Shalom, dear brothers and sisters. We are going to continue with the study of 2nd Corinthians and in this ministry we will continue with the 11th chapter of 2nd Corinthians. Hopefully you have the Bible with you. Will you please open the Word of God into 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 and I would like to read to us all this long chapter, 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 verses 1 to 33 and please follow me as I am reading this chapter. Paul continues to write to the Corinthians and he is telling them in verse 1, Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly and indeed bear with me 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, to the Mashiach.

But I feel as by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtility so your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, of whom we have not preached, whom we have not preached, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with himself. For I suppose I was not a wit behind the very chiefest apostles. But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge, but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.

Have I committed an offense in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? I robbed other churches, taking wages of them to do your service. And when I was present with you and wanted, I was chargeable to no man. For that which was lacking to me, for that which was lacking to me, the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied. And in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so will I keep myself. As the truth in Christ, in Messiah is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

Wherefore, because I love you not, God knoweth. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion, that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. 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.

That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly in this confidence of boasting. Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. For ye suffer fools, gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. For ye suffer if a man bring you into boasting, if a man devour you, and if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. I speak as concerning reproach. As though we had been weak, how bit, where in soever any is bold, I speak foolishly, I am bold also. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelis?

So am I. So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ, of Messiah? I speak as a fool. I am more. I am more. In laborers, more abundant. In stripes, above measure. In prisons, more frequently. In death, often. Of the Jews, five times receive I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I bitten with rods. Once was I stoned. Thrice I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I have been in the deep. In journeying, often. In perils of waters. In perils of robbers. In perils by mine own countrymen. In perils by the heathen. In perils in the city.

In perils in the wilderness. In perils in the sea. In perils among false brethren. And in painfulness. In watching often. In hunger and thirst. In fasting often. In cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without. That which cometh upon me daily. The care of all the churches. Who is weak? And I am not weak. Who is offended? And I burn not. If I must need glory. Our glory of the things which concern mine infirmity. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord Yeshua HaMashiach. Which is blessed forever more. Knoweth that I lie not. In Damascus. The governor under Aritas. The king kept the city of the Damascus.

With garrisons. Desirous to apprehend me. And through a window in a basket. Was I laid down by the wall. And escaped his hands. Well beloved brothers and sisters. I have just read this long chapter. Of 2nd Corinthians. Chapter 11. Now this is. A very very interesting chapter. Beloved brothers and sisters. And I tell you why. Here as Paul is heading towards the conclusion. Of the letter that he wrote to the Corinthians. The second letter that he wrote to the Corinthians. He is there writing some of his final concluding remarks. Concerning himself and his love and care towards the Corinthians. To remind you. That he opened his heart throughout the whole letter.

In 2nd Corinthians. Although you don't have much doctrines here inside this letter. It is. The opening of the heart of the apostle Shaul Paul. Before the Corinthians. Because he loved them. He cared for them. And because they accused him. Because he didn't come to them at first. He saw that there were those that opposed him. Those that rebelled against his service for the Lord. And he is responding to them with this second letter. And it's not so much here corrective ministry. With respect to doctrine. But a corrective ministry with respect to behavior. And conduct and attitude. That the Corinthians had towards him. And so in this 11th chapter.

The apostle Shaul Paul presents himself. To the Corinthians. Using the image of a father. An Abba. A father that loved his children. And have so much care for them. And so you will notice. That although you don't find the word Abba. Here in relationship to him. Yet you see. That he presents himself here. As a loving father. His fatherly love. Towards the Corinthians. Is being presented here. In three ways. Towards his Corinthian brothers and sisters. Just to read a verse. In 1st Corinthians chapter 4. In the first epistle. In chapter 4 and verse 14, we do read, in 1 Corinthians 4, verse 14, I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons, I warn you.

For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, for in the Mashiach Yeshua, I have begotten you through the gospel. You see, the Corinthians were begotten by the apostle Shaul Paul as he was preaching to them the gospel. Let me just remind you that in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, he corrected them with respect to their doctrines and behavior, and their moral condition, and the doctrinal teachings that they have had, and he corrected them in his first epistle. Now in this second epistle, he is opening his heart towards them because of the behavior that they had towards him.

In the book of Acts, in chapter 18, Paul has arrived to Corinth, and he was in Corinth, according to Acts chapter 18 and verse 11, he continued there a year and six months teaching the word of God among them. So Paul preached the message of the gospel to the Corinthians, led many of them to come to the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, as their Lord and Savior, establish a local assembly there in the city of Corinth, but then things gone sour in their behavior and their conduct. And that's why he had to write to them these two letters. This second epistle was the letter that was written to them as a letter of opening his heart towards the Corinthians and appealing to them to understand that he really cared for them.

So in these verses, from chapter 11, verses 1 to 33, the apostle Paul presented before the Corinthians three proves of his fatherly love for them. First of all, verses 1 to 6, and also verses 13 to 15, Paul had a godly jealousy over the assembly of the believers at Corinth. He shows his godly jealousy towards them. Then secondly, in verses 7 to 12, Paul showed that he was so generous and gentle towards them, towards the assembly at Corinth. And he's showing them his fatherly care, not only that he's jealous over them with godly jealousy, but he's also very generous and loving towards them as a father would be. And thirdly, the second half of this 11th chapter, in verses 16 to verse 33, Paul was very anxious, and he shows his anxiety towards the believers at Corinth.

And this is how the 11th chapter of 2 Corinthians is divided. Paul's godly jealousy over the assembly of Corinth, verses 1 to 6, and verses 13 and 15. And then secondly, Paul's generosity towards the assembly in the city of Corinth. This is verses 7 to 12. And finally, verses 16 to 33, Paul's anxiety towards the church assembly in Corinth. So let's look first of all, at Paul's godly jealousy over the assembly at Corinth. Verses 1 to 6, and also verses 13 and 15. Notice what we read in verse 1. Paul is writing, and he said, Would to God, ye could bear with me a little in my folly, and indeed bear with me. See, Paul is saying, okay, just bear with me.

Look what's going on in your midst, Corinthian. And just bear with me as I'm sharing with you to show you, to prove to you that I really love you and care for you. After all, you accused me that I don't care for you. After all, you were blaming me why I didn't come, or were influenced by others who claimed to be servants of the Lord, who spoke against the apostle Shaul Paul. So he's saying to them, bear with me in verse 1. Yes, and would to God, ye bear with me a little in my folly, and indeed bear with me. Verse 2, Paul showed his godly jealousy, and he said to them, 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.

You see, a father that gives his daughter to another man to marry, arranging for the marriage, with a man that will marry his daughter. He loves his daughter. He wants that his daughter will be blessed, and have a godly husband. And in a sense, what Paul is doing here, he shows his godly care for the Corinthian believers. You remember, beloved brothers and sisters, that God said to our people of Israel, when he gave Israel the Torah, and you remember what we read in the scripture, in Exodus chapter 20, and there when the law was given to Israel, God said to Israel, in verse 22, and the Lord said unto Moses, thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. an altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shall sacrifice their own, thy burnt offering, and thy peace offering, thy sheep, and thine oxen, in all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. And if thou will make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone. And if thou lift up a tool upon it, thou hast polluted it, neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered their own.

Now what was the Lord is saying to Israel? That he wanted them to obey his word, to submit to his word, but specifically, beloved brothers and sisters, he gave them this instruction, and he wanted them to obey him, and not to have any other god. And he said to them earlier in verse 5, for I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God. I love you, and I'm jealous over you. I don't want you to build me altars like the world does. I don't want you to offer sacrifices like the world's sacrifice. I want you to be devoted to me. And Paul, as a father, as an Abba, he's telling to the Corinthians in verse 2 that he is jealous over the Corinthians with godly jealousy.

And he, as an Abba, as a father, espoused the Corinthians to the Lord Jesus, Christ, the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach, as a chaste virgin to Christ. I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. This is the godly jealousy that Paul had over the Corinthians. As a father, as an Abba. And again, to remind you that as we have read in 1 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 14, where he already said to them that when he came and he led them, he said, I write not these things to shame you, but my beloved sons. As my beloved sons, I warn you. So, the Corinthians were his sons and daughters, spiritual sons and daughters.

I continue in verse 3, beloved brothers and sisters, the Corinthians were beguiled by Satan. And that's why he was so concerned for them because they were influenced by Satan and by those who follow Satan, false apostles, false messengers, who blame the apostle Paul, who influenced the Corinthians to go in a different direction and to turn against the apostle Shaul Paul. And he says, but I fear, in verse 3, lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through the subtility, so your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, believing in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, the simple faith and simple walk with him here in this world is what the apostle Paul wants for the Corinthians and for all of us.

This is what Yeshua wants for us all. This is what God wants for all those that have acknowledged that they needed a Savior. The simplicity that is in Christ. But the serpent as he beguiled Eve when Eve was in the garden of Eden, Gan Eden and she was beguiled by the serpent who said to her, has God said? The Corinthians were beguiled by Satan who said, has God said? Has God used Shaul Paul? Is he really a messenger from the Lord? Is he really an apostle? You see, beloved brothers and sisters, you see, in the last verse of 2nd Corinthians 10, Paul said, for not he that commandeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commandeth.

God commanded Paul, the Lord Jesus commanded Paul for the ministry. The Lord used Paul, Shaul Paul, to minister to the Corinthians. But here come some false messengers, false apostles who claim that they are the one that was sent by the Lord. They commended themselves and they led the Corinthians away from simply believing in Christ and have a simple walk with the Lord Jesus the Messiah. So in verse 3, the Corinthians were beguiled by Satan. The Corinthians love for the Lord was not as before. Satan beguiled them. Satan is the one that blinded them. Satan is the one that he burdened people, he blinds people, he beguiles people, he buffets people, he does not help, he does not build the people of God.

In fact, in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 4 we do read beloved brothers and sisters that he's called notice that 2nd Corinthians 4 and verse 4 we read the God of this world has blinded the mind of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them. He's called the God of this world with a small g. In 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 we read in verse 7 we read and lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelation that was given unto me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me.

The Lord allowed Satan to buffet Paul through this messenger of Satan. Satan bring burdens of people. Satan is blinding people. Satan is beguiling people. Satan is buffeting people. That is what Satan does to the people of God and to the whole world. So Paul as he continues and he says speaking about the fact that verse 3 that the Corinthians were beguiled by Satan. Satan is called a liar. He is a liar from the beginning. He is called the accuser of the brethren in Revelation chapter 12. And so in verse 4 Satan is an imitator. Paul is telling the Corinthians Satan has a counterfeit gospel. Satan sends false gospel preachers.

That's what happened to the Corinthians. So we read in verse 4 for if he that cometh preaches another gospel whom we have not preached or if ye receive another spirit which ye have not received or if another gospel which ye have not accepted ye might well bear with him. So Paul is reminding them Satan really is an imitator. He is telling false he is a liar and he is claiming to be that which he is not. He is always want to do away with the things of the Lord. He is a counterfeit. He is a counterfeit beloved brothers and sisters. As we read elsewhere in other epistles in the word of God.

Galatians 1 and verse 6 tells us I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that call you into the grace of Christ and unto another gospel. which is not another. But there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. The Galatians had the same issue. Here the Corinthians was spoken by the apostle Shaul Paul as he is now writing to them this second letter. Now he continued to show his jealousy towards the assembly of the believers at Corinth who call them saints in the first chapters. In verse 5 and 6 Paul was open before the Corinthians. Paul was not behind the chiefest of the apostles.

He wanted them to be careful and not to follow anyone else except the Lord Jesus and to recognize that he was indeed his servant. And so we read in verses 5 and 6 of 2 Corinthians 11, But though I be rude in speech yet not in knowledge but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things, he is saying to the Corinthians. Have I committed an offense in abasing myself? In other words, by lowing myself, by humbling myself? Was that an offense when I did so? He's saying to them that ye might be exalted because I have preached to you the gospel of Christ or the gospel of God freely?

Notice Paul presented the gospel to the Corinthians without any charge. He freely presented a message of the gospel. He wanted the Corinthians to come to know that Yeshua indeed is the Messiah and to become redeemed and forgiven. And that's why he was for 18 months at Corinth presenting the gospel leading souls to the Messiah and then instructing them and discipling them so they will grow to continue to follow the Lord. But as we just read in verse 4 if somebody come and preach another Jesus, some came to preach another Jesus, another Yeshua, as if there is another, there is only one. the Lord Jesus said of himself, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father but by me. Peter and the apostles preached in the early days of the assemblies in Jerusalem. They said there is none other name given among men whereby ye must be saved. And that's the name of Yeshua, Jesus. You shall call his name Yeshua, you shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. So he says if somebody comes preaching another Jesus, whom we have not preached, we didn't preach another, we preach the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah as indeed he is. You did not receive another spirit, you received the Holy Spirit of God when you have accepted the Lord Jesus the Messiah.

And you did not receive another gospel from us, we preach to you the gospel of the Messiah, that Christ died for our sins according to the scripture, he was buried, and he rose again on the third day according to the scriptures. And so now beloved brothers and sisters, once Paul showed to them that he was jealous over them with godly jealousy, he warned them because he is jealous over them, we are going to jump over verses 7 to 12 and we'll go to verse 13, 14 and 15 and you notice what Paul is saying as he continued to show his godly jealousy towards the assembly of the believers at Corinth.

He says in verse 13, the false teachers that he was just speaking about them, that preach another gospel, he's saying to them in these next verses the false teachers transformed themselves into angels angels of light.

You see, if you go back for a moment to verse 5, where Paul says, I suppose I was not a wit behind the very chiefest of the apostles, what he wants to say is that I am an apostle like the chiefest of the apostles, the apostles whom the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah chosen as we read of them in the gospel of Matthew the twelve apostles that he sent them and he called them for the ministry and he sent them to minister to the word of God to be his messengers you remember we do read in Matthew chapter 10 when he had called unto him his twelve disciples verse 1 he gave them power against

unclean spirit to cast them out and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of diseases and notice that in verse 2 of Matthew chapter 10 now the name of the twelve apostles you see in verse 1 of Matthew 10 they are called the twelve disciples in verse 2 of Matthew chapter 10 they are called the twelve apostles and we have the name the first Simon and then Andrew then James and then John Yohanan and then Philip and then Barthalmai and then Thomas then Matthew and then James Yaakov and then Labios and then Simon Shimon and then Yehuda these twelve Jesus sent forth and commanded them saying go not into the way of the

Gentiles initially but into the whole house the lost sheep of the house of Israel initially and then he sent them to go to all the world preach the message of the gospel and Paul said in verse 5 as he continued later on in verse 13 he said in verse 5 of 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 he said I did not come behind of any of the chiefest of the apostle because I also was called by the Lord to be an apostle to be a sent one to preach the message of the gospel as we read in Acts chapter 9 as the Lord said to Hananiah but the Lord said to him go thy way Acts 9

15 for he this is Shaul Paul Shaul is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel and I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake so beloved brothers and sisters Paul shows present his jealousy of love and care as a father towards the Corinthians and he is saying to them in verse 13 14 and 15 of 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 he said for such are false apostles I'm not a false apostle I do not come behind other apostles I'm chosen by the glorified Messiah I'm sent to minister the gospel but they are false apostles they are deceitful workers they're

transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ they are claiming to be serving the Messiah Christ but really they are just false apostles who transform themselves as if they were apostles of Christ verse 14 and 15 of our chapter and no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness whose end shall be according to their works beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends the apostle Paul in his days already in his days sometime around 60 AD already false apostles rose who were followers of Satan who really transforming themselves into an apostles of Christ apostles of the

Messiah give the appearance as if they were really messengers of the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah but in reality they were really followers of Satan they were false apostles and they influenced the local assembly at Corinth and they turned them against Shaul Paul and Paul said no marvel verse 14 and 15 because Satan has Satan Satan himself transforming into an angel of life therefore it is no great thing if his this is Satan's ministers servants followers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness and not as that whose end shall be according to their works you know beloved brothers and sisters by the time we arrive to the middle of the book of Revelation in

Revelation chapter 12 God will cast Satan and those that follow after him the demons the fallen angels and we do read in verse 12 of the Revelation 12 12 it says therefore rejoice ye heaven and ye that dwell in them woe to the inhabitants of the earth and to the sea for the devil is come down unto you having great wrath because he knows that he has but a short time and when the dragon saw that he was cast into the earth he persecuted the woman he persecuted Israel which brought forth the man child and beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends Satan was cast from heaven in the middle of the tribulation and ultimately

even those that follow after him these demons fallen angels and all those that claim to be a servant of the Lord Jesus the Messiah but in reality are not their end whose end shall be according to their works they will have the same eternal end of judgment by God because they followed after Satan and that's why it is so important for everyone to turn to the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah to accept him as our Lord and Savior and to receive forgiveness and to follow him and to also serve him in this sad world in which we live in today beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends well now as we continue here the second

presentation of the Apostle Shaul Paul to the Corinthians in this 11th chapter is found as a father now being gentle with the Corinthians Paul presenting himself as an Abba as a father that is not only have a godly jealousy towards the Corinthians but also have a godly generosity and gentleness towards the assembly of the believers at Corinth and of that we read in chapter 11 where we are in verses 7 to 12 and so we read in verse 7 Paul preached the gospel to the Corinthians freely he's reminding them in verse 7 and he said to them I have committed an offense in boasting in abasing myself he said to them that I might be

exalted let me repeat it in verse 7 again he said have I committed an offense in abasing myself in humbling myself that you might be exalted because I have preached unto you the gospel of God freely so in verse 7 he's reminding the Corinthians that when he was with them he presented the gospel to them freely he continued and he said I robbed other churches taking wages of them to do you service imagine beloved brothers and sisters Paul served the Corinthians led them to the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah and they should have supported him as he served the Lord and yet they didn't and he received others supported him he also supported himself because

after all beloved brothers and sisters if you remember as we read in Acts chapter 18 that Paul was with Aquila and Priscilla and that they were tent makers so because he was of the same craft he abode with them and he wrought for by their occupation they were tent makers so Paul was with Aquila and Priscilla as a tent maker he was taking care of himself and he said that other assemblies were supporting him this is amazing it is often so isn't it those that receive the most benefit from the servant of the Lord are the least supporting the servant of the Lord it is somehow the way that things work and those that receive

less benefit from the servant of the Lord they are the ones that are more caring for this missionary or this servant of the Lord and they take care of him so Paul is presenting this in verse 7 as his gentleness as a father towards them he continues in verse 8 he says I took wages from others in order to serve you Corinthians in verse 9 he was not a burdensome he was not chargeable to no one no one can accuse him he didn't force himself on the Corinthians he said and when I was present with you and wanted in other words I was in need I was not chargeable to no man for that which

was lacking for me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied and in all things I have kept myself from being a burdensome unto you and so will I keep myself you see Paul didn't want the Corinthians to accuse him that oh we paid you we supported you we took care of you and so on Paul says no you receive the gospel freely from me and you receive the ministry of the word of God for freely for me they should have supported him the labor is worthy of his hire you are not to muzzle the ox when he tread when he works this is the responsibility of the people of God just like the people of

Israel historically were to take care of the Leviim the tribe of Levi the priests and the servants of the Lord to take care of them but Paul specifically with the Corinthians emphasized the fact that he did not want to be chargeable to them and he will say I will keep myself in that way towards you there was a principle towards the Corinthians who accused him who didn't appreciate him who listened to other false apostles and false messages turned against him what a shame it was for the Corinthians and the evident was in the letter in 1st Corinthians prove the spiritual state that the Corinthians were at at that time and how Paul had to write

a whole second epistle not so much dealing with doctrine but dealing with opening his heart because of the issue and the problem that existed there and their behavior towards him in verse 10 Paul said he was truly a servant of the Lord Jesus the Messiah he said as the truth is in Christ is in me no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia in other words I know that I served the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah I was and I am a servant of the Lord Jesus the Messiah he was not saying it in pride but he was stating facts as we read here in verse 10 and in verse

11 and 12 Paul asked do I not love you in verse 11 wherefore because I love you not do you think all this I do because I do not love you I care for you I love you as a father as an Abba I love you Corinthians I always did but you turn against me in verse 12 Paul he said he wanted the false apostles to stop to seek glory for themself and he said but what I do that I will do that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion that wherein they glory they may be found even as we in other words those that were there that were false teachers false

apostles they were in the midst of the Corinthians he says this what I will do I want to stop the occasion that these individuals in your midst take for themselves to proud themselves to glory themselves and they need to have the right attitude of humility they need to change their way or to be completely set aside and stop to influence the believers that are that are at Corinthians and so beloved brothers and sisters in verses 1 to 6 and 13 to 15 Paul presents himself as an Abba as a father of the Corinthians who has godly jealousy over the believers at Corinthians secondly in verses 7 to 12 the apostle Paul presents himself as an

Abba as a father to the Corinthians that shows gentleness in the care for the Corinthians for the believers of the assembly at Corinth that is appeal here in this 11th chapter of 2nd Corinthians now thirdly and finally in the second half of this 11th chapter this all second half from verse 16 to 33 Paul presents himself as a father that has an anxiety for the assembly of the believers at Corinth you know any father any Abba has a care for his children and he cares for them you remember the passage that we read in the gospel of Luke of the prodigal son that came to his father and said if you remember beloved brothers and

sisters he came unto his father as the Lord Jesus the Messiah presented this interesting parable and how and how he came to his father and he said to his father remember and I just want to read the text for us just for our benefit when the Lord Jesus the Messiah presented the fact that he God the father God the son God the Holy Spirit all the three persons of the God were involved in the salvation of mankind of lost sheep and so as he speaks this parable in Luke chapter 15 the Lord Jesus the Messiah present first of all the son as a shepherd secondly the Holy Spirit as the woman that lost the coin

and eventually found it but thirdly he presenting himself now as God the father he presenting him as a father that have two sons the youngest said to the father give me the portion of goods that befalleth unto me and so the father gave him he divided the goods unto his two sons and then the youngest son went away wasted everything but what do you think the father did the father although we don't read that but he was waiting eagerly for the coming of his son and when his son came to his wits end when he came unto himself and he returned home and on the way his father ran unto him and he kissed him

and he embraced him it says he arose and he came unto his father and when he was yet a great way off his father saw him and he had compassion and he ran and he fell on his neck and he kissed him Luke 15 and verse 20 and before the son even had something to say the father said to his servant bring forth the best robe put it on him and put a ring on him on his hand and shoes on his feet and kill the fattest calf and let us be merry let us eat and be merry for this my son was dead and he's alive again he was lost and he's now found

I began to be merry there was a celebration and you can just imagine in the Jewish circles in days of old what a celebration of when the son came back home well here in 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 you can see that the anxiety of Paul as a father towards the local assembly in Corinth is presented here from verse 16 to 33 of 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 so notice what we have here in verse 16 to 22 Paul asks if he can boast a little and the boasting that he does here is not because he really wanted to boast himself and to exalt himself but he wanted to show the Corinthians the reality of his love

for them and the anxiety of care that he had towards them not only that he as a father have a godly jealousy towards them not only that he as a father is gentle towards them but he as a father he has an anxiety towards them because he cares for them and so we read in verse 16 17 18 and onward listen to these beloved brothers and sisters we read in verse 16 I say 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 just bear with me I want to boast a little bit but I'm doing so just to show

you what actually I have done for you and for the people of God and I'm so much caring for the people of God in verse 17 Paul said it is not after the Lord's way for me to boast but I'm just doing so to show you to teach you a lesson that which I speak I speak not after the Lord but as it were foolishly in this confidence of boasting I'm just foolish in a sense for a moment to show you by boasting what happened in my ministry towards you and to all others that I'm called by the Lord to serve in verse 18 but if a man do glory I will also go to

do so seeing that many glory after the flesh well I will do so also for you suffer fools gladly seeing ye yourself are wise in other words in verse 19 he's saying the Corinthians already put up with others who glory well just bear with me let me show you a few things Paul is presenting before them well and notice in verse 20 21 and 22 using the word if notice we read in verse 20 for ye suffer if you are putting up with if a man bring you into bondage you put up with him secondly if a man devour you you put out with him thirdly if a man take of you you put up

with him verse again 20 if a man exalt himself you bear with him and verse same verse 20 in other words what really Paul is saying he said for you suffer you put up with the others so now put up with me verse 20 I'm repeating it if a man bring you into bondage if a man devour you if a man take of you if a man exalt himself if a man smite you on the face five times using this expression that you have allowed others to do so when they put you into bondage when they devour you when they took from you when they exalted themselves before you when they smote you you bore

with them you suffered to have them doing this to you and so in verse 21 22 Paul says I'm going to speak of my challenges and reproaches and then in verse 22 he shows and he comparing himself with the others and so notice what we read in verse 21 and verse 22 I speak as concerning not boasting but concerning reproach as though we had been weak however or how bit wheresoever any is bold I speak foolishly I am bold also he is saying in verse 22 are they Hebrews so am I are they Israelis so am I are they the seed of Abraham so am I now it is very interesting that in this verse

apparently some of those that were influencing the Corinthians were some Jewish people who were not really serving the Lord and they came and influenced the believers at Corinth I'm sure others as well but he is now comparing himself with those that claim to be Hebrews or Israelis and all the seed of Abraham very very interesting because he used the word Hebrews Evrim Israelis and of the seed of Abraham well he said are they Hebrews well he said I'm like them I'm also he was a Hebrew of the Hebrews are they Israelis of course he says I'm also an Israeli are they of the seed of Abraham he says so am I I'm also of the

seed of Abraham Zerah Avraham and now from here on beloved brothers and sisters verses 23 to 25 Paul presents his own suffering for the Messiah now I want you to notice that in verse 20 the apostle Paul showed that the Corinthians allowed they bore with those others that brought them to bondage that devoured them used them they took from them that exalted themselves before the Corinthians and that even smote them that's verse 20 but on the other hand in contrast in verse 21 Paul says I speak concerning not concerning boasting and taking advantage of you but concerning reproach shame shame that he have experienced for the sake of the Messiah so in verses 23 24

and 25 Paul experienced so much suffering for the name of the Lord Jesus the Messiah he was devoted committed to the service of the Lord he challenged the Corinthians also to be loyal to the Lord and to God and to the gospel and he showed them here in these verses as he concludes chapter 11 that he really suffered for the name of the Lord Jesus the Messiah here we have one of the lists that are found also in chapter 4 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 of 2nd Corinthians here in chapter 11 we have that list that the apostle Paul present before the Corinthians listen to this list in verse 23 24 and verse 25 we read

in verse 23 are they ministers of Christ I speak as a fool I am more listen to what Paul is saying in labors more abundant in stripes above measure in prisons more frequent in death often verse 24 of the Jews five times receive I 40 stripes save one this is 39 stripes according to Deuteronomy chapter 25 and verses 1 to 3 then verse 25 the first part thrice I was bitten with rod once I was stoned thrice I suffered sheep wreck notice that the apostle Paul is presenting before the Corinthians the fact that he experienced suffering and the suffering that he had suffered because he had identified with the person of the Lord Yeshua Jesus

the Messiah so in verse 23 labor stripes prison danger even danger of death verse 24 he says I received five times I received 39 stripes of his own Jewish countrymen and then verse 25 he said three times I was beaten with rod once I was stoned three three times I suffered sheep wreck imagine beloved brothers and sisters night and a day have I been in the deep so Paul presenting his suffering for the name of the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah and finally he's concluding this 11th chapter by the last words here in chapter 11 verse 25b to the end of the chapter to verse 33 even the hardship that he had experienced by nature

here as he was traveling to minister to the people of God so in verse 25b of course he said he suffered sheep wreck and I'm reading this again I three times suffered sheep wreck and a night and a day I have been in the deep in other words he experienced suffering even by nature when there was almost because of the storm that he had experienced and then in verse 26 Paul was in a peril by the heathen and by false brethren can you imagine those who claim to be the brethren behave in such a way towards him verse 26 in journeying often in perils of water in perils of robbers in perils by mine own

countrymen in perils by the heathen and in perils in the city in perils in the wilderness in perils in the sea and in perils among false brethren imagine in perils he experienced perils by robbers perils by countrymen perils by the heathen and perils by false brethren this is amazing the experience that apostle Paul the word for peril is dangers in Hebrew it says sakhanot various dangers that he has experienced as he served the Lord Jesus the Messiah in verse 27 Paul continued suffering in weariness and in painfulness in watching often in hunger and in thirst in fasting often in cold and nakedness imagine beloved brothers and sisters in verse 28 Paul continued and he said

beside those things that are without that which come upon me daily the cares for the churches you know Paul beloved brothers and sisters cared for the assemblies of God and when we when he used the word churches he doesn't speak about building a church is a composition of true believers Jewish believers and Gentile believers who compose the churches and this is important to see as the apostle Paul cared for the benefit of the assembly we read we read in Acts chapter 15 and verse 36 some days after Paul said unto Barnabas let us go again to visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they

do let's go and see how they are doing are they growing spiritually are they maturing are they serving the Lord and here Paul says beside all this I have the care of all the assemblies of the believers amazing beloved brothers and sisters Paul identified with all the believers in the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah this is an important thing that we learned from the apostle Paul now beloved brothers and sisters just the final verses as we read in verse 30 onward Paul said if there is a need to boast he said I will boast in my infirmity Paul did not want to boast in anything else except in the Lord and so notice what he

does at the last verses verses 30 to 33 in these final verses he said if I must need to glory I will glory of the things which concern my infirmities I'm not going to boast in something my strength even I will boast in my infirmities and so in verse 31 Paul proclaimed that God knows that he does not lie the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which is blessed forever know that I lie not he knew very well that whatever he said he said yes it is the truth in Yeshua in Jesus and that God the Father knows that whatever he said he was speaking the truth to the Corinthians he cared for

them he loved them beloved brothers and sisters in the final two verses verses 32 and 33 Paul said in Damascus the governor under Aritas this is King Aritas the king kept the city of Damascus with a garrison desirous to apprehend me even in Damascus they wanted to apprehend me to take me and to kill me to do away with me because I was preaching the word and through a window in a basket I was let down by the wall and I escaped his hand even when they sought to destroy me to kill me I was somehow was let down by notice it says here by the wall that was in a basket let down by

the wall and I escaped through the wall through the window from the hand of that King Aritas amazing to see that the governor there under the King Aritas that wanted to apprehend the apostle Shaul Paul this is fascinating to learn this beloved brothers and sisters and so as we are concluding here with this 11th chapter what did we learn from this 11th chapter three things we learned from this 11th chapter beloved brothers and sisters in 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 verses 1 to 33 Paul was led by the spirit of God to use this image of a father to his sons and daughters as a spiritual father spiritual father who cared for his family Paul presented

to the Corinthians three proofs of his fatherly love for the Corinthians the first one verses 1 to 6 and verses 13 to 15 I have godly jealousy towards you Corinthians I care for you as a father I have a godly jealousy towards you secondly verses 7 to 12 Paul said I have always shown unto you that I was gentle towards you believers at Corinth and thirdly as a father who is jealous and gentle towards you Corinthians I have an anxiety for you as a father and I care for you and I suffered so much for you for the service of the Lord and for the care of all the assemblies and that should have touched

the hearts of the Corinthians had they understood what Shaul Paul have done for them of course on behalf of the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah well beloved brothers and sisters may the Lord raise in the midst of his own people many many fathers and that's why we read in 1st Corinthians chapter 4 and then verse 14 I write not these things to shame you but as my beloved children my beloved sons and daughters I warn you for though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ yet have ye not many fathers may the Lord help us today and raise in the midst of God's people fathers that will care for the flock for the sheep for

the people of God may God use you and I to be vessels of blessing for God's people well God bless you my dear brothers and sisters until the next time we say to you Shalom Shalom