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Through the Bible with Les Feldick
LESSON 1 * PART 3 * BOOK 32
II CORINTHIANS 11:22
Remember we were talking in our last lesson about Paul's thorn in the flesh (which we do not claim to have the only answer). Here God gives him the reason for keeping the man humbled and evidently putting him through all the trials and sufferings.
II Corinthians 12:8,9a
It has to be done as a weak vessel that God has seen fit to use.
I Corinthians 1:26
"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:"
God doesn't go to the kings and queens of world, nor does he usually go to the ivy covered halls of universities for his servants. He never has. So Paul is really an exception to the rule. Do you remember back there in Exodus. Now the same way with the apostle Paul. Now reading verse 27. Instead of God choosing the noble one or the highly educated:
I Corinthians 1:27,28
"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28. I'm a nobody and I still claim that, and that's why I feel God has seen fit to use us. God does not use that which the world thinks is proper and has been rightly fitted for service. Now verse 29, and here is given the same concept to why Paul was given the thorn in the flesh.
I Corinthians 1:29,30
(God won't have it.) 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:"
Those are things that God accomplishes and no man can take credit for it. Now coming back to II Corinthians Chapter 12. Now finishing verse 9:
II Corinthians 12:9b
Paul wasn't wishing for power and circumstance, and political clout, he cared for none of that. God could. Oh the little Jewish communities of these cities did, but the Jews never evangelize; the Jews never took their knowledge out to the pagan Gentiles.
So when Paul comes into the cities that we talked about earlier as he traveled on his missionary journeys, every one of these cities were abject pagan idolaters who knew nothing of the God of creation. Well, it was the power of God when the Gospel was preached. At least most of our American people have a concept of God. I read recently that 2/3 of the American people are sure that one day they're going to stand before God, now that's hard to believe isn't it?
Remember Paul didn't have that kind of an advantage. He didn't approach people who know that there was a God. He didn't approach people who had any concept of Biblical morality. By teaching the Word of God. II Corinthians 12:9b
Paul wasn't looking for some gimmick to get people's attention. Simply because he preached Christ crucified, buried, and risen from the dead. That's the power of the Gospel, and even though we can't understand it, God in His own way will bring people to a knowledge of the truth):
As soon as Paul saw these people converted out of paganism what did they do? 9. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;"
Here Paul could come into a pagan city with all of its pagan statues and their gods and goddesses, and he would preach how God came in the flesh and went to that Cross, and was raised from the dead, and they believed it. Wonder of wonders. Anyway, there was such an impact from this one man preaching the Gospel that the world in general said, "That man is turning the empire upside down." Now coming back to II Corinthians Chapter 12.
II Corinthians 12:12
II Corinthians 12:14a
Paul wanted believers sold out to Christ. I dare say, myself included, that we would all like to be totally sold out to God. But you see it is almost totally impossible, it seems, for a man to be totally, completely sold out to God. But this is what God is looking for. I think the apostle Paul probably did. Anyway Paul turned his back on everything in order to take the Gospel to these pagan ungodly, immoral Gentiles. Now verse 15.
II Corinthians 12:15
After all Peter was with Christ, where Paul never was. I showed this verse several months ago and had some calls from people who said they never knew this verse was in their Bible. After all the sufferings, beatings, imprisonment, and the shipwrecks, to simply take the Gospel to people who had never heard it. Now back to II Corinthians Chapter 12.
II Corinthians 12:16-18
In other words Titus didn't beg for money any more than Paul did. Now let's wind up Chapter 12.
II Corinthians 12:21

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