Sermon: Strong or Weak?

Sermon Notes
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:5-10
“Strong or Weak”?

1. The strong shall be humbled.

• Paul believes that God has allowed those sufferings to be “a thorn in his side” so that Paul won’t be able to boast.
• Paul is saying that God allows his sufferings so that he won’t become arrogant and prideful. This is a way that God keeps him humbled.
• What does pride cause inside of us?
  a) Jeremiah 49:16 says pride deceives the heart.
  b) Daniel 5:20 says that pride hardens our heart.
• Then we have the consequences of our pride:
  a) It brings opposition from the Lord.
  b) It brings judgment. (Proverbs 16:5), (Proverbs 16:18).
• Paul is associating pride with those who think of themselves as being strong.
• God will absolutely humble those who are full of pride and arrogance. God will absolutely humble the strong; they will be brought down.

2. The weak shall be exalted.

• The opposite are those people who are weak. Those who are not boastful or prideful. Those who are not ego-driven.
• Paul says the only thing we ought to boast about is being weak.
• When that happens then we shall be exalted by God.

Matthew 5:3-10

3. Our strength comes not from us but from the Lord.

• We are human. We are, by very nature, a frail, weak and sinful being. We are nothing without the Lord.
• We do not have it within ourselves to live this life in our own strength.
• The Lord said to Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
• Philippians 4:13

Beloved children of God, let us follow in the steps of Jesus who was humble, and follow in Paul’s steps who delighted in being weak, so that God can make us strong in our faith through His own strength.