep him from being proud. You and I didn't receive those kinds of revelations, did we? That's why you are here to listen to my sermon now. If you already have them, you would not be here, but you would travel many places to give your testimony to many people. It has nothing to do with you, but Paul had to go through many trials because of many revelations from God.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 says, "--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 on 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."

What is your thorn in your flesh? It makes you painful, irritated and sick. Nonetheless, as we pray for it, we will be nearer to God and later the thorn will turn out to be a subject of giving thanks.

Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

3. The Reasons for Suffering

We can know more clearly why these sufferings are allowed for us by God through Paul's experiences.

2 Corinthians 12:7 says, "--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."

Arrogance is the greatest enemy for all of us. Adam and Eve fell because of this pride. In order to become like God, they took the fruit of the tree of knowing good and evil. The fundamental sin of the original depravity is due to greed and pride. Any arrogant person will be deserted. However, humankind tends to be proud of himself and forsake God depending on himself. Therefore, God sends the thorn in our flesh, a messenger of the devil, to us to keep us from being conceited and self-sufficient. "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble."(Jam. 4:6) "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."(Prov. 16:18) So if we have the thorn in our flesh, a messenger of the devil, we have to repent of our pride before God. If we become weak, we must acknowledge our weakness first and rely on God for it. Then we will boast of God's grace for it.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 says, "This is what the LORD says: ”Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD."

This means that we should know and love our God and recognize, serve, and boast of him who works justice and righteousness among us. Self-praise must be forbidden. As we realize our weakness, we come to stop self-admiration. It will be the best opportunity for us to listen to God's spoken Word, Rhema, because after we know the reason of our weakness we'd better stop praying. We should know the reason why God did not answer to us.

2 Corinthians 12:8 says, "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me."

Paul earnestly sought God. Then the Lord revealed to him why he had not healed him through a broad Rhema. "I have already given a sufficient grace to you. Since you received sufficient grace to offset the sufferings, choose between grace of God and healing." Paul must have chosen the grace of God over healing. God's grace is made perfect in our weakness. When we are weak, then we become strong. As an empty vessel can be filled, our weakness invites God's power to our life. However, you should not prefer weakness unconditionally. Like Paul, you must first receive Rhema from the Lord.

The Bible says, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”(Mt 3:2)
"Blessed are the poor in spirit." "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."(Phil. 4:19) This means that we should first empty ourselves to be filled with God's riches. Don't forget that God will make us strong in our weakness.

2 Corinthians 1:8-10 says, "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us."

The reason why he was under great pressure, far beyond his ability to endure, so that he despaired of life itself is that God made him not to depend on himself but on God himself who raises the dead. Rely on God with all your might and strength.

In peaceful time, the flesh of human beings prefers eating well, dressing richly, taking a rest and sleeping for a long time to praying. Nevertheless, in the midst of sickness and pain, we tend to pray seeking God's help without sleeping so that we come nearer to God than before. Then his grace will overflow over us abundantly. Thus Paul was joyful for sufferings. "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."(Rom. 5:3)

Philippians 4:4-7 says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

We tend to pray with all our hearts in the midst of sufferings and trials because we desperately need his help. Then the abundant grace of God will overflow over us.
Our weakness and fragility will keep us from being arrogant and lead us to the whole dependence on God. Paul said, "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness."(2 Cor. 11:30)

1 Corinthians 15:9-10 says, "For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them?yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me."

What we Christians have done for the kingdom of God does not come from us but from the grace of God. In order to sustain his grace, we must empty ourselves to be filled with it. Thus you'd better not regard some successful Christians as great heroes. They are who they are because of God's grace. They have been under indescribable trials and tribulation to empty themselves to receive his grace. It cannot be done overnight. The kingdom of God first makes people to empty themselves then to fill them with the grace of God. Sufferings are painful but they are a great instrument for the power of God to stay with us. Continuing trials will make us to cling to God without ceasing.

Philippians 4:11-13 says, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

With God's grace we can overcome anything. Sorrow may come to us, but we overcome it. Sufferings or diseases may visit us, but we conquer them all by his grace. Even when hunger comes to us, the greater grace of God will overwhelm us to defeat it.

Romans 8:35-39 says, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." With this persistent love, God holds on to us. So whenever we seek him, he always pours down his grace upon us. By the Holy Spirit he has given us faith, hope, love, righteousness, peace and joy. Through this grace we can overcome any and every situation in our life. Since the grace of God accompanies us all the time, he will be with us when we pass through the waters, and when we pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over us. When we walk through the fire, we will not be burned; the flames will not set us ablaze.

　God loves you and takes possession of you and rejoices over you. Therefore, we must keep in mind that God's grace is so essential for all of us.

The closer degraded humans become to God, the more they ought to weaken and be deprived of the curtains of physicality. Therefore, a life with great grace is accompanied with suffering. In times of suffering, we ought not to fix our eyes on suffering but the Lord who embraces us. With the comfort and consolation from the Lord, we can easily overcome all the sufferings.