Bragging rights

"The plague of man is boasting of his knowledge."--Michel de Montaigne

The work of the ministry is a work in process. We’re growing; we have to because the world around us changes. But you know, God told Israel, “Remember the pit from which thou art hewn,” and that’s an important thing.

I would tell anyone you need to remember some of the things that make you who you are. Remember the importance of the message of grace, says Richard Jordan.

Paul says in Ephesians 2: [8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Everything, whether it’s your salvation or your Christian life, is all balled up in that verse. The next verse says, [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

It’s not what you do, think, feel, let go of, hang onto—it’s a gift. I love that, “lest any man should boast.”

I’m persuaded that the favorite sport of people is bragging. You know, you think it’s baseball, football, etc. No, it’s bragging. People just want to brag.

I was reading a thing the other day about a national spitting contest in Georgia. The contest was to see who could spit their own spit the farthest. People came from all over America to compete. A woman won. In the accompanying video of her you would have thought she just won the lottery Power Ball. I’m thinking, “You know, people just like to brag.”

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Paul was a very educated man with the advanced degrees of his day, but he understood that it was more important to speak where people understood him.

So people criticized him, saying he was crude in speech and Paul said, “Yeah, you might say that, but ‘not in knowledge.’ ” Paul's saying, “C’mon and check me out.”

In fact, where did his knowledge come from. It came directly from the Lord Jesus Christ. If you’re looking for someone with knowledge, here’s a guy who had an audience with Christ, taught directly by Him.

So, he starts out II Corinthians 11: [1] Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. Paul’s saying, “Put up with my foolishness for a minute, will you, because I’m going to brag about my ministry. I’m going to boast about what I’m doing. And just allow me to vigorously defend my apostleship, my apostolic authority, my message, because these guys who are attacking me are forcing me to do it.”

Paul understood that only a fool would be a braggart. Look what he says in II Corinthians 10:

[12] For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
[13] But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

Bragging about yourself compared to other people isn’t wise. Going around bragging, talking about yourself and glorifying yourself and lifting yourself up and making yourself an issue, well, that’s nuts. That’s not what you want to do.

Paul says, “I’m willing to look foolish because I’m concerned about you guys. Let me have the opportunity for just a minute, as uncomfortable as it makes me, to defend my right to look out for you.”

II Corinthians 11: [2] For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
[3] But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Paul says, “I’m looking out for you and I see those people trying to detract you away from what I’ve taught you and I’m suspicious of those rivals out there and I’m jealous over you with a good, godlike jealousy.”

The word jealousy means a “demand for complete devotion.” It can be good; it can be bad. In this case it’s godlike. If it’s self-centered it’s bad.

[16] I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.

In other words, Paul’s fixing to talk about his own ministry compared to these other people and he just doesn’t like to brag about things.

[17] That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
[18] Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
[19] For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

Now, Paul’s using real sarcasm. I don’t guess there was any other crowd Paul was more sarcastic about that he was with the Corinthians. I always love that passage in I Corinthians 4 where he said, [8] Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

Yeah, sure they were. That’s real sarcasm. That’s what they thought but it was just the opposite.

Verse 23: [23] Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

Again, it’s real clear Paul’s uncomfortable bragging about what he’s doing.

II Corinthians 12:6: [6] For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

Verse 11: [11] I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

In other words, Paul has been forced to defend his apostolic authority and his message. They’ve compelled him to do it by giving heed to people who would draw them away from his ministry and they’re really the cause of it.

Out of his deep distress over the false doctrine that’s been taught to these people, Paul is going to defend his ministry and the message committed to him.

The problem is there are some false teachers who are attacking the message of grace Paul’s preached and what they’re attacking is the all-sufficiency of Christ alone and they’re adding works to grace, teaching that Christ alone is not enough.