Are You Released From Bondage?

II Corinthians 12: 11-21

I have been a fool! 

Paul feels so foolish in recounting all these things about himself, when his focus really is on Christ, not himself. 

You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. 

Because these Corinthians were listening to slanderous lies about him from people who may not even known him, he wanted them to know the truth, which they should know is true, because they did know him. So they should have been defending him against the lies. 

For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. 

Paul knew that God was speaking through him, so he wanted them to respect that, rather than look at outward appearances.

The signs of a true Apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. 

Paul had proved to them that he was appointed an Apostle by Christ, by all the signs he had performed when he first came to Corinth, which had convinced the seekers there to become believers. 

For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong! 

He had taught them the same Truths and principles he taught all the churches, so they had every advantage that every other church had. The only difference was that he didn't ask them to pay his expenses there, he was supported by other churches. So he hadn't even taken this advantage of them. Did they consider this wrong? 

Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. 

So now he preparing to come to them again, and he still won't charge them wages for his services. He's not after what they have, he only wants them to believe God's Truth. 

For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 

He considers himself their spiritual parent, and they are his spiritual children, having believed in Christ through his ministry to them.

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? 

Paul really has put himself into his ministering to these people who have become his brothers and sisters in the Lord, and he loves them deeply. It hurts him when they don't appreciate this and love him back. 

How God's heart must hurt, for Loving us so much that He has done everything possible and impossible to draw us to Himself, yet so many refuse His care. And even His own children who know Him still rely on themselves instead of His great strength.  

But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. 

These false teachers cannot find anything to accuse Paul of, so they're saying that he must be really sly and deceitful to take some kind of advantage of them without them knowing it! 

This sounds a lot like some political situations, where some want more power but cannot pin anything on the ones standing in their way. (Let the aware understand this.)

Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? 
I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps? 

When I sent Titus and the brother to you, did they act any differently that I did when I was with you? Did either of them take any kind of advantage of you or insult or harm you in any way?  

Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? 

Do you think that all this time I've only been defending myself? 

It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved. 

I've only been trying to encourage you by sharing how strong and compassionate and present our God is with us and with you, and just as He brought me through all those troubles, He will also be with you to help you, too. I, Paul, love you dearly, and Christ loves you even more!

For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish--that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. 

Paul wants these believers to face the Truth, turn around from how they have gotten off-track, and do right. He wants them to change their minds from negativity to seeing the positive instead. Otherwise there could be selfishness and self-centeredness among them causing all kinds of disputes. 

Then he will have to put them right again, as a disciplining parent, instead of rejoicing with them as brothers and sisters in the Lord.

I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.  

He is hoping against hope that they would have come to their senses by the time he gets there; otherwise, if they're still clinging to their sins, then he may be humiliated because he'd bragged to others of their following the Lord. 

And living in a sexually immoral lifestyle is rebelling against the Lord, not following Him. If they're still caught in these harmful activities that they practiced before they knew that the Lord bought them, then they need to think again, and consider how much our Lord Jesus suffered for these sins. 

O my Father, I pray for the people today who see themselves as Christians, yet live lives caught in the snares of the World. I pray that You would impress upon them, in their minds and hearts and spirits, how much You Love them, and sent Your Son to suffer Your wrath that they deserve, so that You could break them free from these harmful lifestyles. 

Father, when You showed me Jesus on the Cross, and let me know that He took my place there in death, You immediately broke me out of the addiction I had to relationships, because You Love me! 

I pray for the others who want to seek You, that You would find them, and rescue them, and lift their feet out of the mire onto that Solid Rock. 

O Father, I know that You are compassionate and just and generous. I know that You are not willing that any would perish, because You made Mankind to be Your own children. You want everyone to realize that they need You, because they can't do anything of themselves. You want all of us to want You, and to turn our thinking around to think Your ways, to see Your Truth in all You have made and done, and to turn to You. 

How Your heart must ache for all those who are rebellious against you, being deceived by the World, the enemy, and their own flesh. Father, please send Your workers out into Your vast fields, white to harvest, to reap Your abundant crops! Chase down those who are running from you, and find every wayward lamb who has been trapped in a ravine or entangled in brambles. 

Father, fill Your house with all Your children, that every place at Your great Banquet Table will be filled, and we will all revel and rejoice in Your joy! 

And every eye will see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is our Lord God Almighty, sovereign King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever, Amen. 


Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!