Do Not Waste Your Weaknesses

Happy Sabbath, everyone. It's wonderful to be here. We had a wonderful first Sabbath last Sabbath. I were so thankful for the warm welcome. We received a gift card to HEB, which has been very nice, and even a sports cup with a sports towel. And several of you just gave us cards with other gift cards as well. So we feel very blessed. I am thankful for the crossover, the overlap that I'm experiencing with Mr. Smith. This last week, I was able to continue and kind of get to wrapping up final counseling sessions there in Kentucky and Tennessee. So it's been nice to have the ability to do that.

So you have two pastors for the price of one. So buy one, get one free, however you want to stay. Wonderful food, last Sabbath. If you noticed that perhaps Jennifer wasn't eating too much of the food, don't be offended. She is on a little bit of a restricted diet, gluten free. And also, she's a little bit more restricted diet currently, because she's dealing with some inflammation and autoimmune concerns. So it is nothing personal. Don't worry, I will eat her portion. So I've got that covered. And she also deals with some sensitivity to heavy perfumes or heavy scented lotions. So thank you for your consideration on that.

You know, there's so many that are suffering with different health issues, the breaking down of our bodies. Of course, Satan is seeking to not only break us down and destroy us spiritually, but also physically. And so we do our part and then ask for God's help in that area. Speaking of destroying our bodies, I have a hot take for everyone. Water Burger, the best fast food restaurant on Earth. Can I state that confidently here? Amongst friends and family. We can challenge me on that after services, if you like. I have a little bit of emotional connection to Water Burger.

And it's not Water Burger. It's Water Burger. I don't know why that is. But we won't get into the humble or humble debate. But there was a year in which my dad would take me to school. And on the way, we would stop at Water Burger.

And so it was such a special time. He had a ceramic Water Burger coffee cup. It was all white, like white ceramic. And it didn't have a sticker on it. It was actually the lettering was raised. And I remember very specifically, it said five cents on it. So he would get refills for five cents every morning. And he would get the newspaper. Kids, I'll have to tell you what a newspaper is later. But I would get the comics out, of course, and mimic the way he was holding his paper. And I always longed for that cup. I never got the Water Burger ceramic cup.

But maybe one day. So I have had the chance to visit Water Burger this week. And so I'm very pleased with that. We didn't have that in Kentucky or Tennessee. So it's been nice. So what are we doing here? I've got to get focused here.

We've had a wonderful song leading, wonderful opening prayer, wonderful message, wonderful special music. Your singing as a group has been wonderful. So let's endeavor to continue in our worship with God. The title of our main message today is Don't waste your weaknesses. Don't waste your weaknesses. It's going to go very well with the opening message. And let's open our Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 12. This is where we're going to begin today. 2 Corinthians chapter 12.

We're going to begin in verse seven in just a moment. 2 Corinthians chapter 12. Now, before we begin, I'd like to speak about today our understanding about our role in helping bring about God's kingdom to this earth. I'd like to speak about our understanding of that. And more specifically, I'd like to speak about a misunderstanding about our role in helping God bring about his kingdom. We last week we spoke about how we are to help God in that endeavor and how we're to focus on him and access his power and it's all to be to his glory.

That was our message last week, but it would be a rare group here today if that message did not fall short for many of you because in a message like that, it's based upon a premise that God would actually use you to help bring about his kingdom. Often when a message like that is given, the thought progression goes something like this. Yes, that message is helpful where we consider our participation and bringing about the very kingdom of God. But it's a little wanting, if I have to be honest, because I know myself as someone who God cannot use. So in hearing a message like that, the response which is most often given is, well, great, but I don't see God using me in that way.

It's a very interesting response. Perhaps that consciously or unconsciously entered into your experience. So in answering my proclamation that you have a major part in helping God bring about his kingdom and all of his purposes, your reply then is, well, I know myself and I know my abilities. And more specifically, I know my lack of abilities and I just don't see God using me in that way.

And from a psychological standpoint, it's pretty fascinating because what the individual is putting forth is what they're doing is a quick self analysis and determining that they know themselves to be inadequate for God.

But, but did you know that embracing your inadequacies and your weaknesses actually is the key in fulfilling his purposes in his coming kingdom? I'll repeat that. Did you know that embracing your weaknesses, inadequacies, that actually is the key in fulfilling your purposes for God? So how well are you investing in your weaknesses? That's the question I want to propose. How well are you investing in your weaknesses? I don't know if you've ever been asked that question. Perhaps it sounds like a little nonsense, right? At first hearing because we know that we invest in assets in order to increase our value, right? You don't invest in liabilities. You try to eliminate or minimize or cover up liabilities or inadequacies or deficiencies. It's easy for us to see strengths as assets, but most of us naturally consider our weaknesses as hindrances, as a hindrance. Deficiencies to minimize or to cover up. But God in his providence gives us our weaknesses just as he gives us our strengths. In fact, in God's economy, he is using our weaknesses in order to help usher in his kingdoms. Our weaknesses become assets. And in fact, they become the most valuable asset that God has given us to steward. So I'm asking you just to begin to consider that perhaps your most valuable asset is not your strengths, but your weaknesses. And here in 2 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul, by the way, one of the most profitable servants of God in all of Scripture, the apostle Paul provides the clearest theology of the priceless value of weakness. So let's read this. See if you can pick up on this whole notion that Paul is putting forth. See if you agree with it. Here it is. Okay, so Paul writes here, 2 Corinthians 12. Let's begin in verse 7, and let's read through verse 10 here. Paul says and writes, Unless I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Verse 8, Concerning this thing, this thorn, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And he, God, responded and said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. So, therefore, Paul, hearing this, responds, Therefore, Paul says, Most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. Why? Well, he says, For when I am weak, then I am strong. Let's stop there. It's amazing. You know, I think I can confidently say, Nowhere but the Bible does this notion exist here, Where someone can be strongest in their weakest moments.

And it's this whole idea that if you have this kind of thorn in your life, a thorn, if you will, a weakening aspect in your life, it's this whole idea that if you will submit in that weakness to God, then he will take you and lift you up in that weakness with his strength. Again, verse 9, God says, My grace, Paul, my grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. So think of the conclusions now that will come to mind with that very statement. So, so often we try to distance ourselves from our weaknesses.

However, the logical conclusion is then, by doing so, in our attempt to be self-sufficient, we prevent ourselves from revealing God's power in our lives.

And this changes everything because then you begin to realize, okay, well then God gives us this grace to overcome rather than removing the thorn, rather than removing the inadequacy, the weakness, the deficiency.

So in beginning to consider this, I wonder if you've considered the possibility that your limitations, your handicaps, your burdens, your personal obstacles, these weaknesses actually prove to be the key in your usefulness to God.

That's a big statement because no doubt, just this last week, in us sharing last Sabbath, what occurs is, the conversation is, well, I do have this weakness, and if I didn't have this limitation, I think I could be more useful to God. Have you ever uttered those words or had it come up in your heart? I think I could be increasingly useful if my health were a little bit better. I think I could be useful to God if my mind were a little bit quicker. I think I could be useful to God if my tongue could formulate the words before the conversation's already moved on, right?

In a few weeks, we're going to hopefully have an interactive Bible study, and if you're like me, I come up with the best comment on the question that was asked two questions earlier. The moment's already passed. I can't capture my words, and boy, I wish I could in a better way. Paul, in a more comical way, addresses these things in a later letter where he says, you know, it's kind of like, when you ask those questions, it's kind of like the clay looking up at the potter and saying, you know, why did you make me this way? Kind of a humorous imagery there. And perhaps even more damaging is it leading us to then look out upon others, and then you start comparing yourself, and you start asking the questions of your heart, well, I wish I was a little bit more like him, or I wish I was a little bit more like her. Then, of course, I would be far more useful to God.

But if you consider what Paul is saying here, you realize that those questions, if I can lovingly say, they're a little bit silly, because it's as if we're succumbing to the notion that we are just some random, random collection of molecules, and these molecules came together to form us. Certain parts work properly, other parts don't work so well, you know. Just random set of occurrences. Do we believe that, or do we believe what the Bible says, which is we are created purposefully, we are created uniquely, wonderfully, by divine hands with strengths and weaknesses.

You have been fashioned by God's divine hands for a specific purpose, and he's made each of us unique and useful in that way. Therefore, even our limitations, handicaps, weaknesses that God permits or has given us, he uses as a key for usefulness. Do you believe that? I want you, by the end of this message, to believe that. I want you to begin the process of believing that more and more. Let me just take a moment to breathe some life into you today. Did you know, in all the world, no one is like you.

Since the beginning of time, there's never been another person like you. No one has your smile, no one has your eyes, no one has your hands, no one has your hair, your voice, your handwriting, no one brushes with the particular brush strokes that you do, no one has in all the universe your exact perspective or experiences, and no one sees exactly like you do. In fact, you're different from every other person that's ever lived in the history of mankind.

Therefore, you are the only one in all of creation that has your particular set of abilities.

Yes, there will be those that do this or that better, but the fact is, no one in the universe can reach the quality of the combination of your talents.

You are unique, and there is enormous value for God and his kingdom purposes. Please realize you have a special purpose for God. And he has a job for you that only you can do.

Again, you're the only one that has the unique and right combination of what it takes.

That's you. The same you, by the way, which has had some of those thoughts that you aren't useful to God. Again, as if somehow or another, God the Father who redeems you in Christ, who has his sufficient grace to bestow upon you, somehow he's taking his hand off of the paintbrush of your life, and it's just been painting on its own.

Not at all. God has big plans for you. And what is so remarkable is this is the issue that the Apostle Paul, the Apostle Paul himself, is dealing with here and struggling with. You're not alone. 2 Corinthians 12, this is Paul coming to a crossroads in his life, and he is laying out his heart. And you'll notice he laid out five things that he's been dealing with in this moment. Did you see him there beginning in verse 10? What was Paul dealing with? What are you dealing with today? Infirmities, reproaches, needs, persecutions, distresses. Infirmities, those are physical weaknesses or physical limitations. I won't have you raise hands, but do you have some physical limitations today? Some physical weaknesses? Of course. Of course. Apostle Paul did, and it was a weakening aspect in his life. Infirmities, it's the first. Reproaches, those are insults.

It goes into the category of false accusations. Weakness brought about by false accusations. You ever been weakened by that? Yes. Did you know that was a weakening aspect of the Apostle Paul? Do you find yourself weakened by that today? Needs. Or, in other words, what you lack. So Paul looked at his life, and one of the weaknesses that entered into his experience is he could acknowledge he did not have, he wasn't up for the task. He didn't have what was needed for the task at hand.

I can relate to that. I know you can too. Persecutions, being abused by others. Unjust persecutions. Why are they treating me this way?

Do you have any family, physical family, church family, where you're on the receiving end of abuse? It could be mental, emotional abuse there as well. Paul was weakened by this. And then distresses. Do you know this word, distresses, here? It deals with emotions, such as anxiety and depression. When you think of the Apostle Paul, would you ever consider that he dealt with anxiety?

And there were moments where he didn't want to get out of bed. He didn't want to come to church. He didn't want to put on the clothes, you know. He didn't want to go out there and do these things. It's just too much.

You ever consider the Apostle Paul dealing with these things? It's interesting here.

You know, this would be very interesting if Paul was alive today. You know, we could have, if Paul was alive today, no doubt we would invite him to the Houston Regional Weekend coming up. And say, you know, Paul, if you would come and speak to our brethren, that would be great. And here is this giant in Scripture. And he's going to be able to come and speak victory. He's going to be able to come and speak power and might in his service to God, speak of great conquests for God. And he comes and he says, greetings, brethren. Happy Sabbath. I'd like to speak to you along five lines if I could. You know, I've been feeling incredibly weak over the last days. I've been getting it from all sides, tremendous amount of insults, incredible hardships. I'm getting persecuted and I don't even know why. And honestly, I don't know if I have it in me to accomplish all that's before me. I'm so lacking.

And lately, I have been so depressed.

Some days, I don't even know if I can go forward.

Smattering of applause.

Thank you, Paul, for cheering us up. We appreciate that.

That's what makes this so remarkable here. But this is the key.

These things, Paul was able to reach in and come to a perspective to understand that these things are actually the key.

And Paul champions this perspective so much that he's not only able to just acknowledge them.

He's able to get to the point where he can boast in them. And even greater, he gets to the point where he finds pleasure, happiness, joy in these very things.

Amazing. So, how did he do it? How did he get to this perspective? Well, he's a human being. He didn't get to it immediately, I can tell you. And what you find is this letter written to the Corinthian church. It's a very personal letter where he's really opening up his heart. And he actually reveals some of the process by which led him to this perspective. And I just want to show you this because really here it's really a crossroads for him, these four verses. This is where he's finally got it. But there was a leading up to this declaration here. And what we find is if you go back a little bit, just a few chapters, we can see kind of Paul growing and evolving to this perspective. And I just want to show you this for a moment. Turn back just a few chapters, if you will. Look at chapter 10, beginning in verse 1.

Let me give you a little background here. Paul was receiving incredible insults. And so he was going to have to come to some perspective, some conclusion, or they were going to destroy him. He would become so weak that he wouldn't be able to do God's work. And so beginning here in chapter 10 in verse 1, Paul begins to reveal some of the specific accusations and weaknesses that were being placed upon him. The first was that he was timid. He was timid. The Apostle Paul was timid. Notice verse 1. Paul writes, now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, so he's speaking of himself here, who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent and bold toward you. Verse 2, but I beg you that when I am present, I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some. Let's stop there. So I wish I could be bold and in person with you, especially about those that I need to be bold with, he says. So if you would be patient with me in this, and boy were they, they were jumping on this, his adversaries were jumping on this. And what they were saying is, oh, you're really bold when you're writing to us, when you're absent our presence. Oh, you can write a pretty mean letter, you know, and the bold Apostle Paul, but then you come before us and you're so timid. Why are you shaking, Paul? Why are you shaking? Boy, your hands are shaking there. Why don't you go write us a letter again, you know? And he's thinking in the quiet and in his heart and he's putting it down on paper. Oh, I wish I could be bold, particularly against those I need to be bold with. So he's acknowledging this. I'm lowly when I'm in your presence. Another accusation that they were pouring upon him was that he was worldly. He was a hypocrite. And they were making that accusation against them. If you look at verse two again, but I beg you that when I am present, I may not be bold with the confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, and listen to this, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. You see that? Some who think of us as we walked according to the flesh. So he doesn't have the confidence to even defend himself against these accusations that they were saying, you're a hypocrite. You're worldly. You're just putting on a show. False accusations, you see. Have you ever been accused of something that wasn't right? And you don't even have the wherewithal to defend. You're too timid. So there it goes. That accusation just continues on and it keeps you up at night. You can't sleep.

This was a weakness placed upon him. Another one here, and we're just going to go through a few of these. The third accusation was that he was just second class. If you allow your eyes to go down to verse 12, they were saying, well, you just can't even stand up to the religious elite. Verse 12, he says, for we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they measure themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise, he says. So this was in the context. They were saying he was just second class and had no authority to be teaching with any authority, you know. The truth of God or speaking on scripture.

So they were accusing him of not being qualified. You ever feel that way? Has someone, perhaps intentionally or just something, a side comment, said something about you and you grabbed a hold of that and it's been placed as a weakness on you that you're not qualified to serve God.

You're just kind of second class. Let us handle it, you know, we'll handle it here.

Very weak point by a lot of men and women.

I hope you don't ever feel second class. We are second class, we're third class, fourth class, but with God we're first class, right? He, his spirit living on us makes us qualified. You have the same spirit as the Apostle Paul, you see. You are qualified. These were all hitting Paul in his heart here. And these are accusations inspired by the devil.

And if Paul would have allowed it, he would have allowed some of these words to begin to affect him and say, well, you know, you might be right. You might be right. I don't know if I am qualified. My past, I had a horrible past. You know, I don't know if God's forgiven me for that. Think of all the damaging thoughts that could have been evoked by these accusations. Very weakening.

But it's a profound perspective here. You know, when Jennifer and I were growing up, and perhaps you can relate to this, there were things that occurred in our family. Traumas that we carried into our adulthood, which we didn't deal with, and you only deal with it. You know, you bury things, but they don't stay buried. At some point in your life, you have to deal with them. We had broken families through divorce growing up. I had some abuse.

And you carry those things into adulthood. And then you begin to, those things begin to become unearthed. And they come out in dysfunctional expressions. Jennifer and I realized we couldn't, because of some of that trauma and damage, we couldn't, we had damaged hearts. So when we came together in marriage, there was just no way we could truly join together, because we weren't healthy. We weren't whole. We hadn't received the healing from God to make us whole, and so we were separated in marriage. Very close to divorce. Months and months. If you would have taken a snapshot, there is just no way we should be together. Total loss of love. And I went on this road of self-destroying actions, because I hated myself, you know? Perhaps you can relate. But perhaps more on that later, God looked down upon us, and he mercifully, lovingly bestowed the grace to us and gave us that healing.

And upon doing that, one of the perspectives that came forth was, yes, your grace is sufficient. That might be the most understatement in all the Bible. It's absolutely sufficient. And God healed our hearts, and we were able to come together and start the process of healing and growing. And one of the most remarkable aspects of that is to get on the other side of it. And of course we're still growing, but to get on the other side of it, what I realized is those things which were meant to destroy me are actually the very things that made me. And I use those things now that were meant to destroy me for God's purposes.

And in my ministry, if someone, a man or woman or a couple, comes to me, they can come with the most brokenness that you could imagine. My first initial response is, good, good. This is good, because this is an opportunity.

And with God, you can not only overcome this, you're going to be able to then reach back and help others. So I am so optimistic with marriages that are going through difficulties. I am so optimistic with individuals that are in self-destroying seasons of their life, because I am a product of grace, and I continue to be a product of grace.

And so, man, we look at these things, and rather than trying to minimize them, no, I'm going to actually bring them up, and I'm going to boast now in what God has done through them. And in certain aspects, I find pleasure and joy in just a remarkable way that I went through what I went through. You see, I would have never wanted to go through it, but because I did, and God's grace brought me through it, I'm so thankful for it. It's very counter to our human thinking, but this is the whole notion that Paul is putting forth here.

So from that time, I've been intentionally vulnerable. I want to share things with you. I want to say, I did this. You can too. I want to find connection points with you. And we need to do this amongst each other, support one another, help one another.

It's a wonderful, powerful perspective here. And so, this is where Paul is. Here in chapter 10, he is low, and he was going to need to find a different perspective. And wonderfully and beautifully, he finds it in chapter 11. And he responds to these accusations of weakness in the most unexpected and profound way. In chapter 11 here, verses 18 through 21, Paul is going to build to one of the most remarkable moments in all the Bible here. And in chapter 11, beginning in verse 8, he says, well, let me address some of these accusations that you're trying to tear me down.

If you want to boast, well, let's boast, he says. Look at verse 18. Paul's response to these accusations meant to destroy him. Seeing that many of you boast according to the flesh, verse 18, I also will boast. For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise. For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face.

You put up with so much to our shame, he says. I say that we were too weak for that. But in whatever anyone is bold, I speak foolishly, he says. I am bold also. So here he goes. He's now about to boast here. He says I'm going to be a little foolish now. I'm going to boast as well. Verse 22, are they the ones you're comparing me to?

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? Well, so am I. Are they the seat of Abraham? So am I, Paul says. Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more, he says. And so he is building here, and they now are all ready for him to begin to boast in his excellence and strength and accolades. But he doesn't do that.

He flips the script on them here. Look at this. Verse 23, one of the most powerful moments in all the Bible. He says, I am more. Verse 23, in labors more abundant. I am more in stripes, that's beatings, above measure. I am more in prisons more frequently. In deaths often, in near deaths. So he's flipping the scripture. He's not boasting in his strength, but weaknesses. There would have been silence just trying to figure out what he's doing here.

Verse 24, from the Jews, five times I received 40 stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Oh yeah, three times I was shipwrecked. A night and day I've been in the deep. I've been in perils in the water. I've been in perils with robbers. With my own country men I've been in perils.

Perils with Gentiles. Perils in the city. Perils in the wilderness. Perils in the sea. Perils among false brethren. In weariness and toil. In sleeplessness often. In hunger and thirst. In fastings often. In cold and in nakedness. So he's more than them and all those things. Verse 28, besides the other things that come, what comes upon me daily, my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak? And I am not weak? Who is made to stumble? And I don't burn with indignation?

If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. He says, let's stop there. He burns with indignation. Who is made to stumble? You do get angry when you can't find the right words. You're stumbling right. But he says, you know, if I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my weakness, my infirmity.

Ladies and gentlemen, he says, here's my declaration to you. I am more, far more, in my weakness, he says. So what's the point? What's the point? Well, in actuality, it is in all these apparent weaknesses where the power lies. Because in our weakest moments, that is the moment in which God's grace will make us sufficient. Have you ever considered the possibility that your handicaps, limitations, weaknesses, anxieties, fears, far from being a deterrent to God's service, are actually the key to our usefulness? We heard about it in the opening message time and time again. God's grace coming and the sufficiency comes from God. David, you know, he's out in the field. He didn't even come inside to be part of the original to be chosen from. Moses had a stutter, right? Gideon, smallest of the small, of the clans. But all those are punctuated by the very Son of God. God looks down from heaven, determines he's going to send one to be the savior of all mankind. Where does he send him? To a nondescript little place called Bethlehem. To be born to a no-name individual in all of obscurity. To step on the stage of human history to save mankind. And in the conclusion of it all, we see his body hanging from across. And everyone said, look at that picture of weakness. What could ever come of that? Surely, if he was the Son of God, he would have shown himself boastful and strong. But it ends in a crucifixion. And it's exactly where he chose to be. If you go forward in this letter, 2 Corinthians 13 verses 4 and 5 here, 2 Corinthians 13 verses 4 and 5. These two verses is the summary of it all. And these two verses have the potential to change your life here.

There it is. There it is. That's a summary statement of what God is doing through us here. Absolutely amazing. And that's supposed to be, that is to be our prayer today. I want you to add this to your prayer. Father, I want to be like your son. I want to be crucified in my weakness. I want to just give it to you. Acknowledge it. Boast in it. Find pleasure in it. Because I want your grace to show through me. Your grace. And in that way, when I'm weak, I'm strong. You see.

Well, Jesus Christ didn't stay in that grave. He was raised up in power and might. Sits in glory at the right hand of God. But at the moment, he's putting together a people. And what do they look like? His representatives. Are we mighty and strong? No. No. Did you fill yourself up to the task this week? If your answer is no, good. Good. It's exactly where you need to be. It's exactly where I need to be. Why? Well, when everything is weighted against you, what you are to do is then to look to him and say, God, give me your sufficient grace.

I stand here and all of my weakness before you. Would you do a work through it? So from that perspective, the worst thing that God can do is to take it away from us. And that's why he did not answer the Apostle Paul's prayer to remove it. Well, I hope a study like this today in a journey like this to this climatic moment of the Apostle Paul. I hope you will discover this in your life. And when you do, it'll change your life. It'll be a big day. It'll be a big day to come to God in your weakness and to thank him for your strengths and to thank him for your weaknesses. It's amazing perspective to step up into this. So sons and daughters of God, to you, I say, in conclusion, no one in the world can reach the quality of the combination of your talents. You are unique. And in that uniqueness, there is incredible value for God in his kingdom purposes. You were made for a special purpose. He has a job for you to do. Only one has the right combination of what it takes. And that one is you.