Background: The Corinthian church had been infiltrated by false teachers who were challenging both Paul’s personal integrity and his authority as an apostle. While it’s hard to say exactly who his opponents were, they were very likely Jewish Christians who disagreed with some element of Paul’s teaching and who were attempting to sway the church by discrediting Paul in his absence. They had accused him both of stealing the money they had sent for Jerusalem as well as claiming that his word was untrustworthy.
Paul defends himself against these charges, and in the last few chapters of the letter he addresses both the false teachers as well as those who have been led astray by them. Since they apparently are swayed by “outward appearances,” Paul resorts to “boasting,” though clearly this is not his preferred method:
"I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. In this self-confident boasting I am 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 pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face. To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!
What anyone else dares to boast about - I am speaking as a fool - I also dare to boast about. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I. 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 stoned, 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 own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the country in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 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. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure 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?
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness."
Weakness isn’t exactly a very popular subject – especially here in America. We tend to praise the ones who have overcome some difficulty, who have pulled themselves up by the bootstraps or otherwise made themselves strong. In the Marine Corps, weakness was seen as the enemy – a common slogan at the gym was “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” If you’re watching the Olympics right now, you see young men and women from all over the world who are at the peak of their physical abilities competing to see who is the best. But behind these stories of success and victory, there is often an element of weakness or inability that makes the story more powerful.
Drew Brees is a great example that our pastor shared about a few weeks ago – extensive damage to his shoulder, but he persevered and is now sporting a Super Bowl ring on that hand. At the New Orleans press conference before the big game, Drew was asked about overcoming adversity.
He said, “The injury happened in the last game of the 2005 season, my fifth year in San Diego in which I did not have a contract after that. All of a sudden here I am thrust into free agency two months after a right shoulder dislocation, which I was told by some doctors that I had a 25 percent chance of coming back and ever playing. Only two teams were interested in me in free agency to be the starting quarterback – Miami and New Orleans. That was a defining moment in my life and one that brought me to New Orleans with a sense that this is a calling for me, an opportunity that I have to not only come to a city and be a part of the rebuilding of the organization, city, community and region. This was an opportunity that really doesn’t come along for most people in their lifetime, and yet here it is staring me in the face. So it was much more than football and I felt it was destiny that God put me there for a reason. At times, God is going to put you in a position to wonder why this is happening to me or to us, and yet you know it’s happening for a reason. It’s there to make you stronger and to give the opportunity to accomplish something later on – and here we are.”
So what is weakness?
An inability to do something; a lack of strength; things that are beyond our control or influence.
Why would Paul boast about his weaknesses?
Paul boasts about the things that are out of his control, because it opens the way for him to experience the strength of God’s grace.
How do we boast about our weaknesses?
It means that we learn the lessons that God intends for us throughout our period of weakness and share our stories with others as a means of encouragement and to point them towards God’s strength and sufficiency.
Personal example:
I lost my job with the Guard last October, yet God is providing for us financially. Specifically, in the past week we’ve received:
- $2900 from National Guard selling back leave days that were thought to be lost.
- Over $10,000 in tax refunds.
- $7500 from someone we’ve never met who runs a charitable endowment and heard about our situation from a friend.
Did I do anything to earn this $20,000 gift? Well, maybe the taxes… but the point is that all of this came about at a time when I could do nothing for myself – when it was all we could do just to pay our bills each month and wonder if I would be able to stay in school and graduate this June. I was weak financially, and there were no good prospects on the horizon that indicated any kind of change. So am I boasting now? Well, yes – but it’s not about me. Instead, it’s about pointing to God and showing how He works in the midst of our weakness and inability. And when God makes us strong, He does so in order that we can help those around us who are weak. In our case, we were able to help provide scholarships for our church's Men’s Retreat and Youth Retreat.
So here’s what I want to leave you with, gentle readers:
- Weakness in some area is an opportunity to see God’s strength and faithfulness.
- Weakness causes us to turn to God and renews our faith in Him.
- The blessings and experiences we gain from our weakness enables us to support and encourage others.
Your challenge: Identify at least one area of “weakness” in your life and pray that the Lord will teach you what He wants you to learn so that your faith may be strengthened and it may be added to your testimony.
GOD IS RARELY EARLY, NEVER LATE & ALWAYS ON TIME
5 comments:
Quote: “they were very likely Jewish Christians who ..”
(le-havdil), A logical analysis (found here: www.netzarim.co.il (that is the only legitimate Netzarim)) of all extant source documents and archeology proves that the historical Ribi Yehosuha ha-Mashiakh (the Messiah) from Nazareth and his talmidim (apprentice-students), called the Netzarim, taught and lived Torah all of their lives; and that Netzarim and Christianity were always antithetical.
Judaism and Christianity have always been two antithetical religions, and thus the term “Jewish Christianity”, “Jewish Christians”, etc, are oxymorons.
Ribi Yehoshuas talmidim Netzairm still observes Torah non-selectively to their utmost today and the research in the above website implies that becoming one of Ribi Yehoshuas Netzarim-followers is the only way to follow him.
Since the term "Christian" refers to any who are Christ-followers, Jewish Christians - those Hebrews who followed Christ - are not an oxymoron. The 12 apostles were all Jewish - as was Saul/Paul of Tarsus. In fact, Messianic Jews of today would likely not object to being called Jewish Christians.
I won't get into a discussion about the Netzarim - but if the only thing you took away from my whole post was a disagreement with using the term "Jewish Christians," I have to wonder what you're looking for.
Jewish Christian was an oxymoron in the 1st century. Today when words have little meaning you can get away with it. Are you trying to tell us that the man born a Torah observant man and died because of this Torah observance would turn around and destroy what he held as precious. You should try reading in Hebrew Devarim 13:1-6 and find the meaning of a false prophet. One who teaches against the Torah.
Again, is it true that the only thing you noticed in my whole post was my use of the term "Jewish Christian?" Are you so blind that all you can do is nit-pick over terminology and ignore the real substance of the post?? Sheesh.
Initially, Christianity was a "Jewish" religion. Jesus Christ was, as we all know, a Jew, as were nearly all his followers during his life. I believe it was Simon-Peter who first began evangelizing the Gentiles, and Paul is famous for it, but they were both Jews, as were many Christians in the early days. Even a "Jew's Jew" like Paul didn't consider it an oxymoron to be a Jewish Christian, but the completion of the Law and prophets, the fulfillment of the dream of the Patriarchs, David, and devout Jews throughout the ages.
It is interesting that many modern Jews will accept a fellow Jew who believes anything (varying sects of Judaism; agnosticism or even atheism; even eastern religions, as evidenced by the yoga and meditation classes offered by the local Jewish Community Center), anything EXCEPT Christianity. I've never heard a Jewish apologist call a Jewish Buddhist an "oxymoron;" only Jewish Christians receive their vitriolic wrath.
To Anders Branderud and Eliyahu I ask: What is it about Christianity (and only Christianity) that so bothers you? And it must bother you, to the point that you will perform web searches just to find a mention of it in some stranger's blog, so that you can post rants against it (having - obviously - not read the blog you rail against).
Post a Comment