INTRODUCTION
Opening Statement: One resource that I consulted this week said that Tom Watson Sr., founded IBM and guided "Big Blue" for over 40 years. One of his most impressive moments in leadership occurred when a junior executive lost an enormous amount of money ($10 million) on a risky venture for the company. Watson called the man into the office and the man entered and nervously blurted out, "I guess you want my resignation?" Watson replied, "You can’t be serious. We’ve just spent $10 million educating you." Mistakes and failures can be teachers that provide us with invaluable lessons!!! And when these mistakes and failures happen in some key major areas of life, where can we go to find guidance? It’s one thing to lose 10 million in a business venture; it’s a far greater thing to lose a relationship with someone you love, like a child.
Question: What should our attitude be when we blow it on our jobs, on the golf course, or with a child?
Quotation: Paul said to the Philippian believers that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (4:13).” What was he saying? Is he saying that if I wake up one morning and decide to ride in the Tour de France that I can expect to win a 2,000 mile race spread over 25 to 30 days through rigorous terrain if I just quote this verse over and over while peddling my bicycle up the hill with Lance Armstrong somewhere in the field of riders below. Or does it mean that if I at 5’ – 9” tall get the basketball at half-court and run toward the hoop, launch from the foul line, and endeavor to “tomahawk” a thunder dunk of the head of my opponent, that I will be successful if I just mutter to myself, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Key Word / Outline: I don’t think that Paul meant anything even remotely related to these things when he wrote these words. You see, the Philippian church had experienced failure on at least three fronts.
They had failed / were failing in their relationships. They weren’t getting along. They couldn’t resolve conflict (4:2). Missing a dunk or not getting the yellow jersey is nothing compared to this failure.
They had failed / were failing in their mental attitude (4:8). They had allowed anxiety and fear to totally control their lives.
They had failed / were failing in how to be content with what they had (4:11). Incidentally, we all have experienced failure in one or all of these areas. But Paul doesn’t want us to be defeated. I don’t think dunking a basketball or wearing a yellow jersey even comes close to the three areas that Paul addressed here.
Exposition: And so when Paul says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” he’s saying that you can overcome your failures in all of these areas too. You can succeed at resolving conflict in your relationships. You can have a positive mental attitude. You don’t have to allow anxiety to control your life. You can learn to be content with where you are at this particular juncture in life until God’s sees fit to turn you over to a new chapter.
Application: So when you think, “There’s no way to work this out with him.” Think with the apostle: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” When you think, “There’s no way this relationship can ever survive.” “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” When you think, “I will never see another happy day.” “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” When you begin to measure life in hours and minutes rather than years and decades because of some great emotional weight, think with the apostle “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” You see, it wasn’t always easy for the apostle and it will not always be easy for us.
Paul’s “I Can” Applies to Your Relationships
Paul’s “I Can” Applies to Your Attitude
Paul’s “I Can” Applies to Your Contentment
Recitation: There was one instance where Paul wanted something so badly, but the Lord told him, “No. You will have to learn to lean on Me and be content with that.” 2 Corinthians 12:7a – 10 Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh [The Greek word is skolops, which can mean either a ‘stake’ which pegged him to the ground or a ‘splinter’ which constantly irritated him. It was something that stuck deeply in Paul, brought to him great discomfort and pain and God’s will defied extraction. As to what precisely the problem was, we do not know, only that it was some kind of disability from which the apostle wanted to be free.] was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me [Something else worth commenting on here is that he calls this thorn a messenger of Satan. Just in passing, this is a helpful commentary on the role of the evil prince in human lives. He is a tormenter; his entire role in life is to hurt, destroy, and cause pain and ultimately death. Even, as we’ve seen before, when he masquerades as an angel of light, it’s only to gain entrée to do more damage. But he is limited in his role. He may do only what God the Father allows for the ultimate good of his children. The very torment itself in the hand of God becomes that which gives Paul great spiritual blessing. It’s a remarkable insight, isn’t it? It was intended by Satan to harm, but God intended it for good (Genesis 50:20).] —so that I would not become arrogant. 12:8 I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. [This problem kept him pinned close to the Lord.] 12:10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
Exposition: We can imagine Paul’s conversation with God.
“God would you please take away this source of irritation
from my life?” “No, Paul.” “God, please, I don’t want to live my life with this handicap.” “No, Paul.” “God, I’m pleading with you. Take it away. I don’t think I can bear this.” “No, Paul, you need it. I will keep you dependent upon me through it. I will not give you what you’re asking for here, but I’ll give you something even better. I’ll pour in my grace. As you keep leaning hard on me, I’ll shape you into a beautiful person.”
Explanation: There are some handicaps that God heals us from, or that through other means, we are liberated from. And then there are those that we will deal with our entire lives, those things or situations to which we will have to submit. God’s plan includes our handicaps for in them we are corrected and we grow. One of the keys to handling failure, to failing forward is submission. Paul thought persistence might be the answer and that God would eventually see it his way. Now, there is a time to persist. And by all means, ask the Lord. Paul did – three times! Keep praying. But then, listen for His voice. Listen to what He says. To Paul, he said “My grace is sufficient.” There’s a time to submit and simply rely on the wisdom and plan of almighty God and trust Him, because He knows what He’s doing. Paul thought that being free from his problem would make him a better Christian. He thought that having this thorn removed would allow him to have a wider or more effective ministry. But just the opposite was true. Submitting to the Lord’s will was the higher road here.
Application: Maybe yours is a life that wanted love, and you missed it for whatever reason and now you’ve lived out a life that you really never wanted. Can I encourage you to embrace it? Can I convince you that His grace is enough for you? Maybe yours is a home where marriage might have been a thing of beauty, and it’s become tragedy instead. Embrace the tragedy and let the Savior’s power shine through your hurt. Maybe yours is a household where death has severed you from the one you loved. Can I convince you that when you’re weak, He’s strong? You have a thorn; cherish it because it drives you to the Savior. Paul is driving at Lordship here and so am I.
1. Settle the Lordship issue in your life. Turn over the controls. Let him be the boss. Let him be Lord. You’re going to have some failures along the way. But Christ’s power will match the failure. But you must surrender to His plan of His grace in you. Paul knew this to be one of the secrets to failing forward. We think “stars” and victory will make us a better Christian. God says sometimes it’s “scars” and defeat that make you a better servant. Some of you need to say, “God, I totally messed up. Will you help me run my life?”
2. There is not a person among us who does not have some kind of limitation or life-handicap. They are enduring a thorn. You’ve got a problem or struggle to which you really have no satisfying answer. The Scottish preacher Alexander McClaren said, “Be kind to everyone you meet because everyone you meet is fighting a battle.” The only struggle-free people you know are the folks you don’t know very well.
3. There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who say to God, “Thy will be done.” And those to whom God will finally say, “Thy will be done.” If you arrogantly want things your way, have it God says…but know that my grace can’t be exalted in you.
CONCLUSION
Illustration: Tim Brown, professor of preaching at Western Theological Seminary, Holland, MI, shares a story that happened to one of his former students, Tim. Tim was sharp, gainfully employed after graduation, and he called one day to tell Professor Tim (both are named Tim) that he was sick and hospitalized. When Professor Tim made it to the hospital, they already had found out the news…leukemia…a battle he has since lost. But after a few moments by his side in the hospital, Tim, the former student, said to his former professor.
“I have learned that life is not like a VCR.”
“What do you mean?” Professor Tim asked.
Long pause.
“It’s not like a VCR; you can’t fast-forward the bad parts. But I have learned that Jesus Christ is in every frame, and right now that is just enough.”
How many times have I wished that life had a fast-forward button that I could use to get through the tough times quickly OR a rewind button OR an “Edit, Undo” menu option that would allow me to backtrack and do things differently.
Some of us have made some pretty major blunders. We’ve messed up with our kids, our spouses, our morals, our plans, and this overwhelming sense of failure is so debilitating. In our present lives many suffer from ill-health, mental illness and disease that neither intercession nor medication overcomes. I want to borrow Tim’s words and say “Right now, Jesus Christ is in every frame and that is just enough.” Jesus allowed the thorn for Paul, but He also wore the crown of thorns in order to help us through it.
Prayer: Lord, we come to this moment that you have given us in order that we might be reminded afresh that there is only one way that we will ever be of use in your kingdom, and that is to come to the end of our natural self, to consent to it and to accept it and to rise again to a new life of trust and confidence in you. Thank you for your faithfulness that you keep sending us reminders of our weakness in order that we might trust your strength. Without those reminders we would all get conceited and boastful and confident that we have what it takes. Help us to be reminded anew by this experience that without the death there can be no resurrection, that nothing that does not die shall ever rise again from the dead. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
