2 Corinthians Ch11v16-33 - Who's Boasting?

So we're going to be reading this morning from 2 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 16 to the end of the chapter.

2 Corinthians 11:16

Thank you.

Read God's word and then we'll pray.

Starting in at verse 16.

I repeat, let no one take me for a fool.

But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting.

In this self-confident boasting, I'm not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool.

Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast.

You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise.

In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face.

To my shame, I admit that we were far too weak for that.

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about.

Am I speaking as a fool?

I also dare to boast about.

Are they Hebrews?

Are they Israelites?

So am I.

Are they Abraham's descendants?

So am I.

Are they servants of Christ?

I'm 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.

And then down to verse 30.

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.

Well, let's just pause and pray for God's help as we hear his word.

Let's pray.

Father, we come this morning with many things on our minds and on our hearts.

Things that weigh us down.

Things that make us feel weak and inadequate and helpless.

And we thank you that we come to an awesome God who meets us in our need to give us the help that we need.

And so we come to you and ask that you would pour out your spirit afresh on us today.

So that we may know your work in our life.

That we may be built up with eyes firmly fixed on Jesus, our strength.

Help us now, we pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Well, we're going to begin by playing a game.

We're going to play boasting.

It's very simple.

You have to try and outdo your opponent by boasting of what you have or what you've done.

So are you ready?

Here's a few ideas to get you started.

You can boast about your salary and your successes, your achievements and your qualifications.

So turn to your neighbor and let's play boasting.

Well, no, we would never dream of playing a game like that.

We would never ever boast.

Or would we?

You see, the Apostle Paul is caught up in a serious and real case of boasting.

And it's destroying the church.

You remember back in chapter 11, verse 5, the super apostles, he says,

I do not think I'm in the least inferior to those so-called super apostles.

They were boasting about how great they were.

That they could charge top fees and draw big crowds.

Whereas Paul, he was nothing.

He had to preach the gospel for free.

And these super apostles boasted of having letters of commendation and great qualifications.

Whereas Paul, he was useless.

He had nobody to commend him.

By boasting of themselves and elevating themselves,

they pushed Paul and the gospel down.

They claimed he was unsuccessful, unimpressive, and untrained.

Who would want to listen to a person like that?

Well, the problem is the church in Corinth had got sucked in.

They had fallen for their boasts.

They had been attracted by these big name speakers and their dynamic presentations.

They liked what they saw, but really gave no thought to who they were.

Rather than listen to Paul and the true gospel,

they were listening to these so-called super apostles and their false gospel.

But Paul won't do that.

He has no time in boasting in himself.

Look back at chapter 10, verse 17.

He's crystal clear, verse 17.

Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.

For it's not the one who commends himself who is approved,

but the one whom the Lord commends.

You see, Paul's aim wasn't to please people.

His desire was to preach Christ.

He didn't need to boast.

The Lord had called him and commended him,

and that was enough.

But it seems things have gotten very serious in the church,

and he feels he has to boast.

So look at chapter 11, verse 1.

He says to them,

I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness.

Yes, please put up with me,

because he's going to go into a time of boasting.

Verse 16.

I repeat,

let no one take me for a fool.

But if you do,

if you think I'm a fool,

then tolerate me just as you would a fool,

so that I may do a little boasting.

It sounds like he's contradicting himself, doesn't it?

First he's saying,

no, only boast in the Lord.

And now he says,

I'm actually going to do a little bit of boasting.

So what's going on?

Well, I think there's two big things

that this text teaches us.

First, the folly

of those who boast in greatness.

The folly of those who boast in greatness.

Let's pick it up in verse 17.

In this self-confident boasting,

I am talking.

I am not talking as the Lord would.

The Lord wouldn't want me to do this,

but as a fool.

Since many are boasting in the way the world does,

I too will boast.

You want to boast?

Well, let's play boasting.

You think these super apostles are impressive?

Well, I'll show you what's impressive.

You think these are great speakers

with wonderful qualifications?

Well, I'll show you my qualifications.

The gloves are off.

Let the boasting begin.

Isn't that just how the world operates?

The greater you are,

the more influential you are

and the more popular you become.

Whoever can boast the most hits online,

aren't we drawn in

to listen to what they have to say?

And whoever boasts the most sales,

we pay attention to

and we want what they have.

We get hooked on their successes

and experiences

and we follow up wanting their clothes,

their brand clothes.

We follow their diets

and we believe what they say.

It's the same within our Christian world.

Preachers can boast

of the size of their churches

and all the books that they publish.

And churches can boast

of their wonderful music

and their slick presentation.

We get hooked on their dynamism

and their passion.

We like what they begin to say

but we stop listening

to what God has to say.

We love all the things

that they offer

but we forget all that Jesus

has to give.

You see, Paul enters into this

little game of boasting.

Not to encourage boasting

but to expose the folly

of listening to the world's boasts.

Look what he says

to those who boast in their greatness

or those who listen

to those who are boasting.

It's quite hard hitting.

You're a fool.

Verse 18.

Since many are boasting

in the way the world does

I too will boast.

You gladly put up with fools

since you are so wise.

He's being sarcastic.

Those successful super apostles

those impressive speakers

oh they're so wise aren't they?

They're such clever people.

And you're so wise

for following them

and listening to them.

You're so wise

that you even want

to become like them.

Wise.

Don't give me wise.

Give me a break.

You're the foolish ones

for being drawn in

and being taken in by them.

Remember what these

super apostles are like?

Look back at chapter 11

verse 13.

For such people

are false apostles

deceitful workers

masquerading as apostles

of Christ

and no wonder

for Satan himself

masquerades as an angel of light.

It is not surprising then

if his servants

also masquerade

as servants of righteousness.

Wise?

not a bit of it.

You're fools

by being taken in

by their boasting

of their greatness

and you have swallowed

their false gospel.

But not only are they fools

he says you've become slaves

verse 20.

In fact you even put up

with anyone who enslaves you

or exploits you

or takes advantage of you

or puts on airs

or slaps you in the face.

You think all their boasting

of success and greatness

is going to get you somewhere.

It's going to make you something.

No, they're exploiting you

and they're taking advantage of you.

They promise you a better life

but it's an empty life.

They offer you a Jesus

who will give to you

anything that you ask.

And they'll offer you a gospel

that will let you live

however you want to live.

But the reality is

it will enslave you.

You keep coming back

for more and more

of what they have to say

but it will never ever satisfy you.

Like the prosperity teachers

who offer you health and wealth

but by the way

first send on your donations

at the number below.

They become your master

and you will be forever

in their debt.

Following those who boast

in their greatness

will not make you great

you will become

a foolish slave.

Be careful of those

who boast

in their own credentials.

And can I say to you

as a church

in looking for a pastor

be careful of those

who have many followers

and those who boast

of their own greatness.

Now not all

who have great followers

followers

are false teachers

but not all

speak the truth.

Instead we should all

be wise

like the Bereans

who were of great

noble character

for they received

the message

with great eagerness

and examined the scriptures

every day

to see if what Paul said

was true.

I hope you are doing

that right now

that you aren't taken in

by false teaching

but you bring everything

under the word of God

to see if what is being said

is true.

That is all of our responsibility.

So let us beware

of the folly of boasting

in greatness.

On the flip side

then

we have the wisdom

of those who boast

in weakness.

Verse 30

If I must boast

I will boast

of the things

that show my weakness.

Paul is showing us

the wisdom

of boasting

not in greatness

but in weakness.

In other words

if you want to be great

you need to be

weak.

Let's go to

verse 20

21

the end of verse 21

Whatever anyone else

dares to boast about

I am speaking as a fool

I can't believe it.

I also dare

to boast about

Are they Hebrews?

Well so am I.

Are they Israelites?

So am I.

Are they Abraham's descendants?

So am I.

You want qualifications?

Well I have it.

Culturally

socially

religiously

I've got it all.

verse 23

Are they servants

of Christ?

I'm out of my mind

to beginning

to talk like this.

I

am

more.

You think

these super apostles

are up there?

Well

I'm

above that.

Look at what he says

at the end of verse 23

I've preached

in more countries

I've planted

more churches

I've done

better healings

I've written

more letters

I've met

the risen Jesus

I've made

more converts

I've baptised

more people

Is that what it says?

No

he could well

have said

all of those things

and those things

would have been true

but that's not

what he says.

Instead

he boasts

of suffering

not success.

Let's pick it up

at the end of verse 23

what it does say.

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 40 lashes

minus one

so that's

195 lashes

with three strips

of leather

and knots

on the end.

Three times

I was beaten

with rods

Acts tells us

he was stripped

naked

before they beat him

once I was

pelted

with stones

where he was

left

for dead.

Three times

I was shipwrecked

I spent

night

and a day

in the open sea

I've been

constantly

on the move

I've 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 often

gone without

food

I have been

cold

and naked

besides everything

else

I face the daily

pressures of my

concern

for all

the churches

who is weak

and I do

not feel

weak

who is led

into sin

and I do

not inwardly

burn

why

did he go

through all

this suffering

why put

himself in

places

where he is

vulnerable

and weak

why put

himself into

situations

where he knew

it was going

to be hard

well at one

level his

suffering show

that he is

the real

deal

he is the

authentic one

and his

message that he

brings is

authentic

we can trust

the message

that he says

if someone is

willing to go

through so much

suffering

if you are

willing to

become weak

it proves

that the

gospel he

preaches

can be

trusted

if you are

willing like

Paul to

put your

life on

the line

time and

time and

time again

it counts

for something

you see

Paul is

saying to

the church

and he is

saying to

us today

you can

believe the

gospel that I

bring to

you

it is

wonderfully

true

I will

die for

you to

get the

message to

you

but there is

something more

and it comes

in the last

few verses

Paul boasts

in his

failures

not his

achievements

his failures

not achievements

look at

verse 31

the God

and Father

of our

Lord Jesus

who is to

be praised

forever

knows that

I am not

lying

in Damascus

the governor

under King

Artax

had the

city of

the Damascenes

guarded in

order to

arrest me

but I was

lowered in a

basket from

a window in

the wall

and I

slipped through

his hands

I didn't

know this

but commentators

tell us that

in the Roman

military there

was a special

award for the

first soldier

who could get

over the

wall so

whenever they

were attacking

a city

they had to

climb the

walls in

their wooden

ladders to

get in

it was both

dangerous but

very courageous

if you were

the first one

to get in

over the wall

and into the

city and to

make a way

through

well that

person was

worthy of

great honour

well look at

Paul

what can he

claim

when he's

telling us

he bottled

it

that when

the going

got tough

when they

sent out a

warrant for

his arrest

he ran

for his

life

rather than

be the

brave man

verse 33

rather than

the one

being up

over the

wall

I was

lowered in

a basket

from a

window in

the wall

and I

slipped

through his

hands

oh I

was a

coward

I was a

coward

I ran

away

I

failed

would you

put your

failures like

this in

your CV

Paul boasts

not in his

excess or

achievements

he boasts

in his

weaknesses

why

because he

knows that

when you

strip

everything

back

when you

chip away

at the

external

facade

when you

expose

his heart

when you

get to the

bottom of

who Paul

really is

he has

nothing to

boast about

only a

cowardly

failure

and as we

reflect on

our own

lives

well we

have nothing

to boast

about either

do we

all our

credentials

all our

successes

and achievements

all our

best moments

all our

proud memories

all our

victories

our

strengths

and our

qualities

strip them

all away

knock away

the facade

and if you

could look

into my

life

you'd see

a mess

but you

know what

it's right

here

in our

suffering

and in

our

failure

and in

the depths

of our

weakness

that we

find the

greatest

hope

possible

verse 30

if I

must

boast

I

will

boast

of the

things

that

show

my

weakness

you see

it's only

when we

embrace

our

weakness

that we

are throwing

ourselves

into the

loving arms

of Christ

who became

weak

for us

for us

for us

for

to be

sure

he was

crucified

in

weakness

yet

he lives

by

God's

power

Christ

went

into

weakness

he not

only

suffered

he suffered

death

and he not

only suffered

death

he suffered

our

judgment

and he not

only suffered

our judgment

he suffered

hell

for you

and for

me

you see

we boast

in a

suffering

servant

a weak

savior

one who

was crushed

and beaten

and reviled

and mocked

and flogged

crucified

to death

so that

you

and I

might have

life

you see

it is in

the weakness

of Christ

that we

find the

power

and the

excellence

of God

through

Christ's

sufferings

comes

our

life

if you

were applying

for a

job

what would

you write

in your

CV

where we

could write

down all

the things

that show

us our

abilities

and our

qualities

all our

qualifications

and our

experiences

in other

words

we get

out the

yellow

highlighter

and we

mark our

strengths

and we

disguise

our

weaknesses

we boast

of our

successes

but we

hide

our

failures

but that's

the self

confident

boasting

of the

world

it looks

great

but deep

down we

know the

reality

we look

deep inside

our hearts

and we

see not

greatness

but don't

we all

know our

weakness

you see the

good news

of the

gospel is

it allows

us to

become real

and true

and honest

about ourselves

we don't

need to

pretend

we don't

need to

put on a

facade

or a

mask

we don't

longer

have to

hide

our

struggles

or to

disguise

our

sin

isn't

that

wonderful

we come

to a

loving

saviour

and we

boast

of our

weaknesses

we come

in all

our

suffering

and we

find a

saviour

who is

weak

for us

and gives

us

strength

we come

with all

our

failure

and we

experience

not

judgement

but we

find a

saviour

a loving

embrace

one who

will treasure

us and

welcome

us

adopting

us into

his family

who says

I am

your God

and you

are mine

and I

will never

ever

let you

go

the world

prizes

greatness

and we

listen

to those

with big

names

and big

followers

no not

greatness

but

weakness

a

crucified

Christ

who died

for you

and for

me

you see

it's

seeing that

when I

am weak

then I

am truly

strong

but that's

next week's

sermon

let's pray

oh lord

you know

you know

each one

of us

and we

so feel

our

weaknesses

at times

whether it

be physical

or mental

and in the

midst of it

all and

running

through it

all our

hearts

you know

that we

don't measure

up

and yet

!

and yet

we thank

you for

the wonderful

gospel

that allows

us no

longer to

hide

or to

shy away

but to

come and

boast in

our weakness

and come to

a saviour who

truly understands

who has

who has been

where we are

and deeper

still

and who

will hold

us by the

hand

and will

walk us

through

and never

ever

let us

go

help us

that we

would not

boast

in greatness

but boast

in weakness

boast in

our Lord

and saviour

Jesus

Christ

Amen