Grace is God's Power in Suffering and Service (2 Cor. 12.1-10; Eph. 3.1-13)

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12.1-10 and Ephesians 3

Translation: ^{2 Corinthians 12.1}It’s necessary to brag, although not beneficial, and I will go into visions and revelations from the Lord. ²I know a man in Christ 14 years ago, whether in the body I don’t know, or outside of the body I don’t know. God knows, such a man taken away all the way to the third heaven. ³I know such a man, whether in the body or without the body I don’t know, God knows ⁴that he was taken away into Paradise and heard unspeakable spoken words which are not allowed to be spoken to man. ⁵About such a man I will brag, but about myself I will not brag except in weaknesses. ⁶Because if I want to brag, I won’t be thoughtless, because I will speak the truth. But I’m holding back, someone shouldn’t credit to me about what he sees me or hears from me ⁷and the surpassing nature of the revelations. Because of this, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel/messenger of Satan, so that he might torment me, so that I wouldn’t exalt myself. ⁸About this I urged the Lord three times, so that it would go away from. ⁹And He said to me, “My grace is enough for you, because the power is completed in weakness.” So, instead I brag the most happily in my weaknesses, so that the power of the Messiah encamp on me! ¹⁰Because of this I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in stresses, in persecutions and problems for the Messiah, because whenever I’m weak, then I’m powerful.

^{Ephesians 3.1}Becuase of this, I Paul, the prisoner of the Messiah Jesus for you gentiles—²if indeed you’ve heard about the management of the grace of God that was given to me for you. ³According to revelation the secret was made known to me, just as I wrote before with a little part, ⁴to which you can know my understanding in the secret of the Messiah by reading, ⁵which was not made known in other generations to the sons of men as it was revealed now to HIs holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, ⁶namely that the gentiles are co-heirs, co-bodied, and co-sharers of the promise in the Messiah Jesus through the Gospel, which I’ve become a servant of according to the grace of God that was given to me according to the in-working of His power. ⁸To me, the least important of all the holy people this grace was given: namely to tell the gentiles the good news of the immeasurable riches of the Messiah, ⁹and to enlighten all people about what the management of secret that had been hidden from the ages in God, the One Who created all things, ¹⁰so that now the multifaceted wisdom of God would be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms through the church ¹¹according to the plan of the ages, which He made in the Messiah Jesus our Lord, ¹²in Who we have the boldness and approach with confidence through His faithfulness. ¹³Because of which, I ask not to lose enthusiasm in my sufferings for you, which is your glory.

The Point I’m Stressing: Grace is not just God’s love acting to save us from our sins and give us a relationship with Him, it is God’s power at work in us and it is God’s choosing to commission us for His work, work empowered by Grace and work about Grace

Interpretation

1.      II Corinthians 12.1-10

a.       Structure

                                                              i.      Paul’s refusal to talk about the amazing things he has been shown by God (vv.1-7a)

                                                            ii.      Paul explicit zeal to brag about his weaknesses and God’s power (vv.7b-10)

b.      Themes

                                                              i.      Arrogance

                                                            ii.      Rejection of God-given authority

                                                          iii.      Bragging

                                                          iv.      Suffering

                                                            v.      Humility

                                                          vi.      Power

                                                        vii.      Grace

c.       Doctrines

2.      Ephesians 3.1-13

a.       Structure

                                                              i.      Beginning of a move to ethics and ecclesiology (v.1)

                                                            ii.      Interjection explaining his authority (vv.2-12)

1.      God revealed the mystery to Paul

2.      Paul serving and chosen to serve by grace for a purpose

                                                          iii.      Prayer (3.13-21)

1.      Prayer by Paul for himself (v.13)

2.      Prayer by Paul for the saints (vv.14-19)

3.      Prayer by Paul for God (vv.20-21)

b.      Themes

                                                              i.      Grace

                                                            ii.      Commission/calling

                                                          iii.      Mystery/secret

                                                          iv.      Revelation

                                                            v.      Gospel

Applications

Questions:

a.       Where in your life do you need to trust that God’s power is enough? How can you rely on His power in suffering and in service?

b.      What is God calling you to do because of His grace?

c.       If God’s grace includes forgiveness, empowerment, and commission, is there anything else you think God’s grace might include?