Enjoying Grace Amongst
the Thorns
When
Thorns Become Gifts
2
Corinthians 12:7-9
Enjoying Grace Amongst
the Thorns
When
Thorns Become Gifts 2
Corinthians 12:7-9 |
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October 11, 2015 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I.
Introduction (2Cor 12:7)
A.
God gave the great apostle Paul, faithful
disciple of the Lord Jesus, a thorn in his flesh, as a gift! A thorn is
not something we would ever give as a gift to someone
B.
As surprised as we would be at such a
gift, Paul attempted to have it returned
C.
Only to be told no, again and again.
D.
It was then, and only then, that
1.
Paul changed more than he had ever
thought possible
2.
It was then that Paul learned absolute
contentment, and found more strength to do even greater things than he
had ever done before
3.
It was because of a thorn – the GIFT of a
thorn, that Paul learned to really enjoy GRACE!
II.
Message
A.
The Apostle Paul’s Revelations
(2Cor 12:1-7a)
1.
Since getting converted in Acts 9, Paul
did some amazing things
a.
God showed Paul more about the future,
about the truths of salvation, and spiritual warfare than He would show
anyone other than the apostle John
1)
At one point, as described here in 2Cor
chapter 12, he was stoned, and at death went up to heaven and saw
everything there
2)
That doesn’t happen to everybody
3)
He seemed to have had a direct line from
heaven, Like very few others throughout history
4)
He was supernaturally given constant new
information, and inspiration from God
5)
“Abundance
of revelations”
6)
He went everywhere teaching and preaching
the life changing truths of the New Testament BEFORE the New Testament
was ever written
b.
He actually wrote MORE of our Bible than
ANY OTHER writer besides Moses!
1)
14 total New Testament books – that’s 1/3rd
of the New Testament
2)
When taken together, they are more than
the Book of Psalms, than Isaiah, and twice as much as wise Solomon
wrote!
c.
Paul personally started more churches
than anyone else, all across Syria, Turkey, Greece and southern Europe
d.
He boldly preached the Gospel in front of
kings and queens, princes and rulers
e.
He could speak in any language needed –
he said, “I speak in tongues more than ye all”
2.
All of these things were HIS
accomplishments
3.
All of those accomplishments would easily
and constantly be a source of pride for Paul
4.
So God did Paul a favour!
B.
God’s Balancing Gift (2Cor 12:7)
1.
“There
was GIVEN to me…”
2.
God gave Paul a gift – the gift of a
painful thorn
3.
Not as a punishment – Paul had done
nothing wrong
a.
It is in all of our nature to gloat and
think highly of ourselves when we are successful
b.
And PAUL was surely successful as a
Christian!
4.
But it was given as a BALANCE - God’s
gift was meant to balance out all God’s blessings, all the goodness, all
the revelations, all the wonders and miracles of his life as an apostle
5.
And that gift was described the following
three ways:
a.
A Thorn in his flesh
b.
The Messenger of Satan
c.
To Buffet him
6.
Think about such a thing – a Thorn
a.
A barb, a prickle, a stiff part of a
plant that is hard and pointed and sharp enough to deeply pierce skin
when touched!
b.
Many plants have thorns – cactus, brier
bushes, and especially rose bushes
c.
Now, we all love the rose
d.
But God did not give Paul a rose, He
graciously gave Paul the thorn!
e.
And it was not kept in a box on his shelf
f.
But was buried deep in his flesh
7.
This was no simple thorn
a.
This thorn was held, and activated and
controlled by demonic forces – by Satan
b.
Whenever Paul would attempt to do God’s
will for the day, that thorn would cut and afflict him
c.
Whenever he was tolerating it, that was
when Satan would urge his messenger/demon to twist that thorn and cause
Paul to stop and consider quitting
d.
If any of you have ever had a thorn,
piece of glass, or splinter even, deep in your skin, you know a little
how Paul felt
e.
You would want it OUT! You almost
couldn't think about anything else except getting that thorn OUT of your
flesh!
f.
EXAMPLE:
1)
I have a cracked tooth. Haven’t decided
what to do about it yet. Went to two dentists – and am none the better
yet. Do you know what I do? I avoid aggravating it! Don’t chew on that
side much, and don’t drink very cold liquids on that side.
2)
But can you imagine someone having a
string attached to that tooth, and whenever they feel like stopping me,
and hurting me, and afflicting me, they pull on that tooth?
3)
THAT is a little of how Paul felt day by
day!
8.
Notice the words, “to buffet me”
a.
Buffet means to strike over and over
b.
To Afflict constantly
c.
Like these boxers when they work on the
speed bag
d.
Only, PAUL was the punching bag!
9.
Remember, this was a gift that GOD gave
him. But Wow! What a way to describe a gift from God
C.
An Unwanted Gift (2Cor 12:8)
1.
I have had some unwanted gifts in my
life, but this takes the case!
2.
At first, he naturally rejected such a
gift
a.
The great and wise apostle Paul did not
see that thorn as good
b.
Did not think he deserved such pain and
hurt
3.
Think about this thorn in Paul’s flesh
a.
Always piercing deeper
b.
Always hurting
c.
Always crippling him in pain
d.
Always uncomfortable
e.
Always present
f.
Always afflicting him
g.
Always hindering him, and holding him
back – limiting him
4.
No! This
thorn was NOT what Paul would
have asked for
a.
As far as he could understand, a thorn
certainly would NOT be of any help to him live the Christian life
b.
It certainly could not help him served
God and live a life for souls getting saved
c.
This thorn simply was an unwanted gift
d.
Didn’t ask for it – didn’t want it
5.
And so he wanted it removed!
D.
A Desperate Prayer (2Cor 12:8)
1.
“For
this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.”
2.
So Paul begins to pray – good place to
start
a.
He couldn’t get rid of it
b.
No doctor could cut it out
c.
No friend could remove it
d.
So it was time to pray and ask GOD to
take it away!
3.
And I mean, he prayed
a.
Not just some simple, half-hearted words
tossed up towards heaven…
b.
But real prayer!
c.
When you are in pain, afflicted, hurting
– that is the time to pray!
d.
He prayed right – he knew how to pray and
ask God for things
e.
He prayed believing God would heal him
f.
He prayed earnestly
g.
And persistently
h.
He literally begged God to take away the
thorn that brought him agony
i.
All are the right way to pray
4.
And yet, the thorn remained!
a.
How many of US have prayed and asked and
begged GOD to fix something wrong in our lives, take away some
continuous sorrow or pain…
b.
Only to see nothing happen – still day
after day the same hurt, and trouble
E.
A Quiet Resign (2Cor 12:9)
1.
Think of Paul going to court:
a.
Evidence in hand, and presenting his side
of the case, that he should NOT have to live with this thorn in his
flesh – that there HAS to be a way to remove it! and being told, no, he
has lost the case
b.
And then Paul going before the same judge
on appeal, and presenting his case again, but this time with more
evidence and more passion… only being told again, No, he has lost the
appeal
c.
And then Paul going again before the same
judge and making his case, the best he ever could, taking the longest
time to explain in every detail why he is right to reject this “gift”…
and the judge (God) replying, No.
2.
What do you think Paul should do then?
After three appeals before the throne of heaven…
3.
Resign
a.
Not quit living, not give up on God, not
resign from serving God, or being an apostle
b.
No. But instead, close his case, and
accept the JUDGES’ ruling (God’s will over his)
c.
Acquiesce – it means to accept God’s
will, agree with it, concede that it is right, and live with it – no
longer fighting it!
d.
Paul decided to do just as Jesus did –
prayed HOW MANY TIMES in the Garden for God to take away the cup? THREE
times. And always acquiesced – yielded to the will of God
e.
Paul remembers the CROWN of thorns placed
upon his Saviour’s brow!
f.
And all God asked Paul to accept was just
ONE thorn!
4.
So, we NEED to pray about everything –
that is for certain!
a.
Ask God to help you in every way you need
b.
Nothing wrong with Asking God to give you
a new Boss
c.
Nothing wrong with begging God to take
away a cyst or a tumour
5.
But at some point, there needs to be a
yielding to the will of God, that brings rest
a.
Or else, we will become bitter when we
don’t get OUR way – our will done
b.
Remember, God most often does NOT give us
what we want when we pray – He most often says NO
c.
I wish He didn’t say no so often! I wish
God just did what “I” think would be best, because “I” often believe
that “I” know best
d.
But then, the world would be in an even
bigger mess!
6.
Paul was a great man of faith – a great
and persistent fighter
7.
But he knew when to quit, especially when
he discovered he was fighting against God
8.
This is so important!
9.
This is how GRACE works in us
a.
It does NOT remove the thorn
b.
It does not take away all the pain
c.
It does not fix the problems
d.
It gives us the ability to keep going –
keep forgiving, keep serving, keep loving, keep believing, keep giving,
keep praising God – even though we are hurting!
e.
If you ever learn to yield to God, it
will be ONLY because you have allowed God’s GRACE to work in you as you
hurt!
10.
Only in our resigning, will we start to
rejoice and enjoy God’s greater grace! It is part of trusting God, and
leaning on HIM, and loving Him more than ourselves!
F.
The Greatest Benefit of the
Thorn… is Grace
1.
This is the hard part of the growing
Christian’s life - Understanding how GETTING GRACE is more important
than getting rid of pain, and trouble
2.
Grace is God’s kindness towards us when
we don’t deserve it – His help, when we are not worthy of it!
3.
In reality, it is more important to have
God’s grace, than any of His blessings!
4.
Some Illustrations may help you to better
understand…
a.
Who needs God? We know everyone does, but
who KNOWS they need God? Those who are weak, and infirm, and do not have
the necessary strength for each day
b.
When we are successfully living the
Christian life, and doing God’s will, WHO is just outside the door of
our lives seeking to ruin and soil us? Satan
c.
How does he get in and take over
successful Christian lives? Our pride
d.
What did God give Paul so that his life
would not be the devil’s playground? NOT more successes, but a thorn
5.
But WHY the thorn? How could something so
painful be so good?
6.
So that Paul would learn to rely on God’s
grace instead of God’s blessings!
7.
MANY a believer has received such gifts,
for their good
a.
You don’t find many men of great wealth
and power in the Bible, who live by faith and gladly give their lives
for Christ no matter the cost!
b.
Consider Job (Job 1:20,21)
c.
Jacob (Gen 32:21)
d.
Samson – He enjoyed his strengths, never
giving honour to God until he was humbled and blinded and made weak!
1)
Jdg 16:20,21
And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke
out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and
shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him. But
the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to
Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the
prison house.
2)
Jdg 16:28-30
And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember
me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, ... And
Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood,
and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the
other with his left. And Samson ... bowed himself with all his might;
and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were
therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they
which he slew in his life.
e.
How about Hannah (1Sam 1,2) – it was her
lack, her weakness that caused her to enjoy the supernatural power of
God in giving her a baby boy named Samuel!
f.
Ultimately they all rejoiced IN the grace
that came alive in the midst of the troubles and pains and afflictions
g.
Fanny Crosby (1820-1915), wrote more than
8,000 Gospel hymns.
1)
All the way my Savior leads me;
a)
What have I to ask beside?
b)
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
c)
Who through life has been my Guide?
d)
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
e)
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
f)
For I know, whate’er befall me,
g)
Jesus doeth all things well;
h)
For I know, whate’er befall me,
i)
Jesus doeth all things well.
2)
Tell me the story of Jesus,
a)
Write on my heart every word.
b)
Tell me the story most precious,
c)
Sweetest that ever was heard.
d)
Tell how the angels in chorus,
e)
Sang as they welcomed His birth.
f)
“Glory to God in the highest!
g)
Peace and good tidings to earth.”
3)
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
a)
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
b)
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
c)
His child and forever I am.
4)
Made blind accidentally in infancy, when
she was only eight years old she wrote:
5)
Oh, what a happy soul I am,
6)
Although I cannot see,
7)
I am resolved that in this world
8)
Contented I will be.
9)
How many blessings I enjoy
10)
That other people don’t!
11)
To weep and sigh because I’m blind,
12)
I cannot, and I won’t.
13)
Crosby said of her blindness, “It seemed
intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my
life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight
were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung
hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and
interesting things about me.”
h.
Annie Johnson Flint (1866-1932), another
author of some of our well-known hymns, also learned to draw on this
supply of grace. As a young adult she suffered from rheumatoid arthritis
that left her progressively crippled and eventually unable to rise from
her bed. To alleviate pain and discomfort, she rested and slept on soft
pillows. Her body developed serious bedsores and finally she suffered
the ravages of cancer. Yet her attitude through all the struggles with
pain and confinement was that of submission, faith and trust in God to
give her the grace and strength she needed. With pen pushed through
gnarled fingers and held by swollen joints, she continued to write her
verses, which provided solace and comfort for herself, her friends, and
the world. The following are two of her verses:
1)
He giveth more grace as our burdens grow
greater,
2)
He sendeth more strength as our labors
increase;
3)
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
4)
To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.
5)
When we have exhausted our store of
endurance,
6)
When our strength has failed ere the day
is half done,
7)
When we reach the end of our hoarded
resources
8)
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.
9)
His love has no limits, His grace has no
measure,
10)
His power no boundary known unto men;
11)
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
12)
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.
III.
Application
– Let’s Wrap this up…
A.
So, Why The Thorn?
1.
Why does God bring deep hurt into our
lives? Not just that He allows
it, but actually gives it to us? Why?
2.
More than that, Why is Satan given such
liberty to afflict a child of God with that thorn?
3.
And then, Why does God say No to our
often requests to be free from such troubles?
4.
Why does God seek to weaken us in our
ministries instead of make us stronger?
B.
Certainly not to hurt us – works
all things for good!
C.
Here is the Reasons
1.
To humble us – that great work of God on
our attitude about ourselves
2.
To keep us real and relevant – so that
hurting people can relate to us, and can actually be comforted by us
3.
To expose my weaknesses, your weaknesses
and limits – remind us how much we need HIM to be our strength AND our
song
4.
To cause us to yearn for the power of
Christ to be at work through us instead of our great abilities and
strengths that we THINK we have
a.
Someone may be a great popular speaker
1)
There is no honour for God when that
person speaks
2)
But God gets all the glory when a man
with a lisp, speaks from his heart the glorious words of life from this
Book!
b.
Someone may be a great singer
1)
God gets no praise when he or she raises
the roof – the singer does!
2)
But God gets all the glory when someone
makes a JOYFUL NOISE with all their heart, through tears and sorrows and
pain!
c.
Someone may be incredibly wise and
intelligent
1)
There is no honour for God when they come
up with answers to problems
2)
But when someone is forced to pray and
beg God for wisdom to know what to do, then when God shows them the
answer, everyone praises GOD, and not the man!
d.
Someone may be stunning and beautiful
1)
There is no honour for God when that
person walks into a room
2)
But when someone limps in, or is rolled
in in a wheelchair, and they are beaming, ear to ear with the Joy of the
Holy Spirit – wow! THAT’S when God is glorified!
D.
I bet YOU have a thorn or two
1.
Something that is hindering you, hurting
you, afflicting you
a.
Maybe it is your past – constantly
afflicting you even decades later
b.
Maybe it is your marriage
c.
Maybe it is a health problem that won’t
go away
d.
ALL the above are weakness, and
infirmities
e.
If you are a born again child of God,
then they are all good things
2.
So, Quit asking God to take it away
3.
And begin to thank God for the grace that
He gives in the pain
4.
And start to yield to God’s sufficient
grace, allowing it to be all you need
5.
Watch GOD’S ability and strength be
greater than yours ever was!
6.
That is going to be hard
7.
But ask Job if God’s grace was worth
experiencing on that ash heap
8.
Ask Samson is his blindness actually made
him stronger than ever
9.
Ask Paul is his thorn was really all that
bad, compared to the grace that took over in his life
E.
If you are NOT born again… if you
are only religious… every hurt is wasted!
1.
Then beware – none of your troubles have
any meaning or purpose in the long run.
2.
Only Jesus Christ can take your life and
save it, and make everything work out for good.
3.
But you have got to let Him save you.
4.
Ask Him to forgive you all your sins, and
cleanse your guilt, and give you the gift of God which is eternal life |