Hey, everybody. Welcome back to another edition of the daily Bible podcast. It is December 6th, 2024, which happens to be Saint Nicholas Day. And that may be confusing cause you're thinking St. Nicholas. Okay. That sounds like Santa Claus. Wouldn't that be? December 25th, but, uh, no, after all it is December 6th. This is the day that is set aside. It's also known as the feast of Saint Nicholas, and it is on December six because that is the day in church history, December 6, 3 46. When Saint Nicholas died. Um, Nicholas of Myra was what he was known as, and he is the basis for our, uh, present day Santa Claus. He was known to be a man of great generosity and he would often give to, especially the poor, um, and he developed a reputation as someone who gave even above and beyond his own means to make sure that those that were needy had what they needed. And so you can see. Where that came to morph into the traditions that we observed today. So there you go. Happy Saint Nicholas. There's a. I think a book out there. I can't remember the exact title of it, but I think it's called something along the lines of the real Santa Claus. And it talks about Saint Nicholas. And so that's a good resource for us to have, but to happy Saint Nicholas Day to those who. Um, would appreciate celebrating with maybe a feast tonight since it is the feast of Saint Nicholas. Uh, by the way, if you're wondering, Hey, when, when does pastor rod get back? Um, he is, this is Thursday as a record this December 5th, even though it's the episode for December 6th. He'll be back on our next round of recording. So that's going to happen on Saturday. He's actually coming back in tomorrow. On Friday. So as you're listening to this today, he's back in the office, but he won't be back recording until tomorrow, which would be Saturday as you're listening to this tomorrow. So if that's not confusing enough for you, then. Um, I, I don't know how to confuse you any further than I already have. So there you go. Let's get into something hopefully a little bit less confusing though in that is the Bible. Uh, second Corinthians, we're finishing up the book of second Corinthians today. And then in tomorrow's episode, we are jumping into the book of Romans. So second Corinthians again, this is Paul's second letter to the church in Corinth that we have in the Bible, but probably his fourth letter. All together to the church there in Corinth. And, uh, as we get into second Corinthians 10 through 13, remember he has been writing to this church and has been a very pastoral letter. He's been wanting to make sure that they are. Um, heating his warnings and even some of his stern, admonitions and corrections that he had been giving to them earlier on in his. Uh, ministry to them and he was wanting not to have to come back and be heavy handed with them again. Uh, and so he's, he's been focused on that. And, and in the midst of this, it in chapter 10, he has to give some attention to. Defending, uh, his ministry that, that people were accusing him of timidity and apparently challenging. Even the purity of the gospel that he, uh, was proclaiming. And so he went on the offensive by defending himself here in chapter 10. And so in chapter 10, verse five, He says, look, if anybody's going to challenge the gospel specifically, he said, we are going to destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ. A lot of times. You may have heard that. Um, preached in the, in terms of sanctification. I mean, you need to take every thought captive to obey Christ and, and that's a good principle that to think, man. If I have a thought that enters my mind, that is not honoring to the Lord, then I need to take that thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. In other words, I need to think about something that is. Honoring to the Lord. Excuse me. But. Um, That's not exactly what Paul's talking about here. We do find that principle, for example, in Philippians chapter four. Uh, with the command to think on the things that are true and noble and excellent. Think on these things. There we get the idea of doing warfare in our minds to make sure we're taking our thoughts, captive to those things that are true. But here in this context, Paul's talking about defending the faith. He says, look, if, if anybody's going to raise a thought or an objection against the gospel, Or in his case challenge. The integrity of his ministry. He said, you know what? I'm going to take that thought captive to obey Christ. I'm ready to punish every disobedience when your church, when your obedience is complete. And so. He said, look, I want you, uh, church to make sure that you're in the right position here. And then when, when you are. Then yeah, I can show up and come alongside and punish the disobedient that remained there. But right now, Paul saying those that are challenging me. You need to know that that, that my, my ministry to you is, is, has been pure. And the gospel that I preach has been pure. Uh, and, and you need to understand that he says in verse 10, Uh, for, they say his letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak and his speeches have no account. There's some of the, the challenges that have been made, they say, Paul, your all bark, but no bite. You, you write harshly, but when you're here, You seem really meek and timid and pulsing look. Yeah, I write harshly in when I'm there. I love you. And I don't want to have to be harsh in and hard. And when you respond. I'll a second Corinthians seven with that godly grief that leads to salvation. That true, genuine repentance. Then when I'm with you, I don't have to be harsh. But that doesn't mean that what I'm saying is in any way, undermined in any of this. He says in verse 15, we do not boast beyond the limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that your faith as your faith increases our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you. Here, what he's saying to them is look, I'm, I'm hopeful that all of this conflict going on is going to be resolved Corinthians so that. From your support and because there's going to be peace there that I'm not going to have to give so much attention to y'all. I'm going to be able to get out and preach the gospel in lands beyond you. And so my influence is going to be enlarged because I'm going to be able to use my influence in other places and not have to write. Uh, fifth letter or a six letter, or visit you for a third, fourth, fifth time. To correct the things going on here. So in chapter 10, Paul saying, Hey, look. Uh, you guys need to get things in order just a, again, another reminder to them get things in order. This is not about me. Don't don't let other people point the finger at me and say, Hey, well, Paul's all bark, but no bite. Uh, you need to get things in order I'm here and I'm going to destroy every thought that's raised against the gospel of Jesus Christ, but you church get things in order. And if you do then men, you're going to help me because my ministry is going to be that much more effective because I'll be able to divert my attention, my focus to other places, what he's saying. Verse 11, he then addresses some of his opponents specifically here, or chapter 11, rather not verse 11, but chapter 11. He addresses some of his opponents and he says, look, I betrayed you verse two to one husband to present you as a pure Virgin to Christ his love for the church there. But he says in verse three, I'm afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. I'm afraid. Other people are going to come along and they are going to deceive you. They're going to lead you away from the pure and simple gospel that I patrol you to. And so then he goes on to defend himself again. And he says this in chapter 11. Uh, verse 21, he says, Whatever anyone else dares to boast of. I'm speaking of a fool, I also dare to boast of that. And then after this, he gets into what I've often referred to as his resume of suffering. And he's going to boast in these things and. If you look at this, it's impressive. It's often near death. He had 40 lashes, less of one, five times, even once that was known to kill a man. So five times he received 39 whips and this would have been. Uh, most likely the cat of nine tails, the whip that would have had the bits of bone and nails and things like that embedded in the lashes. And that was enough because of blood loss and trauma to even kill a person after once. And he had that happened five times. Three times beaten with rods once I was stoned. And again, To be stoned. They've been stolen someone and leave them just simply go. And well, at least they're unconscious. Maybe they'll have learned their lesson. When somebody, or when, when, uh, people stoned someone that they stoned them to kill them. And so that was early on in Paul's ministry. He was stoned. And remember he got up and he went back and he kept preaching the gospel at that point. So he was stoned three times shipwrecked a night and a day adrift at sea. Dangers. And he goes on and lists all these different dangers and all of this suffering. And then he says in verse 28 and apart from the other things, there's often, or there's the daily pressure on me, of my anxiety for all the churches. Paul says beyond all the physical suffering I am. I have an angst within me and not a sinful angst, but an angst within me over the wellbeing of the churches. I desire the churches to be. Uh, strong and healthy and thriving. And so you, you see here, what Paul's doing in chapter 11 is he's defending the integrity of his, his ministry. He saying these other people are trying to deceive you and lead you astray and trying to convince you that I have. Ill will or ill motives or that I'm not doing right by you. And he's appealing to all of these things at the end of chapter 11. Cause he's saying, look what I've gone through on behalf of the gospel and the church. And why would I ever leave lead you astray? And he says in verse 30, if I'm going to boast, I'm going to boast of the things that show my weakness. Why? Because it's not about me as what Paul is saying. It's about, God, God is the one who I'm trying to betray you to. It's not about me as a person. It's about him. You need to put your trust in him. And so then in chapter 12, he goes on and he says, I'm going to go on boasting. And though there's nothing to be gained in it. And he says, look there, I knew a man that had visions of. The third heaven now, w we think that this was probably Paul himself and that, you know, In a self differential, a way to deflect from people being too impressed with him. He says, I, I knew a man who was caught up to the third heaven and then it says, Uh, for, for me, verse seven, to keep me from being conceited. And so that's again, why we think this was probably Paul, cause he says to keep me from being conceited. Uh, I was given a thorn in the flesh and here's that passage where he says that, that Jesus told me that God told me. My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness. So what was this thorn that Paul had during his ministry? Well, we don't know exactly some of thought it was a physical malady. Some of said perhaps it was poor eyesight because otherwise he says, see with. With what large letters I'm signing this letter, something that his, his poor eyesight led him to have to write extra large. And that's why he also had to have an Emmanuel insist. Is this somebody that wrote his letters for him. Um, others have, have suggested, I don't know that I can get there, but it is a thought that this was a besetting sin. That he could not rid himself of that, that this was there to keep him humble. I don't think that would be the case here. I don't think God would give. Uh, besetting sin to Paul to, to keep him humble. So it seems that this is probably some sort of malady and it's a messenger from Satan, and yet God uses it. So notice the. The dynamics here. It's a messenger from Satan yet. God uses it in Paul's life. In order that Paul might stay humble. And that Paul might remain. Uh, dependent upon the Lord. And so he's doing this. God is St. Paul. I want you to be dependent upon me. So again, in all of this, Paul is laying himself out before the second, before the Corinthians, before the second Corinthians, as opposed to the first grade. No before the Corinthians and telling them. Uh, look at it. This is who I am through and through. This is who I am and I betrayed you to Jesus. I'm concerned that you're drifting. Remember everything that I've gone through for the sake of the gospel, but it's not about me. It's about him. And in fact, God gave me this thorn in the flesh. So I wouldn't boast in me. And then he goes on. He says, and look, I love you. And we see his pastoral heart again in verse 14 here for the third time, I'm ready to come to you. So we'd already visited them twice. Now he was saying he would be ready to come to them even a third time. And I will not be a burden for, I seek not what is yours, but you, I love that. Paul said, I'm not interested in what you have to offer me. I want you. I love you. And he said for children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. That's what he's telling the church that you are my children. You don't, I'm not there to get support from you. He's already said that earlier in the letter. He says, I'm coming to you because I love you. I want to, to invest in you. And that's why he says in verse 15, I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. What a, what a great mindset for any pastor to have, but really for anybody in the church to have to say of the people in the church we want to mutually spend and be spent for one another. Here in the Corinthian context, he was telling them I'm. I want to come to you again. And I love you and I'm not coming to you so that you're going to give me financial aid or, or some other material benefit. No, no, no. I'm coming to you because I love you. And I will gladly spend and be spent for you. Chapter 13 then as Paul ends his letter here. Um, he says, look, I was hesitant. This is the third time I'm coming to you. And I was, I was hesitant. Uh, but found it necessary that I have to come to you again. So he's following this up right on the heels of saying I'm coming to you because I want you not some benefit that I get. He says in 13 two, I warned those who sin before and all the others. And I warn them now while absent as I did when present on my second visit that if I come again, I will not spare them. So it's it's again, that the loving pastor here. And he's saying, I love you. And I love you enough that if I show up, I'm not going to spare those that are a threat to you. I'm not going to spare those. That are continually disobedient that are continually rebelling against the Lord. I'm going to come in and put an order what needs to be put in order. Um, he says in verse three, since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me, he is not weakened dealing with you. This powerful among you for he was crucified in weakness, but lives in the power of God. We are weak inhibit and dealing with you. We will live. With him by the power of God. So, so Paul's basically saying, be careful what you wish for, because I will come again. And if I come again to you, It's not going to be great for those of you that are walking away from the Lord, rebelling him. And so he challenges them in verse five, examine yourselves. The church, make sure that you are in the faith. Second, Peter chapter one lists all of these attributes and says, Hey, if these are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being unfruitful. And Peter says, confirm your calling an election. That's the same thing that Paul is talking about here. Test yourself, realize this, that if, if Jesus Christ is in, you. That's the key. And if he's not, then, then, then he says you, you failed to meet the test and you might say, well, that's bad news. If somebody fails to meet the test, Yes, but recognizing that they fail to meet the test, it may not be as bad as them remaining self deceived. So Paul wants them to examine themselves. And then those that might be found outside, he says in verse nine, your restoration. Is what we pray for. We're going to work towards seeing you restore work towards seeing you come, come to truly believe in Jesus Christ for really the first time since we can't lose our faith or lose our salvation. And so he's just warning them, saying I'm coming again and test yourself to see whether or not you're you're in the faith because. Um, I'm coming to make sure that everything that's there is in order when I get there. And then finally he says in verse 11, Uh, rejoice, brothers' aim for restoration with one another. Remember earlier in the letter he had said of the, the sinner who's repented, forgive that brother don't hold it against them. So he says, aim for restoration, comfort, each other, agree with one another and live in peace in the God of love and peace will be with you. So restoration, comfort, unity, and peace. Just a great paradigm for any church, but this church definitely needed those things themselves. So there you go. There is the letter of second Corinthians. We will be champing into Romans tomorrow and the daily Bible podcast will be in Romans one through three tomorrow, but we just wrapped up. The book of second Corinthians, let me pray for us. And then we'll be done. God, we thank you for this day. We thank you for this book. Uh, Lord it's, it's probably one that is a little bit lesser known for a lot of people, as we tend to spend time in first Corinthians, more so than, than maybe second Corinthians or Romans or acts or other places. But God, I just pray that we would have gleaned some good truths from this book that we would. Think about, depending upon you, the way that Paul had to depend upon you. So many people listening to this, maybe they have their own thorn in the flesh. And it's fascinating Lord, that, that Paul prayed three times to you. And finally he resolved in his heart that this must be something that you want him to have. And so his prayer changed in, in, he just said, okay, I'm going to boast in my weakness then. And so God, I pray that you'd give us the humility to know when. Something that you've brought into our life. You've brought into our life to keep us dependent upon you. And so we want to be not those that are discontent. A little bit, help us to find a contentment, even in the weakness, even in the hardship, even in the suffering, trusting you through it all. And so we thank you for this and pray all these things in the name of Jesus. Amen. Are y'all keep it in your Bibles and tune in again tomorrow for another edition of the daily Bible podcast by.