“When I am weak, I am strong”

Here's the video link to this sermon:

Pastor Karen Crawford July 5, 2015 https://vimeo.com/132707934 "Pastor Karen's sermon from July 5, 2015: "Strong in my weakness.""

Meditation on 2 Corinthians 12:2-10    

July 5, 2015

     “I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows— was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

***

   “The hardest day was in early February. Cindy (Morgan) had just finished teaching a spiritual formation class at St. Andrew’s Theological College in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and was about to leave campus when six cocktail bombs exploded outside the front gate. Within minutes, 20 policemen, thinking the bombs had been thrown from inside the campus, stormed the premises with guns drawn.

   “Since early January,” Les Morgan writes in his May newsletter to the congregations that support them in their ministry, “opposition political parties in Bangladesh, demanding fresh elections, had been enforcing a countrywide road and rail blockade.” Many people had been killed. “Hundreds more were injured by firebombs thrown at trains, trucks, buses, cars and autorickshaws. There was little the police could do. How do you stop a network of paid political thugs lurking amidst a population of 165 million people?”

       Drs. Les and Cindy Morgan, medical missionaries to Bangladesh since 1989, had no choice but to retreat to their apartment and watch the news. And wait and worry and pray.

     We often think of missionaries as people who are different than we are. Certainly they are out of the ordinary, if they are willing to leave behind country, kin, and the financial benefits of a medical career in the States to serve the Lord in a mission field as difficult as Bangladesh. The predominantly Muslim country struggles with poverty and polluted air and water; hunger and homelessness; high unemployment and illiteracy; crowding and crime. Many live in unsanitary conditions and lack access to adequate healthcare.

    But missionaries are human. They have the same needs and desires that we do. Les and Cindy have often been homesick. They have longed for clean air, water, and the wealth of space, quiet and privacy that we have in this country. They have felt, at times, anxious and afraid. In February, the political unrest and violence that led to their confinement in their apartment stirred them to question if God really wanted them to go on with their ministry in Bangladesh, teaching and preaching, helping to prepare new leaders for the Church, and providing comfort and hope, help and healing.

     Les writes, “Such dangerous times cause us to think anew about our work. Is it worth all the hardship, tension and risk? If so, where will we get the strength to continue?”

***

      Les has the humility to reveal his weakness and brokenness to encourage us to do the same. In 2 Corinthians 11 and 12, the apostle Paul addresses an audience that, though they are Christian, are accustomed to the habit of boasting to impress others, just like everyone else in the worldly Corinthian society in which they live. Paul is teaching a lesson on humility, without coming out and directly saying to them, “Stop boasting and trying to impress one another because it gets in the way of your witness to Christ.” Capturing his audience’s attention with his promise of “a little” boasting, he proceeds to reveal, in a very personal and intimate way, his humiliations, fears, and failures. He describes being whipped, beaten with rods, stoned, shipwrecked, and adrift at sea. He has suffered “perils” of rivers and brigands, perils that came from his own countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils upon the sea, perils among false brethren, in labor and toil, in many a sleepless night, in hunger and in thirst, in fastings, in cold and nakedness. He tells of his anxiety for the Churches. “Is there anyone’s weakness which I do not share?” he asks. “Is there anyone who stumbles and I do not burn with shame?” He finishes, “If I must boast, I will boast of the things of my weakness.”

   Our reading today in 2 Cor. 12 is a continuation of Paul’s humility lesson, beginning with the apostle mentioning a spiritual experience he had 14 years before. Unlike other religious people of his day who use elaborate details of “visions” to build themselves up and gain more followers, Paul provides few details about his “vision” or “revelation.” He refuses to share what God has spoken to Him or what “Paradise” is like. He mentions the vision to contrast his happiness at being granted such a vision, only to be tormented afterward by a “thorn in the flesh,” “a messenger of Satan” that God allows so that Paul would not become “too elated” or conceited about his spiritual gifts.

      So what does Paul mean by “thorn in the flesh”? We don’t know for sure, but the Church has had a variety of ideas over the centuries (according to William Barclay). John Calvin believed Paul meant spiritual temptations or the temptation to doubt or not do what the apostle should do--and the pain of conscience at the realization of his sin. Martin Luther thought it was the opposition and persecution Paul faced. Others say it was sexual temptation. The early Christian fathers Tertullian and Jerome believed Paul had severe headaches. He may have had eye trouble, which might explain the headaches. He is blinded on the Damascus Road in Acts 9:9, and his eyesight may never have fully recovered. In Galatians 4:15, Paul says the Galatians would have “plucked out their eyes” and given them to him. In Galatians 6:11, Paul may have been referring to his poor handwriting due to his failing eyesight when he says, “See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand.”

     Three times Paul asked the Lord to remove the thorn “given him” in the flesh. But the Lord did not. God says, “My grace is sufficient for you.” My grace is enough! “For power is made perfect in weakness.”

     Paul must have surprised the Corinthians when he concludes, “Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecution, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

*** 

      Les Morgan comes to a similar conclusion, after sharing his anxiety and doubts about having the strength to continue their mission in Bangladesh amidst the dangers. He attended an evening retreat at the end of February that Cindy’s students were leading, riding a rickshaw to the 200-year-old St. Thomas Church. “Inside the darkened sanctuary,” Les writes, “65 small terracotta lamps--open clay saucers of mustard oil with short wicks of twisted cotton--illumined the sacred space. As I sat silently with the other(s)…in a semicircle on the floor of the sanctuary, I saw in the light of the surrounding lamps the answer to the question of where Cindy and I would find the strength to continue serving as missionaries in this country. For there, shining in the darkness, merged into a sacred Light enveloping us and encouraging us on our journey, were the faithful ones--those through whom the Holy Spirit empowers us to do what we do.”

   This is God’s grace, friends! Les and Cindy don’t have the power to minister on their own. But they have access to God’s power in their weakness; the Holy Spirit that dwells in other Christians who pray and give financial support to them ministers to them. Les mentions a first grader in Arkansas who keeps Les and Cindy’s picture propped up on her bedroom dresser and prays for them nightly; a church in Georgia that regularly sends them cards to remind them of their presence with the couple; a church in Louisiana that dedicated their Christmas Eve offering to support ministries of healing in Bangladesh; a high school student in Kansas who, every month, contributes a portion of the money he earns through his part time job; a pediatrician in Georgia who prays for them every morning; and the hundreds of congregations--like us-- that join them every week in prayer for individuals in need in Bangladesh.

      Yes, brothers and sisters! We are one of the hundreds of congregations that pray for Les and Cindy’s ministry every week. We include Les’s prayer for Bangladesh in our bulletin announcements and on our Facebook page. Through God’s grace and the gift of His Spirit, the Lord is using us to empower missionaries--ordinary people with an extraordinary calling--to do amazing things for God.

      Friends, the Spirit in us enables us through prayer and encouraging words to empower one another to do the work God has called us to do! But like the Corinthians, we live in a society where we are afraid to speak of our weaknesses; we boast of our strengths so that others will think well of us. But here in this place, in Christ’s Church, we should be able to find safety and grace amongst fellow sinners to be ourselves. “Boasting” of our weaknesses requires courage to be vulnerable and trust that no one will hurt us or take advantage of us in our vulnerability. Boasting of our weaknesses requires humility and the desire to have the power of Christ lifted up, rather than our own strengths or achievements. Sharing our weaknesses requires faith that the Lord does truly work through them to accomplish His purposes and that we are forgiven not by our own strengths or good works, but by the work of Jesus Christ for our sakes.

    Friends, do you have the compassion to encourage and pray for others in their weakness? Can you be trusted to be kind and understanding when others reveal their weaknesses to you? Do you have the courage to “boast” of your weaknesses, like Paul, believing God when He says, “My grace is sufficient for you.” My grace is enough! “For my power is made perfect in weakness.”

    And if you have doubts or feel afraid, like Les and Cindy in Bangladesh, that you won’t have the strength to do what God is calling you to, remember Paul’s lesson on humility,

    “Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecution, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Let us pray.

Holy One, thank you for Jesus Christ, who humbled himself to the point of death on a cross for our sakes. Thank you for your forgiveness for our sins through our belief on Him. Thank you for your power that is made perfect in our weakness. Give us courage to be like Paul and boast of our weaknesses. Grant us compassion to be kind and pray for one another as we share our weaknesses and praise you for your strength! We pray that this place--Your Church--would be a place of safety and grace, so that we will all be free to be ourselves, the people you have made us to be. Humble us and build up our faith so that, no matter whatever emotional or physical “thorn” we may suffer, we will serve you in gladness and gratitude for all of our days. And we pray for strength and joy for Les and Cindy Morgan. Bless them in their ministry for your sake. Keep them safe. Build up the Church of Bangladesh--and your Church around the world. In Christ we pray. Amen.