Maybe at some point I'll dig
that up and preach that message again when the Lord is pleased
to send us some more of this beautiful snow. There's another
scripture that I'm thinking of that just comes to mind here. You remember this one. Come now,
let us reason together, sayeth the Lord, though your sins be
as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they be red like
crimson, they shall be as wool. Aren't you glad for the snow?
God's treasure, the gospel of God's grace unto us. Now, we're
going to bring our message today from 2 Corinthians chapter 11.
And we'll try to use verse 28 down through verse 1 of chapter
12. study this morning. The Apostle
Paul was God's chosen servant. We read that just a moment ago.
The Lord specifically told Ananias that you go tell him he's my
chosen servant. He's my elect. You know, that's
true of all of God's people. All of believers, they are chosen
of God from all eternity. And as many as were ordained
to eternal life, they believed the gospel. So the Apostle Paul
was God's chosen servant, the Lord. And he gave him a special,
special privilege. He said, go preach my gospel
to the Gentiles. God had chosen him to carry the
gospel message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified to pagan ungodly
heathen, the Gentiles. As he continued to do so, he
suffered great hardship. We read about that just a moment
ago in Acts chapter 9. The Lord told him, said, you're
going to suffer many things for my name's sake, but don't change
your message. Don't be discouraged from preaching
the gospel. He suffered great hardship, many
persecutions for the cause of God and His truth, His gospel.
He had also laid upon Him the great responsibility of preaching
the gospel and for caring for all those churches that God established
under His ministry. Notice verse 28 of 2 Corinthians
11, but those things that are without That which cometh upon
me daily, besides those things that are without, that is all
the trial and heartache and persecution, that which comes upon me daily,
a daily burden, a daily responsibility, the care, the care of the churches. Now, it is a daily responsibility,
and I take it, I take it very seriously, the calling of preaching
the gospel. and the privilege of preaching
God's gospel and standing for the word of truth and contending
for the gospel. It is an awesome responsibility,
but it is also a great privilege, a great honor to do so. And I
appreciate your concern and care for the gospel here. And I thank
God for your support of the gospel here. Now, notice Paul's compassion
in verse 29. Paul's compassion not only for
those weak believers. He said, who is weak? And I'm
not in sympathy with their weakness. And who is offended? Who is offended
by the gospel? Those religious Jews certainly
were offended. Even the pagan Gentiles were
offended. And Paul said, you know, I understand the offense
of the cross. He knew where they were at, for
He was one time one of them. He said, who is weak and who
is offended? Who is a weak believer? Who is
offended? And He said, and I burn not. He had a compassion, a heart
compassion for those saved and for those lost, didn't He? You
don't want to foster that kind of compassion. I want to foster
that kind of compassion, to have a concern for God's sheep, but
also for those who are offended over the gospel we preach. He
is saying here what church member or what church or what member
of the body of Christ that is weak or struggling with trials
and heartache that I'm not concerned about. Paul said, I have a burning,
fiery compassion and desire to see them encouraged in the faith
and strengthened in the faith. Now, we've had an indication
of that if you'll find back in 1 Corinthians chapter 9, 1 Corinthians
chapter 9, verse 22, 1 Corinthians 9, 22, and he says, to the weak,
I became weak. I sympathized with them. I understood
their weakness. To the weak, I became weak, that
I might gain the weak, that I might help them. I made all things
to all men, that I might by all means save some, or be used as
a means for salvation. And this I do for the gospel
sake, that I might be a partaker thereof with you." So you see
something of his compassion for those who are believers yet weak
in the faith. Don't we see that same compassion
in the heart of the Lord Jesus as he ministers to his own disciples. Oh, ye of little faith. And how
the Lord helped them and encouraged them along the way. I want to
be an encouragement to those believers who, and all of us,
when we really get right down to it, are weak in the faith. I'd never hold myself up as an
example and say, I'm strong in the faith. I'm strong in Christ,
but I feel so far short of being what I ought to be." Not only
for the saved, he had a compassion, a burning desire. That's what
that phrase there, he said, I'm set on fire. I'm set on fire.
I burn with compassion for those who are weak, for those who are
stumbling, for those who are believers. But not only that,
for those who were lost, for those who were offended over
the gospel. Who was offended? by Christ and
Him crucified. Paul had a concern for their
lack of interest in the true and living God, for the gospel
of Christ. Now let me show you an example
of this. Turn to Romans 9. Romans 9. Paul prayed for those who even
hated him. Our Lord said, pray for them
that persecute you. love your enemies, do good to
those who would despitefully abuse you. Now notice, if you
will, Romans 9 verse 1, I say the truth in Christ, I do not
lie, I'm telling the truth. My conscience also bearing me
witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual
sorrow in my heart, for I could wish that myself were a curse
separated from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen, according
to the flesh." Paul had a burning desire. In Romans chapter 10,
verse 1, brethren, my heart's desire and prayer for God, my
prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. He had a
compassion for those saved and for those unsaved, those who
were lost. Now, I think he mentions that
for this reason. in the context, none of these
false preachers that Paul is trying to expose, those who criticized
him, none of these false preachers could produce a testimony to
the glory of Christ like the Apostle Paul. Turn back to Romans
12, Romans chapter 12 this time, Romans chapter 12, and notice
again he says something very similar to this in Romans 12,
Verse 14, bless them which persecute you. You see it, Romans 12, 14. Bless and curse not. Rejoice
with them that do rejoice. Weep and weep with tears. Weep with them that weep. Be
of the same mind one toward another. Mind not to hide things, but
condescend. Come in of low estate. Be not wise in your own. mind,
your own conceit. So I want to foster that attitude
as a servant of the Lord and as a believer, to have compassion. I certainly can identify with
those who are rejecters of the gospel of the Lord Jesus. I can
understand why a man would not believe the truth. God has to
do something for him. God, by his grace, has to quicken
and make him alive. If that doesn't happen, I can
certainly understand why he remains in darkness and unbelief, but
that shouldn't diminish our capacity to ask God's mercy upon him,
upon that one who is a rejecter of the gospel. Now notice verse
30 in our text, 2 Corinthians 11 30, if I must need glory,
I will glory of things which concern just my weaknesses, my
infirmities." Since Paul was compelled to glory in defending
the ministry, now that's what he's talking about. He says,
I'll do so, not talking about all the gifts that I possess
as God's true apostle, but rather how I suffered for the cause
of God and His truth and how the Lord gave me grace to endure
to your own eternal benefit. You remember the verse we read
from 1 Corinthians? First chapter of Philippians,
last week, Paul said, whatsoever things happen unto me happen
rather to the furtherance of the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Look at verse 31. If I must need
glory, I will glory in things of things which concern my infirmities.
Verse 31, The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who
is blessed forevermore knoweth. He knoweth. He knows that I'm
telling the truth. He knows. God knows all things. What Paul is saying here, God
is my witness. What I say is the absolute truth. Truth. The Lord Jesus Christ
and God Almighty is blessed forevermore. He knows all things. He is our salvation. Now, I thought
about this. The God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, blessed forevermore. And you know who else is blessed
forevermore? Those who are one with Him. They
are blessed forevermore. The salvation we enjoy in Christ
Jesus is not temporary. We enjoy these things here, but
we will enjoy them forever. He has blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in the heavenlies in Christ, and the blessings we
have in Him are eternal blessings. He's given us eternal redemption. He saved us with an everlasting
salvation. He is the blessed Lord and Savior. and His people are blessed in
Him forever, God does know. The foundation of God standeth
sure, having this seal, the Lord knows them that are His. He knows
them that are His. God is my witness. Now, in verse
32 and verse 33, the Apostle Paul gives us an example. One
example of many. He could have cited many examples.
He gives us one example how the Lord in his providence made a
way of escape. This was the first problem that
Paul suffered for the gospel after his conversion when he
went in that same city among those same people who he came
to persecute, arrest, and to incarcerate, to put them in jail. to bind them and haul them back
to Jerusalem for believing the gospel. Now we find Paul among
those same people with them preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Well, that upset the religious
community there in Damascus. And in Damascus, the governor
under Aretas, the king, kept a city of Damascenes with a garrison
desirous to apprehend me And the Lord opened a window
and threw a window in a basket. He let down by the wall and escaped
out of the hands, out of their hands. Now, as we read there
in Acts chapter 9, the Jews don't turn. Let me just read it to
you. You remember the Jews were stirred, the unbelieving Jews
were stirred in that city. Saul increased more in strength,
confounded the unbelieving Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving
or preaching the very Christ of God. And many, after that
many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him. And God preserved his life. And
he went on preaching the gospel for a number of years. marvelous providence of God,
how He does make a way of escape. Now, notice, I'm just going to
go and use one more verse, chapter 12, verse 1. It's not expedient,
he says. It's not necessary for me to
go on and tell you all the hardships and trials I've endured. It's
not expedient for me, doubtless, to glory in these things. He
said, I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. Now that's what I want to camp
on for a few minutes. Visions and revelations of the
Lord Jesus Christ. To boast, Paul is saying, really,
in my experience, my hardship is not profitable for me, nor
really for you. Therefore, I want to tell you
about the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing is gained in our boasting
of our accomplishments, our work, our gifts, our abilities. Let
us only glory in the Lord. Let not the wise man glory in
his wisdom, nor the mighty man in his might, but let him glory
in this. Remember from Jeremiah chapter
9? Let him glory in this, that he understands and that he knows
the Lord. I want to glory in Christ, in
Him crucified. Now, Paul did not delight in
going over his hardship, his trial, and those things, but
he thought it necessary to unmask the false teachers and to protect
the sheep from their harm. You remember back in chapter
11, verse 12, look there. He said, What I do, that I will
do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion,
that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we, for
such are false apostles. deceitful workers, transforming
themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel for
Satan himself is transformed to an angel of light, therefore
it's no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as ministers
of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their deeds,
according to their works. Having spoken of all the hardships
he endured for the gospel to promote and preach Christ, Now,
he says, let me tell you about this. He speaks to them about
these special visions and remarkable revelations that God had given
to him concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, turn just one page
to Galatians chapter 1. Let me show you this. Now, we're
going to turn and read several visions that the Lord gave Paul,
and then I'm going to give you a warning, a warning, and then
we'll dismiss. Now, Galatians chapter 1. Notice
when he talks about the gospel, Galatians 1 verse 11, he said,
I certify, I guarantee, brethren, that the gospel which was preached
of me is not after man, for I neither received it of man, neither was
I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you've heard
of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that
beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, I wasted it, profited
in the Jews' religion, above many my equals, my own nation,
being more exceeding zealous of the tradition of the fathers.
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's
womb and called me by His grace to reveal His Son in me, that
I might preach Him among the heathen, immediately I did not
confer with flesh and blood." Now, I want to consider, in the
Word of God, Paul's conversion, his conversion story, was a result
of God's purpose and grace through a special vision that God gave
him of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I want you to find Acts
chapter 26. Acts chapter 26. This was a special vision for
a special chosen servant for a special time. In Acts chapter 26, this is the
Apostle Paul before King Agrippa. And he's giving a testimony in
defense of the gospel. Verse 12, whereupon I was, as
I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief
priest at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven
above the brightness of the sun shining round about me and then
which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to
the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me in the Hebrew tongue,
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It's hard for thee to kick
against God's purpose. And I said, who art thou, Lord?
And he said, I'm Jesus, whom you persecuted. But rise, stand
on thy feet, for I appeared unto thee for this purpose. I appeared
unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister a witness
both the things which thou hast seen and the things in which
I will appear to thee, show thee, delivering me from the people,
from the Gentiles whom I now send thee, to open their eyes,
to turn them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan
unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance
among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Whereupon,
O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto that heavenly vision, but
shewed first unto them at Damascus, and at Jerusalem, throughout
all the coast of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should
repent, turn to God, do works, meet for repentance. For these
causes the Jews caught me in the temple, went about to kill
me. Having therefore obtained help
of God, I continue this day, witnessing both to the small
and great, saying none of the things than those which the prophets
and Moses did say should come, that Christ should suffer, that
he should be first, the first that should rise from the dead
and show light unto the Gentiles and to the people, light unto
the people and to the Gentiles. Now look at verse 24, And as
he doth spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul,
you are beside yourself much learning, has made you a madman. He was obedient to that heavenly
revelation of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, let me
show you another. Acts 16. Here's another special
vision and revelation that the apostle Paul had. In Acts chapter
16, verse 9. Acts 16, verse 9. And a vision
appeared to Paul in the night. There stood a man of Macedonia,
and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help
us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored
to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called
us for to preach the gospel unto them. Therefore, loosing from
Troas, we came straight, of course, to Samothracia, and the next
day to Neapolis, from thence to Philippi, which is the chief
city of that part of Macedonia colony and we were in the city
abiding certain days. Now, Paul wrote a letter to the
people there at Philippi and God was able, God through the
preaching of the gospel established a gospel witness and a gospel
church there in Philippi and Paul preached to Lydia there
on the creek bank, remember? And he was arrested in that city,
jailed in that city for the gospel And there was a jailer who came
to know the Lord through Paul preaching the gospel to him.
All that took place by a vision that God had given to him. Now
let me show you another one. Acts chapter 18. Acts chapter
18. Again, Paul received a special
revelation and vision that he should remain in Corinth and
preach the gospel because the Lord Jesus Christ had an elect
in that city, remember? Acts chapter 18. This is Paul at Corinth, Acts
chapter 18, verse 4. And he reasoned in the synagogue
every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And
when Silas and Timothy were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed
in the spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. And when they opposed themselves
blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood
be upon your own head, I am clean. Henceforth I will go unto the
Gentiles. And he departed from thence,
and entered into a certain man's house named Justice, one that
worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. And Crispus,
the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all
his house. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized. Verse 9, you see it? "...then
spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, and said,
Be not afraid, but speak, hold not your peace. For I am with
thee, no man shall set on thee to hurt thee, for I have much
people in this city. And he continued there a year
and six months, teaching the word of God among them." So Paul
had a special revelation about staying there in Corinth and
preaching the gospel. Now, back to 2 Corinthians 11.
And then we have this vision that's given here, how Paul was
caught up to the third heaven. That is the very presence of
God. And he saw things that he could not even utter. Caught up into paradise, verse
4. Remember the Lord told the thief, today you'll be with me
in paradise? He was caught up into paradise
and heard unspeakable words which is not possible, lawful, not
possible for a man to utter. We wouldn't understand what he
was talking about anyway. Now, we'll talk about that next
week, about these special visions that Paul had, or this particular
vision that he had here when he was taken to the third heaven.
He had an out-of-body experience. He said, whether in the body
or out, I don't really know. But oftentimes we hear about
people who say that they die and had some kind of mystical
vision of some kind, and they come back and they tell people
about it. Now, I don't believe they had a real heavenly vision. I mean, I believe they had some
kind of delusion. Paul had a real heavenly vision
and he said, I couldn't, I can't put it in words. You'd not, you
wouldn't understand it. He was speechless about it. So
I don't think those people who have that, what they call afterlife
experience, who die and come back, they have some kind of
delusion, but it's not a heavenly vision. And we'll talk more about
that next week. But here's the thing I want to
point out to you. These visions were for Paul's special instruction
and direction and encouragement in the ministry of the gospel
in his day for that special time, that special man, for that special
day. One old writer said this, John
Gill, these visions were of an extraordinary nature for extraordinary
times, nor is there any need for them in our day." Now, John
Gill lived back in the middle 1700s. And here's the reason being. We have in our day the completed
Word of God. All I need to do is say, turn
and read chapter, verse, book. The Lord speaks to us through
His Word by the power of God the Holy Spirit. He says in John
chapter 16 that when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, God
the Holy Spirit, He'll take the things of mine, His Word, His
truth, and show them unto you. All that we need to know about
the way of salvation in Christ has been recorded and preserved
for us in God's Word. Now let me show you a couple
of Scriptures. Find John chapter 20. John chapter 20. So we don't seek for special
visions and revelations. We look in God's Word, His truth,
and ask Him to reveal Christ unto us. John chapter 20, look
at verse 30. John 20, verse 30. And many other signs truly did
Jesus in the presence of His disciples which are not written
in this book. Now mark this. But these are
written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God, and that believing you might have life through His
name." These are written that you might believe on Him. These things are written and
recorded. Now here's another Scripture. Find 1 John 5. 1 John
5. 1 John 5, verse 10. He that believeth, this is 1
John 5, 10, on the Son of God hath the witness in himself.
He that believeth not God hath made him a liar, because he believeth
not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record
that God hath given to us, eternal life, and this life is in his
Son. He that hath the Son hath life.
He that hath not the Son of God hath not life. Look at verse
13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the
name of the Son of God, that you may know you have eternal
life, and that you may believe on the name of His Son." The
foundation of true saving faith is the Word of God. Thus saith
the Lord. Not a vision, not an experience,
not a feeling, not an emotion. Now any man that says he has
received a special vision in this day, apart from the Word
of God, is a fraud, a phony, and a messenger of Satan, and
a promoter of another gospel. Now back to our text. If you'll
read in 2 Corinthians 11, verse 3 and 4, But I fear lest by any
means as a serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your
mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
For he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not
preached, or if you have received another spirit, which you have
not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted,
you might well bear with Paul." Stay with the gospel. Stay with
Paul. So, now we're here in our day,
don't we? Especially in the what we call
the charismatic movement in religious circles. They all the time, especially
these crazy TV preachers, they'll say, well, God spoke to me last
night. I saw a vision last night or the Lord spoke a word to me
audibly and he said this. He's a fraud. He's a phony. Mark it down. God speaks to us
through His recorded, preserved, inspired, inherent Word of God. And any man that says otherwise,
that he has some special revelation from some other source other
than what is found here, turn and run away from that man as
fast as you can. Now, I have personal knowledge
of a man claiming that he saw a special vision. He has a well-documented
story. He lived in a city in upstate
New York, Palmyra, New York, and this was in the year of about
1830. In that New England area in 1830,
it's what's known as the Second Great Awakening. There was a
great revival, two of them, that spread this country. One in the
1700s and one in the 1800s. And there was much true gospel
preaching going on in this city of Palmyra, New York. And there
was a young man who was 14 years old who lived in that city, who
heard the gospel, the truth, and rejected it, and went out
and said he had a vision. Do you remember his name? Any
of you have an idea who he is? His name is Joseph Smith. He's
the founder of what we know today as Mormonism. All of you heard
about the Mormons, haven't you? You know, they claim today that
they have over 14 million people in their organization. Now, the
reason I know so much about them is because I was one of them. I grew up in the very heart of
that religion in Salt Lake City in northern Utah. I was raised
in false religion. That whole thing started over
some young child saying that he saw a vision. Did he really? He's a fraud and
a phony. And those 14 million people,
including my mother, including my father, including my whole
family, are in a delusion. My dad died being deceived. My mother is still deceived.
When she comes here, she's been here several times, she sits
there and listens to me do what I do, preach the gospel, and
she always has this comment. She always has this comment back
to me. She said, you know, we have 14 million people. You have
a handful. You can't be right. We have the
majority. I always tell her, truth is always
in the minority. Broad is the way, and many be
that go in there at. God speaks to us today through
His recorded Word. I would be delighted as a believer
to sit under a man's ministry that teaches this word and this
book and camp right there. Not looking for dreams and visions
and all these wild emotional things, feelings.