Sermon Extras

SERMON NOTES

The Bible Doesn’t Say That Week 4: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

REVIEW > We are in a series entitled, “The Bible Doesn’t Say That!” last week we looked at the phrase, “Do not judge” we learned that context is key to studying the Bible. (*Show Graphic of 5 kinds of People) (Illustrate #4 with rocks at waterfall)

*ILL> This week, I have personal experience with the phrase that we will be examining: Story of working at Hastings with the lady who had multiple jobs, was raising her grandchildren, daughter was a wreck, husband was sick. “God must think highly of me…. he must think I can handle more than I think myself because… 

APP> “The Bible says… God will never give you more than you can handle.” This might be one of the most poplar phrases that ISN’T in the Bible… I’m pretty sure that this comes from 1 Corinthians 10:13:

• “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13
• Remember what we learned about context! This passage is talking about idolatry and eating food that was offered in pagan sacrifices. This passage is about temptation… not trials! 

Why is the phrase, “God will never give you more than you can handle” false? 

1. It is unbiblical. I mean think about the story line of the Bible.. all the suffering and trials that people had to go through. Moses in the book of numbers: “14 I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.” Number 11:14-15 
2. It suggest that we rely on ourselves. “8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” 2 Corinthians 1:8-9
3. It projects a false view of God. “And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s[d] head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl…” Mark 16:27-28 APP> God is good but he is not safe. 

CONTEXT> Why is this so important to get right, well, because suffering is certain. 2 Corinthians is one of Pauls most open and vulnerable letters. He is writing to the church in Corinth, they think these other guys are “super apostles” Paul talks about this vision that he got, then he talks about his suffering. Paul tells the church in Corinth that a mark of authenticity of the Christian life is suffering, not prosperity. He talks about his “thorn in the flesh” we don’t know what it is.. which means we can all relate but we do know this, at moments it was more than he could bear… In the passage, Paul tells us 3 things that are happening when it’s more than we can bear… 

1. It keeps us humble. 

• “7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited” It’s really interesting that Paul is using a play on words, the “surpassing greatness” literally means to fly away but then the “thorn” is better translated a spike. Do you see? 

APP> You can either humble yourself or you can be humbled. but God loves you too much to let pride ruin your life. 

APP> This is why my generation needs to be around older people. We were just around my grand parents, *Show Pic, Lonnie, “now i’ve got to drag these old bones around. “yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14

2) It keeps us close. 

• v8 “ Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.” This is a figure of speech that is showing completeness. The word pleaded means begged. 

This is Paul saying that he was crying out to God! But the key is where he went with his suffering…. to the Lord! 

ILL> The name Henrietta Mears probably isn’t familiar to you but it should be. She is one of the founders of what we know as Sunday School, she loved teaching the Bible and influenced Billy Grahams carer and she wrote the best seller “What the Bible is all about”. She suffered from severe myopia which causes blindness and her eye sight got worse and worse she said, “I believe my greatest spiritual assist through out my entire life has been my failing eye sight, for it has kept me absolutely dependent upon God.” 

APP> Don’t run from the Lord when suffering hits, run to him. 

3) It keep us filled.

I know what you’re thinking, “Filled? Suffering and these moments are draining! 

• “9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” This is the key! This is everything! This is a main reason why our original statement is so wrong, “God will never give you more than you can handle” denotes that you have a strength in you… 

APP> Grace only fills empty vessels.

APP> God lays supernatural tasks on us because he wants us to tell on him for supernatural strength. 

Big Idea > The Bible doesn’t say that God will never give you more than YOU can handle. 

The Bible says that God will never give you more than HE can handle. 

*ILL> Driving through traffic with kids sound asleep in the back. 

• Are you resisting the very thing that God is calling you to rest in? 
• When is the last time that you asked for help? 
• What does it look like for you to run to the Lord rather than run from him?