“The Best Defense”                                     II Corinthians 12:11-21

 

 “We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ

12 11 I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing. 12 I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles. 13 How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! 14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? 16 Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! 17 Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit? 19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. 20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.
The CRITICS’ offense. (from clues in the passage)
Accusing Paul of:
I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,”

  • PUFFED-UP PRIDE & INFLATED IDENTITY

what I want is not your possessions but you.

  • GREED

Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!

  • DECEITFULNESS

Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you?

  • EXPLOITATION

Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you?

  • DEFENSIVENESS

Attacking OTHERS to advance SELF.
(Doing exactly what they are accusing others of!)
The APOSTLE’S offense.
I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles… I was never a burden to you… parents for their children… Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you?… Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?
everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening.
Defending SELF to advance OTHERS.
The LORD’S defense.
including signs, wonders and miracles… I am nothing… Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ…
Endorsing FOLLOWERS to advance OTHERS.
The Lord’s DEFENSE is the best OFFENSE!
The SCOREBOARD.
I ought to have been commended by you… 20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.
The SIGN of who’s WINNING

When I can stand before the Lord with a clear conscience, the fruit of the Spirit will overcome my selfish nature and I can rest in His defense!