Kelly Minter - All Things New Session 8

We are at the end of this series with session 8 "Spending Ourselves for Others/Relationships."

These are my notes from this last session.

Paul's most personal letter is 2 Corinthians.  The Corinthians were the "problem child" that Paul loved.  They were not his easiest church or the most obedient.  Kelly highlights some relational nuggets for us in session 8.

2 Corinthians 12:14-15
"Look, I am ready to come to you this third time.  I will not burden you, since I am not seeking what is yours, but you.  For children ought not save up for their parents, but parents for their children.  I will most gladly spend and be spent for you."

Paul is not after the Corinthians possessions but after them.

Sometimes in our own relationships, we are after what they can do for us.  What would relationships look like if we wanted just them?  No mixed motives.  Paul didn't care to seek what belonged to them.

We want to desire people, not what they have or what they can do for us.

In verse 15, he said he will "gladly spend" and second "be spent" - give what he has and give who he is.

Sometimes it's easier to give what we have than to give who we are.  How would this change our relationships to be expended for others?

Key phrase in verses 19-21 is "everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening."   How often are we actually looking to strengthen other people in our life?

Kelly mentiones three fears that Paul had about visiting Corinth:

• He was concerned that he and the Corinthians would be a disappointment to each other
• He would find them in divisive relationships
• They wouldn't be repentant

Paul came into this with great humility but also with great strength which is found in 2 Corinthians 13:1-2:

"This is the third time I am coming to you.  Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.  I gave a warning when I was present the second time, and now I give a warning while I am absent to those who sinned before and to all the rest; if I come again, I will not be lenient."

Paul says here he is going to establish everything in the presence of two or three witnesses (from OT practice).  Meaning:  he's not going to assume or jump to any conclusions in this confrontation.  

• It's important to not jump to conclusions
• Inviting other people into the process protects us from rash judgments

The third point about Paul's confrontation seems a bit harsh.  Look at 2 Corinthians 1:13:

"I call on God as a witness, on my life, that it was to spare you that I did not come to Corinth."

• If he comes again, he will not spare them, if the disobedience is still going on
• Timing is important when it comes to confrontation.
• As a leader, Paul was taking action when he needed to take action
• A wise person doesn't act too hastily but will act when needed

2 Corinthians 13:7-10

"But we pray to God that you do nothing wrong - not that we may appear to pass the test, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear to fail.  For we can't do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.  We rejoice when we are weak and you are strong.  We also pray that you become fully mature.  This is why I am writing these things while absent, so that when I am there I may not have to deal harshly with you, in keeping with the authority the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down."

Basically, Paul is saying he wants them to pass the test, to shine in their obedience to Christ even if it looks like somehow Paul has failed.

Paul cares more about the Corinthians than he does his own reputation.  Huge!  What would ministry look like if we did this?

Paul rejoiced when he was weak and they were strong.

Spiritual authority is always given by God for others - to build up and not tear down.

2 Corinthians 13:5

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves.  Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless you fail the test."

Paul asked "are you really in Jesus Christ?" What does it mean to test? - to determine the nature of something; to examine something to determine its genuiness.

Paul is asking them to sincerely look at their life and make sure they are in Jesus.  Make sure they are His.

Why would Paul need to ask this question?

Maybe because of so much sin in Corinth.  So much devisive motives and disobedience.  A few things to ask ourselves:

• Do you care about the things of the Lord?
• Do you want to please Him?
• Does sin bother you?
• Do you feel the Holy Spirit's tug in certain situations?
• Am I trusting solely in Jesus Christ as my Savior?
• Do I live for my own passions and desires?
• Do I have a desire for the things of God?

2 Corinthians 6:1-2

"Working together with him, we also appeal to you, "don't receive the grace of God in vain."  For he says: at the acceptable time I listened to you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.  See, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation?"

• Now is the day of salvation
• Now is the time of God's favor

2 Corinthians 3:16

"But whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed."

The end of my notes for sessions 1-8

Kelly Minter "All Things New" Session 7

We have been enjoying this series by Kelly Minter taken from 2 Corinthians. In this series, Kelly uses the Christian Standard Bible (CSB) version and also the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB).

After each session, Kelly shares a song she has written to encourage us in a worship time. 

This series is well worth the time to watch and also the effort to do the homework each week.  You will not be disappointed.

Session 7 deals with the "Thorn in the Flesh" taken from 2 Corinthians 11:30-33:

"If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses.  The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying.  In Damascus, a ruler under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to arrest me. So I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from his hands."

Paul has talked about all the trials he has gone through.  He talks about these things to show the false teachers and those who are confused in Corinth that the Christian life isn't necessarily about suffering. There's an incredible grace that goes along beside it, Kelly said.

Why all of a sudden was Paul talking about being lowered in a basket at a time in Damascus?  Look at Acts 9:23-25:

"After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, but Saul learned of their plot, so they were watching the gates day and night intending to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall."

Paul is referencing a time very early in his ministry when he was in Damascus.  Kelly asks this: "where did Paul meet the Lord?"  Answer: on the road to Damascus.  After his conversion, he stays there in Damascus and begins to preach Jesus.

The Jews are trying to kill him so they have a watch at the city gates.  Thus, lowering him outside the walls in a basket.  Great Plan!

Why is he telling this story to the Corinthian church?

He wants them to know he came from being the highest (intellectual, educated Jew) to being dropped down over a wall in a basket to escape.  (ref. 2 Corinthians 12:1-6)

Extraordinary story that Paul is now telling.

Thorn in the Flesh
"....especially because of the extraordinary revelations.  Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself.  Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. But he said to me "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness."  Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me.  So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ.  For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

What Was Paul's Thorn?
We don't know.  It could be:

• Physical ailment
• Persecutions and oppositions
• Psychological or mental travail

It's not about the thorn, but it's about the grace and power of God working through us.

Why Was The Thorn Given?

Look at verse 7 ...."so that I would not exalt myself" - to keep Paul from becoming conceited.  Pride keeps us from an intimate relationship with Christ.

Who Gave The Thorn?

Was it God or Satan?  The term "was given", Kelly says, is typically used in the context of benevolance, goodness, grace....bestowed by God.

There is some tension here regarding God giving a thorn to Paul. We must remember the character of God and the heart of God - He can be trusted.

George Guthrie has said this "Paradoxically, the thorn was a gift from God and a goad from Satan." 

Jesus' response to Paul about the thorn is in verse 9 "my grace is sufficient (it is enough) for you, for power is perfected (intended fulfillment) in weakness."

Jesus is saying to Paul that in this weakness, my power reaches its intended fulfillment, a place where it hits the pinnacle.

In verse 9 the word "therefore" is a turning point kind of word which means "for that reason, consequently." 

The phrase "all the more gladly" means "with pleasure, with contentment".

Remember earlier Paul was pleading for this thorn to be removed.  Now, his thoughts and response has shifted - "I will all the more gladly boast."  

Why is he glad?  Because this is when Christ's power completely enfolds him and may dwell in him.

Dwell: Hebrew meaning is to fix a tent or have a habitation on, to take possession of and live in the houses.

Scholars think Paul might be using an OT reference here found in Exodus 40:34:

"The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."

Paul is saying "when I am weak, yes, I'm strong.  I'm contented with it now because Christ's power is going to rest upon me like a tent, a covering, where His habitation is going to dwell."

Paul is making a very strong point that just like the glory of the Lord will come down and God would come to habitate among His people, in that powerful way in the OT, He will do that with this thorn and in his weakness.

If we could just get this revelation in our own pain, it is possible to turn to some rejoicing, Kelly says.

Don't think or believe that if you have a thorn God is angry with you or has forsaken you.  Paul finishes in verse 10:

"So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties, for the sake of Christ.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Weakness in itself is not power.  There was no power in Paul's weakness - so be careful not to exalt the weakness.  It's the avenue through which God's power flows.

"I am full of hope that when God delays in fulfilling our little thoughts it is to have Himself room to work out His great ones" - Lilias Trotter

Kelly says, "I wonder if Paul wanting the thorn removed, not that asking was a bad thing, but I wonder if that was a little thought and God wanted to make room for His big ones."

Take heart that there's grace, there's power, God has His hand on you in those places of tension, those thorns.

"The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty" - Psalms 91:1.

Taken from my notes on Session 7

Next: Session 8 "Spending Ourselves for Others. Relationships."