INTRODUCTION
Importance of talking about God's blessing with us personally. So Paul does so often: Testimony. Here - a 2-fold experience.
FIRST EXPERIENCE
THE RAPTURE:
v.4
- The reason why he tells us this (12:11) - the false apostles who misled the church and who promoted themselves proudly.
- The manner in which Paul informs us of this:
- embarrassment: v.11 - "a fool". Explain = only tells believers
the church's good is at stake.
- after a very long time: v.2: "14 years".
Something which was too sacred to tell.
- in the 3rd person (v.2 - But clearly it was the apostle himself. See
v.7)
OBSERVE: The more we trust in God, the less we shall boast in
ourselves. Yet it is lawful to "boast" if the church's good needs it.
- The nature of it: v.2-4:
- in the body or not - could not say (Explain)
- v.2: "third heaven" (with v.4: "paradise")
2 views = one rapture or two? I believe only one.
- "3rd heaven" - Explain.
- "Caught up" - supernatural experience
- "unspeakable words" (v.4). Explain.
- v.1: "visions...". He may also have seen as well as heard.
- Why did Paul have this experience?
- a special token of favour from Christ
- it was for him alone - not for us to expect.
OBSERVE: Paul had many revelations for us - "mysteries":
EXX: godliness/iniquity/gentiles/Jews/Church as Bride of Christ..
- We have the benefit indirectly: the courage, zeal, example of Paul
in all his sufferings.
OBSERVE: Importance of experiences of God in secret.
EXX: Dr. Lloyd-Jones: David Morgan
APPLICATION: Pray that preachers will get experiences of
God.
A BALANCING EXPERIENCE
- The danger of spiritual experiences: "exalted..."
OBSERVE: How little we can be trusted!
- This SECOND experience:
- "thorn in the flesh" = physical
Disability - deliberately not defined
- sent by Satan - to buffet him.
OBSERVE: How sent by God and Satan?
- He prayed for its removal 3 times.
But not to be removed. God said, 'No!'
OBSERVE: We are better for some of our troubles.
Explain. Mr. MacSween: "Donkey."
- Another word from the Lord: v.9 - very different in kind:
"My grace..weakness."
- Paul's conclusion: v.9-10
OBSERVE: He rather gloried in this weakness.
LESSONS
- The Bible is our perfect rule on earth but it is not all there is to know: "unspeakable words" - so much more!
ILLUSTRATION: "Farewell Bible!"
But while here, the Bible is our only light. We must look for no other.
- How blessed to be in this Paradise! What they saw! What they heard!
DUTY: to think often about Paradise
ILLUSTRATION: Baxter's practice good.
- See how careful of our soul Christ is: now good/now evil - in balances.
OBSERVE: We need faith to see this and to live by it.
DOCTRINE: You and I need all our trials to keep us right.
ILLUSTRATION: A hydrogen-filled balloon must be tied down to earth with ropes. So "knowledge puffeth up" but "thorn in the flesh".
CONCLUSION
Have we learnt to glory in our infirmities?
- "If only I had better health..."
- "If only I could speak better..."
BUT we are all best as we are.
ILLUSTRATION: Whitefield's ASTHMA!
All is well if we get to heaven safely.