‘The presence’ (Numbers 7-10)

 

There is a hymn that is called Saint Patrick’s breastplate.  It was not actually written by Patrick.  It was written in the eighth century.  It calls for God’s presence.  It contains these words:

‘Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ above me, Christ at my right, Christ at my left ... Salvation is of the Lord, Salvation is of Christ.  May Thy salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.’

I think the unifying theme in the chapters that we are looking at this morning is the presence of God made known through the tabernacle.   Now that presence is seen in Jesus who the apostle John says, ‘tabernacled’ amongst us’ (John 1:14).

Obedience is a response to blessing (7)

Last week we saw the wonderful blessing of the High Priest Aaron: ‘The LORD bless you and keep you.  The LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.  The LORD turn his face to you and give you peace’ (6:24-26).  Then God says, ‘I will bless them’ (6:27).  Now, in chapter seven, we have eighty-eight verses of each tribe bringing gifts to the tabernacle.

The gifts come after the blessing.  They are not an attempt to earn God's favour.  This is a grateful response to God's kindness.  We came to Jesus empty handed.  Yet, in Him, we have received every spiritual blessing.  We are forgiven, loved and have the sure hope of heaven.  The only appropriate response is loving obedience.  Remember what Jesus has done for you and be moved into action by His goodness.  

This giving starts with oxen and carts to transport the tabernacle.  The interesting thing about this is that they don't seem to have been commanded to give these gifts of carts and oxen.  The people had realised that these oxen and carts would be a blessing to those who were responsible to transport the tabernacle. They saw the ministry need and sought to help.  It is not just our regular giving that matters, we also want to be people who see needs and seek to meet them (adapted from Duguid).

Then there is the giving that is in response command.  It is noticeable that each tribe gives the exact same gifts.  Their identical giving shows their unity.  No one is exempt.  The small tribes don't simply look to the large tribes to provide what is needed.  All of us are involved in the same mission as a church.  Don't sit on the edges of church life.  Be all in!  While God has given each of us unique personalities He also calls us to display the same fruit as we become more like Jesus.  We all have the same message to speak.  Ask God for opportunities to speak life to a dying world.

We ate not the only tribe of believers in this city.  We share the same mission as every other Bible-teaching church in this area.  We should be praying for them and wanting to partner with them.

The chapter ends with Moses in the Holy Place hearing from God who is speaking from behind a curtain from above the ark in the Holy of holies.      

Blessing involves God turning his face towards us (8:1-4)

‘The LORD bless you and keep you.  The LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.’  As we move into chapter eight we see the LORD shining His face upon His people.  Moses is to instruct Aaron with regards to the setting up a lampstand in the Holy place.  The lampstand is arranged in such a way that it shines on twelve flat loaves of showbread (or bread of presence).  The beard of presence symbolizes the twelve tribes that were God’s people.  The light symbolizes God presence and favor.  Our offerings and obedience are acceptable because of His grace.  Now we know that Jesus is the light of the world and he says that, ‘the one who follows me will never walk in darkness but have the light of life’ (John 8:12).  Jesus leads us out of the way of ignorance and evil and shows us how to live as we are meant to be.

God’s presence is terrifying without a priest (8:5-26)

The rest of chapter eight has to do with the preparation of the tribe of Levi as a priesthood.  In truth without the priesthood God’s presence in the camp would be a danger rather than a blessing.

Part of the job of the Levitical priests was to stop the people coming too close.  The people were allowed come to the outer court.  The priests were allowed into the holy place.  On one day a year—the Day of Atonement—the High priest was allowed enter the Holy of holies.  But come too close at the wrong time and you could be struck dead.

Please don’t think that God is any less holy now than He was then.  When I was a child mum read us ‘The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.’  At the end she explained that Aslan was a picture of Jesus.  In that book Susan asks Mr. Beaver, ‘Is he quite safe?  I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.’  ‘Safe?’, said Mr. Beaver, ‘who said anything about safe?  Course he isn’t safe.  But he’s good.  He’s the King, I tell you.’

We now can approach the throne of grace with confidence not because God is less holy but because we have a perfect High Priest—Jesus—who has given Himself as a sacrifice of infinite value for our evil.  Never lose the wonder that we can come into the presence of God and know Him as Abba, Father.  We come not because He is less holy than revealed on the pages of the Old Testament, but because Jesus has removed our guilt and given us His righteousness so that we can be safe before His throne.

God presence goes before us (9-10)

The people had been camping at Mount Sinai for about a year.  Then the Passover was celebrated—remembering how God had delivered them from slavery in Egypt.  Now the cloud lifts from above the tabernacle and the people follow the cloud into the wilderness of Panan.  The ark of the covenant goes before them.  Look at the closing verses of these chapters.  When the ark set out, Moses said,  ‘“arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered and those who hate you flee before you.”  And when it rested, he said, “Return, O LORD, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel”’ (10:35-36).  The word translated ‘Arise’ has military connotations.  ‘Come and deal with my enemies of Lord.’

So maybe we should wake in the morning and begin our day, ‘Rise up, O Lord!  Go before me today.  Guide me into the good works you have prepared me to do.  Fight with me as I wrestle against temptation.  The battle is yours.  Give me courage when I feel afraid to stand for you.  May I wield the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, as I speak of your victory.  In all the battle let me draw strength from you as I pray’ (adapted from Duguid).     

Conclusion

How does the presence of God affect you?

His presence is a challenging presence.  We have been bought at a price.  We have been bought in love.  We are not our own.  We are a temple of the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, be careful what you look at.  Guard your tongue.  Flee sexual immorality.       

His presence is a comforting presence.  We pray that the Holy Spirit would enable us to cry out Abba, Father and that we would see His loving gaze shining on us.

His presence is an empowering presence.  You cannot really change.  But He can do more in your heart that you can ask or imagine.  He can break long held habits.  He can bring His beautiful fruit in you.  He can make you like Jesus. 

‘Christ protect me today.  Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ above me, Christ at my right, Christ at my left, Christ in the fort, Christ in the chariot-seat, Christ in the mighty stern.  Salvation is of the Lord, Salvation is of Christ.  May Thy salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.’

The Blessing (Numbers 1-6)

 

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‘My life would feel complete if …’

How do you finish that sentence?  ‘My life would be complete if I lived in a larger house/had a better job/drove a nicer car.’  ‘My life would be complete if I had a really good friend/was married to a really good person/had really good children/if people really liked me.’ ‘My life would be complete if I got paid more/could get into that course/could get those grades.’

Whatever you believe would made your life complete is your functional god.  It is an idol which you look to for meaning and security.  The Bible teaches us that idols will never satisfy our hearts because our hearts were made for God.  We need a blessing that only He can give.

Before we look at His blessing we need to place these verses in their context in the Old Testament.

God’s big story

The Bible begins with a couple who got to enjoy walking with God.  But they were not satisfied with living under God’s perfect rule and rebelled against Him.  They wanted to be like God.  The result was a judgement that brought death and dissatisfaction to all people.

After time God reached out to a man named Abram (later called Abraham) whose people worshiped idols.  God promised to give Abraham a people, who would live in a place and enjoy God’s blessing, and who would be a blessing to all the peoples of the world.

That promise was reaffirmed to Abraham’s son Isaac, and Isaac’s son Jacob (also called Israel).  By the time Jacob was old his family was in Egypt as the result of a famine.  But as the generations passed the Egyptian rulers mistreated the descendants of Abraham.  They cried out to God who remembered His promise.

God brought them out of Egypt through the Red Sea.  In the wilderness He brings them to a place called Mount Sinai where He shows them how to live as His rescued and treasured people.  He gives them the design of a tent (called the tabernacle) where His presence will be especially known with them.

Now we are at the beginning of Numbers.

The story of Numbers

Numbers begins with a census.  All the men over twenty years old.  That is all the fighting men.  They are getting to take the land.  Although it will not be their strength that guarantees the victory.  The battle belongs to the Lord.

The census counts 603,550 men.  That means the whole community was probably around two million, when you add women and children.  It is also interesting that it is not a rounded off figure.  It doesn’t say, ‘about six hundred thousand.’  You see individuals matter to God.

Then we have the arrangement of tribes of Israel in the camp (see diagram).  The tabernacle is at the centre.  God dwells in the midst His people.  This was the place where a king would have set up his tent.

In chapter four we are told that the Levites were to be God’s special possession.  They had not been numbered in the census for they are not going to war.  They will serve in the tabernacle.  The Levites are to be given to God in place of their first born.  You see God had rescued His people from Egypt through a judgement that had killed all of the first-born sons in the land except theirs.  They owed them their first-born sons.  There were two hundred and seventy-three more first-born sons rescued than there were Levites.  A redemption price was paid for the extra sons.  The point is that being freed from judgement comes at a price.  Who was the one given in our place?  Who paid the price to give us life and freedom and life?

Then we have a couple of case studies in how the law was to be applied.  Including those relating to a wife caught in adultery.  One of the themes that runs through the Old Testament is that God’s people are like an adulterous wife, always deserting God for idols.  There are regulations for the vow of a Nazerite.  A Nazerite went with out certain pleasures for a temporary time when they tried to demonstrate a wholehearted commitment to God.  The Nazerite vows point forward to one who would forsake the pleasures of heaven and come to this earth and live a wholehearted life of total obedience.      

The blessing

In light of what we have learned so far in the story of the Old Testament and in the book of Numbers we come to the most beautiful blessing found in the Bible.

Three times we read the LORD.  When you see Lord written in capitals it is a translation of Jehovah or Yahweh.  That is the covenant name of God given to Moses at a burning bush.  God said to Moses ‘I am who I am.’  Yahweh means ‘to be’.  He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  He is the only God who is.  One commentator explains that God is saying that He is the promise-keeping God we need Him to be in the situation to which He has called us.’

The LORD bless you and keep you.  Your idols won’t bless you.  All those things that we look to in order to make us complete will leave us empty.  They can’t satisfy the deepest longing of our hearts.  Remember that He is the God who numbers His people.  He knows each of us by name.  He is our salvation.  He has won the battle.  Through the cross Jesus has taken away our condemnation.  You do not need to live with regret or feelings of guilt any more.  If you don’t yet know Him He wants to make you His treasured possession.  Jesus promised never to drive away anyone who came to Him in repentance and trust. 

The LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.  The Tabernacle was in the centre of the camp.  God dwells amongst His people.  Jesus was named Immanuel, which means ‘God with us.’  He promises to be with us to the end of the age.

‘Blessing is our heavenly Father’s face beaming as he looks upon us.  Can you imagine God delighting in you this way?’  This is the joy of lovers starring into each other’s eyes.  This is like a parent singing over their child.  ‘This is what every child longs for from his or her Father, that their father delights in them’ (Duguid).  In the last three years of my father’s life I came to realise that he really liked me.  He enjoyed me.  He would greet my coming with a smile.  We need to know that is true of God too.  ‘We need to know that we matter to him.  We need to see that his face lights up when we walk into the room’ (Duguid).  God is gracious to you in that He does not treat us as our sins deserve but according loving-kindness.

Remember how there was a price paid for the first-borns who had passed through the judgement?  A Levite was given to God in their place, or a redemption price was paid.  A price was paid that we could be freed from slavery to sin and any fear of the coming judgement.  That price was paid by Jesus on the cross.  It was an exact price in the fact that it paid for all the sins of all those who would turn to Jesus.  That price brings us peace.  The LORD turn His face to you and give you peace.  Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace.  The people used it as a greeting.  Shalom is a rich word that means peace, wholeness and completeness.  God turns His face towards us in blessing because at the cross the Father turned His face away from the Son as He took our guilt upon Himself.

Aaron and his sons, were to bless the people with these words, so shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them (26). 

Conclusion

In the film Jerry Maguire, Tom Cruise’s character says to Renee Zellweger, ‘you complete me’.  That is to make an idol of a relationship.  Only God can complete us.  Expect any other person than Jesus to complete you and you will feel resentful and let down.

God has shown total commitment to His unfaithful bride.  God wants to dwell in the centre of our lives as we rejoice to have Him as our king.  God has numbered each of us individually and paid the redemption price that we can be His.  In Him alone is there the blessings of peace through grace.  ‘No condemnation now I dread, Jesus and all in Him is mine.’

What do we do about the fact that our faith doesn’t often feel like completeness?  The fact is that until that day when we see Him face to face and know Him fully even as we are fully known there will always be a sense that we have not all there is to have in Him.  We are realistic about that.  We remember that this is a relationship where we can enjoy getting to know Him more and more.  We seek to pull over selves away from all the screens and enjoy time with Him.  We learn to rejoice in in doing good even as God rejoices to do us good.

‘The apostle Paul’s parenting tips’ (2 Corinthians 12:11-21)

Matthew runs a little business called ‘Do-Up’.  Now could you imagine if Matthew came to me and said, ‘the best thing about baby Mateo is that in a few years’ time he is going to be able to work and as soon as I can I am going to get him to work for the business.  Then Amy and I will put up our feet and relax?’  That’s not how parenting works!

Or supposing Amy comes to me and admits, ‘I am going to push Mateo really hard to succeed.  I am going to get him to do every sport, play every instrument and send him to every study grind possible.  Then one day when everyone admires how well he has done they will see how great a mother I am.’  That too is not how parenting works!

The problem with both those attitudes is that the child is there to serve the parents’ wants not the other way around.  The apostle Paul sees himself as a parent to the Corinthians Christians and writes, ‘I seek not what is yours but you.  For children are not obliged to save up for their parents, but parents for their children’ (14).

What does this say about our Father in heaven.  It reminds us that we offer Him nothing but our brokenness and sin, and yet He lavishes us with kindness.  He shows the world how good He is by sending His Son not for people who think they are good but those who know we are evil. 

This morning we are going to see some of the apostle Paul’s parenting tips.

1.      Teach them the gospel (11-13)

The apostle Paul is most happy boasting in the Lord and boasting in his weaknesses.  Of course, those two types of boasting go hand-in-hand.  God chooses the weak things of the world to shame those who consider themselves strong.  We acknowledge our utter dependence on Him.  If I see anything of the Spirit’s fruit in you that is a result of God’s grace.  If we are to achieve anything for God’s glory it will be because we relied on Him for His strength.

But the apostle Paul had been forced to boast.  It embarrassed him greatly.  The ‘super-apostles’ had boasted about their Jewish pedigree.  Paul was a Jew too.  Not that it mattered!  They boasted about how hard they worked.  Paul had worked harder.  He hates to have to say this.  They claimed to have had miraculous visions.  He had a surpassing revelation.  A vision that he had not even mentioned.

Now Paul mentions the marks of an apostle.  His role as a true apostle had been confirmed by signs, wonders and miracles.  Look at the book of Acts and you will see the apostles do unique miracles.  It is interesting that He leaves mention of the marks of His apostle to the end of His defence against the ‘super-apostle’.  It would seem that He doesn’t want to give them prominence.  Paul’s great ambition was simply to preach Christ-crucified.  He did not want to be simply a miracle-worker.

We see this in Jesus’ ministry too.  At the beginning of His public ministry he healed many people in His home base of Capernaum and then withdrew to spend time alone with the Father.  The disciples come to him and said that everyone was looking Him.  They want more miracles.  Jesus replies, ‘let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also.  That is why I have come’ (Mk 1:38).

Despite all his hard work the apostle Paul admits, ‘I am nothing’ (11).  This is not low self-esteem.  This is a mark of someone who gets the gospel.  We know that we nothing in ourselves.  Yet we also know that we are dearly loved children in Christ.

You see Mateo was born with a heart problem.  All of us were.  King David explains, ‘surely I was sinful from the time my mother conceived me’ (Psalm 51:5).  It won’t be long until it becomes very obvious how selfish Mateo is.  However, while we were still sinners Christ died for us.  God calls sinful people to himself.  We come to Him offering nothing but our guilt.  He delights to have us as His children.  He rejoices over His people with singing (I have no doubt that Matt and Amy have sung over Mateo).  Even though we fail Him every day God’s love for us never weakens.  He is pleased with our imperfect attempts to serve Him.  He will reward you for the smallest things done for Jesus’ name.  He sees you and loves you!

2.      Shepherd their heart

The truth is that every child says unfair things to their parents.  There will be times when Mateo tells you that he hates you and claims that you do not love him.  The apostle Paul had to endure such pain from these spiritual children in Corinth.  He had supported his ministry by working with his hands making tents.  He didn’t want to be a burden to them.  But they claimed that he was crafty and that he wanted their money.

Paul had organised a collection for the poor Christians in Jerusalem.  He had sent Titus and others to them in relation to this collection.  It seems that the ‘super-apostles’ were saying that Paul was taking some of that money for themselves.

A young woman in Galway became a Christian recently.  But her pastor told me that she is getting some kickback from her parents.  Her father is saying that the church is only interested in her for her money.  Nothing could be further from the truth!

Look at Paul’s heart.  ‘I seek not what is yours but you’ (14).  ‘I will gladly spend and be spent for your souls’ (16).

There is a book entitled, ‘Shepherding a Child’s Heart.’  One of the things this book says is that parents should not simply aim at outward obedience but inward transformation.  This will change how we pray for people.  2 Corinthians keeps telling us that weakness causes us to depend on Christ.  Success can be more damaging to a young heart than failure.  Your world should not fall apart when they don't get the grades they were hoping for or make the team.  Our prayer should be that when God gives us good gifts we are filled with thanks fullness, and when God does not give us what we want we trust Him and grow in dependant maturity.

3.      Celebrate grace

God willing Mateo will surrender his heart to Jesus at a young age.  But supposing it took a prison sentence to wake Mateo up to his need for Christ, would you keep loving him and trusting God?  You see if Mateo doesn’t love Jesus it won’t really make a difference whether he is a respectable sinner or an unrespectable sinner.  It will make no difference whether his heart is ruled by pride and self-righteousness or rebellion and disorder.  In the story of the prodigal son it wasn’t until the boy was in the pigsty that he came to his senses.

The apostle Paul is preparing for his third visit to Corinth.  He is worried that when he arrives he will find them to be in a bad spiritual state.  He is worried that there will be divisions caused by bitterness and jealousy and that they won’t have disciplined people who have been guilty of sexual sin.  The hardest thing as a parent is knowing how to discipline our children—to know where to set the boundaries and what punishment to give when those boundaries are broken.  But discipline is ultimately rooted in love and a desire to see the person restored. 

The writer to the Hebrews tells us to ‘endure hardship as discipline; God is treating us as children.  For what children are not disciplined by their father? … God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness’ (Hebrews 12:7-10).  I try to remember that when life is difficult that is not a sign of God’s lack of love but His parental love.  He is calling us to depend on Him.  He wants to produce maturity, compassion and hope in us.

Conclusion

It could be that Mateo turns out to be no good at music, although that is unlikely given who his parents are.  He mightn’t have a musical bone in his body.  That won’t matter in the slightest!

It might be that he isn’t the greatest at school.  At lot of us, myself included, are pretty ordinary at the study.  That shouldn’t matter in the slightest!

We might have many struggles.  That doesn’t mean that God has stopped being kind to us.  It could be God’s way of drawing us to Himself and keeping us dependent of Jesus.

So, teach the gospel, shepherd the heart and celebrate grace.

‘A healthy church boasts in weakness’ (2 Corinthians 11:16-33)

I have struggled with my mental health.  A number of years ago I had a small nervous breakdown followed by a time of deep depression.  I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  I wrestle with intrusive thoughts all the time.  I don’t believe that makes me unqualified to be a pastor.  I don’t believe that it’s something I should be ashamed about.  I don’t believe that God failed me by letting me endure this pain.  In fact, I believe God has used these experiences to help me get alongside other people who have similar weaknesses.

What weaknesses do you have?  Is this church a community where you can be open about your struggles?  Are you someone who cares about the pain people may be passing through?  Do people feel safe to be real in front of you?  Are you honest about your own brokenness, or do you pretend that you have got it together?  Are you willing to boast in your weaknesses?

The health of the church is seen in how it values the weak (16-21)

Sometimes Christians are not good at choosing leaders.  Many of the Corinthians had been taken in by the ‘super-apostles’.  ‘You even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you’ (20).  The ‘super-apostles’ boasted about their Jewish pedigree.  They thought that mattered.   In fact, they insulted those Corinthian Christians who had come from a non-Jewish (Gentile) background.  They had an arrogant domineering attitude.  The ‘super-apostles’ may even have humiliated people by literally striking them on the face.  Paul sarcastically explains that he and his co-workers were ‘too weak for that’ (21).

Surely people wouldn’t get taken in by such antics today.  Think again! 

A young Christian told me recently of going to a church where he was told that if he gave money to their offering he would get twice as much back.  He gave twenty euro.  The next time he gave another twenty.  He never got his eighty euros.  He stopped going to that church. 

Paula White is a televangelist and senior faith advisor to President Trump.  In 2025 she had a special Passover appeal.  She wasn’t telling her viewers to give to their local churches but to her ministry.  For a minimum gift of a thousand dollars you would get seven blessings, including God assigning you an angel, financial prosperity and sickness being taken away.  In appreciation for your gift she would also send you a Waterford Crystal cross.

But is not only ‘propensity gospel’ preachers who take advantage of people.  

There’s a danger that when the church becomes obsessed with growth and numbers that people simply become a statistic—their presence serves the purpose of enabling us to boast about how successful we are.

We also have to be careful that we don’t simply look to people for what talents they can offer.  It is great when a good musician joins the church, for we love to sing.  But please don’t welcome that person simply for their gifts.  Let this be a place where they can be weak.  Love people during those times when they feel they cannot serve. 

I wonder if the health of the church is seen in how we treat those who the world sees as little and who seem to have least to offer.  I say ‘seem to have least to offer’ because you might be amazed by the encouragement they bring.  It can be inspiring to see people hold on to Jesus whose life circumstances seem most difficult.

The health of the church is seen in how it cares for the weak (21-29)

The apostle Paul hates to boast about himself.  The ‘super-apostles’, have been questioning his credentials.  They made a big deal about being Jewish so he says ‘I am a Jew as well.’  Not that it matters!   They boasted about being great servants of Christ.  He hates to have to say this, but he had actually worked harder than them.  Indeed, while they sought to line their pockets from their ministry, he has endured great suffering.

I suspect that when talks of shipwrecks and opposition the ‘super-apostles’ looked down their noses at him.  ‘That doesn’t look like a man who is enjoying the blessing and favour of God.’

Notice how much he cares for those he serves.  He feels anxiety for all the churches (28).  ‘Who is weak, and I am not weak?  Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?’ (29).  We can’t live lives detached from each other.  Remember that how you live for Christ can bring joy to the Christians who love you.  Similarly, when you stray from Christ it brings them sorrow.  You can encourage them or discourage them.  When we see other Christians growing in their faith we are to rejoice.  When we hear of Christians falling into sin we are to be quick to pray for them.

The health of the church is seen in how it cares for the weak.

The health of the church is seen in how we boast of our weakness (30-33)

Paul would rather boast about things that show his weakness and to have to draw attention to any real or perceived strength (30).  So, he mentions what happened to him at Damascus.  Remember that he had encountered Jesus the road to that city.  We can read about what happened in Acts 9.  It was on the way to Damascus that he met the risen Jesus.  It was in Damascus that the scales had fallen from his eyes.  It was in that city that he started to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.  There the Jews tried to kill him.  Indeed, King Aretus, was guarding the city to seize him.  So, Paul had to be let down through a window in the wall of the city in a basket and escape on his hands (33).

That might sound heroic but it looked very humiliating to those who were there.  In the Roman army there was a prize given to the first soldier to climb the wall of a city they were attacking.  Paul is the first one to have to climb down the wall of this city.  The basket may have been a basket for holding fish.  He had set out for that city in strength breathing hatred against Christ and his people.  He left that city in weakness full of love for Christ and his people. 

Not everyone is comfortable with weakness.  When I had that nervous breakdown, a friend took me for coffee and asked why I told people about it.  My friend suggested that if I just said I was sick they could think that I had the flu.  But why should we be embarrassed about our weaknesses?  Similarly, a young woman asked me to stop sharing with the church that I struggled with my mental health.  She said, ‘I want my family to think this thing works’.  She had no place in her understanding of the gospel for brokenness—just like the ‘super-apostles.’

Why might Christ want us to boast about our weaknesses?  He wants us to boast about our weaknesses because they demonstrate His grace and love.  ‘I am not a Christian because I am impressive and strong, but because God lovingly promises to lift up the broken-hearted.’  ‘’I am not a Christian because I am faithful and brave, but because Christ came into the world to save sinners.’  Isn’t He wonderful!   

Conclusion

In a healthy church, where people boast not about their weaknesses not their strengths, vulnerable people experience the love of Christ.

Do those with mental health difficulties feel the need to hide their pain from us?  What about those who are wrestling with same-sex attraction—are there people they can talk freely with?  Are we merciful to those who doubt?  What about the difficulties in your marriage—are people here honest about the fact that marriage can be hard?   Do you know that you are not alone as you struggle with that rebellious teenager?  Do we speak mercy to people who feel the failure of divorce?  Are we looking out for those who find singleness very lonely?  Will we remind those who are crippled by a sense of guilt that there is more mercy in Christ than sin in then, and we know this because He forgave a great sinner like us?

On the wall in the hall of our church is a print of a portrait of the great Baptist preacher, Charles Spurgeon.  We have it there because he was a friend of one of the pastors of this church.  I think that print was a gift given to that pastor by Spurgeon.

Anyway, Spurgeon had undoubted strengths.  He was a brilliant communicator and is referred to as the ‘Prince of Preachers.’  But he also had a great weakness, and that weakness was a great benefit to his ministry.  He endured years of crippling depression.  He talks about times when he would cry like a child and no not what he cried for.  He did not hide it, and God used it.  His sermons and his conversation had a way of speaking to broken and distressed people because he had gone through something like they were going through.  One person wrote that ‘many admire someone faithfully ministering through so much sorrow and adversity, but few wish these trials for themselves.’

Who knows what God might do when we boast of our weaknesses! 

‘The good news is worth boasting about’ (2 Cor. 11:1-15)

Albert Speer was a leading Nazi and close friend of Adolf Hitler.  After the war he was imprisoned and tried at Nuremberg.  He immediately started attending the services that were organised by the Lutheran chaplain, Henry Gerecke.  He seems to come to real faith in Jesus.  Speer was sentenced to twenty years imprisonment in Spandau prison.  During that time, he spent his time reading theology books.  Near the end of his life he looked back on his conversion and said that he could not explain what happened to him when he accepted Christ, even though many times he had tried to explain it.

The good news of Christ-crucified is that the Son of God gave His life for sinful people.  He did all that was necessary to make wicked people clean.  He has given His people the Holy Spirit so that we can be made more like Jesus.  One day we will see our loving Saviour face to face and on the joyous day He will reward us for even the smallest things that we have done in His name and for His glory.  This is good news!

But in the apostle Paul’s day there were false-teachers who were distorting this good news.  While Paul preached Christ-crucified these false-teachers said that you got right with God by obeying rules, and that it was never God’s will for His people to suffer.  We see these same two false-teachings today.  Many people think that the way to heaven is based on what we do rather than accepting what God has done for us in Christ.  Many ‘prosperity gospel’ preachers will tell you that it is always God’s will for His people to be healthy and wealthy.

So, let us begin by affirming that the cross of Christ is the only way to be made right with God.

1.      The cross of Christ is the only way to be made right with God (1-4)

Paul labels the false-teachers ‘super-apostles’.  He’s being sarcastic.  These men boast about having great spiritual experiences.  They have mastered the speaking techniques that were so admired in that culture.  They look impressive.  But they have a different spirit, a different gospel and a different Jesus.

Paul worries that the Corinthians will be taken in by these false-teachers.  ‘I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led away from pure devotion to Christ’ (3).  It is interesting that in Genesis 3 the serpent beings by twisting God’s word and then simply denying God’s word.  ‘Did God say?’  ‘Surely you will not die!’  The ‘super-apostles’ were twisting and denying the good news about Jesus!

The serpent is happy for you to try to make yourself good enough for God by ‘obeying rules’!  ‘Be a good person.’  ‘Go to church.’  ‘Pray.’  ‘Be nice.’  But if that is what you think puts you right with God then you are denying God’s Word!  Solomon declared that ‘there is no-one who does not sin’ (1 Kgs 8:46).  Jesus said that no one is good, but God alone (Mk 10:18).  Paul explained that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). 

is  His There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us.  There is no guilt that Jesus’ blood cannot cover.  When Jesus completed His work on the cross He cried, ‘It is finished’, which means that there is nothing for us to add.  But if you don’t think you need His forgiveness, and if you don’t want His Holy Spirit to begin a work of making you more like Christ then there is no hope for you.  Jesus said that He came not for the righteous but to bring sinful people to repentance.  If you are simply depending on being good, then your good works will lead you to hell.    

2.      Gazing upon the glory of Christ is the only way we can change (5-11)

My hope is that all of you know that good news, but the question is, ‘is this grace changing us?’  In particular do we want to make much of ourselves or do we want to make much of Jesus?  Do we seek to draw attention to any good we do or do we point to His goodness?

The ‘super-apostles’ were boasters.  Paul wants only to boast in Jesus.  ‘Isn’t it amazing that Jesus would leave heaven, live a life of perfect love and die an excruciating death for someone like us?’  ‘Isn’t Jesus so kind that He would allow us be His ambassadors in this world?’  ‘Isn’t Jesus so generous that one day He will reward us for even the smallest and most imperfect act of obedience—like giving a cup of water to someone in His name?’

While the super-apostles sought to line their pockets with the Corinthian’s cash, Paul refused to charge them for his ministry.  Although he had the right to ask the Corinthians to support his ministry he worked among them for free.  Why?  He worked among them for free because he wanted to show them that the good news is free.  He wanted to show that he was different from the ‘super-apostles’.

Ironically the ‘super-apostles’ criticised Paul for this.  Do you know that Barak Obama can charge four hundred thousand dollars for an after-dinner speech?  Well the ‘super-apostles’ boasted that they could charge big fees to have people learn from them.  So, who looks more impressive—Barak Obama or a man who supports his ministry working a part-time job making tents?  The ‘super-apostles’ saw Paul’s humility as evidence that he was a spiritual nobody.

But Paul is following the example of Christ who made himself nothing, took the nature of a servant and humbled himself to death—even death on a cross.  Paul is compelled by love (11). 

I am an arrogant man.  I like to be the centre of attention.  I like to be told that I am great.  I want to boast of any good I do.  So, how do we change?  One of the most important verses in this letter goes as follows: ‘And we all, with unveiled face; beholding the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.  For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit’ (3:18).  We become like Jesus as we gaze upon His beauty!    

Look at the lovely person of Jesus going around doing good.  Look at the suffering Jesus dying for you in love.  Look at the risen and conquering Jesus inviting you to Himself.  Remember that He promises to be with us even when dearest friends desert us.  He delights in you, despite all our imperfections and sin.  He makes much of you, holding you to Himself as a dearly loved child.  He sees us when no one notices us.  May Christ so work in our hearts that it gives us more joy to boast in Him rather than boast in ourselves.

3.      Be careful who you listen to (12-15)

‘Their end corresponds to their deeds’ (15).  Those are chilling words for the ‘super-apostles’.  Paul sees Satan himself behind their ministry.  He calls them false-apostles and deceitful workmen.  It can be hard to spot a false-teacher.  The ‘super-apostles’ masqueraded as servants of righteousness.  ‘Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.’ 

I am not saying that every television preacher is a false-teacher but there are parallels between what the ‘super-apostles’ and the ‘the prosperity preachers’ you see on ‘Christian’ television.  Both have no place for suffering in the Christian life.  Be careful who you listen to!

God calls us to come singing, ‘Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling.’  God calls us to behold the glory of Jesus and let His Holy Spirit make us more and more like Him.  God holds His children close to His heart.  Then in the coming ages those who trust in Christ alone will display the immeasurable riches of God’s grace in kindness towards us in Christ.

Conclusion

Henry Gerecke was the Lutheran chaplain to the prisoners at Nuremberg.  When Albert Speer and others started coming to his chapel services he wrote, “I felt sure that others’ prayers were with me because it was not possible to win them to the foot of the cross without the intersessions of God’s people.”  Prayer and the message of the cross.  There was also great love.  It was not easy for Gerecke to love these men.  His two sons had served as soldiers in American army during the war and he had been an army chaplain.  But he asked God’s Spirit to give Him God’s love.  At one stage, because of his age, he was given the opportunity to quit being chaplain at Nuremberg and go home to his wife, who he had not been for over two years.  The prisoners wrote to his wife asking for her to encourage him to stay.  ‘During this past month he has shown us uncompromising friendliness … in these surrounding in which … we find only prejudice, cold distain or hatred.’

As we have been looking at this section of 2 Corinthians we have been thinking about doing God’s work God’s way.  The way to do God’s work is to pray, love and be clear with the truth.  That is what we see in the ministry of the apostle Paul.  We see his love and devotion to the truth in these verses.  Read his letters and you will see the great emphasis he puts on prayer.  It’s so exciting because it is a ministry that we can share in.  We can pray.  We can love because we have been first loved in Christ.  We can be clear about the truth as we boast of what Jesus has done for us!

Your weaknesses equip you to serve (2 Corinthians 12:1-10)

 

Supposing I ended up in 5b.  It could happen, I’ve struggled with my mental health before.  For those of you who don’t know 5b is the psychiatric unit of University Hospital Limerick.  It is where people go to get help with severe mental illness in times of severe distress.

Would you be ashamed of me?  Would suggest that we search for a new pastor?  Would you be telling me to keep it secret? 

I don’t think being in 5b is anything to be ashamed of.  The church is supposed to be a safe place for those who struggle.

This morning we are going see that the gospel is more important than miracles, God’s ‘no’ can be more important that his ‘yes’, and that our weakness is more important than our strength.

The gospel is more important than miracles (1-7)

I love miracle stories.  They can be a real encouragement and they can strengthen our faith.  They also can be a distraction.  Jesus warns us that, ‘a wicked generation demands a sign’ (Matthew 16:4).  We must not make miracles the main thing in our faith.

Paul has been forced to talk about a spectacular vision he received fourteen years earlier.  That places the vision in what’s known as Paul’s ‘silent years’—a period of seven to ten years after his conversion and before the beginning of his public ministry.  Notice that this was a once in a lifetime event for Paul.  He didn’t have this sort of vision all the time.

He was caught up into the third heaven.  The first heaven refers to the sky, where the birds fly.  The second heaven refers to space, where the stars shine.  The third heaven is paradise, where God’s dwells.  There Paul saw things that he was not permitted to share.

The only reason that Paul talks about this vision is that the ‘super-apostles’ have been boasting about amazing visions they’ve experienced, and they were trying to undermine Paul’s credibility by saying that he has experienced nothing similar.  He responds, ‘It embarrasses me to have to say this, but I have had a revelation that surpasses anything you claim to have had.’

It’s amazing that Paul didn’t feel the need to talk about it before.   If I had a revelation like that I would be tempted to make it my platform.  ‘Come see the man who was in heaven!’  In fact, it is not so long ago that there was a book and a film called ‘Heaven is for Real’, about a boy who visited heaven.  At one stage there were a whole host of ‘heaven tourism’ books.

But Paul doesn’t want to talk about this vision because he doesn’t want people to ‘think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say’ (6).  I know a man who claims to have had great miraculous experiences.  I reserve my judgement.  But I want to know how much he makes of Christ-crucified, if is he humble, if understand the place of suffering in the Christian life and if the love of Jesus effects the way he treats people.

‘No’ can be more important than ‘yes’ (7-8)

Like all of us, the apostle Paul was tempted towards pride.  Such a surpassingly great revelation could easily puff someone up and make them arrogant.  God loves Paul enough to care more about his heart more than his comfort.  God loves us enough t seek to make us humble.  God permitted Satan to torment him with a thorn in the flesh.

We don’t know what this thorn in the flesh was.  He doesn’t say.  It might be that the eye condition that caused Paul to have to rest in Galatia was a recurring condition.  There are actually lots of suggestions to what it might be.  What we do know it that it caused him severe suffering, and that it was humiliating for him.  Maybe in a culture where there were plenty of prosperity teachers he had to put up with being looked down on for having a weakness.

I was actually in a small group when someone claimed that God had removed the thorn from Paul.  This person had no place in their theology for suffering in the life of the believer.  Their ‘name it and claim it’ beliefs could not allow God say ‘no’ to a prayer offered in sincere faith.  But the whole flow of this passage makes clear that the thorn was God’s will for Paul’s life.

We see here that God is committed to saving us from pride.  Now I wouldn’t call it a messenger from Satan and it didn’t cause me torment, but I had to repeat my leaving certificate.  Then when I got into college I wanted a particular grade, in part because my primary school principle had made it clear that she didn’t think I was clever.   I didn’t get it.  I think that was God’s blessing to me.  For if I’d done better I would be even more arrogant than I am. 

Success can be far more dangerous to our hearts than failure.   It might feel like the world has fallen apart when the doctor tells us that the results are bad.  It might feel like our dreams are shattered when you are passed over for promotion, the business fails or you are let go.  It might be humiliating to pass through a nervous breakdown or a time of deep depression.   But our heavenly Father knows what He is at.  He is committed to shaping our hearts.  He is dealing with our pride and causing us to depend on Him.   

Our weakness is more important than our strength (9-12)

God actually wants us to boast about our weaknesses.

I messaged a friend who is a New Testament lecturer and asked him if such weaknesses could include an area of temptation that God allows us to experience to cause us to lean on Him for strength.  He suggests that that can be the case.  I wrestle with my appetite.  I am tempted all the time to binge eat.  I am ashamed to say that many times I give in.  There is nothing to boast about in the sin.  But I can also say that this weakness humbles me and causes me to cry out to Him for help!

God did not remove the thorn in the flesh from Paul.  ‘But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness’ (9).  My grace is sufficient—you do not need to be free from weakness in order to serve Jesus.  My power is made perfect in weakness—not my power is made perfect despite weakness but my power is made perfect in weakness.  Your weaknesses are what qualify you to serve Jesus.

Weaknesses causes us to depend on Christ.  Weaknesses drive us to pray.  Weaknesses make us realise that we can’t live for Jesus in our own strength.  Weaknesses remind us that we are dependent on His power not ours.  Will you allow your weaknesses direct you to the prayer room, or to be honest with people about your struggles?  Can you thank God for those weaknesses?  They may be one of God’s greatest blessing for you!   

‘Therefore, I will boast 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’ (9-10).    

Are you willing to boast about your weakness, or at least be honest about them?    Do you feel a failure as a mother or a father?  Do you feel a let down as a son or a daughter?  Do you feel unsure when the topic of faith is raised by your friends and family?  Do you have a daily battle to resist lust?  Do you have social anxiety?  I know I come across as very social but I struggle with this.  Do you find it hard to pray?  Most of us do.  I sometimes have to wrestle with doubt.  Not all doubt is rooted in stubborn unbelief, as we see with Jude’s instruction to be merciful to those who doubt.  Do your struggle to be patient with your workmates?  Do you find singleness lonely?  Are there health issues that tempt you to despair?  Did you ever lost face because you feel apart in front of people?

All these weaknesses drive us to Christ.  All these weaknesses cause us to depend on Him for His strength.  All these weaknesses show the loving heart of a God who chooses the weak things of this world to shame those who think they are strong. All these weaknesses reflect the beauty of the Christ who allowed himself be so weakened that He could not carry the beam of His cross but needed the help of another.  All these weaknesses point to the one who experienced a shame-filled death to make us His own.  All these weaknesses give Jesus the opportunity to show that He is all that we need.  Yes, God’s gives His people talents and gifts, but these will only serve to make us look good if they are not used in dependent weakness.

Conclusion

So, what if I ended up in 5b?  Would you start the search for a new pastor?  Would you be embarrassed for me?  Would you think it made less of a Christian?  It might be that the strains of this ministry are too much for me and that I need to think of a different way to serve God.  However, it also might be the best thing that ever happened to my ministry.

You might not struggle with your mental health like I do, but we all struggle.  All of us have experienced brokenness and have weaknesses.  Those weaknesses do not mean that God has let us down.  Those weaknesses may be among His greatest gifts to us.  God is glorified to show that He chooses the weak to shame those who think they are strong.  God is committed to making us humble.  God moves us to depend on Him alone.  He comforts us in our troubles so that we can comfort those in their troubles with the comfort we have experienced.  He causes us to give up on our strength so that we depend on His.        

‘I asked God for strength that I might achieve.  I was made weak that I might learn to humbly obey.

I asked God for health that I might do all things.  I was given infirmity that I might do better.

I asked God for riches that I might be happy.  I was given poverty that I might be wise.

I asked God for power that I might have the praise of men.  I was given weakness that I might feel the need for God.

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.  I was given life that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing I asked for but everything I hoped for.  Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.  I am, among men, most richly blessed.’  (Anon.)