Let me just ramble for a minute as I did yesterday morning looking at this passage.

The Word “boast” or “boasting” is kauchaomai – Paul kind of likes this word. He uses it 10x in his letter to the Romans, as well as 10x in his First Letter to the Corinthians. but in the Second Letter to the Corinthians he uses it 16x just in chapters 10-12.

Paul is going somewhere. In 10:17 he says, let the one who BOASTS, boast in the Lord. Paul is not boasting for approval, but for attention because he has a JOB to do. and he knows 10:18 that the Lord will be on the one who commends him, whose approval he seeks.

Then in chapter 11 Paul describes his “job” in a similar fashion to John the Baptist in John 3. Remember when John’s disciples came up to him about this new “upstart” that’s getting all the attention, and he’s doing “our thing” and baptizing people.

John then says in John 3:29, that he is just a friend of the groom. It was the role of the best man, as we would know him, to make everything ready and bring the bride to the groom.

All the friend of the groom wanted was to make arrangements, bring the bride, for the groom to be pleased, and the bride find fulfillment in the arrangements. Other than that, the friend took a backseat. Certainly, he wanted / needed to present himself well, as a representative of the groom, but then he would decrease and he (the groom) must increase, John explained (3:30)

Paul has his role in a similar way. Paul’s great concern was for the people of the church, as he desires to bring them TO the Groom and protect them from distraction from that destination.

Reading these chapters, there were obviously deceivers in their midst, and to build their case, they had been boasting about their knowledge and qualifications. So, Paul decides to play that game.

They obviously were boasting in themselves, but Paul says, boast in the Lord.

But I love the game he plays starting in 10:15 – “Alright… I’ll play the fool and boast a little. 11:20… I’ll take the dare, talking foolishly… and boast.

Then Paul gives his “resume” for suffering in 11:23-29 – read that… woah.

Then 11:30 – “I’d rather boast in my weaknesses”. But 12:1 It’s not really profitable to boast, but if necessary, I could talk about visions I’ve seen. 12:6 just telling the truth here… Then he boasts of the great struggles, 12:7-10 – physical afflictions / weaknesses, that God has allowed and will not take away because God’s grace is sufficient and God’s strength is made perfect in his weakness.

I know I’m rambling… but why all of this? Paul wants a faithful, blessed, purely presented Bride

11:2-3 (CSB) I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy… because I have promised you in marriage to one husband – to present you a pure virgin to Christ. But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

What is his job?

• Bring people to Jesus
• Offer them to Christ as an act of “Evangelistic Worship”
• Protect them from false teachings and false acting
• Guard against deception

Adam and Eve took their eyes off of truth, love, and promises. The evil one has always called into question the Goodness of God and the Word of God, and those who knowingly or unwittingly do his work, still do the same.

These followers were in danger of the same, and so it happens in the church the danger of being seduced – phtheiro = corrupt, destroy, ruin.

What we teach, in the church, what we allow is very important. Adam and Eve had a perfect relationship with God like none other have ever experienced, and yet still they were seduced, corrupted, destroyed, ruined.

Well, we have an opportunity to now be another voice in the struggle against deceivers and deception

So,

1. Let’s be IN Love with Jesus
2. Let’s be On Mission
3. Let’s be Careful and Faithful to step in between truth and deception
4. Let’s Preach a Clear Jesus, that is based on the Word of God, and offer a Pure gospel, Clearly and Faithfully, doing everything in our power to present the Bride to Christ.