SPIRITUAL TRASH TALK (21 OF 23)
by Keith Krell
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:16-33
This content is part of a series.
Title: Spiritual Trash Talk (21 of 23)
Series: Suffer with Purpose
Author: Keith Krell
Text: 2 Corinthians 11:16-33
Do you remember the TV comedy The Office? It's a pretend workplace reality show. But a lot of reality is revealed by its humor. A key character is Michael Scott, the branch manager of a paper company. In one episode, he's being interviewed for a big corporate job. When asked about his greatest weaknesses as a manager, he responds this way: "I work too hard, I care too much, and sometimes I can be too invested in my job." After pausing, he says, "Well, my weaknesses are actually strengths."
We laugh at this over-the-top boasting. It's so obviously self-serving. But you know what? We're all Michael Scotts. We do the same thing ourselves. We cast ourselves as the hero whenever we talk about our lives. Every day is an opportunity to boast that we alone are truly reasonable, empathetic, and courageous. Our strengths are obvious, or at least they should be. And our weaknesses, well, when we think about it, they're actually strengths.
But is this perception really the biblical view of weaknesses and strengths? In what ways should we view our lives and ministries? In 2 Cor 11:16-33, the apostle Paul answers these questions by boasting. (Yes, you heard me right.) In this unusual text, we'll discover how to frame our strengths and weaknesses through three principles of boasting.
1. Boasting is foolish (11:16-21). Now, boasting isn't normally a recommended practice. But sometimes desperate times call for drastic measures. In 11:16, Paul writes: "Again I say [I repeat], let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little." Since the false apostles and some of the Corinthians insist that Paul is a fool, he decides to lean into it and boast like one!Paul says, "Okay since you like boasting so much, fine. I'll boast myself." The apostle purposely stoops to the level of the false apostles and a ...
Series: Suffer with Purpose
Author: Keith Krell
Text: 2 Corinthians 11:16-33
Do you remember the TV comedy The Office? It's a pretend workplace reality show. But a lot of reality is revealed by its humor. A key character is Michael Scott, the branch manager of a paper company. In one episode, he's being interviewed for a big corporate job. When asked about his greatest weaknesses as a manager, he responds this way: "I work too hard, I care too much, and sometimes I can be too invested in my job." After pausing, he says, "Well, my weaknesses are actually strengths."
We laugh at this over-the-top boasting. It's so obviously self-serving. But you know what? We're all Michael Scotts. We do the same thing ourselves. We cast ourselves as the hero whenever we talk about our lives. Every day is an opportunity to boast that we alone are truly reasonable, empathetic, and courageous. Our strengths are obvious, or at least they should be. And our weaknesses, well, when we think about it, they're actually strengths.
But is this perception really the biblical view of weaknesses and strengths? In what ways should we view our lives and ministries? In 2 Cor 11:16-33, the apostle Paul answers these questions by boasting. (Yes, you heard me right.) In this unusual text, we'll discover how to frame our strengths and weaknesses through three principles of boasting.
1. Boasting is foolish (11:16-21). Now, boasting isn't normally a recommended practice. But sometimes desperate times call for drastic measures. In 11:16, Paul writes: "Again I say [I repeat], let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little." Since the false apostles and some of the Corinthians insist that Paul is a fool, he decides to lean into it and boast like one!Paul says, "Okay since you like boasting so much, fine. I'll boast myself." The apostle purposely stoops to the level of the false apostles and a ...
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