- Joined
- Apr 25, 2006
- Messages
- 17,522
1 August 20082 Corinthians 11:21b-29
It is shameful to me to say this, but we were too "weak" to do those things to you!
But if anyone else is brave enough to brag, then I also will be brave and brag. (I am talking as a fool.) Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they from Abraham's family? So am I. Are they serving Christ? I am serving him more. (I am crazy to talk like this.) I have worked much harder than they. I have been in prison more often. I have been hurt more in beatings. I have been near death many times. Five times the Jews have given me their punishment of thirty-nine lashes with a whip. Three different times I was beaten with rods. One time I was almost stoned to death. Three times I was in ships that wrecked, and one of those times I spent a night and a day in the sea.
I have gone on many travels and have been in danger from rivers, thieves, my own people, the Jews, and those who are not Jews. I have been in danger in cities, in places where no one lives, and on the sea. And I have been in danger with false Christians. I have done hard and tiring work, and many times I did not sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty, and many times I have been without food. I have been cold and without clothes. Besides all this, there is on me every day the load of my concern for all the churches. I feel weak every time someone is weak, and I feel upset every time someone is led into sin.
So often we see leaders in the world (and at times even in the church) living a life with all the trimmings, lovely homes, fantastic cars, fancy meals, luxurious holidays, fat expense accounts etc. Yet we also notice that though many are willing to receive the benefits of leadership, they seemingly avoid the hardships.
Not so with Paul - this is very clear from the long list of hardships that he had experienced. Paul understood that true leadership is not easy and that it comes with a price. A price that the false teachers in the Corinthian church were not prepared to pay, as they wanted the money, recognition, power and status without the hardships.
Even people without a Christian faith admire people like Francis of Assisi, Mother Teresa, Brother Roger of Taizé and Billy Graham. Why is that so? I think it is because people can sense in them authenticity and humility. These are people that demonstrate the way of Christ, their actions confirm their words, or in other words ''they walk the talk''.
Do we want the benefits of the Christian life without the hardships? There is a paradox here, in that the more we live the Christian life we will not only have greater joy, but we will also have greater challenges too. However, the promise Jesus gives is not that we will escape hardships, but that just as he did, we can and will overcome all things because He lives within us (John 16:33, Romans 8:35-39)
Lord give me the strength to follow you and your ways, even if it leads me down difficult and lonely paths. Help me to know that you not only walk with me but that you also live within me. Amen.
Written by Paul Tomlinson
It is shameful to me to say this, but we were too "weak" to do those things to you!
But if anyone else is brave enough to brag, then I also will be brave and brag. (I am talking as a fool.) Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they from Abraham's family? So am I. Are they serving Christ? I am serving him more. (I am crazy to talk like this.) I have worked much harder than they. I have been in prison more often. I have been hurt more in beatings. I have been near death many times. Five times the Jews have given me their punishment of thirty-nine lashes with a whip. Three different times I was beaten with rods. One time I was almost stoned to death. Three times I was in ships that wrecked, and one of those times I spent a night and a day in the sea.
I have gone on many travels and have been in danger from rivers, thieves, my own people, the Jews, and those who are not Jews. I have been in danger in cities, in places where no one lives, and on the sea. And I have been in danger with false Christians. I have done hard and tiring work, and many times I did not sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty, and many times I have been without food. I have been cold and without clothes. Besides all this, there is on me every day the load of my concern for all the churches. I feel weak every time someone is weak, and I feel upset every time someone is led into sin.
So often we see leaders in the world (and at times even in the church) living a life with all the trimmings, lovely homes, fantastic cars, fancy meals, luxurious holidays, fat expense accounts etc. Yet we also notice that though many are willing to receive the benefits of leadership, they seemingly avoid the hardships.
Not so with Paul - this is very clear from the long list of hardships that he had experienced. Paul understood that true leadership is not easy and that it comes with a price. A price that the false teachers in the Corinthian church were not prepared to pay, as they wanted the money, recognition, power and status without the hardships.
Even people without a Christian faith admire people like Francis of Assisi, Mother Teresa, Brother Roger of Taizé and Billy Graham. Why is that so? I think it is because people can sense in them authenticity and humility. These are people that demonstrate the way of Christ, their actions confirm their words, or in other words ''they walk the talk''.
Do we want the benefits of the Christian life without the hardships? There is a paradox here, in that the more we live the Christian life we will not only have greater joy, but we will also have greater challenges too. However, the promise Jesus gives is not that we will escape hardships, but that just as he did, we can and will overcome all things because He lives within us (John 16:33, Romans 8:35-39)
Lord give me the strength to follow you and your ways, even if it leads me down difficult and lonely paths. Help me to know that you not only walk with me but that you also live within me. Amen.
Written by Paul Tomlinson
