Introduction:
A. The story is told of a mother who had her 18 month-old son strapped in a child-carrying backpack on her back.
1. She was rushing to catch the bus and stumbled and fell down an entire flight of stairs (13 to be exact).
2. She was bruised, bleeding and had torn her clothes, but her main concern was for her child.
3. Her fears and concerns were alleviated, though, when from behind her, she heard a gleeful giggle followed by, “Again! Do again!”
B. What are you concerned about?
1. There certainly is a lot that we can be concerned about, isn’t there?
2. There is so much going on in our world: volcanoes, earthquakes, oil spills, global warming, swine flu, cancer, gas prices, health care bills, terrorists, illegal immigrants, national debt, moral decline, nuclear destruction, obesity, and identity theft – how’s that for a short list?
C. So what can we do about our concerns?
1. As you know, one of my favorite comics is the old Peanuts cartoon.
2. One episode showed Linus stick his head out the door at wintertime and called to his sister Lucy, “Mom said to tell you it’s time to come in.”
3. Standing next to her snowman Lucy says, “Rats.” As she turns to go in she says, “Goodnight friend, I’ll see you in the morning.”
4. Standing at the front door Lucy again turns to her snowman saying, “Goodnight!”
5. Once inside Lucy takes off her coat and gloves as Linus watches TV in the background; going over to the window she looks out at her snowman friend and says, “I’m so concerned for my snowman; I hate to see him stand out in the yard alone all night.”
6. Can you guess what happens next? The next picture shows Linus sighing with a long frown on his face as he stands out in the cold next to Lucy’s snowman friend.
D. Paul was very concerned about the church in Corinth, and rather than send someone else, Paul decided it was time for him to go to Corinth and deal with the situation in person.
1. As we return to 2 Corinthians 12 today to finish the chapter, we realize that Paul is nearing the end of this letter.
2. As the letter is coming to an end, so is Paul’s defense of himself and his ministry.
3. The verses we will examine today read like the words of a weary man who has put forth some tremendous effort in the conflict he has endured.
4. Once again, Paul speaks with distaste of this whole wretched business of self-justification.
5. Ultimately, Paul’s concern was not for himself, but for the Gospel and the Church.
6. Let’s work our way through the text and see what lessons we can learn.
I. Understanding the Word
A. Look at verses 11 and 12: I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing. 12The things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles—were done among you with great perseverance. (2 Cor. 12:11-12)
1. Paul began with a bit of a scolding – the Corinthians should have been boasting about him, instead of forcing him to boast about himself.
2. Was Paul inferior to these “super-apostles”? Of course not!
3. The Corinthians had seen Paul in action – in fact, they owed their very souls to him and his ministry.
4. He had done miraculous signs among them that proved his apostleship.
5. And he had persevered in his ministry at Corinth in spite of external persecution and internal problems.
6. They really should have known better, and this was surely part of what hurt Paul most deeply.
B. In verse 13, Paul turns again to subtle irony: 13How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! (2 Cor. 12:13)
1. It must have infuriated the Corinthians that Paul would accept nothing from them, for again and again he returns to that charge.
2. Paul was never a financial burden to the Corinthians. It was an injustice for which he playfully pled forgiveness!
C. Let’s read verses 14 and 15: Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?
1. Paul was preparing them for his third visit. (2 Cor. 12:14-15)
a. His first visit was when he founded the church, and his second visit was that painful visit.
2. Here he is letting them know that when he comes for the third time, he will not be changing his practice of not receiving support from them.
a. They needed to prepare themselves for more of the same from Paul with regard to finances.
b. He wanted to leave no doubt that his interest was in their souls, not their purses.
c. He was interested in relationship, not revenue.
3. He illustrated his point by alluding to the relationships between parents and children.
a. When children are young, it is not their responsibility to take care of their parents, rather it is the parents’ responsibility to take care of their kids.
b. We should not take this illustration to far, because Paul elsewhere defends the right of ministers to receive support from those who benefit from their ministry (1 Cor. 9), and elsewhere, Paul also taught that Christians should take care of the financial needs of their relatives – and we can assume that includes adult children caring for their aged parents (1 Tim. 5:8).
D. Paul continued: 16Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! 17Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent you? 18I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not act in the same spirit and follow the same course? (2 Cor. 12:16-18)
1. Here we see Paul explain that his refusal to be a burden to the Corinthians included those partners with whom he ministers, those whom he sent to Corinth in his place, such as Titus.
2. Paul’s opponents at Corinth had painted him as a “crafty fellow,” a con artist who fleeces the flock as a huckster.
3. Paul pressed the Corinthians to acknowledge the foolishness of such charges.
4. What con artist ends up giving to others rather than taking from them? For them he gladly spent everything and himself as well.
5. Those whom Paul had sent to Corinth were of the same caliber and commitment as Paul.
6. Blessed is the man who has fellow workers he can trust like Paul could trust Titus and others!
E. Look at verse 19: Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. (2 Cor. 12:19)
1. Here Paul really turned the tables on the Corinthians.
2. They may have believed that his efforts were all aimed at his own defense, but Paul was not a people-pleaser.
3. He and his associates were concerned with God’s approval, and so they conducted themselves “in the sight of God as those in Christ.”
4. The goal of their ministry (unlike their opponents in Corinth) was not to build themselves up and to feather their own financial nest, but to build up the Corinthians.
F. Paul concluded the chapter by moving from defense to offense, as he expressed his concerns.
1. He wrote: 20For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 21I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.
2. Notice the three things that Paul was concerned about.
a. First, He was concerned about the outcome of his impending visit.
b. Second, He was concerned that he may find them involved in all kinds of sin – some sins that have to do with the ongoing conflict, and some that have to do with the temptations and sins in the Corinthian culture.
c. Third, He feared a repeat of being humbled under God’s hand like the humbling he had experienced during his second visit.
3. If you are like me, then you might be thinking, “I thought that all the problems had been dealt with, and that Paul was rejoicing earlier in the letter – like in 7:7 – Paul wrote that Titus “told us about your affection, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.”
4. What we see here, I think, is Paul’s realism, not his pessimism.
a. Paul knew enough about human nature and about church life, to know that when people say very firmly one day - that they are now completely decided, they’ve made up their minds, and that from this moment on, everything is going to be different – Paul knew that there was the strong probability that some of them, before the week was out, would have gone back on their word and returned to the old patterns of behavior.
b. So I don’t think anything has changed from chapter 7.
c. On the one hand, Paul has complete confidence in them, but on the other hand, he knows the power of the enemy, and the weakness of the saints.
5. Here in verses 20 and 21, Paul gives them a subtle threat.
a. He hopes that he will not find them to be other than they should be.
b. He does not want to have to take stern measures, but, if necessary, he will not shrink back from them.
c. Paul intends to be strong in person as much as he has been in print – if it is necessary.
II. Applying the Word
A. So what lessons should we learn from today’s verses?
1. Let me share three lessons that I see.
B. First, we learn that leaders must be thick skinned.
1. Leadership is hard.
2. Leaders are often criticized and unappreciated.
a. No matter what a humble, wise and godly Christian leader does, he can expect that he will get his share of angry letters, and personal attacks.
b. It has been that way from the beginning…look at the way God’s people treated Moses!
3. The proper way of handing such attacks is neither to respond in kind nor to protect oneself by erecting a wall of steal.
a. As we can see from this letter, Paul remained deeply vulnerable throughout this whole experience – even though it hurt!
b. Notice how he has responded to the attacks with patient explanation, direct personal appeal, and a fair amount of humor and irony.
4. What is most critical for leaders is to put their trust in the Lord and seek the Lord’s approval.
5. With a strong relationship with God, the leader can persevere.
6. I’ve often found this poem by Dr. Kent M. Keith to be very enlightening and encouraging:
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
7. So the first lesson is that leaders must be thick-skinned; they must patiently persevere.
C. Second, we learn that godliness must be the expected standard.
1. Those of us who claim to be followers of Christ and children of God have signed on to the highest standards of moral character known on planet earth.
2. We are called to be holy as God is holy – how’s that for a lofty goal?
3. We note from Paul’s short list in today’s passage that these expected standards include conduct related to human interaction and community – here are some of the things that we would not expect to characterize us: “quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.”
4. Additionally, Paul mentioned some of the other sins that had been a struggle for some there in Corinth – like: impurity, sexual sin and debauchery.
5. Certainly, these two lists are not comprehensive, but the point that I’m trying to make is that as Christians and as the church there is an expected standard.
6. And there is an understanding that we must be striving for that standard.
7. When we fall short of that standard, it is assumed that there will be sufficient repenting and resisting going on.
8. It is not assumed that it is okay to remain in sin and accept any sin as an acceptable lifestyle.
9. All of this is a part of the commitment we make when we become disciples of Jesus.
10. So the second lesson is that godliness must be the expected standard.
D. Finally, we learn that godlessness must be confronted.
1. Sin in the church must be faced honestly and dealt with courageously.
a. To “sweep it under the rug” is to only make matters worse.
2. Sin in the church is like cancer in the human body, it must be treated – either by cutting it out or by disabling it in some other way.
3. Paul was concerned that he might have do some confronting when he arrived in Corinth.
a. Paul’s love for the Christians there was too great for him to ignore these problems and permit them to continue to weaken the church.
6. The goal of any kind of confrontation or church discipline is restoration, not rejection.
a. The goal is to set things right and to strengthen, not crush or destroy.
7. But if there is no repentance, then the only option is removal from the church.
a. That was something that Paul had called for the Corinthians to do in 1 Cor. 5, and that is called for in some situations.
b. Fortunately, the man in question repented, and then Paul encouraged the church in Corinth to welcome the man back with open arms.
8. When I think about confrontation and church discipline, I like to imagine a sheep who has gone astray or is caught in a thicket, or is on a cliff, or one who has been swept away by a wolf and needs to be rescued.
a. There is something much more loving and appealing about imagining a shepherd who with great concern goes to look for the lost member of his flock! Right?
E. How wonderful it is when all these things are working according to God’s plan.
1. How wonderful when good godly leadership perseveres in spite of difficulties and criticism.
2. How wonderful when the membership consistently conforms to God’s standards for conduct and commitment.
3. And how wonderful when confrontation is carried out with wisdom, love and patience, which lead to repentance and restoration.
F. Paul was concerned about the church at Corinth.
1. He was concerned enough to write them a corrective letter.
2. And he was concerned enough to make a visit to them and to try to work things out.
G. How concerned are we for God’s church?
1. How concerned are we for God’s leaders?
2. How concerned are we for living God’s standards in our own lives?
3. How concerned are we for rescuing those who may be falling away from the Lord?
4. Let’s be active in doing something positive about our concerns.
5. God will surely help us and bless us if we do.
Resources:
“Paul’s Closing Argument, Appeal, and Blessing” Sermon by Bob Deffinbaugh, SermonCentral.com
Paul for Everyone, 2 Corinthians, Tom Wright, Westminster John Knox Press, 2003
2 Corinthians, The NIV Application Commentary, Scott J. Hafemann, Zondervan, 2000
2 Corinthians, John MacArthur, Nelson Impact, 2007
The Letters to the Corinthians, William Barclay, The Westminster Press, 1975
Be Encouraged, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Warren Wiersbe, Victor Books, 1989
The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Murray J. Harris, Edited by Frank E. Gaebelein, Zondervan, 1976
