Your Education

2 Cor 12:1 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know such a man--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- 4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. 6 For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Where you receive your education is sometimes more important than how your education takes place. Some take great pride in the fact they have been educated in the best of the Ivy League schools, while some take a sort of solace from having learned “all they know” in the school of ‘hard knocks.’

Whether you have savoir-faire or street-savvy depends most of all on your upbringing. The wealthy go to Harvard, and the less-wealthy head for the streets. Paul?

Paul was ‘brought up’ for his higher education, and we all benefit from it. According to his own understanding, (which does seem limited in its ability to comprehend what happened, exactly,) Paul was caught up to heaven, and he received the doctrine he taught directly from the Lord Jesus. This, more than any other occurrence in his life qualified him to be an apostle – even more than speaking with Jesus face-to-face on the Damascus Road.

That Paul was already a well-educated man prior to his meeting with Jesus and conversion is beyond dispute. But his learning in the letter of the law was far inferior to what he would receive from the God of love. Caught up to heaven, Paul learned of grace; how to explain it, how to demonstrate it, how to live it out. In weakness - so God could be his strength?

Since grace is the most confounding of subjects to teach worldly people, how grateful we should be that the Lord ‘brought up’ Paul for his higher learning. I know I am hearing the same exact things about grace today the first church heard from Paul. In itself, this is the grace of God - in the ministry of man. And I praise God for teaching Paul so well!

-  Pastor Bill