April 8, 2014
ADVANTAGE: WEAKNESS
2 Corinthians 11:16–33
Patrick Blocker
Central Truth
We are a society built on building a resumé. Instead of showing our greatness, God desires us to show our weakness so that His greatness can be revealed. If dependence is the goal . . . weakness is the advantage.
Key Verse | 2 Corinthians 11:30
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. (2 Corinthians 11:30)
2 Corinthians 11:16–33
Paul's Sufferings as an Apostle
16 I repeat, let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. 17 What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would 1 11:17 Greek not according to the Lord but as a fool. 18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. 19 For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! 20 For you bear it if someone makes slaves of you, or devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face. 21 To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that!
But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, 2 11:27 Or often in fasting in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?
30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.
Dive Deeper | 2 Corinthians 11:16–33
I am not sure if you are like me, but I spend most of my days trying to find a balance between being diligent for God and making busyness my "god." Like a job that no one has asked me to interview for, I am building my credentials for the pure purpose of building my pride. The truth is, we are often deluded into bragging on our strengths when God truly wants us to boast in our weakness. David Lowery said it well in his commentary on 2 Corinthians 11: "We are slow to absorb the truth that divine standards (boasting in our weaknesses) differ radically from those of the world (boasting in our accomplishments)."
In 2 Corinthians 11:22-27, Paul gives a resumé few of us want yet all of us admire, and it is doubtful that anyone could match Paul's credentials today. He does so not for the purpose of his pride, but to challenge those who might find their worth in anything apart from God.
A couple of years ago, Jonathan Pokluda spoke at Watermark, and one of his key points was, "If dependence is the goal, then weakness is the advantage." I loved how that statement captured the heart of this passage in such a winsome and brief way! Essentially, if we are a people who are lost, foolish, and adrift without God, and if we are a people whose sole purpose is to glorify God, then boasting in our weakness is the only rational conclusion. Why? Because boasting in our weakness shows our need for God and our dependence on Him. It places the glory for anything we do upon the shoulders of Him who gives us every good gift (see James 1:17).
Therefore, today, let us not find our worth in appearing perfect. Let us not discover our value by social status, hard work, or the applause of men. Instead, let us boast in our weakness and celebrate the confidence and satisfaction we have through making much of our GREAT GOD!
Discussion Questions
1. Do you find it easy or hard to boast in your weaknesses? If it is hard, what is the underlying reason?
2. What strength do you find yourself boasting in most often (either in a direct or indirect way)?
3. What weaknesses are your closest friends not aware of?
4. What do you think is the difference between arrogance and confidence? Which one do you think you exude more?