What Others Suffer (Like When They Become Ill) I Should Feel It Just The Same

BIBLE STUDY #786- CHURCH IN THE HOUSES TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8 – 14, 2013

Topic: “What Others Suffer (Like When They Become Ill) I Should Feel It Just The Same” 2 Corinthians 11:28-29 Here we can see Paul speaking of all his work and sufferings in which he could glorify himself even if the Corinthian brothers perceived him as a crazy man because of his eagerness and struggle for doing what God wanted. 2 Corinthians 11:30 “If I must boast I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” If Paul couldn’t make them understand that there was no insanity in him, even if they received him as an insane person, at least he wanted to be allowed to arrive to those whom he loved. (2 Corinthians 11:1, 2 “I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness; but you are already doing that. I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.”) Those brothers who lived at Corinth were receiving and tolerated foolish men who glorified themselves with what they were doing being false teachers and full of false glories. (2 Corinthians 11:13, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ.”) The apostle Paul shows them the difference between those false teachers and him. Paul lived for them in more abundant deeds, in numberless lashes, in prisons, and many times in dangers of death. From his own people he received lashes, once he was stoned, he suffered shipwrecks and great dangers of thieves, danger in the river, he faced the persecution of gentiles for being Jewish, he faced dangers in the city, in the desert, many great dangers; he faced dangers with the false brothers, work and fatigue, hunger, thirst, many fastings, coldness, and nakedness (2 Corinthians 11:23-30). And all this because of his love for them, the love towards the brothers, for the love of the church. Who is willing to suffer like this out of love towards others? The apostle Paul suffered because of his great concern for all the churches. That is what worried him each day, the concern for all who were part of the Church of Jesus Christ. Besides the physical aspect that he suffered that was wearing him out, he also suffered for all those whom he loved without seeking any glory or human greatness. Each day he carried the constant burden of all the churches in his heart. How significant was that this love was the objective or purpose for which he was willing to suffer all those trials. It is that Paul was a true pastor of sheep. He loved God’s people and for that reason he cared greatly for the brothers. This is exactly what Paul is trying to demonstrate in this section of the scriptures. His great burden for the churches can teach us this saying. “To establish churches fills the heart with affliction.” To compose and look after the churches is a duty that never ends. The teachings and the care of the churches fills our minds, our heart and our whole life. It is when one decides to love with the strength that Paul loved. That is why we need to know that nothing concerning the church can be done just to do it; nothing can be done superficially, nothing should be done to pretend, or to compete, or out of envy; nothing is done to demonstrate any capability, or to stand out before others or for the mere fact of showing such spirituality when one has not yet begun to take a step towards humbleness. We have to see, who can be willing to such devotion and struggle for someone who is unfamiliar? Who is willing to fight for the brothers who have believed when they’re ill? Who is willing to feel in his own body and soul what the brothers feel when they are ill? Is it that you become sick in your soul for that person that is ill? This is a part of that suffering, it is not the glory like when you pray and the person is cured, but rather it is when you go further down and we suffer each moment the illness of the brother. It is to carry in the heart the stress each day because of the anxiety for all the churches. When some becomes ill it makes me feel sick and it is out of love for them; I get sick because of my concern for the brothers condition, how he might be feeling, if he has medication, money, etc. For caring for the church, everything exhausted the Apostle Paul’s fragile body; he was tired and long-suffering of seeing so much necessity. If someone became ill he felt this illness upon himself. It wasn’t a matter of suggestion; he lived this and felt it in all his being. He beared the sufferings of others in sympathy.

Paul said, “Who is lead to stumble and I don’t become outraged?” When one knows that a brother in faith has been led to trip one becomes outraged. What affected God’s people also affected Paul. He couldn’t be apathetic, that was his insanity; he lived loving what God loves. Paul becomes sadden in the people’s tragedies. But, also there was great rejoice for him in the victories of the church. Those who would stumble would make Paul burn in shame; the same shame that suffered the person who stumbled. That’s how Paul felt, what great love! And all this exhausts the nervous energy of a servant of Christ. And how much our beloved Paul acknowledged this! He lived this and allowed us to see it in the scriptures so that today we would understand it. Amen.