2 Corinthians 11:16-33

Claiming to be wise

They became foolsRomans 1:22

overview

• Foolish boasting for their good

• Open mindedness: wise or foolish

• Paul’s personal credentials

• Paul’s service

• Paul’s weakness and God’s power

• So what?

Foolish boasting for their good

• Paul again emphasises the foolishness of this boasting• He does so for the good of the church– They are influenced by this – To refute the false apostles

• Not talking as the Lord would – Paul strives to imitate Christ (1 Cor 11:1)– Paul meets the false apostles on their own

territoryThis boasting is worldly

Open mindedness: wisdom or folly?

• The Corinthians regarded themselves as wise and sophisticated• Paul tells them they are fools– They listen to fools and are not discerning– Don’t realise they have been exploited and

taken advantage of– Don’t recognise ungodly & abusive conduct

• Pushing themselves forward• Slap you on the face

• Paul says that they were “too weak”

Paul’s personal credentials

• Who is Paul comparing himself to?– Who were the “super apostles?– Was he comparing himself to the 12

• Paul establishes his credentials as a Jew– Hebrew was his first language– Of the tribe of Benjamin– Descendant of Abraham (John 8:39 Rom 4)

Paul’s service

• Paul boasts of his service

• Paul does not boast of achievements– Hardships and weakness– Sufferings and persecution– Hard work and lack of basic necessities

• Paul’s concern for the churches– Paul associated with them in weakness,

suffering persecution– Paul felt the pain of sin in the churches

Paul’s weakness and God’s power

• Paul boasts of his weakness– So that God’s power will be seen

• Unlike the false apostles

• The things Paul boasts of are true and are understated rather than exaggerated

• Paul has known God’s provision and protection all his Christian life– Acts 9

So what?• Are we always looking out for the good of the church?• Are we imitators of Christ?• Are we ready to meet opponents on their territory or do

we retreat into a safe “Christian” subculture?• Are we embracing the foolishness of the cross & the

gospel and rejecting the “sophistication” of the world?• Do we develop and exercise discernment?• Will we reject ungodly conduct and leadership?• Are we able to hold ourselves up as good examples?• Do we serve faithfully and sacrificially?• Are we ashamed of our weaknesses or do we see them

as an opportunity to display God’s power in our lives?