Christ's Power Perfected in Weakness

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Takeaways and Next Steps

📖Bible Passage

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, and in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

Points

• ❓: How can you pray for strength when you are weak?
• The weaker we are, the more clearly God’s strength can be displayed.
  • When we are weak, God can respond, thus making it clear that it was Him and not us that answered our prayers.
  • Paul: “I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.”
    • By glorying in Paul’s weakness:
      • Paul humbles himself
      • Paul takes credit off of himself.
      • Paul places the glory on Christ.
      • Paradoxically, it is by becoming weaker that Paul receives Christ’s power
    • “the power of Christ may rest on me”:
      • rest here is the word tabernacle. Tent. Dwell. God dwells with us.
• Christ’s sake is the foundation of this:
  • *Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, and in distresses, for Christ’s sake. *
  • Christ is the source of my peace.
• We want to be strong in ourselves, and yet we are weak and unworthy.
  • Isaiah 40:29 : He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might.
  • ❓: Haven’t you noticed that when you realize your sin and unworthiness, that it is then that you are strongest in the LORD?
• Case study: Joseph
  • Joseph was “strong” in his own eyes.
  • Joseph became weak: beaten, sold as a slave, thrown into prison.
  • It was when Joseph became weak that he was humble enough to realize that he needed God.
• Case study: two debtors: Luke 7:41
• Humility benefits our Gospel witness.
  • When we realize that God could save us (wretched, weak and sinful as we are), then we realize, wow, If God can save me, God can truly save anyone!
• You will not find satisfaction when you come to the Lord’s table, full. You must come empty, and hungry. Then you can eat and be satisfied.
• Benefits of weakness:
  • 1. Christ centeredness:
    • When I am weak I realize that I need Christ and he must be the center.
  • 2. We trust God more than ourselves:
  • 3. We learn to pray better:
    • We pray when things are going well.
    • And we pray when we are too weak to go on.
    • And through that we find strength in Christ
  • 4. We learn to walk by faith and not by sight.
    • It is the weak man who:
      • is able to cling to the promises of Christ
      • clings to the things of God: his Word, his Spirit
  • 5. Divine guidance in the gravest of difficulties
  • 6. Fellowship with God
    • Isaiah 57:15 : God says: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”
  • 7. we learn the benefit of bearing our cross even when we are weak
    • Isaiah 40:30-31 : those who wait for Yahweh will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.
  • 8. We learn to cast all our fears on Christ, and take solace in His mercy:

Application

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Further Study

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💬Discussion Questions