Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Good morning, church!

I wanted to start today by talking about trust.

Everything we do is a reflection of our trust.

Would you agree that the choices we make are a reflection of our trust?

For example, I’m standing on this stage because I trust that it is built correctly and will hold my weight, right?

Same with you sitting in these chairs?

You wouldn’t sit in them if you thought they would collapse.

And on a deeper level, we trust things because whether outright or indirectly, they make promises to us.

Some of us go on the diet (like the Atkins diet, or more currently, the Keto diet) because they have promised that following their eating regiment will result in weight loss, building of muscles, etc.

Some things even have manufacturer’s guarantees.

Well what is that?

It’s a promise that the thing will do what it says it will do, or else they will refund/replace/etc.

We like guarantees, because guarantees are promises that give us a sense of security and safety–they amp up our confidence to trust.

As we go throughout life, we are bombarded with promises that are either based in truth, or based in lies.

The aim of this series, standing firm on the promises of God, is that we would discover some of the lies we have been believing, and replace those lies with God’s truth.

That we would be anchored in God’s truth.

That we would rest soundly in the sovereignty of God.

In order for that to happen, though, we must know God’s promises.

We must know what He has promised to those who rest and trust in Him.

You don’t get to choose whether or not your heart trusts in something.

Our God has made us to be a people who cling to something/someone.

And if you are not anchored in the true promises of God, your heart will, by default, trust in lies.

If you do not know the promises of God, you will look to the ‘promises’ of the world and the devil, which are lies that lead to death, that will not be able to sustain the storms of life.

tells us that the one who builds their life on the promises of God will have a strong foundation that will sustain every storm life throws their way.

On the other hand, the one who builds their life on anything else is building their life on a foundation of shifting sand that will collapse and ultimately be destroyed.

So we’re trying to get to the solid rock of God’s true promises.

With that said, let’s pray.

I wonder, do you have any weaknesses in your life?

Any trials?

Anything that you sit back and wonder why something is the way it is?

Do you ever ask God, “Why did you make me this way?”

Any circumstances in your life that you ask God, ‘Why are you allowing this?’ ‘Why did you allow this?’ Anything that, if it were up to you, you would get rid of or change?

Anything that you think your life and your ministry for God would be BETTER without it?

Better if the Lord would just change the circumstance.

Mend the relationship.

Heal the disease or condition.

Open up that opportunity.

Stop the constant opposition from those around you.

Fix that which you perceive to be a setback in your life.

You see, we don’t like weaknesses because they make us feel inferior, like we will fall short of expectations, that we might not be loved, or perhaps, on certain days, we question why God’s goodness in allowing something to happen to us, or having made us with a certain limitation.

We can even wonder, God, do you love me?

Today we’re going to look at this amazing promise of God found in .

We are going to be in verses 7-10.

If you’re using the Bible in the chair in front of you, it’s on page 970.

The title of today’s sermon is

God’s Power in Our Weakness

Would you follow along as I read:

Would you follow along as I read:

Today’s big idea:

God sustains and strengthens us in our weaknesses through surrender.

This is our promise.

We’re going to just work through verses 7 through 9, looking at Paul’s thorn in verse 7, Paul’s plea in verse 8, and God’s promise in verse 9.

Paul’s thorn (v.

7)

For a bit of context, the apostle Paul, who was one of the main messengers of the gospel message, was granted these amazing revelations of heaven by God (v. 1).

God allowed him to see and hear things that were unexplainable.

And he says to the Corinthian church that he has every right to boast about it, but he will not, even though it would be telling the truth (v. 6).

The only thing Paul will boast of is his weaknesses (v.

5).

He goes on to describe that weakness here in verse 7.

Paul’s thorn (v.

7)

Do you have any weaknesses in your life?

Anything about you that feels like it’s a disadvantage?

Anything that you’re so confused why something is the way it is.

Anything that you ask God, “Why did you make me this way?”

Any circumstances that you ask God, “Why are you allowing this?” Anything that, if it were up to you, you would get rid of them?

What is

Why don’t we like weaknesses?

I think they make me feel inferior, like I won’t measure up to expectations around me.

They make me feel like I will fall short of others’, not be loved, or perhaps, on bad days, even ask God why He allowed something to happen to me or made me a certain way, if He loves me.

That perhaps He made a mistake?

How do you regard weakness in your life?

How do you regard the qualities, features, or circumstances in your life that are regarded as a disadvantage?

Weaknesses and deficiencies tempt us to believe things about ourselves–perhaps that we’re not enough.

That others will see that.

Maybe that God will see that.

So we’re plagued by these ‘thorns’ throughout life.

These weaknesses.

These weaknesses just make everything harder.

So Paul was given a thorn...

There’s much debate over what this thorn in the apostle Paul’s life was.

Some commentators say it was an inner psychological struggle (grief over his past life, sorrow over Israel’s unbelief).

Other think it was Paul’s opponents who persecuted him.

Most commentators think it was some sort of physical condition (a weakness or deficiency–poor eyesight is a common thought), or some kind of demonic harassment.

I will say, it’s not likely that thorn and weakness refers to a sinful temptation, because that wouldn’t be something he boasts about, which he claims to do for this weakness.

The challenging thing here is that Paul says the thorn “was given him”.

Who, ultimately, is sovereign and in control of everything that happens to him?

God.

Though we live in a world totally broken and effected by sin, God is the One ultimately who is in control of our thorns and trials.

But thorns are always purposeful.

Why do we have these thorns?

Paul was given a thorn by God, and it was used purposefully – “to keep me from becoming conceited.”

That appears twice in verse 7.

Paul was given a thorn by God, and it was used purposefully – “to keep me from becoming conceited.”

That appears twice in verse 7.

You see, Paul had these amazing spiritual experiences, and he himself would have been able to ‘compete’ with his critics, in terms of his spirituality and visions and the way God worked through Him.

So this thorn is given to keep Him ever dependent upon God.

This is reminiscent of .

A group of followers of Christ that He sent out to do ministry return with joy, boasting of the mighty work of God.

They exclaim that even the demons are subject to us in Your name.

And Jesus says to them in verse 20,