Henry Neufeld or hneufeld as he goes by on twitter is a published author, lecturer, Bible Teacher, and a computer support tech. Who hold degrees in Biblical Languages, and religion. I guarantee he and my mentor would have loads to discuss and talk about.
Today I have the honor of having Henry post at my blog, but if I have my way it won’t be the last time. Henry shares this morning a life application on 2Corinthians, I hope you enjoy and a re blessed. Take time to get to know Henry a little better by following time on Twitter or reading his blog.
When Strength is Weakness
In her little book Directed Paths, my mother tells a story about me when I was eight years old. My parents were serving as missionaries in southern Mexico and there was a measles epidemic, primarily amongst the Chamula population. They were serving far from the nearest medical facilities. Everyone, including the children were called into service. I wanted to get involved.
The problem was that I had never had the measles myself. My mother hoped to keep me from getting infected. She reports that I told her, “Jesus died for me, so I should be willing to die for the Chamula people.” She let me help out—my job was to carry out the trash and keep things cleaned up. I did get sick, and came close to death.
I tell this, not to say how great I was. You see, over the years I’ve lost a bit of the faith of an eight year old. Undergraduate and graduate programs in Biblical languages have come and gone. I’ve learned many things about helping people. I have had many opportunities to serve, and by the world’s standards I’m much more equipped to do so than I was back then. What has happened? I’ve gotten in the way.
But while the statement I made as an eight year old boy sounds closer to the call that Jesus gives us as disciples, it is still jarring, because it challenges the way in which I live and do ministry now.
This story has come back to me over and over during the last few weeks as I’ve been studying Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. I wonder about the young Saul, who would eventually become the apostle Paul and write so much of the New Testament. Did he feel that call from God that led him to dedicate his life to study and preparation? Was there a time as a youngster when he was ready to give everything, even if he didn’t quite understand what “everything” meant?
Saul went out and learned everything he could. When prompted to boast in defense of his ministry he tells us that he was a Hebrew, an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, and that he had, in turn suffered much for Jesus Christ.
Paul has much to boast of, but when he concludes his time of boasting, he says:
So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:9b-10 (NRSV)
It interests me that while there are many courses on Romans and Galatians taught in seminaries, there are considerably fewer taught on 2 Corinthians. We know much more about 1 Corinthians. After all, in 1 Corinthians, Paul tells us about such exciting things are spiritual gifts (chapter 12), the nature of love (chapter 13), and the hope of the resurrection (chapter 15). Second Corinthians isn’t quite a popular. Generally we know a few phrases here and there, such as treasure in clay jars (4:7), new creation (5:17), imputation (5:21), and cheerful givers (9:7).
I think the reason is that 2 Corinthians is an epistle of weakness. It doesn’t talk so much of the things that make us feel good, but rather of a gospel that becomes the foundation of everything we do. The core of the gospel is grace—God gave, and he calls us to give. John 15:12 calls for love from us that is like the love Christ has given us.
The love Christ gave us led Him to the cross. Where is your love going to lead you?
For too many Christians, the gospel has become something we add to who we already are. I could express this as: “I’m Henry Neufeld, an editor, writer, and teacher. And oh, by the way, I’m also a Christian.”
But that’s completely and utterly backwards. That lovely passage in 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us we’re a new creation. If you’re in Christ, that is your new identity. That’s who you are at the foundation, and everything else is to grow out of that one fact. This is especially true in ministry.
I don’t know how many of you have lived through a “pastor search” for your church. I have observed several. We list the characteristics we want—good preacher, administrator, willing to go visit the sick, attend committee meetings, and bring new people into the church.
Now run this up against Paul in 2 Corinthians. He talks about his suffering, and boasts in his weakness. Look back and read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 that I quoted above. It is Paul’s weakness that he presents to the people as the warrant for his ministry, not his strengths. Most of our modern churches would never invite Paul to preach, much less hire him as a pastor. I suspect many of us wouldn’t want him in our small groups. Why? Because Paul didn’t just believe the gospel; Paul lived the gospel through and through.
We run this all completely backwards, looking for those who are strong by the world’s standards to lead, when God wants us to find those who are weak, and therefore available for Him to use for His purposes. At eight years of age I was more qualified for ministry by the standards Paul presents in 2 Corinthians than I am now.
Why? Because I saw it simply—Jesus gave his life for me and it is up to me to be ready to give my life in service to others. Every time I jump out there and try to get involved, I’m going to get in the way of what God is doing through me. It’s when I realize that I can’t do it and get out of the way that God can accomplish his mission as He uses me.
When he was 15 years of age, my son’s cancer returned. It had been in remission for nearly two years. He went on to be with the Lord at 17. But I very clearly remember the day when he found out that the cancer had returned for a second time. We went into a store that day for something, and he asked me for money to buy a CD. When we got back in the car, he asked us to put the CD into the player and go to a specific track. That track was “Take my life” by Third Day: “Please take from me my life when I don’t have the strength to give it away to you Jesus.”
We knew that he understood his situation through that song. Many people consider that moment exceptional. But there’s a message for all of us there. We don’t really have the strength to be the gospel. It’s only when we let Him take our lives that we can really be the gospel, can really be new creations. When we try to do it ourselves, we just get in His way.
That’s the story of 2 Corinthians. God calls people who are weak and will let him take their lives. Can I get out of His way? Can you?
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