Wednesday, 22nd January

READING

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

MEDITATION AND THOUGHT

Here is a question: Is God’s grace sufficient for you?  Do you acknowledge that His power is seen in your weaknesses?

Or are you wanting to be a super Christian, conquering all sin and overcoming all anxiety and frustrations.

Imagine South African Airways or Emirates cancelling first class and business class seats, and replacing them by ONE CLASS FITS ALL. No fancy cabin service. No extra leg room. Everyone gets the SAME SIZE SEAT, and the SAME SERVICE.

One of the key messages that arises in the book of 2 Corinthians, is that when it comes to Christianity, there are no first class seats.

There is no such thing as a super Christian, or a Christian that is more spiritual then another.

There are only ORDINARY Christians.

No matter what spiritual experiences you’ve had, no matter how much you might want to be a SUPER CHRISTIAN, no matter how much you’d like to boast in your spirituality, Paul says in 2 Corinthians, DON’T.

In fact, Pauls’ suffering is a constant reminder to be humble before God, and others.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12, verse 5: “… I will not boast about myself except about my weaknesses.”

In verses 9 and 10, he writes: “God 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 about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses; in insults; in hardships; in persecutions; in difficulties. For when I am weak I am strong.

When I am weak, I know I am trusting Jesus, and not myself. When I am weak I am constantly reminded of the gospel; that I am not saved by my impressive works, but by God’s mercy.

God’s GRACE is the first step of the Christian life; and it is the rest of the journey as well.

And if that’s true of the Apostle Paul, it’s true of you and me as well.  All one class, and there is no such thing as first and second class Christians.

We follow a Saviour who was born in poor and humble conditions; who considered equality with God something not to be grasped; who said that he did not come to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many; who was crucified.

And through all this, God demonstrates his power – he defeats evil, sin and Satan.

And he wins salvation for men and women.

God’s power is displayed in “weakness.”

And his grace is sufficient for us.

So, real Christianity; real spirituality is about being content and joyful about God’s wonderful grace, and seeing his power is made perfect in our weaknesses.

Real Christianity is about being a SERVANT.

Not a Superman, or a Superwoman.

PRAYER

Oh Lord, please prevent me from being conceited.  Help me to be wonderfully content with your grace, and know that when I am weak, your power is displayed.  Amen.

Today we pray for the following 6 things:

Pray that at CCB, we would not be filled with proud and arrogance and look down on other Churches.

Pray that we at CCB would have confidence in God’s grace.

Pray that we at CCB would not create spiritual class structures, but acknowledge we all come as broken sinners needing God’s grace.

Pray that we would grow in character as we seek to be more like Christ.

Pray that 2020 would be a year we give ourselves afresh and creatively to the great commandment and the great commission.