“Our strength grows out of our weaknesses”
Ralph Waldo Emerson, I would like to start with this quote and boast about weakness.
When we boast we always boast of our achievements and never in the slightest idea of boasting our weakness. We are scared to share that we are weak in some areas of life. This fear puts us into a false masking but on the contrary bible tells that Paul an apostle decided to boast – boast only about his weakness despite of his immense successful endeavors. The particular reason for this is that in our weakness the strength of God becomes perfected. Therefore to Paul it was always better for him to boast of his weakness thereby bringing glory to God. Let me share a scripture and take you through two individuals in the bible who struggled with their weaknesses and how one became an overcomer and the other lost to his weakness totally.
2 Corinthians 12:8-10
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Let us read the following passages to have a better understanding, first let us read from Luke 22:3-6 and then read from Matthew 27:1-10
The weakness of Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot as we know was one of the 12 disciples Jesus had and what was special about him is that he was the only non-Galilean in the lot. Some scholars say the word Iscariot mean aristocratic probably Judas was an aristocrat and still had a pleasure for money which was his weakness. Some other scholars suggest that the word Iscariot mean that he was a man from Kerioth and kind of belonged to the sicarri group who were against the Romans. Though these are extra biblical facts, the biblical fact tell us in John 12:6 he was the keeper of money box and he helped himself with it whenever needed. According to the scriptures Satan entered Judas and as a result he betrayed, he was looking for an opportune time to betray him. He decided on this big task of betraying a harmless master whose influence he enjoyed for about three and a half years. His major weakness was money; in fact he sold his integrity for just 30 silver coins. There was no other reason than money since never was Judas upset over Jesus ideas or teachings or there was no personal grudge either.
The worst hit him, not when he betrayed but when he knew he was guilty of committing a grave error. We read in Matthew 27:1-4, he went to the chief priests and said that he sinned against God and betrayed an innocent blood but the response was not what Judas expected, they told him it was purely his responsibility and they had nothing to do after Jesus was betrayed. He was filled with remorse and committed suicide. The greatest blunder that Judas did was not betraying Jesus for 30 silver coins but going to the wrong source for the remedy, eventually he had to kill himself. Weakness is not a problem as long as we go the right resource of receiving the power in the weak areas of life. Because the bible tells us that his grace is sufficient in our weakness and his strength would take over our weakness. A lesson for our living is to go to Jesus for the help cause our help comes from the maker of the heavens and the earth. What a misery Judas began with Jesus but ended with the chief priests, it was not the chief priests who called be part of the twelve? Just think about it…let us read Luke 22:31-34/54-62.
The weakness of Simon Peter
Another key personality in the bible is Peter, he was also an apostle of Jesus, and I would say if I have to compare with Judas, that Peter was the man who had only weakness and never the strength. Peter was an impulsive personality; he was quick with everything good and the bad equally. When Jesus asked him to cast the net in the deep after a long nights struggle he did so without a second thought was willing to follow Jesus leaving all the fish caught. When Jesus walked on water he wanted to walk too. When Jesus was transfigured on the mount of transfiguration he wanted to make tents and settle there. He refuted Jesus from being taken the cross; Jesus called Peter – a satan. When the soldiers came into arrest Jesus Peter drew a sword and chopped off Malchus’ ear. More than anything he said even if it was death because of Jesus he was wiling to die. With all of these weaknesses one thing Peter did, he always sought Jesus and no one else. Jesus told the disciples that he prayed for them and especially to Peter since he would sifted as wheat. In spite of the prayer Jesus told him very clearly that he would deny Christ three times before the rooster could crow twice.
Jesus also told him to strengthen his brothers after his test. With all his weakness when the reality of denial came true, he even forgot what Jesus said his fear overruled everything his sense and intelligence but when he remembered the words of the Lord, the bible tells us he went out and wept bitterly. He did not even go to his closest of pals but cried in agony. Later after crucifixion Peter went back to fishing. He was still weak less in faith went away, as normal as ever no fish in the sea and Jesus tells him to put the net on the right side, he caught 153 large fish, then he came to sense that it was Jesus. The Lord asked him to take care of his sheep, even there he was upset and worried about what would happen to John, there wasn’t any change in his weakness but remember when he preached the first sermon after the invocation of the Holy Spirit about 3000 people got saved. Not only that the whole Sanhedrin was in uproar as to how these unschooled fellows had such wisdom? My friends let me tell you Peter was willing to seek God with his weakness and his weakness was made perfect with God’s surpassing strength. May be you would think he was strengthened after the Holy Spirit came in, no…he still had some of them, he refused to go the house of the gentile (Cornelius’ home). But God still intervened and helped him overcome. Romans 8:26 says In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. In today’s context we have the Spirit of God to deal with our weakness, then why worry?
Conclusion:
What about us?
I am sure we are weak – weak in many areas.
Allow the Holy Spirit to have room in your lives, never grumble about your weakness, speak it out to God, he will deal with it very surely. We have a savior who understands our weakness that is what we read in Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. The best part about Jesus was he was weak like us but without sin, we are weak and with our weakness we sin, we need to pray that God would take away the sin in our weakness and give us purity in spite of weakness. The following passage in Hebrews 11:32-34 tell us how these heroes of the bible too had weakness and how they were able to over come was though the faith that they professed in the Lord our savior.
32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.
It was God who gave them the strength and he called them to serve him in their weakness not in their strength. Therefore never hesitate about your weakness – be bold cause God chose the weak to shame the strong. If you are strong you have no part to play in God’ work, if you are weak then you are the key player. May the good Lord give you strength in your weakness. "What you cannot do, God will work out for you," (Katherine Hsu)
Amen.
