“Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is?” he said. “I’ll bet a week’s wages I can haul something in a wheelbarrow over to that building that you won’t be able to wheel back.”

“You’re on, old man,” the young worker replied.

The old man grabbed the wheelbarrow by the handles. Then he turned to the young man and said, “All right. Get in.”

It seems human nature to brag on ourselves—and usually bragging is at the expense of someone we deem to be inferior to us. Paul confronts this prideful attitude in the problem-filled church of Corinth.

Pride-A-Rama
In his first Corinthian letter, Paul addressed specific problems that had been called to his attention. Now, in this second letter, he must again confront pride—and defend his apostolic authority—with a church he has grown to love. There are a number of false prophets, referred to as “super-apostles,” attempting to win the favor of the people of Corinth while denigrating all that Paul stands for in life and ministry. And so, reluctantly and sarcastically, Paul enters the “brag-a-thon.” He prefers to share his ministry in humility and lowliness of mind—the way of Christ (v. 17)—but the Corinthian immaturity necessitates a different approach—the way of the world—and Paul feels foolish doing so.

Discuss:
1. Why must the church constantly contend with pride?

2. How can church leaders curtail prideful thoughts and actions in ministry?

He Had It All
Beginning in verse 21, Paul compares his ministry to that of the self-indulgent, power-hungry exploiters the Corinthians have chosen as their role models. In his commentary on 2 Corinthians, Knofel Staton categorizes Paul’s comparisons into four areas:

If the Corinthian troublemakers wanted to talk about status, Paul had it (2 Corinthians 11:22). If they wanted to talk about services, Paul was outstanding (2 Corinthians 11:23). If they wanted to talk about suffering, no one had suffered the way Paul had (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). If they wanted to talk about sensitivity, Paul excelled in having concern for the right things—for all the churches (2 Corinthians 11:29).

Weakness Wins
Paul is equal to or far exceeds his opponents in every case. Whereas his opponents wish to impress their audience with their spiritual conquests, Paul boasts in the things that show his weakness. Paul does not long for things of the flesh. He considers them rubbish that he might gain Christ (Philippians 3:8). Paul’s ministry is all about pointing people to Christ, not to Paul. In boasting in his weaknesses, Paul assures his readers that his faith remains in Christ and that the glory of his ministry is directed toward Christ.

What a valuable lesson for the church today. We live in a culture that applauds success stories and thrusts celebrity status on the strong and attractive. Too often, this becomes the litmus test for church leadership as well. We look for those whose résumés are full of glitz and glamour, rather than those whose character qualities include a spirit of servanthood and sacrifice.

True leaders sometimes must suffer for the cause of Christ and the benefit of the flock they are called to serve.

Discuss:
1. When we are called to serve, do we seek the applause of men or the approval of God?

2. Is our ministry characterized by the authoritarian rule of these so-called “super-apostles” or the authenticity of a life lived for God?

3. Are we willing to risk transparency for the glory of God?

The Lord Affirms
Paul considers his suffering a means of identifying with Christ and his weaknesses evidence of the power of God working in him and validating his ministry. Paul doesn’t need to affirm his ministry. He leaves that to the Lord.

We need to pray for the church to grow in the area of discernment, so it is not fooled by false leaders, but instead will follow and support true leaders who exhibit true spirituality—men and women who will follow in the footsteps of Paul.

Discuss:
1. How could the selection process for leaders be designed to better ensure maturity in those positions?

2. How does living in an affluent culture impact the desire for sacrificial service?

3. How can we promote transparency in church leadership?

4. What is the “substance of true spirituality?”

Grace and . . .
In times of difficulty, we usually ask God to remove the difficulty. We might be suffering physically, financially, or relationally. How we react when the Lord says “no” is the mark of spiritual maturity. To keep Paul from becoming conceited, the Lord allows a messenger of Satan to afflict him with a “thorn in the flesh.” We don’t know the nature of this “thorn,” but we know the Lord says “no” to Paul’s request to remove it. We also know the Lord said “yes” to empowering him to minister effectively in spite of the thorn.

Paul embodies a lesson each Christian must eventually learn. Christ’s grace is sufficient for our lives and ministries. Not grace and good health. Not grace and a good job. Not grace and a perfect marriage. But grace alone is sufficient for us to embody the power of Christ.

Paul delights in weakness, whether it comes in the form of insults, hardships, persecutions, or difficulties. He knows the weaker he is, the more grace God supplies; and the more grace he receives, the more powerful his testimony. When will we, the church, discover such a powerful ministry tool?

Discuss:
1. What weaknesses—insults, hardships, or difficulties—are you facing right now? How can these be used to the glory of God?

2. Why is a testimony of weakness so difficult to share? Does society make it more or less difficult? Does the church make it more or less difficult?

3. Is God’s grace enough to satisfy us, or is it “grace and . . .” that we seemingly need?

4. Share an instance when being weak was tantamount to being strong spiritually.

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* All Scripture quotations are from the New International Version, unless otherwise indicated.